24 15 4132 https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/42fb8c22ab5981f59e358247dbd3ea55.pdf 37192a82e81fddfd71d1603d2ccc1e3d PDF Text Text � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Student Artwork, 1940s-2025 Description An account of the resource This collection of artwork was created by Wilkes College and Wilkes University students from the 1940s through 2025. It was originally located in the Art Department before being transferred over to the Wilkes University Archives in December 2024 thanks to Sharon Cosgrove, Art Department professor. Because of a lack of documentation for many of the art pieces, some of the metadata fields are unknown including Creators, Dates, or Titles. The student who processed and digitized this collection, Emily Romanoskey, arranged the collection according to the medium type and added a date and creator and title when listed. If any former Art students see a piece that is theres and sees the piece identified incorrectly, please reach out to Wilkes University Archivist, Suzanna Calev (suzanna.calev@wilkes.edu ), with a link to the digitized piece and the proper information so she can update the collection and make sure the item is labeled correctly. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Art Department Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1940s-2025 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Artwork (paintings, prints, drawings, lino cuts, etc) Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Unknown.blue and green abstract painting. no date Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource no date Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Type The nature or genre of the resource Artwork Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Art Department Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wilkes University retains copyright of this document. https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/099153074fd9435096cd032cfcfc1757.pdf 2162467446eb9dbff79b97c3bda6e43c PDF Text Text � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Student Artwork, 1940s-2025 Description An account of the resource This collection of artwork was created by Wilkes College and Wilkes University students from the 1940s through 2025. It was originally located in the Art Department before being transferred over to the Wilkes University Archives in December 2024 thanks to Sharon Cosgrove, Art Department professor. Because of a lack of documentation for many of the art pieces, some of the metadata fields are unknown including Creators, Dates, or Titles. The student who processed and digitized this collection, Emily Romanoskey, arranged the collection according to the medium type and added a date and creator and title when listed. If any former Art students see a piece that is theres and sees the piece identified incorrectly, please reach out to Wilkes University Archivist, Suzanna Calev (suzanna.calev@wilkes.edu ), with a link to the digitized piece and the proper information so she can update the collection and make sure the item is labeled correctly. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Art Department Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1940s-2025 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Artwork (paintings, prints, drawings, lino cuts, etc) Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Unknown. Painting of a face red and yellow. no date Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource no date Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Type The nature or genre of the resource Artwork Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Art Department Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wilkes University retains copyright of this document. https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/e3dc6ee370ffdff26fd23bbe41fbbfa2.pdf c35dd32047e8dd6a7cd3acbbf9745918 PDF Text Text � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Student Artwork, 1940s-2025 Description An account of the resource This collection of artwork was created by Wilkes College and Wilkes University students from the 1940s through 2025. It was originally located in the Art Department before being transferred over to the Wilkes University Archives in December 2024 thanks to Sharon Cosgrove, Art Department professor. Because of a lack of documentation for many of the art pieces, some of the metadata fields are unknown including Creators, Dates, or Titles. The student who processed and digitized this collection, Emily Romanoskey, arranged the collection according to the medium type and added a date and creator and title when listed. If any former Art students see a piece that is theres and sees the piece identified incorrectly, please reach out to Wilkes University Archivist, Suzanna Calev (suzanna.calev@wilkes.edu ), with a link to the digitized piece and the proper information so she can update the collection and make sure the item is labeled correctly. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Art Department Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1940s-2025 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Artwork (paintings, prints, drawings, lino cuts, etc) Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Unknown.painting of a chess board and art figure. no date Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource no date Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Type The nature or genre of the resource Artwork Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Art Department Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wilkes University retains copyright of this document. https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/7c206b2dd74a6af925f6fc0329e97392.pdf a67d75ee97610b3459abb44c60b88ec3 PDF Text Text � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Student Artwork, 1940s-2025 Description An account of the resource This collection of artwork was created by Wilkes College and Wilkes University students from the 1940s through 2025. It was originally located in the Art Department before being transferred over to the Wilkes University Archives in December 2024 thanks to Sharon Cosgrove, Art Department professor. Because of a lack of documentation for many of the art pieces, some of the metadata fields are unknown including Creators, Dates, or Titles. The student who processed and digitized this collection, Emily Romanoskey, arranged the collection according to the medium type and added a date and creator and title when listed. If any former Art students see a piece that is theres and sees the piece identified incorrectly, please reach out to Wilkes University Archivist, Suzanna Calev (suzanna.calev@wilkes.edu ), with a link to the digitized piece and the proper information so she can update the collection and make sure the item is labeled correctly. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Art Department Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1940s-2025 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Artwork (paintings, prints, drawings, lino cuts, etc) Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Peguero Joselina.Untitled.no date Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Peguero Joselina Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource no date Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Type The nature or genre of the resource Artwork Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Art Department Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wilkes University retains copyright of this document. https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/e5237a0cdfa2c49d8977971e4f512759.pdf 7f09aa9637ec12b22c85dbff55325afc PDF Text Text �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Student Artwork, 1940s-2025 Description An account of the resource This collection of artwork was created by Wilkes College and Wilkes University students from the 1940s through 2025. It was originally located in the Art Department before being transferred over to the Wilkes University Archives in December 2024 thanks to Sharon Cosgrove, Art Department professor. Because of a lack of documentation for many of the art pieces, some of the metadata fields are unknown including Creators, Dates, or Titles. The student who processed and digitized this collection, Emily Romanoskey, arranged the collection according to the medium type and added a date and creator and title when listed. If any former Art students see a piece that is theres and sees the piece identified incorrectly, please reach out to Wilkes University Archivist, Suzanna Calev (suzanna.calev@wilkes.edu ), with a link to the digitized piece and the proper information so she can update the collection and make sure the item is labeled correctly. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Art Department Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1940s-2025 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Artwork (paintings, prints, drawings, lino cuts, etc) Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Petrosky Mandy.Untitled. no date. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Petrosky Mandy. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource no date Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Type The nature or genre of the resource Artwork Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Art Department Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wilkes University retains copyright of this document. https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/14dc657acb97f480617b687e3770b22d.pdf 8c3e00b3840532d7e87faa60ff478166 PDF Text Text The Beacon - April 30, 2025 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 77, Issue 22 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” Programming Board hosts County Fair event on the greenway By Shannon Slominski Photographer Programming Board hosted a County Fair event on the greenway on Thursday, April 24. It was a fun-filled event where students could relax after a stressful week of exams and assignments, just before finals. The event had games and activities like an obstacle course, mechanical shark and a dunk tank where students had the opportunity to dunk members of the Programming Board. It featured a free portrait artist and photo booth as well. Food offered included chicken tenders, breadsticks, pizza, crab rangoons and more. The event also featured Programming Board’s annual Snack Attack, where students can get free treats, drinks and snacks. Samara Carey, Programming Board big event chair and event lead, said that the planning for this event began at the end of the previous fall semester with Owen Ward, small event chair and event lead. “It’s been a process, but it’s been a fun process,” Carey said. Students sit at tables on the greenway, enjoying the warm weather for the Country Fair event on April 24. Photo by Shannon Slominski Professors and Shiv Patel get pied at Chemistry Club Bond-B-Q, page 4 The Sordoni Art Gallery hosts SOMA Night Lights, page 9 What caused “A Minecraft Movie” to succeed?, page 17 ...COUNTY FAIR cont. on p.3 Wilkes Baseball kicks off weekend by honoring Julia Mazur, page 19 �The Beacon - April 30, 2025 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Leah Smith at leah.smith1@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: April 23 weekly meeting By Kayla Bicskei News Staff Writer Student Government convened for its final weekly meeting of the Spring 2025 semester on April 23. The meeting addressed the Senior send-off. The Student Government Treasurer’s report showed a final budget of $9,500. The Senior Send-Off began with each of the seniors receiving a gift from the Student Government as an appreciation of their time and services with the Student Government. The send-off continued with each of the Seniors announcing their immediate plans for after their graduation. To conclude the Senior Send-oOff, a slideshow was played on the projector screen. The slideshow consisted of pictures of the Student Government members throughout the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semesters. The last meeting of the Spring 2025 semester ended with a last goodbye to the graduating Seniors and an adjournment of the meeting. Student Government will meet again in the Fall 2025 semester. Fall 2025 Parking Applications Nesbitt School of Pharmacy Hooding Volunteers Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Andrew Marshallsay HPSC Clothing Drive If you have any clothes you do not want to use anymore, you can drop them off at the Honors office at SLC 262. Donations must be clean and in good condition. No undergarment or swimwear will be accepted for donation. 2025-2026 FAFSA Students are reminded to fill out the 20252026 FAFSA form by May 1 in order to be eligible for the Pennsylvania State Grant. If you have any questions or need help with the form, you can call the Financial Aid Office at 570-408-4512, email at financialaid@wilkes.edu or visit the second floor of Capin Hall. 2025 Founders Gala The 2025 Wilkes University Founders Gala will be held on May 8 at the Westmoreland Club in Wilkes-Barre. The theme of this year’s event is the Gilded Age, a time in the rich history of the city of Wilkes-Barre. Construction Work at SIMMS Until May 1, there will be exterior construction work at the SIMMS building on the corner of South Main and West South Streets. The sidewalks will be impacted in the area, and you are asked to avoid the area if possible. For any questions, contact 2Fix or Charles Cary. Commuter and resident parking permit applications are open now, and will be available until July 1. If you require a Ralston permit, you are asked to note your preference in the comments. No applications will be accepted after the July 1 deadline. For any questions, contact parking at 570-408-7275 on Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Spring 2025 Final Exams Final exams for the Spring 2025 semester will begin on May 1 and end May 8. To find the final exam schedule, you can visit ww.wilkes.edu and visit the “Calendars & Schedules” tab. Faculty Advisor Workshop - May 14 For new faculty advisors or anyone looking for a refresher, the Office of Academic Success is hosting an advising workshop on May 14 in the Miller Room. The workshop is targeted towards new advisors, but current faculty can also attend. To find the RSVP form, visit today.wilkes.edu. Men’s Hockey Seeking Social Media Coordinator The Wilkes Men’s Hockey Team is looking for someone to help amplify content on their social media platforms. If you are interested, contact Head Coach Tyler Hynes at tyler.hynes@wilkes.edu. The Nesbitt School of Pharmacy is looking for volunteers to help in the Hooding Ceremony on May 16 at 7 p.m. in the MAC. Volunteers are asked to be at the MAC for 5:15 p.m. Care Lab attire is required. For more information, contact Justin Collins at justin.collins@wilkes.edu. Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Family Tree at the Sordoni Art Gallery The new exhibit for the Sordoni Art Gallery is titled Family Tree. The exhibit brings the work of four sisters together to talk about trees. The exhibit is open from April 22 to June 1. The gallery will also be hosting the second Saturday Family Hour on the exhibit on May 10 at noon. Participants can create their own family tree, with supplies being provided. Summer 2025 Courses Summer 2025 Courses will begin on May 19 and will be held until August 15. Courses are at a reduced price of $530 per credit. Financial clearance for summer courses is due May 5 until a payment plan has been set up. For more information visit www.wilkes. edu/academics/summer-classes/index. aspx. Upcoming Events: Spring 2025 April 30 - Final Day of Classes May 1- First Day of Finals 8 - Last Day of Finals 17 - Spring Commencement 19 - Summer Classes Begin Have a safe and anjoyable summer! Want your event featured in the calendar? Email: leah.smith1@wilkes.edu �The Beacon - April 30, 2025 News ...COUNTY FAIR cont. from p.1 Various local craft vendors and businesses attended the event, selling painted glasses, homemade baked goods, jewelry and beyond. “I wanted to get the local vendors' names out there, and a great way to do that is an event like this,” Carey said. Programming Board raffled gift certificates for students to support local vendors. Carey said these events draw large crowds of 120 or more students. “Events like this are fun and always have a fun crowd,” Carey said. “It's a good time and a good way to relax before finals and have some fun with friends and enjoy some food.” Several students agreed that the county fair was a great turnout and a good time to relax and hang out with friends before the finals begin. Photos by Shannon Slominski Students wait in line for food, which included breadsticks, pizza, and more. Students shop at local vendors' tables for crafts, baked goods and more. Students throw balls to dunk a Programming Board member in the dunk tank. The mechanical shark and inﬂatable obstacle course students enjoyed. 3 �The Beacon - April 30, 2025 News 4 Professors and Shiv Patel get pied at Chemistry Club Bond-B-Q By Brady Melovitz Layout Designer/News Staff Writer The Chemistry Club hosted its BondB-Q followed by the “Pie Your Professor” event at 12:30 p.m. on April 24 in the Evans Hall quartyard. At the Bond-B-Q, there were typical barbeque foods like burgers, hotdogs, and chips. Along with the assortment of food at the event, there was a bean bag toss for students and faculty to enjoy awaiting the Pie Your Professor event. Jake Middleton, Chemistry Club treasurer, was on hand for the pie your professor event. He explained the process that went into choosing the professors that would be pied. “We just asked all the faculty in the department if they wanted to be involved in the pie your professor event,” Middleton said. “Once we figured out who said yes, we set up a fundraiser for people to vote who they wanted.” The list of professors included Dr. Blechle, Dr. Youmans, Dr. Nazzal, Dr. Harms, Dr. Mencer, Mrs. Pitchford, and Dr. Jennings. Students could also vote for chemistry and neuroscience student Shiv Patel. Students needed to pay $1 to vote. Middleton mentioned that the professors involved in the pie your professor could even chip in and in turn could be rewarded. “The way it works is students can vote for the professor that they want to get pied, but the professor can also donate money and for every dollar that they donate they get to remove a vote.” The professors that got pied at the event were Dr. Mencer and Dr. Jennings alongside Shiv Patel. Photos by Brady Melovitz Geology student Reagan Weldon-Peri and biology student Maria Belen Gonzalez grill burgers. Any Barrios pies chemistry professor and co-chair Dr. Don Mencer. Biochemistry student Jake Middleton pies chemistry and neuroscience student Shiv Patel. �The Beacon - April 30, 2025 News 5 It's on Us and Title IX host virtual Q&A with Sarah Vaughan Leah Smith News Editor It’s On Us and Title IX held a Zoom session with “Anatomy of a Scandal” author Sarah Vaughan on April 24, from noon to 1 p.m. in the Miller Room. Students who registered for the event had a chance to listen and talk to Vaughan about her novel and her other works. Title IX coordinator Elizabeth Leo hosted the event and disclosed that the It’s On Us book club featured “Anatomy of a Scandal” as one of their titles. “Anatomy of a Scandal” is a crime/ courtroom thriller novel that features themes such as sexual assault, abuse of power dynamics and consent. “It’s easier to talk about these things using characters,” Leo said. “My hope is that by doing this it would be easier to address these topics in real life.” Vaughan proceeded to read an excerpt from the novel, a courtroom cross-examination scene that she took inspiration from a real life cold case she shadowed in her work in journalism. Vaughan is mostly known for her fictional work but gathered her knowledge and experience of exploring themes such as sexual crimes in her work as a journalist where she covered crimes involving the sexual assault and abuse on women and young girls. “I covered these cases because I was seen as non-threatening,” Vaughan said. “In literature and life, the muddy cases and grey areas of consent is where most common cases happen,” she added. “Anatomy of a Scandal” was released a few months after the Harvey Weinstein case and the beginning of the #MeToo movement. As a joke, Vaughan said, “I finally beat the zeitgeist for once.” Along with the novel, there is a Netflix show adaptation based on the novel with the same name. Copies of the book were offered as well as items provided by Elizabeth Leo, such as a webcam cover and an anti-spiking drink cover. Programming Board provided refreshments. Author Sarah Vaughan speaks to attendees via Zoom. Photos by Leah Smith Title IX coordinator Elizabeth Leo introduces Sarah Vaughan. A copy of Vaughan's novel "Anatomy of a Scandal" that has a Netﬂix Adaptation. �The Beacon - April 30, 2025 News 6 Wilkes receives 2025-2026 Military Friendly School designation By Leah Smith News Editor Wilkes University has earned the 20252026 Military Friendly School designation with the silver distinction The silver distinction is dedicated to institutions that offer extraordinary military and veteran programs that scored 21% in the survey and have three or more qualifying benchmarks. The institutions that have received the Military Friendly School designation were evaluated via survey and public data sources. More than 1,800 schools answered in the survey, with 830 earning rewards for going above the standard. By earning the Military Friendly Silver designation shows the dedication Wilkes has for assuring veterans have the resources, guidance and community needed for veterans to thrive in their educational endeavors. “This school is a great landing zone for military people to make their dreams come true,” said Lt. Col. Mark Kaster, director of veterans affairs, veteran counselor and environmental science and engineering professor at Wilkes. The Military Friendly School designation is a result of the university’s services, including but not limited to a veteran’s affairs counselor who works with veterans as they enroll, the Veterans Center of Excellence on campus located in Conyngham Hall that offers a spot for veterans to meet and study and a Wilkes Student Veterans Council that provides programming to help military members transition to the civilian landscape. Looking into the Wilkes Veterans Student Council, the council members support local military service projects and organizations such as the Wounded Warrior Project. They also provide community services such as sending care packages overseas. Wayne McCormick, communication and media studies major and secretary of the Wilkes Veterans Student Council, said he is pleased with the Military Friendly Designation. “It’s a very fine school for vets,” McCormick said. McCormick proceeded to state that a military friend of his is considering applying to Wilkes’ creative writing program. “Schools who achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, exceeding the standard,” said Kayla Lopez, vice president of Military Friendly. For more information about the university’s student veteran programs can visit wilkes. edu/veterans. Wilkes-Barre's annual Cherry Blossom Festival held at Kirby Park By Sydney Allabaugh Editor-in-Chief Attendees listen to live music outside in lawn chairs at this year's Cherry Blossom Festival on April 26 and April 27. A family takes a selﬁe in front of a Cherry Blossom Tree at Kirby Park. Children enjoy rides and carnival games at the festival. Hundreds of attendees visit dozens of food and craft vendors selling lemonade, jewelry, funnel cake and more. �The Beacon - April 30, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment Life, Arts & Entertainment 7 Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu Student choreographers present work in spring performance By Anthony Kehs Contributing Writer Student choreographers were showcased at a recent concert held on campus. As the 2024-2025 academic year comes to a close, Wilkes University dance minors Maddie Meier, Charley Cain, Amelia Smicherko, Lexi Wesnak, and Kylie Kilvitis, prepared for the Student Choreographers’ Concert. The Student Choreographers’ Concert gives dance minors taking DAN 320 (DanceComposition) the opportunity to take full control by selecting their dancers, the dance style, music, choreography, and costume for their piece. This allows them to take a more creative anddirectorial role. Meier, choreographed “Sparkle in Spite” to Gracie Abrams’ That’s So True. “I wanted my piece to value all of the anger and angst that comes from wanting to be somebody else, so that there was room for the exhilarating feeling of showcasing yourself unapologetically.” Meier added, “I wanted to find four dancers who were also beautifully different from one another. I wanted to combine their different strengths and showcase each of them.” “I liked Maddie Meiers’ because it was very touching, and I was able to come up with my own feelings about it and could see the story that was being conveyed,” said audience member Elena DiSciullo. “It’s very relatable.” Cain, who choreographed “That’s Life” to Frank Sinatra’s That’s Life, had a specific motive for their piece. “The word I continued using was ‘triumph,’” Cain said. “I wanted the audience to get a sense of triumph and that mydancers were strong and that no matter how much life tore them Work choreographed by Amelia Smicherko, Maddie Meier, Kylie Kilvitis, Charley Cain and Lexi Wesnak was recently performed at Wilkes’ Choreographers’ Concert. down, they were right back up again, cause that’s life.” Jesse Lawson, another audience member, said they liked how every dance had “a clear story to tell.” In addition to the Student Choreographers’ Concert, Meier, Cain, and Smicherko’s pieces were handpicked and performed later Saturday night during the Spring Dance Concert, where choreography from dance classes like tap and Broadway to modern and ballet were showcased. The classes were taught by faculty members Lynne Esgro, Sean Harris and Stefan Zubal. Anyone interested in becoming a dance minor should contact Faculty of Practice and Director of Dance, Stefan Zubal at stefan.zubal@wilkes.edu or visit https://www.wilkes.edu/academics/ performing-arts/dance.aspx. �The Beacon - April 30, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment Sydney Allabaugh: ANDY - Skrillex Megan Davis: After Midnight - Chappell Roan Leah Smith: Caramel - Sleep Token Andrew Marshallsay: Fast Hearts and Slow Towns Midland 8 Sam Mullen: 20 Dollar Nose Bleed - Fall Out Boy Adam Grundt: Lachryma - Ghost Shawn Carey: Collapse (Post-Amerika ) Rise Against Brady Melovitz: The Road I’m On - 3 Doors Down Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staﬀ picks their favorite song of the week. Check out this week’s bops! �The Beacon – April 30, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment The Sordoni Art Gallery hosts SOMA Night Lights Sydney Allabaugh Editor-in-Chief The Sordoni Art Gallery hosted SOMA Night Lights, named for Downtown Wilkes-Barre’s newly branded South Main (SOMA) Arts District, on April 25 from 6 to 11 p.m. It was a celebration of community and the arts. Artist Jeff Dubrow’s SOMA Night Lights featured several video-mapped projections on buildings throughout the district. Other attractions included a car graffiti bomb led by blitz.ink, fire perforers and a Kids Courtyard with free crafts. Photos courtesy of Sordoni Art Gallery Attendees watch a ﬁre performer in front of the Rusty Iris, a school bus transformed into a double-decker, mobile sculpture, art exhibit and venue. Attendees view Jeff Dubrow’s projections on Weckesser Hall. Children run through the Kids Courtyard at 116 S. Main St. It had free crafts and tables featuring Sordoni Art Gallery’s community partners. Students grafﬁti bomb a car, spray painting “SOMA” on the hood. 9 �The Beacon – April 30, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 New exhibit, Family Tree, opens at Sordoni Art Gallery By Natalia Williams Find out what is going on in your campus community Staff Writer On April 22, The Sordini Art Gallery opened its latest exhibit “Family Tree.” The exhibit features the work of four sisters, Elin O’Hara Slavick, Madeline Slavick, Susanne Slavick and Sarah Slavick who are each artists. The exhibit portrays trees in and out of human conflict and care. “Each sister works with their own medium whether it be paint, mixed media, photography or analog darkroom techniques. While it is a diverse collection of artwork, it is a solid collection work.” said Heather Sincavage, director of the Sordoni Art Gallery says. Sophomore criminology major and art gallery worker Camilia De Los Santos expressed her thoughts and feelings about the exhibit. “The exhibit is pretty cool,” she said. “It was interesting to learn that most of the trees have survived things like an atomic bomb, so it shows how trees can survive trauma and it symbolizes peace.” Sincavage also explained what the exhibit means deeper. “What the exhibition does and brings them together through the subject of trees. Each approach the motif of the tree with different intentions whether it is to explore a historic event, reference literature or tackle global issues.” “Family Tree” shows how trees can be mesmerizing and full of meaning. Through the various mediums, it is still a cohesive piece of work that everyone should see. The exhibition is very accessible for both scholars and novices…It has so many applications and represents so many things. While using the tree, it allows us to explore aspects of our own humanity.” Student art gallery worker and DDMA major Nora Ahmetaj also enjoys the exhibit. “I just think it is really cool. The context behind it and how they used the theme in many ways and more people should see it.” On Saturday May 10, the gallery will host Second Saturday Family Hour: Family Tree. At this event, children will be able to design their own family tree while exploring their family history. Sordoni Art Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Friday | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday | Noon to 5 p.m. The gallery is closed on Mondays and during University holidays. All events are free and open to the public. Reservations are required for the Last Look brunch. Please RSVP to melissa.carestia@wilkes.edu. For more information, visit wilkes. edu/sordoniartgallery. �The Beacon - April 30, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment Crossword End-of semester edition Answer Key: 11 �The Beacon- April 30, 2025 s die u t nS tio ’s a : r c en dies jo ni Ma mmu Wom Stu Co inor: nder M d Ge an ies tud S n tio en’s a c ni om s mu y, W tudie m r o S : C sto er jor s: Hi end a M inor d G an M I joined The Beacon my senior year to help out as social media manager. I thought it would be a good way to get some experience in running a social media account for someone other than myself. The experience I gained here was useful in not only social media posting but creating graphics for posts as well. What I enjoyed most was seeing the different stories in The Beacon each week when it came out. My advice for people considering joining is to definitely get involved early. I think it’s easier to see what you like early on rather than realizing you enjoyed a position your last year. Regardless, I am grateful for my time here and the friends I made along the way! 12 �The Beacon- April 30, 2025 BRADY MELOVITZ Layout Designer & News Staff Writer Major: Communication Studies Minor: Women’s and Gender Studies, English When I decided that I was going to be a communication major at Wilkes four years ago, I told myself that I would never join the newspaper. I just felt like I wasn’t interested in it and for my first two years at Wilkes that remained true. However in my junior year something changed. I wanted to be more involved within the department so I joined the Beacon. At first it was just for the practicum credit, but through time I grew an appreciation for what we did at the Beacon. I started out at the Beacon as a layout designer for the majority of my time. I would periodically write articles but that was only if there was no one else willing to do so. However, for my last semester I decided I wanted to write more articles to better prepare myself for what I might do outside of Wilkes. The Beacon allowed me to not only improve on skills like my writing, but also develop skills that I didn’t have before. I am grateful for not only the opportunity I was given, but the experience that I gained. ADAM GRUNDT ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Major: Communication Studies Minor: Sports Management SAMANTHA MULLEN ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Major: Communication Studies I started writing briefly for the Beacon my freshman year and quickly became interested in continuing. It wasn’t until I started writing for sports my sophomore year that I really started to feel comfortable with writing. Since then, I have now become the Assistant Sports Editor and mainly focus on Athlete of the Week or taking photos of some of the sports teams here at Wilkes. I think my biggest advice for anyone thinking about joining is to just try it out and see where you fit. I didn’t initially start in the sports section, I first started covering news and then slowly moved into sports. Also during this time, I started to take photos and quickly grew a passion for taking sports photos. You never really know what will peak your interest until you try it. 13 ZACH PARAWAY SPORTS EDITOR Major: Communication Studies I joined The Beacon during my first week on campus, having never written before. After I had gotten my feet under me with the help of staff, I was able to feel good about my writing and how to build articles. I wrote for news my first two years, before then moving on to be the Sports Editor in my senior year. I don’t write as much now, doing mostly layout, but I do love to help the staff build a great paper To anyone looking or thinking to join, just go for it. This group of people ha been nothing short of amazing in helping to create a strong product and to make sure all strong writers, editors, and staff all throughout. I will always remember this great experience and am sad that it is coming to an end. I joined The Beacon because it’s always been a goal of mine to work in sports media. After working for The Beacon my sophomore year as a sports writer, I quickly became interested in developing my skills as a writer. From junior year until now, I’ve been an Assistant Sports Editor. This experience with The Beacon will help me immensely. I have grown so much as a writer and a human being from being around such great people throughout the past three years with the Beacon. My favorite part of the experience was fulfilling what was a childhood dream of mine: writing about sports. �The Beacon - April 30, 2025 �� Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact assistant opinion editors: shawn.carey1@wilkes.edu or logan.colonna@wilkes.edu. Editorial Staff 2024-25 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Sydney Allabaugh Social Media Manager - Megan Davis Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Leah Smith Sports - Zach Paraway ASSISTANT EDITORS News - Andrew Marshallsay Opinion - Logan Colonna Opinion - Shawn Carey Sports - Adam Grundt Sports - Sam Mullen DESIGNERS Head Designer - Lara Mullen Designer - Carol Stratford Layout Designer - Brady Melovitz Photographer - Shannon Slominski SECTION STAFF WRITERS News - Kayla Bicskei LA&E - Natalia Williams Opinion - “Freeze” Sports - Ava Tureen Sports - Lexi McHugh 141 S. Main Street Clayton and Theresa Karambelas Media & Communication Center Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 Phone - (570) 408-5903 www.thewilkesbeacon.com Want to advertise in The Beacon? Contact: Kalen Churcher at kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or Sydney Allabaugh at sydney. allabaugh@wilkes.edu. The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member �� WrestleMania 41: Was John Cena’s win the right call? WrestleMania 41 was shocking to say the least, from the Seth Rollins heel turn and Paul Heyman betrayal on April 19, to the surprising WrestleMania debut of viral Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling champion Joe Hendry and the return of fan-favorite women’s wrestler Becky Lynch on April 20. However, the biggest shock of the event was the final match on WrestleMania Sunday where Cody Rhodes failed to defend his Undisputed championship against John Cena. By defeating Rhodes, Cena has won his 17th undisputed title, breaking Ric Flair’s record of 16 world titles. This came as a bit of a shock because of Rhodes’s strong reign with the title that lasted for over a year. Cena came back and shocked the world prior to WrestleMania when he turned heel (for non-wrestling fans, it means becoming the bad guy) and sold out in favor of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. This led up to the match at WrestleMania. The question is, did WWE make the right decision to switch the title hand from the company’s current cash cow to giving it to the man who several fans would refer to as the greatest of all time? After putting emotional biases aside, this title change had to happen. It’s a tale as old as time in the WWE, the greatest faces of WWE have always had to come back from failure somehow. The “fallen hero” trope is one the most celebrated tropes in storytelling even outside of wrestling. Fans regarded WrestleMania 39 and 40 to be the “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame” of the WWE in regards to Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns’s rivalry. This comparison is made based on the endings of those films and how they correlate to their rivalry. Villain wins first, but the hero comes back and takes the well-earned victory. At WrestleMania 39, fans believed Cody would finally win the Undisputed title against Roman Reigns. After one Samoan Spike from Roman’s former enforcer Solo Sikoa, that chance was out the window. However, at WrestleMania 40, Cody finally beat Reigns in a hard-fought match filled with appearances in favor of both wrestlers such as Seth Rollins, the Usos, and the Undertaker. This is the key not only for Cody Rhodes’s support from fans, but for making a face of the company truly historic. Having the hero, essentially, of the company win the gold he’s been chasing for, finishing the story that’s been building since he’s returned and lost it after more than a year of holding that title from a man who used to be that hero Rhodes now is. This is wrestling storytelling at its finest and WWE made the right call to have Cody Rhodes lose to have John Cena win his 17th championship. Cena not only deserves to break that record but it builds up the inevitable rematch between Rhodes and Cena to be even more special. It’s just a matter of when that rematch will take place and whose side the fans will be on. Letter to the editor policy: The Beacon welcomes letters to the editor from differing viewpoints. Letters must contain contact information, including name, city, state and phone number. Phone numbers will not be published but may be used for verification purposes. All letters to the editor must be sent using one of the following methods: Email: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu Phone: (570) 408-5903 (Voicemail: 30 seconds or less, please.) Mail: 84 West South Street, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766 Attn: The Beacon �The Beacon - April 30, 2025 Opinion 15 Trump’s second term and the battle for America’s future By G. Wyane McCormick Submission to The Beacon �� The Icebox: Presenting platform shooter game “Cuphead” By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer �� READ MORE OF THE ICEBOX ONLINE �The Beacon - April 30, 2025 Opinion 16 Students must take action: Neutrality helps oppressors By Johnny Sudol & Jace Hynick Submission to The Beacon There’s a famous post-WWII poem called “First They Came.” It goes as follows: First, they came for the Communists And I did not speak out Because I was not a Communist Then they came for the Socialists And I did not speak out Because I was not a Socialist Then they came for the trade unionists And I did not speak out Because I was not a trade unionist Then they came for the Jews And I did not speak out Because I was not a Jew Then they came for me And there was no one left To speak out for me Dear Students of Wilkes University, The time to speak out is now. Our generation has been pressured to be the change our world needs to heal. However, we are living in a world where chaos has become the new normal. We live in a time that leaves many feeling isolated and hopeless. We are expected to carry the torch, to be better, to societally progress and to fight a failing system. It may seem like we do not have the tools to stand up against the inequalities dragging us down, but we do. Throughout history, every revolution that occurred had young adults like us standing at the forefront, fighting for freedom. You may ask, “Freedom from what?” It’s a fair question to ask, since the oppression one person faces may be different to the oppression another faces. Maybe you experience racism, classism or ideological oppression, etc. However, if we all stand up then we’ll stand united. And if you personally do not feel oppressed or at all affected by the current political climate, we urge you to consider the words of the poem prior. If you wait to step in and stand up for others until you are directly affected by the conflict, you may wake up to find there is no one left to fight with you. We have reached a tumultuous and historic point in our nation’s social, political and economic climate, and the time has come to rise against authoritarian threats. This is not a memorandum; this is a call to action. The future of educated America is now uncertain. The fact of the matter is that no one knows what is in store for us students here in the U.S.—and yes, that still includes Wilkes. The Department of Education has been plunged into complete disarray, leaving us unaware of its impact on the future of K-12 education. So, if you have loved ones and friends still in primary or secondary education, this situation should deeply concern you. We’ve already watched as almost all of the bigger, elitist, Ivy League schools rolled over to the Trump Administration—as he holds their federal funding over their heads. The question is: Will Wilkes be next? We would like to feel safe and protected by our university from this unprecedented threat, but the future is uncertain. According to AP News: Rümeysa Öztürk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University who publicly expressed support of Palestinian causes, was recently detained by authorities. Her student visa was revoked in what her lawyers say is apparent retaliation for an oped piece she co-wrote in the student newspaper. Öztürk was taken by immigration officials as she walked along a street in the Boston suburb of Somerville. She was moved to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Basile, Louisiana. Öztürk’s lawyers say her detention violates her constitutional rights, including free speech and due process. Öztürk isn’t the only one. A Louisiana immigration judge ruled that the U.S. can deport Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil based on the federal government’s argument that he poses a national security risk. Others are being shipped to foreign prisons under false assumptions of criminality. According to CBS News, the majority of immigrants sent to a maximum security prison in El Salvador have no apparent criminal convictions or even criminal charges. Those innocent people are still imprisoned in El Salvador. This is the end result of the disregard of our constitutional protections of freedom of expression under the First Amendment and of the Due Process Clause under the Fifth Amendment. This is the unfortunate reality we live in. Again, you may not be an immigrant. You may not be a political opponent to the Trump Administration. But you are a student. The Trump administration is already targeting universities; the future is uncertain. So again, it is time to act. It is time to mobilize and to organize. To inflict steady pressure on the government, our elected officials and our university, to keep us safe and to act in our best interest. We believe Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman (D), Sen. Dave McCormick (R) and Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R) are not currently acting in our best interest. If we need to march, then we’ll march. If we must protest, we’ll protest. This is your education, your investment into your own self-worth. And unfortunately, we’ve entered a time where that is being challenged. Be willing to fight for what is yours. Be willing to do what may feel scary and force yourself to be brave. This may be the defining moment in your life, maybe the page in the history books our generation will be tied to. So you need to be asking yourself, which side are you on? There’s no longer any room to remain neutral. Neutrality only helps the oppressor, never the oppressed. This is your opportunity to make sure you’re on the right side of history. Is this a political conflict? Absolutely. But does it also transcend partisanship? Absolutely. If only this were as simple as elementary identity politics: Red vs. Blue, Democrat vs. Republican, Liberal vs. Conservative. It’s not. It’s bigger than all of that, bigger than all of us. This is for the soul of our nation and for the pledge we gave to it. It is imperative for the survival of America that we don’t let them become empty words and that we’ll actually protect liberty and justice for all. We also urge you to call the local offices of Pennsylvania elected officials to make your voice heard: Sen. John Fetterman: (570) 820-4088 Sen. Dave McCormick: (570) 9410930 Rep. Rob Bresnahan: (570) 763-6120 -Johnny Sudol, Anonymous Jace Hynick & For any questions, comments, concerns or if you want to get involved, contact jace.hynick@wilkes.edu or john.sudol@wilkes.edu �The Beacon - April 30, 2025 Opinion 17 What caused “A Minecraft Movie” to succeed? A deep dive into the memes and impact on pop culture By Shawn Carey Asst. Opinion Editor The very thought of making a movie about “Minecraft” is inherently silly. I’m sure that most of you know what “Minecraft” is. For those of you who have been living underneath a rock for the past 10 years. “Minecraft” is a sandbox game developed by Mojang Studios that allows players to explore a vast open world, build, mine, and you guess it, craft. Minecraft is well deservingly extremely popular. The game sold over 300 million copies, making it the best selling game of all time. One of the reasons for the game’s massive success is the freedom it offers the player. The game allows players to do pretty much whatever they want. Solo or with a group of friends. The game lacks a clear goal. Sure there’s a few major advancements that the player can achieve such as defeating the Ender Dragon and completing a Woodland Mansion. However, there’s nothing that really signifies “an ending.” With that being said, how do you make a feature length film about a game that doesn’t have a story? How can you make an adaptation based on a game where you can do anything? You hire Jack Black to play the leading character. It was recently reported that “A Minecraft Movie” is set to end its theatrical run with an estimated earnings of over a billion dollars. Not only making it one of the biggest video game movies of all time, but one of the highest grossing movies of all time. The success of “A Minecraft Movie” has been surprising to say the very least. When the film was originally announced it was faced with harsh criticism. That would be until the release of the first teaser, in which it was faced with even harsher criticism. The movie was constantly made fun of by everyone online, so much so that it was hard to find even a single person excited for it. The numbers don’t lie however, the movie is a resounding success. Which begs the question, how? One of the main things contibuting to its popularity is a simple phrase. Chicken Jockey. Just typing the word out makes me want to jump up and clap. When the movie was originally making its rounds on the internet users were quick to make fun of the way Jack Black pronounced certain words. In the original trailer Jack Black was constantly over pronouncing many words from the games. “Flint and steel,” “diamond armor” and “Nether portal,” for example. Clips of the actor saying these phrases quickly spread across the internet, mainly on TikTok. Edited videos of him saying these phrases were everywhere. Videos of him slowed down, sped up, backwards and so on. The most popular of these phases is the previously mentioned “chicken jockey.” As silly as it sounds, “chicken jockey” took on a life of its own. It became a popular trend to stand up, scream, spill popcorn and just be overall obnoxious when the scene showed up in the movie. The trend became extremely popular among teenagers and young adults, mostly men. Much like the “gentleminions” trend from a few years ago, a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) was created. Everyone wants to get to the theater, act like an idiot and post a video of them doing so online before the movie is pulled from theaters. “A Minecraft Movie” is strangely enough getting young people to go to the theater. This stupid trend is of course not the only reason why the movie is doing well. It’s “Minecraft.” There’s no doubt that it was going to be a hit. Kids love it, families love it, everyone loves “Minecraft.” However, I think that there’s something to be said about the effect the internet has had on the movie. A movie that would’ve been fairly successful on its own terms is now set to soon be a billion dollar hit. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that a movie about Jack Black fighting blocky CGI pig monsters probably didn’t appeal to most audiences. However, here we are. There was a sort of unintentional marketing with everything. Most of the discussion surrounding the movie didn’t come from ads or trailers, but from “memes” and videos online. I’m sure that once the sequel comes out in however many years we’ll see the studio unsuccessfully recreate it. Speaking of which, it wouldn’t surprise me if other studios try to do something similar, creating artificial “memes” for the sake of free advertising. Imagine a “Fortnite” movie starring Ryan Gosling where he’s constantly repeating phrases like “griddy” and “item shop.” Graphic by Carol Stratford �The Beacon - April 30, 2025 Opinion 18 A review of "Soft Spot" by JMSM, an innovative album An analysis of performance, features, production, replayability By Logan Colonna Asst. Opinion Editor If you saw my recent review of R&B and alternative artist JMSN, you would know that I love just about everything that he’s put out. More specifically, I loved his 2018 record “Velvet,” his 2021 album “Heals Me,” and his 2023 project “Soft Spot,” which is the topic of this week’s review. “Soft Spot” pushes the boundaries of JMSN’s music in a positive direction. I first loved him for his more soft songs with the typical sounds that you’d hear in R&B music. Now, I love him here for his experimental and alternative approach to his usual sound. First, JMSN had amazing vocals throughout each of the nine tracks on the record. My favorite among the bunch is easily “Cherry Pop” and the title track “Soft Spot.” His vocal inflections on “Cherry Pop” made me fall in love with the song nearly instant. Along with this, his ad libs add onto the song greatly. In rap music, ad libs have certainly lost their “oomph.” Here, however, JMSN uses each ad lib strategically in order to add on to the great vocal performance as well as the wonderfully-crafted production, which I’ll get into later on in the review. Near the end of the song as a little outro, JMSN embraces the rock-inspired instrumentation and goes full rockstar mode as he yells into the mic, all while still sounding great. As for “Soft Spot,” we shift directions into more of a groovy kind of song. During the chorus of the track, which is easily my favorite part of the song, we get a high-pitched vocal performance by JMSN, which I am obviously a fan of. The song takes us through a roller coaster ride between the choruses and each verse, as the beat gets slower after each chorus, only to ramp back up after each verse. He makes sure to match this with the pitch of his voice excellently. Like I said for the “Heals Me” review, JMSN released a breakdown of each track for the record. Seeing him break down “Soft Spot” was honestly something else. Seeing the creative side of artists is just mesmerizing to me. As you could guess, every other song off of the record showcases JMSN’s amazing vocals. If I expect from Sada Baby, but I’m glad he’s on the remix. His voice, flow and way he raps overall pairs excellently with the instrumental and JMSN’s vibe on the track. With that, the feature here is great and adds a lot in terms of replayability even if it is just one were to talk about them, we would be here all day though. As for the album itself, there are no features to accompany JMSN on the tracklist. However, as a treat for fans, JMSN released a remix of “Soft Spot” (the title track) with rapper Sada Baby. At first, I didn’t know what to expect since I thought the two artists would end up clashing too much in terms of sound. As a surprise, the track, especially Sada Baby’s inclusion, is really good. I didn’t know what to feature out of the whole tracklist. Next up, we have the production. As you could guess, it’s nothing shy of perfect. As I said, the record goes from all kinds of sounds, like rock, R&B, alternative and experimental. All of these different sounds combine into this album wonderfully. My favorite tracks among the bunch, in terms of production, include “Not 4 U” and “Groovy.” “Not 4 U” offers a wide variety of sounds. You get this synth that plays in the beginning of the track, effectively setting the tone. You get these DJ scratches all throughout the track too, which just sounds nice when it’s sprinkled here and there. As for my favorite part of the production, during the choruses, we get this nice electric guitar to pair with JMSN. Besides that, a lot of the track does go silent, allowing JMSN to show off his sweet, sweet vocals. Moving onto “Groovy,” the song itself is, well, groovy. You get this addicting electric guitar performance all throughout the song as well as a constant drum cymbal being hit, which just sounds great. The guitar and cymbal combo that you hear sometimes is unworldly in my opinion. This kind of addicting production is found all over the album, making for one of my favorite parts of the record. Just like his past record, everything is executively produced by JMSN as well, making it even more impressive that he makes these amazing instrumentals. Finally, we have the replayability of the album. With all of the different sounds that the record offers, along with the short tracklist and runtime (nine songs and 40 minutes), I find no issue in replaying the record from front to back over and over again. This may even be easier to relisten to than JMSN’s previous record, “Heals Me,” because of all of the different soundscapes from track to track. To top it off, each track is just really great, making it addicting to go back to each track after each listen. As you can assume, this record is practically perfect to me, just like “Heals Me.” With that being said, JMSN gets his second 10 out of 10 from me with his 2023 record, “Soft Spot.” Graphic by Carol Stratford �Sports The Beacon - April 30, 2025 Sports 19 Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: zachary.paraway@wilkes.edu Wilkes baseball kicks off weekend by honoring Julia Mazur By Jake MIlls Contributing Writer �� Photos by Andrew Marshallsay Carey Mazur throws out the ﬁrst pitch in Saturday's doubleheader. Carey Mazur, Julia Mazur's mother, and catcher/ﬁrst baseman Mike Sabella. Wilkes baseball team and Carey Mazur on the baseball ﬁeld. �The Beacon - April 30, 2025 Sports 20 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins season ends prematurely Recapping the team's playoff games By Adam Grunt Asst. Sports Editor The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins’ season was cut short by the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the second year in a row during the first round of the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup Playoffs. The No. 4-seeded Penguins team faced off against the number 5-seeded Phantoms squad in a best-of-three series that lasted only two games. Last season, the No. 6-seeded Lehigh Valley Phantoms upset the No. 3-seeded Penguins in the same series. With a youthful group taking the ice at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza this season, the team looked to enact revenge on their bitter rival en route to a deep playoff run. Game 1: PENGUINS 2 vs. PHANTOMS 5 The first game of the short series was played on April 23 at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, and the Phantoms took a commanding 1-0 series lead with a 5-2 victory. Olle Lycksell tallied the only first period goal for Lehigh Valley, and a red-hot Alex Bump and Rodrigo Ābols tacked on two more during the second for the Phantoms. During the second period, Penguins netminder Joel Blomqvist suffered an injury that forced him out of the game, and Taylor Gauthier, who tallied a shutout in the team’s final game of the regular season, was tasked with finishing the game for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Bump added his second of the night in the first half of the third frame, and Anthony Richard scored the fifth goal of the night for the Phantoms one minute and 33 seconds later. Avery Hayes scored for the Penguins with just under five minutes to go in regulation, and Gabe Klassen tacked on another goal for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton a minute before the final buzzer. “Honestly you could feel a bit of the nerves early,” said head coach Kirk MacDonald during his media availability following game one. “[Lehigh Valley] came out with a good push, but I think we were just really tentative. I thought after the first goal we settled down, but they kept pushing.” Game 2: PENGUINS 2 at PHANTOMS 3 A tense game two at PPL Center in Allentown ensued on April 25. Goaltender Sergei Murashov, who posted an 11-game winning streak during the regular season, was recalled from ECHL Wheeling to make the start for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in game two between the pipes. After a scoreless first frame, Richard tallied his second of the playoffs for Lehigh Valley to give the Phantoms a 1-0 lead. However, before the end of the middle stanza, Tristan Broz launched a wicked wrister that snuck through the pads of Lehigh Valley netminder Parker Gahagen. Harrison Brunicke scored the first goal of his professional career in a massive moment, giving the Penguins the lead for the time being with 13 minutes remaining in regulation. The rookie blueline entered the offensive zone and lofted a puck from the blue line that fluttered over Gahagen and into the back of the net. However, Jacob Gaucher scored for Lehigh Valley to tie the game and just a minute and 28 seconds later, and with exactly two minutes remaining in regulation, Helge Grans scored the game-winner and series-clincher for Lehigh Valley. “We made three critical errors and they all ended up in the back of our net,” said MacDonald following Game 2 at PPL Center. “I thought we were great. The guys made the adjustments we needed to make; we won the special teams battle. We had some great looks. Our young guys really stepped up. "Trust me when I say [the guys] wanted to be here, and they’re crushed. You get to these best-of-threes, and you have one off night and all of a sudden, you’re on the brink of elimination. It’s tough.” The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins return to action at Mohegan Arena in the fall of 2025. For more information on the Penguins, visit wbspenguins.com. Wilkes softball will soon wrap up: A recap of last week's games By Ava Tureen Sports Staff Writer The Wilkes softball season had two doubleheaders this past week. In each doubleheader, they won one of the two games they played. Their first double header of the week was against the Colonels' rivals, King's College. The Colonels won the first game 4-1. Allyson Stafursky, Olivia Dougher, Maddy Maloney and Abby Cruz all crossed the home plate, resulting in the four total points the Colonels had during the first game. One out of three of Stafursky’s hits led to her crossing home plate. The second game of the double header was won by King's College with a score of 0-4. Kings scored their first two points during the second inning, with one run after the other. It was the beginning of their comeback in game two. The second doubleheader was against Susquehanna University, and like the first doubleheader, the Colonels won their first game and lost their second game. The Colonels had a great start to their first game with a score of 6-3. Talia Piragas helped Mia Butka score the first point for the Colonels after an error. In the second inning, Susquehanna scored its first point, and the colonels responded by scoring three more points during the third inning. Kayla Burleson scored the final point of the first game during the seventh inning. Mia Butka pitched the entire game and had three successful hits. The second game of the doubleheader was a loss for the Colonels with a score of 4-6. Lauren Demarco pitched for the first four innings, and Amanda Amerman finished off pitching for the last three innings. The Colonels opened the scoreboard when Hana Cross scored the first point of the game. Susquehanna won the game after scoring five points in the fifth inning and another point during the final inning. The Colonels had a total of 14 points during their four games and won two out of the four games. The Colonels play their last doubleheader of the season against Elizabethtown College on May 3. �The Beacon - April 30, 2025 Sports 21 �The Beacon - April 30, 2025 22 Sports Athlete of the Week Hannah Boyd Fifth-Year, Catcher/Utility, Women's Softball The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Boyd had three RBI's and two runs in the Colonel's two doubleheaders against King's College and Susquehanna University. Major: Sports Management Hometown: Escalon, Calif. What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? Myrtle Beach spring break tournament What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? LA Dodgers What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Hiking What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Playing on the same team as my sister her senior year of highschool and senior year of college What is your favorite post-game meal? La Tolteca How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? It is an honor to be selected as Athlete of the Week What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? The friendships I have made with my teammates throughout the years. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? The Benchwarmers If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Vollyball Editor’s note : Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor t s staff each week. At the e nd of the acade mic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw itte r @ Wilkes B eacon to c row n an “Athlete of the Year." Compiled by Samantha Mullen, Asst. Sports Editor �The Beacon April 30, 2025 Sports Athlete of the Week AJ Levandoski First-Year, Pitcher, Men’s Baseball The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week Levandoski pitched seven strikeouts and allowing only one run in the 9-8 win over Moravian University. In the game against Lycoming College, he had 8 strikeouts in the 5-0 win. Major: Middle Level Education Hometown: Scranton, Pa. What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? Favorite sports memory as a Colonel has to be sweeping Elizabethtown during our first week of conference play. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? Boston Red Sox What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Playing card games with my friends What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? Favorite part about being an athlete at Wilkes is definitely the family aspect of it. Everyone likes each other and plays for each other. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? Major League II If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? If I didn’t play baseball I’d love to golf What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Favorite sports memory ever was my last game my senior year of high school. I recorded my 200th strikeout and was named 1st Team All State; the first in school history. What is your favorite post-game meal? Chick-Fil-A How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? It’s an honor to be selected as the athlete of the week, and I wouldn’t have been to without the help from my teammates and the coaching staff. Compiled by Samantha Mullen, Assistant Sports Editor Editor’s note : Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor t s staff each week. At the e nd of the acade mic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw itte r @ Wilkes B eacon to c row n an “Athlete of the Year." 23 �The Beacon - April 30, 2025 Sports 24 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource This is Wilkes University's Beacon Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the Beacon's predecessors, The Bucknell Bison Stampede, 1934-1935 and The Bucknell Beacon, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>. Missing Issues: 1947 August 8th 1947 September 5th 1947 October 3rd 1947 October 17th 1947 October 31st 1947 November 21st 1947 December 19th 1948 September 9th 1950 April 28th 1953 April 10th 1962 February 2nd Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon, 2025 April 30 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communications Department Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2025 April 30 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/8535b3d70b0cd5c5950f76b3e8ad15f6.pdf 3c8283618af233350d971b68e624721a PDF Text Text The Beacon - April 9, 2025 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 77, Issue 20 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” Crowds gather in Wilkes-Barre for “Hands Off !” protest By Leah Smith News Editor “When we fight, we win!” was shouted across the Wilkes-Barre Public Square on Saturday, April 5 at the ‘Hands Off !’ rally. Over 1,000 ‘Hands Off !’ rallies were held across the country as a mobilization movement to protest against the Trump administration. The phrase ‘hands off ’ is used to object threatened budget cuts to several federally funded programs, like Medicare and SNAP. This also expanded to women’s rights, public education and immigration rights. Action Together NEPA organized two protests in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area. The rally in Scranton was held from noon to 2 p.m., and the rally at the Wilkes-Barre was from 3 to 5 p.m. Action Together NEPA is the organization behind the rallies in the Wilkes-Barre and Scranton area. Action Together’s organization is a progressive organization that focuses on community action and empowering advocacy. They hold chapters in Luzerne, Lackawanna, Columbia, Montour, Susquehanna and Wayne counties. State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski addresses the crowd at the Wilkes-Barre “Hands Off!” protest. Photo by Leah Smith Transgender Pride ﬂag raised in Wilkes ceremony, page 4 Annual Sex Bingo returns to campus, draws crowd, page 7 The downside of announcing movies early in advance, page 17 ...HANDS OFF cont. on p.3 Wilkes Baseball hosts Landmark series against Juniata, page 19 �The Beacon - April 9, 2025 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Leah Smith at leah.smith1@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: April 2 weekly meeting By Kayla Bicskei News Staff Writer Student Government met for its 11th weekly meeting of the Spring 2025 semester on April 2. The meeting addressed five funding requests from Wilkes University clubs and organizations. The Student Government Treasurer’s report showed a current budget of $22,003. The first presentation was given by the Future Business Leaders of America organization for its week one of two funding request. The organization reported its mission of inspiring and preparing students to become business leaders through career preparation and leadership experiences. The organization is qualified to attend the Future Business Leaders of America National Conference in Dallas, Texas, from May 31 to Jun. 2. To fund the hotel room, flight, and registration costs, the organization is requesting a total of $2,280. The Future Business Leaders of America organization will return next meeting for its week two of two funding request. The Art of Living Club was next to present its week two of two funding request. The club is planning to host two events before the end of the Spring 2025 semester. The first event the club will host will be a Nepalese New Year’s Celebration on April 13. The club is requesting a total of $500 to fund the food, utensils, and decorations for the event. The second event hosted by the club will be an off-campus trip to a Hindu monastery in New Jersey on April 18. To fund transportation to the monastery, the club is requesting a total of $5,000. Due to the Student Government’s request for more information about the club’s planned off-campus trip, The Art of Living Club will return next meeting for another week two of two funding request. The Math Computer Science Club presented their week two of two funding request for an off-campus trip to the National Museum of Mathematics. The club is working in collaboration with the Commuter Council to use the same transportation for two different trips on the same day. The club presented that exploration of the museum is an opportunity for club members to experience math is used in practice. Along with the museum, the club members will be able to explore New York City. The Math Computer Science Club is requesting a total of $500 for transportation to the National Museum of Mathematics. Student Government voted to allocate an augmented amount of $1,200 to completely fund the transportation and food costs of the trip along with a visit to the Lego store. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers organization was next to present with its annual Car Show week two of two funding request. The organization reported that there is an anticipated attendance of 350 people this year. The organization also announced that all profits of this year’s Car Show will be donated to Patriots Cove, a nonprofit charity organization. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers is requesting a total of $4,325 to fund the shirts, DJ booth, trophies for the best cars, and flyer printing. Student Government voted to allocate the full $4,325. Christian Fellowship Club presented the final week two of two funding request of the meeting. The club preparing for its participants’ attendance at the 2025 Women’s Conference from April 4 to April 6. The club representatives reported that club members in attendance will listen to speakers and attend seminars teaching them how to manage the challenges of life as women with grace. The Christian Fellowship Club is requesting general funds for its attendance at the 2025 Women’s Conference. Student Government voted to allocate $390 to the club to fully fund the trip. Student Government will meet again on April 9. Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Andrew Marshallsay Wilkes Integration Bee Open to all undergraduate students, the sixth annual Wilkes Integration Bee will take place on April 12 at the Darte Center. Winners will receive either a $200, $150 or $100 prize. Participants are reminded that they should know integration techniques covered in Calculus. Fall Parking Pass Applications Applications are now open for the Fall 2025 semester parking passes. The deadline to apply is July 1 at 5 p.m. If you have any questions, you can contact 570-408-7275. The link can be found on today.wilkes.edu. X Ambassadors Concert Tickets Tickets for the Programming Board’s X Ambassadors conc ert are now on sale, both online and in-person. To purchase tickets, you can go to the SUB on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the normal movie ticket sale times. Tickets for Wilkes students are $15 and $25 for non- Wilkes students. The Concert will be held on April 12 at 7 p.m. in the MAC. 2025 COBE Research Symposium The 2025 College of Business and Engineering Research Symposium will take place on April 14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the JPAC. The event serves as a way for both faculty and students to showcase their research and academic achievements. For more information, you can contact mona. pear@wilkes.edu. Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Upcoming Events: Spring 2025 April 11 - Tom Bigler Conference 2025 12 - X Ambassadors Concert 14 - COBE Research Symposium 15 - Honors Applications Due 25 - SOMA Night Lights 30 - Final Day of Classes Want your event featured in the calendar? Email: leah.smith1@wilkes.edu �The Beacon - April 9, 2025 ...HANDS OFF cont. from p.1 In addition to Action Together NEPA, the Pennsylvanians Together Campaign were also involved in the afternoon’s rally. Mark Schaffer of the campaign took the mic to explain what the Trump administration has planned to do with federally funded resources such as social security and SNAP. “They want to get rid of these programs to make themselves richer,” Schaffer said. “These programs are ours, not theirs.” Several other speakers took the mic at the heart of the public square. Speakers such as Kayla Johnson, a veteran who spoke about how the Trump administration has been hurting veterans such as herself by placing cuts on veterans’ resources. She expanded on her fight for veterans to those struggling finding psychological help and to LGBTQIA+ soldiers that are in jeopardy of being out of the military. “One team, one fight!” Johnson cried out. Other speakers such as Jimmy Signorelli, a nurse at Geisinger Medical Center, addressed how billionaires are hurting those working in the medical field. Signorelli was one of the attendees of the Geisinger nurses’ strike in February. In addition to that, Lois Scrimm, a News mother who uses SNAP, spoke up about her experience as a single mother on food stamps providing for her son. “Without these programs, my son and I would’ve been on the streets. I was able to work for me and my son with these programs,” Scrimm said. Finally, State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski closed the rally. Pashinski reminded the crowd that the people represent this country, not the billionaires. “What is happening in Washington is destroying America,” Pashinski said. He continued his speech by reminding the people to call their representatives to stand up against the Trump administration and to keep fighting. The Wilkes Democrats club held a signmaking session at Abide Coffeehouse before the rally. Kyra Hoyt, friend of the Wilkes Democrats and a King’s College student, attended the sign making session and opened up as to why she wanted to fight back. “I’ve been looking for an outlet to make change,” Hoyt stated After the rally, several attendees stayed on the square to hold their signs high and to collect more support from passersby in cars and on the streets. Photos by Leah Smith Demonstrator in Wilkes-Barre Public Square protests Trump and Elon Musk. 3 Protester in a monkey costume with a sign that reads: "A monkey can do better." A protester holds sign advocating for LGBTQIA+ and women's rights. �The Beacon - April 9, 2025 News 4 Transgender Pride flag raised in Wilkes University ceremony By Leah Smith News Editor “Diversity is having a seat at the table, inclusion is having a voice, and belonging is having that voice be heard.” This quote by author and illustrator Liz Fosslien was used by Wilkes English professor and GSA faculty adviser Helen Davis during the Transgender Pride flag raising on, April 1. International Transgender Day of Visibility, known as simply Trans Day of Visibility, is recognized on March 31. The day of recognition was established in 2009 and is still acknowledged to this day. This day recognizes the trans community in not only solidarity but also in recognition of those in that community. Wilkes University celebrated Trans Day of Visibility by raising a trans flag at the flagpole in the greenway. The previous night, the GSA also hosted a ball in recognition of Trans Day of Visibility. GSA President Morgan Steiner kicked off the breezy morning meetup with words that acknowledged the hard times and tribulations that the trans community has gone through and are continuing to go through. She also took the time to recognize the school’s protection for those in the trans community. “Our trans people are just here to be treated equally and loved like everyone else,” Steiner said. Then, the Wilkes Title IX coordinator Elizabeth Leo took the podium and added her words of solidarity to the trans community. Leo held a meeting about Title IX changes being placed on campus earlier this year. What she said then still holds now: that trans students will be protected and not scrutinized. “These are anxious times for those in the LGBTQ+ and trans community,” Leo said. “We are going to double down on our commitments for those who are marginalized.” After some brief words from Dr. Davis, she opened the podium to students who were willing to go up and share a personal story about their experiences. Aster Rowland, a junior student, took the microphone first. Rowland opened up on a personal story during Thanksgiving break involving an unaccepting family member while also thanking her close family for not sharing that particular family member’s closeminded attitude toward sexuality. After Rowland, Ozzie Priebe, a political science major, came to the podium and shared facts with the audience -- facts about schools firing teachers for spreading awareness and posters that opened up love and equality towards their students. “To be an ally is to speak up for those that can’t,” Priebe said. The last speaker before the pink, white and blue flag soared in the sky was a graduate student Assétou Xango, who shared a brief spoken word poem about identity and a need for progressive change around the world. Dr. Davis concluded the podium section with final words including information about resources for those in the LGBTQIA+ community who are seeking help on campus as well as additional advocacy for the trans community. To conclude the ceremony, Rowland and Priebe wheeled the flag high in the sky with thunderous applause. Photos by Leah Smith Assétou Xango shares a spoken word poem on the greenway. Ozzie Priebe speaks at the Transgender Pride ﬂag raising ceremony. Aster Rowland shares a personal story on International Trans Day of Visibility. �The Beacon - April 9, 2025 News 5 Wilkes students voice technology concerns after GIS data loss Sydney Allabaugh Editor-in-Chief Wilkes University students from the biology and earth systems sciences (BESS) and civil and environmental engineering (CEE) departments recently met with administrators to voice concerns and discuss solutions after losing years of geographical information system (GIS) data in a drive failure. “The importance of communication was definitely emphasized there and working together to try to solve the problems and concerns that they have as well as ours,” said Caleb Edwards, a junior environmental science and biology double major who attended the meeting. Prior to the meeting, students sent administrators a letter containing eight pages of student testimonies regarding technology concerns at Wilkes. Students quoted in the letter were not just from the BESS and CEE departments, but from digital design and media art and beyond. “It’s nice that we can actively make a change if we play a part in working towards it,” Edwards said. The meeting primarily focused on the GIS drive failure and its resulting setbacks. The drive stored data, research, senior projects and course files dating back a decade or more. Edwards lost foundational research for his senior project that builds upon 10 years of previous work. “We had some scraps that we're pulling together that we saved elsewhere, but a lot of the main work has disappeared, so it was kind of just starting from square one again,” he said. Reagan Weldon Peri, a junior geology major who also attended the meeting, lost all her data for her senior project and two and a half years of lab work. More than a week of her classes were canceled as well. “The mental impact it has had on my professors has been hard for me, especially with my one professor, Dr. Karimi,” she said. “He has lost 15 years’ worth of work as well as $20,000 worth of aerial photos that he's been collecting.” Dr. Karimi previously said he has been staying up late and sacrificing his personal time to remake lectures, assignments, exams and labs. He also has been trying to figure out how to progress his research after losing much of it. “Because this is such a small community, we really get to know each other, both classmates and the professors, so a win for one is a win for all and a loss for one is a loss for all,” Edwards said. “This failure definitely impacted a lot of the community, not just professors, but students alike.” Edwards and Weldon Peri said that they felt administrators heard their concerns and answered their questions at the meeting. “I do genuinely think that they did really hear what was in the letter because they were referring to the quotes that they had read previously,” Weldon Peri said. Kerianne Geist, associate vice president of marketing communications, said in an email, “We appreciated the students’ time and thoughtfulness in presenting their IT concerns and remain committed to open dialogue to address various issues.” However, the students also felt that some of their concerns were not fully understood. “Overall, I think they were sensitive to the issue, but I just don't think that someone who hasn't done this type of research can fully understand the gravity of this loss,” Weldon Peri said. They were dissatisfied with attempts to minimize the impact of the loss and reduce it down to a routine technological failure. “The hardware of the server breaking is routine, but what wasn't routine was the failure of the backup system,” Edwards said. “So, the server failing isn't necessarily out of the ordinary, but the backup system is really what was concerning.” The students and Dr. Karimi said the drives were sent to a company that specializes in data recovery. It is not yet known if the data can be recovered. “Myself and Faith, my senior project partner, have already had to redo work because of this,” Weldon Peri said. “It's not like we can just pause and wait for this all to be recovered. We have to continue working on our senior projects.” Administrators and students developed a plan to help mitigate future technological problems. They put an emphasis on improving communication. “Importantly, it was agreed that the university would reinforce guidance that students should contact the IT Help Desk (#HELP) to report issues such as slow WiFi so they can be specifically addressed,” Geist said in an email. “Changes have already been made to the portal and web graphics, and communications about the Help Desk will be more frequent.” Gerald Korea, ITS executive director, sent out an email to all students a few days after the meeting. Korea reminded students to use the “Colonel” network and to contact the Help Desk with any problems regarding internet connectivity or software updates and licensing. “An important outcome of the meeting is that we can be part of the solution,” Edwards said. “Students can actually contribute towards improving technology at Wilkes.” Wilkes will soon hold a blood drive: The importance of donating Shannon Slominski Photographer Donating blood saves lives. Did you know one donation of blood can save up to three lives? Wilkes University will hold a blood drive on April 22. Anyone interested in donating can register to reserve a spot. Blood donations help hospitals maintain a steady supply in emergency situations like traumas and emergency surgeries. That is why blood drives play a vital role in communities across the country. The demand for blood is constant. Hospitals require a steady supply throughout the year, and blood drives help maintain this critical resource. According to the American Red Cross website, anyone 16 or older, weighing 110 pounds or more can donate blood, provided they are in good health. Individuals can donate blood every 56 days, or up to six times per year. Increased awareness about this ongoing need can mobilize communities to organize and participate in regular blood donation events. Every donation has the potential to save multiple lives. One pint of blood can be separated into its components red cells, plasma, and platelets, each serving vital functions in medical treatments. For patients undergoing major surgery, those battling cancer, or victims of accidents, a steady supply of blood can make the difference between life and death. Blood drives not only provide a necessary medical resource but also foster a strong sense of community. By participating in these events, individuals come together with a shared purpose, promoting teamwork and collective responsibility. Each donor becomes a part of a larger effort, reinforcing social bonds and encouraging a culture of giving. Blood drives are vital to saving lives, fostering community spirit, and enhancing public health. By understanding their importance and actively participating, we can ensure that our communities remain strong, compassionate and prepared to meet the medical needs of all individuals. Sign up to reserve a spot. To register, visit redcross.org and use the code WILKESU. TO REGISTER: CODE: WILKESU �The Beacon - April 9, 2025 News 6 Wilkes University mourns the loss of Joshua Pittenger By Brady Melovitz Layout Designer/News Staff Writer On March 16, Wilkes University was deeply impacted by the news of student Joshua Pittenger's unexpected death. Pittenger was a senior civil engineering major from Bangor, Pa. According to his obituary, Pittenger was born in Bethlehem, Pa. on Feb. 17, 2002. He went to Bangor High School where he was a student athlete, being named the Scholar Athlete for the high school football team. During his free time, he enjoyed wrestling, kayaking, camping and spending time with his family and friends. Pittenger came to Wilkes University in 2024 after transferring from Northampton Community College. Following Pittenger's death, Wilkes University President Greg Cant sent out an email to Wilkes students, faculty and staff. “In his time on campus, (Pittenger) made a positive impact on his faculty and fellow students with his academic dedication and strong, steady presence,” Cant said in the email. Dr. Brian Whitman, professor of environmental and civil engineering, had Pittenger as a student. Whitman mentioned Joshua’s light-hearted attitude in class and more specifically his smile which he had everyday. “Josh worked well with others and always came in with a smile and was eager to learn,” Whitman said. “I was sad to hear of his passing.” Whitman also mentioned how Pittenger was always in the front row of the classroom, which showcased his enthusiasm and excitement for his classes. Shiv Patel, senior chemistry and neuroscience major, spoke to the person Pittenger was outside the classroom. “He was very jolly,” Patel said. “His energy was never down and he would always have a smile whenever I would see him. You know if I could describe him in a word, jolly is what I would say.” Not only was Patel a fellow student to Pittenger, but they were also neighbors. “It still feels surreal, you know, one day he is here and you're talking to him and the next he’s gone,” Patel said. A memorial service for Pittenger was held on campus in the Savitz Lounge to celebrate Pittenger's life and legacy. As the Wilkes campus continues to mourn the loss, Mark Allen, associate vice president for Student Life and Success, advises students who need support during these difficult times to reach out. “As we navigate this tragic loss, let us lean on one another, offering kindness, strength, and support to those who need it most,” Allen said in an email. “As a Wilkes community, we remain steadfast in our commitment to caring for one another and ensuring that no one faces their grief alone.” For support, call 570-408-4100 to schedule an appointment with the Counseling Center in Passan Hall from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m Monday through Friday. Resources are also available to students 24/7 at 570-408-CHAT (2428). Joshua Pittenger. Photo from Joshua Pittenger's obituary. Students visit Wilkes at Admitted Colonels Day By Sydney Allabaugh Editor-in-Chief Isabella Barberio photographs a future Colonel in the MAC. Wilkes students tell admitted Colonels and their families about clubs and organizations on campus during the student activities fair. Wilkes University President Greg Cant addresses the crowd. �The Beacon - April 9, 2025 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact editor-in-chief Sydney Allabaugh at sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu Annual Sex Bingo returns to campus, draws crowd By Kailey Vogel News Writer April 1 was an exciting day for students on campus. Reslife hosted its annual Sex Bingo allowing students to learn about safe sex while competing for various sex related prizes. Some baskets such as the “Sneaky Link” and “Not Your Parent’s Sex Talk” baskets consisted of books, toys, and latex-free condoms for winners. Students formed a line outside SLC 105 around 7 p.m., eager to get inside. Kendyl Keefer, a sophomore prepharmacy student, was among one of the many attendees that came out to participate. “I wanted to win a prize, but I did not,” she said. Students were encouraged to wear teal to be entered for a door prize. Extra boards were also sold for $1 each. All proceeds were donated to the Victims Resource Center, which had an informational table available throughout the night. By the end of the event $132 was donated to the cause. Resident assistants Brennan Reiner and Gabriel Sawarynski informed students of the risks of STIs and promoted safe sex through an informational PowerPoint. They informed students that “one in five college students has been abused by an intimate partner and almost one in three college women is a victim of dating abuse.” Each slide highlighted the importance of consent and contraception use. Various statistics were also displayed. Near the end of the presentation, slides provided resources for those who have been, or may know someone who has been, sexually assaulted. “We gotta teach the importance of having safe sex. I mean, we showed the statistics of STDs. You have cases of Resident assistants pour mocktails for students to enjoy with their pizza. Students attending Residence Life’s annual Sex Bingo learned valuable information on sexual health and sexual violence before playing bingo for a variety of themed prizes. Photo by Kailey Vogel HIV and STDs that run rampant,” said Sawarynski. “You have cases of lawsuits too because people unknowingly give STDs. “So, presenting and raising awareness for that is really important to make sure that people perform safe sex.” Bingo followed the informational session and tiebreakers consisted of answering sex related questions based on the earlier educational slideshow presentation. Giada Gowden was the winner of one of the baskets distributed throughout the night. When asked how it feels to win sex bingo, the first-year nursing major replied, “It’s definitely different from winning regular bingo.” Throughout the game, resident assistants walked by and dropped Skittles into students’ mocktails. This demonstrated how easily it is to be roofied or drugged, warning students of the dangers. When the event concluded, some students left having important conversations on the information they had learned. “I think my favorite part about sex bingo was Gabe’s presentation. I love seeing our RAs get out of their element and to go up and do presentations that engage people and get people riled up and having a good time,” said Daniel Yap, Slocum Hall RA. Safe sex and sexual assault are important topics to be educated on in college. Reslife was able to incorporate this education into a fun game of bingo. Students were reminded that if they see something, they should say something, because no one is, nor should be alone in a time of need. Wilkes University offers many resources for students on campus. Free Counseling Services are offered on the second floor of Passan Hall and Health Services provide STD counseling for students. They also supply free condoms and women’s sanitary supplies. �The Beacon - April 9, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment Sydney Allabaugh: 8 Sam Mullen: Open Hearted - The Garden Night Moves - Bob Seger Leah Smith: Brady Melovitz: Bury the Light - Casey Edwards Tarzan Boy - Baltimora Andrew Marshallsay: Shawn Carey: Good Directions - Billy Currington Maggot - Dazey and the Scouts Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staﬀ picks their favorite song of the week. Check out this week’s bops! �The Beacon – March 19, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment 9 Wilkes University Theatre puts on As You Like It By Anthony Kehs Special to the Beacon Editor’s note: Anthony Kehs is a cast member of As You Like It. After four years, The Bard is back onstage at Wilkes. The Wilkes University Theatre Department presents As You Like It, directed by Jon Liebetrau and assistant directed by junior musical theatre major Maddie Meier, this weekend in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts.. Wit and romance thrive in this comedic Shakespeare play, where feuding brothers spark exile and transformation. Young Orlando escapes his wicked brother Oliver and wins the heart of Rosalind, daughter of the exiled Duke Senior. After being banished herself by Duke Frederick, Rosalind disguises as a man and flees with her cousin, Celia and the court fool, Touchstone to the Forest of Arden. In the Forest of Arden, love blooms and identities blur until truth is revealed and peace is restored with weddings and forgiveness in the wilds of the wood. “we are setting [As You Like It] in the 1960s around the Summer of Love/Woodstock era where there was a real confrontation between the establishment and the antiestablishment, which I think mirrors what we are experiencing today and the turmoil they went through in that era,” Liebetrau said. “I think it’s really important in these times when people disagree, to watch a play that starts out with many people disagreeing and finding ways to come together and create a better union.” First-year musical theatre major Antonio Torres enjoys the giving of themselves to the play. “The most exciting part of rehearsal is that we get to play. We are still in that stage where we get to play with the script and make it our own,” Torres said. In addition to being the last show of From left, first row, Antonio Torres and Kasey Karoli. Second row, Bella Ruiz and John Quick. the 2024-2025 season, As You Like It will also be the final show at Wilkes for seniors Kasey Karoll and Bella Ruiz “I love this role so much because I see a lot of myself in her, and I think I’m bringing a lot of myself into this character,” said Karoll, who plays Rosalind. “She’s such a me character. “I am also really proud of everyone in it. I think everyone is bringing a little bit of themselves into the world of the play and it makes the show all of the more special, which only makes leaving harder.” Ruiz plays Celia. “I am so thankful for this opportunity. It’s kind of like a capstone in a way where I am able to think about everything that I have learned beforehand and somehow encapsulate it into giving the best performance I can to say goodbye to the stage.” Liebetrau hopes the audience will be able “to think and process and find ways to accept people that don’t necessarily think the same way that they do, but will get along with them and can create an environment where people work together and can accept each other.” The Wilkes University Theatre Department will perform As You Like It on April 10, 11 and 12 at 8 p.m. and April 12 and 13 at 2 p.m. The cast includes Torres as Orlando, John Quick as Oliver, Jesse Lawson as Adam/William, Karoll as Rosalind, Ruiz as Celia, Caleb Flannery as Touchstone, Anthony Kehs as Duke Senior, Evan Cole as Duke Fredrick/Corin, Elias Brix as Charles/Silvius, Elena DiSciullo as Phoebe, Hope Jacobus as Audrey, Ella Villani as Le Beau, Alby Lopuhovsky as Jaques, Rocco Pugliese as Amiens, Madelyn Rex as Duke Senior’s First Lord, Lexi Wesnak as Duke Senior’s Second Lord/Sir Oliver Martext, Melissa Reyes as Duke Fredrick’s First Lord, Jacob Cintronelle as Duke Fredrick’s Second Lord, and Maddie Meier as Hymen. Tickets cost $15 for general admission, $10 for students and seniors, and are free for anyone with a Wilkes University ID. To purchase tickets for As You Like It, please visit wilkes.edu/theatre or visit the box office an hour before showtime at the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts on the corner of West South and South River streets. �The Beacon – April 9, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 Finals season means practicing self-care By Natalia Williams Staff Writer With finals season approaching, prioritizing self-care and taking care of mental health is extremely important. The end of the semester can be a really busy time with papers, exams and projects, which often causes students to forget about their well-being. But forgetting to take breaks and neglecting one’s overall mental health, can make it harder to succeed in assignments or things that need to be done in general. “Self-care involves the activities that we intentionally engage in to maintain our physical, emotional, and mental wellness.” said Maria Richards, the Director of Counseling at the University Counseling Center. Practicing self-care during finals week or a stressful time in general is important because it helps reduce stress and anxiety, and it can help with productivity. It can alsoprevent burnout. “One of the most important self-care practices is establishing a regular routine of eating and sleeping. This keep our bodies and our minds nourished and replenished to fuel the energy and focus need to complete tasks and manage stress,” Richards said. Everyone has different ways to care for themselves that works best for them. “Some examples are reaching out to friends and family, engaging in a hobby, practicing relaxation techniques (yoga, meditation), and listening to music. It is important to identify activities that offer recharge and rest, not just distraction or numbing,” Richards said. Juggling many exams and/or projects can be tough. Time management and balance is important in order to prevent burnouts or even more stress. “I think a good starting point in managing stress when facing multiple demands is to be proactive with maintaining balance,” she said. “This involves being intentional with prioritizing and organizing time not only to study, but also building breaks to rest and recharge.” Each student during their time at Wilkes or their school career overall has found their way of taking breaks and balancing their time. “I balance my breaks and study by figuring out what space is really needed,” said sophomore business administration major Jaylin Cazares Gaspar. “For example, I would like to study right before class and if I have a two hour gap between classes, the first hour is a break and econd hour is study.” For self care methods, Jaylin says she takes breaks every couple of minutes so she doesn’t overwork herself. According to sophomore nursing major, Anthony Vissotski, organization helps him. “I have a very strict schedule that allows time for both studying and down time. And what I do during breaks is drink water and chill.” Finding a favorite way to take brain breaks during studying is imperative for a smooth and less stressful studying session. “... these breaks are what are inherently needed at regular points during these times in order to maintain a healthy mindset.” Richards gave several ideas for relieving stress, including taking a short break by going for a walk outside, calling a friend or listening to music. Not only are taking breaks and time management important, but staying connected with family and friends is another aspect as well. All can provide a feeling of comfort and a strong support system provides motivation. “If students are struggling, opening up to a trusted friend or family member is a powerful step,” according to Richards. “One can start by asking, ‘Do you have time to talk?’ in order to convey that you’re reaching out.” The Wilkes University Counseling Center offers free counseling for students in need of emotional support or just someone to talk to. “Some students come regularly, and others come as needed. It can help talk things through with a counselor, and students come for a variety of reasons (stress, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, relationships, and many more)...When Wilkes students have an urgent need to speak with a counselor, 27/7 support is available 570-408-CHAT (2428).” With the last final months of he academic year coming up, prioritizing self-care is incredibly important and essential. Taking study breaks, managing stress and things to do can make a huge difference in mental health and overall academic success. Students can reach out to the counseling for an appointment at 570-408-4100 and to get more information, visit wilkes.edu/ counseling for more information. Is your club launching a fundraising event? Looking for new members? Let us know. You could be featured in an upcoming edition of The Beacon. Email kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu with details and contact information. �The Beacon - April 9, 2025 11 Life, Arts & Entertainment Spring Crossword Puzzle Spring Crossword Puzzle 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Across 3. Common ingredient in Easter recipes; it could be eaten on its own. 6. Often seen after a spring rain shower. 9. The month that marks the start of summer, but it's still spring in the early days. 10. A place where flowers or vegetables are planted. 11. A week-long Jewish holiday celebrated in the spring. 12. A popular spring flower. Down 1. Hindu spring festival characterized by colorful powder. 2. April ____ bring May flowers. 4. What animals often do in the fresh spring grass. 5. A colorful insect often seen in spring. 7. What flowers do in spring. 8. A spring holiday often associated with eggs and bunnies. Across 3. Common ingredient in Easter recipes; it could be eaten on its own. 6. Often seen after a spring rain shower. 9. The month that marks the start of summer, but it's still spring in the early days. 10. A place where flowers or vegetables are planted. 11. A week-long Jewish holiday celebrated in the spring. 12. A popular spring flower. g y r l e t 12 m t o s p 11 a 10 8 Down 1. Hindu spring festival characterized by colorful powder. 2. April ____ bring May flowers. 4. What animals often do in the fresh spring grass. 5. A colorful insect often seen in spring. 7. What flowers do in spring. 8. A spring holiday often associated with eggs and bunnies. r d e e z 6 3 e g 4 a s n s r 9 j u n w o r a i g 1 n b h l s o 2 f v e r o e a u e l 7 t b t w u 5 h Spring Crossword ossword Puzzle b i p ��The Beacon - April 9, 2025 Opinion Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact assistant opinion editors: shawn.carey1@wilkes.edu or logan.colonna@wilkes.edu. Editorial Staff 2024-25 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Sydney Allabaugh Social Media Manager - Megan Davis Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Leah Smith Sports - Zach Paraway ASSISTANT EDITORS News - Andrew Marshallsay Opinion - Logan Colonna Opinion - Shawn Carey Sports - Adam Grundt Sports - Sam Mullen DESIGNERS Head Designer - Lara Mullen Designer - Carol Stratford Layout Designer - Brady Melovitz Photographer - Shannon Slominski SECTION STAFF WRITERS News - Kayla Bicskei LA&E - Natalia Williams Opinion - “Freeze” Sports - Ava Tureen Sports - Lexi McHugh 141 S. Main Street Clayton and Theresa Karambelas Media & Communication Center Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 Phone - (570) 408-5903 www.thewilkesbeacon.com Want to advertise in The Beacon? Contact: Kalen Churcher at kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or Sydney Allabaugh at sydney. allabaugh@wilkes.edu. The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. Importance of holding celebrities accountable Celebrity culture is really something to behold. We spend so much time and resources monitoring each and every moment of these celebrities’ day. While many celebrities choose to avoid the limelight to some degree, there’s plenty that embrace it. It’s not uncommon to see celebrities interacting with fans. There’s meet and greets, social media, mailing lists, whatever else. On paper there’s nothing wrong with this. It’s a great way to build community. Some celebrities take it too far however. Unwanted messages, creepy DMs, inappropriate touching. There are celebrities that believe that they can do whatever they want and get away with it. This often fails. Recently, former “Impractical Joker” star Joe Gatto was accused of messaging and sexually assaulting a 19-year-old fan. The star allegedly got the young individual drunk before leading her back to his hotel room in September 2023, a year and a half ago. That’s how long it took for the allegations to go public. As of now, it’s currently unknown if Joe is going to face charges. Out of every 1000 sexual assaults, 975 perpetrators will walk free, according to RAINN. Even if the allegations are true, it could be possible that he will get no more than a slap on the wrist. This entire situation begs the question: Should we be holding celebrities more accountable? We often view celebrities as mythical figures. We look up to them; we’re inspired by them; we want to be them. Much like heroes of myth, they can do no wrong. We forget that they’re human just like us, humans with influence and power. They aren’t our friends; we don’t truly know them. While I don’t doubt that there’s plenty of celebrities that appreciate their fans, there’s plenty that treat them as just a number. It can be difficult to put them down at our level. After all, most people don’t have an army of thousands of loyal followers, which is why I believe that we shouldn’t. We should instead expect more. They don’t have the same resources or responsibility as us; they have even more. It’s because of this that we should expect them to use them wisely. If they want to be treated like heroes, then they should act like it. We should also always expect the worst. It is a rather depressing thought but it’s something to think about. Who knows what these people are hiding or how much money they’re spending to keep the victims silent. Even in cases in which celebrities are found guilty of harassment, assault or worse, there are fans that defend their actions. We should not give these individuals a pass just because they are famous. Everywhere you go you see it. Treat celebrities as you would treat a stranger. Letter to the editor policy: The Beacon welcomes letters to the editor from differing viewpoints. Letters must contain contact information, including name, city, state and phone number. Phone numbers will not be published but may be used for verification purposes. All letters to the editor must be sent using one of the following methods: Email: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu Phone: (570) 408-5903 (Voicemail: 30 seconds or less, please.) Mail: 84 West South Street, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766 Attn: The Beacon �The Beacon - April 9, 2025 Opinion 15 The Icebox: The Nintendo Switch 2 is almost here By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer Welcome back to the Icebox. In today’s issue, there is a rather critical matter to discuss. The “Nintendo Direct” for the successor of the Nintendo Switch finally aired globally. Not even seconds into the presentation, my mind was blown. The Direct begins with a detailed trailer for the latest installment in the Mario franchise, “Mario Kart World” which can have up to 24 racers. The courses are gigantic and a mix of tracks from previous games; the roster is quite abundant, previously vaulted items are making a return and you can drive around in an open-world setting. That last bit is clearly a lot to unpack for a Mario Kart game. As a kid I always wondered how cool it would be to just be able to drive anywhere. Now it looks like my dreams are becoming reality with the “free roam” game mode where you can get together with your friends and drive around on a large map. The Switch 2 revealed some of the features that everyone suspected before. The JoyCon 2 does feature a mouse sensor and is claimed to be more durable. Everything about the console is bigger except for its thickness. The console will support 1080p resolution with 120 frames per second in handheld mode and potentially supporting 4K resolution when docked. The dock houses a separate cooling system so that higher-power gaming is within reach. The native storage space is now 256 gigabytes, which is eight times that of its predecessor. Funny enough, Nintendo has only just caught up to industry standards. This hardware is impressive for a Nintendo console, but relatively tame otherwise. It’s the fact that Nintendo creators never fail to make their projects super unique that carries them such a long way. Another positive note here is that the console has everything that people were hoping for. As previously discussed in an online issue of the Icebox, there is a mysterious “C” button on the controllers. That has been revealed to toggle a new feature called “GameChat.” This allows players to connect to each other in real time with voice, screen sharing and even video if they purchase the Nintendo webcam accessory. This addition to the console is absolutely insane, acting as a built-in alternative to Discord. While the exact performance is still up in the air for this, it’s clear that Nintendo wants to support the family-friendly aspect of gaming with this feature. Additionally, Nintendo has finally made greater measures to enhance the definition of “Nintendo Switch family.” First, it was revealed in another recent Direct that the systems would support virtual game cards. These are transferable copies of a digital game that can be shared with other consoles. The Nintendo Switch 2 will also be able to locally share a game to another console so both can run the game at once, just like how the now-discontinued DS systems. Transferring data from one console to another has also been made easier and faster. Of course, some of these features will require a Nintendo Online membership. Speaking of Nintendo Online, there is still no intel on whether or not the service has been improved. Fans are hoping for “rollback netcode” which is the most optimal way to arrange an online service for a video game. Games from the original Switch will be playable on the Switch 2, and some of them are even receiving updates to push potential for the new hardware. For example, the open-world Zelda games will be playable in 4K on the Switch 2. “Mario Party Jamboree” will actually include entirely new content that will make use of the new mouse and webcam features. Mario Kart is usually the designated launch title for Nintendo devices, but along with it are many Nintendo originals and collaborative projects, some of which are very surprising. Needless to say, a lot of bold statements were made when Nintendo revealed some of the launching and developing titles. For example, a Nintendo-exclusive game by FromSoftware, called “The Duskbloods” is going to be released soon. The same developers made “Elden Ring,” which is also going to be released for the Switch 2. Several big titles have already pitched in with their normal editions, such as EA Sports and Square Enix. The Switch 2 Direct has been an absolute revival of the Nintendo atmosphere, which died years ago. Not only did the representatives indirectly challenge competitors, but they have already established a spotlight with Indie developers. Why you should play the “Devil May Cry” video game By Leah Smith News Editor Upon the release of the highly anticipated Netflix anime adaptation of the video game series “Devil May Cry,” people online have vocalized their interest in not only the show but the game series in general. This is your guide to the series, what to expect and how to purchase the games. “Devil May Cry” is a Capcom distributed video game series. This game would be categorized as a hack-and-slash franchise akin to that of the “Doom” and “God of War” series. “Devil May Cry” is led by the franchise’s pizza-loving and charismatic protagonist Dante. Dante is one of the sons of the devil, Sparda. Sparda is the devil hero that came from this game’s version of hell who vowed to protect the human world from hell’s evil forces. However, when Dante and his brother Virgil were children, they were ambushed and their human mother Eva was killed and Sparda disappeared and later killed. His body becomes a sword that is used later in the franchise. “Devil May Cry” is Capcom’s most underrated franchise despite it having a highly anticipated and beloved anime adaptation and niche internet fanbase. There has not been a new game to enter the series since “Devil May Cry 5” in 2019. The series offers a fun charismatic lead as well as other fan-favorite characters: Virgil, the most recurring antagonist, Trish and Lady, Dante’s partners in his demon hunting business ventures, and Nero, who ends up becoming a co-lead in the franchise’s later games with Dante. “Devil May Cry” is an incredibly fun game series with a fun and engaging storyline that newcomers will be able to follow along with pretty easily. The combat and gameplay improves as the series progresses. Obviously, since the first game came out in 2000, playing the game nowadays would prove challenging but nostalgic. The series is not in chronological order though. “Devil May Cry 3” is technically where the series begins in terms of Dante’s journey into finding out he is half-demon and beginning the demon hunting business. How you play the games is up to you of course, but if you are one for chronological order then “Devil May Cry 3” is the place to start. The series offers an array of fun and exciting gameplay and weaponry and the later installments sure test your skills with those elements. The gameplay in the series tests your combo skills by indicating a meter that starts from D and goes up to SSS. By reaching to SSS, you will be able to reach more points that you can use to purchase in the games’ store options. In the early games, the store is located via a golden lion statue while in “Devil May Cry 5” the store can also be reached via statue but mostly from the van driven by side character, Nico, who builds weapons for the leads Dante and Nero. If you end up liking the show and are interested in the games, I highly recommend checking out “Devil May Cry.” The series is one of my all time favorite video game franchises because of the fun gameplay and engaging plot and characters as well as the game’s hard rock/nu-metal aesthetic and presentation. There is a collection including the first three to four games located on online platform stores and at gaming stores in person. The fifth game is sold by itself but should be available at a reasonable price. �The Beacon - April 9, 2025 Opinion 16 Baseball’s Torpedo Bats: Nothing special, but they may work By Andrew Marshallsay Asst. News Editor The New York Yankees have started their season on a hot streak, launching home runs like clockwork in the early stages. Propelled by a high powered offense, one thing has stood out: the new “torpedo bats.” Designed by a physics professor hired by the Yankees, the bats were created to better help a hitter find their sweet spot on the bat. The barrel on these bats is fattened at the certain part of where a certain player tends to make the most contact on a standard-issue bat. The bats aren’t anything entirely new, and they aren’t a way for players to cheat. Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton used one in the 2024 postseason and had a good stretch of games during the AL Pennant run. New York Mets shortstop Franciso Lindor used one as well last year and finished as a National League MVP finalist. Other than that, it’s not entirely clear when these bats first appeared in baseball. Major League Baseball has come out and said that the bats are completely legal and don’t violate any rules on equipment. However, the bats aren’t really anything special. Some have come out and said that the bats are “wrong” or “cheating,” but really, they’re just giving a player a better idea of where to hit the ball. Most baseball players tend to hit the ball with the same part of the bat over, and over again. Pure sluggers are going to have a certain point of contact with the bat, contact hitters are going to have another point of contact. With the torpedo bats, the main aim is to just maximize hitting. Again, there are some that say that the bats are illegal, but they just aren’t. Unlike corking a bat which gives the bat less weight, the torpedo bat weighs the exact same as a normal bat. There’s nothing illegal about it, it’s just about maximizing contact. It changes for every player, thus the torpedo bats are for different players. Since they’re just now being adopted by teams and players other than the Yankees, the science and links between the bats and increased hits just isn’t there yet. It’ll take some time before we really know if these bats are working. Quite frankly, the bats may give advantages to hitters, the key word being “may.” The evidence may be there, however it’s too early to tell if these bats are actually contributing to home runs, or good players are just starting the season having good games. While they may be a cool thing, they may well just end up being a gimmick. However, those who use the torpedo bats seem to like them so far. Alternate history: The New Order vs. The Man in the High Castle By Noah Garraoui Contributing Writer The most common question among those who discuss alternate history is, “What if the Axis had won World War II?” And by most common, I do mean it’s a subject that has been beaten to death and then beaten even more. Nevertheless there is still a way to do it well and a way to do it poorly, and as such I submit two examples to demonstrate a case in which this alternate history scenario was engaged with on realistic, intriguing, and nuanced grounds, and other that isn’t. Respectively, I am referring to the “Hearts of Iron IV” mod, “The New Order,” and the book turned TV show adaptation, “The Man in the High Castle.” And yes I would like to clarify that I am saying the video game mod has superior world building to the big budget TV. The whole subject is surrounded by conjecture of how modifying something or other about the Axis war effort would have decisively turned the tables on the Allies, so before getting into the meat of this subject, I feel beholden to dispel some of these theories and the faulty grounds they depend upon, though they are not ones which either example rest upon. First and foremost, the loss of the British Expeditionary Force at Dunkirk would have been extremely unlikely to catalyse a British surrender. Churchill had made up his mind about no peace for cooperation with Nazi Germany. While manpower would have certainly been a concern in the face of the loss of a third of a million men, this could have been remedied by troops from the Commonwealth. Furthermore, Germany was never going to invade England. Consider the monumental effort it took to enact D-Day, technological innovations, the sheer quantity of men and material, and the near total control of the air and sea. Even at the height of its capabilities, Germany was nowhere near able to pull this off primarily because of how outmatched the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine were to the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy. Last among the myths of how Germany could have won WWII is to simply concentrate the German invasion of the Soviet Union upon Moscow and take the city before the onset of winter. This point misunderstands the character of Stalin and the nature of the war between the USSR and Germany. It was a total war, and for the Soviet Union, it was a war of survival in which German designs post-war dictated the eradication of the inhabitants of Eastern Europe. As such, the loss of their capital would in no way meant the end of the Soviet war effort, and for a megalomaniac like Stalin, no amount of defeats would mean he would concede the war. Returning to the comparison of our two titles, I start with our positive example, “The New Order.” A short book could be written about the extensive lore of this mod but in broad strokes, this mod starts the game in 1962 after Nazi Germany lands a man on the Moon, beating the USA and Japan. Right from the start, the world is far more dynamic and realistic. First of all, Germany never invaded the United States nor conquered it; the United States survived the war and founded the Organization of Free Nations, basically NATO, and welcomed the former British Commonwealth. Meanwhile, Germany has hegemony over Europe in an alliance called the Einheitspakt. Nominally, this includes a semi-independent France, a puppet Kingdom in England, Germany proper, and its colonies made out of Soviet Territory in the East. The German Colonies themselves are another small slice of realism, as the Nazi dream of German families settling and subduing the East Failed. Instead, there is a near-ongoing partisan warfare, and the colonial governments burden the Reich with economic and material reliance. Speaking of the East, The Soviet Union collapsed and lost its territory east of the Arkhangelsk- Astrakhan Line and collapsed into a multitude of various warlord states ranging from burgeoning democracies, Nazi Aligned warlords, or former soviet generals all fighting over the future of Russia. To the South of Germany, Italy under Mussolini split with Hitler and created his own faction with Turkey and a United Iberia for mutual protection in case of a Nazi invasion. All of this is barely scratching the surface of the sheer effort and love that went into crafting the world of “The New Order,” and it’s all the more impressive considering it’s a mod for a video game. Now shifting to “The Man in the High Castle,” the world map is basically two blobs: a big Reich blob over Europe, Africa, North America, and part of South America, and a big Japan blob around the Pacific and into India. How does Germany or Japan even have the manpower to occupy all these territories? Who knows? Why aren’t there constant rebellions all the time? I have no clue. Why did the Unites States surrender after getting nuked once? Why did Germany pursue nuclear weapons when Hitler mistrusted nuclear science out of antisemitism? What is life even like in the Reich? There are no answers to these questions. There is so much information integral to making the world in “The Man in the High Castle” work that is ignored, skipped over or is incongruent. For a TV show with a budget of $70 million, there is so much more that could have been done with the world building. �The Beacon - April 9, 2025 Opinion 17 The downside of announcing movies in advance By Shawn Carey Asst. Opinion Editor We live in an age of nonstop media consumption. There’s constantly new movies, shows and games being released. Most of these projects, such as the superhero ones, were announced years in advance. For example, July’s “Fantastic Four: The First Steps” was first announced all the way back in 2019 at San Diego Comic Con, six years ago. We have known of this movie for half a decade. So what gives? When and why did studios start to do this? Why is the existence of a movie public knowledge to the public before it even made it to the production stage? These early announcements are a pretty recent phenomenon. Like with most entertainment trends we can tie it back to Marvel. Back in 2011 the studio announced “phase 2” of their cinematic universe, once again at San Diego Comic Con. Marvel showcased the dates, titles, plot summaries of their next couple films. Everything from 2013 “Ironman 3” all the way to 2015 “Ant-Man.” The studio did this to show the public that they had a grand plan for their cinematic universe that Marvel was going to be around for the years to come. Soon after, other media giants decided to jump on the cinematic universe bandwagon. Warner Bros. and DC announced the DCEU, Lucasfilm announced a large list of Star Wars films and shows that would be releasing in the coming years, Sony created their own universe of Spider-man related characters. While most of the projects announced were finished and released, there were a few outliers. DC had to cancel their Ben Affleck led Batman movie, Star Wars had to cut most of their TV shows, and so on. These connected universes were mostly successful. At least for a time. Ever since the pandemic began, it seems like general audiences are becoming less and less interested in these joint projects. The last few DCEU movies were box office bombs causing the studio to reboot the entire thing, Sony scrapped their universe entirely and Star Wars is no longer the cultural landmark it once was. The MCU is seemingly the only connected universe still standing, and even then they’ve been running into problems. Mostly involving the characters of “Kang the Conqueror.” Kang was meant to be the universe’s movies usually serve as the big phase ending movies. They’re framed as these huge cinematic experiences. Movies that are meant to get the whole world talking. Kang didn’t have the best introduction but perhaps there was still a chance to get the audience to care about him. All Marvel needed to do was release a project that showed him as a legitimate threat. Something that they never got to new big bad, following the widely popular Thanos. Played by Johathan Majors he first appeared in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.” The movie was both a critical and financial failure, which proved to be rather unfortunate for the studio. The villain was meant to headline “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.” For those who don’t know, the Avengers do. On March 25, 2023, Jonathan Majors, the actor that was going to play Kang, was arrested in New York City and was later found guilty of one misdemeanor assault charge and one harassment violation after allegedly striking his girlfriend Grace Jabbari in the head with an open hand and breaking her middle finger by squeezing it. One of Marvel’s leading actors was now a criminal. As you can imagine the studio panicked. The big event they’ve been building up to was now in trouble. They obviously couldn’t use the actor, or even recast him. Marvel didn’t even want to acknowledge the allegations. So, what were they going to do? Recast Robbie Downey Jr, their original frontman as a villain. Last year it was announced that RDJ would be playing fan favorite Marvel villain “Doctor Doom.” This in turn made “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” essentially meaningless. The movie no longer mattered. While Marvel has had a handful of other problems within the past couple of years, such as not being able to find a director for Blade. Nothing beats the entire Kang situation. So, what can studios do differently? These early announcements are done to build hype. They want the audience to get excited for what’s to come. They however, also lead to them being disappointed. Imagine being a fan of a character. Let’s use Ghost Rider as an example. Comic Con comes around and you’re eagerly waiting for a movie announcement. It’s time for the Marvel panel and instead of your favorite hero getting a movie, Marvel announces a fourth Thor movie. All you can do after is wait and hope for one next time, whenever that may be. Nothing stays the same, you really can’t plan a decade into the future. You honestly can’t even really do a year. Sure, you can have a concept, but still you can’t tell people to expect something. As messy as the game’s industry is, it at least seems like they know how to showcase a product. Most games tend to get announced at most two years before release. While they are some exceptions, this seems to be the standard practice. There’s nothing wrong with getting viewers excited, you just have to figure out the proper course of action. Graphic by Carol Stratford �The Beacon - April 9, 2025 Opinion 18 A review Nav's newest album "OMW2 REXDALE" An analysis of performance, features, production, replayability By Logan Colonna Asst. Opinion Editor I’d like to start this by saying that I am not a NAV fan in the slightest. I never made time to get to know his music all that well besides the more famous songs from his catalog. I know that most music fans are very one-sided regarding him though. You have the one side that is practically die-hard fans and enjoy just about anything that he released. Then, you have the other side that automatically says that the music is bad without even giving it a solid listen. To find out which side I’m on, I’ll be reviewing his new record, “OMW2 REXDALE.” I’ll take into account certain areas like the performance of NAV, the features he got together for this project, the production and the replayability of the album. First, Nav did pretty decent on this record. My favorite song on this record was the intro, “SINKING.” This is all because of his vocals on the track. I know very little about NAV, but I do know that he’s not known for his lyrics. While they’re not bad by any means, they’re not something that is going to blow your mind. Because of that, I think he knows that his appeal is his voice. With that in mind, we get tracks like this that are more melodic than usual. I also really enjoyed “U.N.I.” quite a bit. Yet again, it’s because of his vocals and his flow. As a whole, NAV is just a very melodic artist. Overall, NAV is honestly great performance wise. As for the features on the record, there’s only a couple. We have Don Toliver on “YOU” and Playboi Carti on “UNLIMITED.” As for Don’s feature, he offers his typical cloudy vocals. What he does here isn’t amazing by any means, but he creates a nice soundscape for the music to exist in. He does a great job of keeping the same vibe that NAV set up in the beginning with his verse. Even the rapping he does throughout his verse is pretty good. As for “UNLIMITED,” it’s practically Playboi Carti’s song. He gets an intro, “rock out,” and I am just not in the mood for repetition like that as of late. It’s kind of funny that I’m now like this because when he first released “JumpOutTheHouse,” I was in love with it. I bring this up because he repeats “jump out the house” 30 different times. two verses, the pre-chorus, chorus and an outro. I get why this wasn’t on his record “MUSIC” that just released since it wouldn’t fit whatsoever, but I find it weird whenever artists get a feature and are heard more than the original artist. While this isn’t a bad thing, it just irks me a bit. I thoroughly enjoyed Carti’s verses, but I cannot bring myself to like the chorus. All it is is Carti repeating Do not ask why. Anyways, the features are both decent. Nothing too bad or too good here. In regard to the production on the album, there’s seriously no track that stands out to me positively or negatively. Each track is good, but that’s about it. “SINKING” and its production is solid, but again, it’s nothing out of the ordinary. However, we do have a collaboration track with “legendary” producer Metro Boomin and NAV on “REAL ME.” I say that with the quotes because with the way that Metro Boomin is anymore, I didn’t expect anything amazing. With that, the instrumental on the track is alright at most. In my opinion, Metro Boomin has been declining shortly after his record in 2022, “HEROES & VILLAINS.” Since then, he’s just not hit the same sound that I loved from that record. Overall, the production is good at most. With the decency of the production bringing the record down, we have something that is better in comparison, the replayability. The record is fairly short coming in at 14 tracks and only 36 minutes. Like I’ve said in the past, I enjoy records that are shorter since they’re often times more cohesive as an album. The records that are over 30 songs (thanks Playboi Carti) are just unlistenable, front to back, when you want to listen for the fifth time or so. The record here also offers different sounds on each track, helping its credibility in the replayability department. Overall, I’ve enjoyed listening to the record front to back because of its great replayability. As you can probably tell, NAV is decent this time around. I can’t say that I’m much of a fan, or hater, at this point because I know that he definitely has some “meh” projects out there but I have to listen to them to really understand the people’s hate. I do get that people may not get the appeal to NAV, and I think that’s why he has so many haters. With all of that being said, I think if you typically listen to NAV, you should give this record a try. Regardless, NAV’s “OMW2 REXDALE” gets a 6 out of 10. Graphic by Carol Stratford �The Beacon - April 9, 2025 Sports Sports 19 Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: zachary.paraway@wilkes.edu Wilkes baseball hosts Landmark Series against Juniata By Andrew Marshallsay Asst. News Editor �� ¡¡�� ¢�� Photo by Wilkes Athletics �� Wilkes Baseball seniors celebrate their last home games with the team during double-header against Juniata. �The Beacon - April 9, 2025 Sports 20 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins look to bounce back this week Game recaps, the week ahead, news and notes By Adam Grundt Asst. Sports Editor After two games against a tough opponent, the Cleveland Monsters, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins look to make a final push for a first-round bye in the Calder Cup Playoffs. The Penguins have already clinched a spot in the 2024-25 postseason, but are looking to solidify themselves in one of the top three spots in the Atlantic Division in order to clinch a first-round bye. After this weekend’s games, WilkesBarre/Scranton sits in third place, just one point ahead of the fourth-place Providence Bruins. They are two points behind Charlotte, who is in second place, and five behind the two-time defending Calder Cup Champions, the Hershey Bears. FRIDAY, APRIL 4 – Penguins 1 – Cleveland 7 The Penguins offense was drubbed by the Monsters on Friday, as the team was outplayed at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland. Roman Ahcan tallied the first goal of the game for Cleveland during the first period, and then the Monsters rattled off three goals to take a 4-0 lead into the third period. Mikael Pyyhtiä, Ahcan, and Guillaume Richard scored for the Monsters during the middle frame. Five minutes into the third, Cleveland extended their lead to 5-0 with a goal from James Malatesta. Vasily Ponomarev tallied the only goal for Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton, his 15th of the season. Luca Del Bel Belluz scored Cleveland’s sixth of the night with three minutes remaining in the third, and Ahcan completed the hat trick with his third of the night with a minute left. SATURDAY, APRIL 5 – Penguins 0 – Cleveland 3 Another stellar performance from Cleveland’s defense and netminder Jet Greaves was in store on Saturday night as the Monsters rebranded as the Cleveland Pierogies. Cleveland kicked off the scoring 36 seconds into the game with a goal from Hunter McKown. Just over six minutes into the game, McKown struck again to put the Pierogies ahead by 2. The two-goal Cleveland lead carried all the way into the third period, until former University of Michigan Wolverine, Gavin Brindley, concluded the night’s scoring at 13:35 of the final stanza. Penguins’ rookie netminder Sergei Murashov stopped 21 of 24 shots in net. THE WEEK AHEAD The Penguins do not play a game until April 11, when they return home to Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza for a grudge match with a bitter rival, the Hershey Bears. As previously stated, the two teams are separated by five points in the standings as of April 5. Penguins’ defenseman Filip Král leads all active skaters with 11 points (3G – 8A) in the season series thus far through 10 games. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton returns to home ice the following night for their annual community night rebranding, presented by Visit Luzerne County. The Penguins are rebranding to the Carbondale UFOs, an ode to the alien spacecraft’s alleged crash during the 1970’s in the Lackawanna County town. In addition, the first 2,000 fans to arrive at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza will receive a Joel Blomqvist bobblehead. The team faces off against the Springfield Thunderbirds, and puck drop is slated for 7:05 p.m. NEWS AND NOTES The Penguins are without two of their leading point producers until the end of the regular season. Rookie sensations Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty were recalled to Pittsburgh, and Koivunen made his NHL debut on March 30, a 1-0 win against the Ottawa SCHEDULE & TICKETS Senators. Koivunen’s family made the trip from Finland to Pittsburgh and were in attendance at the game. McGroarty collected his first NHL point, an assist on a goal from Bryan Rust in Thursday’s game against the St. Louis Blues. Later in the game, Koivunen tallied his first NHL point with an assist on McGroarty’s first NHL goal, a marker that tied the game late in the third period. The two rookies were pictured postgame with the puck from McGroarty’s goal and Koivunen’s point. If the Pittsburgh Penguins are to become eliminated from playoff contention, reinforcements will most likely be on the way. Koivunen and McGroarty will likely return to Northeastern Pennsylvania, and Tristan Jarry is eligible to return to the team as well for the Calder Cup Playoffs. For more information on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, visit wbspenguins.com. �The Beacon - April 9, 2025 Sports 21 MLAX: Wilkes drops back-to-back in conference play By Ava Tureen and Zach Paraway Contrubuting Writers The Wilkes Men’s Lacrosse team just finished up their last week, having played two games. They hosted Drew University on April 2 and traveled to Goucher College on April 5. The team came into last week with a 4-7 overall record and a 1-2 record within Landmark Conference play. The previous week was a successful one for the team as they went 2-0 for the week with wins against Mount Saint Mary College and Juniata College, both on the road. The Colonels were unable to make a comeback on Wednesday against Drew after a difficult first quarter, in which the Rangers scored nine points and held the Colonels scoreless. The final score for the night was 16-4. Wilkes had five turnovers during the first quarter, and First-Year midfielder Stone Sosnovik had one shot on goal that was saved by Joe Barnish. At the beginning of the second, the Rangers switched their goalie to Sawyer Kennedy. The Colonels had nine shots on goal, and Jackson Casper scored the first point for Wilkes after picking up a ground ball and getting the shot off. That would be their only goal before half, while Drew went scoreless in the quarter. Drew opened the second half scoring with a goal from attackman Riley Zeer and was assisted by Tommy Larmore. The Colonels were quick to answer with a goal from Casper and the assist coming from Sr. midfielder Anthony DelDuca. First-Year attackman Oscar Cline was a player to watch during this game with one goal, three ground balls, and three shots on goal. Wilkes gave it all in the fourth quarter and scored two more times. Cline scored the third goal of the game for Wilkes, followed by Sosnovik scoring the final goal of the game. Both of these goals were assisted by So. midfielder Austin Sosnovik. During the final quarter, Drew scored 2 more points, giving them a total of 16 points for the win. Junior attackman Tim Hartka had even shots, and Casper scored two goals. Austin Sosnovik had two assists and picked up a team-high of six ground balls along with Brandon Cooke. Junior goalkeeper Caleb Miller was in goal for Wilkes and had 17 saves in the game. Miller has played all 13 games so far this season with a record of four wins and nine losses. In the econd game of the week, the team traveled to Baltimore, Maryland to take on the Goucher University Gophers. Goucher, which was 6-5 coming into this game, was able to pick up their first conference win in the match. Goucher was able to take an advantage early in the game, making the deficit 7-0 after the first quarter and 15-0 by the half. Nine points in the second half made the final score 24-0 in favor of Goucher. Standout performances for Goucher include attackmen Gianni Karam with seven goals and Jacob Morgan with 11 points between four goals and seven assists. For Wilkes, Miller had 18 saves and three players; defensemen Mac Jackson, Owen Peters, and Caleb Edwards each had 4 ground balls, leading the team. The Colonels have four games left in their regular season, with the next game home against Lycoming College at 7 p.m. �� MEN’S LACROSSESCHEDULE FEB 15 1:00 P.M. – VS ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE (LANDMARK) – SCHMIDT STADIUM FEB 22 1:00 P.M. – VS UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT BRADFORD – SCHMIDT STADIUM FEB 26 4:00 P.M. – VS MARYWOOD UNIVERSITY – SCHMIDT STADIUM MAR 5 5:00 P.M. – AT VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY – VIRGINIA BEACH, VA MAR 8 1:00 P.M. – VS LEBANON VALLEY COLLEGE – SCHMIDT STADIUM MAR 12 7:00 P.M. – AT KING'S COLLEGE (PA.) – WILKES-BARRE, PA MAR 15 1:00 P.M. – VS HOOD COLLEGE – SCHMIDT STADIUM MAR 19 7:00 P.M. – AT ALVERNIA UNIVERSITY – READING, PA MAR 22 1:00 P.M. – VS MORAVIAN UNIVERSITY (LANDMARK) – SCHMIDT STADIUM MAR 26 7:00 P.M. – AT MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE (NY) – NEWBURGH, NY MAR 29 1:00 P.M. – AT JUNIATA COLLEGE (LANDMARK) – HUNTINGDON, PA APR 2 7:00 P.M. – VS DREW UNIVERSITY (LANDMARK) – SCHMIDT STADIUM APR 5 1:00 P.M. – AT GOUCHER COLLEGE (LANDMARK) – BALTIMORE, MD APR 9 7:00 P.M. – VS LYCOMING COLLEGE (LANDMARK) – SCHMIDT STADIUM APR 12 12:00 P.M. – AT SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY (LANDMARK) – SELINSGROVE, PA APR 16 6:00 P.M. – AT UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON (LANDMARK) – SCRANTON, PA APR 26 1:00 P.M. – VS CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA (LANDMARK, SENIOR DAY) – SCHMIDT STADIUM �The Beacon - April 9, 2025 22 Sports Athlete of the Week Ally Stafursky First-Year, Catcher/Outﬁelder, Women's Softball The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Stafursky went 6 for 14 at bat with a home run, three RBI, a walk, and two runs scored to help the Colonels with their first Landmark Conference win of the season against Drew University and non-conference game against Immaculate University. Major: Nursing Hometown: Eynon, Pa What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? My favorite sports memory as a Colonel is hitting my first collegiate homerun and seeing my teammates celebrating it with me. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? Philadelphia Phillies What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Spending time with friends What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? I'm able to balance academics, play the sport I grew up with, and I enjoy the atmosphere of the community. The Beacon//Samantha Mullen Editor’s note : Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor t s staff each week. At the e nd of the acade mic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw itte r @ Wilkes B eacon to c row n an “Athlete of the Year." What sports movie is your goto for movie night? "The Benchwarmers" or "A League of Their Own" If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Tennis What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Winning back-to-back District Championships my junior and senior year of high school. What is your favorite postgame meal? Taco Bell How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? Being named Athlete of the Week is an incredible honor. None of this would be possible without my teammates and coaches who push me to get 1% better everyday. Compiled by Samantha Mullen, Asst. Sports Editor �The Beacon April 9, 2025 Sports Athlete of the Week Nathan Loch Sophomore, Shortstop, Men’s Baseball The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week Loch went 9 for 22 at bat with eight RBIs, three doubles, a triple, three stolen bases, and six runs during the Colonels Landmark Conference wins over Elizabethtown College, Penn State Harrisburg and Drew University. Major: Financial Investments Hometown: Effort, PA What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? The spring trips down to Flordia. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? New York Yankees What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Hanging with friends and family What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? The strong bond within the team What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Winning the championship in summer ball a couple of years ago. What is your favorite postgame meal? Bacon cheeseburger How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? I feel really honored to be selected as Athlete of the Week. It’s a great recognition, but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates and coaches. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? “The Blindside” If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Golf Editor’s note : Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor t s staff each week. At the e nd of the acade mic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw itte r @ Wilkes B eacon to c row n an “Athlete of the Year." 23 �24 The Beacon - April 9, 2025 Interested in joining The Beacon? The Beacon is currently looking to fill the following positions for next year’s staff: Reporters Photographers Designers Editors Production Managers Advertising Reps For more details, please email... kalen.churcher@ wilkes.edu � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource This is Wilkes University's Beacon Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the Beacon's predecessors, The Bucknell Bison Stampede, 1934-1935 and The Bucknell Beacon, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>. Missing Issues: 1947 August 8th 1947 September 5th 1947 October 3rd 1947 October 17th 1947 October 31st 1947 November 21st 1947 December 19th 1948 September 9th 1950 April 28th 1953 April 10th 1962 February 2nd Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon, 2025 April 9 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communications Department Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2025 April 9 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/656efedb933d866dc9ff31da203cf219.pdf 04cf15f16ad2303333e9f76285769308 PDF Text Text The Beacon - March 19, 2025 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 77, Issue 17 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” Full lunar eclipse “Blood Moon” visible in the U.S. By Sydney Allabaugh Editor-in-Chief A full lunar eclipse, or “Blood Moon,” was visible in every U.S. state Thursday night into Friday morning. Photo by Shannon Slominski Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nicholas Kristof visits Wilkes, page 3 Event to celebrate 250th birthday of Jane Austen, page 7 What is Tokusatu, and why should you watch it?, page 17 Stargazers across the country observed a rare astronomical event Thursday night into Friday early morning: a full lunar eclipse “Blood Moon.” It was the first toal lunar eclipse in more than two years. According to NASA: “A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that the Moon passes into Earth’s shadow. In a total lunar eclipse, the entire Moon falls within the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, called the umbra. When the Moon is within the umbra, it appears red-orange. Lunar eclipses are sometimes called ‘Blood Moons’ because of this phenomenon.” The eclipse was visible in every U.S. state and other areas in the Western Hemisphere. It began at 11:57 p.m. on Thursday and ended Friday at 6 a.m. The total eclipse began at 2:26 a.m. and lasted a little over an hour. According to the National Weather Service, lunar eclipses occur one to two times a year on average. The next predicted lunar eclipse that will be visible in the U.S. will not occur until March 2026. WIH bows out of playoffs after narrow loss to Colby College, page 19 �The Beacon - March 19, 2025 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Leah Smith at leah.smith1@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: March 12 weekly meeting By Kayla Bicskei News Staff Writer Student Government convened for its eighth weekly meeting of the Spring 2025 semester on March 12. The meeting addressed new Wilkes University policies, funding requests, and a club recognition request. The Student Government Treasurer’s report showed a current budget of $27,613. Dr. Mark Allen, one of the Student Government advisors, was the first to present at the meeting with university policy updates. The first policy update presented was the upcoming ban on electric scooters, bikes, and other non-car vehicles. The ban will be implemented to reduce student injury and prevent fire hazard presence. The ban will go into effect on Aug. 1, 2025. The second policy discussion Dr. Allen held during his presentation was a reminder for clubs to spend their money before the end of the Spring 2025 semester. As a result of the inability of clubs to carry their funds from one school year to the next, Dr. Allen aimed to ensure that clubs use the funds they have available before the end of the Spring 2025 semester. The next presenting group was the We’re Empowered by Science club for their week one of two funding request. The club is requesting funds to host their annual WEBS camp. The annual WEBS camp is held in the summer and is attended by high school students who want to learn about science. The camp gains the majority of its funding from the campers’ tuition, but the club is requesting funds from Student Government to ensure all interested students are able to attend through tuition or scholarship. We’re Empowered by Science club is requesting a total of $3,000 to fully sponsor the tuition of 10 students' participation in the summer camp. The club will return next meeting for their week two of two funding request. The Honors Program Student Committee was the next organization to present for their week one of two funding request. The Committee reported that their aim is to enhance the honors experience and engage with their peers in the Wilkes University community. The committee is planning a trip to Skyzone, an indoor trampoline park, for honors students before the finals week. The event will include transporting 15 to 20 students to Skyzone with tickets funded by the committee. Any other honors students who sign up for the event will not receive free admission, but they will be given transportation to Skyzone. The Honors Program Student Committee offered two options of funding amounts to Student Government. The first option is a request of $360 to purchase 20 tickets to the event. The second option is a request of $260 to purchase 15 stickers to the event. The Honors Program Student Committee will return next meeting for their week two of two funding request. The Society of Women Engineers presented their week one of two funding request. The society is holding their Amazing Race event for high school students planning to attend college. The Amazing Race event will be attended by six high school teams comprised of a total of 57 students. The participating students will compete in five events to win a $1,000 scholarship. To help fund the event, the Society of Women Engineers is requesting a total of $400 from the Student Government. The Society of Women Engineers will return next meeting for their week two of two funding request. To conclude the meeting, the AI along with Robotics Club presented their week one of two club recognition request. The new club presented their aim to help students who are interested in robotics but find mechanical and electrical concepts complex. It was also presented that the club will begin attempting to host robotic soccer, robotic sumo, and robotic battle events. The AI along with Robotics Club will return next meeting for their week two of two of their club recognition request. Student Government will meet again on March 19. looking for current first year undergraduate students to join. First year students who have a 3.5 GPA or higher are eligible to apply. Applications close April 15. For more information, contact jennifer.mclaughlin1@ wilkes.edu. edu to find the form. If you have questions, contact isabell.barberio@wilkes.edu Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Andrew Marshallsay Sordoni Art Gallery Apparel The Sordoni Art Gallery is selling apparel that features student created designs. Apparel includes shirts, tote bags and more. The sale ends March 23. Orders will be ready about two weeks after the online store closes. To order, visit today.wilkes.edu for the link to the Sordoni online store. Join the Honors Program The Wilkes University Honors Program is Social Media Ambassador Team Wilkes University is looking for current students to join the social media ambassador team for the 2025-2026 school year. Members are able to showcase student life on campus. To apply, visit today.wilkes. Late Night Lift - March 24 The Late Night Lift Committee is hosting late night lift on March 24 at the YMCA on Franklin Street. The first 150 students who attend will receive a free T-shirt and tote bag. All equipment will be provided by the YMCA. If you have any questions, contact kaitlin.beenders@wilkes.edu Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Upcoming Events: Spring 2025 March 20 - Movie Drive-In 20 - Art in Context Lecture 21 - Spring Fling 24 - Late Night Lift 29 - SG's Big Event 2025 Want your event featured in the calendar? Email: leah.smith1@wilkes.edu �The Beacon - March 19, 2025 News 3 Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nicholas Kristof visits Wilkes Leah Smith News Editor Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Kristof visited Wilkes University on March 16 in part of the Rosenn Lecture Series. Kristof has been working as a writer for the New York Times since 1984. He has won two Putlizer prizes in journalism: one for his story about the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 and one for his story on the genocide in Darfur in 2006 Kristof returned to the United States after visiting Sudan. He recently published a story in the New York Times about how USAID cuts were affecting those in Sudan. This topic was brought up in the morning Q&A session Kristof opened to Wilkes students, who were invited to join this session as well as a networking luncheon and Kristof ’s lecture in the afternoon. Kristof discussed topics such as Sudan, Ukraine and approaches to journalism in the modern day. These topics brought many interesting stories that Kristof had, including various emotional encounters he has had with people he has met in countries he has reported in around the world. At the beginning of the lecture, Kristof was introduced by Judge Max Rosenn’s former law clerk Jonah Zimiles. As an honor to the late Rosenn as well as the series, Zimiles wanted to dedicate the afternoon’s Nicholas Kristof lecturing at the Darte Center. Photo by Leah Smith lecture to Rosenn and what he stood for: humanity and justice. During his lecture, Kristof talked about similar issues discussed in his Q&A but also took a deep dive into his career as a journalist and how becoming a journalist and actively writing in places where war is occuring and conflict is at its peak has humbled him as both an American citizen as well as a reporter. “What I’ve learned in my career and traveling around the world, is that I’m more than often wrong,” Kristof said. After the lecture, guests were welcome to purchase his latest book, “Chasing Hope: A Reporter’s Life” and attend a book signing. Watch the lecture online: The cover of Kristof's book "Chasing Hope: A Reporter's Life." �The Beacon - March 19, 2025 News 4 Wilkes Univerity names new members to the Board of Trustees Susan Davis, Heather McCray, Joanne Schoonover, J. Bruce Weinstock By Leah Smith News Editor On Feb. 21, Wilkes University introduced their newest members of the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees observes the school’s operations, such as the quality of academic programs and monetary affairs. These four new members are Susan Davis, Heather McCray, Joanne Schoonover and J. Bruce Weinstock. Susan Davis graduated from Wilkes University in 1985 with a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a master’s degree in healthcare administration. Davis is the senior vice president of asset management at Cascade Capital Group, a private healthcare management and healthcare real estate investment company. She is also the primary asset liaison to the owners of SWV Management Company, the properties they own as well as others owned by Cascade. She has been a mentor to nursing and business students at Wilkes since 2011. She also has taught a Personal and Professional Development 101 course. Davis joined the board of Trustees and currently serves the Marketing, Communications, Branding and Engagement Committee. Heather McCray began her law career in Wilkes-Barre as a law clerk on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals for Judge Max Rosenn. She continued practicing law in New York City and retired from Davis Polk. Since retiring, she has helped in launching prominent and communityfocused cultural and civic organizations such as the NYCIFF, the country’s children’s film festival, and started the university’s Judge Max Rosenn Lecture series. McCray received her bachelor’s from Cornell, a J.D. from the University of Michigan and her LL.M. at NYU. Joanne Schoonover graduated from Wilkes in 1972 receiving a bachelor’s degree in biology. She became an educator and continued teaching for 15 years. She retired as the Vice President of Defense Acquisition University. She has also served 26 years in the United States Air Force. She began as a flightline aircraft maintenance officer but went for the stars and began running major space programs such as Inertial Upper Stage and the NAVSTAR Global Positioning Program. Schoonover has a master’s in systems management from the University of Southern California and was a fellow at Harvard. J. Bruce Weinstock graduated from Wilkes in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance. Weinstock works within the public education market and assists those in the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) to find solutions to their retirement funds and savings. Weinstock also is a representative of GWN Securities, Inc. an independent registered broker-dealer. He is a Kingston, Pa. local and volunteers in his community and serves on several local boards of directors for nonprofits. �The Beacon - March 19, 2025 News 5 Wilkes sees warmer temperatures ahead of spring season Shannon Slominski Photographer March 10 and March 11 saw highs of 67 and 73 degrees in Wilkes-Barre. The warm weather is expected to continue this week. Students wore T-shirts and some wore shorts last week amid warmer weather. The Sun warms Wilkes University. Spring ofﬁcially begins tomorrow, March 20. �The Beacon - March 19, 2025 News 6 Student Organization of Latinos holds Café con Leche event Alejandra Marroqui shares her story By Leah Smith News Editor Student Organization of Latinos (SOL) held its second Café con Leche this semester on Tuesday at 11 a .m. in the Savitz Lounge. At Café con Leche events, attendees are invited to engage with speakers, take part in activities, and conntect with others over a cup of coffee. At this Café con Leche, Alejandra Marroquin shared a personal narrative centered around chilhood culture. The next Café con Leche event will be on April 15. SOL is also collaborating with Crocheting Club on a fundraiser selling handmade crochet country flags. For more information and updates, visit @wilkesu_sol. Alejandra Marroquin shared a person narrative presentation at the Café con Leche event Attendees enjoyed a cup of coffee and listened to Alejandra Marroquin's presentation. Photos by Leah Smith �The Beacon - March 19, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact editor-in-chief Sydney Allabaugh at sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu Event to celebrate 250th birthday of Jane Austen By Natalia Williams On March 27, the English Department is holding an event celebrating British novelist Jane Austen for her 250th birthday. This event is also in celebration of Women’s History Month. The event will include a panel of speakers and a dance demonstration led by Director of Dance Stefen Zubal and other members of the Wilkes University Dance Team. “Jane Austin is an early 19th century British novelist whose work has been in constant circulation and popular publication since it was written and whose work has been adapted many many times into movies, plays, and other books,” said Wilkes University English professor Dr. Helen H. Davis. Known for her works like “Pride and Prejudice” and “Sense of Sensibility,” Austen is considered an influential writer who has had an impact on how novels were written and how they are written today. “She had a large influence on the novel, the form of the novel, and on techniques of novel writing. I also like her because she is very interested in the politics of domestic space and what it means to kind of live and function during that period, in domestic space as a woman.” Speaking on the panel will be Austen scholar Dr. Juliette Wells, who is the keynote speaker. Dr. Wells is a professor of Literary Studies at Goucher College. Wells is also co-curating the exhibit “A Lively Mind: Jane Austen at 250” in New York City at the Morgan Library and Museum. Along with Dr. Wells, three Wilkes faculty members will also participate. “We’ll also include three Wilkes faculty. It is an interdisciplinary panel, I will speak, Dr. Amy Sopcak-Joseph from history will speak and Mr. Stefan Zubal who is the Wilkes University dance director will speak,” Davis said. During the first hour of the event, the academic panel will discuss the legacy of Jane Austen. After the academic panel there will be a Regency - era dance demonstration by Zubal. “Regency-era dance embodies elegance, social grace, and precisely choreographed interactions, serving as both an artistic expression and a reflection of societal norms,” Zubal said. “Regency dance functioned as a social ritual, where subtle gestures, eye contact, and controlled physical interactions layered meaning within social expectations and relationships.” Since dance is a form of storytelling, it can bring history and literature to life. “Incorporating historical and literary elements into dance enhances its structural and interpretive aspects, uniting choreography, period fidelity, and narrative coherence in a fluid artistic presentation,” he said. “This thoughtful approach authentically brings a specific era or literary work to life.” “Weaving themes and stories from novels, poetry, or historical events into dance enriches the narrative, enabling performers to physically express the emotional depth, social complexities, and dramatic developments of their source material.” Following the academic panel and dance demonstration there will be a reception with refreshments. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is at register wilkes.edu/ austen250 Dr. Helen Davis �The Beacon - March 19, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment Sydney Allabaugh: 8 Sam Mullen: HOTBOX - Lil Nas X The Color Violet - Tory Lanez Leah Smith: Brady Melovitz: Black Rainbow - Spiritbox Psycho - Puddle of Mudd Andrew Marshallsay: Shawn Carey: Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door Bob Dylan Bleed Magic - I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THE FOUND ME Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staﬀ picks their favorite song of the week. Check out this week’s bops! �The Beacon – March 19, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment Check out the new creative seating space outside the Sordoni Art Gallery 9 Have an event you want covered? Let The Beacon know WHEN and WHERE and we’ll do our best to be there! Email sydney.allabaugh@ wilkes.edu �The Beacon – March 19, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 Spring commencement speakers announced By University release Speakers for Wilkes’ 78th annual spring commencement ceremonies, were announced recently. Ceremonies will take place on May 17. This year’s keynote speakers include State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski ’67 and Dr. David Hicks, director of the nationally-ranked Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing at Wilkes University. Pashinski has made remarkable contributions in fighting for quality education, affordable health care and commonsense tax reform in Pennsylvania. Pashinski graduated from Wilkes University with a bachelor’s degree in music education and has a master’s equivalency. He will receive an honorary degree from Wilkes University at this year’s commencement. For 38 years, Pashinski taught music at the Greater Nanticoke Area School District and held several union positions with the Greater Nanticoke Area Education Association, advancing to chief spokesperson, vice president and president. Today, the majority chairman of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, as well as a member of multiple caucuses, Pashinski is also a board member of the Pennsylvania Health Information Exchange and has introduced numerous bills to increase access to medical care, reduce costs to consumers and improve outcomes. Pashinski is a local musician and entertainer and continues to be a leader in the community. A first-generation college student and son of an immigrant parent, Hicks earned his bachelor’s degree from Nazareth College of Rochester and his doctorate in American Literature at NYU. Prior to coming to Wilkes in 2020, he taught at Pace University in New York as well as Regis University in Denver, where he co-founded and co-directed the MFA program in creative writing. Through Hicks’ leadership, enrollment for Wilkes University’s graduate creative writing program has more than doubled in the last four years. Hicks is the author of many short stories as well as a novel-in-stories, White Plains, a finalist for the Colorado Book Award and Westword Magazine’s #1 book by Colorado authors. His recent children’s book, The Magic Ticket, about the death of his sister when he was a boy, has been called “a beautiful exploration of the power of books to be company when we feel lonely, a salve when we are hurting” by Anythink Libraries. His soon-to-be released second novel, The Gospel According to Danny (Vine Leaves Press, May 2025), has been called “deeply evocative” by Lori Ostlund, “dark, funny, [and] modern” by Robert Mooney, “a breakneck pursuit of the American dream” by Matt Bell, and “a dynamic portrait of . . . the fall of the American empire” by Philip Brady. “We are honored to welcome Wilkes alumnus, Representative Eddie Day Pashinski, and Dr. David Hicks as our commencement speakers this spring,” said said Wilkes University President Greg Cant. “Because of their bold achievements and impact on the community and in the arts, they are an inspiration. “Their words of encouragement and experiences will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression on our graduates as they embark on their next chapter and define success for themselves.” Wilkes University’s spring 2025 commencement will celebrate the accomplishments of more than 800 graduates with bachelors, master’s and doctoral degrees. It will be held at the McHale Athletic Center in the Ron and Rhea Simms Center on Main at 169 South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre. For more information on commencement, visit www.wilkes. edu/commencement. Is your club launching a fundraising event? Looking for new members? Let us know. You could be featured in an upcoming edition of The Beacon. Email kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu with details and contact information. �The Beacon - March 19, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment Which way out? Find your way out of the maze 11 �The Beacon - March 19, 2025 Photos and Story By: Brady Melovitz �The Beacon - March 19, 2025 On March 13, Wilkes University held a career and internship fair in the McHale Athletic Center. “There will be internships that are open in the summer for students to apply to,” Mrakovich said. A multitude of different companies and organizations were in attendance, and it was designed for all majors. In total, there were 63 tables . Mrakovich also mentioned how Wilkes has been one Plenty of students attended the fair. Sal Damico, a computer science major, spoke on why he came to the career fair. “I came here because I want to find a job,” Damico said. “Right now it’s a very competitive job market and I feel like when an opportunity comes like this we need to take it.” Damico mentioned that the type of organization that he was looking for would be something in the sphere of game development. Joe Long, another computer science major, cited a very similar reasons as Damico for showing up to the career fair. Long said that this career fair was a way for Wilkes students to be able to network with companies and establish connections with organizations that are in your interests. Among the organizations in attendance was Hershey of their top college partners, so when they had the opportunity to be at the career fair, they took it up. Another organization at the career fair was the Federal Bureau of Prison. Gregory Easton, who works with the organization, said they were specifically looking for people interested in being correctional officers. The representatives for Merakey, a developmental, behavioral health, and education non-profit, said they were specifically looking for education and psychology majors for any jobs or internships they have. A representative from Rutkoski Fencing Inc. said they were looking for engineering majors for their company. Entertainment and Resorts. Jacklyn Mrakovich, recruiter for Hershey Entertainment and Resorts, mentioned what Hershey was looking for. “One thing that I can tell you about us is that we take pride in the quality of our work,” said Trisha Pegula of Rutkoski Fencing Inc. “Really, though, our number one priority is safety.” �The Beacon - March 19, 2025 Opinion Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact assistant opinion editors: shawn.carey1@wilkes.edu or logan.colonna@wilkes.edu. Editorial Staff 2024-25 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Sydney Allabaugh Social Media Manager - Megan Davis Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Leah Smith Sports - Zach Paraway ASSISTANT EDITORS News - Andrew Marshallsay Opinion - Logan Colonna Opinion - Shawn Carey Sports - Adam Grundt Sports - Sam Mullen DESIGNERS Head Designer - Lara Mullen Designer - Carol Stratford Layout Designer - Brady Melovitz Photographer - Shannon Slominski SECTION STAFF WRITERS News - Kayla Bicskei LA&E - Natalia Williams Opinion - “Freeze” Sports - Ava Tureen Sports - Lexi McHugh 141 S. Main Street Clayton and Theresa Karambelas Media & Communication Center Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 Phone - (570) 408-5903 www.thewilkesbeacon.com Want to advertise in The Beacon? Contact: Kalen Churcher at kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or Sydney Allabaugh at sydney. allabaugh@wilkes.edu. The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. There is no such thing as an “illegal protest” “Unconstitutional” is one of many words thrown around when discussing Donald Trump’s presidency so far. From proposing bills and laws attacking immigrants, people on social security, and just about everyone else in the country that aren’t in his tight circle of billionaire partners, Trump has recently placed his next target on public education and college students. Trump made a statement on Truth Social about how he will revoke federal funding for schools that allow, as he calls them, “illegal protests.” He added that any agitators will be arrested and/or deported as well as permanently expelled from the institution they are attending. This post is a reference to the protests from 2024 where college students openly protested against the war between Israel and Palestine. These protests were in advocacy for Palestine, in which students demanded for not only a ceasefire but for the U.S. to acknowledge and end the unjust killing of Palestinian people. Protests for this are continuing today. Trump’s rhetoric against college student protests may be actualizing. Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil, a legal permanent U.S. resident, helped lead protests for Palestine last spring at the university. He was detained and is facing potential deportation under the provision that allows green card holders to be removed from the country if they present “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.” Trump spoke on this on Truth Social and stated, “This is the first of many to come.” He added that he and his organization will go after more students across the country and called these protests for Palestine “antisemitic, anti-American and pro-terrorist.” This is horrifying not only to college students who have been involved in various protests but for all American citizens. This is only a single instance, but what is to stop him from going after people who are protesting against other social/political issues that the Trump administration is attempting to dismantle and hide from the American people? His brashness toward immigrants is more than just people crossing borders. From Khalil’s story and surely more to come, it does not matter to him if people are born in the U.S. or have obtained a green card. Trump is focused on silencing people who disagree with him. Protests and fighting for a better future are the basis of America. Calling protests, no matter what the cause, “pro-terrorist” is not only untrue but proves what we should have known from the beginning. Trump and his administration want the American people to be uneducated in what is happening to us and around the world and complacent in the face of injustice. Freedom of expression is a First Amendment right for all Americans. This includes protesting and freedom of speech. Protesting is a freedom that all Americans, especially college students and the next generation should be able to exercise. “Children are the future.” This statement rings true as we are marching the streets fighting for rights that our parents and grandparents have fought for. Not only are we fighting for rights and freedoms that have been fought for in the past but for new ones as well. Protesting will never go away. If that means more will have to be detained to fight for what’s right then, so be it. At least we will be on the right side of history exercising our rights as real Americans. Letter to the editor policy: The Beacon welcomes letters to the editor from differing viewpoints. Letters must contain contact information, including name, city, state and phone number. Phone numbers will not be published but may be used for verification purposes. All letters to the editor must be sent using one of the following methods: Email: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu Phone: (570) 408-5903 (Voicemail: 30 seconds or less, please.) Mail: 84 West South Street, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766 Attn: The Beacon �The Beacon - March 19, 2025 Opinion 15 The Icebox: Presenting horror game “Lethal Company” By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer I have never been a fan of horror games. This is mostly because I find them to be fundamentally boring. Even if they are scary, they do not end up being fun to play in an objective sense. Fortunately, that is something which “Lethal Company” accounts for. First of all, this game is terrifying. It’s that simple. The first time I played the game with my friends was at one in the morning in my cold, dark bedroom. I had my surround sound headset on and nobody in my party had played the game before so we were all in the same boat and had to figure things out as we went. You and three other crew members work together to land a ship on different moons and explore abandoned facilities for important equipment and treasures. Every three days, the Company provides you a quota of credits that you need to meet by any means necessary, which would be selling any items that you find to the Company headquarters. The problem is, if you don’t meet the quota in time, you get eaten. Now, it gets even worse than that. The moons you land on have unknown creatures and weather patterns that can kill you and your crewmates in many ways. Some lurk out in the open, forcing you to rush your way indoors and budgeting your stamina. Most of the monsters, however, can be found creeping around in the abandoned facilities. They might guard a hallway, pursue anyone who enters their territory or initiate a hunt to get at you and your friends. They can attack you from any direction, including above, below and all directions at the same time. Regardless, all of them are scary and difficult to beat, especially in the early-game with less equipment. Speaking of equipment, you and your crew get paid based on your performance and can spend that money on deliveries for flashlights, shovels, radios and more. Any electronic equipment has a battery that depletes relatively quickly and can be charged an unlimited number of times on the spaceship. Shovels are used to fight monsters but honestly are not very useful unless you practice using them a lot. In early stages, your best bet is to rely on flashlights and perform a rush operation for loot. The character mechanics in this game are what make it significantly more interesting. The one feature that carries this game far beyond others is the voice chat. There is an in-game proximity voice chat that works as if you were actually in space with your friends. All of the mics distort your voice to sound like you are speaking on a radio that has limited range. In other words, if you separate you can’t hear each other. That’s also why the walkie-talkie radios are important. If a crewmate dies, they go silent but you are never notified when or if they perish. Allow me to paint a picture for you. You are on a crew of four people, the other three being your best friends in real life. One person volunteers to stay on the spaceship so they can monitor life forms and send intelligence to the crew. Another person holds the walkie-talkie used to communicate. For a while it seems to be going well. Your intelligence member is making sure you beeline to treasure and carefully navigate around monsters. However, as it starts getting late, your crew realizes they absolutely need more treasure to meet the quota and have to make at least another round trip in the dark night. You decide to stay behind during the second round, holding the radio. Only seconds later, you don’t receive confirmation from the other radio holder. Their body appears to be stationary on the monitor. The other two crew members have entered the caves without guidance. You decide to go after them just in case. While you do manage to catch up, you only come upon one of your friends who has nothing but a shovel and some scraps. You decide to lead them back to the spaceship, but they go silent. Now it’s just you, all alone and several dozen meters in the depths of the dark cave. You know that if you don’t bring back the found treasures that your entire crew will fail to meet the quota and you will lose the game. They can hear each other up in heaven. They are probably laughing or joking around, but you are terrified. Dropkick Murphys concert review: An outsider’s perspective By Natalia Williams Life, Arts and Entertainment Staff Writer This Wednesday, I attended a Dropkick Murphys concert, and as a mainly pop girl, I surprisingly had an amazing time. When my roommate asked if I wanted to go, I was reluctant but decided to go anyway for the experience. I knew absolutely nothing about the band aside from one song “I’m Shipping Up to Boston.” Before I went I decided to research a bit to find out about the band, and I learned that Dropkick Murphys are an American-Celtic punk rock band who were big in the early 2000s. Since they are a punk rock band and I’m not very familiar with that genre, aside from hits from bands like Green Day, I was nervous that I wasn’t going to enjoy the show, but I was proven wrong from the second I walked into the arena. Even before the show started, I felt an energy that I have never felt before in the concerts I’ve been to. It’s pretty indescribable but the energy was getting me excited. At the show there were two openers, Teenage Bottlerocket and The Menzingers. The first band that performed was Teenage Bottlerocket. I really enjoyed their set. The energy was amazing and they had some pretty good songs. However, my favorite out of the two was definitely The Menzingers. Their music had an early 2000s vibe to it and since that’s my preferred era of music, I really enjoyed it and it made me want to listen to more of their discography. One thing that was really cool that I was so happy to experience was the circle mosh pits. I’ve always seen them on social media and seeing them in person was so cool. I wanted to be a part of it even though I’d 100% get hurt. Overall, I’d give the openers an 8/10. They really got the energy of the crowd up and excited for the main act to come out. I enjoyed their music and it made me want to listen to the two groups and the genre as a whole a bit more. Now for Dropkick Murphys: 100% a 10/10. Even though I only knew one song, I was standing up and dancing the entire time. Their energy is incredible and they were very entertaining. They opened up with “The Boys Are Back” and it was the perfect opener. It got me extremely excited to hear more and I really enjoyed the way they blended the classic punk rock sound and celtic music together. Some songs I enjoyed were “Rose Tattoo,” “Captain Kelly’s Kitchen” and “The State of Massachusetts.” One thing I did notice which I’ve never seen before were people sitting down the entire show. Granted, we were in the nosebleeds, so maybe people thought there wasn’t a point in standing. However, every concert I’ve been to, even if we are in the nosebleeds, people are standing. I thought it was pretty interesting and it made me wonder if it was normal to sit at a punk rock concert if you aren’t on the floor. Overall I’d give the show from start to finish a 10/10. There was a vibe and energy I’ve never experienced, the music was quite enjoyable, and I had a ton of fun just vibing and dancing with my friends. I would put this show in my top 10 list of concerts just because of how different of an experience it was. It made me want to listen to the groups and the genre further and possibly go to more punk rock concerts. I also learned a valuable lesson about expanding my horizons and experiencing different shows whether I know the songs or not. �The Beacon - March 19, 2025 Opinion 16 How insulin price manipulation impacts students and universities Profiting at the expense of others By Yahn Olson Environmental Litigation Group, P.C. With the exorbitant cost of insulin practiced in the U.S. in the past decade, more and more private health insurers cannot offer this medication to their clients without charging premium prices for healthcare plans. Private and public universities that provide health insurance to students and staff now find themselves trapped in a never-ending cost increase, being forced to raise insurance prices and risk losing competitiveness and students over a life-saving medication that should be affordable to all who need it. At the same time, insulin manufacturers and special groups that can buy insulin at confidential prices report profits in the billions at the expense of people’s health and taxpayer money. The American Insulin Crisis: A System Built on Debt and Rationing In America, insulin can cost a diabetic person almost half of their income, while four out of five people with diabetes have to go into debt to afford this life-saving medication. Those who cannot manage these costs resort to rationing, meaning that they use far less than the recommended dose to keep their diabetes under control. Estimates indicate that across all patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes living in the U.S., rationing occurs in about 25% of cases. All these patients are at a significant risk of developing complications due to uncontrolled diabetes. The exorbitant price of insulin in America also drove health insurance costs on the verge of unaffordability for many, while at the same time, private and public insurers, even with premium price practices for diabetics, can no longer support covering these costs. As universities offer students automatic or optional healthcare plans, these educational institutions were among the insurers affected. This phenomenon impacted most self-funded universities, as these universities are no longer able to afford the healthcare costs of their staff and students with diabetes. Oregon, like other states, passed legislation to cap insulin prices at $35. Yet, this further strains insurers and patients as costs for healthcare plans were increased to compensate for the caps. Now, with the implementation of insulin caps, universities are forced to charge students with diabetes even more for health insurance. Those on private plans are at risk of rationing and subsequent diabetes complications that may cause them to withdraw from higher education, resulting in an indirect impact on university funding. In the meantime, within just 10 years, insulin manufacturers increased their prices by 1000%, with gross sales having more than doubled from 2012 to 2019, from $13 billion to $27 billion. However, after accounting for confidential discounts granted to Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and some insurers, net sales dropped from $8 billion to $5 billion within the same time frame. These differences between gross and net sales amount to an 80% price drop as a result of these preferential discounts. This translates to an unfair yet confidential discount practice through which some purchase insulin at hidden discounted costs. At the same time, manufacturers continuously increased the price of insulin to continue making a profit. All this was done at the expense of those outside their network, including patients whose lives depend on insulin. Impact of Insulin Price Manipulation on University Healthcare The Affordable Care Act (ACA) prohibits health insurers from discriminating against clients based on their medical conditions. In practice, for universities, this means that students with diabetes cannot be denied insulin coverage under their healthcare plans. As a result, universities have two options: either offset the costs through higher insurance premiums or regulate insulin access by increasing out-of-pocket expenses. However, the second option is no longer viable in states implementing insulin price caps. Consequently, raising health insurance premiums has become a common practice among private and public universities. However, as insulin prices continue to rise, university health insurance plans cannot increase indefinitely, as these costs have already surpassed affordability for many students. In response, universities may adopt unorthodox cost-cutting measures, such as limiting covered services, excluding certain insulin brands, reducing coverage for diabetes-related medical supplies, or increasing deductibles. These strategies allow universities to comply with ACA regulations on paper while subtly shifting the financial burden onto students with diabetes. Nevertheless, regardless of how unfair these practices may seem, universities, as well as other health insurers and patients, struggle to sustain these costs. Moreover, while intended to reduce expenses, these cost-cutting measures often cost universities and students more in the long run. Without proper diabetes management, many students may experience serious health complications, leading some to withdraw from their studies. This reduces university revenue from tuition and has long-term consequences for students, including chronic health issues and reduced earning potential in adulthood. Holding Insulin Manufacturers and PBMs Accountable Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk Inc., and Sanofi-Aventis U.S. LLC, along with PBMs CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, OptumRx, and corporate affiliates, stand now as defendants in multidistrict litigation (MDL No. 3080). Plaintiffs in this MDL are diverse and include patients and various health insurers, including self-funded universities that suffered the most losses due to insulin costs. The defendants are accused of artificially inflating insulin prices through a complex scheme involving secret rebate agreements between manufacturers and PBMs. These deals allegedly prioritized profits over affordability, leading to skyrocketing list prices while PBMs secured kickbacks. Plaintiffs argue that this manipulation forced insurers, including self-funded universities, to shoulder excessive costs, ultimately passing the financial burden onto students and employees. Additionally, the litigation claims this market entrapment stifled competition, blocking access to lower-cost alternatives like biosimilars and generic insulin. Considering the evolution of the price of insulin in America, these accusations seem sufficiently substantiated. Additionally, other strategic decisions on the insulin market further reinforce this scenario. However, critics argue that large manufacturers are now stumbling to keep their place on the market as state legislation for partnerships with other companies manufacturing and selling insulin at a fraction of the cost can become a reality. On a parallel line, it must be recognized that the insulin price manipulation scheme was possible because of the absence of federal legislation that would prohibit manufacturers of lifesaving drugs from charging unrealistic prices for patients who quite literally need this medication for survival. The current MDL should thus catalyze the development of state and federal regulations that would limit the ability of pharmaceutical companies and PBMs to engage in price-gouging practices, ensuring that essential medications remain accessible and affordable. About the Author Yahn Olson is a legal professional at Environmental Litigation Group, P.C., concentrating on corporate misconduct cases. He is committed to advocating for individuals and organizations affected by unethical corporate practices and strives to hold companies accountable for their actions. �The Beacon - March 19, 2025 Opinion 17 What is Tokusatu, and why should you watch it? By Shawn Carey Asst. Opinion Editor If there’s one thing that you have to know about me, it’s that I have many, many interests. I am unable to enjoy a single franchise or form of media. I have to know everything about everything. Over the summer I watched the movie “Ultraman: Rising.” At the time, the movie was the newest addition to the “Ultraman” franchise. A series that I knew fairly little about. The extent of my knowledge came from the original 1966 show, something that I used to watch quite often. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much going into the movie. I was expecting to see some cool giant monster battles and to feel nostalgic. A solid 5/10 experience. With that being said, picture my reaction when I found myself tearing up during the final action scene. It surpassed all of my expectations. The movie is filled to the brim with heart and character. I absolutely loved it. About a day or so after finishing the movie, I decided to do some research on the series. What I thought was going to be fun and simple investigation turned out to be quite the rabbit hole. A rabbit hole that would quickly become a new hyperfixation. “Tokusatsu” is a Japanese term which translates to “special effects drama.” Tokusatsu as we know it today started in 1954 with the release of the very first “Godzilla” movie. Inspired by “King Kong,” the film’s special effects supervisor, Eiji Tsuburaya formulated many of the techniques that would become staples of the genre. Such as the use of miniatures and “suitmation.” The genre spent its early days pretty exclusively tied to the kaiju subgenre. Characters such as the aforementioned Godzilla lead the market for a few years. That was until in 1957 when Shintoho produced the first film serial featuring the superhero character “Super Giant.” The film was a huge success and caused the genre to shift to more superhero oriented stories. The next few years saw the creation of the three biggest tokusatsu franchises: “Kamen Rider,” “Super Sentai,” and the previously mentioned “Ultraman.” I have fallen in love with all three franchises and their many shows. With that being said, tokusatsu is a rather niche genre outside of its native language. Godzilla is really the only franchise that has any sort of popularity outside of Japan. Which brings me my reason for writing this article. I’m going to explain why I like the genre so much and why I believe you should give it a shot. First thing first, these are superhero shows. They’re all about fighting against the forces of evil and saving people. They’re rather unique with how they approach the concept, however. They’re known as “Henshin Heroes.” A Henshin Hero has distinct normal and powered up forms. They need to actively switch between the two via transformation devices. Unlike western superheroes, Henshin Heroes are powerless outside of their superhero transformation. This helps build a sense of drama when they’re walking around in their powerless civilization identities as well as create excitement whenever we see them transform. The three major series have their own unique transformations and tropes. For example, “Ultraman” features characters bonding with aliens to turn into giant silver humanoids. A power that they use to battle kaiju of earthly and extraterrestrial origins. Meanwhile, “Kamen Rider” has its characters transforming using belts. Every rider belt is unique and different, meaning that you’ll constantly see a different style of transformation. I find the transformation gimmicks to be incredibly interesting. I love seeing different variations of the same concept and just how different a simple idea can get. Which leads me to my next talking point, creativity. The big three “toku” shows operate in a similar fashion as “Doctor Who.” Each season stars a new cast of characters. However, it goes a bit further than just a new cast. Each season also has a different theme. For example, the current season of “Kamen Rider” is based around sweets. The season that came before was all alchemy. Before that it was a battle royale. Before that it was about hunting demons. So on. These shows have been on air for a half century. All three shows have 30+ seasons. With so many seasons and different ideas, I believe everyone can find at least one that interests them. Speaking from my own experience, I started with “Kamen Rider Saber.” A season based around fairy tales and other classic literary stories. Something I have an interest in. Now, as creative as the shows are, they do have their own set of tropes. Most episodes tend to follow the “monster of the week” format. Every episode has a villain who is expeditiously defeated at the end, never to be dealt with again. I’ve personally never really been a fan of this format. I never really had an interest in random monster battles. With that being said these shows manage to make it entertaining. The monster designs are so creative and weird. They’re really unlike anything I’ve seen before. They also tend to have a bit of a retro sci-fi flair to them if you’re a fan of that. As expected the action is also great. Everything is so big, flashy, and in your face. There’s martial arts, explosions, robots and pretty much everything that you thought was awesome when you were a child. It’s also just extremely impressive. Ninety percent of action scenes are created exclusively with practical effects. The monsters are actors in rubber costumes; the explosions are created with pyrotechnics; there’s stunt actors doing backflips in big chunky outfits, etc. Last but not least, I want to talk about the stories the franchise tells. Monsters and superheroes are cool, but none of that matters if the story isn’t good. It may be a bit cheesy sometimes, and sometimes, even too over the top but Tokusatsu is full of heart. “Ultraman” is all about not relying on an external force and trusting in yourself. “Kamen Rider” questions the true meaning of justice. “Super Sentai” is about unity and coming together to stop a bigger threat. Each season offers the viewer something new. I promise, you’ll get as hooked as I am. Graphic by Carol Stratford �The Beacon - March 19, 2025 Opinion 18 A review of "KAYTRAMINÉ," a collaboration album An analysis of performance, features, production, replayability By Logan Colonna Asst. Opinion Editor With the warmer weather upon us, I like to get more in the mood by listening to songs and albums that embody the summer vibe. One of my favorite cases of this is Aminé’s and KAYTRANADA’s collaboration record, “KAYTRAMINÉ.” It was released back in May 2023, just in time for the summer. When it was first announced, I was beyond excited for it since I was quite the Aminé fan back when it was released with his projects like “Limbo” and “TWOPOINTFIVE.” With that being said, I adore this album, especially during the warmer months with the different aspects of the production, Aminé’s performance and the various features throughout the tracklist. First as always, Aminé did great here vocally. Some stand out tracks for him are “4EVA,” “Master P” and “EYE.” As for “4EVA,” it was the lead single for the project, getting me even more excited than I was beforehand. The kind of vibe that Aminé introduces here is unmatched in the “chill” department. I remember when I first heard this track, I was on a University Towers balcony on a hot, sunny day, relaxing on a hammock while listening to this track. That entire scenario is embodied into this track. The way that Aminé pairs so well with the feature of the track, Pharrell, makes his performance even better. Next, “Master P” might be my favorite song off of this record with the combination of the incredible production and Aminé’s go-getter attitude all throughout his verses. Aminé practically skates along the production with his rhymes and incredible flow. Speaking of his flow, he switches it up quite a bit throughout the entire track, making for an interesting vocal performance during the whole song. Then, we have “EYE.” Aminé gets more melodic with his performance here, and I am the biggest fan of it. His voice throughout the chorus is honestly perfect. He then deepens his voice a little for his verses as a way to contrast his verses and the chorus, and I think the execution is fascinating. Overall, even besides the few standouts, Aminé did wonderfully with his vocals on this record. I don’t think anyone else besides Aminé would be able to create a record A feature that I didn’t enjoy all that much when I revisited it was Amaarae’s verse off of “Sossaup.” She used this high-pitched voice for her entire verse and just was not a fan. It’s different, sure. But being different isn’t a great thing sometimes. However, the other features take away from the single “meh” feature like this and have it sound just as good. Now, we have the features that pair up with Aminé on each track. My favorite feature is between Freddie Gibbs off of “letstalkaboutit” or Snoop Dogg off of “EYE.” You can never go wrong with a feature from Freddie, but I was also surprised by Snoop's verse since I honestly thought that he would be “washed” at this point in his career. To my surprise though, he absolutely delivered. Big Sean also did great on “Master P,” but I think he was overshadowed by Aminé’s best performance on the album a little too much for me to truly enjoy it all that much. so I cannot complain at all. Next up, we have the production. As I stated before, this record is a collaboration between Aminé and KAYTRANADA, the Grammy Awardwinning producer. Before this record, I haven’t listened to many of the songs he has produced, but since this record, I’ve enjoyed just about everything he put out. My favorite tracks production-wise are “letstalkaboutit,” “Master P” and “EYE” (a lot of variety, I know). “letstalkaboutit” offers a simple but effective instrumental. All it uses are the typical sounds you’d hear in rap songs nowadays. Sometimes though, simple can be great. When being used by Aminé to rap over, it just sounds great. Next, “Master P” used a sample that was created by taking vocals from a track that was on a soundtrack for a movie titled “Sadma.” The sample itself loops vocals of the artist chanting “Yah, yah, yah” as well as reversing the instrumental from the sampled track. Any kind of sample is the way to my heart, so being able to see the sample be created through the research I did was fascinating to say the least. To add on, the sample just sounds amazing. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for someone who loves experimental hip hop as much as I do, you’re bound to love this track. Lastly, yet again, we have “EYE.” I have one word as to why this instrumental is as good as it is. Triangle. The way the triangle is used at the end of each bar in order to fill up the void between each rapping point is genius. On top of that, the rest of the instrumental is great as well. It goes incredibly well with both Amine’s chorus and verse as well as Snoop Dogg’s verse. It’s like a nice little bow on the present that is the two artists’ performances. Besides these tracks, there are a handful of other songs that are just as good production-wise. Finally, this album is very replayable to say the least. The tracklist is 11 songs while the runtime is a short 33 minutes. This alone makes for a replayable album since the album is fairly short from start to finish. To add onto this, each song has its own distinctive soundscape. While all of the songs are just enough of the same to all be in the same album, they have minor things that set them apart from each other in order to create a cohesive and enjoyable listening experience. With everything being stated, I really enjoy this album. There's close to nothing that I dislike about this record. Besides the one feature that I talked about, everything is great at the very least. Because of that, “KAYTRAMINÉ” is a 9 out of 10 for me. Graphic by Carol Stratford �The Beacon - March 19, 2025 Sports Sports 19 Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: zachary.paraway@wilkes.edu WIH bows out of playoffs after narrow loss to Colby College By Andrew Marshallsay Asst. News Editor �� Haylee Bouchard celebrates after hit a goal with Gianna Pacilio empracing her, who assited the goal. The goal came in a 4-3 loss in the ﬁrst round of the NCAA playoffs. �� The team takes the ice for pregame lineups before taking a 4-3 loss in the ﬁrst round of the NCAA playoffs. Photos by Sarah Johnson �The Beacon - March 19, 2025 Sports 20 Butka and Burkhart close storied careers as Colonels By Zachary Paraway Sports Editor It was a historic weekend for Wilkes wrestling as they closed out their 2024-25 season. The Colonels had two wrestlers make the NCAA National Championships for their respective weight classes. Representing the school was Sr. Cameron Butka at 197 lbs and Sr. Caleb Burkhart at 285 lbs. Both men walked into Saturday as number 1 and 2 in Wilkes history in total wins, with Butka at 134 and Burkhart at 124. Butka had a great season to that point, adding to his historic season from last year and a historic career. Butka went 39-4 last season, winning regionals and placing 4th in the nation, securing his All-American bid, the first for the school since 2015. He came into this year at 95 wins, looking to close in on the school record for wins at 121 held by Guesseppe Rea ‘17. Burkhart, a transfer to Wilkes after his first season, joined the Colonels and immedietly got to work on the school record books. He set the record for pins in a season with 24 during his sophomore campaign. His junior year saw him secure a 32-11 record, place third in regionals and qualifying for nationals. He came into 24-25 with 85 wins and the chance to both rise in the all-time wins ranking and reset his record for pins. Both had great regular seasons, accomplishing a lot for the team each. Burkhart went 39-9 on the season, bringing his career total to 124 wins and second in school history. He had 23 pins on the season, one behind his school record but it did lead all of Division III. He placed second in the region this time and qualified for nationals for a second straight year. The Open Mat had him ranked as 16th in the nation at his weight class and was an honorable mention from d3wrestle.com Butka had a year for the record books in his last season with the team. In January, at the John Reese Duals, Butka set the record for most career wins in school history, achieving his 122nd win in a 20-5 technical fall. He again won regionals and qualified for nationals for a second straight year. The Open Mat and d3wrestle.com had him ranked at second in his class, while the National Wrestling Coaches Association had him ranked at third in their coaches poll. Butka came into Saturday as the second seed in the 197 lbs weight class, and Burkhart came in unseeded for the 285 lbs. Burkhart took two defeats on that Saturday, ending his college career. He fell in a technical fall during the round of 32 and to a decision in the constellation bracket. Burkhart retires as one of the best heavyweights in school history. Butka had a bye for the round of 32 and jumped straight into the round of 16. He picked up his 1st victory via an 8-2 decision, and got his second win in an 8-1 decision to secure a top six finish and a second straight All-American bid. On Sunday, he picked up a 4-2 victory against the sixth seed to earn his shot at the national championship. He met 2-time defending national champion and number one seed, Massoma Endene of Wartburg College. Butka would unfortunately fall in this matchup in a 10-3 major decision. Butka finishes off this season with the most wins in school history for a single season, accomplishing a 42-3 record on the year. He will finish his career as a two-time All-American at 197 lbs and the school record holder for wins in a career with 137. Wilkes Wrestling will close the door on Butka and Burkhart careers and the 24-25 season. Next year will not only mark a new season for the squad but the introduction of a women’s wrestling team to the school, to be coached by current men’s coach Jon Laudenslager. To get more information about our wrestling teams and all Wilkes athletics, be sure to check out gowilkesu.com. BASEBALL SCHEDULE FEB 16 2:00 P.M. – AT SHENANDOAH UNIVERSITY (DH) – WINCHESTER, VA 3:00 P.M. – AT SHENANDOAH UNIVERSITY (DH) – WINCHESTER, VA FEB 22 11:00 A.M. – VS SUNY COBLESKILL – BRUGGEWORTH FIELD FEB 23 11:00 A.M. – VS KING'S COLLEGE (PA.) – BRUGGEWORTH FIELD MAR 1 6:00 P.M. – VS ALVERNIA UNIVERSITY – FORT PIERCE, FL MAR 2 12:00 P.M. – VS WAYNESBURG UNIVERSITY (DH, 7 INNINGS) – FORT PIERCE, FL 2:30 P.M. – VS WAYNESBURG UNIVERSITY (DH, 7 INNINGS) – FORT PIERCE, FL MAR 4 11:00 A.M. – VS LEBANON VALLEY COLLEGE – FORT PIERCE, FL MAR 6 10:00 A.M. – VS NORWICH UNIVERSITY – FORT PIERCE, FL MAR 8 1:00 P.M. – AT OSWEGO STATE (@BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY) – BINGHAMTON, NY MAR 11 3:00 P.M. – AT THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY – EWING, NJ MAR 15 12:00 P.M. – VS ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE (DH) – BRUGGEWORTH FIELD 3:00 P.M. – VS ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE (DH) – BRUGGEWORTH FIELD MAR 16 12:00 P.M. – VS ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE – BRUGGEWORTH FIELD MAR 19 4:30 P.M. – VS PENN STATE HARRISBURG – BRUGGEWORTH FIELD MAR 22 12:00 P.M. – AT DREW UNIVERSITY (DH) – MADISON, NJ 3:00 P.M. – AT DREW UNIVERSITY (DH) – MADISON, NJ MAR 23 12:00 P.M. – AT DREW UNIVERSITY – MADISON, NJ MAR 26 3:30 P.M. – AT LYCOMING COLLEGE – WILLIAMSPORT, PA MAR 29 12:00 P.M. – AT CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA (DH) – WASHINGTON, DC 3:00 P.M. – AT CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA (DH) – WASHINGTON, DC MAR 30 12:00 P.M. – AT CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA – WASHINGTON, DC APR 1 4:30 P.M. – AT UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON – SCRANTON, PA APR 2 3:30 P.M. – AT DESALES UNIVERSITY – CENTER VALLEY, PA APR 5 12:00 P.M. – VS JUNIATA COLLEGE (DH) – BRUGGEWORTH FIELD 3:00 P.M. – VS JUNIATA COLLEGE (DH) – BRUGGEWORTH FIELD APR 6 12:00 P.M. – VS JUNIATA COLLEGE – BRUGGEWORTH FIELD APR 9 6:00 P.M. – VS LYCOMING COLLEGE – BRUGGEWORTH FIELD APR 12 2:00 P.M. – AT MORAVIAN UNIVERSITY (DH) – BETHLEHEM, PA 3:00 P.M. – AT MORAVIAN UNIVERSITY (DH) – BETHLEHEM, PA APR 13 12:00 P.M. – AT MORAVIAN UNIVERSITY – BETHLEHEM, PA APR 15 4:30 P.M. – VS UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON – BRUGGEWORTH FIELD APR 17 6:30 P.M. – VS KEYSTONE COLLEGE – BRUGGEWORTH FIELD APR 22 3:30 P.M. – AT MISERICORDIA UNIVERSITY – DALLAS, PA APR 23 4:00 P.M. – AT LYCOMING COLLEGE – WILLIAMSPORT, PA APR 26 12:00 P.M. – VS SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY (DH) – BRUGGEWORTH FIELD 3:00 P.M. – VS SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY (DH) – BRUGGEWORTH FIELD APR 27 12:00 P.M. – VS SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY – BRUGGEWORTH FIELD APR 29 4:30 P.M. – VS UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON – BRUGGEWORTH FIELD APR 30 3:30 P.M. – AT IMMACULATA UNIVERSITY – IMMACULATA, PA �The Beacon - March 19, 2025 Sports 21 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins cap off busy week with rivalry win By Adam Grunt Asst. Sports Editor The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins capped off a three-game week with a 5-3 victory over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Sunday afternoon. WEDNESDAY, March 12: Penguins 5 vs. Hershey 4 The Penguins kicked off their week with a rivalry win against the first-place Hershey Bears. Ville Koivunen got the party started for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Rutger McGroarty scored shortly after his fellow rookie in Koivunen to put the Penguins up by two halfway through the first period. Hershey tied the game at two with goals from Dalton Smith and Ivan Miroshnichenko, but Mathias Laferrière gave Wilkes-Barre/Scranton the lead late in the second period. Chase Priskie knotted the score for Hershey at the end of the second period. The Penguins started off hot in the third frame, as Avery Hayes scored before the period was a minute old. Alex Limoges tied the game later on in the third, forcing the game to overtime. Neither team scored in the extra frame, so a shootout was necessary. Sergei Murashov stopped all five Hershey shots in the shootout and Sam Poulin was the only skater to score, clinching WilkesBarre/Scranton a much-needed victory. “Simply put, that was just a great hockey game,” said head coach Kirk MacDonald Wednesday night after the victory. “It’s a shame there weren’t more people here to see it. Just two great teams going at it.” FRIDAY, March 14: Penguins 1 at Lehigh Valley 3 Lehigh Valley got the best of WilkesBarre/Scranton in their first of two weekend matchups at PPL Center in Allentown, besting the visitors 3-1. Phantoms captain Garrett Wilson kicked off the scoring early in the first period, and McGroarty was able to tie the score during the second frame. Ethan Samson gave the Phantoms the lead, and the score remained 2-1 in Lehigh Valley’s favor until Zayde Wisdom concluded the scoring with an empty net tally. SUNDAY, March 16: Penguins 5 at Lehigh Valley 3 The Penguins enacted revenge on Lehigh Valley on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Phantoms in a physical, penalty-filled affair. The Penguins special teams, in particular, thrived on Sunday afternoon at PPL Center. Tristan Broz kicked off the scoring with a power-play goal three minutes after the opening faceoff. Almost immediately after, Joona Koppanen tallied a short-handed goal on a breakaway, giving the Penguins an early two-goal lead. Samson scored for Lehigh Valley for the second game in a row, cutting the Penguins lead to one just five minutes into the contest. Givani Smith knotted the score for Lehigh Valley three minutes into the second period, but Hayes put the Penguins back in front with a deflection that fluttered over Phantoms goaltender Alexei Kolosov. Nikita Grebenkin retied the game for Lehigh Valley in his first game as a Phantom, but Valtteri Puustinen gave the Penguins the lead once more off a deflection of an Owen Pickering shot from the point. “We talked after the second, we struggled to get pucks through from the point,” said MacDonald on Sunday afternoon following the Penguins victory in Lehigh Valley. “And then, low and behold, Picks does a great job, gets on his toes, good first move to the middle, and creates a shooting lane for himself, and gets a tip for the gamewinner.” Koppanen sealed the victory for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Sunday with an empty net tally to conclude the afternoon’s scoring. With his ninth consecutive victory to begin his AHL career, Sergei Murashov is now tied for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton franchise record for a winning streak by a rookie goaltender. The 20-year-old Russian netminder tied Matt Murray who won nine consecutive games during the 2014-15 season. In addition, the Pittsburgh Penguins recently announced that forward Avery Hayes is signed to a two-year, NHL contract with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s parent club. Hayes has posted 36 points (18 goals, 18 assists) thus far in the 202425 season, and was formerly signed to an American Hockey League contract that was set to expire at the conclusion of the season. This allows Pittsburgh to recall Hayes at some point, either this year or next, to contribute at the National Hockey League level. THE WEEK AHEAD Wilkes-Barre/Scranton concluded a stretch of playing 13 games in 24 days on Sunday in Lehigh Valley, and rest before a pair of weekend home games. On Friday, the Penguins take on the Providence Bruins, who travel to Northeastern Pennsylvania for the first time this season. Providence currently sits behind the Penguins in the Atlantic Division in third place. On Saturday, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton takes on a familiar foe in the Hershey Bears. Hershey became the only team thus far to clinch a playoff spot on Sunday with their win over the Chicago Wolves. As of March 16, Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton sits six points behind the Hershey Bears. The two teams are set to face off three more times this season, and every game seems to become more meaningful with each passing day. For more information on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, visit wbspenguins.com. Rutger McGroarty embraces goaltender Sergei Murashov after the Penguins victory over Hershey on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of KDP Photography �The Beacon - March 19, 2025 22 Sports Athlete of the Week Audrey Milne Sophomore, Goaltender, Women's Ice Hockey The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Milne was named the first ever MAC Women’s Ice Hockey Championship MVP, making 20 saves and allowing only one goal in the team’s 2-1 championship victory over Arcadia. Major: Sports Management Hometown: London Onterio, Canada What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? My favourite sports memory as a Colonel has to have been winning the MAC Championship game withmy team! If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Soccer or Basketball What has been your favorite sports memory overall? My favorite sports memory was winning the league playoff championship with my Junior team in London. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? My Favorite sports team is the What is your favorite post-game Pittsburgh Penguins. meal? Chicken and Salad What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? How do you feel about being I enjoy rollerblading and hanging selected as the Athlete of the out with friends. Week? I am very honoured to be selected What is your favorite part of for this amongst many well being an athlete at Wilkes? deserving athletes at Wilkes My favourite part of being an athlete University. at Wilkes is the unconditional support from all the staff and other student athletes What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? Miracle Compiled by Samantha Mullen, Asst. Sports Editor The Beacon//Samantha Mullen Editor’s note : Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor t s staff each week. At the e nd of the acade mic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw itte r @ Wilkes B eacon to c row n an “Athlete of the Year." �The Beacon March 19, 2025 Sports Athlete of the Week Jack Mathis Sophomore, Middle Inﬁeld, Men’s Baseball The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week Mathis went 4-for-12 with one triple and two runs scored for the Colonels during a 1-2 week. He finished 2-for-3 against Oswego connecting on a single and triple in the Colonels 6-2 setback. What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Making the state championship What had been your favorite my sophomore year of high sports memory from your time as school. a Colonel? My best memory as a Colonel was What is your favorite postplaying baseball on our Florida game meal? spring break trip. Moe’s Major: Finance Hometown: Exeter, PA What is your favorite professional How do you feel about being sports team (any sport)? selected as the Athlete of the New York Yankees Week? It’s a great honor to be recognized What is your favorite thing to do amongst the top athletes at away from sports? Wilkes. Hanging out with my dog and sleeping. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? Just being around all my teammates and getting better. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? Waterboy If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Basketball The Beacon/Sam Mullen Compiled by Samantha Mullen, Assistant Sports Editor Editor’s note : Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor t s staff each week. At the e nd of the acade mic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw itte r @ Wilkes B eacon to c row n an “Athlete of the Year." 23 �24 The Beacon - March 19, 2025 Door’s open! �� Contact: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu MEN’S LACROSSE SCHEDULE FEB 15 1:00 P.M. – VS ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE (LANDMARK) – SCHMIDT STADIUM FEB 22 1:00 P.M. – VS UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT BRADFORD – SCHMIDT STADIUM FEB 26 4:00 P.M. – VS MARYWOOD UNIVERSITY – SCHMIDT STADIUM MAR 5 5:00 P.M. – AT VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY – VIRGINIA BEACH, VA MAR 8 1:00 P.M. – VS LEBANON VALLEY COLLEGE – SCHMIDT STADIUM MAR 12 7:00 P.M. – AT KING'S COLLEGE (PA.) – WILKES-BARRE, PA MAR 15 1:00 P.M. – VS HOOD COLLEGE – SCHMIDT STADIUM MAR 19 7:00 P.M. – AT ALVERNIA UNIVERSITY – READING, PA MAR 22 1:00 P.M. – VS MORAVIAN UNIVERSITY (LANDMARK) – SCHMIDT STADIUM MAR 26 7:00 P.M. – AT MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE (NY) – NEWBURGH, NY MAR 29 1:00 P.M. – AT JUNIATA COLLEGE (LANDMARK) – HUNTINGDON, PA APR 2 7:00 P.M. – VS DREW UNIVERSITY (LANDMARK) – SCHMIDT STADIUM APR 5 1:00 P.M. – AT GOUCHER COLLEGE (LANDMARK) – BALTIMORE, MD APR 9 7:00 P.M. – VS LYCOMING COLLEGE (LANDMARK) – SCHMIDT STADIUM APR 12 12:00 P.M. – AT SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY (LANDMARK) – SELINSGROVE, PA APR 16 6:00 P.M. – AT UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON (LANDMARK) – SCRANTON, PA APR 26 1:00 P.M. – VS CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA (LANDMARK, SENIOR DAY) – SCHMIDT STADIUM � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource This is Wilkes University's Beacon Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the Beacon's predecessors, The Bucknell Bison Stampede, 1934-1935 and The Bucknell Beacon, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>. Missing Issues: 1947 August 8th 1947 September 5th 1947 October 3rd 1947 October 17th 1947 October 31st 1947 November 21st 1947 December 19th 1948 September 9th 1950 April 28th 1953 April 10th 1962 February 2nd Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon, 2025 March 19 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communications Department Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2025 March 19 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/56823aee2e2631d0be8a64a8d1118a2b.pdf 8b923c75e050419ccc2bc549d22cc76e PDF Text Text The Beacon - February 12, 2025 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 77, Issue 14 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” Geisinger nurses rally in Wilkes-Barre amid stalled negotiations Photo by G. Wayne McCormick Nurses and supporters at the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) rally at the Wilkes-Barre Public Square on Wednesday, Feb. 5. By G. Wayne McCormick “Be fair to those who care” was chanted by dozens of nurses and supporters at the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) rally at the Wilkes-Barre Public Square on Wednesday, Feb. 5. There were over a dozen speakers, all airing grievances, sharing experiences and demanding action from the nurses’ employer, Geisinger. The rally was organized in response to stalled negotiations that started Jan. 31. Chief complaints involved better pay for staff recruitment and retention, affordable healthcare benefits and practical solutions to safety and care. Wilkes graduates around 100 nursing students per year from its undergraduate programs. The nursing programs’ website lists potential employers. Geisinger is at the top. Inoperable elevators raise accessibility issues, page 5 Honors students volunteer with Ruth’s Place, page 7 Reviewing the director’s cut of JPEGMAFIA’s 2024 album, page 18 Wilkes hosts basketball doubleheader against Scranton, page 20 Contributing Writer ...NURSES cont. on p. 3 �The Beacon - February 12, 2025 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Leah Smith at leah.smith1@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: Feb. 5 weekly meeting By Kayla Bicskei News Staff Writer Student Government met for its fourth weekly meeting of the Spring 2025 semester on Feb. 5. This meeting addressed multiple funding requests and an analysis of the Spring Semester Club Day. The Student Government Treasurer’s report showed a current budget of $78,976. To begin the meeting, the Kappa Kappa Psi chapter of the Ni Chi national fraternity returned for their week two of two funding request. Kappa Kappa Psi presented their mission to maintain a diverse fraternity dedicated to advancing university bonds and create a fellowship of brotherhood. Since its foundation in 2019, the Kappa Kappa Psi chapter has inducted a total of 36 brothers and currently has 14 active members. The Chapter is requesting a total of $1,300 to fund their three-day Northeast District Convention in Harrisburg, Pa. Twelve members will be attending the conference. Student Government voted to allocate the full amount of $1,300. The next organization to present was the Lambda Kappa Sigma’s week one of two funding request. Lambda Kappa Sigma is a professional pharmacy fraternity whose mission statement is to provide lifelong opportunities for women in pharmacy through professional excellence and personal growth. The organization is requesting either $2,652 or $3,757 at the discretion of the Student Government. Lambda Kappa Sigma is requesting funds for their National Convention in Pittsburg, Pa. Lambda Kappa Sigma will return next week for their week two of two funding request. The Pharmacy and Nursing schools collaborated to present their week one of two funding request for their yearly Late Night Lift Event. The event will take place at the YMCA from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Mar. 24. At the event, the two schools will be hosting a giveaway for the first 150 students in attendance. To fund their giveaway and educational benefits of the event, the two schools are requesting a total amount of $2,250. The Pharmacy and Nursing schools will return next week for their week two of two funding request. The planning committee of the Spring Fling was next to present their week two of two funding request. Spring Fling will be held at the Mary Stegmaier Mansion and will include a DJ, food, drinks, themed decorations and semi-formal attire. The Spring Fling planning committee was requesting a total amount of $12,500 to fund the event. During voting, the Student Government Executive and General Boards decided that the event should include a photo booth for students. Student Government voted to allocate more than the total requested amount to include the cost of a photo booth. Student Government allocated a total of $13,000. The Student Advocacy Committee is a new committee within Student Government, and they presented their week one of two funding request. The Committee aims to give representation to the student body to speak up for student’s rights, empower student’s voices, promote equity and fight for policy changes. The Committee will hold four events for students, including a Whine and Cheese Night event, a Discussion Panel event, and two Tell Us Day events. To fund the food, drinks, and utensils for the events, the Student Advocacy Committee is requesting a total of $200. The Student Advocacy Committee will return next week for their week two of two funding request. The last business of the meeting was presented by the Pronoun Advocacy Committee of the Student Government. The Committee aims to create a feeling of safety and security in presenting their gender identity. The Committee is requesting a total of $402 to provide students with pronoun pins or ally pins. The Pronoun Advocacy Committee will return next week for their week two of two funding request. Student Government will meet again on Feb. 12. Residence Life Glow Run Clubs who want to participate in the 2025 Residence Life glow run can now sign up. The event benefits the Victims Resource Center of Wilkes-Barre. For more information, contact kaitlin.pasternak@ wilkes.edu. Blood Drive The first on-campus blood drive of the semester will be taking place on Feb. 18 in the JPAC. The event goes from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. If you are interested in donating, you can sign up at redcrossblood.org and use the code ‘WILKESU’. Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Andrew Marshallsay WAE Free Rock Climbing WAE is offering free rock climbing on Mondays and Tuesdays during the Spring semester from 6-8 p.m. No skill or sign up is required to climb. For more information, you can contact benjamin.campbell@ wilkes.edu Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Upcoming Events: Fall 2024/Spring 2025 February 13 - Cupid's Carnival 14 - Transcribe-a-thon 18 - Blood Drive 19 - FAFSA Virtual Completion Workshop 20 - Black History Month Bingo Want your event featured in the calendar? Email: leah.smith1@wilkes.edu �The Beacon - February 12, 2025 ...NURSES cont. from p.3 Debru Cartha, a speaker at Wednesday’s rally and an elected union member of SEIU-UHW (United Healthcare Workers West) from Modesto, Calif., gave current nursing students advice. “Get an understanding of what a union is [while in school],” Cartha said. “The union is us, and we are the heartbeat of the healthcare system.” Lauren Harris, a local ER nurse of nine years, also reinforced Carthan’s advice for more education regarding unions in the classroom setting. “The first union contact they have isn’t until hiring,” Harris said. She would like nursing students to hear a few examples of different unions to have a better understanding of how they work before they are confronted with the decision to join one or not. Further highlighting issues in their community, she noted that any nurse who graduated in 2024 and was hired by Geisinger would not be eligible for a raise until 2026. News “They [students] don’t receive education about collective bargaining per se as a topic,” explained Emily Havrilla, chair of undergraduate nursing. However, the program does discuss professionalism/professional issues and this would be an example. She guarantees Wilkes teaches evidence-based practice, advocacy for their patients, health policy and interfacing with the legislative process for healthcare change or broad patient advocacy. She wants the Wilkes nursing program to help students cultivate their own philosophy of nursing. Students should consider an organization's philosophy and mission and to determine if it is a good fit with their own philosophy, she said. Patricia Dittman, PhD program coordinator, had worked through union contract negotiations in the early 2000s. “Nurses felt they needed a representative to be their voice when dealing with administration,” Dittman said. She continued to explain that while the Rally attendee holding up a sign. Nurses at the rally demand better pay, affordable healthcare beneﬁts and practical solutions to safety and care. Photo by G. Wayne McCormick nurses took the first step to vote in union representation, the staff went almost two years without an agreed upon union contract. Union reps and management met weekly during that time, yet after dozens of meetings, negotiations were still at an impasse. While the unfortunate reality can be that the cogs of power grind slowly, Dittman maintains “what better way to fix something than to ask the person who does it every day.” That position comes from her knowledge of Magnet Hospitals, a designation given to health care facilities by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. This status is given to facilities with excellent nurses’ satisfaction and patient care. It equips nurses with a higher level of autonomy over their practice. Magnet Hospitals are both union and non-union. Speakers and messages at the rally ranged from experienced healthcare professionals, elected union bargaining representatives, elected officials and activists. The topics discussed at the event covered a wide breadth of issues currently plaguing our Geisinger nurses. Constant exhaustion and high turnover rates due to inadequate staffing, pay cuts, substandard benefits and safety concerns were brought up by multiple speakers. The cost of a nurse’s healthcare is on the rise. One speaker mentioned the premiums, co-pays and deductibles of their insurance have reached the point where many staff are unable to afford it. “A single medication I take for a chronic issue comes with a $1500 monthly copay,” lamented a speaker. They went on to point out that insurance monthly premiums often exceed $500 per month and that it is not uncommon for healthcare workers to be on a payment plan to Geisinger for medical debt. “It’s like a company store,” said Angela Ferritto, President of Pennsylvania AFLCIO. She finds the situation of inadequate working conditions baffling as “everyone has been cared for by a nurse at least once.” Geisinger’s pay and investment preference to travel nurses over residential ones is another huge friction point for the union. On average, a travel nurse makes double what a residential Geisinger nurse 3 will, along with equal or better benefits. In July, Geisinger announced a $880 million expansion of Danville facilities on top of a $900 million expansion of Geisinger Wyoming Valley that began in 2024. Nurses and union officials find this outrageous in the face of 300 vacant resident healthcare positions in the Giesinger system, some of which have been open for more than five years. Ethan Ruskin and Debru Carthan traveled over 2000 miles to join the rally. They are both representatives of SEIU-UHW. Strongly reinforcing that all nurses are in this fight together, their organization donated $500,000 to the Geisinger nurse’s strike fund. Multiple speakers said it is not just about money and benefits. The system allows for no recognition of their work or value, adding to retention issues. A local ICU physician preached the need for solidarity between doctors and nurses. “They are not a cog,” the doctor said, going on to press the need to view nurse provided care equally crucial to care provided by a doctor. Politicians are also voicing their concerns. Pa. Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski spoke about the days of smaller health care systems and warned of the dangers that come with for-profit-healthcare. Sen. John Fetterman was unable to attend but a message was passed to the crowd illustrating his support. It is important to note that this is not a strike, but the rally attendees want Geisinger to know that a strike is likely if demands are not met. The rally ended with a request to take action by contacting Geisinger CEO Terry Gilliand to push for the company to meet worker demands. The CEO’s phone number and email address were distributed to the crowd via flyer. SEIU had a bargaining meeting with Geisinger on Feb. 6 that yielded no results and has another scheduled for Feb. 11. Geisinger was acquired by Risant Health in March 2024, a nonprofit health organization owned by Kaiser Permanente. Efforts to reach Geisinger for additional comments were unsuccessful. �The Beacon - February 12, 2025 News 4 Computers remain missing from labs after system outage By Sydney Allabaugh Editor-in-Chief Wilkes University cancelled classes on Jan. 27 due to a “system outage.” Two weeks later, some computers have yet to return to on-campus labs. The computer lab in Karambelas Media and Communication Center, classroom 137, appears to still be missing seven computers. G. Wayne McCormick was in the classroom when the computers were taken out. “It would have been the first Tuesday back from the system issues, just before 8 a.m.,” McCormick said. “An IT employee came in and was pulling certain computers out.” “I haven't heard anything around campus about what might be causing it,” McCormick added. Lab computers were not the only computers effected by the outage. Faculty and staff computers were also impacted. Enrollment Processing Advisor Jennifer Williams said her computer was of the few that were compromised. “Staff was advised not to try to log into the system on Jan. 27, and then we got word that we would be able to access the system,” Williams said. “When I came in, I had a message that my laptop had been one of the few that were compromised and that IT would be over to collect it. IT did take my laptop and replaced it.” Williams said that although her laptop was replaced, “almost eight years of data was lost and unretrievable.” Although some computers were impacted during the outage, security risks no longer remain, according to Kerianne Geist, the Associate Vice President of Marketing Communications at Wilkes. “The campus closure was a proactive and preventative measure taken out of an abundance of caution,” Geist said. “Our staff is working with external information technology experts and has restored services to campus (last Tuesday [Jan. 28]) and ensured the security of our systems.” In a statement issued on Jan. 28 at 9:45 a.m. to students, faculty and staff, ITS Executive Director Gerald Korea announced that service was restored and that schedules could continue as normal. Korea also said that organizational accounts would be required to change their passwords to a new 12-character minimum. In terms of what may have caused the outage, Geist said, “At this point, no additional updates are available.” Efforts to reach Korea for additional comments were unsuccessful. Photo by Sydney Allabaugh Computers from a computer lab in Karambelas Media and Communication Center are still missing two weeks after the system outage. Former Wilkes professor gets probation for felony charge By Sydney Allabaugh Editor-in-Chief A former Wilkes University psychology professor pleaded guilty to a felony charge of attempted dissemination of sexually explicit materials on Friday and was sentenced to three years of probation, according to his lawyer, Nanda Palissery. Edward John Schicatano, 60, of Plains Twp., was charged in August 2023 for trying to set up a sexual encounter with a fictitious 15-year-old girl during an online citizen-sting operation conducted by Musa Harris, the self-proclaimed Luzerne County Predator Catcher. According to an article published in The Beacon in 2023: Schicatano, under the alias of “Lora Smith,” asked for the girl’s age. Harris, posing as the teenage girl, said “almost 16 years old.” Schicatano then replied, “I’m sorry. Too young.” The online conversation continued, despite Schicatano repeatedly expressing concern over the girl’s age and potential FBI involvement. According to police, Schicatano sent the girl a photo of two men engaged in a sexual act. He eventually wanted to meet the girl and in doing so, was met by Harris. Police said Harris provided them with video of the confrontation, and they were able to identify the man in the video as Schicatano. After the confrontation had been posted on social media, Wilkes University President Greg Cant announced in an August 2023 statement that a “longtime member” of the Wilkes faculty was no longer employed at the university following “very serious accusations.” This faculty member was ultimately identified as Schicatano. “We are very pleased with the sentencing,” Palissery said. Edward John Schicatano. Photo from Beacon ﬁles. �The Beacon - February 12, 2025 News 5 Inoperable elevators raise questions about accessibility Leah Smith News Editor Since last semester, a few elevators around campus have been inoperable due to repairs, and students and faculty have had various issues with the accessibility around campus before and during this issue with the elevators. Students who park their vehicles at the campus parking garage next to the Public Safety building have had a difficult time transitioning to taking the stairs regularly as opposed to the convenience the elevator once provided. Emma Gaul, a junior nursing student, is one of the students who have had difficulty with both elevators being down in the parking garage as well as the first floor elevator located at the Cohen Science Center. Gaul has stated that she leaves early in the morning to drive to campus. “I leave at 5 in the morning and at 7 I’m working in the hospital,” she said. “It’s all an inconvenience.” Gaul added to the concern that has been an issue around campus for a while, that being accessibility for certain buildings around campus. “It’s like if you can’t take the stairs, what are you supposed to do?” In addition to the elevator in Cohen currently not operating, the historic Kirby Hall does not have an elevator and is only accessible via stairs. Accessibility has been a prevalent issue but there are plans to make going to class a little easier. Dr. Mischelle Anthony, an associate English professor who teaches at Kirby Hall, has acknowledged that the building must improve accessibility. “I know that a lift to the back porch (Greenway side of the building) is supposedly coming at some point to Kirby,” Anthony said. “That way people can easily access the first floor rooms.” Anthony added that accommodations professors in Kirby make are to move classroom activity to accessible buildings and rooms. According to a statement from the Executive Director of Facilities Charles Cary provided by the Executive Director of Office of Academic Success Learning Center Katy Betnar, facilities have put the elevators on high priority. “Regular maintenance of all elevators in university buildings is conducted to minimize the chance of failure,” Cary said in a statement. “However, from time to time, elevators do go out of service and the facilities department puts a high priority on these issues as they can directly affect access to classrooms and offices. Some repairs can be handled by Wilkes employees, but many require assistance from an outside contractor.” The replacement electric board for the Cohen elevator that failed will not be delivered until March despite the order being expedited. As for the parking garage elevators, Cary did not provide an update about the process. Anyone who may need accommodations while the elevators are down can reach out to Betnar at (570) 408-4233. Photo by Leah Smith Inoperable elevators in the Wilkes parking garage on S Main St. �The Beacon - February 12, 2025 News Nolee Ana Grabowski and E Alexis cut the ribbon on the steps of Ross Hall surrounded by Mega Council members. 6 Photo by Brady Melovitz �The Beacon - February 12, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact editor-in-chief Sydney Allabaugh at sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu Honors students celebrate Taco Tuesday at Ruth’s Place Photos courtesy of Honors Program Honors students, accompanied by Lindsey Scorey, a Wilkes alumnus and current graduate assistant with the honors program, were on dinner duty Tuesday night at Ruth’s Place in Wilkes-Barre. The crew served up dinner in the “Taco Tuesday” theme. Ruth’s Place is a 24/7 emergency shelter for women experiencing homelessness. Top row left to right is Ciara Williams (soph, poli. science), Kensington Edmond (soph, environ. engineering) Cassie McGinley (1st-year, pharm), Lindsey Scorey, (Grad assistant, master’s student creative writing) Jordan Chepalonis (jr., math), Sydney Ahrberg (jr., English), Ava Wahlers (soph, bio). Front row, Liz Keller (soph, poli. science), Zoë Morley (jr, bio), Kailey Vogel (1st-year, English & history), Analiese Monteiro (soph. pharm). Ciara Williams, a sophomore honors student (political science), brown up the meat for Taco Tuesday. From left, Cassie McGinley (pharm) and Kailey Vogel (English and history), both first year honors students, help with some of the veggie chopping at Ruth’s Place. �The Beacon - February 12, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 Sydney Allabaugh: DIET_ - Denzel Curry Leah Smith: Like a Prayer - Madonna Andrew Marshallsay: Sam Mullen: WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME GloRilla, Sexxy Red Adam Grundt: Breaking up My Bones - Vinyl Theatre Truth in the Lies - Central Cee Shawn Carey: Good for You - Third Eye Blind Brady Melovitz: NISSAN ALTIMA - Doechii Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staﬀ picks their favorite song of the week. Check out this week’s bops! �The Beacon – February 12, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment 9 Black History Month begins with Pan African flag raising, events to be held throughout month Have an event you want covered? Let The Beacon know WHEN and WHERE and we’ll do our best to be there! Email sydney.allabaugh@ wilkes.edu CORRECTION: Due to an editing error, the Pan African ﬂag was misidentiﬁed in last week’s edition of The Beacon. The paper is re-running the photo with the correct headline on this page. �The Beacon – February 12, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 Two-time Pulitzer Prize Wilkes theatre presents winning journalist to new musical Between give Max Rosenn lecture the Lines, Feb. 20-23 By University release Nicholas Kristof, a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author, will deliver the Wilkes University Max Rosenn Lecture in Law and Humanities at 2 p.m. on March 16. The lecture will take place at the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts. After working in France, Kristof began backpacking in Africa and Asia, writing articles to cover his expenses. He has lived on four continents, reported on six and traveled to more than 150 countries. During his travels, he has caught malaria, experienced wars, confronted warlords, encountered an Indonesian mob carrying heads on pikes and survived an African airplane crash. Kristof not only managed to survive and press on, he also won two Pulitzers in the process — advocating human rights and giving a voice to the voiceless. In 1990, Kristof and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, then also a New York Times journalist, became the first husbandwife team to win a Pulitzer Prize for journalism for their coverage of China’s Tiananmen Square democracy movement. Kristof won his second Pulitzer in 2006 for what the judges called “his graphic, deeply reported columns that, at personal risk, focused attention on genocide in Darfur and that gave voice to the voiceless in other parts of the world.” Kristof and WuDunn have written five bestselling books: Tightrope, Half the Sky, A Path Appears, China Wakes and Thunder from the East. Oprah Winfrey devoted two full programs to their work, and they have been on countless other television programs. Half the Sky and A Path Appears each inspired a prime-time PBS documentary series. Kristof is also the author of Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope and his newest book, a memoir entitled: Chasing Hope: A Reporter’s Life. After joining The New York Times in 1984, Kristof served as a correspondent in Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Beijing and Tokyo. He has covered presidential politics, interviewed everyone from President Obama to Iranian President Ahmadinejad and was the first blogger on The New York Times website. The Max Rosenn Lecture in Law and Humanities was established at Wilkes University in 1980 in recognition of Judge Rosenn’s exceptional contributions to public service. It was established by his former law clerks, his law firm, Rosenn, Jenkins & Greenwald, family and friends. Past speakers include Jill Lepore, Jon Meacham, Terry Gross, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bryan Stevenson, Anna Deavere Smith, Cory Booker and Bob Woodward. The Rosenn Lecture is free and open to the public, though registration is required. For more information and online registration, visit wilkes.edu/rosenn. Photo illustration by Wilkes Theatre Department The Wilkes University Theatre Departent will present Between the Lines, the new musical based on the novel by bestselling author Jodi Picoult & Samantha van Leer, featuring a book by Picoult and Timothy Allen McDonald. The production runs at 8 p.m. on Feb. 20, 21, 22 and at 2 p.m. on Feb. 22 and 23. Tickets available at wilkes.edu/theatre. Is your club launching a fundraising event? Looking for new members? Let us know. You could be featured in an upcoming edition of The Beacon. Email kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu with details and contact information. �The Beacon - February 12, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment 11 ��The Beacon - February 12, 2025 Opinion Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact assistant opinion editors: shawn.carey1@wilkes.edu or logan.colonna@wilkes.edu. Editorial Staff 2024-25 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Sydney Allabaugh Social Media Manager - Megan Davis Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Leah Smith Sports - Zach Paraway ASSISTANT EDITORS News - Andrew Marshallsay Opinion - Logan Colonna Opinion - Shawn Carey Sports - Adam Grundt Sports - Sam Mullen DESIGNERS Head Designer - Lara Mullen Designer - Carol Stratford Layout Designer - Brady Melovitz Photographer - Shannon Slominski SECTION STAFF WRITERS News - Kayla Bicskei LA&E - Natalia Williams Opinion - “Freeze” Sports - Ava Tureen Sports - Lexi McHugh 141 S. Main Street Clayton and Theresa Karambelas Media & Communication Center Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 Phone - (570) 408-5903 www.thewilkesbeacon.com Want to advertise in The Beacon? Contact: Kalen Churcher at kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or Sydney Allabaugh at sydney. allabaugh@wilkes.edu. The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. Inoperable elevators limit accessibility Elevator repair shutdowns in the parking garage and on the first floor of the Cohen Science Center are more than just an inconvenience. For most students and faculty, it might seem like a temporary increase in time and energy needed to commute, but for those with temporary or permanent mobility issues, inoperable elevators can make the use of these facilities impossible. Although elevator malfunctions are not inherently the fault of the university, repeated breakdowns and lack of urgency to mitigate or fix them may be viewed as an indication that accessibility may not be of utmost importance. Accessibility has been an issue on campus for a while. Historic buildings such as Passan Hall and Kirby Hall do not have elevators or an alternative for people to take if they are unable to take the stairs. In Kirby Hall, even the first floor is only accessible via stairs, with only a small classroom accessible from the ground. There have been plans for Kirby to add a lift to the greenway side of the building to make accessing the first floor rooms easier, but the implementation of this addition has not yet begun. Again, the lack of urgency to implement accessibility accommodations shows a lack of consideration for impacted groups. Wheelchair users are not the only ones who rely on elevators. Those with temporary injuries or mobility using crutches or other mobility devices may find using the stairs to be straining, difficult or even impossible. Elevators also allow individuals, regardless of ability, to transport heavy items vertically, which can be important. In the case that an individual on an upper floor needs medical attention, emergency services may need to use the elevator to transport equipment and the patient. The inconvenience of elongated elevator shutdowns in and of itself can create challenges. In the case that classes are held on the second and third floors of affected buildings, professors are forced to switch classrooms in order to accommodate, when they should not need to in the first place In the parking garage, students and faculty now have to lug all their items up and down the stairs to enter or exit campus. For students who have to wake up early and drive to campus, they now have to take the stairs and risk running late to class. The roads around campus and parking are already difficult enough, but with the elevators not being operable, students will have to move around the confusing roads to find a spot that will accommodate them. Students and faculty should not have to struggle to access buildings and facilities on campus. The lift coming to Kirby Hall is only one step and as mentioned, there is no date yet as to when the lift will be available for use. Accessibility is a right, not a privilege, and it should be treated as such. Letter to the editor policy: The Beacon welcomes letters to the editor from differing viewpoints. Letters must contain contact information, including name, city, state and phone number. Phone numbers will not be published but may be used for verification purposes. All letters to the editor must be sent using one of the following methods: Email: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu Phone: (570) 408-5903 (Voicemail: 30 seconds or less, please.) Mail: 84 West South Street, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766 Attn: The Beacon �The Beacon - February 12, 2025 Opinion 15 The Icebox: Presenting a sleeper masterpiece... “Balatro?” By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer �� The Beacon - February 12, 2025 Opinion 16 Baseball is broken, and there is no easy solution By Andrew Marshallsay Asst. News Editor Let’s face reality for a second: baseball is broken. Whether it be the Los Angeles Dodgers buying superheros for sport and making their future kids pay for it. Or the power of owners that only see the bottom line in dollars, and not the bottoming out of records. The economic landscape of America’s pastime is changing. And not for the better. In January, the Dodgers completed the signing of Roki Sasaki, a 24-yearold right-handed pitcher from Japan. After signing, Sasaki quickly became the number one prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline. This comes after an offseason where they signed Shohei Ohtani to the then biggest, now second biggest, contract in sports history. The defending World Series winners go into the 2025 season with the largest payroll in baseball history. However, the Dodgers are only paying Ohtani, among others, a fraction of their salary. Most of the Dodgers’ contracts are deferred until long after the contracts expire. Ohtani will make only $2 million a year until 2034. Then, the contract goes to a whopping $68 million a year until 2044. Is it a smart move though? Absolutely. On the other hand, is it completely annoying that all 29 other teams in the Major Leagues are letting one team dominate the sport? Also yes. Teams like the Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Athletics (formerly Oakland A’s), and Miami Marlins have consistently spent little to none in the free agent market over the last two to three years. It’s understandable for the White Sox, as they are in the middle of a rebuild that will take some time to complete. The Pirates are not excused from this though. Boasting the best starting rotation in the NL Central, and arguably top five in baseball, the team refuses to spend. Instead of going for one of the big bats on the market like they so need, they have decided to turn back the clock and run with roughly the same team that finished dead last in the division last year. The A’s began to spend this offseason after securing their future in Las Vegas. The Marlins, after making the playoffs in 2022, will enter this season with arguably the worst team in baseball and the lowest payroll, according to FanGraphs. Is there a solution to this? There sure is. However, it will probably never happen. The only logical solution would be to introduce a salary floor and salary cap. A floor would force the bottom of the barrel teams, like the Marlins, Pirates and White Sox, to spend money to be somewhat competitive. A cap would make sure that teams with the richest owners like the Dodgers and Mets are not monopolizing the market. Alas, this will never happen. The MLB Players Association has gone on the record before, firmly opposing any idea of a possible floor and cap. Instead, the teams that have the highest payrolls pay a luxury tax. Teams like the Philadelphia Phillies are in the third tier of this tax and now have a 110% tax on all signings, regardless of how much or how little they are. The Dodgers are also past the third tier, but because of deferred money, they pay far less overall per season. Owners as well have said they oppose the salary floor/cap. With the current collective bargaining agreement coming to an end after the 2026 season, we could be in for a long ride once again. The 2021 offseason saw a lockout that was centered around various issues including the luxury tax. Don’t be surprised if another lockout occurs in a year and a half. Time will only tell if the economic landscape of baseball will improve. With the way things are going, don’t count on it happening anytime soon. The 67th Grammy Awards outshined previous years By Natalia Williams Life, Arts and Entertainment Staff Writer The 67th Annual Grammy Awards took place on Feb. 2, and I believe this was the best Grammys in a while. When nominations for this year’s grammys were announced, I was super excited. The works that were submitted were some of the best pieces of music by the most talented artists, so I knew it was going to be a very competitive year. With artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX and Chappell Roan nominated, there was no telling who was going to win, unlike other award shows in the past. I truly enjoyed the suspense. Starting with the beginning of the awards, there was a heavy emphasis on donating to a relief organization founded by the CEO of The Recording Academy called MusiCares, which I believe was the right thing to do due to the fact that the award show was happening during the L.A. wildfires. I also liked that they did this because it didn’t make the Grammys seem tone deaf to what was happening around them. They truly cared about raising money and providing resources for relief to victims, while giving viewers at home an opportunity to help. The award show was opened by a performance by Dawes, John Legend, Sheryl Crow, and Brad Paisley. Brittany Howard and St. Vincent sang “I Love L.A.” as a tribute to the city, which was very heartwarming to see. Other performers included Billie Ellish, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan and a surprise appearance by The Weekend. Something I thought was really cool was the medley performance of the artist nominated for Best New Artist. It was super cool to see each artist perform. Overall for performances, my favorite was definitely Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX. They were such fun performances and I look forward to seeing them perform at the Grammys again. Another performance that got me very excited was the Quincy Jones tribute. It featured Will Smith, Cynthia Erivo, Janelle Mone, Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hancock. I am a huge fan of Quincy and his work, so it was something so fun to see and I feel they honored him well. The aspect that made me shed a few tears was the way they honored the service men and women. They showed clips of them providing tremendous help to the community and even had some of them present album of the year. On the red carpet when they arrived, they were welcomed with applause and it showed them how appreciative they are and I thought that was amazing. Something I did not enjoy was how long it was. As expected, there were a lot of commercial breaks and I’m not sure that would change. In my opinion, I believe there was a good performance to award ratio, but in the future I’d like to see a bit more awards shown in the actual award show. This year I actually watched the premiere ceremony which presents the awards that aren’t shown in the main show. I feel that a lot of the awards could have been presented in the main ceremony. For example, the R&B and Rap awards were presented there, and I wish they were during the main show. Overall, the 67th Grammys was something that I really enjoyed watching. Between the performances and the suspense of the awards, it was one that I believe was one of the best in a while. �The Beacon - February 12, 2025 Opinion 17 Hobby stores are important and build community By Shawn Carey Asst. Opinion Editor Everyone has a hobby. At least I hope so. There’s all the obvious ones. Gardening, journaling, cooking, reading, playing video games, etc. The ones that everyone knows about. These are the hobbies that you constantly see posted about online and listed on dating profiles. With that being said, what about the hobbies that you are embarrassed to admit you like? The more niche hobbies? The ones focused around role playing and creature collecting? The ones that cause you to line up outside Target at 6 a.m.? The ones that put you in credit card debt? The hobbies that are often considered “nerdy.” You probably know what I’m referring to. Collecting trading cards, playing tabletop games, painting miniatures, building model kits, and so on. How do you express your love for these hobbies? You go to hobby stores. A hobby store is a retail establishment that sells materials and equipment related to a specific hobby or set of hobbies. These can include items such as model kits, craft supplies, board games, card packs, TTRPG books, miniatures and other related merchandise. They’re also often referred to as game stores. Apart from selling the materials needed for these niche hobbies, they also host events related to them. Tournaments, competitions, game nights and launch parties. During these events, they also tend to hand out prizes and hold special promotions. Now, I think there’s something really special about hobby stores and the niches they represent. They offer a totally unique experience, an experience that you really can’t get anywhere else. Hobby stores are built upon the idea of having a “third place.” A third place is a public space where people can connect with others and build community. A place outside of home and work where people can relax and socialize. Coffee shops, bars and bookstores are traditional examples of “third places.” Hobby stores fit that description pretty closely. However, they offer something that the locations previously listed don’t. Third places are often associated with comfort and quiet areas. Hobby stores, on the other hand, offer a challenge. You don’t go to hobby stores to relax. You go to be faced with a challenge. As mentioned earlier one of the main things you do at hobby stores is play. Let that be card games, tabletop games, board games, whatever you want. Customers go to these stores with the sole purpose of playing against an opponent. Oftentimes, they’re only places where you can find people with the same interests. You can play against fellow trading card players, or join together with a party and participate in the “Dungeon and Dragons” campaign. Oftentimes these activities work on a pick up and play type system, meaning that you can join in whenever you want as well leave. This also causes them to be a safe space from scalpers. For those who know, a scalper is someone who buys something at a normal price and then sells it at a higher price when it becomes difficult to obtain, such as tickets. The trading card hobby is full of hundreds of scalpers. It’s pretty much impossible to pick up a new set the day of release. Scalpers buy up tens of hundreds of new packs and booster boxes, selling all the high value cards in the set for a ludicrous price. Making things harder for customers and employees. The scalper outbreak has gotten so bad that Target, Walmart and other retailers now have signs up warning against them. They usually say something like “due to high demand, we had to start limiting the amount of packs a single customer can buy.” Hobby stores on the other hand, they don’t really have to worry about them. Most store owners set a limit for how much a single person can buy. This is done to ensure that everyone gets a chance to start collecting. They also tend to hold on to some packs and use them as tournament rewards. This way, customers can own packs based on skill levels. As much as I hate saying, it’s a good way to separate real fans from resellers. Since these nerdy hobbies tend to be rather niche, it’s difficult to find others who share the same passion. Which in turn, actually helps to foster a greater sense of community. A sort of haven for hobbyists. The fewer the numbers, the greater the connection. Hobby stores are also almost always local small businesses. There isn’t really a big box conglomerate. The only one I can really think of is Hobby Lobby, and still they only really have models. Pretty much every single store is local. If you’re interested in hobby stores, there’s actually two located close to Wilkes. First there’s Sword in the Stone located in the Wyoming Valley Mall. Second, there’s Dragon Knight Games in Kingston. I highly recommend you check them out, maybe you’ll even pick up a new hobby. Graphic by Carol Stratford �The Beacon - Feburary 12, 2025 Opinion 18 Reviewing the director's cut of JPEGMAFIA's 2024 album An analysis of "I LAY MY LIFE DOWN FOR YOU (DIRECTOR'S CUT)" By Logan Colonna Asst. Opinion Editor Out of nowhere, my favorite album of 2024 received its own deluxe edition. In 2024, JPEGMAFIA released his fifth studio album, “I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU.” Half a year later, the album received its own deluxe edition, or Director’s Cut in this case. It shows off 14 brand new tracks, some of which being skits or instrumentals. The large bulk of the tracklist is thankfully songs though. The original tracklist offers new tracks sprinkled in as well as a second disk-worth of tracks. Starting things off, JPEG did great per usual. I must admit though, there is a track that I do straight-up dislike though. This track being off of the second disk, “HATE,” featuring FREAKYMAFIACULT. The whole track doesn’t even include JPEG, but I still think it’s crucial to point out in this section. That’s because if he were to put out some vocals on the track, I can see the song being somewhat listenable. I won’t get too much into it now, but the track offers FREAKY just mumbling over the instrumental. As for the good of the album, there’s quite a bit. My favorites off of the deluxe alone are “CULT STATUS,” “Boy You Should Know!” and “Bloodline Freestyle.” All of these tracks showcase why JPEG is currently my favorite rapper to stay in tune with. On “CULT STATUS,” we get the JPEG that we had on his 2023 collaboration project, “SCARING THE HOES.” I’ve been waiting for this kind of JPEG to return. While I love the rock-inspired beats and vocals we get from the rest of the original album, I easily enjoy this kind of sound so much more. On the next track, “Boy You Should Know!” we get a performance that resembles that of a few tracks from one of my favorite albums from JPEG, “OFFLINE.” The album easily shows off JPEG at his best in terms of his rapping, and I’m glad he returns with that kind of performance. With that, I do believe that this is one of the best tracks off of the deluxe. As for the absolute best track, we have “Bloodline Freestyle.” The track opens with JPEG getting more melodic than usual. I, for one, love this style that he uses. The entire track has that “floaty” vibe which is helped by the background incredibly soft and make for the perfect addition to JPEG’s calmer vocals. She gives us both a verse and the outro on the title track “i lay down my life for you,” both of which are beyond amazing. I suppose that 1 for 2 good features isn’t all that bad. As for the production, it’s A1 per usual. vocals too. There’s not much I can say besides the fact that the track just sounds great to me. JPEG delivered on a lot of the tracks we received in the deluxe, with a few tracks sticking out like sore thumbs. Looking over things, the record only has two features. One of which was the horrid FREAKMAFIACULT feature. The other feature was yet another one from Buzzy Lee, in addition to her feature on the original record. Yet again, her vocals blew me away. They’re One of my favorites is easily “CULT STATUS.” While it’s very abstract and experimental, I can’t help but feel overly positive about the instrumental. It uses the same sound that listeners heard off of the outro of “New Black History.” When I first heard that outro, I, and many other listeners, wished for JPEG not to scrap this beat and actually do something with it. Thankfully, we received just what I was wishing for. Another instrumental I enjoyed quite a lot was off of the lead single for the deluxe, “PROTECT THE CROSS.” It incorporated a lot of the same production style that was used for the original album, using a lot of rock-inspired instrumentation. Throughout the song, we get sudden bouts of calmness as well, which is really cool to see the production act as a roller coaster from the start to the end of the track. There’s also a beatswitch near the end of the track that I absolutely love. With it, we get even more of that rock vibe that I enjoyed off of the original album. It’s easy to say that this track got me overly excited for the rest of the deluxe. Lastly, how replayable is the deluxe of the record? I personally think it’s one of the best instances of great replayability I've seen recently. If you count just the deluxe tracks, the runtime is a short 32 minutes. While I wish that it was its own album, instead of being lumped together with the original project, the added tracks still only put the album at a one hour and 16 minute runtime. This is still obviously long and I get it if you were to complain about it, but the way the tracks are intertwined with the already existing record makes the hour and change go by noticeably quicker. To go along with that point, each track sounds so distinct, that it keeps the listening experience feel fresh, even if it’s your 10th time listening to the record. Lastly, the deluxe edition being released made me appreciate the album for what it was originally even more than I already have. It has been relistening to the entire project, front to back, over and over again. With all that has been said, I believe that this deluxe edition of the record has done the original project justice. While it’s not 100% necessary, I’m more than happy because of the fact that it was released. Because of that, “I LAY DOWN DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU (DIRECTOR’S CUT) gets an 8 out of 10. Graphic by Carol Stratford �The Beacon - February 12, 2025 Sports Sports 19 Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: zachary.paraway@wilkes.edu Pickering scores OT winner, Penguins beat Monsters 5-4 By Adam Grunt Asst. Sports Editor �� ¡�� ¢ �� Photo courtesy of KDP Photography �� Penguins crowd Owen Pickering after scoring game-winning goal in win verus the Bridgeport Islanders on Feb. 8. �The Beacon - February 12, 2025 Sports 20 NBA: Crazy Deadline sends ripples across Association By Adam Grunt Asst. Sports Editor The NBA Trade Deadline is seemingly one of the most hectic times of the season, and this past deadline was one for the history books.’ On Feb. 6, at 3 p.m., the National Basketball Association essentially placed a ban on any trades until the conclusion of the regular season. Teams that are contending for a championship had one final chance to improve their roster, while struggling teams looked to increase their draft capita by acquiring picks and trading their productive players to teams atop the standings. In a leauge altering swap of players, the Dallas Mavericks sent Slovenian-born superstar, Luka Dončić, to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for their all-star caliber power big, Anthony Davis. The late-night move on Feb. 1 began what was a hectic week of trades throughout the league, but this move in particular was a shock to all fans, including those here on campus. “This trade is a lot deeper than a one player for one player swap,” senior business major and die-hard basketball fan Colby Butczynski said. “The potential ramifications if one of these players don’t work out is severe. There are perspectives within the game of basketball and as long as you are blind to them, you’ll never understand the reality.” Other smaller-caliber moves were made throughout the week after the big trade between Dallas and Los Angeles, but none had an impact that even compared to the potential ramifications of this trade. Dallas was unable to win a championship with Dončić during his time as a Maverick, and general manager Nico Harrison was quoted saying “defense wins championships”. Harrison has caught a lot of heat for dealing away one of the league’s most deadly shooters, but time will tell if Anthony Davis is able to fit into the Mavericks’ roster that includes multiple NBA championship winning players. On the other side of the deal, Dončić travels out west and now calls Crypto.com Arena home, where he gets to play alongside a generational talent in LeBron James. The betting odds for Los Angeles to win the NBA Championship this season prior to the trade were over +3000. Now, since the team’s acquisition of Dončić, their odds have significantly decreased to below +2000. Dončić coming to Los Angeles basically guaranteed a deep playoff run for the Lakers, if not a bid for the team’s 11th championship in history. “I think, for the time being, the Lakers won the trade,” senior elementary education major Tegan Shortlidge said. “The Lakers will be contending for a title with LeBron, and Dončić certainly boosts their odds for the championship this season. I think Dallas still needs one more elite level player to compliment Davis and Kyrie Irving.” Elsewhere, after a turbulent end to his tenure in Miami, Jimmy Butler was traded to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for a package including former number one overall pick Andrew Wiggins. Basketball fans remember when the “big 3”, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant played for the Golden State Warriors in their era of dominance. Now, with Durant and Thompson no longer playing in Golden State, some fans are calling the new Warriors trio in Curry, Draymond Green, and Butler the “new big 3”. The Warriors will pose a threat in the always competitive Western Conference come playoff time. Other teams, such as the Chicago Bulls, found themselves on the wrong side of a trade. In a three-team deal with the Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs, the Bulls gave up their best player, Zach LaVine, and sent him to Sacramento, thus reuniting him with former teammate Demar DeRozan. The Spurs ended up acquiring De’Aaron Fox, and the only notable thing the Bulls got in return from either the Kings or Spurs was their own first round pick that they traded away back in 2021. The Bulls now hope to just squeez into the NBA’s playin tournament as a best case senario. Time will tell in regards to who won this season’s trade deadline. Come June, the trophies and accolades will be awarded, and some teams have improved greatly in their quest for the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. Others have set themselves up for a rebuild that could potentially last up to a half decade. Wilkes hosts basketball doubleheader against Scranton By Andrew Marshallsay Asst. News Editor Both of Wilkes’ basketball teams were back home on Feb. 5 for a mid-week doubleheader against the University of Scranton. The women’s team came into the contest looking for their first win of the season, and the men’s team were looking to make it a third consecutive victory. Facing off against the Royals for the second time this season, the Colonels were looking to get a win over the third-ranked team in D3 women’s hoops. However, things were not going to go in favor of the Blue and Gold. Early on, the Royals came out hot from three-point range. Dominating the first half, Scranton went into halftime with a 43 point lead. The second half was more of the same. The Colonels were unable to stop the highscoring Royals as Elizabeth Bennett ended the night with 26 points. #3 Scranton improved to 20-0 on the season Yami Matos led the Colonels with eight points while Nadia Evanosky had a teamhigh five rebounds. With the defeat, the Colonels fall to 0-20 on the season. Next on the schedule, the Colonels travel to Susquehanna for a weekend contest. After that, the team will face Drew University away from home on Feb. 12. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. from the Baldwin Gymnasium in Madison, N.J. In the men's game, it was the Royals who started hot early on. After two consecutive field goals, the Colonels got their scoring started and went on a 14-0 run to make it a 22-6 lead halfway through the first frame. At halftime, Wilkes had a 40-20 lead. Like the first half, Scranton opened the scoring in the second. A 20-6 run in the first 10 minutes of the frame saw the Royals cut the deficit to six points. The Colonels got their momentum back when Mason Fedor hit a three-pointer to stop the Royal run. The game remained close, with the Colonels’ lead staying under ten points in the remaining minutes of the with a 9-4 record in Landmark play. The team also maked the trip to game. The Colonels and Royals continued to Susquehanna on Feb. 8. They are back at trade points until the home side went on a home on Feb. 12 when they also face Drew. run to make it an 13 point game with less Tip-off against the Rangers is set for 7 p.m. than 20 seconds to play. The game ended from the Marts Center. in a 71-58 Colonels victory. With the win, Photo by Andrew Marshallsay Wilkes improved their record to 15-5 on the season. Lesko led the Colonels with 22 points and one block. Cayden Merrifield scored 14 points and led with six assists in the win. For the rest of the starters, Jack Argento, Joey Zvorsky and Eli Becker each scored eight. Off the bench, Fedor finished with seven points. The team improved Jack Argento scoring a layup against Scranton. to 15-5 on the season �The Beacon - February 12, 2025 Sports 21 WIH: Strong weekend put team at First Place in MAC Women's ice hockey holds mental health awareness game By Ava Tureen Sports Staff Writer The women’s ice hockey team played two home games this past weekend as their season is coming to an end; only three games remainas of Feb. 12. In the first match, the team played against Arcadia University, with the contest being dedicated in support of mental health awareness and partnered with the “Do it for Daron” campaign. According to the group's website, Do It For Daron supports education, awareness, and research initiatives at that encourage young people to talk openly about mental illness. Before the game started, they held a ceremonial puck drop with University President, Dr. Greg Cant. It was a challenging game that went into double overtime, but in the end, Wilkes won in a shootout. Neither team was able to score within the three periods of regulation or the extra overtime. First-year Audrey Milne denied all goals during the regulation periods and overtime for the shutout. Sr. Bella Kaczorowski had two shots on goal during the second period, and Gr. Lida Laitinen and first-year Haylee Bouchard both had four shots on goals, tying for the most in the game for any player. On Sunday, the team played against Lebanon Valley College. LVC took the lead early on, but from there, it was all Wilkes. Wilkes scored three times, one coming in each period. This included one of those points coming from a Colonel powerplay. This was the third matchup between Wilkes and LVC, and was the first win for Wilkes this season against them. Multiple players had a hand in the strong win for the team. First-year Chayce Hyndman had the first goal for Wilkes and went unassisted with it. The next period saw a goal from Sr. Rachel Morey, with the assist from both Bouchard, first-year Nina Hudakova. Finally, Wilkes capped the scoring in the third with a goal from first-year Gianna Pacillio, with the assist from Bouchard. Wilkes is now 17-4-1 overall, getting their first tie this late into the season against Arcadia. This continues to be a great season from the team, and after this weekend they are now sitting at number one in the MAC conference. The team had already clinched their spot in the MAC playoffs, and with this past weekend, have put themselves in a great spot of the top seed. The regular season is coming to an end, but they still have three more regular season games, none of which will be at home. The next game will be on Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. against our rival school, King's College. Follow all Wilkes teams at gowilkesu. com HOME // FEB. 8TH 3:30 PM VS ARCADIA UNIVERISTY (DIFD MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS GAME) / MAC HOME // FEB. 9TH 3:30 PM VS LEBANON VALLEY COLLEGE / MAC FEB. 14TH 7 PM @ KING’S COLLEGE (PA) / MAC FEB. 15TH 6 PM @ ALVERNIA UNIVERSITY / MAC FEB. 21ST 3:15 PM @ HOOD COLLEGE / MAC WILKES WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY �The Beacon - February 12, 2025 Sports Athlete of the Week 22 Jordan Ferry Sophomore, Center, Women's Ice Hockey The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Ferry led the Colonels to wins over Neumann and Stevenson this week, scoring three goals on 12 shots while going a combined 1420 from the faceoff circle Major: Civil Engineering Hometown: Bohemia, NY What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? My favorite memory as a colonel was playing in the Utica tournament. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? New York Islanders What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? I love to watch movies. Specifically comedies. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? What has been your favorite sports memory overall? My favorite sports memory was winning states What is your favorite postgame meal? My favorite post game meal is a cheese burger How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? I am so honored to be recognized as athlete of the week and represent all the hard work our team has done so far this season! I love being able to represent a great culture and school with amazing people. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? My go-to sports movie is Water Boy If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? I think I would play rugby The Beacon//Samantha Mullen Editor’s note : Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor t s staff each week. At the e nd of the acade mic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw itte r @ Wilkes B eacon to c row n an “Athlete of the Year." Compiled by Samantha Mullen, Asst. �The Beacon February 12, 2025 Sports Athlete of the Week Jackson Shafer Graduate Student, Outside Hitter, Men’s Volleyball The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week Shafer totaled 52 kills, 3 aces, 8 blocks, and 18 digs for a total of 61.5 points as the Colonels went 2-1 on the week, including two wins in a tri-match against Penn State Altoona and Saint Vincent College. Major: Financial Investments Hometown: Milford, Pa. What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Getting to see my parents after every What had been your favorite game. sports memory from your time as a Colonel? What is your favorite postBeating Elmira in five sets last season game meal? in our last game to break 20 wins. Wawa What is your favorite professional How do you feel about being sports team (any sport)? selected as the Athlete of the All Philadelphia Sports (Go Birds) Week? It’s awesome being selected as Athlete What is your favorite thing to do of the Week but I always view these away from sports? things as team awards. Without I enjoy reading and pondering with my having great teammates and coaches, roommates of 404. getting selected for this wouldn’t be possible. It means that WE had a What is your favorite part of great week! being an athlete at Wilkes? Having the opportunity to meet so many amazing teammates and friends. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? Rocky 2 or Friday Night Lights If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Football or Golf The Beacon/Sam Mullen Compiled by Samantha Mullen, Assistant Sports Editor Editor’s note : Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor t s staff each week. At the e nd of the acade mic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw itte r @ Wilkes B eacon to c row n an “Athlete of the Year." 23 �24 The Beacon - February 12, 2025 DEC. 4TH 7PM @ LYCOMING College / LANDMARK DEC. 7TH 2PM @ JUNIATA COLLEGE / LANDMARK HOME / DEC. 14TH 3PM V. KEYSTONE COLLEGE JAN. 4TH 1PM @ ALVERNIA UNIVERSITY HOME / JAN. 8TH 5PM V. GOUCHER COLLEGE / LANDMARK JAN. 12TH 12PM VS. ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE @THE PALESTRA/ LANDMARK HOME/ JAN. 15TH 7PM V. DREW UNIVERSITY / LANDMARK HOME / JAN. 18TH 2PM SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY / LANDMARK JAN. 23RD 7PM V. MORAVIAN UNIVERSITY / LANDMARK JAN. 25TH 1PM @ CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA / LANDMARK HOME / JAN. 29 7PM V. LYCOMING COLLEGE / LANDMARK HOME / FEB. 1ST 2PM V. JUNIATA COLLEGE / LANDMARK HOME / FEB. 5TH 6PM V. UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON / LANDMARK FEB. 8TH 2PM @ SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY / LANDMARK FEB. 12TH 7PM @ DREW UNIVERSITY / LANDMARK HOME / FEB. 15TH 2PM V. ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE / LANDMARK HOME / FEB. 19TH 7PM V. MORAVIAN UNIVERSITY/ LANDMARK FEB. 22ND 2PM @ GOUCHER COLLEGE/ LANDMARK MEN’S LACROSSE SCHEDULE FEB 15 1:00 P.M. – VS ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE (LANDMARK) – SCHMIDT STADIUM FEB 22 1:00 P.M. – VS UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT BRADFORD – SCHMIDT STADIUM FEB 26 4:00 P.M. – VS MARYWOOD UNIVERSITY – SCHMIDT STADIUM MAR 5 5:00 P.M. – AT VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY – VIRGINIA BEACH, VA MAR 8 1:00 P.M. – VS LEBANON VALLEY COLLEGE – SCHMIDT STADIUM MAR 12 7:00 P.M. – AT KING'S COLLEGE (PA.) – WILKES-BARRE, PA MAR 15 1:00 P.M. – VS HOOD COLLEGE – SCHMIDT STADIUM MAR 19 7:00 P.M. – AT ALVERNIA UNIVERSITY – READING, PA MAR 22 1:00 P.M. – VS MORAVIAN UNIVERSITY (LANDMARK) – SCHMIDT STADIUM MAR 26 7:00 P.M. – AT MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE (NY) – NEWBURGH, NY MAR 29 1:00 P.M. – AT JUNIATA COLLEGE (LANDMARK) – HUNTINGDON, PA APR 2 7:00 P.M. – VS DREW UNIVERSITY (LANDMARK) – SCHMIDT STADIUM APR 5 1:00 P.M. – AT GOUCHER COLLEGE (LANDMARK) – BALTIMORE, MD APR 9 7:00 P.M. – VS LYCOMING COLLEGE (LANDMARK) – SCHMIDT STADIUM APR 12 12:00 P.M. – AT SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY (LANDMARK) – SELINSGROVE, PA APR 16 6:00 P.M. – AT UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON (LANDMARK) – SCRANTON, PA APR 26 1:00 P.M. – VS CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA (LANDMARK, SENIOR DAY) – SCHMIDT STADIUM � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource This is Wilkes University's Beacon Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the Beacon's predecessors, The Bucknell Bison Stampede, 1934-1935 and The Bucknell Beacon, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>. Missing Issues: 1947 August 8th 1947 September 5th 1947 October 3rd 1947 October 17th 1947 October 31st 1947 November 21st 1947 December 19th 1948 September 9th 1950 April 28th 1953 April 10th 1962 February 2nd Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon, 2025 February 12 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communications Department Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2025 February 12 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/958d0809d9d1c98133e0009283c46a05.pdf ff48947fbc13a463a456a5afa217c7cc PDF Text Text The Beacon - February 5, 2025 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Pa. Newspaper Association Member Volume 77, Issue 13 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” Programming Board hosts annual Wing Wars event Justin Wawrzynek and Brayton Kominsky compete in the hot wing eating competition at Wing Wars on campus. Both competitors persevered all 10 rounds. Attendees ranked mild and specialty wings from various local resturants. Pizza Bella won in both categories. ...WING WARS cont. on p.12 Photos by Shannon Slominski That’s So Honors: Honors abroad trip to London, page 4 Lunar New Year celebrated, page 7 The importance of art during these next four years, page 17 Wilkes University winter sports catch up and recap, page 19 �The Beacon - February 5, 2025 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Leah Smith at leah.smith1@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: Jan. 29 weekly meeting By Kayla Bicskei News Staff Writer Student Government convened for its third weekly meeting of the Spring 2025 semester on Jan. 29. The meeting was held by the Student Government vice president in lieu of the president’s absence. This meeting addressed funding requests from student clubs, organization chapters and internal Student Government sponsored events. The treasurer’s report showed a current Student Government budget of $82,452. The meeting began with an informal introduction of a new staff member from the Wilkes Marketing Department. Karianne Geist graduated from Wilkes University in 2000 and is currently working in Weckesser Hall. She has worked with social media specialists to market Wilkes University on social media and television commercials. Geist met with Student Government to introduce herself and offer her support. In response, the Student Government general board members each introduced themself and their position. The Education Club began the address of formal external business with their week two of two funding request. The club requested funds for the upcoming Pennsylvania Department of Education Conference at the Hershey Lodge in Hershey, Pa. The conference will begin on Feb. 5 and end on Feb. 7. Students attending the conference will be given networking opportunities and insight from a variety of speakers. The Education Club requested a total of $1,300 for 11 undergraduate students to attend. The club has fundraised for their attendance at the conference with a bake sale, an apparel sale and other fundraising events. Student Government voted to allocate the full amount of $1,300. The senior nursing class was next to present their week two of two funding request for their yearly Nursing Ball. To plan and fund the event, two nursing clubs are working together alongside their funding request from Student Government. The event has been historically held at the Mary Stegmaier Mansion, but the mansion is under new management and the ticket prices have increased. The senior nursing class is requesting a total of $2,000 to lower the price of attendance of the event so all Nursing students will be financially able to participate. Student Government voted to allocate the full amount of $2,000. The Wilkes chapter of Nu Chi, Kappa Kappa Psi, presented their week one of two funding request for their Northeast District Convention. Kappa Kappa Psi shared its mission of being a diverse fraternity that creates a fellowship of brotherhood through music. The chapter has a five-hour community service requirement for all members, participates in club day, and plans to become more active during campus events. The chapter currently has 14 active members that held three fundraisers during the Fall 2024 semester. The chapter included that it is not a Student Government recognized club because it is a part of a larger organization. Kappa Kappa Psi is requesting a total of $1,300 for its attendance at the Northeast District Convention. Students in attendance will be able to meet other chapters during the three-day convention in Harrisburg, Pa. At the last convention, Kappa Kappa Psi won six achievements and awards. Kappa Kappa Psi will return to the next Student Government meeting to present their week two of two funding request. The last official business presentation was the Spring Fling planning committee’s week one of two funding request. Spring Fling is an event similar to an informal prom during the spring season. The event will be held at the Mary Stegmaier Mansion, and it will include food, drinks and themed decorations. The semi-formal event will have a hired DJ and semi-formal attire. The Spring Fling planning committee is requesting a total of $12,500 to fund the venue, food, drinks, decorations and DJ. The committee will return to the next Student Government meeting for their week two of two funding request. To conclude the meeting, the Student Government general board separated into their assigned committees to collectively plan upcoming Student Government-sponsored events. be found at www.community.wilkes.edu/ alumnischolarship the conclusion of the Fall 2025 semester. For more information contact Stacy Mullen, at stacy.mullen@wilkes.edu Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Andrew Marshallsay Wilkes Alumni Scholarship Applications are now open for the 2025 Wilkes University Alumni Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded to a current Wilkes undergraduate student who has a parent or grandparent that graduated from Wilkes. The deadline to apply for the award is March 17, 2025. More information can E-Mentor Applications The Office of Student Development is now accepting applications for e-Mentors for the summer orientation and the Fall 2025 semester. An e-Mentor is a full-time student at Wilkes that supports new students starting during summer orientation and ends after Spring Intramural Sports Spring Intramural sports will begin in early March. Registration is now open for basketball, flag football, indoor soccer and volleyball. The deadline to register is March 5. Games will begin shortly after spring break. Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Upcoming Events: Fall 2024/Spring 2025 February 6 - Scavenger Hunt 6 - First Farewell 7 - Commuter Council Karaoke 13 - Cupid's Carnival 19 - FAFSA Virtual Completion Workshop Want your event featured in the calendar? Email: leah.smith1@wilkes.edu �The Beacon - February 5, 2025 News 3 All the executive orders President Trump has signed so far By Shawn Carey Asst. Opinion Editor �� ¡�� ¢� �� £��¤��¥��¤�� ¦�� £�� §� �� £��¢��¥�� ¤�� £�� ¦�� §� �� The Beacon - February 5, 2025 News 4 That's So Honors: Honors abroad trip to London By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer Over winter break, the Wilkes University Honors program took a weeklong trip to London. Professor Jen McLaughlin, assistant director of the Honors & Scholars Program, has previously led honors students on both domestic and international trips. She and Dr. Jonathan Kuiken, program director, chose this location very purposefully. “We wanted to make a trip where we were really immersed in one location, and absorbed as much culture as possible,” McLaughlin said. “It was a nice change of pace from our other trips we have taken, which pop around a bit more.” Though honors students spent each night in London, they ventured outside the city during the trip as well, exploring both Bath and Oxford. Gabbie Moore, a senior political science major, said that she had always wanted to go to London. “It has been a huge dream of mine and it was something I never thought I would be able to do,” Moore said. In the first week of the year, honors students packed their bags and took to the skies for a trip essential to character development, cultural awareness and community building. Other than the cultural and educational value, the honors trips provide an opportunity for honors students to bond, both across their cohorts and with the directors, starting before the trip even begins. Before a major honors abroad trip, Honors students and advisers in the U.K. students and chaperones meet several times throughout the semester, ensuring students are knowledgeable about geography, history and culture before they embark. Moore, who has previously taken service trips with the Bonner Leaders, said that the meetings helped them feel less awkward about traveling together. “By the time a trip abroad is over, all of the students and Dr. Kuiken and myself are all very close, and it is a special type of bonding that occurs,” McLaughlin said. Sydney Farmer, a senior nursing major, has previously gone on service trips with the Honors Program. “I just enjoyed being able to make memories with fellow honors students alongside Dr. K and Jen,” Farmer said. “Everyone on the London trip were different majors and cohorts, so it was nice to engage with like-minded individuals. "I would say we all got close, which was awesome to build more friendships.” The Honors program went to so many cultural attractions that it was difficult to pick a favorite. Some favorites included the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Oxford and Bath. Farmer, in particular, enjoyed Oxford, as well as the opportunity to step out of her comfort zone and gain more cultural awareness. Moore added that another unique experience was seeing the locations where some iconic films and TV are shot, like Harry Potter, Wonka and Bridgerton. McLaughlin said she loved watching her students experience the world. “When they get excited and their eyes light up, that is really the world to me,” McLaughlin said. “I will never tire of the look on their faces when they see a new country or try a new food. "I love seeing them get outside of the known and enter the unknown.” Students bonded with each other and their professors, illuminating the community feel that is so prevalent within the Honors program. This was a great experience for students to bond outside of their cohorts. Because the spots for the trip are chosen by random lottery, students don’t usually know everyone before they go on the trip, but they certainly do afterwards. Cross-cultural exchange is essential in a globalized world. Even on campus, students are engaging in a cultural exchange, with students from different states and countries. Experiencing this for yourself can be an amazing exercise in challenging yourself, while enjoying the culture of a different place and people. “The world and all its cultures and countries help shape people into well-rounded leaders,” McLaughlin said. “If one never sees other countries or goes somewhere where they barely speak the language, you're missing out on learning from people who think differently than you.” Moore, shared a similar sentiment, saying, “It is one thing to learn about different cultures and places in a classroom, but it is a whole other, incredibly beautiful, and curiosity-provoking experience traveling to the place you are learning about and seeing it with your own eyes.” Farmer shared a different perspective, echoing the importance of travel in a STEMbased major. “As nurses, we care for patients holistically, meaning, the inclusion of religion, culture, and beliefs,” Farmer said. “We believe that it is important to take everything into consideration to personalize care and ultimately create the best plan of care for the patient. With that being said, being able to experience another culture allows for cultural awareness to occur.” Jumping across the pond can be like jumping into another world, but students feel more well-rounded after taking the trip. The trip, chaperoned by Dr. Kuiken and Professor McLaughlin, is one of a series of Honors-led trips taking students to places with educational or cultural value. The next Honors Abroad trip will take students to Italy in Summer 2025. To keep up, or see footage from the London trip, go to @wilkeshonors on Instagram. Photos courtesy of Gabbie Moore and Sydney Farmer Honors students, Brynn Marlow and Sydney Farmer, in front of the London Eye. �The Beacon - February 5, 2025 News 5 Democrats club and Honors students volunteer at Ruth's Place Leah Smith News Editor On Feb. 1, members of the Wilkes University College Democrats and Honors students volunteered to cook and serve breakfast at Ruth’s Place shelter for women. The members and students gathered ingredients and prepared breakfast around 9:30 a.m. and provided residents with pancakes, eggs and bacon. This volunteering opportunity allowed students to hone their cooking and kitchen etiquette skills, as well as have a chance to interact with residents who appreciated seeing Wilkes students at the shelter providing for them. Ariaya Brown, an environmental science major and member of the College Democrats, said that she was more than happy to help with the morning’s preparations. “It’s always good to help people out and it makes me feel good to help others,” Brown said. “People really need that nowadays.” The shelter is provided by the Pennsylvania branch of Volunteers of America and opened its doors in 2003. Ruth’s Place is a 24/7 shelter for homeless women that provides not only a place to sleep but also to shape opportunities and life skills. The residents of Ruth’s Place have access to the Internet, laundry and other amenities to aid them in their journey of finding jobs and a home for themselves. Dawn is a resident who stayed at Ruth’s Place during the COVID-19 pandemic. She said that the shelter helps her with everything she needs. “I’m having a very good experience and appreciate all of the help from today,” Dawn said. She added that from living in the shelter, she has had success in landing a job interview at Burlington Coat Factory. After they made breakfast, the students helped wash dishes and clean up the kitchen area. It was a pleasant experience Democrats club treasurer Jason Oshman holding a plate of pancakes. Wilkes University College Democrats and Honors students volunteer at Ruth's Place shelter for women. for everyone involved, and the residents of Ruth’s Place stated their hopes for Wilkes students or any more volunteers to come in the future. For more information about Ruth’s Place, look into their website on the www. voapa.org/ruths-place/. Photos courtesy of Jace Hynick �The Beacon - Feburary 5, 2025 News 6 Student Government hosts Club Day 2.0 in the MAC By Shannon Slominski Photographer Brennan Reiner talks to a student about the Wilkes Berries, the Wilkes ultimate frisbee team. Megan Novak, Haley Zapolski and Jacob O'Boyle display butterﬂies, books and a poster at the Ecology Club table. Yeremin Castillo Santana informs attendees about the Student Organization of Latinos (SOL). Cheerleaders Maddie Yohey, Katie Yohey, Shauna Evancavich, and Kailee Mitchell perform a cheer stunt at Club Day 2.0. Esports Manager Robert Eskra, joined by Esports team members, explains Wilkes' Esports opportunities. �The Beacon - February 5, 2025 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact editor-in-chief Sydney Allabaugh at sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu Lunar New Year celebrated with food and crafts By Natalia Williams Staff Writer On Jan. 29, the International Student Ambassadors, Multicultural Student Coalition and the Office of Student Engagement hosted a Lunar New Year celebration. Lunar New Year celebrates the beginning of the new year on the lunisolar calendar and the arrival of spring. It is an important holiday in China, but it is also celebrated in Vietnam, South Korea, and other countries with a large Chinese population. Each year there is a new animal that represents the new year. Every 12 years the animals repeat in a cycle. The 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac calendar include the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. 2025 is the year of the snake, which represents transformation and new beginnings. Hosting events like these is important for the Wilkes community to get exposed to other cultures. Samantha Gonzalez was one of the Lunar New Year Celebration participants to make a lantern during the event. “It is important to spread and represent different cultures across campus so students feel like they are heard. It’s also good because it helps our campus become more diverse and more inclusive,” said Shanelly Hinds, and MSC member. Hosted in the JPAC students that attended the event were offered food like lo mein, sweet and sour chicken and spring rolls. There were also a variety of Asian snacks available. In addition to the snacks and food, students were able to enjoy a variety of hot tea. On the final day of Lunar New Year, lantern festivals are a tradition. To honor this, attendees were given the opportunity to create their own lanterns. With easy instructions, they were able to make colorful lanterns and could decorate them however they wanted. A lot of research went into this event to make sure the tradition is represented correctly. “We did a lot of research and the international students helped a lot.” Shanelly said. Photos by Natalia Williams At top, attendees line up to taste foods and make crafts in honor of Lunar New Year. Bottom, paper lanterns could be made in a variety of colors. �The Beacon - February 5, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment Sydney Allabaugh: 8 Sam Mullen: EoO - Bad Bunny DENIAL IS A RIVER - Doechii Leah Smith: Adam Grundt: Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle) - Limp Bizkit I’m The Problem - Morgan Wallen Andrew Marshallsay: Zach Paraway: Sailing - Christopher Cross Shawn Carey: Scram! - Jeﬀ Rosenstock It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over Lenny Kravitz Brady Melovitz: Hysteria - Def Leppard Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staﬀ picks their favorite song of the week. Check out this week’s bops! �The Beacon – February 5, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment 9 Black History Month begins with Pan African flag raising, events to be held throughout month Have an event you want covered? Let The Beacon know WHEN and WHERE and we’ll do our best to be there! Email sydney.allabaugh@ wilkes.edu �The Beacon – February 5, 2025 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 �The Beacon - February 5, 2025 11 Life, Arts & Entertainment E B G R G C B B B O P R R L D D J I G K E J I X L S H P F D J O F O V X U E T I W O J S K R A P A S O R N J M I E E B N F A F W Y Y P H Q G E H I S T O R Y L S 1. freedom 2. equality 8. dream 9. empower R V X I S T W X H G R I F R W O N S C P Bla Black ack History Mo Month onth E E D O M Z A D R E B U X R X P K I C I M U E H K B M P Z C P B X I G E A Q D I A H A R E C R Y R V Q I Y E O I T E Y I O Z X W M T I J H L X L A O E S N A K R M V I P R U L C X I D R A M Z J U K W G C F Z E R P T I V H O W R W J S H E K T M Z P H M R E R K S M L E A D E R O R G U W A W K O K B X V N N L K J P I I N M I N S I N Y N N H P T D J Q O Y G S W I Y N M H J N J O J P I R E S W Q R N M K 3. justice 4. civil rights 10. rosa parks A J F F A C T I V I S T P A D Y K P H X 5. activist 11. jackie robinson 14. martin luther king jr community 15. co ommunity M J K E G A R U O C S J A T K Y B Q Y O T E Q J F E Q U A L I T Y R E V U G Z I U V F N Q N R K D Q Y T B B S K P N I S B S Q M E G P Z R X W X O P C O E W E J 6. leader 7. courage 12. history 13. inspire �The Beacon - February 5, 2025 PROGRAMMING BOARD’S Photos by: Shannon Slominski �The Beacon - February 5, 2025 �The Beacon - February 5, 2025 Opinion Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact assistant opinion editors: shawn.carey1@wilkes.edu or logan.colonna@wilkes.edu. Editorial Staff 2024-25 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Sydney Allabaugh Social Media Manager - Megan Davis Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Leah Smith Sports - Zach Paraway ASSISTANT EDITORS News - Andrew Marshallsay Opinion - Logan Colonna Opinion - Shawn Carey Sports - Adam Grundt Sports - Sam Mullen DESIGNERS Head Designer - Lara Mullen Designer - Carol Stratford Layout Designer - Brady Melovitz Photographer - Shannon Slominski SECTION STAFF WRITERS News - Kayla Bicskei LA&E - Natalia Williams Opinion - “Freeze” Sports - Ava Tureen Sports - Lexi McHugh 141 S. Main Street Clayton and Theresa Karambelas Media & Communication Center Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 Phone - (570) 408-5903 www.thewilkesbeacon.com Want to advertise in The Beacon? Contact: Kalen Churcher at kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or Sydney Allabaugh at sydney. allabaugh@wilkes.edu. The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. The Oscars finally recognizes horror films For the past few years, it seemed that the Oscars overlooked movies in the horror genre. It has been an occurrence that many horror fans have noticed and have argued about for a while. It has been argued that perhaps the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences do not take the horror genre seriously nor do they deem the genre worthy enough for an award. Films such as “Hereditary,” “Nope” and “Pearl” are huge fan-favorite horror films that fans hope would receive at least one Oscar nomination. The last time a horror movie was nominated for any Oscar award was in 2017 when Jordan Peele’s directorial debut, “Get Out” was nominated for best original screenplay, directing and best actor. The film won best original screenplay, making it Peele’s first Oscar win. After years of waiting, the horror community’s wish came true at last when this year’s Oscar nominations list came out on Jan. 23. The deliciously dark reimagining of “Nosferatu” by Robert Eggers received four nominations, and the body horror masterpiece “The Substance” by French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat received five nominations, including best director and best picture. This is a massive win for the horror genre because not only are two heavy hitters of that genre receiving their well-deserved accolades, but this also means that the Academy is finally giving its kudos to the modern-day horror genre. The Oscars have given horror its due diligence before, such as with the aforementioned, “Get Out” as well as “The Exorcist,” which was nominated for ten Oscars. “Jaws,” “Rosemary’s Baby” and “The Silence of the Lambs” also won best picture in their respective years. So, it is not like the Academy does not like horror movies as a genre. It just seems that the Academy may not enjoy what these modern horror films have to offer in terms of its content or that they are not what the typical Academy member is looking for in a film. Despite this, it is a pleasant surprise to see that both “Nosferatu” and “The Substance” have been nominated in their respective categories. “Nosferatu” is nominated for cinematography, production design, makeup and hairstyling and costume design. All of these are highly deserved since Eggers’ take on the classic vampiric tale tackles its dark romantic themes in such an ethereal and dream-like way. The gothic European setting is breathtaking and the costumes look like they are straight out from the time period. Of course, Bill Skarsgard’s design as Count Orlok is outstanding. He is both creepy and unrecognizable. “The Substance” has been nominated for best picture, best director, best actress, original screenplay and makeup and hairstyling. This film being nominated means so much because not only is it from an independent studio, but the movie’s themes and content are executed effortlessly. Demi Moore receiving her first Oscar nomination after working decades as an actress is wonderful to see and extremely deserved for her role as Elisabeth in this movie. The film is directed in a way that expresses through so much emotion and many angles how one views and defines what is beautiful and what is hideous, which amplifies the movie’s story about aging and societal beauty standards. These two films being nominated is a big win for horror and is a hopeful sign that there will be more horror movie nominations in the future. Letter to the editor policy: The Beacon welcomes letters to the editor from differing viewpoints. Letters must contain contact information, including name, city, state and phone number. Phone numbers will not be published but may be used for verification purposes. All letters to the editor must be sent using one of the following methods: Email: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu Phone: (570) 408-5903 (Voicemail: 30 seconds or less, please.) Mail: 84 West South Street, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766 Attn: The Beacon �The Beacon - February 5, 2025 Opinion 15 The Icebox: A review of the hero-shooter game “Marvel Rivals” By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer Skip the questions because you absolutely need to play this game. I was blown away the first time I played “Marvel Rivals,” and since then, I have been enjoying it almost every single day. Unlike other games of its category, it’s actually super fun. As some of you may know, I am not a fan of online-pvp-shooters. However, “Marvel Rivals” takes only the good parts of the genre and smashes them together with their own unique style. If you are familiar with Marvel-based video games, you will notice a common theme with the soundtrack, user interface, art styles and gameplay mechanics. “Marvel Rivals” pretty much incorporates the Marvel theme while including even more unique elements to separate it from the rest of Marvel media. This includes the art style and appearance of all the heroes in the game and some of their identities. Now to explain what “Marvel Rivals” actually is... have you ever played “Overwatch?” If you’ve heard of it then you might know that many people think negatively of such a game, as it is full of toxic players and microtransactions. However, “Marvel Rivals” became the sanctuary for “Overwatch” refugees to escape and enjoy their life as gamers once again. In this 6-vs6 hero shooter, you can leap into battle as various Marvel heroes and villains to complete a given objective. In a team of six, each player has an important role to play. There are three categories to choose from: Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist. The Vanguard is essentially a tank. If you play a tank character, your job is to cover the front lines and block as much incoming damage as possible. You are also responsible for holding objectives, pressuring healers and creating diversions. The tank rarely is the star of the show, and yet a team cannot win without them. The next category is the Duelist, also known as the “damage per second” characters. These players are meant to get as many kills as possible by repeatedly damaging opponents and picking them off one by one. A lot of their abilities are aggressive or movementbased. People have mixed feelings about the Duelist category. Some players are selfish and only lock in as Duelists while avoiding teamwork and ignoring the balance of power in a team. Others are not skilled enough at Duelist but refuse to try more heroes and end up throwing the game. Many Duelist players, including the skilled ones, are arrogant and uncooperative. The unspoken rule is that you should assume that everyone wants to play Duelist by default. Finally, the Strategist category includes all of the healers. Their job is to stay in the back and heal their teammates and give them boosts in attack power, speed, health or general movement. Healers are extremely important to a team and can often double as Duelists in a match. Any match that is won is because the healer was there, backing up the rest of the force. There are a few game modes available, some of which are season-based. The quick match and ranked matches include capturing objectives, moving a payload or defending a site where a payload is being held. Players can also queue into matches against AI as a way of practicing and completing quests. Quests can be completed for rewards that go toward sprays, emotes, skins and avatar decorations. The season pass only costs $5 and does not expire if you pay a little extra for the premium season pass. This means even after the season is over, you can claim the rewards, as long as you purchased the premium pass. You may be wondering what characters you should try out when you first launch the game. The one thing I can tell you is that at this moment people can use the phrase “when everyone is overpowered, no one is.” Pretty much every hero has something really good about them and it’s only a matter of learning what that tool is. If you couldn’t guess, I am a Venom main. I also play both Peni Parker and Luna Snow as secondaries. I have yet to decide upon a Duelist main. I encourage you to find yourself a main in each category as well. You will have more fun by switching it up and adapting to your team, trust me. Before his solo career, he started in the boyband Take That. After his time in Take That, he soared to the top of the pop music genre in Europe and tons of other places around the world as well, but he never reached that level of fame here in the United States. Over winter break I was able to see the film, and to say I was shocked would be an understatement. In my personal rankings of all of the biopics I’ve seen so far, this one has definitely earned a spot in my top five. From the CGI monkey, to the way they told his story, I’ve never seen a film or biopic done like this before. Starting from the beginning, it started with your typical biopic flow. The film, of course, started when he was a little boy. We got a glimpse of his relationship with his father when he was a child, which throughout the film shows he is the inspiration for him wanting to become an entertainer. Then we get into his teenage years. We are shown the auditioning process for Take That and his ultimate rise to fame. In this part of the film, it highlights the start of his downfall with drugs and alcohol, which progressively got worse as he got older. For example, there is a scene where he is on tour with Take That and he is clearly high on drugs and doesn’t do well in the show. After being kicked out of Take That, he is now on his own and starts his journey to become a solo artist, which is the main chunk of the film. There is a lot that goes on in this era that I can talk on and on about, but here are some of the highlights. We are shown his first real relationship with Nicole Appleton, which was extremely rocky due to Williams’ addiction. We see him complete his dream of performing at Knebworth, recovering from his addiction, and finally making amends with dad for being absent and performing with him. The way they told some of the stories was very different from what I’ve seen. For example, throughout the film, he is shown struggling with himself internally, like his inner demons. There are parts in the film where he is performing, and he is looking out at the crowd and seeing versions of himself taunting him. I thought this was really cool because it showed viewers what was really going on in his head. Another example of this is in the scene of him performing at Knebworth. Toward the end there is a battle scene between himself that shows a ton of CGI monkeys from different points of his career that he ultimately fights off. I haven’t seen storytelling in the biopics I’ve seen, so I thought that was very neat and interesting to see. Another thing I thought was interesting was that they only covered his life from childhood to about the early 2000s. The ending scene is him performing at the Royal Albert Hall and that was in 2001. It would’ve been really cool to see how his life is now. Since the movie only covered up to 2001-ish, it didn’t show anything about his family now. He explained in his Netflix docuseries that his wife changed his life for the better, so I am shocked she didn’t make an appearance. Overall, I 10/10 recommend this film. The storytelling and the uniqueness of the film is something I believe is 100 percent worth your time and attention. “Better Man” review: The Robbie Williams biopic is worthwhile By Natalia Williams Life, Arts and Entertainment Staff Writer On Jan. 17, the biopic “Better Man” about British pop star Robbie Williams was released, and in my opinion, the film was shockingly amazing. The film follows the life of Williams from when he was a kid to about the middle of his career. The biopic was done very differently, however. Williams is played as a CGI monkey. At first I was very confused as to why he was being portrayed as a monkey, but after researching and watching multiple interviews, both Williams and the director, Michael Gracey, explained it was to engage the audience in a more unique way, which I think worked really well. I personally knew who Williams was due to my extensive knowledge of boy bands and pop stars from the U.K., but for those who aren’t sure who he is, Williams is ultimately one of the biggest artists the U.K. has seen. He holds multiple records and sold millions of albums. �The Beacon - February 5, 2025 Opinion 16 The underqualified Trump admin and the meritocracy myth It’s time to stop baselessly demonizing DEI initiatives By Sydney Allabaugh Editor-in-Chief When Donald Trump was first elected in 2016, he was the only president in recent history who had no political or military experience before entering the White House. Now, during his second term, he has already enacted executive orders ditching Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs in favor of a “meritocracy,” while simultaneously appointing some of the most underqualified Cabinet members in recent history. During his first day in office, Trump implemented an executive order titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Program and Preferencing,” which intends to terminate all federal DEI, DEIA and “environmental justice” offices and positions. In another executive order titled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,” the White House condemned the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for inspiring decades of “dangerous, demeaning, and immoral race- and sex-based preferences under the guise of so-called ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’.” The order argues that DEI policies “undermine the traditional American values of hard work, excellence, and individual achievement in favor of an unlawful, corrosive, and pernicious identity-based spoils system.” Meanwhile, the Senate confirmed Trump-appointed Pete Hegseth, a National Guard veteran and Fox News host, as defense secretary in an unusual 51-50 vote. Hegseth, who, according to his confirmation hearings, faces allegations of sexual misconduct and intoxication in the workplace, has no senior military, national security, or government experience and has the least overall military experience of any defense secretary in recent history. He replaces retired four-star General Lloyd Austin, the first Black Secretary of Defense, who served in the military for 41 years and is the recipient of a Silver Star. Other Cabinet picks include antivaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has spread unscientific health misinformation, to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Trump-ally Kristi Noem, who has little national security experience, to lead the Department of Homeland Security. Various national security officials and political analysts argue Trump’s picks were selected based on friendship and loyalty rather than qualifications or merit. This can arguably be considered an example of a true “identity-based spoils system,” not a merit system. Despite Trump’s claims that regulatory hiring initiatives, like DEI programs, prevent a meritocracy, his administration, at best, demonstrates that a meritocracy cannot exist without regulation, and at worst, reveals that efforts to prioritize merit were a disingenuous ploy to allow and encourage intentional widespread discrimination. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a “meritocracy” is a system in which those moved into positions of success, power and influence based on demonstrated abilities. Despite contradictory claims, meritocracy and DEI programs are not in opposition. DEI programs intend to ensure fair treatment during the hiring and promotion process and that qualified members of certain identities are not discounted based on identity. These programs also provide additional support for marginalized groups, like flexible schedules for parents or accommodations for people with disabilities. Some DEI initiatives are somewhat flawed in the execution as some programs fail to adequately address implicit bias, whether that be due to employers’ or employees’ unwillingness to challenge their beliefs or an insufficient budget that prevents the creation of meaningful change. However, the Trump administration and its supporters do not commonly cite these flaws when condemning DEI programs. Instead, among these groups, the term “DEI” has almost become code for “undeserving minority,” even when a candidate is qualified, and the values of diversity, equity and inclusion have become entirely demonized. For example, former Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee in the 2024 election, was called a “DEI candidate” by some Republicans because she was a Black woman, despite Harris having decades of political experience in all three branches of government. As previously noted, Trump had no political experience when he was first elected. On the Shawn Ryan Show podcast, Hegseth also disregarded merit when he claimed that he will fire top generals solely based on involvement in any “DEI-woke s---.” DEI was to blame, once again, for the California wildfires and the recent D.C. plane crash, somehow. When Trump was asked why he concluded diversity contributed to the crash, he said, “Because I have common sense.” With an underqualified presidential administration that spews baseless anti-diversity rhetoric, it becomes obvious that anti-DEI initiatives are not intended to restore “values of hard work, excellence, and individual achievement” but to create a culture in which identity-based discrimination is the norm and power is only given to those who oblige. �The Beacon - February 5, 2025 Opinion 17 The importance of art during these next four years By Shawn Carey Asst. Opinion Editor As an aspiring author, I often find myself attending writing-related events, whether that be workshops, classes, discussions, etc. Over winter break I attended one of Barnes & Noble “Midday Mystery Events,” a series of discussions featuring popular horror and mystery authors. The particular discussion I attended was focused around Clay McLeod Chapman’s newest novel “Wake Up and Open Your Eyes,” featuring the author himself. Much like Chapman’s other works, “Wake Up and Open Your Eyes” is fairly political. One of the core themes of the book is the dangers of radicalization and the helplessness so many of us feel as our elders slip down dangerous fascism-lace rabbit holes. Ones that we cannot pull them out of. A Q&A was held during the latter half of the discussion, and unsurprisingly, the questions asked were fairly political. Most of the questions were pretty straightforward. “What events inspired you?” “Thoughts on the election?” “How much of the story was based on personal experiences?” Out of all of the questions asked, there was only really one that really stood out to me. “How will the next four years affect the publishing industry?” Clay told the audience member that he believes that we’ll see many new writers in the coming years. Writers influenced by our current political environment. While I agree with him, I believe that there’s more to it. This goes far beyond just publishing. How will art as a whole be affected? Now, I know, that’s a big question. I’m not a psychic. I can’t see the future. I don’t know for sure how things will change. I do, however, have some opinions on the subject. Before I begin, I want to get something out of the way. All art is political. Every art project holds some political concern to a degree. To be an artist means to transfer everything that you are into your work. Even if you consider of political cartoons, punk bands came out of retirement to do songs, TV shows were parodying him. Honestly, he was a bit of a punching bag. yourself to be unpolitical, this in of itself is still a political statement. The simple action of educating yourself is political. Something doesn’t have to be overly political to be political. I’ll return to this point later. I believe that we’ll be seeing more of what we consider traditional political angst. Street art, punk music, modernist writing, all that good stuff. I don’t think this comes as a big surprise. We saw an increase in political art just a few short years ago during Donald Trump’s first term. There were hundreds I believe that Trump will once again be the main topic of protest. However, I believe that the manner is going to be taken more seriously. Less jokes about his tanned skin and tiny hands, and a greater focus on his followers and ideals. With that being said, I do still believe that Trump is going to be the butt of many jokes. He has always been an extremely unserious person. He’s not exactly a beacon of hope. I also believe that we’ll see an increase in creative works from marginalized groups. People of color, women, LGBTQ+, low-income individuals, those with disabilities, and so on. Many of the orders Trump has signed during his short time in office have proved to be harmful to said groups. For example, he recently signed a bill limiting access to gender-affirming care for transgender individuals less than 19 years old. Where there is oppression, there’s a story. Art is based on pain. I could see creatives wanting to share their personal feelings and experiences with a wide audience, a vast majority of which are most likely going through the same issues. America has a long history of “dark ages.” Most of which were created by the elite. The Gilded Era, The Great Depression, The Civil War, and so on. I would hate to sow fear but I see us entering another one of these dark ages soon. With that being said, there is a light. Every dark age is followed by an explosion of art. The Modernist Movement, The Harlem Renaissance, Regionalism. There’s alway a light at the end of a dark tunnel. Which goes back to what I said earlier. All art is political. No matter how hopeless things appear to be, there will always be people creating. The people in power want to be as obedient as possible, listening to everything they have to say. When we create art we create our own voices. No matter how insignificant it seems. The next four years are going to be difficult. There’s no way around it. However, it’s something that we can get through. Art inspires us. It makes us think, which is what they’re afraid of the most. As long as there’s people creating, there’s still hope for the future. Graphic by Carol Stratford �The Beacon - Feburary 5, 2025 Opinion 18 A review of Mac Miller's posthumous album "Balloonerism" An analysis of performance, features, production, replayability By Logan Colonna Asst. Opinion Editor Coming five long years after his first posthumous album, Mac Miller’s “Balloonerism” is finally here. As some background knowledge on this project: Mac worked on it in 2014, but it was ultimately shelved for other releases. While he never released it on his own accord, the album was near and dear to his heart. Eleven years following the making of the album, we, as listeners, finally have it on streaming services. If you’re new to my reviews, I dive into certain areas of projects, like the artist’s performance, the features of the album, the overall production and the replayability of the album, in order to give the album an accurate score. Lastly, this is all my opinion. I may like or dislike the album more than you do, and that’s okay. I’m starting this off with Mac’s performance throughout the record. First, I’d like to point out a few of my favorite songs and showcase them all. First, “5 Dollar Pony Rides.” This track was the lead single for the project, and people were somewhat divided on it. Some loved it while others weren’t crazy about it. The main cause of this divide is the outro of the song. In the outro, Mac just kind of rambles, but I like it because of the way it sounds. He makes stupid things like that sound good for whatever reason. Besides that, the vibe he brings to the track overall is also a nice addition. For any of these tracks, the rapping isn’t out of the ordinary, but it’s simple, which is much needed from time to time especially in the present. Next, my favorite track, “Funny Papers.” All throughout the track, Mac layers his vocals on top of each other, and I am quite the fan of it. It makes the track sound hallucinating, which is quite a “Mac Miller” thing to do. His vocals are also so calming, which yet again is a thing I welcome into my life after listening to hard rap my whole life. Finally, we have a guilty pleasure of mine. When it comes to rap nowadays, I love anything that’s slightly experimental. With that being said, we get Mac’s alter-ego, Delusional Thomas, on the track. Essentially, he’s the voice inside of Mac’s head. With that, we get high-pitched vocals throughout the entire song. Something about it Mac. “DJ’s Chord Organ” is much less of a SZA feature and more of her song, but her inclusion on it is beautiful. Per usual, SZA delivers with her vocals when going through her verse. The track as a whole is a nice song to get the listener prepped for what they’re about to hear for the rest of the project. scratches my brain the right way. I say this song is a guilty pleasure of mine because the content matter isn’t the greatest. Just about every single line has something obscene about it. Just from these few tracks, it’s apparent that Mac showcased some of his better work here, as I liked just about everything that showed up in the project. Next, we have a much shorter section as we talk about the features. The only features on the album are SZA and Dylan Reynolds (I’m not including Delusional Thomas here because it’s literally just Dylan Reynolds doesn’t offer all too much for his feature. He does the chorus on “Manakins,” but it is somewhat hard to pick out since Mac layers his vocals on top of it as well. Regardless, it’s a nice inclusion to the track. The chorus definitely brings it all together. Both features bring positive notes to the album and are great additions in my opinion. I'll admit, there is not all that much to say regarding the production of the project. There are a few standout tracks per usual but nothing that is extraordinary. For starters, I love the instrumental from “Transformations.” It’s very sinister in nature, and I can tell the exact vibe that Mac was trying to attain with it. Instrument-wise, only a piano is played. The keys are played in a descending order to create a villainous vibe. Next, we have “Manakins.” Throughout the whole track, there is a harp constantly being strum to create quite the instrumental for the track. Besides that, you have the usual upbeat sounding production that Mac used in this era. Lastly, I really enjoyed the instrumental from “Funny Papers.” Yet again, a piano alongside other instruments are used here to create a chill beat that nearly puts a tear in my eye. Overall, while it’s not the greatest thing known to man, I still greatly appreciate the production we received on the album. Since the project as a whole is slightly experimental, in regards to present day rap, I see the album as a whole to be very replayable. Even after a few listens of the album, I’m still finding new things to rave over in each track. The track list is not bloated whatsoever as well. Clocking in at just under an hour with 14 tracks is not long in this day and age. With that, I find it no problem to revisit the album and still be encapsulated during the entire run time. Because of that, I find the project’s replayability to be great. My only complaint is that the run time can be slightly shorter, but it’s not a pain to get through anyways. Overall, this album is one of the better Mac Miller projects. Through the short but great list of features, to the simple vocals that Mac lays on each track, I adore this album from front to back. There are a few things here and there that bring the record down, but besides that, the album is great. With that, I give Mac Miller’s “Balloonerism” an 8 out of 10. Graphic by Carol Stratford �The Beacon - February 5, 2025 Sports 19 Sports Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: zachary.paraway@wilkes.edu Wilkes University winter sports catch up and recap By Zachary Paraway Sports Editor �� ¡��¢�� £�� £�� ¢� �� ¢�� ¡�� ¢�� Photo by Andrew Marshallsay Jr. Lucus Lesko and Sr. Cayden Merriﬁeld both celebrate reaching the 1000 point milestone in their win against Elizebethtown. �The Beacon - February 5, 2025 Sports 20 �The Beacon - February 5, 2025 Sports 21 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins: Mid-season recap By Andrew Marshallsay News Asst. Editor With the 2024-25 AHL season past its midway point, the standings are ever changing, and newcomers are making a name for themselves. Here at home, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are making this season one to remember. The boys in Black and Gold are looking to make the playoffs for the second consecutive season, which would be their first back-toback playoff appearance since 2018. Led by a new head coach in Kirk MacDonald, the team is looking to make it to the Calder Cup Playoffs for the second consecutive season and the first time since 2018. MacDonald took over head coaching duties after the Penguins decided against resigning former head coach J.D. Forrest. Led by a group of newcomers, the offensive side of the game has been highly successful. Boasting one of the youngest forward cores in the American Hockey League, the Penguins have seen high-flying efforts from Emil Bemstrom, Vasily Ponomarev, Boris Katchuk, as well as rookies Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen. All five players mentioned have registered hat tricks and multiple multi-point games this season. In total, the Penguins have scored seven hat tricks, marking a new franchise record for most in a season. During the Jan. 29 win against the Hershey Bears, the Baby Pens also recorded two hat tricks in the same game for the first time in team history. Bemstrom leads the Penguins in points, as well as boasting the second best scoring totals in the league. Katchuk, who has emerged as one of the Penguins’ most important leaders at just 27 years old, is third on the team in scoring. Koivunen is second on the team in points, and leads all AHL rookies in scoring. Ponomarev is fourth on the team in scoring, while McGroarty is tied for fifth in team scoring. On the defensive side of the game, which has been a historically strong position for the team, the Penguins have another group of newcomers in Mac Hollowell, Filip Kral and Dan Renouf. Hollowell currently leads Penguins defensemen in points and games played, while Kral and Renouf are second and third in scoring among defensemen, respectively The Penguins’ goaltender room has seemed like a revolving door at times, but through it all, consistency has been the name of the game. Before being called back up to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Joel Blomqvist (64-2) boasted a 2.93 GAA and SV% of .912 before his second call up of the season. In his second stint of the season with WBS, Tristan Jarry (5-3-0) sits with a SV% of .913 and a GAA of 2.37. Rookie netminder Sergei Murashov is making a name for himself this season as well. After being called up to the AHL from the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers, Murashov has won every game in his young AHL career thus far. In five games, he has a perfect 5-0-0 record with a GAA of 1.60, a SV% of 0.947 and a shutout. He recorded his first career shutout in the 9-0 win over Hershey on Jan. 29. Filip Larsson (7-4-1) has been solid as well, but currently is on the injury report after being forced to exit the final game of the Penguins’ recent Canadian road trip. Larsson had a SV% of 0.929 and a 2.37 GAA before his injury. With the All Star Classic this year, the Penguins are represented by Bemstrom and defenseman Owen Pickering. Pickering has spent the most time in Pittsburgh this season, and is currently in his second stint with WBS this season. The Penguins return to play on Feb. 7 when they host the Bridgeport Islanders. Currently sitting in fourth place in the Atlantic Division, the Penguins currently sit with 52 points and nine points behind first-place Hershey. However, the Penguins have played the least amount of games in their division, giving them six games in hand over the Bears. �The Beacon - February 5, 2025 Sports Athlete of the Week 22 Nina Hudakova Freshman, Forward, Women's Ice Hockey The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Hudakova netted three goals on 10 shots in the weekend sweep of Alvernia. She opened her account on Friday, scoring the winning goal that sealed a 2-1 victory. In the 5-1 win on Saturday, Hudakova added two more on six shots. Major: Sports Management Hometown: Kosice, Slovakia What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? Beating our biggest rival in the conference Arcadia twice in a row. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? Washington Capitals What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Spending time with my family, friends and reading books. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? Being part of the team which is full of my best friends. If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Tennis What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Winning bronze medal at Youth Olympic Games with my National team in 2020 What is your favorite post-game meal? Caesar Salad How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? It's a huge honor and I'm really grateful for that, but it definitely wouldn't be possible without amazing support from my teammates and coaches. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? "Miracle" Compiled by Samantha Mullen, Asst. Sports Editor The Beacon//Samantha Mullen Editor’s note : Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor t s staff each week. At the e nd of the acade mic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw itte r @ Wilkes B eacon to c row n an “Athlete of the Year." �The Beacon February 5, 2025 Sports Athlete of the Week Cameron Butka Senior, Men’s Wrestling The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week Butka broke the Wilkes Wrestling record for career wins at the John Reese Duals, extending his win total to 123 with two wins and a forfeit victory against Scranton earlier in the week. Major: Bio-Chemistry Hometown: Scranton, Pa What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? My favorite wrestling memory was placing fourth at nationals last year. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? To be honest, I don’t really have a favorite sports team. If I had to choose, it would have to be the Wilkes University Colonels Wrestling Team. What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? My favorite things to do away from sports are to go to the gym and play video games. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? My favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes is being around my teammates, who are basically my second family. The Beacon/Sam Mullen What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? My favorite sports movie is “Happy Gilmore.” If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? If I wasn’t wrestling, I’d most likely be playing baseball. I have actually been a baseball player longer than I have been a wrestler. What has been your favorite sports memory overall? My favorite sports memory of all time was winning my quarter finals match at nationals last year to become an All-American. What is your favorite post-game meal? My favorite post match meal is penne vodka with chicken. How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? I am extremely grateful to be selected as the Beacon’s Athlete of the Week, and I take pride in representing the Wilkes University Wrestling Team. Compiled by Samantha Mullen, Assistant Sports Editor Editor’s note : Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor t s staff each week. At the e nd of the acade mic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw itte r @ Wilkes B eacon to c row n an “Athlete of the Year." 23 �24 The Beacon - Feburary 5, 2025 HOME // FEB. 5TH 8 PM VS UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON / LANDMARK FEB. 8TH 4 PM @ SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERISTY / LANDMARK HOME // FEB. 12TH 7 PM VS DREW UNIVERSITY HOME // FEB. 15TH 4 PM VS ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE (SENIOR DAY) FEB. 19TH 7 PM @ MORAVIAN UNIVERISTY / LANDMARK FEB. 22ND 4 PM @ GOUCHER COLLEGE / LANDMARK HOME // FEB. 8TH 3:30 PM VS ARCADIA UNIVERISTY (DIFD MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS GAME) / MAC HOME // FEB. 9TH 3:30 PM VS LEBANON VALLEY COLLEGE / MAC FEB. 14TH 7 PM @ KING’S COLLEGE (PA) / MAC FEB. 15TH 6 PM @ ALVERNIA UNIVERSITY / MAC FEB. 21ST 3:15 PM @ HOOD COLLEGE / MAC WILKES WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource This is Wilkes University's Beacon Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the Beacon's predecessors, The Bucknell Bison Stampede, 1934-1935 and The Bucknell Beacon, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>. Missing Issues: 1947 August 8th 1947 September 5th 1947 October 3rd 1947 October 17th 1947 October 31st 1947 November 21st 1947 December 19th 1948 September 9th 1950 April 28th 1953 April 10th 1962 February 2nd Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon, 2025 February 5 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communications Department Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2025 February 5 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/cbaa861fd54dc772ff9d9b985e928fc4.pdf 82e912ad9b32a0fcf9c6df175e202f25 PDF Text Text The Beacon - December 4, 2024 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 77, Issue 11 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” Are snow days a thing of the past? Students chime in. By Adam Grundt Asst. Sports Editor Ah, snow days. What used to be the highlight of our days in grade school, now receives mixed reviews from some students. As the years go by, folks seem to outgrow the snow day. Me? I don’t think I could ever. To me, there’s nothing like opening the curtain, seeing a foot of snow and laying around all day watching my favorite comfort show or playing video games. Now, after high school and the pandemic, there really is no such thing as a “snow day.” Since COVID-19 and the pandemic seemingly shifted everything virtual, online instruction has become more prevalent. Although it could be a safer option in the event of a snow day, some professors will often shift their instruction from in person to virtual, and teach the class over Zoom. Long story short, some instructors still give students the day off due to weather, others just shift the way they instruct. On Nov. 22, Wilkes University saw its first snowfall of the season, which led to a virtual closure. Photo by Sydney Allabaugh President Cant announces 2024 holiday card contest winner, page 5 The Sordoni Art Galley hosts “Bark at the Gallery,” page 10 A review of newly released “Wicked” and “Gladiator II,” page 16 ...SNOW DAYS cont. on p.12 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins interns reﬂect on experiences, page 20 �The Beacon - December 4, 2024 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Emma Broda: emma.broda@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: Nov. 20 weekly meeting By Kayla Bicskei News Staff Writer Student Government held its tenth weekly meeting of the Fall 2024 semester on Nov. 20. This meeting addressed funding requests, club reports, Club of the Month voting and the Casino Night event analysis. The Student Government treasurer began the meeting with an updated Student Government budget report of $8,200. The Multicultural Student Coalition followed the treasury report with their week two of two funding requests. The Multicultural Student Coalition works to bring together all students and provide education as well as experience with different cultures. The coalition is bringing five of its executive board members and 16 students to a 76ers basketball game. The coalition is currently working with a representative of the 76ers team to secure a total of 21 tickets to the game. The student trip will take place on Jan. 24 during the Spring 2025 semester and they will travel to the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa. For students who are interested in attending the trip, the Multicultural Student Coalition will be hosting a two-day scavenger hunt around campus. If a student finds a scavenger hunt item, they will be given the opportunity to attend the 76ers game. At the game, students will be given a glimpse into sports management careers as well as speaking with others at the game about diversity statistics and how to improve them. The Coalition is requesting a total of $1,080 to help fund the 21 tickets to the basketball game along with transportation costs. The Student Government voted to allocate the full $1,080 to the Multicultural Student Coalition for the trip. The next presentation was held by the Student Government president. She showed potential updates of Ross Hall for her week one of two funding requests. Ross Hall is currently under renovation to become a new building for clubs around campus to hold their supplies or host their meetings. Currently, the walls of the building are a bare white color, but the Student Government is working to cover the walls with Wilkes University themed murals and large stickers. The Student Government president is requesting a total of $1,200 for the updates to the walls of Ross Hall. She will return next week for her week two of two funding requests. The following item on the agenda was the nomination and voting for Club of the Month for November. Four clubs were nominated by Student Government General Board members. After the voting was completed, the Pre-Professional Health Society was declared as Club of the Month for November. The Casino Night event analysis was presented by a Student Government executive board member. The representative reported that all 200 hoodies were given away during the Tuesday pop-up giveaway and all 150 beanies were given away between the Ross Hall soft opening event and the Casino Night event. The representative along with the rest of Student Government discussed the Casino Night event and decided that there could have been some small improvements to the event but it was an overall success. The Student Government Executive Board reported that they reviewed and approved the club reports of the Chess Club, Space and Astronomy Club and Geo Explorers Club. Student Government did not meet for committee work this week and adjourned the meeting after their presentation of club reports. Student Government will meet for their last meeting of the Fall 2024 semester on Dec. 4. Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Beacon News Staff Peppermint Milkshake Giveaway Student Government’s Class of 2026 will give out free milkshakes on Dec. 5 from 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in the SUB. White Elephant Bingo Programming Board will host a white elephant bingo on Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. in the JPAC. Attendees who come dressed in their best winter pajamas will receive an extra bingo board. Movie/Game Night The first-year class will host a movie and game night on Dec. 6 from 6 to 9 pm. In the JPAC. Attendees can bring blankets, sip on hot chocolate, eat popcorn and relax before finals week. All attendees will also automatically be entered to win a door prize. Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Upcoming Events: Fall 2024/Spring 2025 December 5 - Peppermint Milkshake Giveaway 5 - White Elephant Bingo 6 - Movie/Game Night 9 - Parking Application Deadline 20 - Diploma Order Deadline January 14 - Welcome Back Giveaway 17 - MSC’s One World 23 - Council of the Clubs 28 - Club Day 2.0 Want your event featured in the calendar? Email: emma.broda@wilkes.edu �The Beacon - December 4, 2024 News 3 Post-election, what is next for the United States? Dr. Benjamin Toll, associate professor of political science explains By Emma Broda News Editor �� FOR MORE ELECTION COVERAGE, VISIT: WWW.THEWILKESBEACON.COM �The Beacon - December 4, 2024 News 4 Wilkes University GSA holds fundraiser at Barnes & Noble By Leah Smith Asst. Opinion Editor The Wilkes Gender and Sexuality Alliance recently held a fundraiser at the Wilkes-Barre Barnes and Noble located at Arena Plaza. Upon entering the building, GSA president Morgan Steiner handed out slips of paper that would honor the fundraiser after making a purchase from either the bookstore or Starbucks cafe. A portion of the proceeds would go to GSA after any purchase was made. Steiner was excited to hold this fundraiser and was inspired by the club’s faculty adviser, Helen Davis, who previously held a Barnes and Noble fundraiser for her child’s school. “We’re holding this fundraiser because we want to be able to do more things as a club," Steiner said. "We want to come up with more events." She added that she hoped people would want to read more after attending the event. With the paranoia of what the future holds for LGBTQ+ individuals, she hopes that many people can find something fun or something they would enjoy with potentially trying times ahead. Photos by Leah Smith GSA President Morgan Steiner holding up GSA fundraiser paper slips. My purchases to advocate for the GSA: the Fall 2024 edition of Fangoria magazine and the compact comic edition of "Harley Quinn & the Gotham City Sirens" by Paul Dini. �The Beacon - December 4, 2024 News 5 President Cant announces 2024 holiday card contest winner Maria Gonzalez reveals the inpiration for her winning design By Andrew Marshallsay News/Sports Staff Writer It may be hard to believe, but the fall semester is nearing its conclusion, meaning the holiday season is here. The start of the holiday season means it is time for a Wilkes University tradition: the holiday card contest. Last month, President Greg Cant announced that the fifth annual Wilkes holiday card contest would be held. The deadline to enter a submission was Nov. 18. Voting for the winning design was held until Nov. 20. When the contest began, it was announced that the winner would receive a gift pack that included gift cards for Amazon, Target and Starbucks, as well as some Wilkes swag. Cant announced the winner on his Instagram page on Nov. 25. The winner for the contest this year was Maria Gonzalez, a senior biochemistry student and international student from Panama. Gonzalez’ design featured a group of people around a campfire, including the statue of John Wilkes. The design is also accompanied by snow and a snowman. “With my little design, I wanted to illustrate how Wilkes, represented by the iconic John Wilkes statue, has played a special role in not only my life, but also in the lives of so many students,” Gonzalez said. Gonzalez cited her Wilkes community as inspiration for the contest winning design. “The faculty and staff, like the statue itself, have been an important part helping to brighten our days and guide us through our academic process,” she said. “I tried my best to create a design that reflected that support we receive and the sense of community that at least I have felt at Wilkes.” At right: Maria Gonzalez and Dr. Cant with the winning card design. Photo courtesy of Dr. Cant Coming up in 2025, Club Day 2.0 returns to campus By Brady Melovitz Layout Designer Club Day is an event where all clubs on campus gather in one place to recruit new members. However, what makes Club Day 2.0 in the spring different from its counterpart in the fall? The Student Government Executive President Nolee Ana Grabowski believes there really is only one key difference between both Club Days aside from where they are held. “The purpose of Club Day 2.0 is to allow any transfer students, students who just want to get involved or students who missed the opportunity to attend in the fall one more chance to see what our university has to offer with clubs,” Grabowski said. The Student Government Vice President Marytere Quintana-Avila believes that Club Day is also important just for the clubs to show off what they have to offer. “Club Day is the biggest opportunity where student leaders have the chance to showcase what their club is all about and highlight their passion and commitment and commitment to their organizations,” Quintana-Avila said. Nolee Ana said the event this year will be the first time where they will have pizza as the primary food option. While they didn’t say exactly where it's from, Quintana-Avila did provide a hint as to where; they will reveal that information when it becomes available. “No spoilers because you’ll have to wait and see what we have to offer on our @wilkessg instagram account, but what I will say is this year we are promoting two local small businesses from the Wyoming Valley Area,” she said. Unlike Club Day in the fall, Club Day 2.0 will not be held on the Greenway but instead will be held in the McHale Athletic Center. Last semester Club Day was host to over 40 different clubs on Campus. For those who are on the fence about Club Day 2.0, Quintana-Avila had advice for them to consider. “Definitely come out and check out what Club day 2.0 has to offer,” Quintana-Avila said. “It's an incredible way for students to learn about all the different ways they can participate in student life and grow as student leaders. We have lots of different organizations and if they don’t see a club that they want to join they can be inspired to start their own. "Club Day 2.0 is the perfect first step in getting involved on campus, and if all else fails it’s a great way to engwwwage with the campus community and meet some new people while eating free food!” For more information regarding this upcoming event, be on the lookout for posters around campus that will reveal more information about the event such as the date and time of Club Day 2.0. Also be sure to check out the Student Government Instagram at @wilkessg as more information will be made available on their social media in the upcoming weeks. �The Beacon - December 4, 2024 News 6 Merriment comes to doors throughout campus Students deck the halls, or at least their doors, and spread some holiday spirit Photos by Shannon Slominski Special to the Beacon �The Beacon - December 4, 2024 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Life, Arts & Entertainment assistant editor: anthony.cazun@wilkes.edu Wilkes theatre productions bring variety to the spring By Kailey Vogel Contributing Writer This spring semester, the Wilkes University Theatre Department will be putting on productions of the musical “Between the Lines,” by Timothy Allen McDonald, and the Shakespearean play, “As You Like It.” To start the semester off, the department will work on “Between the Lines,” a musical adaptation of the novel by the same name. The musical was written by Timothy Allen McDonald with the score and lyrics composed and written by Kate Anderson and Elyssa Samsel. This book was originally written by Jodi Picoult and covers a teenage girl, Delilah, who escapes her harsh reality at school through the comfort of literature, only to find that her favorite fairy tales are coming to life. Cally Williams, sophomore musical theatre major, expressed their enthusiasm for “Between The Lines.” “I’m excited that we’re featuring more shows by female playwrights,” Williams said. “There is also LGBTQ representation in the musical which I think is awesome and super important. In general though, it’s a super fun show. I like to describe it as ‘fairytales meet “Mean Girls.”’” As someone very interested in costuming, Williams said that they’re “excited to see how these shows are going to be costumed, especially with the fairytale and fantasy aspect of ‘Between the Lines.’” This musical will take place in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts from Feb. 20 through Feb. 23. Williams also shared their thoughts on the upcoming production of “As You Like It.” “It is of course an older show, written by William Shakespeare,” Williams said. “I’m also excited to do a Shakespeare show and work on it in an academic setting where I can explore the text and historical background,” they said. “As You Like It” will undergo its rehearsal process shortly after the closing of “Between The Lines.” This play subverts the traditional rules of romance. Gender roles, nature and politics are confused in a play that reflects on how confusing yet enjoyable life can be. Taking place in the late 16th century, the play follows the exile of Duke Senior into the Forest of Arden. His daughter, Rosalind is banished by Duke Fredrick not long after, causing her to leave with his daughter Celia. The cousins switch genders, disguising themselves as men, to go venture into the forest in search of Rosalind’s father. As more characters find themselves in the forest, Shakespeare utilizes all his elements of Romantic Comedy to deliver love, lessons and many laughs. This play will take place in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts from April 10 through April 13. Williams said they were, “excited to do two shows that are so drastically different.” All theater productions are free for Wilkes University students. If you are interested in auditioning for either show, auditions for “As You Like It” are being held on Dec. 4 and “Between the Lines” auditions are on Dec. 5. “Theatre also gives us a chance to share stories that aren’t often told,” Williams said. “Theatre can help us express important thoughts and topics to audiences.” For more information on how to get involved, contact Dr. Jon Liebetrau. �The Beacon - December 4, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment Sydney Allabaugh: 8 Sam Mullen: Thought I Was Dead Tyler, the Creator, ScHoolboy Q, Santigold Sounds of Someday - Radio Company Stephen Youkoski: Babydoll - Dominic Fike Waterloo - ABBA Megan Davis: Juna - Clairo Adam Grundt: Leah Smith: This Fire - Killswitch Engage Emma Broda Roman Holiday - Fontaines D.C. Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staﬀ picks their favorite song of the week. Check out this week’s bops! �The Beacon – December 4, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 9 The Wilkes University Counseling Center is located on the second floor of Passan Hall at 267 South Franklin Street across from the Arnaud C. Marts Sports and Conference Center. Students can schedule an appointment Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by contacting office assistant Laura Cease: 570-408-4100 laura.cease@wilkes.edu The Wilkes University Support Line 570-408CHAT (2428) is available 24/7 for any student crisis. In the event of an emergency, please contact Wilkes University Police Department at 570-408-4999 or 911. Graphic by Natalia Williams �The Beacon - December 4, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 The Sordoni Art Gallery hosts "Bark at the Gallery" SPCA of Luzerne County brings adoptable dogs By Kailey Vogel Contributing Writer On Nov. 21, students came to the Sordoni Art Gallery to pet adoptable dogs provided by SPCA of Luzerne County. Pictured: Ralph soaking up all the attention from students. Student Meghan Sandt, ﬁrst-year Neuroscience major, falls in love with dog at Sordoni’s Bark at the Gallery event. One dog, Bronson, enjoying his time at the Sordoni Art Gallery. Junior English major Sydney Ahrberg and 5-year-old puppy, Ralph, enjoying all the love from students during club hours. �I I E C H R I S TMA S T Y K J F4, 2024 E Z Z S A U R S Y The Beacon - Decemmber QU I D S L E I GH T AM S C X C L L Q G C ZWN I Word Search H A N U K K A H S O I T S COO K I E S Q E QN A T BWB R O V F H F M T C L I S T M A S TGNROL Z F D R E I D E L E Z S A U R S YI OE RO V L S Y I T N R A T E I G H T A MF EA NS T O C K I N G S U O Q G C Z W N IT LT AK H W L A Z Q O N S E A H S O I T SS CHMH R E I N D E E R X Y S Q E Q N A TT AX EW R J E L F H F F M I F H F M T C LBNE NL L S K W A N Z A A F R E I D E L EJ DU TX M K S N O W F L A K Y I T N R A T L C K I NG S UO E T snowﬂake A Z QSanta O NClaus S E I A Christmas reindeer N D Estockings E R X Y F T Hanukkah L F HKwanzaa F F M I V R dreidel mistletoe W A Ncandle Z A A F C E cookies sleigh N OW F L A K E E NO OLife, R Arts & Entertainment E N L A CM A E N N D T L C E T I A F T V R C E E E 11 Word Search Holiday Word Search HOLIDAY EDITION ornament winter snowﬂake bells reindeer elf mistletoe gifts sleigh noel wreath ® tree I I E C H R I S TMA S T Y K J F bells E Z Z S A U R S Y elf Q U I D giftsS L E I G H T A M S C X C noelL L Q G C Z W N I wreath tree H A N U K K A H S O I T S COO K I E S Q E QN A T BWB R O V F H F M T C L G R L Z F D R E I D E L E I E O V L S Y I T N R A T F A S T O C K I NG S UO T T K HW L A Z Q O N S E S HH R E I ND E E R X Y T XWR J E L F H F F M I B E L L S KWA N Z A A F J U X M K S N OW F L A K Build your own custom worksheet at education.com/worksheet-generator © 2007 - 2024 Education.com Answer Key: I I E C H R I S TMA S T Y K J F E Z Z S A U R S Y QU I D S L E I GH T AM S C X C L L Q G C ZWN I H A N U K K A H S O I T S COO K I E S Q E QN A T BWB R O V F H F M T C L G R L Z F D R E I D E L E I E O V L S Y I T N R A T F A S T O C K I NG S UO T T K HW L A Z Q O N S E S HH R E I ND E E R X Y T XWR J E L F H F F M I B E L L S KWA N Z A A F J U X M K S N OW F L A K N O E L C A N D L E I F V C E O R N A M E N T C T A T R E E Build your own custom worksheet at education.com/worksheet-generator © 2007 - 2024 Education.com N O E L C A N D L E I F V C E O R N A M E N T C T A T R E E ��The Beacon - December 4, 2024 Opinion Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact assistant opinion editors: leah.smith@wilkes.edu or logan.colonna@wilkes.edu. Editorial Staff 2024-25 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Sydney Allabaugh Managing Editor: Stephen Youkoski Social Media Manager - Megan Davis Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Emma Broda Sports - Zach Paraway ASSISTANT EDITORS Opinion - Logan Colonna Opinion - Leah Smith Sports - Adam Grundt Sports - Sam Mullen DESIGNERS Head Designer - Lara Mullen Designer - Laura De Lora Layout Designer - Brady Melovitz SECTION STAFF WRITERS News - Kayla Bicskei LA&E - Natalia Williams Opinion - Shawn Carey Opinion - “Freeze” Sports - Andrew Marshallsay Sports - Ava Tureen 141 S. Main Street Clayton and Theresa Karambelas Media & Communication Center Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 Phone - (570) 408-5903 www.thewilkesbeacon.com Want to advertise in The Beacon? Contact: Kalen Churcher at kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or Sydney Allabaugh at sydney. allabaugh@wilkes.edu. The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. Did college students forget how to read? It is more than likely that in recent years you may have noticed that your peers, or even yourself, are reading significantly less. Perhaps assigned readings seem like a daunting task in your busy life, or you have gotten used to relying on online resources to summarize things for you. Or maybe you just find yourself reading for pleasure far less than you did as a kid. What’s the big deal? The big deal is that this change in reading is an issue in and of itself, but it raises questions as to why this is happening. Luckily, to students feeling guilty about reading less, the blame is not all on you. One of the most obvious reasons for this change is the way technology has been introduced and encouraged in the lives of students. Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist, has done a substantial amount of research on the topic of technology being introduced at a young age. He argues that because technology and the internet is being presented to children younger and younger, it is becoming a more addictive form of entertainment. We have become far more reliant on quick entertainment through short-form content because of things like TikTok, Instagram reels or YouTube shorts. And books do not provide that. Even books intended for recreational reading and entertainment require more commitment and attention than many are willing to give up. Technology has also made it easier for students to be able to “read” for classes without ever actually using their brain. It is becoming increasingly easier to ask AI or websites like SparkNotes to critically think about a reading for you. This makes it even more difficult to convince students to read because they are no longer learning how to think about what they are reading. Critical thinking and reading comprehension is a skill that you have to develop. Ideally, this is achieved throughout your education, so by the time you reach higher education. However, professors are finding that their students are coming to college having not learned how to read effectively in high school. Less schools are requiring students to read longer texts. Not only that, but students are struggling to find the important information in texts no matter the length. Efficient reading in college does not always mean reading each and every word of a text. In fact, it is a skill to know what the most important parts of a text are in order to understand its argument and relevance to a broader conversation. This does not always require reading an entire book, chapter or article. Historian Karin Wulf emphasizes this and has her own method she provides to students to read efficiently. Why all of this matters comes down to another broader debate happening, what is college for? The world around us operates in a way that emphasizes productivity with little attention being paid to education. Now it is almost expected from students in higher education that their only goal would be to walk out with a degree. If college is about earning a degree to get into a certain field and nothing else, why would students waste their time actually absorbing information and skills not deemed “marketable?” Too many students are seeing reading comprehension and critical thinking as a waste of time because of this. If technology can (usually incorrectly) pick out information from a text, they do not see a need to do it themselves. We cannot be entirely sure what the impact of this will be, but it is clear that students reading less is weakening skills and creating even more of a reliance on technology. Letter to the editor policy: The Beacon welcomes letters to the editor from differing viewpoints. Letters must contain contact information, including name, city, state and phone number. Phone numbers will not be published but may be used for verification purposes. All letters to the editor must be sent using one of the following methods: Email: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu Phone: (570) 408-5903 (Voicemail: 30 seconds or less, please.) Mail: 84 West South Street, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766 Attn: The Beacon �The Beacon - December 4, 2024 Opinion 15 The Icebox: Reviewing mobile game “Pokémon TCG Pocket” By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer It has been a while since the last Icebox review, but not long enough to have missed the release of a new mobile game which I believe deserves all of your attention. It is free to play, easy to learn and already very well-known at a global level. The game was released a day before Halloween and is called “Pokémon TCG Pocket.” If you aren’t familiar with Pokémon TCG, it’s one of the leading reasons for the popularity of Pokémon. “TCG” stands for “trading card game” and like its name involves trading, collecting and battling Pokémon cards. It is one of the best ways to get into deck building games and learning how to synergize cards effectively. A lot of players collect and trade to build the best deck, while some only do the collecting because there is joy in that as well. The Pokémon card market is actually impressive. However, the basic idea of TCG is to take something as popular as Pokémon and put it into a format that is more physical and interactive. One can play against people through the platform called “Pokémon TCG Online.” “Pokémon TCG Pocket” is essentially a simplified version of “Pokémon TCG Online,” where turns are faster and mechanics are at a more basic level. The game begins with a helpful tutorial for collecting and battling. The interface is fairly simple and shares a resemblance to “Pokémon Go.” There are already numerous mobile titles created by GameFreak for Pokémon which all share the same thematic interface and have options to link apps to each other. The first thing to notice about “Pocket” is that collecting cards is very easy and generous. Players can open two booster packs, each containing five cards, every twelve hours that they log in. There are also booster packs associated with completing missions and participating in limited events. A lot of the events even hand out free cards specific to the theme. There are also items which allow you to skip the twelve-hour waiting period in an instant, and said items are easy to obtain in large amounts. I have yet to discover the use of microtransactions in this app, or if they increase after the game picks up more players. As of now, it is significantly more generous than games such as Marvel SNAP, which uses money for collection, and Clash Royale, which uses money for winning. Deck building in this game is quite simple. First, choose which energy will generate during a match for your deck. The energy should ideally match the required energy types of your cards. For example, a deck focused around evolving Squirtle would need a lot of water type energy. You can, however, choose multiple types of energy to generate, which appear in random order. After deciding which energy to use, the next step would be to build a deck that is mostly the same type. At least four or five basic cards would be needed, and some of those should be able to evolve. Basic cards are the lowest level Pokémon cards, which must be played first in order for higher level cards to be put into play. I would not be able to play Wartortle unless I had first played Squirtle. This is due to the fact that Wartortle is level one while Squirtle is basic. Additionally, Squirtle needs to evolve into Wartortle for it to be played. Evolution can only occur at least one turn after a card’s initial reveal. During gameplay, a player can have up to seven cards in their hand at once. Each turn they draw or discard a card from their hand. There can only be one attacker in play at a time, called the Active Pokémon. There are also three Benched Pokémon, who are interchangeable with the Active Pokémon each turn for a small cost of energy. One last thing to note about attacking is that Pokémon types have weaknesses and resistances to other types. This could be a reason for a game to turn out very differently than planned. As players take turns attacking, they may also have to flip a coin to determine how much damage, if at all, an attack will do. Pocket was designed to be simple and inviting. Playing it feels rewarding in a unique way. Eventually, I will have a deck that focuses on the likes of Greninja and Lucario, who are my favorite Pokémon. When that happens, I may bring “Pocket” back into the Icebox. spice worm, half-man Emperor Leto II ascends. In the early parts of the series, there is a rich, juicy parallel between the historical rise of Islam and the events of “Dune: Part II”—and maybe also in the books; I wouldn’t know, I did not read them. In brief, the first Islamic Caliphate, the Rashiduns, was created after the passing of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. His closest companions conferred in council to elect the first Caliph, organize the army and complete the unification of the Arabian tribes under the caliphate. As an interesting anecdote, the Prophet sent several letters across the known world—to Rome, Iran, Abyssinia, and across Arabia—proclaiming his message and offering them the chance to join the faith, receiving mixed reactions. After Arabia was unified, and with negotiations rejected by both the Romans and the Iranians, the army of the caliphate, under the legendary general Khalid ibn al-Walid, began a twofront campaign against these ancient powers. Long story short, Rome lost all of North Africa and the Middle East, and the Iranian Empire was destroyed. Whoopsie! If you are familiar with “Dune,” the parallels should already be evident. I won’t draw comparisons between specific individuals, as that is largely inapplicable, but I will focus on the broader historical beats. Foremost is the unification of desert tribes under a single political entity: as it was in the 600s with the Arabian tribes, so too in “Dune” with the Fremen of Arrakis. As it turns out, living in an environment that can kill you fosters a stalwart warrior culture. In the movie “Dune,” Paul leads the Fremen in a guerilla war against the forces of Baron Harkonnen before initiating an open confrontation upon the Emperor’s arrival. Parallel to this, the Rashidun army used their desert expertise to great effect, especially against the Sassanids. While the Sassanid cavalry was largely restricted to roads due to their heavy armor, the Caliphate’s forces used light, highly maneuverable cavalry to strike at points along the road networks. What convinces me that these similarities between history and fiction are intentional is the modeling of the Empire in “Dune” on Sassanid Iran. The Emperor in “Dune” is Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV. If nothing else, the word “Padishah” itself sounds like a derivative of “Shah” or “Shahanshah,” which was the official title of the Sassanid Emperor. Additionally, the Landsraad—the assembly of noble families in the Empire—strikes a strong resemblance to the seven great houses of Iran in the Sassanid court. In both cases, the power of the crown had to be balanced and sometimes came into conflict with the nobility. Ultimately, both of these stories conclude with great power originating from unexpected places. In “Dune,” the surprise attack by Paul and the tenacious fighting of his army unseat the Emperor. An apocalyptic campaign follows, where billions die, dozens of worlds are sterilized and religions are wiped away as Muad’Dib’s Jihad spreads from planet to planet, creating a new order. In a very different vein, in real life, the Caliphate launched its own Jihad, simultaneously challenging both superpowers of the ancient world and rising to prominence after centuries of relative silence. Exploring the parallels between “Dune” and the rise of Islam By Noah Garraoui Contributing Writer “Dune” is a movie where things happen. For a Western audience generally unfamiliar with the culture of the Near East—from Libya to Afghanistan, and from Turkey to Yemen—the world of “Dune” feels extremely unfamiliar. In mainstream media, we typically only receive caricatures or misunderstandings of the culture, philosophy, and history of this region. Meanwhile, “Dune,” with its extensive use of elements from Islamic, Arab and Iranian cultures, captures a perspective on how the complexities and harshness of life in an arid environment can shape culture and, ultimately, history. With that perspective, I think most people could reevaluate their preconceived notions of broader Islamic civilization and come to understand why it is the way it is. For the most part, I’m only considering the events of the early “Dune” books, as they take a sharp turn away from historical parallels later on, especially after the half- �The Beacon - December 4, 2024 Opinion 16 A review of newly-released “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” Was the “Glicked” trend worth it? By Leah Smith Asst. Opinion Editor �� Graphic by Lara Mullen �The Beacon - December 4, 2024 Opinion 17 Why “Arcane” is the golden standard for adult animation By Shawn Carey Opinion Staff Writer The phrase “best show on TV” gets tossed around a lot. Every month or so a new television show that gets granted this title. In most cases, it’s usually some crime or historical drama. While there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s nice to see some variety. “Arcane” is the current hottest show on the market, a Netflix series based on the video game “League of Legends.” What makes it different from its competitors is that it’s fully animated. The show is animated by French studio “Fortiche Production.” The series tells the story of two sisters, Vi and Jinx, and their involvement in a war between the utopian city of Piltover and the oppressed underbelly of Zaun. The show has been receiving countless praise due to its maturity and complexity. A trait that’s hard to come by in adult animation. The past few years have seen a large increase in the number of adult animated series. Just this year alone, we saw the release of “Hazbin Hotel,” “Twilight of the Gods,” and “Kite Man: Hell Yeah!” With that being said, most of these shows don’t really feel that “adult.” Now, I know that’s a bit of a loaded statement but let me explain. Most adult animated shows tend to have their own idea of what they consider “adult.” Ideas that honestly, seem pretty childish. Let’s take the previously mentioned “Hazbin Hotel” as an example. That show’s idea of maturity is cursing. If you know me, then you know that I have no problem with cursing. I have quite the sailor’s mouth to be completely honest. However, I am a real person, not a character in a TV show. Dialogue is extremely important in animation. It helps us understand a character’s personality, what makes them unique. For example, having a character who regularly curses could indicate quite a few things about themselves. Perhaps they’re the rough and tumble type, or maybe they’re just straight up rude. The problem with “Hazbin Hotel” is that every single character is cursing constantly. Every sentence features a curse, even during key and emotional moments. It destroys all the tension. This isn’t exclusive to “Hazbin,” most adult animated shows rely on extravagant cursing. Comedies are a prime example of this. Instead of having real and solid jokes, every punchline is a curse. Speaking of jokes, there’s a lot involving bodily fluids. As the name implies, gross-out humor is focused around the idea of shocking viewers and disguising wider audiences. Again, to each their own. I don’t mind it and I understand why it exists. However, it doesn’t really make for good television. Sure a quick low-brow joke is fine every once in a while, but having it be the only type of joke in a show is a major problem. Once again, it doesn’t really feel mature. Pretty much every new FOX series is a prime example of this. So what do I believe makes a show “adult?” What makes “Arcane” different from all the other shows? Aimed at adults does not just mean more sex and violence, it should also mean more complex plots and deeper characters. The show should discuss topics that relate to issues that children can’t really understand. Let’s take a look at one of the most famous pieces of adult animation: “The Simpsons.” One of the reasons why “ The Simpsons” got so popular was due to it being a family sitcom. The early seasons have a strong emphasis on middle class issues, family drama and even mental health. The show honestly didn’t even have to be animated, it could’ve been live action. With that being said, it uses its animation to help further its story. “Arcane” deals with love, death, class conflict, mental illness and substance abuse. Issues that children can’t fully comprehend. Once again, you can make the argument that the show didn’t have to be animated, it could’ve been a traditional TV drama. However, just like the “Spider-verse” movies, it uses its animation to help elevate its story. So why don’t more studios try to create series and movies like “Arcane?” It takes effort. Now, I am aware how passive aggressive that sounds but let me explain. Animation tends to be less expensive, especially if the animation is bad. TV dramas also tend to be difficult to create. It takes a large group of talented writers to create a truly compelling story. As you’ve probably guessed, the safest type of show to write is by far comedies, especially a crude adult oriented one. The studios are faced with a dilemma. Spend years making a risky show which may or may not be a hit. Or, create four cheaply produced shows a year, with the chance of one of them being a hit. “Arcane” as a show is honestly one in a million. The studio took a chance and were greatly rewarded. It’s still too early to say but I hope that we can see a new trend; perhaps we’ll see studios actually taking a chance on adult animated dramas. Graphic by Laura De Lora �The Beacon - December 4, 2024 Opinion 18 A review of detahjae's newest album "Lone, Borealis" An analysis of stand-out tracks, production, replayability By Logan Colonna Asst. Opinion Editor A few weeks ago, I was simply scrolling through TikTok when I found a snippet of a song, “Abyss.” I immediately was able to pull parallels to the likes of Tyler, The Creator and Earl Sweatshirt with both the video itself and especially the soundscape of the track. I first thought that the song sounded a lot like something off of Tyler’s album, “Wolf.” With this, I fell in love with the snippet, eagerly waiting for the full track, as well as the album, to drop. Days later, I was once again scrolling through Tiktok. I found yet another snippet from detahjae’s upcoming album. This snippet was titled “Janice.” Yet again, I was able to relate it to Tyler, The Creator and his grammy-winning album, “IGOR.” With all of these comparisons being made, I was more than excited to hear what the entire album had to bring to the table. Finally, weeks after hearing the initial snippet, the album, “Lone, Borealis,” was released. As expected, I found myself enjoying the full tracks that the snippets hailed from. These tracks being both “Abyss” and “Janice,” which were both mentioned before. To add on, I thoroughly enjoyed “Equinox, á le train” as well as “GirlFriend.” As for “Abyss” it included a synth-filled instrumental along with detahjae filling his bars with witty lyrics and unlimited references. Seriously. If you were to look on Genuis’s annotations of the track, practically every line is highlighted. “Janice” is your typical love song. I adore the production as well as the vocals from detahjae and MARKTWOO throughout the track. I enjoy the loveydovey nature of the second verse, which contains detahjae saying that he wishes to hold hands and take silly pictures with Janice. “Equinox, á le train” is very similar to Tyler, The Creator’s “Jamba” off of “Wolf.” This comes from both the production and even detahjae’s flow. It’s just different enough to become its own track and be memorable despite being similar to other tracks. Lastly, “Girl-Friend” shows off “Wolf,” then a lot of that applies to the production seen here. My favorite instrumentals are from “Thought That We Were Just Friends,” “Equinox, á le train,” and “Beans.” “Thought That We Were Just Friends” detahjae dealing with his feelings in regards to his friend, who isn’t Janice *gasp*, and how he wants to pursue a romantic relationship with them. Yet again, there’s not a huge reason as to why, but I enjoy detahjae’s performance quite a bit on this track. While these are stand-outs for me, the entire track list is nothing short of great. As I partially said before, I genuinely enjoyed the production heard throughout the album. If you’ve read my review on Tyler, The Creator’s sticks out to me because the track itself is very fun sonically. As detahjae finishes each of his verses, the instrumental cuts out and a drum sequence starts playing, which for whatever reason, I adore. I often enjoy whenever artists stop talking and let the instrumental do the talking as detahjae does here. As I said prior, “Equinox, á le train,” has similarities to “Jamba” off of Wolf. This is because of the raunchy instrumental that is quickly made known to the listener. Yet again, if you’ve read my “Wolf ” review, you’d know that I love “Jamba.” With that being said, it’s no surprise that I enjoy this track as well. Finally, we have “Beans.” This track cranks up the “raunchiness” tenfold. With the “out-there” synths, the track can honestly be annoying to some listeners, but I love annoying. The track does opt in for a piano in some areas to calm down the overall tone of the track. It’s a nice counterpoint to the usual sound of the song. Overall, the production here, while it does lack originality, is great anyways. In the first weekend of “Lone, Borealis” being released, I’ve already listened to the album at least ten times, if not more. With that being said, the album is infinitely replayable. When thinking why this is, I blame the story that we see throughout the record. This story is detahjae’s journey to Lone, Borealis, the happiest place on Earth…which isn’t even on Earth. It’s on one of Saturn’s moons, Titan. Anyways, throughout this journey, we have dialogue between detahjae and Sal, detahjae’s robotic companion. This just helps the world-building of the album as well as giving the album as a whole some characteristics beyond the actual music. Between the short tracklist, which is only 15 tracks, the story, and the overall sound, I found myself coming back to the record a lot. With everything being said, I think this album is great. The big thing that is holding the record back is the fact that it’s similar to Tyler, The Creator and a few of his songs. While this isn’t a bad thing in this case, the songs that were entirely original were amazing, proving that detahjae can stay in his own lane and still succeed. In his next album, whenever it comes out, I’d like to see more original tracks from him just to see what he can truly do on his own. Despite my complaint, this album is still an 8 out of 10. Graphic by Carol Stratford �Sports 19 Sports The Beacon - December 4, 2024 Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: zachary.paraway@wilkes.edu Winter athletes describe what winter breaks means for them By Zach Paraway Sports Editor For students, the time between sessions during last December and early January are a chance to refresh after a long semester. It's a chance to relax before coming back to do it all over again in January. For some however, it is not a complete relaxation for them. For all the students that leave Wilkes to go back to their homes far and wide, the winter athletes will stay and compete for the Colonels in various sports. The basketball teams, ice hockey teams, swimming teams and the wrestling team will all compete over the break between classes. As well, the men's volleyball team will begin their season before classes start in early January. For those winter athletes their experience is much different than that of a regular student. Both basketball teams will play multiple games over the break, Wrestling will have their annual Wilkes Open on Dec. 20. Both ice hockey team will play multiple games, including a Winter Classic in Pittsburgh. For more information on all winter sports, visit gowilkesu.com Gr. Joey Zovorsky: Basketball Jr. Trevor Gitski: Wrestling So. Madison Oguin: Basketball "Everyone is usually super excited for winter break and so are athletes but athletes that are in season during the break have a much shorter break. Being one of these athletes usually I would get almost a month long break but instead get two weeks and have to come back early. This is why athletes in season cherish this time they get. It can be a lot harder for these athletes because they don’t get as much time away from school. While this can be difficult, it also allows time to bond with your team and become closer them while being the only ones on campus along with the other athletes that also have to come back early as well." "So for my winter breaks obviously it’s tough knowing that the break is a lot shorter due to playing a winter sport but some things that I do over the winter break outside of the usual practice/competition time would beonestly just kinda spending more time with my friends on the team where a few of us will hang out together in one room, or since the cafeteria isn’t open all athletes we usually have a little bit of money that we get from the school in order to get food from different restaurants off campus for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I know for some athletes during winter break may have a winter course, and since there’s a lot more free time outside of there scheduled practices, they spend some of their free time doing work for those courses as well" Jr. Yami Matos: Basketball "Winter break is one of my favorite parts of the basketball season. It’s a unique time when we can fully focus on the game and strengthen our bond as teammates without the added stress of schoolwork. As someone who values family, I think it’s important to come together as a team during this period, supporting each other while most of campus is quiet. It’s a special opportunity to celebrate the holidays, put in extra work to improve our skills, and enjoy some downtime together." "In my experience, this period has been a very formative time as a member of an athletic team. In a sense, it is an organic way to foster team bonding as everyone is so bored with no class that you are forced to hang out and get to know your teammates better. Oftentimes I've found myself getting meals with teammates, playing video games together, watching movies, and generally just hanging out, unknowingly making some of the most nostalgic memories. Also, as a member of the men's basketball team, we were afforded the privilege to take a trip down to Florida to play in a shootout in Daytona Beach. So while there are some negatives of not getting to spend as much time with family or take a break from everything, we conversely have the opportunity to boost team camaraderie in an informal setting, hone in on practice with only basketball on our minds, and, in special cases, travel with the team to face unfamiliar competition and discover new places. " �The Beacon - December 4, 2024 News 20 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins interns reflect on experiences Adam Grundt Sam Mullen �� Asst. Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor �� ¡�� Sam Mullen sells Jersey Rafﬂe tickets behind Penguins Goals Foundation table. �� ¡�� ¢�� ¢�� Photos by Sam Mullen “Happy Holidays” graphic is displayed on the jumbotron at the Mohegan Sun �The Beacon - December 4, 2024 Sports 21 WBB drops tight one against rival King’s at home By Zach Paraway Sports Editor The Wilkes women’s basketball team dropped another game this season, this one against cross town rival King’s College at home. Wilkes came into the game at 0-6, still searching for their first win on the season. The team had come off playing two national ranked Landmark conference opponents in #3 University of Scranton and #16 Catholic University. King’s walked into the game at 2-3 with wins against Penn State Schuylkill and Lycoming. The game was a slow start for the Colonels, ending the first quarter down 17-10. The story could be told in the shooting percentages from the 1st period as King’s came out shooting over 50 percent while Wilkes was down at 17. The second period was a much improved defensive showing for Wilkes, holding King’s to shooting 27 percent in the quarter. Wilkes did not fare much better however, only adding 8 to King’s 13, resulting in the halftime score reading 30-18 in favor of King’s. Wilkes came out the halftime in lockdown mode, holding King’s to a measly five points in the third quarter, while adding 11 of their own. Jr. Nadia Evanosky nailed both her final free throws of the period, giving her six points in the third alone, leading both teams. Both teams walked into the fourth with the lead only reading a six-point lead for King’s. Unfortunately for our Colonels, this would hold true DEC. 4TH 7PM @ LYCOMING College / LANDMARK DEC. 7TH 2PM @ JUNIATA COLLEGE / LANDMARK HOME / DEC. 14TH 3PM V. KEYSTONE COLLEGE JAN. 4TH 1PM @ ALVERNIA UNIVERSITY HOME / JAN. 8TH 5PM V. GOUCHER COLLEGE / LANDMARK JAN. 12TH 12PM VS. ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE @THE PALESTRA/ LANDMARK HOME/ JAN. 15TH 7PM V. DREW UNIVERSITY / LANDMARK HOME / JAN. 18TH 2PM SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY / LANDMARK JAN. 23RD 7PM V. MORAVIAN UNIVERSITY / LANDMARK as King’s would end up winning the game with the final score reading 5444. The 4th was the highest scoring for both teams, seeing King’s score 19 and Wilkes score 15. Standout Performances include Evanosky scoring 16 points with eight boards and five steals, Jr. Madison Robel with eight points and 10 boards, and Sr. Julianna Askins provided seven points and four boards off the bench. The team will play again on Dec. 4 against Lycoming College on the road in the Colonels. For more information on the women’s basketball team along with all Wilkes athletics, please visit gowilkesu.com. JAN. 25TH 1PM @ CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA / LANDMARK HOME / JAN. 29 7PM V. LYCOMING COLLEGE / LANDMARK HOME / FEB. 1ST 2PM V. JUNIATA COLLEGE / LANDMARK HOME / FEB. 5TH 6PM V. UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON / LANDMARK FEB. 8TH 2PM @ SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY / LANDMARK FEB. 12TH 7PM @ DREW UNIVERSITY / LANDMARK HOME / FEB. 15TH 2PM V. ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE / LANDMARK HOME / FEB. 19TH 7PM V. MORAVIAN UNIVERSITY/ LANDMARK FEB. 22ND 2PM @ GOUCHER COLLEGE/ LANDMARK Have a speciﬁc sporting event you want covered? email sports editor Zach Paraway zacharyparaway@ wilkes.edu �The Beacon - December 4, 2024 Sports 22 Q&A with Wilkes men's lacrosse head coach Curtis Jaques at practice right now, but yeah I’m very excited for the season coming up. Stephen Youkoski (Interview) Managing Editor Andrew Marshallsay (Transcription) Sports Staff Writer Q: How many freshmen do we have on the team this year? A: We have nine. Entering a decade as head of the men’s lacrosse team, Curtis Jaques sat down with WilkesNow and The Beacon’s Stephen Youkoski. The team amassed a record of 4-12, with a record of 1-8 in Landmark Conference play. Q (Youkoski): How long have you been at Wilkes, and where were you coaching prior to your tenure here at the university? A (Coach Jaques): I moved my family up here in 2014, so I've been here for 10 years. We moved up here from my alma mater when I was coaching at the Virginia Military Institute. I was there for five years prior to taking on and starting the program here 10 years ago. Q: What was the jump like from that institute to this one? A: Going from division one to division three–there's obviously changes with that. I think the biggest change is geographic location. You can draw a three and a half hour radius around us and you get the best lacrosse around the world all around us. Our recruiting is just closer to home, there’s a big difference. Q: What made you move your family and decide to come to Wilkes? A: Definitely wanted to start my own program, definitely wanted to put my own stamp and we still have the same mission that we had from the first year I started the program. A lot of the cultural things have carried through year to year. Every year has been different here, there's certain standards that come with me being here for 10 years. I like those traditions and that culture carries over. Q: Could you talk a little about that culture and those traditions? A: It’s a growth mindset, we definitely want to look at our stats and gett better every year. Whether it's GPA or faceoff Stephen Youkoski conducts interview with head coach Curtis Jaques. wins, whether it’s weight on the squat rack, we want to see growth. Q: How has recruiting been this past offseason? A: Definitely much more competitive in the Landmark. Going after much smarter individuals, I think that it’s brought us a bit more south. We’re competing a bit more in Virginia and Maryland just based on the proximity of our opponents. So that’s good, but at the end of the day, we have engineering and business, those two things take up a bulk of our roster academically. We’re pretty strong in those departments. Q: How do you think last season, our debut season in the Landmark went for the team? A: We’re learning how to compete. Back to year one when I started the program, we had to learn how to compete. Before you can expect to compete or learn to win or expect to win, we’re on that next stage where we need to expect to compete. That means that it’s two or three goal games and swing, it could go either way. We have to learn how to get into those situations right now. In order to come out on top and learn to win, we have to expect to compete right now, so that’s where we’re at. Q: When you take a look at the roster, are there any impact players you think can help the team get into that mindset and help the team compete? A: Big Tim Hartka, six foot five, 260 pound attackman. He’s a bit of a train to stop offensively, so I think he’s a nice addition. He’s done a great job for us, he’s a junior now, a captain. Tim’s down a great job for us. Down low, Michael Rauch is just a wrecking ball of a defenseman. I think Caleb Miller did a great job toward the end of the year last year stepping in in goal, and I think he’s going to do a great job this year as well. Very excited about our freshmen that are coming in and making some waves Q: What is your favorite memory here at Wilkes University? A: I enjoy the little things, Stephen. I think spring break is some of the best memorie, some are just making breakfast in March with the boys. I think the best memories are shared I think at every alumni game, at every homecoming every fall. It’s something as a coach you really look forward to. And me being 10 years in, seeing my alum getting married or having families, bringing new faces to the alumni games, so that’s a really cool thing for me–sharing those memories at our alumni games. So, I’ll just say it, alumni games are my favorite place for memories I think. Q: Do you have one specific game that really brings home things for you? A: I think most recently I think we took King’s to an OT win last season, that was fun. For more information regarding Wilkes men's lacrosse, visit www.gowilkesu. com or the Landmark Conference at www.landmarkconference.org. See the full interview on the Wilkes Now YouTube page. Watch the full interview on YouTube: @wilkesnow7145 �The Beacon - December 4, 2024 Sports 23 Q&A with Wilkes women's lacrosse head coach Maegan Laymon Q: What are your expectations for the team this upcoming season? A: To compete. We are going to compete this year, it should be an exciting year for us. Our goal is to just to do better than the previous years, and we're just looking to build on everything that was already here. So we just want to be able to compete. Stephen Youkoski (Interview) Managing Editor Andrew Marshallsay (Transcription) Sports Staff Writer For the spring 2025 season, Wilkes’ women’s lacrosse team will have a new head coach. Maegan Laymon was named the new head coach of the program after the 2024 season. Last season the Colonels amassed a record of 2-15, with a Landmark Conference record of 0-9. WilkesNow! and The Beacon’s Stephen Youkoski sat down with the team’s new coach to discuss the upcoming spring season, as well as to see how things are going so far. Q (Youkoski): Where were you coaching prior to the summer when you were hired as the coach at Wilkes University? A (Coach Laymon): I was volunteering with a club in California. Prior to California, I was coaching at the varsity level at an independent school in Memphis, Tennessee. Q: With that transition from an independent club and as well as the varsity level in high school, why did you decide to come to Wilkes? A: Wilkes was a unique opportunity for me. It’s very close to where I grew up, so I am close to my family, but this is also a program that can be very successful and can compete in the new conference that they are in. It was really something I wanted to be a part of with building it and putting everything together in order for them to be able to compete. Q: Are you familiar at all with the previous conference and this new conference? A: I’m not very familiar, but I do know that was another one. Again, you could be very successful here, we just need to be able to put everything together and really build it. Q: Do you feel that your experience as a former player impacts your coaching style? Stephen Youkoski conducts interview with head coach Maegan Laymon. A: 100 percent. As a player, I just wanted to learn; I wanted to get better, and I did a lot of work outside of just practice and games. As a coach, I’m constantly learning–I want to know more. The game has advanced so much from when I played in college that it’s really exciting to be able to open up youtube and use the different resources, Twitter and Instagram and just see what other coaches are doing and what they’re doing with their programs; how they’re running their offense, how they’re running their defense You’re constantly learning new things to incorporate into your program. Q: Is it ever difficult to separate your player experience with your coaching experience? A: I wouldn’t say difficult, I think that it was just very different from when I played, which seems like forever ago, but it wasn’t. I do take a lot of what I do coaching from my college coaches that I had. I don’t think it’s more having to separate that experience, but being able to look at it and reflect and be like as a player, “what did I do, how did I respond to this?” It’s really just being able to take it from a player perspective and put it into a coaching, taking it from coaching and putting it into a player perspective. Q: As a younger coach, do you think that it has any effect on your relationship with the team? A: I don’t think so. I think relationship building is a skill, so I think I’m able to build relationships with my team. Individually, as a group, as a team, and just work and build with them. I think a lot of my experience with working at the high school I was at, I also taught in the middle school, where you’re constantly building relationships with kids and their families, and that’s essentially what you’re doing here. That’s how you become successful; you get to know your kids, you get to know how to speak to them, ways they understand things, their strengths and weaknesses and you use that and you build with it. I think that it’s just a skill you have to have in coaching. Q: Do you have any specific impact seniors you think are going to play a big role this season? A: 100 percent. All of your seniors are going to make an impact this year. They're going to be utilized in different ways that they might not be used to, but it's just a different opportunity for everybody. We brought in a lot of freshmen, I believe that we have seven. Again, impact players–everybody’s going to make an impact this year. Q: In your short time here, what’s your favorite memory of being at Wilkes? A: I don’t know if I can pick just one. Right now, if I had to pick a favorite memory for the semester it’d probably be every day at fall ball or in the weight room. We did get some of our girls barking at practice last night on defense, so that might be a core memory right now. For more information regarding Wilkes women's lacrosse, visit www.gowilkesu. com or the Landmark Conference at www.landmarkconference.org. See the full interview on the Wilkes Now YouTube page. Watch the full interview on YouTube: @wilkesnow7145 �The Beacon - December 4, 2024 24 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource This is Wilkes University's Beacon Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the Beacon's predecessors, The Bucknell Bison Stampede, 1934-1935 and The Bucknell Beacon, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>. Missing Issues: 1947 August 8th 1947 September 5th 1947 October 3rd 1947 October 17th 1947 October 31st 1947 November 21st 1947 December 19th 1948 September 9th 1950 April 28th 1953 April 10th 1962 February 2nd Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon, 2024 December 4 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communications Department Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024 December 4 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/4e2557900a725598537c4b8a1b895eba.pdf 4e92053325a77fe946efaae2c1d8fa89 PDF Text Text The Beacon - October 30, 2024 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 77, Issue 8 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” WUPB kicks off Freak Week with Halloween-themed bingo On Oct. 28, the Programming Board kicked off Freak Week with Halloween-themed bingo. The prizes ranged from tickets to House of Horrors to espresso machines and blankets. Many attendees also received a free Freak Week shirt upon entry. Photo by Leah Smith HPSC hosts second annual thrift store clothing drive, page 3 The women of the Memories and Inspiration exhibition, page 7 Why “Friday the 13th” is the best of the big slasher three, page 16 FB: Wilkes drops big matchup against ranked Susquehanna, page 19 �The Beacon - October 30, 2024 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Emma Broda: emma.broda@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: Oct. 23 weekly meeting By Kayla Bicskei News Staff Writer Student Government reconvened on Oct. 23 for the eighth meeting of the Fall 2024 semester. This meeting addressed the Student Government Treasury report, constitution updates, club recognitions, funding requests, the Student Government Fall Event report and committee work. The Student Government Treasurer was invited to begin the meeting with the Student Government Treasury report. The Student Government budget was updated and is currently reported to be $30,561. The Multicultural Student Coalition returned for its week two of two constitution update presentation. The constitution update consisted of corrections of grammatical errors, changes of hosted activities and events to reflect their campus involvement and added details of the coalition’s biweekly newsletter. Along with updates on the coalition’s on-campus actions, the updated constitution details the qualifications for its general board membership, executive board membership, and probation requirements. The Student Government voted to approve the constitution updates of the Multicultural Student Coalition. The History Club was the next presentation on the agenda, and it was their week one of two club recognition requests. The History Club works to provide students with an outlet to express, share and form ideas based on personal interests. The club also wants to increase historical involvement for its members and the campus community. The club does not currently have a pre-set schedule, but they hold their meetings based on member availability. The History Club’s fundraisers and community service projects will include gravestone cleaning, a historical bake sale, and designing history department apparel. In the future, the club will be holding a historical movie night, trivia night and peer review sessions for the history research methods course. The History Club will return next week for its week two of two club recognition request. During their private meeting, the Student Government Executive Board analyzed over six club reports this week, including the Psychology Club and the Ultimate Frisbee Club. The Student Government President reported that they were not able to review the Wilkes University Choral Club presentation at the executive board Meeting like other club reports, so she presented the club’s report at the general board meeting. The presentation stated that the Wilkes University Choral Club has upcoming community service projects of singing at Winterfest and performing at the Spring 2025 Commencement. The club will also be hosting fundraisers and activities, such as a Halloween costume contest, a karaoke night and their Spring 2025 singing valentine fundraiser. Student Government voted to approve all club reports evaluated at Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 the executive board meeting and the general board meeting. Next on the meeting agenda was the week one of two Spring 2025 Casino Night Event funding request. The Casino Night planning representative reported that the theme has been decided and will become public closer to the event date. Along with the theme, the giveaway items and prizes that will be distributed at the event have also been chosen. The event will include various types of food, soda and mocktails for attending students. The planning representative reported a total funding request of $21,500 to fund the food, drinks, decorations, giveaway items and prizes of the event. The Spring 2025 Casino Night event planning representative will return next week for its week two of two funding request. The official business of the eighth weekly meeting of the Fall 2024 semester concluded with committee work for the Spring 2025 Casino Night event. Student Government will meet again on Oct. 30. Sports................19 Upcoming Events: 2024 Fall Semester October 30 - Eye Spy event 31 - Summoning Spirits event November 1 - Day of the Day celebration 1 - Spanish Club Panera fundraiser 6 - SHPE volleyball tournament 7 - Lucas Zelnick comedy show 14 - Chillax bingo �� The Beacon - October 30, 2024 News HSPC hosts second annual Passan School of Nursing thrift store clothing drive high pass rate on NCLEX By Leah Smith Asst. Opinion Editor �� Left to right: Megan Rozanski, junior, event runner and head of the HSPC committee, Daniel Yap junior, Lindsey Scorey masters student By Emma Broda News Editor �� VISIT OUR WEBSITE NEXT WEEK FOR LIVE ELECTION UPDATES Event volunteers left to right: Liz Keller, sophomore and Andrea Buenano, freshman 3 www.thewilkesbeacon.com �The Beacon - October 30, 2024 News 4 That’s So Honors: HSPC elects a new president Zoe Morely will take over as HSPC president in the spring By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer Although most clubs won’t elect their officers until the spring semester, the Honors Program Student Committee, or HPSC, election is in full swing. Students are competing for eight roles on the executive board that plans social, educational and community service events for students in the Honors Program. However, one role has already been filled by junior biology major, Zoe Morley: president. Morley explained that she originally chose to run for an HPSC position to have a greater impact on the honors Community and give back to the crogram. “Being in the Honors Program has given me a place to make friends and participate in events that I never thought I would be able to do,” she said. She added that being in the Honors Program has also allowed her to participate in community service projects, letting her connect with the larger Wilkes-Barre community. She ran for her current position, director of publicity, at this time last year. In her current role, Morley is responsible for creating posters for HPSC events and publishing everything on the Honors Program Instagram page. “I loved serving as the director of publicity as it gave me an outlet to be artistic and interact with the Honors Program as a whole.” For every other role on the HPSC, students submit an application and have the opportunity to campaign for a few weeks before elections run in the Honors Program’s weekly newsletter, the Buzz. Once the winners are notified, they sit in on one of the final HPSC meetings with the outgoing board so they have the opportunity to learn. Morley’s position, however, is a little different. For example, Morley wasn’t elected by students in the Honors Program. “The election process started in late September when me and the other person who ran for HPSC President submitted our applications,” she said. “We then both had the opportunity to read a speech for the HPAC (Honors Program Advisory Council) and they had the opportunity to ask each of us specific questions about our leadership styles and what we would like to see happen with the HPSC under our leadership.” The HPSC hosts a wide variety of ends. The director of social events plans fun events for students, most recently, a Harry Potter movie and crafts night in the JPAC. The director of educational events, hosts events meant to educate students on different topics, like the Gen Z & Social Media Marketing the HPSC hosted a few weeks ago, with help from the Wilkes University marketing department. Since adding a community service requirement for future cohorts, as well as the class of 2027 and 2028, the director of community service, who always planned opportunities, has been working overtime to make sure that there are plenty of events for honors students to serve their community. Morley, who regularly attends HPSC’s events, said her favorite was a social event last spring: a trip to the Purrfect Mugs Cat Cafe in Plains Township. Next year’s board will look different, but the fun and educational events aren't going anywhere. Although she doesn’t have any specific plans, Morley says her first goal as president of the HPSC is to familiarize the new board members with procedures and help prepare them for the year ahead. Her advice to those seeking a role on an executive board: “I would suggest talking to people who have previously or currently serve on executive boards of different clubs to get a bigger picture of what will be expected of you in those roles. If you are interested, definitely try to get involved in e-boards as they are a great way to develop leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills.” Zoe Morley will take over as the HPSC president in the spring, but in the meantime, she’ll keep creating content on the @wilkeshonors Instagram page. Photo courtesy of Zoe Morely Zoe Morely, Honor Student Program Committee's newly-elected president �The Beacon - October 30, 2024 News 5 Haunted houses provide spooky options: If you dare By Leah Smith Opinion Assistant Editor Halloween is right around the corner which means that it’s time for costume shopping and pumpkin carving for people who celebrate the spooky fun holiday. This also means it’s time to break out the chills and thrills of the classic Halloween attraction: haunted houses. Pennsylvania is known for its multitude of haunted attractions all across the state such as Lancaster’s Field of Screams and Nanticoke's Horror Hall. At Wilkes University, many students have had their fair share of going to a haunted house and have expressed their opinions on how they feel about the scary yet exciting attractions. Anthony Elms, a junior history major, expressed his love for haunted houses and said that Horror Hall is his favorite. “Getting scared is my favorite part. Also getting that adrenaline rush with your friends feels like a bonding experience in some ways.” However, not everyone enjoys going to a haunted house due to the many jump scares and terrifying scenery. Flora Tsang said she has no interest in going to a haunted house due to the scenery and situations the houses put their guests through. She claims that they are too realistic to handle. Other students have expressed their love for haunted houses and their desire to go to them more often but cannot due to the prices for admission that have been rising in recent years. Sophomore student Aubrey Hart addressed this issue by saying that she adored going to Reaper’s Revenge last year and wanted to go again this year but decided against it due to its $69 price for admission. One of Pennsylvania’s most infamous haunted attractions is the Pennhurst Asylum located in Spring City. This location is not only iconic for its mental asylum setting and ghost hunting tours, but because of its tragic history. Before Pennhurst became the attraction it is now, it was an actual mental institution who took in patients with both mental illness and physical disabilities. Students gave their opinions on this controversial decision to monetize the asylum in such a way after learning its history. Eric Walsh, a senior, stated that the decision to turn the asylum into a haunted attraction feels morally wrong. “I appreciate the authenticity of the setting and how the actors may look, but it just rubs me the wrong way,” he explained. However, others don’t see this change of the asylum to be a negative. If anything they see it as a way to honor its legacy to show the public the horrors that the patients went through. Senior student Jackie Costello loves the idea, even calling it, “badass.” Pennhurst Asylum understands that the nighttime paranormal tours do not honor the hospital's historic patients. They have created daytime tours at the museum that give visitors an opportunity to learn the history of Pennhurst Asylum without the frights. According to the official Pennhurst Asylum website, they state that they have become advocates for the disability rights movement and warned guests about the upsetting history they will share throughout the tour. Courtesy of Lancaster's Field of Screams �The Beacon - October 30, 2024 News Peace. Inclusion. Equity. 6 Student Diversity and Equity Conference to be held Saturday By Kailey Vogel Special to the Beacon Wilkes students can look forward to the 7th Annual Student Diversity and Leadership Conference: Peace, Inclusion, Equity. The ecvent will be held on Nov. 2 and is hosted by The Office of Diversity Initiatives and Civic Engagement. The Office of Diversity Initiatives (ODI) is a student service located at the Max Roth Center of Wilkes’ campus. This service “assists students with personal, academic and career concerns that impact their academic success.” ODI is known for hosting many programming events for students that help build their awareness and leadership skills when it comes to diversity and inclusion. The upcoming conference should do just that. "I enjoy seeing what students get out of each conference and watching them have like a lightning bulb moment when they either grasp a new concept or have an idea about using what they've learned in their own lives," said Catie Becker, executive director of civic engagement at the university. The conference will take place in the Henry Student Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Students will be offered to partake in workshops centered around the theme of diversity and inclusion. "We will have workshops that discuss a variety of topics that discuss everything from macgroagressions and media consumption to staying relevant and inclusive as a leader," Becker said. "There will be a few familiar faces throughout our workshop sessions but we're excited to welcome some new speakers as well." A coffee hour will be provided to all attendees. Students will be able to drink coffee from Wilkes-Barre’s POUR Coffee House and partake in a resume workshop as well. Students are expected to dress in business attire as it is a formal conference event. They should also be advised to bring a pencil, pen, or other writing materials with them to jot down notes and participate in workshops that require writing. Beckers reminds students that the Colonels Closet is open to anyone who may need appropriate attire. A certificate of completion will be given at the end of the conference indicating attendees' participation. Becker said the event is a collaborative effort between the two campus offices. "Showing (students) what exists outside of their own worlds and how they can support people in different ways is something I've always wanted to do so I'm grateful for the opportunity. "Working with the Office of Diversity Initiatives has been great to show students the power of collaboration and what we can accomplish together." The workshop is free for Wilkes Students should register prior to the event. Those who are interested in attending can sign up by filling out the Google form found on Today at Wilkes or by scanning the QR code located on numerous posters hung around campus. Spots are limited. Contact Erica Acosta (erica. acosta@wilkes.edu) or Catie Becker (catherine.becker@wilkes.edu) for more information. �The Beacon - October 30, 2024 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Life, Arts & Entertainment assistant editor: anthony.cazun@wilkes.edu The women of the Memories and Inspiration exhibition By Leah Smith Asst. Opnion Editor The Sordoni Art Gallery hosted its director’s tour spotlighting the women artists of their Memories and Inspirations exhibition. The event was free to attend and took place at 5 p.m. on Oct. 23. It was led by the art gallery’s director, Heather Sincavage. The event flier on Today at Wilkes promised to highlight what was called, “the women trailblazers in the Memories & Inspiration exhibition… discover their lasting legacy through this intimate discussion amongst the art.” The evening’s exhibition delivered on the key information of not only the art these women have made but the artist’s history and how their history as well as other major historical events motivated these women. Sincavage led the attendees through a historically enriching and powerful gallery experience highlighting African American women throughout history who have contributed meaningful works, making a name for themselves in art history. One of the artists observed at the gallery was Lois Mailou Jones whose watercolor painting was and is currently Heather Sincavage stands beside Stefanie Jackson’s Hurricane Katrina inspired piece. being shown at the Sordoni Art Gallery. The painting was done by Jones at her time in France during what is known as the expatriates movement in which many African American artists and creators moved to France and Europe due to racial and social tensions in the United States. Jones’ work is a reflection of the beauty of France with all of its various colors and shapes. Sincavage discusses Jones’s history and quotes one of Jones’s statements at her time of being an art professor. “Visibility is important,” said Jones. This sentence made by Jones was to not only motivate her students but for young marginalized artists who wanted to express themselves. Another artist that was observed was Stefanie Jackson who is a more contemporary artist, but still as impactful as Jones. Her work highlights political and social issues and in this specific image, black struggle. The painting done by Jackson was made after and inspired by the damage done by Hurricane Katrina. The various facial expressions and colors elevating those expressions are meant to reflect the pain and damage done to African Americans during and after the time of Katrina. As the event came to an end, Sincavage summarized the importance of these pieces and women’s role in art and history. She was dedicated to the lecture and said, “These are women that kind of had the odds stacked against them, that’s why I wanted to take the time and celebrate them and their work.” The Sordoni Art Gallery is holding more events throughout the fall season and hopes to bring more educational and creatively striking moments for students and local attendees alike. Lois Mailou Jones’s watercolor painting. Photos by Leah Smith �The Beacon - October 30, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment Sydney Allabaugh: 8 Sam Mullen: Bigger In Texas - Megan Thee Stallion Silver Springs - Fleetwood Mac Stephen Youkoski: Stop & Stare - Treaty Oak Revival Six Years Wiser - Harrison Boe Adam Grundt: Leah Smith: Megan Davis: APT. - ROSÉ, Bruno Mars Reincarnate - Motionless in White Anthony Cazun: Zach Paraway: crystalized - Poppy Rah Tah Tah - Tyler, The Creator Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staﬀ picks their favorite song of the week. Check out this week’s bops! �The Beacon – October 30, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 9 Sordoni Sessions: The art gallery is for everyone By Anthony Cazun Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor Art is often considered the beating heart of life, and campus is no exception. Residing within the Karambelas Media and Communication Center, the Sordoni Art Gallery is home to all kinds of artistic experiences. Sordoni Sessions is a series of events that aims to bring out the creativity within students, all while enjoying food, company and the presence of art. The first of many Sordoni Sessions was held recently, to the satisfaction of many. The event held various activities for students to sink their creative teeth into. Tote bags were a big draw, allowing students to draw and sketch all over blank tote bags that could be used in day to day activities, adding a personal touch to on the go storage. Mascots, video game and TV characters, fall themed pumpkins, The Starry Night etc, all kinds of art from all kinds of people spilling out onto the tote bag canvas. “My friends told me about it and I heard it was a tote bag event,” said Basma Al-Salem, political science and international relations junior. “I got excited because I love tote bags. I drew this cute cat with a strawberry on top of its head. “I like how [Sordoni Art Gallery] allows activities that require drawing or art, which makes me more compelled to enter the art gallery. You can do anything, it makes it feel like anyone can do anything. Allows you to ask, what is art in reality?” Along with the totes, there was also a button maker that could be used to create pins out of any image desired. Whether it be original drawings, custom printed images or pieces from the gallery, any pin could be created to customize and style accordingly. Along with all the creative activities, a diverse array of foods was also a hit at the event. Baked macaroni and cheese, chicken, fried cauliflower, nachos and desserts like ice cream with various arrays of toppings were all available at the event. “Some of the best mac and cheese I have ever had,” said Amber Cazun, junior psychology major. “I appreciated that there were vegetarian options. It was a great night with great food.” The event had a substantial turn out, instilling extra confidence in the gallery to host more events such as this on a regular basis. “The main goal of our Sordoni Session events is to engage our student population here at Wilkes University,” said Melissa Carestia, assistant director of the Sordoni Art Gallery. “I love social events like these because they help lower the perceived barrier of the arts. Showing people that an art gallery can be fun and casual, it takes away the scariness. It is a community space for everyone.” The barrier of entry is incredibly low, as to be eligible for event participation all one must do is sign their name at the door for a free student membership to the Sordoni Art Gallery. This allows for the event to be as inclusive as possible, creating a comfortable and appealing space for everyone is a priority of the gallery. “I will 100% come to the next event.” said Al-Salem. “You can bring a friend and do things at your own pace. Everyone is very friendly too. It’s a very safe space I feel. You can even come by yourself and enjoy decorating. No matter what, you can have fun by yourself or start a conversation with somebody. It is perfect, everyone is included. Please come to future Sordoni events! It is wonderful.” The upcoming Sordoni Session event will have a focus on building LEGOs, encouraging participants to build with their own directions, expressing their creativity. The Memories and Inspiration: The Kerry and C. Betty Davis Collection of African American Art exhibition can be visited within the Sordoni Art Gallery through Jan. 6, 2025. Photos by Anthony Cazun Attendees and members of the Sordoni Student Membership gather for the Sordoni Session. Strawberry cat tote painted by Basma Al-Salem at the event. �The Beacon – October 30, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 SWE, SHPE, CCDI host LinkedIn workshop for students Students receive tips on how to use the platform By Natalia Williams Life Arts and Entertainment Writer The Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), and the Center for Career Development and Internships hosted a Linkedin workshop for students to improve their LinkedIn skills. Jenna Weiss from the CCDI began the event by giving a brief introduction to LinkedIn and what it has to offer for students for their professional careers. “LinkedIn can play a crucial role for college students,” said Weiss. “It provides numerous access to job and internship postings, along with the ability to connect with professionals and recruiters from various industries.” They gave an informative presentation about the importance of LinkedIn, how students can make their profiles look professional and how students can gain meaningful connections through the platform. Students who attended learned valuable tips on how to build their profile by explaining elements like adding a good headliner, adding an about me that is almost like an elevator pitch, and the importance of including all of your skills and past jobs. Not only did they give tips on how to build a professional platform, they also gave helpful information on how to manage and use the platform as well. They explained when it’s important to make a post, what they can post about, and how to use the messaging system. It gave students an insight to see how LinkedIn can really help and benefit them. Students were able to learn about who to follow as well. They showed examples of different groups from Wilkes such as an alumni group and an engineering group. They explained Gabrielle Vogel, Kensington Edmond and Deanna Stolpe helped organize the workshop. that these groups are helpful for job searches since some recruiters or alumni may be looking for employees or interns and often post them in the groups. President of the society of women engineers Kensington Edmond is one of the students who organized the workshop. “In the past SWE club always had LinkedIn night and we wanted to continue.” said Kensington. The Secretary of SWE Gabrielle Vogel also weighed in. “LinkedIn helps students connect to professional opportunities and helps establish a professional background” said Vogel. This workshop was very helpful for students who had questions about the platform and how to really make the most of it. They gained helpful tips on how to really elevate their experience on the platform and how they are able to help grow professionally. Photos courtesy of Jenny Nguyen Students in attendance received tips on how to build a professional platform and gain meaningful connections. �The Beacon - October 30, 2024 11 Life, Arts & Entertainment Crossword Halloween Word Search HALLOWEEN EDITION Words can be found in any direction (including diagonals) and can overlap each other. Use the word bank below. Word Bank P 1. Cobweb 2. Vampire 3. Witch 4. Ghost 5. Halloween 6. Ghoul 7. Haunt 8. Coffin 9. Skeleton 10. Pumpkin 11. Zombie 12. Candy 13. Cemetery 14. Monster 15. Bat 16. Costume T F Y C A O S E C U Q P C I P O M P U C B C A S N E M E L J H T E R Y L M T D H S Q Q X L H V E G A B I H O M B W A F A O L T K U K Z M P T U E T M P N R Answer Key: X Z U Q I N R V K I M E Q D A V E X C P D J A W V Q W R F Q B O B S W W E D F I E E H O Y H R U B Q N M I I G N E W A H G O A N Z W C Y F S B N K L E K X A B W E T O L F E E F N T O J W N G F S W S N R M Z O D T E H Y H G Z L J B R V E B A Q Q M Z U U R C U H H O E P I C S L K E Q Q X M T N E T W A L S E F T Y C T A X A O S M P O F T A N E E N U A H X C F W R F O M B I R Z L F I C I U M E U M P C W G Y D G U F S N T O J B W E K E X W A Z K T L S Q B D J N M I N R E T A G Z G J E Z N Y D Z B N K I A O B K A Y Q D A V K I H A S H B H W W E G W C P V O L O O D L O H G E D E Q P W S H N Y T W N G F O M P M E R N C T A B L P Word Bank G L M V K A D U C P D C Y B J K I E N Y A G G Z J Z H B H V A O L W G Z E T Y H S F C W V M V E V K P I S J Q B Y D ��The Beacon - October 30, 2024 Opinion Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact assistant opinion editors: leah.smith@wilkes.edu or logan.colonna@wilkes.edu. Editorial Staff 2024-25 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Sydney Allabaugh Managing Editor: Stephen Youkoski Social Media Manager - Megan Davis Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Emma Broda Sports - Zach Paraway ASSISTANT EDITORS LA&E - Anthony Cazun Opinion - Logan Colonna Opinion - Leah Smith Sports - Adam Grundt Sports - Sam Mullen DESIGNERS Head Designer - Lara Mullen Designer - Laura De Lora Layout Designer - Brady Melovitz SECTION STAFF WRITERS News - Kayla Bicskei LA&E - Natalia Williams Opinion - Shawn Carey Opinion - “Freeze” Sports - Andrew Marshallsay Sports - Ava Tureen 141 S. Main Street Clayton and Theresa Karambelas Media & Communication Center Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 Phone - (570) 408-5903 www.thewilkesbeacon.com Want to advertise in The Beacon? Contact: Kalen Churcher at kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or Sydney Allabaugh at sydney. allabaugh@wilkes.edu. The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. Constant election notifications are a nuisance With the presidential election drawing closer and the stakes being at an alltime high, email and text notifications are also becoming more prevalent from both sides. Lately, emails have been piling up, and it’s not because of any updates on campus or hopes of classes being canceled, but because Kamala Harris’s campaign team is pleading for a $5 donation to ensure victory at the White House in November. The number of emails and text messages have gotten to the point of frustration where muting and blocking numbers have become a necessity. Not only are they a distraction, but most of the time, they come with either pressuring or strange messages asking for a donation. Every morning there are six new emails from both the Harris and Trump campaign asking for donations with follow-up messages explaining why they’re in such desperate need for my money. Most of the time, it’s because they want to ensure victory in November and show off their voters’s loyalty to their campaign. Isn’t our vote enough? These emails and text messages make it seem like we have to do more in order to support whatever candidate we align ourselves with but with the constant barrage of pleading and call to action, it makes it more confusing and annoying for voters receiving these messages. The subject titles of the emails don’t help much because they are either vague or meant to attack the emotions given the dire topics that are being combated in the polls. Seeing these emails will make anyone feel guilty for not donating which is exactly what they want. However, the guilt turns into frustration because of the amount of times they send out emails and texts with the same title and emotional appeal. There’s also times when a candidate’s celebrity endorsement will be the topic of the email which makes the email look like a scam. Also, this places the idea that the receiver will be foolish enough to believe that someone like Taylor Swift is actually messaging them and not somebody from Harris’s campaign team. What comes to mind when receiving these messages is that many young voters and college students can’t afford to chip in to this campaign. Also, as mentioned earlier, the vote should be what ensures the campaign’s victory, not the donation. All that the donation does is to give the campaign more money for advertising and events for the campaign to hold around the country. This election is important and there is a lot at stake; however, that doesn’t mean the campaign team can bombard and remind us constantly about the importance of the election. We understand that donating and volunteering are important, but most of us don’t have the time to commit to supporting these campaigns at the polls, and these emails shouldn’t guilt trip us into thinking that our vote isn’t enough. Letter to the editor policy: The Beacon welcomes letters to the editor from differing viewpoints. Letters must contain contact information, including name, city, state and phone number. Phone numbers will not be published but may be used for verification purposes. All letters to the editor must be sent using one of the following methods: Email: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu Phone: (570) 408-5903 (Voicemail: 30 seconds or less, please.) Mail: 84 West South Street, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766 Attn: The Beacon �The Beacon - October 30, 2024 Opinion 15 The Icebox: Celebrating Venom, the Lethal Protector By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer Eyes. Lungs. Pancreas. So many snacks, so little time. It all started with the onset of strange symptoms for news reporter Eddie Brock. He needed to consume living flesh to keep himself in control, and yet, he wasn’t even aware of what was really happening. Soon enough, he made a new best friend. The coolest, most badass friend anyone could ask for. This week, the finale of the legendary “Venom” trilogy was released and I did not think twice about dropping everything I was doing to go and see it at the earliest possible time. As a matter of fact, I celebrated my own “Venom” day with Venom-themed clothing, food, cologne, candy, popcorn, you name it. If there was one fictional character that I could say for sure is my absolute favorite, I would say Venom. Venom is an alien symbiote from the planet Klyntar who landed on Earth and requires a living thing to host in order to survive. Unfortunately, not all humans are compatible with symbiotes. Each alien from Klyntar must find its perfect host. Somehow, Venom came upon his perfect host, Eddie Brock. The two initially coexisted in a parasitic relationship but managed to bond on a physical and emotional level, resulting in the strongest combination of human and symbiote. For the Marvel fans, Venom is commonly considered a villain and destroyer of Spider-Man. Peter Parker has also hosted the Venom symbiote, resulting in an aggressive, sometimes evil version of the web-slinging superhero. However, his bond is never as strong as Venom and Eddie. As for Venom fans, we know that it is actually more of an anti-hero. Certain versions of Venom are focused on invading and conquering planets, while other versions let Eddie take the wheel. Either way, Venom fans love the symbiote unconditionally. I can’t say the same about Eddie, because sometimes he is really cool and other times he is really petty. There is no denying that he will always be the best host for Venom though. Another interesting fact about Venom is that it functions by a hive-mind. This means that all pieces of Venom throughout the universe are connected in memory and cognitive ability. Furthermore, Venom can even connect to other pieces throughout the multiverse, meaning that it can exist literally anywhere it wishes. That also means Venom can be anyone it wishes. In the comics, it has bonded with dozens of superheroes, villains and even civilians. In the movie trilogy, Venom and Eddie betray their former boss and stop them from invading the planet and destroying everything, eat their own son to stop him from becoming the strongest symbiote on the planet and finally save the entire multiverse from complete destruction. All of that sounds ridiculous, especially the last one, but it only proves that Venom and Eddie are a very important character in the grand scheme of things. Eddie Brock has been very likable in the trilogy, all thanks to Tom Hardy’s performance. He not only acts like an unstable character, but he voices the symbiote too. The energy between the symbiote and Eddie is entirely decided by Hardy as he also had a hand in writing and directing the films. Basically, the trilogy has been accredited as Tom Hardy’s project for Sony. It is quite sad that Tom Hardy’s run with Venom has finally come to an end after six years. Perhaps the idea of Venom isn’t for you. There are not many people that enjoy creepy, slimy aliens with booming voices and a knack for eating humans alive. Although the Venom movies don’t go overboard with it, I can certainly understand that someone may feel discouraged to see them. To such people, I say that the Venom trilogy is ultimately a romance. That’s right, the ultimate friendship between Venom and Eddie which is heartwarming. The way that both of them interact with each other and collectively decide to be the “Lethal Protector” of all innocent beings, alien or not. There are dozens of reasons to enjoy the movies, including the score and soundtrack which were produced by esteemed artists like Eminem and Ludwig Göransson. Since the movie just released, it’s difficult to discuss anything without spoilers. For the fans who are reading this, just know that the story is not over for Venom. There are still things meant to go down in future projects. I can certainly understand that the concept of Venom is an acquired taste. The neat part is that all fans love him unconditionally. After all... we are Venom. Concert review: Justin Timberlake’s “The Forget Tomorrow World Tour” By Natalia Williams Life, Arts and Entertainment Staff Writer On Oct.11, Justin Timberlake came to Philadelphia for “The Forget Tomorrow World Tour,” and I was lucky enough to experience the magic. I had pretty high expectations for this show going into it. I was seeing videos all over social media, and I was pretty excited to see it in person. I also looked at the setlist before my show so I was able to get prepared and see what’s going to come song wise. When going to a concert, I like to look at all aspects like ticket pricing, stage set up, set list and overall enjoyment. First let’s talk about ticket pricing. Justin Timberlake is a pretty popular artist, so I was genuinely surprised by the pricing. Granted, I did get these tickets as a birthday gift, but I looked to see how much the tickets were in my section. Since he is a bigger artist I was expecting tickets to be very expensive, but after looking at the other seats in my section, I was surprised my lower bowl tickets were not more than $200. I was pretty close to the main stage and very close to the B stage. I would 100% say that it was worth what my parents paid for those seats. Looking at the stage set up on videos I was so excited to see it in person. I loved how he had two stages so people in all areas of the arena could view him clearly no matter where they sat. The B stage in particular was my favorite since he was really close. It was the most intimate and slow part of the show and I was glad that I had a good view. Another aspect that I did enjoy was the “flying” stage when he sang “Mirrors.” Timberlake stood on this large block that was elevated in the air. It was an opportunity for people who were in the higher sections to see him closely, and I thought that was very neat. I would definitely give the stage set up a 10/10. If I were to go again, I think I’d choose the seats that I had at the first go around. When it comes to concerts, a good setlist is crucial for me. From experience, if an artist’s setlist isn’t up to par then I won’t have a good time. Luckily, JT’s setlist was perfect. He performed all of his hits and material from his new album. I can tell he knew his audience and what people would want to hear on this tour. Hearing his throwback songs live brought so much nostalgia and joy, and I genuinely think his setlist was amazing. When I saw the setlist for the first time and saw he was performing “Can’t Stop The Feeling” from the Trolls soundtrack I was kind of worried about the vibe not being right for it, but it was so much fun and I’m glad he added it on there. I genuinely enjoyed the concert so much. He is such an amazing performer, and it is definitely a top 10 show for me. The vibe and people in my section was a little boring, but nonetheless, I had such a great time. It was amazing to be able to experience the show with my sister because we have both loved Justin for a very long time. If you have the opportunity to catch him on this tour or another if he tours again, I 100% recommend that you do. It is a guarantee you’ll have the best night. �The Beacon - October 30, 2024 Opinion 16 Why “Friday the 13th” is the best of the slasher big three How Jason Voorhees stands out from other horror villains By Leah Smith Asst. Opinion Editor �� Graphic by Laura De Lora �The Beacon - October 30, 2024 Opinion Are leaks harmful to the entertainment industry? 17 Analyzing the recent Insomniac and Game Freak leaks By Shawn Carey Opinion Staff Writer The Digital Age, also known as the Information Age, is often characterized by the free and quick transfer of information. The age of magazines and libraries are slowly becoming a thing of the past. Now, if you want to know something all you have to do is turn on your phone and open Google. We are carrying all of the world’s history in your pocket. With that being said, we often learn of value information before its intended reveal, especially in the entertainment industry. Within the last few years, leakers have become a major part of the film and gaming landscape. At this point it feels like we can’t go a single week without a major leak. How truly impactful are leaks? Are they really changing the industry? Let’s first discuss the two types of leaks. First, we have minor leaks. As you probably assume, these leaks reveal a very minor amount of information, such as characters and new in-game features. Second, we have the bigger leaks, also known as “giga-leaks.” These leaks show off top secret information, like concept art, early builds of games and private business information. Minor leaks tend to be more common, happening whenever a new game, show or movie is close to being released. For example, Marvel’s new show “Agatha All Along” has been the subject of several leaks. Important plots, characters and visuals were posted online before their intended reveal. Now, it sucks that the show was spoiled; however, compared to other leaks, it isn’t really that big of a deal. No one likes getting spoiled but it happens. Let’s look at a much bigger Marvel leak: the “Spider-Man 2” leak, also known as the “Insomniac Giga-leak.” The massive leak reveals all of the games the studios had in development all the way through to 2032, including “Wolverine,” a “Venom” spinoff game and a “X-Men” game. It all started when Insomniac was threatened by a ransomware group. The group told the studio that they were going to leak confidential files to the public if they didn’t receive $2 billion worth of bitcoin in a week. At first, everyone thought that it was a bluff, even the higher ups at Insomniac. However, as time went on, it was revealed that it was no empty threat. Countless files were leaked containing early gameplay builds, story details, concept art, important documents, the company’s release roadmap and much more. One of the details included in the leak was the mention of “SpiderMan 2” receiving story downloadable content (DLC) in the future. Now, let’s fast forward to last week. Insomniac announced the PC port of the game, alongside the news that there wouldn’t be any further update. Now, we don’t know if the DLC was canceled because of the leak or if something else happened behind the scenes. However, we have seen other projects get canceled due to leaks. The Insomniac leak happened just this year and it became known as one of the biggest leaks in gaming history. That was until a month ago. Game Freak, the developer of “Pokemon” games, suffered from a huge data leak, among the trove of data were unused stories, worldbuilding, beta designs, game development tools, earlier builds of games and much more. The leaks dated back to the development of the third generation of games, all the way to the sixth. That’s 10 years of development. Ten years of history. A lot of important behind the scenes documentation got released, documents that are important for preserving the series development history. Preservation of video game history is often overlooked. Every once in a while we get art books and develop vlogs from the big publishers; however, a lot of the time we don’t get that peak behind the curtain. The leak also exposed the personal information of over 2,600 Game Freak employees, including their names and email addresses. This puts the employees at risk. The Game Freak leak allowed gaming historians to catalog development history that was previously unknown, as well putting employees at risk. So, which leak was worse? I know it may be a bit silly to compare leaks. However, they were both of similar sizes. They both also changed the standard of leaking. Unlike the Insomniac leak, it seems like Game Freak is planning on canceling any of their upcoming projects. In fact, it doesn’t seem like the information that was released is going to hurt the studio in any major way. Game Freak employees’ private information getting leaked, on the other hand, is a massive deal. We also learned which part of the game each developer worked on specifically, which could cause problems depending if they had an NDA. The Insomniac leak included very important business documents, everything from financial details, studio contracts, budget details and casting information. Both leaks provide the public with valuable industry information, as well as private details that should’ve never been disclosed. I am of the personal opinion that leaks cause more harm than good. Yes, it’s cool seeing the behind the scenes stuff. However, leaks always reveal something that they shouldn’t. Leaks hurt the careers of those infected by them. Imagine spending years of your life on something with the intent to surprise others, only for it to be shown off early and unfinished. The next time you’re looking at a leak, keep in mind who it’s affecting. �The Beacon - October 30, 2024 Opinion 18 A review of Tyler, The Creator's second studio album "Wolf " An analysis of delivery, production, features, replayability By Logan Colonna Asst. Opinion Editor In preparation for Tyler, The Creator’s new album “CHROMAKOPIA,” I’ve started listening to all of Tyler’s past work. My favorite of these past albums is his 2013 record, “Wolf.” I first listened to it a few years ago, and I’ve had it in and out of my rotation ever since then. Not to spoil too much of how I think of it, but it is within my top three of Tyler's projects. First as always, I think Tyler absolutely delivered on nearly every song. There are, of course, a couple songs every here and there that don’t necessarily resonate with me, like “Pigs” or “Treehome95.” Regardless, I’d say that every other track is a hit. My favorite songs off of “Wolf ” are “Jamba,” “48” and “Lone.” As for “Jamba,” I love Tyler’s flow during each of his verses. He makes sure to match well with the feature, Hodgy, too. “48” offers a more melodic side to Tyler with him singing the chorus. Following this, Tyler goes right back to his classic rapping. When it comes to “Lone,” I adore the somber tone that Tyler attaches to his voice. It really does make it seem that he’s over everything that he’s been through. If you enjoy Tyler’s typical flow and overall sound, you’re sure to like his performance here. We’ll cover this more in the section of the album’s replayability, but the way that Tyler can tell the story at hand all throughout the album, all while sounding cohesive, also speaks as to how great he is as an artist. Next up, we have the features of the album. There are quite a lot here, but a few excellent collaborators are as follows. On “Jamba,” we have Hodgy. He absolutely glides on the instrumental during his verse, honestly rivaling Tyler’s verse. The two’s verses both intertwine with each other perfectly, making his feature all the more better. On “Slater,” we get a melodic interlude from Frank Ocean. His voice is layered with Tyler’s and offers a wonderful listening experience as he To round off the track, we get Earl on the third verse of the song. While I do believe that it’s the worst verse of the song, the verse is still really good. This just speaks volumes about how good the entire album is. vocalizes near the end of the track. Lastly, we get Domo Genesis and Earl Sweatshirt on “Rusty.” Domo begins on the track with his excellent verse. This verse is one of my favorites off of the entire tracklist. After Domo’s verse, we get a hook that is nothing short of addicting. The way that he addresses each bar makes it so pleasing to listen to. While these are the most notable features that can be found on the record, every single feature has something that makes them appealing. Most important to me is the production. Without a good production, it’s doubtful for me to enjoy an album. Thankfully, every instrumental off of “Wolf ” is beyond great. From the raunchy sound from “Jamba,” to the drab soundscape of “Lone” as Tyler speaks about how he’s regretting the fame he’s received as well as speaking on his grandmother passing away. No matter what track you pick out from the bunch, it will be very difficult to compare it to another track. The fact that Tyler can pick out instrumentals that sound so different from each other, but still be slightly similar in order to put them all together is crazy to me. Some of my favorite pieces on the record are “Answer,” “IFHY,” “Rusty,” and even the exuberant “Tamale” with the beat being legit all over the place. Whether you want a more serious tone or a playful song, you get both out of the tracklist here. When it comes to replayability, this album knocks it out of the park. As the album progresses, we hear about characters such as Wolf, the protagonist, Sam, the antagonist, and Salem, Sam’s girlfriend, and all of their time at the local summer camp, Camp Flog Gnaw. Without spoiling anything, all I can say is that I do often see myself revisiting the album as a whole just to hear the story be told again and again. I know that I usually preach that I only like shorter albums. However, although this album is 70 minutes, the way the album progresses it does not feel this long whatsoever. I do not know how, but this album feels like it’s 50 minutes at most even after relistening to it all these years. With this, it’s easy to see that the album’s replayability is apparent. When keeping everything in mind, I truly do love everything this album has to offer. From Tyler’s great performances on each track to the iconic story between Wolf and Sam, it’s no surprise that this album is among one of Tyler’s greatest albums to this day. I give “Wolf ” a 9 out of 10. Graphic by Lara Mullen �The Beacon - October 30, 2024 Sports 19 Sports Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: zachary.paraway@wilkes.edu FB: Wilkes drops big matchup against ranked Susquehanna �� Junior Nick Volpone lines up for a kick. (Left to Right) Sophomore Mike Golay, Sr. Angel Ramos, and Sr. Chris Rodriguez getting set before the play during the Colonles loss to Susquhanna on Saturday, Oct. 25. Photos by Zach Paraway and Sam Mullen By Zach Paraway Sports Editor Senior Xavier Powell takes aim to pass in Saturday's game against Susque- �The Beacon - October 30, 2024 Sports 20 WBB: Colonels are ready to leave it all on the court By Adam Grunt Asst. Sports Editor As the Wilkes University women’s basketball team returns to the court this fall and winter, the Colonels are looking to build on last season’s successes and make a deep playoff run. Head coach Al Berger is entering his second season at the helm and aims to instill a competitive spirit in his team. “I expect a competitive season from our group,” Berger said. “We have a lot of growing to do as individuals and as a program, and a challenging schedule ahead, but I’m confident that the hard work we put in on a daily basis will translate to success on the court.” The team returns two starters this season: Yami Matos and Nadia Evanosky. With many new faces, including five first years and three transfers, the Colonels are looking to compete in the Landmark Conference. Last season, the team finished with an overall record of 9-16, including a 5-13 mark against conference opponents. Junior Madison Robel is particularly excited about this season’s squad. “I’m thrilled to play with this team,” Robel said. “We already have great chemistry and spark. Even though we’re a new team, with a second-year head coach and a new assistant coach, our focus is clear. We’re competing in a tough conference, but I know every player will make an impact, whether through physical or vocal support. From freshmen to seniors, we push each other past our limits and have each other’s backs, no matter the outcome. I expect big things from this team in my junior year.” Robel noted that, despite being young, the team is bonding well during practices. “Preseason practices have been fastpaced, intense, and vital for preparing us for our first scrimmage and game,” she said. “With half of the team made up of newcomers, we’ve had to adjust to new roles, positioning, and learning each other’s play styles. Our team culture emphasizes energy, effort, and enthusiasm. So far, we’ve lived up to that standard. We’ve grown since day one and continue to improve with every minute in the gym and weight room. Coach Berger and Coach Perez design practices to challenge us every day, always pushing us to be better.” Last season, Matos earned AllLandmark second team honors, averaging 13 points and grabbing 133 rebounds. She aims to maintain that level of production as a returning starter. The Colonels kick off their season on Nov. 9 against Albright College at the Marts Center. Landmark Conference play begins on Nov. 20 when the team travels to face the University of Scranton. For more information on the team and all of Wilkes’ athletic teams, visit gowilkesu.com. overall record and qualified for nationals as a junior. Cameron Butka, a senior from Scranton, Pennsylvania, is the program's first All-American since 2015. He earned the title during the 2023-24 season by placing fourth in the NCAA Championship. Butka has also been named “Male Athlete of the Year” for the past two seasons. Junior Sam Kimmel, from Drexel Hill, Pa., posted a 6-15 overall record last season. He believes that his experience over the past two seasons has enhanced his role as a teammate. "Now we are leading by example and showing the younger classmen the ropes and what it is like to wrestle at the college level," Kimmel said. Kimmel improved his record from his freshman to sophomore year by three wins and feels more confident heading into this season. "My skill set has improved drastically by focusing on my strengths and sharpening the areas where I needed work," he said. The season opener against rival King's College will take place on Nov. 2 at 9 a.m Wilkes University wrestling 2024-2025 season preview By Ava Tureen Sports Staff Writer The Wilkes University wrestling team is set to begin its 76th season on Nov. 2 against King's College. Last year, the team enjoyed a successful season, finishing with only a couple of losses. This season, the team welcomes 18 new freshmen, the largest freshman class in over five years. Freshmen make up over 40 percent of the roster, with only 24 returning wrestlers. Coach Jon Laudenslager is entering his 22nd season at Wilkes. He was promoted to director of wrestling in the summer of 2024, following the announcement of the addition of a women’s wrestling team for the 2025-26 season. He remains the head coach and has achieved 17 winning seasons, consistently reaching milestones. Senior Caleb Burkhart is a competitor to watch this season. Hailing from Hughesville, Pa., Burkhart is in his third season with the team. In previous years, he earned the title of MAC Wrestler of the Week and won the Ned McGinley Invitational. Last season, he recorded a 32-11 �The Beacon - October 30, 2024 Sports 21 Wilkes men’s ice hockey 2024-25 season preview Andrew Marshallsay Sports Staff Writer With the temperatures falling and fall sports nearing an end, the winter season is almost here. A sport that seems to define winter at its core is ice hockey. In just a few days, the Wilkes men’s hockey team will take the ice, this year in a new conference with some familiar foes. The Colonels were part of the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) and the MAC from the 2018-19 season to the 2022-23 season. In 2023, they joined the Landmark Conference, which does not sponsor ice hockey. The team only played in UCHC games in the 2023-24 season. Winning MAC titles in 2020 and 2022, the Colonels hope to continue their success in the conference, with time and more on the line. The conference now has its automatic playoff qualification, meaning the team will no longer play in the UCHC. Last season, the Colonels made it to the UCHC playoffs after amassing a regular season record of 18-9-0, with a 15-50 record in conference play. The team made it to the UCHC semifinals, losing an overtime thriller against nationally ranked Stevenson University, 3-4. Entering his sixth season at the helm, Head Coach Tyler Hynes says the team has had an excellent preseason. “Our team has had an outstanding fall in the classroom, weight room, and in the community," Hynes said. "Now that we are practicing every day, it’s been encouraging to see the shape our returners are in. and how quickly our newcomers are adjusting to college hockey." Entering their first year of collegiate hockey with the Colonels include defenseman Tyler Boudreau, as well as forwards Jake Kloss, Nick Del Gaizo and Easton Stafford. “We hope a number of players can build on the success they had last season, and so far in practice they seem poised to do just that, Hines continued.” Last year, the Colonels had success with their offensive play, outscoring opponents 100-64 across the span of the 2023-24 season. Goaltending was another strong suit for Wilkes, as they had a team average of .924 save percentage and 2.36 goals allowed average. The Wilkes power play was also effective, with a success rate of about 31 percent. On the other hand, the Colonels’ penalty kill was also effective, with opponents scoring about 15.5 percent of the time. Senior goaltender Anthony Del Tufo said that expectations are high. “We expect to work from the first puck drop to the last, making our presence known in each arena we play in," he said. "We expect to not only be a contender but play deep into the season and for a championship. This team has had success against MAC opponents before so we expect to continue that." Familiar opponents that the Colonels will face this year include King’s College, Lebanon Valley College and Stevenson. A new team enters the mix as well for Wilkes. They’ll face off against Misericordia three times this season, as the Cougars begin their inaugural season. Both Del Tufo and Hynes agree that there are some standout players to look for this season. They say to look out for forwards Nick Swain and Cam Lowe, as well as defensemen Cole Jungwirth, Joe Johnson, Luke Dobles and Judson McGrath. Swain was second on the team last season in points, scoring 20 goals. Johnson and Jungwirth were first and second on the team in assists. For Lowe, he was the team’s fourth-highest point scorer with 26. Returning senior goaltender Jack Perna took over the duties from Michael Patterson-Jones last season and did it spectacularly. Perna played in 17 contests overall, amassing a record of 11-5 with one shutout, a .919 save percentage, and a GAA of 2.42 The Colonels begin the regular season on Nov. 1, with an away contest at seventhranked SUNY Geneseo. Face off is slated for 7 p.m. After that, the Colonels begin their MAC campaign against King’s on Nov. 8. Face off against the Monarchs is slated also for 7 p.m. at the Revolution Ice Centre in Pittston, Pa. �The Beacon - October 30, 2024 22 Sports Athlete of the Week Jess Shea Sophomore, Midﬁeld, Women's Soccer The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Shea scored the lone goal in the Colonels loss to Elizabethtown College. If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have What had been your favorite wanted to play? sports memory from your time I would want to play softball. I feel as a Colonel? like if I stuck with it from when I My favorite memory as a Colonel was little, I would've been good. was last season when we played King's College. I scored my first What has been your favorite college goal in that game and the sports memory overall? environment was incredible tto be When my club team won a in. game to make it to the National Championship series in Orlando, What is your favorite professional Flordia sports team (any sport)? Buffalo Bills What is your favorite post-game meal? What is your favorite thing to do My favorite post-game meal is away from sports? Chinese food. Spend as much time with my friends and family. I love being How do you feel about being around them and any opportunity selected as the Athlete of the I get to see them I take it. Week? I feel honored to be selected as What is your favorite part of Athlete of the week. I put a lot of being an athlete at Wilkes? work and energy into soccer and The balance between school and I love it so much, so anytome I soccer. I also love my teammates receive an award like this I am and the team environment here. extremely grateful Major: Political Science Hometown: Franklin, NJ What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? My go-to sports movie is The Blind Side. I absolutely love that movie. The Beacon//Samantha Mullen Editor’s note : Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor t s staff each week. At the e nd of the acade mic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw itte r @ Wilkes B eacon to c row n an “Athlete of the Year." Compiled by Samantha Mullen, Asst. Sports Editor �The Beacon October 30, 2024 Sports Athlete of the Week Xavier Powell Senior, Quarterback, Football The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week Powell led the Colonels offense with four total touchdowns in the 69-24 win over Keystone College. He went 19 for 22 with 330 passing yards and three passing touchdowns. Powell also added 35 rushing yards and another touchdown with his legs. What has been your favorite sports memory overall? My favorite sports memory What had been your favorite overall is winning the Mayor’s sports memory from your time as Cup in 2022 and 2024 a Colonel? Winning the Mayor’s Cup and What is your favorite postMVP two times game meal? Texas Roadhouse What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? How do you feel about being New York Knicks selected as the Athlete of the Week? What is your favorite thing to do So thankful to be selected as away from sports? Athlete of the Week. All Glory to Spend time with family and friends God Major: Sports Management Hometown: Poughkeepsie, NY What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? The brothers I met along the way What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? Evolution of the Black Quarterback If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Basketball The Beacon/Sam Mullen Compiled by Samantha Mullen, Assistant Sports Editor Editor’s note : Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor t s staff each week. At the e nd of the acade mic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw itte r @ Wilkes B eacon to c row n an “Athlete of the Year." 23 �The Beacon - October 30, 2024 24 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource This is Wilkes University's Beacon Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the Beacon's predecessors, The Bucknell Bison Stampede, 1934-1935 and The Bucknell Beacon, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>. Missing Issues: 1947 August 8th 1947 September 5th 1947 October 3rd 1947 October 17th 1947 October 31st 1947 November 21st 1947 December 19th 1948 September 9th 1950 April 28th 1953 April 10th 1962 February 2nd Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon, 2024 October 30 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communications Department Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024 October 30 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/82e0d43a038797d1614775156f232878.pdf d38c3ea377b26c7d1c68ca675dd89d83 PDF Text Text The Beacon - October 23, 2024 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 77, Issue 7 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” WUPB hosts “Wilkestoberfest,” a Wilkes twist on Oktoberfest Students, wearing accessories, pose in the photobooth. Photos by Shannon Slominski Hot Wings and Hot Seats with Wilkes College Democrats, page 3 Students on the Greenway eat sausage and pretzels with beer cheese, among other traditional Oktoberfest foods, with root beer floats in beer steins. ...Wilkestoberfest cont. on p.12 MSC hosts pumpkin carving on the greenway, page 10 “Terriﬁer”: The people’s new favorite killer clown franchise, page 16 Athletes of the Week, pages 22 and 23 �The Beacon - October 23, 2024 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Emma Broda: emma.broda@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: Oct. 16 weekly meeting By Kayla Bicskei News Staff Writer After a two-week break during Fall recess, Student Government met for its seventh meeting of the Fall 2024 semester on Oct. 16. This meeting addressed Wilkes Dining Services events, constitution update reports, conference reports, the analysis of an internal survey, and committee work. The Student Government Treasurer began the meeting by reporting the updated Student Government budget of $35,526. The Wilkes University Dining Services General Manager, Pat McGoff, returned for another report on upcoming events hosted by the department and feedback requests. McGoff explained the two upcoming events that the department is hosting. On Oct. 29, students can participate in Pumpkin Decorating Night during the dinner hours of the Dining Hall. On Oct. 31, Dining Services will be hosting its first Dining Style dinner. During this dinner, a small group of students will be served a multiple-course meal cooked by an outsourced chef. An invitation will be sent to students for the event and the first to sign up will be picked. The amount of students picked for the event will increase after the first Dining Style Dinner event. McGoff is also asking for student feedback about on-campus dining through an Aramark survey. The survey is anonymous and accessible through posters in the Dining Hall. The Multicultural Student Coalition presented next for its week one of two reported updates to its constitution. The coalition presented changes to its logo, grammar modifications, and adapted requirements of each Executive Board position. Changes to the constitution also reflect their emphasis on career opportunities alongside academic success, the bi-weekly published coalition newspaper, and new General Board requirements. The Multicultural Student Coalition will return next week for its week two of two reporting of constitutional updates. Wilkes University’s A m e r i C o r p s representative, Rodney Gibson, introduced himself and his mission to Student Government. Gibson is a member of a three-year project on campus to help students feel comfortable ordering or picking up food from the Colonel Cupboard. If any student needs or wants help with getting food, hygienic supplies, or cleaning supplies from the Colonel Cupboard, then they can email Gibson on his Wilkes University email or visit him in his office across from the Colonel Cupboard pantry. The Student Government President, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, and Corresponding Secretary presented their experience at the 2024 National Student Government Summit. The Executive Board members attended the four-day conference alongside the Student Government representatives of 40 other universities. During the first three days of the convention, they participated in lectures and groups. On the fourth day, the representatives explored the surrounding city. The Wilkes University Student Government representatives collectively attended over 20 lectures and groups. The events covered a wide variety of topics, including communicating responsibilities, self-care as student leaders, how to connect with the student body, and representation of all students. After reporting the knowledge they gained from the lectures and groups they attended, the Student Government representatives presented their key takeaways from the conference they hope to implement in Wilkes University’s Student Government. The new implementations include hosting a Student Government open house so all students can see what Student Government does, reaching out to all demographics of students to ask instead of assuming what they want, and engaging with campus leadership. After her conference presentation, the Student Government President remained at the front of the room to discuss the results of the internal Student Government General Board Survey. The anonymous survey asked General Board members for their feedback on the efficiency, likeability, and requirements of Student Government. The President worked through the feedback with Executive and General Board members so they could decide what to change and what to maintain. The official business of the seventh weekly meeting of the Fall 2024 semester concluded with committee work for the upcoming 2024 Fall Event and the 2025 Spring Casino Week. The Student Government Executive Board held its private weekly meeting before the General Board meeting. During this meeting, the club reports of the Veterans Council, Animal Welfare Club, Ultimate Frisbee Team, Psychology Club, Gold Bar Club, and Chemistry Club were voted to be approved. Student Government will meet again on Oct. 23. Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Upcoming Events: 2024 Fall Semester October 24 - Sound Showdown 28-31 - Freak Week 30 - Diwali Celebration Coffee Hour November 1 - Day of the Dead Celebration 2 - Diversity & Leadership Conference 7 - Lucas Zelnick Comedy Show �� The Beacon - October 23, 2024 News 3 Hot Wings and Hot Seats with Wilkes College Democrats Eddie Day Pashinski, Megan Kocher, Fern Leard visit campus By Leah Smith Asst. Opinion Editor On Oct. 15, the Wilkes College Democrats hosted a Hot Wings and Hot Seats event, inspired by the popular internet show, “Hot Ones.” The event's namesake hosts celebrities, athletes, politicians and more. The host and the guest eat wings with an increasingly higher level of heat on the scoville unit. The Wilkes event began at 7:30 p.m., and attendees were welcome to pizza, wings and drinks as they gathered to watch three Democratic Pennsylvania House of Representatives candidates answer questions while trying their luck with spicy hot wings. Sophomore Jezelle Pagan and firstyear student Riley Ahart, were just two students who attended the event. “I wanted to come here tonight to learn more about the candidates," said Ahart. "We don’t really know much about the candidates outside of the Presidential runners, so I wanted to come here and learn more about their beliefs.” Democratic candidates Fern Leard, Eddie Day Pashinski and Megan Kocher took the table and answered questions given by both the audience and Wilkes Democrat Club VP, John Sudol. The candidates answered questions varying from politics to everyday hobbies. One of the major questions asked that night was how the candidates felt about young people not voting. Twenty-fiveyear-old candidate Megan Kocher said that she is worried about young people not voting and understands that there is a divide among Gen Z’s motivation to vote. She adds that she noticed this even more as she was graduating from college during the pandemic. Pashinski added onto her statement by saying, “You are the future… your power is your vote.” Both candidates are former Wilkes students. Questions also revolved around the youth vote and volunteering. Most candidates were asked how it was for them to knock on doors and take phone calls and while there were some comedic answers such as Leard’s encounter with a group of teenagers driving around town to meet her, the candidates as well as the event runners wanted the attendees to know how important it is to volunteer and to vote. Even the more leisurely questions were educational in finding out more about the candidates. When Sudol asked Leard what she would change about her college experience, she said that she could not afford to go to college. Pashinski answered by referring to his time as a music teacher. The candidates were also asked about their favorite hobbies and it was revealed that Kocher has three rescue dogs, Leard is a mother who fought to make a bill pertaining to her children with lymphedema, and Pashinski mentioned being a part of a band. The event runners and club members urge more people to volunteer and to go on their website to sign up for volunteer opportunities: https:// w w w. m o b i l i z e . u s / 2 0 2 4 p a v i c t o r y / event/726670/?followup_modal_ c onte x t = e m ai l _ p o s t _ s h i f t _ f utu re _ timeslots_other_events. Photo by Leah Smith College Democrats recently held a Hot Wings and Hot Seast event to help better educate students about voting and the candidates themselves. Political guests conquered the wings with ease and were able to answer all of the questions given to them without needing a carton of milk. �The Beacon - October 23, 2024 News 4 That’s So Honors: The importance of securing an internship By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer An internship experience is a very important opportunity for students. For some, it decides a future career. For others, it is a rejection of a path they thought they were interested in. Either way, most students will pursue an internship of some sort during their time at Wilkes. While your future job might not require you to regularly use calculus, statistics and probability, Jordan Chepalonis, a junior honors student majoring in mathematics, recently put all three of these disciplines to work at her summer internship. Chepalonis worked in the State Filings & Regulatory Compliance Department at GUARD. GUARD, or Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Company, is located on Public Square. Chepalonis discovered GUARD through one of the Career Development Center’s Career Fairs, which provide opportunities for students to engage with potential employers. Though she didn’t attend the Career Fair, Chepalonis says she researched the company on her own before applying but still utilized campus resources to prepare her application. “The Career Center advertised several internships that I considered before applying for mine. HPSC also hosted resumes and other workshops to help prepare for the application process.” HPSC, or the Honors Program Student Committee, regularly hosts academic events focused on helping students prepare for future classes, co-curricular opportunities and postgraduate life. Last semester, the HPSC hosted a Resume Building Workshop in conjunction with the Career Development Center, where students learned about resume formatting and heard tips about making themselves stand out at an interview. Though Chepalonis’ department may seem intimidating, she loved the work. Chepalonis was responsible for assisting with audits, attending inter-departmental meetings and creating algorithms. Because so much work is independent, she was able to work in a hybrid model, spending two days at home and three days in the office, something she said was much different than her friends’ internship experiences. Her job didn’t end when school began. “At the end of the summer, I was asked if I would like to continue working during the semester, so I am still with them for 10 hours a week.” Chepalonis shared that she enjoys the connections she’s made at GUARD and is hopeful that she will be offered a full-time position upon graduation. Chepalonis also shared that her internship opportunity was incredibly valuable, providing a real-world application to what she’s been learning for the past few years. “Opportunities like this are important because you get to learn what you are looking for in a job when you graduate,” she said. “You also get to experience what it is like to work in an office and see what others do on a day-to-day basis.” Using Wilkes University resources, Jordan Chepalonis was able to find an internship that was perfect for her. Her advice? “I would say don’t be afraid to apply for an internship and that it is okay to be nervous at first. One day everything will just click, and you will feel like you are in the right place.” Chepalonis, who continues to work for GUARD, feels that she is in the right place. The Career Development Center hosts events, including Career Fairs, several times a semester. Follow them on Instagram @wilkesccdi or head to the building behind the SUB to find out more. �The Beacon - October 23, 2024 News 5 The immigration issue: Do immigrants commit more crimes? This is how young Luzerne County voters feel By Sydney Allabaugh Editor-in-Chief Immigration has emerged as a key issue for voters in this election. In a 2024 Gallup poll, Americans were most likely to state immigration as the most important problem facing this country, even over the issues of inflation, poverty, racism, crime and healthcare, with many believing an influx of immigrants is a crisis in the United States. From 2000 to 2022, the lawful immigrant population in the U.S. has grown steadily from 24.1 million to 36.9 million, according to Pew Research Center. In addition to the 36.9 million lawful immigrants, it was estimated that there were about 11 million unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. in 2022. Most of the nation’s immigrants have lived in four states: California, Texas, Florida and New York. In Luzerne County, there are about 33,768 foreign-born individuals, which equates to about 10 percent of the county’s population, according to 2024 U.S. Census data provided by Teri Ooms, president and CEO of the data analysis, research and consulting organization The Institute. With a relatively low foreign-born population locally, some young local citizens do not find immigration or border security to be key issues that impact their lives or their election decisions. “I think that gun violence, women’s rights to bodily autonomy and the huge gap between the rich and the poor are far more important issues than the amount of people who enter the country,” Wilkes University student Jason Oshman said. “The only time in my life I have had to think about immigration is when other people say it’s an issue.” Other young locals consider immigration, particularly unauthorized immigration, to be a problem due to the belief that it causes an increase in crime. King’s College alum Shaun Gurnari said that migrant crime is a problem that can be seen in the news every day and in constant clips on social media. “Most of the people causing the crime are not here legally,” he said. Wilkes University student Maddie Belk, however, does not believe there is a significant correlation between immigration and crime. “I feel like there are far more criminals born and raised in the United States than migrants coming into the country,” she said. “Most of the people trying to get into the country are just looking for better lives and not looking to cause crime.” Ooms confirmed that these cultures come here for a better life, primarily to escape violence and poverty in their countries. Although she did not have data to determine if a migrant influx leads to more crime locally, she said that local foreign-born communities live in high levels of poverty, which could correlate with increased crime rates. “More crime is the result of abject poverty regardless of a person’s race, ethnicity or citizenship,” Ooms said. “We do have abject poverty in over 20 percent of Luzerne County households.” National research on migrant crime is limited, though studies have shown immigrants generally do not commit crimes at higher rates than native-born Americans. Charis Kubrin, criminology professor at the University of California, Irvine, conducted a meta-analysis of more than 50 studies on the link between immigration and crime between 1994 and 2014 and found no significant relationship between the two. The Cato Institute think tank found in multiple studies between 2019 and 2021 that immigrants commit less crimes than native-born citizens. In 2024, they found that unauthorized immigrants have lower conviction and arrest rates for homicide, sex crimes, theft and other crimes. There seems to be a lack of evidence that immigrants commit more crimes and some evidence that they commit fewer crimes, yet the fear of immigrants, particularly unauthorized immigrants, remains prominent, which has contributed to both presidential candidates, especially Former President Donald Trump, deciding to take a more stringent stance on immigration and border security. “Certainly, when we all read the headlines about Venezuelan gangs such as Tren de Aragua, it's easy to feel uneasy and unprotected,” Wilkes University student John Sudol said. Sudol acknowledges that migrant crime is a problem, but he takes issue with fearmongering and misinformation. “However, these threats, now especially more than ever, feel watereddown when we look at the most recent racist right-wing migrant propaganda about Haitians in Ohio,” Sudol said. “After seeing how damaging such rhetoric caused, I truly believe everyone needs to take several steps back from the border discussion.” Although they are commonly seen as threatening, Ooms said that foreign-born populations are generally vulnerable. In Luzerne County, they struggle with poverty, language barriers and a lack of recognition for their credentials, among other issues. “The immigrant community appears to live in fear here and do not trust most organizations, people and institutions because of discriminatory experiences,” Ooms said. A perceived correlation between immigration and crime is just one of the reasons why immigration is considered to be a major problem this election. “I see reports of them stealing jobs and doing them for less while other citizens aren't able to get them,” Gurnari said. This is a common argument against immigration, according to the Cato Institute. Other common arguments are that immigrants will increase crowding and abuse the welfare state, though the Cato Institute argues that there is evidence that counters these claims. �The Beacon - October 23, 2024 News 6 Wilkes ranks among the top universities nationally By Emma Broda News Editor This month, various reports ranking top universities in the United States were released and once again included Wilkes among them. Rankings came from the U.S. News and World Report’s Best Colleges, Washington Monthly magazine, the Princeton Review, Niche, and the 2024 CollegeNet Social Mobility Index. The U.S. News and World Report ranked Wilkes 288 out of the 436 national universities recognized in their report. Wilkes is also ranked at 181 among the 433 universities listed on the ranking for Top Performers on Social Mobility. This means that they are very successful in enrolling and graduating students given Pell Grants. Wilkes was recognized for its performance on social mobility by the CollegeNet 2024 Social Mobility Index as well. They are ranked 402 out of the 1,205 universities listed. Wilkes was ranked by the U.S. New and World Report among top universities for their undergraduate engineering program and nursing program. They are ranked 455 out of the 686 universities listed for their undergraduate nursing program. For engineering, Wilkes ranked 223 out of the 286 on the list. “I think the program is run very well by the professors," said Anthony Antonette, a senior electrical engineering major. “It’s nice to be recognized and it is really interesting to be recognized for this knowing our school is commonly known for its pharmacy program.” Washington Monthly magazine ranked Wilkes 275 out of the 438 included in their top national universities list. They also ranked Wilkes among their Best Bang for the Buck Colleges in the Northeast at 312 out of the 376 universities listed. The Princeton Review includes the university on their list of Best Colleges in the Mid-Atlantic region from their 2025 Best Colleges: Region by Region list. Niche ranks universities in many different categories, some of which include Most Diverse Colleges in America, Best Value Colleges in America, and Colleges with the Best Professors in America. Wilkes was ranked 749 out of 1,495 for most diverse, 799 out of 1,462 for best value, and 358 out of 1,503 for best professors. Niche also ranked Wilkes among universities in Pennsylvania for Colleges with Best Professors, Colleges with Best Academics, Most Diverse Colleges, and Best Value Colleges all in Pennsylvania. The university ranked 19 out of 103 for best professors, 36 out of 104 for best academics, and 41 out of 103 for most diverse, and 47 out of 103 for best value. William Wolfgang, junior data science major, talked about how he felt regarding Wilkes’ recent rankings. “...it is really awesome to be recognized because it's an opinion shared by a good number of people I know that it is a really nice local school. “I think that the opportunities here really can help you to reach for what you want to achieve and it is something that rankings don't often reflect.” Photos by Sydney Allabaugh �The Beacon - October 23, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Editor-in-Chief Sydney Allabaugh at sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu Retired Wilkes professor to hold book signing From a Wilkes University news release Thomas Baldino, retired professor of political science at Wilkes University, and co-author Paula Holoviak, professor of philosophy and government at Kutztown University, will hold a book signing and Q&A for their book, Pennsylvania Government and Politics, at 2 p.m. on Oct. 27, at the Barnes & Noble in the Arena Hub Plaza, WilkesB a r r e Township. The book, published by Penn S t a t e University Holoviak Press, covers a period of more than 300 years of political history in the Commonwealth. The book examines Pennsylvania’s culture and geography, interactions between office holders and the media, the creation and enforcement of laws and political upheaval resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 presidential election. Readers can also find practical appendices and interviews with current and past office holders, bureaucrats, party leaders and political journalists. Pennsylvania Government and Politics serves as a helpful reference for high school and college students, professionals, journalists or anyone interested in learning about politics in the state. “We believed that a book like ours was needed not only to educate students but also the public,” Baldino said. The book also fills a publication Dr. Thomas Baldino, retired professor of political science, will host a book signing at 2 p.m. gap. When Baldino on Oct. 27, at the Barnes & Noble in the Arena Hub Plaza, Wilkes-Barre Township. and Holoviak a vital contributor to the U.S. economy Pennsylvania Government and Politics. started the project and the ongoing dialogue on the future They’ll also share their optimistic eight years ago, the last comprehensive of American politics.” view of state politics in the face of recent book written about Pennsylvania’s At the Barnes & Noble event, upheaval. government was published in 1933. Baldino and Holoviak will present “As one of America’s first colonies, “Pennsylvania has a long and storied insights gained during the research Pennsylvania has survived many history in the development of democracy and writing process, answer questions challenges and has always emerged in the United States,” said Holoviak. from the audience and sign copies of stronger. “The Commonwealth continues to be Have an event you’d like us to cover? Email kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu �The Beacon - October 23, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment Sydney Allabaugh: A Struggle - The Garden Stephen Youkoski: Should’ve Said No - Taylor Swift Megan Davis: Night of Fireworks - Xdinary Heroes Emma Broda: All-Nighter - Bad Bad Hats 8 Sam Mullen: Sounds of Someday - Radio Company Adam Grundt: Love Somebody - Morgan Wallen Leah Smith: A Work of Art - Ice Nine Kills Zach Paraway: Moonlight on the River - Mac DeMarco Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staﬀ picks their favorite song of the week. Check out this week’s bops! �The Beacon – October 23, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment Interested in telling the stories of campus life? The Beacon’s Life, Arts and Entertainment section is looking for photographers and writers! Email kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu for more information. 9 �The Beacon – October 23, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 Multicultural Student Coalition hosts pumpkin carving on the greenway Photos by Shannon Slominski From left, Assetou Xango, graduate residence director, Residence Life; and students E. Alexis and Starr Sandt work on their pumpkin creations. Students gathered on the greenway to carve pumpkins and enjoy hot cocoa during MSC’s fall event. �a h r i 9 s i n d d t r u m l d e n t s 11 e r m s Crossword 11 n v d o �� m o c r a t i c a e p e 12 b a y n d c e n t s Across 10 t e r presidential m s 2. Democratic nominee 5. Republican presidential nominee i 6. Government by the people o 7. The current U.S. president is from the ____ Party. 11 n 9. There are two majorvpolitical parties, but most Americans are registered as ____. d o 10. Presidents can serve two four-year ____. 12 b a l 29l is the o last t day to request a mail-in 12. October ____. y e l l o t e U.S. Election Crossword Down 1. Democratic vice presidential nominee 3. An elephant is the symbol of the ____ Party. 4. Republican vice presidential nominee 2 8. November 5 4 11. When U.S. citizens turn 18, they can register to ____. 5 1 6 Down 1. Democratic vice presidential nominee 3. An elephant is the symbol of the ____ Party. 4. Republican vice presidential nominee 8. November 5 11. When U.S. citizens turn 18, they can register to ____. 7 3 8 9 10 Answer Key: a e l l o t o d v n 11 o i 11 t 10 e r m s c 9 i n d e p e n l e 6 d e m o c 7 d r a c 8 e o c y l b z a l v a 5 d 12 4 n j a m d t r u m a p e a l a h a r 3 r i i 1 e u l w 2 k r i n o d n t s a m t U.S. Election Crossword s t i c n d o i e n i l 8 e Life, c Arts & Entertainment t b d p 10 p u 7 e y arty. t 3 r e 2, 2024 The Beacon - October y i a b l l a 12 a l Across Down ��The Beacon - October 23, 2024 Opinion Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact assistant opinion editors: leah.smith@wilkes.edu or logan.colonna@wilkes.edu. Editorial Staff 2024-25 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Sydney Allabaugh Managing Editor: Stephen Youkoski Social Media Manager - Megan Davis Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Emma Broda Sports - Zach Paraway ASSISTANT EDITORS Opinion - Logan Colonna Opinion - Leah Smith Sports - Adam Grundt Sports - Sam Mullen DESIGNERS Head Designer - Lara Mullen Designer - Laura De Lora Layout Designer - Brady Melovitz SECTION STAFF WRITERS News - Kayla Bicskei LA&E - Natalia Williams Opinion - Shawn Carey Opinion - “Freeze” Sports - Andrew Marshallsay Sports - Ava Tureen 141 S. Main Street Clayton and Theresa Karambelas Media & Communication Center Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 Phone - (570) 408-5903 www.thewilkesbeacon.com Want to advertise in The Beacon? Contact: Kalen Churcher at kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or Sydney Allabaugh at sydney. allabaugh@wilkes.edu. The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. Metal is a highly overlooked music genre Metal. Heavy metal. Screamo. The genre comes in many forms and many names, but the bottom line is that the metal music genre as a whole is highly overlooked by the general public. The metal scene never really hit the stratosphere in terms of pop culture until around the 70s/80s with the popularization of what is now called “hair metal” or “glam metal,” featuring bands such as Twisted Sister and Motley Crue. Although they aren’t as heavy as the metal bands of today are, these bands shifted the music zeitgeist. Heavier bands existed during this time as well, becoming more prevalent in the late-80s and early-90s, such as Metallica and Slayer. Bands like these would be known as “thrash metal” or “speed metal” given by the band’s pace. One of the most popular sub-genres currently is metalcore, where bands blend other genres along with traditional metal sound. The genre is often compared to the 90s/early 2000s sub-genre “nu-metal,” which also gained much popularity due to blending hip-hop and metal elements. Metalcore gained its fame since it is an evolution of not only metal but also music as a whole. The blending of genres allows more creativity and avenues for bands to discover, since they don’t need to follow the traditional rules of “thrash metal” or “hair metal.” Social media, specifically TikTok, has been a leading force for the popularity of metalcore by advertising bands such as Sleep Token and Bad Omens. Hardcore metal fans and newcomers soon join on the bandwagon and start posting songs and segments featuring the bands. This starts to branch out onto the platform and put metalcore into the stratosphere. So if metalcore and metal as a whole is so popular among the social media realm, how come it is still underrated among the general public? Most people generalize metal music as just “screamo” music and therefore don’t really give metal music its fair share. This doesn’t come as a surprise since many people who have this opinion typically only listen to whatever is popular on the radio, or if they do listen to music with some heavy elements, it’s usually rock bands that are also radio-friendly like Green Day and Foo Fighters. Not to say that those bands are bad or that the people who denounce metal are bad, but it is simply unfair that people who criticize metal music and label it as “screamo” are devaluing the substance that metal has. Metal music has been the king of controversy in the music scene, with the “satanic panic” in the 80s. During the panic, parents protested against metal bands and artists, saying children who listened to metal music were turninginto devil worshippers. The forced censorship and general audience dislike of metal music only drives people to engage in the genre more and is why so many people gravitate towards it. Metal music features lyrics and sounds that feel entirely different from any other genre. Many songs feature lyrics describing issues of mental health or problems with the modern day. These songs are filled with strong emotions which is why many metal artists feature “gutturals” or screams as it’s become known as because those screams emphasize the emotions the band is describing. Even when a metal song isn’t talking about societal issues, the loud musical elements speak to the listener because it can be a reflection of how they’re feeling and be an escape from the scary reality they’re living in. That being said, it is understandable that not everyone enjoys it due to the sound and confusing amount of sub-genres, but that shouldn’t devalue the genre. Not everyone likes all genres of music but that doesn’t make any of them discredited because they are all influential in their own way. Metal music deserves to be looked at better by the world because it is a genre that’s been around for so long and a genre that has evolved into great heights and continues to shake the music scene with each new release. Letter to the editor policy: The Beacon welcomes letters to the editor from differing viewpoints. Letters must contain contact information, including name, city, state and phone number. Phone numbers will not be published but may be used for verification purposes. All letters to the editor must be sent using one of the following methods: Email: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu Phone: (570) 408-5903 (Voicemail: 30 seconds or less, please.) Mail: 84 West South Street, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766 Attn: The Beacon �The Beacon - October 23, 2024 Opinion 15 Why Wilkes should look to add a Republican Club By Zach Paraway Sports Editor Election years tend to bring out both the best and worst in people. It is very common to see friends and especially family battle over the idea of what we should do as a nation. These fights are always billed as the “fight of our lives” or “the most important election,” and as someone who has been able to remember every election since 2012, the term gets overused. Despite my disdain for much of what politics is today, I do understand and recognize the importance within our American system. It is important that we use our right to not only vote, but to also express our opinions and beliefs in our country. This brings us to today and on our Wilkes campus where we see these ideas being practiced. New to our campus this year is the College Democrats Club, so far having events to watch political events, such as debates. Before we continue, I would like to congratulate the club and its members for coming together and not only hosting but educating others on information that they may or may not have known. This is what we as a student body should expect from our clubs, and we should be happy that this club is doing as such, regardless of political affiliation. Now, in saying that, the creation of this club does create a question and the potential for something else to be created as well. With the creation of the Democratic club, I ask that a Republican club should be created as well. Before I go on and explain, I should say that I am an independent and do not have any opinions or feelings against either political party. I have issues, likes and dislikes for both parties and I try not to get biased when looking at the two. A Republican club used to exist on this campus before, but the club was disbanded and future political clubs were not seen as something possible on this campus. The new democratic club here has shown what a political club can do here when the hope for the club is to inform and bring people together. It is obvious that not everyone on this campus is a Democrat, and there are many other political affiliations that people identify with. The creation of an alternative club for people of other political ideologies allows for secondary ideas on this campus and allows for the community as a whole to understand another perspective that we often, as young people, do not see. It is important to have that second perspective in order to understand where both sides come from. Go on social media for five seconds or just under any comment section. You will see what happens when the uninformed and the uneducated share their opinion, usually spreading hate off the back of their party. This is due to many factors, one being that the media today allows for one to only see what they want to see and not having to hear nor understand any other perspectives. If someone were to create a Republican club, it should be done and held respectfully. That is the backbone of this proposal that I am trying to portray as we do not want to have groups who hate each other because of who they are. As someone who is very burned out and tired by the election process, this is the one thing I want to see from this process, not caring much who gets elected. Regardless of your side of the political aisle, we can all agree that we want to gain understanding about others and to gain knowledge of our world. It’s a rude and cruel world out there, and the least we can do is make it so that we are all educated about what both sides mean and to be able to have a positive conversation. Mario Kart you are probably familiar with the idea that it “destroys relationships” as both are heavily focused on sabotaging your opponent. Items are the primary method of putting others down so that you can get ahead. For example, a switch item can be used to swap places with your opponent on the board, and a Chain Chomp Bell can be used to move the location of the current star. Even when playing minigames, a player can strategically sabotage their opponent so that they do worse. The results of the minigames are certainly important. A lot of players who are serious about winning will practice the minigames ahead of time so they know how to effectively beat their opponents. Some minigames require a free-for-all, others in teams of two or even a one-versus-three format. Certain minigames have a coin-collecting element to inflate the pockets of all players and raise the stakes even more. If you’re truly evil, you can sabotage your teammates if the risk of losing isn’t harmful. Typically, a star costs 20 coins and must be found on the board. The idea is to traverse the board and reach the star as fast as possible to obtain it. Once a star has been taken, a new one appears elsewhere on the map. Now the question is, are you partying right? While some people may enjoy this game for what it is, there will always be that one person who thinks in the fourthdimension and absolutely must obtain victory at all costs. The glory of strategizing a game like Mario Party is unique because part of the victory is entirely up to chance and the game decides to be unfair. Speaking of odds, they do not always have to be against you, the one who wants to win more than anything. For example, there is nothing stopping you from obtaining a custom dice block from the shop and then deliberately rolling next turn to a dueling space. Suddenly, you find yourself challenging another player. Possibly the one you fear is going to take your spot on the throne in a 1-on-1 where the stakes are your coin balances. You can certainly alter the results of the game with just one extra minigame round against a specific player. Another option is to not let anyone get stars and to do absolutely whatever it takes to play keep-away. This can be done by repeatedly using the Chain Chomp Whistle, purposefully triggering the board events or constantly teleporting random players. Although such techniques can bite you back, they are very useful once you’ve already obtained the lead. Take note of bonus stars at the end of a game. Players who use the most items, obtain the most coins and win the most minigames are all candidates for receiving bonus stars. That means performance and tactfulness really do matter more than just pure luck on the board. The bottom line is to really think about your approach to a new game against your friends by considering your current position in the rankings. A lot of players focus too much on “doing their own thing” when instead they can be focusing on sabotaging others to minimize effort into obtaining more stars. Generally, this principle works well in board games and card games alike. The efforts of oneself are not as fruitful as the efforts of destroying others. I would not recommend these tactics in real life situations, unless you plan to become a supervillain one day. The Icebox: Are you Mario Partying the correct way? By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer If you didn’t know, the latest installment of the Mario Party franchise has just been released. It’s called the “Jamboree,” reflective of its ambitious nature of including several dozen minigames and more playable characters than ever before. For decades, Mario Party has been considered one of the most played party games of all time. There seems to be a little bit of something for everyone and it was made for the family. As a new season of Mario Party adventuring begins, it is important that you don’t get left behind. If you’ve ever played any of the previous games, you probably know that the primary gamemode focuses on a board game with items and minigames. Minigames help players obtain coins in order to acquire stars, which are the win condition for the game. Depending on the board that you and your friends choose, there can be a lot of other factors that change the luck and progression of the overall game. If you’ve played Mario Party or even �The Beacon - October 23, 2024 Opinion 16 “Terrifier”: The people’s new favorite killer clown franchise The success of the newest installment “Terrifier 3” By Leah Smith Asst. Opinion Editor �� Graphic by Laura De Lora �The Beacon - October 23, 2024 Opinion 17 Are movies leaving theaters too soon after release? By Shawn Carey Opinion Staff Writer I love movies. Not just as an art form, but as an experience. I am, of course, referring to the act of going to the theater. Movie theaters offer something really special. A sense of grandeur. For approximately two hours, you, your friends and a handful of strangers get to live a different story and discover a different world. Theaters are a celebration of the arts and all the people who help create our favorite stories. With that being said, the future of movie theaters is looking somewhat bleak. Traditionally, the theatrical window for a new movie release has been several weeks to several months, usually 40 to 50 days. After a movie’s theatrical run, there’s usually a three or so month wait for its home release. If you are a regular theater goer, you’ve probably noticed that these time periods have changed. As of recently, the theatrical window for new releases have been shrinking. Let’s use “Transformers One” as an example. Paramount’s newest installment in the ever-so-popular series started its theatrical run in the United States on Sept 20. The film’s digital streaming release is planned for Oct. 19, not even a month after release. “Transformers One” isn’t the only movie this has happened to. “Late Night with the Devil,” “Longlegs,” “Joker 2” and “The Wild Robot” all received shortened theatrical runs. They also received digital releases immediately after, killing any chance they might have at major success. While I’ve only listed a few, this shortened run has affected almost every release in the last year. One of the worst parts about all this is that we don’t know why this is happening. Film studios are staying silent on the matter. I’ve taken it upon myself to look into this matter and see if I could pinpoint a specific reason behind the shortened release window. First thing first, let’s look at what films are following this trend, or rather, what films aren’t. “Deadpool and Wolverine,” “Inside Out 2” and “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” are seemingly the only movies that haven’t been affected by the shortened release schedule, staying in theaters for months. As you probably noticed, they all share something in common. They are all sequels. To be clear, they’re sequels to nostalgic movies. It seems like new and original movies get a shorter release window. Meanwhile, these large franchises get the traditional releases. These major studios are killing off new franchises before they even have the chance to start. They’re focusing more on already established series, series that they know will make them money. This is, in essence, anti-art. They’re focusing on the past while ignoring the future. What I think makes this even worse is that the new franchises are often dumped on streaming platforms immediately after their theatrical run. It’s one thing to release a movie on online store fronts, it’s a whole other thing to put it on streaming. Apple TV, Google Play and Amazon Prime require you to purchase the movie, as if it was a Blue-Ray. The movie is still making a profit, even after it’s removed from theaters. Meanwhile, a movie doesn’t really gain anything from being put on a streaming service. Sure, it’s getting more people to watch it. That, however, doesn’t net the filmmakers any revenue. This leads us to asking the question, why are studios doing this? We sadly don’t really have a solid answer, just speculation. The most popular belief is that the studios lack faith in their products. They believe that their new IPs aren’t going to make any profit, causing them to want to pull them from the theaters early. From a business perspective, I honestly can’t see why they would do this. Why spend millions of dollars on a movie just to give it a three-week run? Does the studio expect to make all of its money back in under a month? Unless you’re Marvel or Star Wars, you can’t really expect that level of success. There’s also the idea that it’s a scheme to drive people to the studio’s streaming service. General audiences are being given two choices. Drive up to the theater and pay for a ticket, or wait three weeks and watch it for *free.* You can probably assume which one is more popular. Now, what does this mean for theaters? The most obvious impact is loss in revenue, which can potentially cause some theaters to close down. There’s also the possibility that in the future more movies are going to receive a straight to streaming release, cutting theaters out of the equation entirely. The most likely scenario, however, is the idea that theaters are going to move away from movies and become a general entertainment center. This is something that we can already see taking shape. As of September, theater chains from across the nation have joined forces to invest over two billion dollars into becoming “multiplexes.” As a movie fan, it truly hurts to see the current state of things. I believe that every movie deserves a chance at making it big. Right now, theaters need our support more than ever. If there’s a movie that you’re even a slight bit interested in, please see it in theaters. Don’t let movie-going become a dying art. Graphic by Laura De Lora �The Beacon - October 23, 2024 Opinion 18 A review of Ye's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" An analysis of lyrics, performance, production, features By Logan Colonna Asst. Opinion Editor If you know of Ye, formally Kanye West, whatsoever, odds are you know about his 2009 record, “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.” The album follows Ye’s self-imposed exile as he headed to Hawaii to produce and record each song for the album. Before going into the review, I think it’s important to throw out that Ye needed the album to do well artistically in order for the media to not outcast him forever. With this, Ye grouped up only the best names in the music industry for this record. Right in the very beginning of the album on “Dark Fantasy,” we see Ye’s return to excellence with his witty lyrics like “How you say broke in Spanish? Me no hablo.” Truly no performance from Ye on the album is anything less than great. My personal favorite tracks are “Devil In A New Dress,” “POWER” and “Lost In The World.” All three tracks include some of Ye’s best as we get each verse from him. A s for “DIAND” the mood that is set from both Ye’s verse and the production literally made me cry while relistening to the track. “POWER” was Ye’s first time breaking his silence ever since his situation at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Many thought he would’ve apologized in some way, but he did the complete opposite and defended himself against his critics who tried to take him down. As an impressive stat on the record, Ye went on to say in an interview that “POWER” took up 5,000 man-hours to complete. This kind of dedication towards music is what I personally miss nowadays, even from Ye with his newest records with both Vultures 1 and 2. Lastly, on “Lost In The World,” we get a verse from Ye that actually began as a poem to his now ex-wife Kim Kardashian using the lines, “You’re my devil, you’re my angel. You’re my heaven, you’re my hell,” to weirdly rope her in. As the song progresses, we get a number of pre-choruses and choruses voiced by Ye that bring the track as well as the album altogether as he sets himself free from the sins of his past. Next up, we have the collaborating artists on the album. The feature list this time around is absolutely stacked with the likes of JAY-Z, Kid Cudi, Pusha T, Rick Ross and so many more. Some key standouts on this record are Rihanna’s chorus on “All Of The Lights,” literally everyone on “Monster,” which holds Nicki Minaj’s best verse to date, Rick Ross’s beautiful addition to “Devil In A New Dress,” and finally Pusha T on the legendary track, “Runaway.” Rihanna brings the entire song together and matches the grand production that is heard throughout the whole track on “All Of The Lights.” As for “Monster,” there is not a single stale moment in the seven-minute song. As stated before, Nicki raps like the rent is due and truly shows how she is a “monster” on the mic with her amazing flow and lyrics. Now for my favorite feature on the album, Rick Ross. After hearing the most ethereal verse from Ye, Rick Ross adds to it even more with his inclusion. In his verse, he boasts on how he has it all money-wise; however, he still finds himself lonely even if he is successful financially. His verse was so good that he even took it upon himself to release a music video for it. In all reality, I do think that the instrumental helps him a bit here, but the verse is still one of his best nonetheless. Lastly, we have Pusha T’s inclusion on “Runaway.” This is what Pusha had to say about the making of his verse for the track as per a Clipse consigliere, “But I wrote ‘Runaway’ four times—and what he does not know to this day is that I was going through a relationship scandal in my life." He said, "So this man is asking me to write a song about a relationship and to say that I’m the biggest douchebag ever. He’s telling me, ‘Yo, you need to be more douchebag. We need more douchebag!’ I didn’t want to say to him, ‘Dog, I don’t know if I even have douchebag in me right now.’ I’ve been jammed up, and it’s hard for me to even tap into that part, because I’m remorseful.” With this in mind, it makes Pusha’s verse that much more impactful. With both his and Ye’s verse, we get the two removing all of the glamor from things such as money, sex, drugs and more. With this, easily one of Ye’s most powerful tracks was created. As no surprise, the features as a whole are near-perfect to me. As for the production, I love each and every one of the tracks just for their production alone. Some of my favorites are “Devil In A New Dress,” “Runaway,” “Lost In The World” and “POWER.” As for “DIAND,” the track created the perfect sample from Smokey Robinson’s “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” The pitched-up vocals are looped throughout the track, creating a soft atmosphere for Ye and Rick Ross to rap over. “Runaway” gets its iconic loop of “look at ya’s” by being sampled by Rick James’s “Mary Jane” as well as its drum line from The Backyard Heavies and their 1971 track “Expo ‘83.” These samples paired up with a fantastic synth throughout the entire track makes the song great. Next, “Lost In the World” offers an incredible sample of Bon Iver’s “Woods,” which is simply the song but pitched up a couple times as well as being layered on itself. Yet again, creating an atmosphere worth listening to. On top of this, a booming drumline is added into the equation. Lastly, the most-streamed song on the album, “POWER.” The song offers an instrumental that's meant to be played in stadiums. From the heavy hitting drums, to the assortment of other instruments, the song just yells out “loud.” While these are just my favorite instrumentals, the entire tracklist holds songs that are worth listening to simply for their production. This makes the production on the album perfect. After all is said and done, I absolutely love this album. It was the first album from Ye I ever heard when I was first getting into the genre of hip hop. Out of all of Ye’s albums, this is my second favorite, with 2009’s “Graduation” coming out on top just barely. “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” gets a 9.5 out of 10. Graphic by Lara Mullen �The Beacon - October 23, 2024 Sports Sports 19 Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: zachary.paraway@wilkes.edu Wilkes soccer weekly round-up: Oct. 16 and 19 By Andrew Mashallsay Sports/News Staff Writer �� Sophomore Matthew Conti takes the ball out of goal during a 1-0 loss to Elizabethtown Photo by Steve Finkernagel �The Beacon - October 23, 2024 Sports 20 Wilkes University cross country season begins to wrap up Lexi McHugh Sports Writer The Wilkes University men's and women's cross country teams have been making impressive strides this season as they navigate through a series of competitive meets. Both teams have shown significant improvement, with athletes setting personal bests and securing strong finishes in recent races. The women's team had three meets this season, one of its most recent meets taking place at Lock Haven University on Sept. 28. First-year student Ava Bailor had a phenomenal run finishing 18th overall with a time of 25:12.1. First-year Mikayla Miller finished 72nd overall with a time of 27:15.9, right behind her was senior Regan Metz who placed 79th overall finishing at 27:41.5. Senior Courtney Negra placed 100th with a time of 28:41.2, junior Mara Adams placed 103rd with a time of 28:53.8, and sophomore Brooklyn Donia placed 126th with a time of 32:38.8. The Colonels ended up placing 12th out of 15th teams and finished the sixkilometer race with 279 points. The team's best finsh on the season as a whole came back during the Cougar Classic on Sept. 6. The team finshed second out of six teams for the event. The men's team also had three meets this season, with one of its most recent meets taking place at Lock Haven University on Sept. 28. First-year student Aiden Graff finished at the very top of the scoring sheet with a time of 26:48.9. Junior Caleb Edwards finished 20th with a time of 27:28.5 and first-year Jack Thompson was right behind him coming in 21st with a time of 27:29.2. Senior Connor Anascavage came in 114th with a time of 30:34.3. Junior Zachary Spurrier came in 117th place with a time of 30:42.9. Sophomore Justin Ashman placed 154th with a time of 32:44.2. The Colonels ended up placing seventh out of 18 teams and finished the eight kilometer race with 209 points and three runners inside the top 25. The teams best finsh on the season as a whole also came during the Cougar Classic on Sept. 6. The team also finshed second out of six teams for the event, matching the women. Both teams' most recent meet took place last Saturday at the Aubrey Shenk Invitational, hosted by Gettysburg College. The men did not score in the 8k race, but did have highlights to build on. Thompson ran a season-best 26:10.8, finishing in 16th place. Spurrier also had a personal best with a 29:20.5, while Graff had a 26:58.5. The women placed 19th in their event, coming with a score of 544. Bailor led the Colonels with a time of 24:59.5 for 86th place, followed by Miller with a time of 27:39.1. Negra, Metz, and Donia also ran, with times of 28:03.2, 28:19.3, and 31:58.4, respectively. Both teams now look forward to the Landmark Conference Championship race scheduled for Nov. 2 at 11 a.m., the event to be held at Elizabethtown College. �The Beacon - October 23, 2024 Sports 21 Women’s ice hockey eager to get back on the ice By Adam Grunt Asst. Sports Editor The Wilkes women’s ice hockey team is eager to get back onto the ice after a successful 2023-24 season. Last season, the team finished 18-7-2 during the regular season, and concluded their season in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference Quarterfinals. The team joins the men’s in making the jump to the MAC after playing in the UCHC since the teams formation in 2018. The team joins the MAC after the school left the conference last year for all sports. The team went 11-1-1 against MAC teams last year. This year, the team, recently voted as the best team in the MAC according to the preseason rankings, is looking to continue the successes from last season by working hard in preseason practices. “So far practices have been great,” said junior defender Anneke Bouma. “The team has been bonding and there’s been great chemistry on the ice. As a junior, I’m so excited to see what this year’s team will accomplish. All the players have been doing great so far and all have individual valuable skills.” Head coach David LaBaff is entering his third season at the helm of the women’s ice hockey program in 2024-25, and is excited for what’s to come in the upcoming season. “Our practices have been sharp, fastpaced, and fiercely competitive,” LaBaff said. “It’s tough to single out individual standouts because the depth of talent across our lineup is exceptional. Every player, from the net out, has been pushing hard, and that collective effort is something we are eager to see translate into game situations.” That depth of talent is certainly going to be something to watch this season, as the team returns sophomore forward Haylee Bouchard, who tallied 37 points in 27 games with the Colonels last season. In addition, Bouma tallied the second most points among those on the Colonels’ defense last season with 10. “I think our team will push each other to play the best we can and work harder and smarter than our opponents,” said Bouma. “We have our goals set for winning and toning our plays and skills. There will be ups and downs but the team will rise to the challenge.” All in all, the Colonels are preparing for a better result to their season, and hopefully one that ends in a championship. The team fell to Nazareth University in the UCHC semifinals last season, and looks to return to the playoffs this season and capture a championship. The team, which is always diverse, welcomes first-year players from several different nations this season, including China, Canada and Slovakia, as well as a graduate student who hails from Finland. The chemistry being built within the team certainly exceeds the language barrier, as the team has one thing in mind: a championship. “Our expectation every day is to show up with a relentless compete level, unwavering attention to detail, and a commitment to building elite habits both on and off the ice,” said Coach LaBaff. “We set the bar high for ourselves, but our focus is internal – on our team’s growth, execution, and unity – rather than getting caught up in outside noise or distractions.” The Colonels will kick off their season at the Utica University Kickoff Tournament in Utica, N.Y. on Nov. 1 when they take on Elmira College. For more information on the women’s ice hockey team as well as the rest of the athletic teams at Wilkes, please visit gowilkesu.com. Women's volleyball continues season competition By Ava Tureen Sports Writer The Women’s Volleyball team has been in season since Aug. 30, and it has faced a variety of challenges. The team is currently 4-14 overall, but the season isn't over yet. On Oct. 18, the team faced Lycoming College and lost 3-0. While Lycoming won all three sets, it wasn’t an easy victory. Sierra Hines, a middle hitter in her final season, recorded three kills, two aces and two blocks during the match. Jenna Baron, another middle hitter and a junior, contributed five kills and two aces. A kill is defined as successfully hitting the ball over the net and onto the opposing team's floor, while an ace is a serve that lands on the opponent's floor without being touched. The team’s latest win was a clean sweep against Marywood University. Wilkes competes in the Landmark Conference, while Marywood is in the Atlantic East. Alex Cassel, the team captain and a senior setter from Mount Joy, Pa., was instrumental in the victory against Marywood, posting 22 assists, three blocks, and two aces Rachel Anderson, a sophomore setter from Canmore, Canada, also played a key role with four assists and two aces. Kendra Kalp, a sophomore outside hitter from Somerset, Pa., had seven kills and 11 digs during the Marywood match. Digs occur when a defensive player gets low to the ground to prevent the ball from touching the floor. Effective digging is essential for a successful defense. This season, the team welcomed assistant coach Aly Yordy, a former player who returned to help the team improve. This is Yordy’s first year coaching, and she describes the transition as challenging yet positive. “It was really difficult at first not being able to play with all my old teammates, but it has gotten easier as the season has progressed,” Yordy said. “This 2024 season has been challenging in the Landmark Conference, and I can see how I can help from the sidelines more than I did while playing the past couple of years.” While it’s common for players to transition into coaching, the process can be complex. For Yordy, balancing the roles of friend and coach has been particularly challenging. “There is a different level of respect between a teammate and a coach, and I have had to build that new bond with my former teammates. It's hard to give constructive criticism to the upperclassmen, but with the first-years, I feel more comfortable helping them openly.” Despite the challenges, the team remains optimistic as it moves forward in the season, focusing on building strong relationships. After Yordy’s first year coaching, she looks forward to helping future classes succeed. The Colonels will look to continue to fight in their last couple games. Their next match is on Oct. 25, the women’s volleyball team will compete against the University of Scranton at 7 p.m. in Scranton. Their next home match is against Goucher College on Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. YOU CAN FIND MORE SPORTS STORIES ONLINE www.thewilkesbeacon.com �The Beacon - October 23, 2024 Sports Athlete of the Week 22 Sarah Eliff Senior, Forward, Women's Soccer The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Eliff helped the Colonels to a massive win over Juniata College with one goal and one assist. She scored the tying goal from a penalty shot. One minute later, Eliff served a corner to Madison Sttraub for the game-winning goal. Major: Mechanical Engineering Hometown: Owings, MD What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? My favorite memory I think is ringing the bell after every home game win. It's always a fun moment to come together as a team What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? The US Women's national soccer team The Beacon//Samantha Mullen Editor’s note : Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor t s staff each week. At the e nd of the acade mic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw itte r @ Wilkes B eacon to c row n an “Athlete of the Year." for movie night? My go-to sports movie is The Replacements If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? I would want to play lacrosse or possible basketball. I played when I was younger. Lacrosse is a sport I always wanted to try but never did besides just playing around for fun with a friend who did What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Playing over in Bermuda for a tournament and beating their U18 nattional team when I was in What is your favorite thing to middle school. We played "We Are do away from sports? the Champions" on the bus ride Hanging out with my friends and home and has so much fun. trying new places together. We end up taking trips to Pour more What is your favorite post-game often than not for a much needed meal? Chai or coffee. Chicken Parmesan sub. Any Italian food really is just a go-to What is your favorite part of mean post game being an athlete at Wilkes? The balance of school and sport. How do you feel about being The professors and coaches are selected as the Athlete of the always supportive. They will work Week? with me so that I can get the most I'm honoured to be recongnized. out of both sides because there's It's walsys nice to be recognized an understanding that both my individually but I feel it is a great education and sport are most reflection of this team since I important to me couldn't have done it alone without all of their hard work, dedication What sports movie is your go-to and support �The Beacon October 23, 2024 Sports Athlete of the Week Donell MacKey-Woodson Senior, CornorBack, Football The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week MacKey-Woodson secureda hat-trick of interceptions against Lycoming College. With two of those being returned for touchdowns. He totaled 145 yards on his three picks, one of which was a 98-yard trip to the endzone. Major: History; Minor: Sports Management Hometown: Hartford, CT What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? Game-winning pick six against St. John Fisher and celebrating it with my teammates and the Wilkes community If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Basketball What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Having three interceptions versus Lycoming College and returning for two touchdowns! What is your favorite postWhat is your favorite professional game meal? sports team (any sport)? New China Chinese Food Pittsburgh Steelers How do you feel about being What is your favorite thing to do selected as the Athlete of the away from sports? Week? Watching Animal Planet and Nat It’s a great feeling to be selected Geo Wild and an amazing accomplishment to have. The preparation the team What is your favorite part of goes through every week resulted being an athlete at Wilkes? in my performance this past Building a brotherhood with my weekend. Our Scout Team puts teams and coaches. Having an on an amaz amazing support system from my ing performance week in and teachers, administators and the week out. Without them, my Wilkes community. It is a great performance would not be the feeling same! What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? Coach Carter The Beacon/Sam Mullen Compiled by Samantha Mullen, Assistant Sports Editor Editor’s note : Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor t s staff each week. At the e nd of the acade mic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw itte r @ Wilkes B eacon to c row n an “Athlete of the Year." 23 �The Beacon - October 23, 2024 24 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource This is Wilkes University's Beacon Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the Beacon's predecessors, The Bucknell Bison Stampede, 1934-1935 and The Bucknell Beacon, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>. Missing Issues: 1947 August 8th 1947 September 5th 1947 October 3rd 1947 October 17th 1947 October 31st 1947 November 21st 1947 December 19th 1948 September 9th 1950 April 28th 1953 April 10th 1962 February 2nd Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon, 2024 October 23 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communications Department Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024 October 23 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/5ce1a3feba188380d11de4b3baad6e77.pdf 5c80543e6755d850c0ad113ec00cb690 PDF Text Text The Beacon - October 2, 2024 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 77, Issue 5 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” Wilkes comes back in a classic on Homecoming Weekend By Sam Mullen Asst. Sports Editor It was a celebratory homecoming for the Wilkes Colonels after the football team faced off Saturday against St. John Fisher University and ended with a 28-21 win. It was a rough start for the Colonels, as they fell into a 21-0 hole going in at halftime. The team tried to establish the run game on offense, but created short breaks for the defense who saw the Cardinals gain yards, mostly through the air. The Cardinals started the second half where they left off, turning the Colonels over on downs and setting up in the red zone. The Cardinals missed the kick and the Colonels used this as their wake up call. On their second drive of the third quarter, senior running back Elijah Jules got Wilkes on the board with a 38-yard touchdown run. The fight continued with an interception from senior defensive linemen Steele Hess, who returned it 54 yards to set up Wilkes at the Cardinals 17 yard line. It led to senior wide receiver Zane Grover finding senior wide receiver Jimmy Johnson in the endzone on a trick pass. ...Homecoming cont. on p.19 Wilkes University welcomes Jacob Kelley, page 6 Senior quaterback Xavier Powell scrambles away from St. John Fisher defends as he grabs the win against the Cardinals 28-21 on Saturday. Photo by Sam Mullen Ofﬁce of Diversity Initiatives hosts Night on the Town event, page 10 A review of Lil Tecca’s fourth studio album “PLAN A,” page 18 Athletes of the Week, pages 22 and 23 �The Beacon - October 2, 2024 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Emma Broda: emma.broda@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: Sept. 25 weekly meeting By Kayla Bicskei News Staff Writer Student Government held its fifth weekly meeting of the Fall 2024 semester on Sept. 25. This meeting addressed club recognition requests, funding requests, club reports, and Student Government team event planning. The Student Government treasurer began the meeting with an updated budget report of $48,376. The Wilkes Health and Fitness Club returned for week two of two for its club recognition request. Club meetings for the Wilkes Health and Fitness Club will be held once a month. The Student Government voted to approve the club recognition request of the Wilkes Health and Fitness Club. The Crochet Club also returned for its week two of two club recognition request. Members voted to approve the club recognition request of the Crochet Club. T h e International S t u d e n t Ambassadors Club presented for their week one of two club recognition requests. The club displayed its mission to enhance the university experience for international students. The club currently has 70 members and has four upcoming events, including a Diwali event, Dia De Los Muertos event, Panamanian Culture Day and an International Education Week. The International Student Ambassadors Club will return next meeting for their week two of two club recognition request. The Wilkes Chapter of It’s On Us presented next with its week one of two fund requests. The chapter reported its mission to combat sexual assault. The chapter presented its plan for three weeks of safetythemed events and one month of events for Sexual Awareness Month. The chapter is requesting $750 to aid in funding their upcoming weeklong and month-long events, and two of their three upcoming conferences. The Wilkes Chapter of It’s On Us will return next meeting for their week two of two funding requests. To end the presentation section of the meeting, the Student Government Executive Council presented the club reports of the Hospitality Leadership Club, NAMI Club and Cheer Club. Student Government ended the fifth weekly meeting of the Fall 2024 semester with team planning for upcoming Student Government-hosted events. The next meeting will occur on Oct. 2. with the Children’s Service Center to provide Narcan Training on campus on November 15th, in the Savitz Lounge. This is free training, and you will be provided with your dose of nasal Naloxone. Complete the survey by Oct. 14 to register for the event https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIp QLSdMTYK1dzHJJts0jj0Qyz_1NvTDoBwsHxULIY-0janrMYlhQ/viewform?usp=sf_ link Scholarship opportunity for students of Polish descent Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Beacon News Staff HPSC Clothing Swap: accepting donations Ready for a closet clean out? Donate your clothing in the Honors Office in Stark 259 prior to Oct. 22 or bring them to the Clothing Swap event Oct. 22! All monetary proceeds will be donated. For more information, visit https://docs. google.com/document/d/1LyicGaBfphJlg 6EzzqkPxBm0INEwigeAskDx9xyu71M/ edit?usp=sharing Bonner Leader's Program offers Narcan training The Bonner Leader’s Program is working HPSC Blaze Pizza fundraiser Support the Honors Program Student Committee (HPSC) by ordering Blaze Pizza from 5-8 p.m. on Oct. 18. Come hang out with friends and grab some yummy pizza. Show this flyer to ensure the Honors Program receives 20% of the proceeds. The Polish Room Committee Scholarship has opened applications. Applicants must write a brief essay based on the following: Choose a person of Polish descent from the list of Marie Curie, Frederic Chopin, Pope Saint John Paul II, and Andrzej Tadeusz Kosciuszko. Explain how this person deepened your appreciation of what it means to be Polish American, and what influence it has or will have on your life. Preference will be given to applicants demonstrating financial need. This letter must be submitted, along with the applicant’s name, WIN, and contact information to Allison Naumann, APKC. Applications can be emailed to allison. naumann@wilkes.edu with the subject line “Polish Heritage Scholarships.” Upcoming Events: 2024 Fall Semester September Ongoing - Movie Ticket Sales October 2 - Coffee Hour 3 - Blockbuster Bingo 10-14- Fall Recess 17 - Wilkestober Fest 22 - Honors Thrift Store 24 - Sound Showdown 28-31 - Freak Week �� The Beacon - October 2, 2024 News 3 President Greg Cant's contract extended through 2029 By Andrew Marshallsay News Staff Writer Wilkes University has announced a contract extension for President Greg Cant. The extension places him at the helm of the university through 2029. Cant, a native of Australia, was named the seventh president of the university in December 2019. He began his tenure in May 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under Cant’s leadership, students and faculty were able to safely return to classes in the Fall 2020 semester. Since then, Cant’s leadership brought about a number of implementations to improve the university’s financial and enrollment strength, which included the restructuring of the multiple colleges on campus. Wilkes University board of trustees chair Bill Miller is looking forward to having Cant back. “Greg has proven to be an exemplary leader for Wilkes over the past four years,” Miller said. “We are looking forward to seeing his leadership of a new vision, mission and values for the University,” continued the chair of the board. For Cant, his time at Wilkes has also brought about the Innovate, Engage, Thrive plan. This plan includes goals such as advancing academic excellence and student success, promoting innovation and partnerships, strengthening financials, infrastructure and prioritizing community and service. Cant said that he is honored to stay at Wilkes. “I am deeply honored to continue serving as President of Wilkes University,” he said. “This institution holds a special place in my heart, and I am excited to build on our progress and lead Wilkes into its next chapter,” Cant concluded. For more information on the President’s extension, visit news.wilkes. edu and www.thewilkesbeacon.com. Photo courtesy of Greg Cant �The Beacon - October 2, 2024 News 4 That’s So Honors: A “sweet” internship with Hershey Hotel By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer Internship experiences can have a major impact on your future. Some students leave their internship with job offers, while others leave knowing what kind of jobs they are not interested in. Brenda Arias, a senior majoring in hospitality leadership, had a one-ofa-kind internship experience at Hotel Hershey this past summer. The Hotel Hershey, a AAA Four Diamond resort and Forbes Rated property, is a five-star hotel next to Hershey Park, offering accommodations and special packages for guests visiting the park. Arias worked in several areas at her Hospitality Level 1 internship. “I was mainly responsible for following the daily operations of the front desk department, like carrying out the check-in and check-out procedures while maintaining the Forbes standard of the property," Arias said. She continued by saying that she "also acted as a coordinator for the Guest Relations Department, which mainly connected with the VIP guests that resided in the Villas, the sister property of the hotel." Arias found out about the opportunity for the internship through the university. “I actually got to speak to them directly and introduce myself at one of the career fairs I attended…a lot of previous hospitality students look to Hershey for internships, but mainly in the amusement park area, so I wanted something a little bit more concentrated on my major so I applied for the hotel position," Arias said. Though Arias had a tight schedule and many responsibilities, she still found time for fun, exploring Hershey and enjoying the amenities that Hershey employees have access to, like free admission to Hershey Park. Arias echoed the importance of internships, saying that her experience has helped her gain perspective. “It was very helpful seeing most of the concepts that I learned in my hospitality courses being actually used in the workplace. "The experience also gave me a better understanding of what I want my career to look like and what my next steps can be.” Now that she’s back on campus, Arias Brenda Arias, senior hospitality leadership major, spent the summer interning at the Hershey Hotel. said her best piece of advice is to put yourself out there. “Opportunities aren’t always handed to you in life so it’s important that you’re able to advocate for yourself and do what you need to do," said Arias. "I also think that getting out of your comfort zone is greatly important as it will make you learn things about yourself that you probably otherwise wouldn't have." Students seeking internships should attend one of the many Career Development Center’s events this semester, including upcoming career fairs. To learn more about the Honors Program, follow @wilkeshonros on Instagram. Photos submitted by Brenda Arias Arias and Kit Kat, one of Hershey's many mascots, pose for a quick pic. �The Beacon - October 2, 2024 News 5 Students develop skills at CCDI's first annual Career Carnival By Emma Broda News Editor On Sept. 26, the Center for Career Development and Internships (CCDI) hosted a Career Carnival. This event was one of the many events the CCDI has planned for this fall semester. The Career Carnival was a way to get students excited and prepared for the upcoming career fair, which will be taking place on campus next week. The carnival included different resources, such as the “Resume Review Station,” to get feedback on resumes; the “Elevator Pitch Station,” to work on fine tuning students’ pitches for interviews; and the “Colonel’s Clothing Closet PopUp,” which gave students an opportunity to put together professional outfits. The CCDI staff and guests were present to speak with students about interviews, internships and their careers. Business recruiters from Enterprise and Children’s Service Center were present to give advice and feedback to students before the career fair. One student working for the CCDI, Kahlasia Carter, a junior nursing major, shared some information about the CCDI and the upcoming fair. “The Career Carnival is here to promote the Career Fair, which is next Tuesday on October first,” said Carter. She continued by saying that the CCDI is “offering [an opportunity for] networking with employers and resume checking for students for the upcoming fair.” Carter also spoke more about what the CCDI offers on a regular basis. “We offer resume building, interview workshops, the Colonel’s Closet, career planning, and we host events so students can get acquainted in the field they want to work in,” she said. Molly Blaskiewicz, a senior marketing major, shared that the carnival was beneficial, even if you do not intend to go to the Career Fair. “There’s opportunities to learn how to build your resume and how to do an interview, which are all basic skills you should have no matter what you are doing,” she said. While the intent of the event was information and preparation, there was still plenty of fun at the carnival. The event hosted a Dunkin Donuts truck that handed out free samples of coffee. Blaskewicz said she tried the new drink. Dunkin Donuts introduced a new drink outside of the Career Carnival. “It was really good, it tasted like coffee ice cream.” In addition, there were lots of food options within the CCDI building including hot dogs, walking tacos and popcorn. As this event was a carnival, there were also plenty of games like cornhole and basketball. The CCDI also hosted gift card giveaways for students in attendance. “Every table you went to you got a ticket, and then you could enter it into a raffle for a Visa gift card,” Blaskiewicz said. Photos by Emma Broda Enterprise gave students on-site feedback on interview tips and resumes. Internship Coordinator Jenna Weiss shows off the Career Carnival sign. �The Beacon - October 2, 2024 News 6 Interim assistant director of diversity initiatives named Wilkes University welcomes Jacob Kelley By Zach Paraway Sports Editor Many people will talk about the ideals of diversity, equity and inclusion and how important it is to instill them in life. It is not often, however, that someone comes to embody those ideals and not just take them to use for their lives but to help improve the lives of those around them. Jacob Kelley has dedicated most of their adult life to helping others and creating better lives for others around them. Kelley joins Wilkes University for this upcoming semester but is familiar with the area from their youth. “I accepted the position at Wilkes University because I grew up and have worked in the NEPA Luzerne County area," Kelley said. "I have collaborated with many entities associated with Wilkes, which has allowed me to invest more time in understanding the impact of DEI within university structure. I see Wilkes University as a place where individuals grow, learn and aspire to achieve more. "Being part of that journey for others is incredibly rewarding,." Their background before Wilkes is extensive and encompasses many DEI initiatives. After college, they worked as a medical HIV case manager with multiple nonprofit organizations. They then moved into administration as the role of workplace culture director for CAAP (Community Action Association of Pennsylvania), where they oversaw policy, procedures and initiatives related to DEI. During this time, they also founded Mx. Kelley Queer Education LLC, where they help to oversee DEI and LGBTQIA+ training, including Safe Zone training, DEI metrics, and strategic planning for clients. They completed a masters from Widener University in 2020 and are currently a doctoral candidate for Widener’s human sexuality program. Kelley joins Wilkes as the interim assistant director of diversity affairs. They have strong goals for the office, especially when it comes to working with and for students. “My goals in this role are to uplift and elevate the college experience by empowering students to take control of their lives and strive for success," said Kelley. "I also aim to assist Wilkes University in its efforts around DEI and strategic planning. I’m eager to connect with the students and be part of their journey as they navigate their futures." When they are not at Wilkes, Kelley remains active in the local community and has a variety of hobbies. “When I’m not working at Wilkes, running my business, or performing as my drag persona Trixy Valentine, I enjoy traveling. I love visiting different countries, catching up with friends, and ensuring I’m thriving by experiencing the world.” Kelley will oversee the Office of Diversity Affairs for the next couple months. This includes working with students and staff on programs to promote DEI across campus, such as with clubs like the Multicultural Student Coalition and the Gender and Sexuality Alliance. Jacob Kelley joins Wilkes as the interim assistant director of diversity initiatives. Kelley meets with Multicultural Student Coalition Public Relations Ofﬁcer Joshua Ermeus. Photos by Zach Paraway �The Beacon - October 2, 2024 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Editor-in-Chief Sydney Allabaugh at sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu Bonner Leaders seek donations for Ruth’s Place By Kailey Vogel Special to The Beacon The Bonner Leaders Program is collecting donations for Ruth’s Plae, now through Nov. 25. “Ruth’s Place House of Hope is an emergency sheltering support group for women experiencing homelessness,” according to its website. The program was started in 2003 and provides women with shelter, food, personal hygiene products, and resources to get them back on their feet. These resources include job connections, social relationships, teachings of life skills, and other case management services. Brenda Arias is a senior hospitality leadership major with a minor in marketing. As a Bonner Leader, she has been involved with helping Ruth’s Place for the past four years. “I began volunteering with Ruth’s Place my first semester of my first-year at Wilkes; now I’m in my first semester of senior year. Since that point on, it’s been an established partnership that has grown over time.” she said. Her favorite part of helping aid Ruth’s Place and others in need is, “the fact that I get to learn a little more about the women at the shelter. “Working with people in need makes me more appreciative of the things that I have and it gives me more of an open mind on how I look at things. I also like the idea of using what I have to help support others. “I think one of the most important things to remember in life is that no matter how successful you become, you’re only as good as the people around you, so being able to use the resources that you have to uplift others is vital.” The Bonner Leader Program is a federal work-study program available at Wilkes that provides students with community service and volunteer opportunities around Wilkes-Barre. Established on campus in 2021, the program encourages students to give back to their communities and help those in need. In return, students are assisted financially and educationally, preparing them with leadership skills. Arias has been a member of the Bonner Leaders Program since her first semester. “Being a Bonner Leader means taking what you have to uplift others in any way you can. It’s more than service, even though it is a central part of it, but it goes beyond that. I think it’s about thinking innovatively and being able to be resourceful. “It’s learning how to work alongside others to foster growth that can make people better off. In short, it’s mainly about leaving every place you enter a little better off than it was before.” Arias suggested items that the program will be collecting, such as non-perishable food items (milk, fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, butter, etc.), frozen foods, Tupperware containers, toilet paper, paper towels, N95s and other medical face coverings, feminine hygiene products, deodorant, bottled drinks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, floss, conditioner, shampoo, new clothing (sleepwear, socks, and undergarments), Tylenol, Ibuprofen, disinfectants, and Clorox wipes, to name a few. The Bonner Leader Program is asking students and staff members to donate. Donation drop-offs can be found in the Colonel’s Cupboard, located behind the Henry Student Center, or in the Honors Office, located on the second floor of the Stark Learning Center. Collections will occur now, until Nov. 25. For more information, email Brenda Arias for the full donation list, or how to get involved. Let’s RUT H ’S P L A C E W O ME N ’ S S HE L T E R WHAT IS NEEDED: DEODORANT BODY WASH SHAMPOO CONDITIONER TOOTHPASTE SHAVING RAZORS TOWELS WASHCLOTHS DROP-OFF LOCATION: COLONEL’S CUPBOARD OR HONORS PORGRAM OFFICE COLLECTIONS WILL BEGING 9/12 AND END 11/25 FOR THE COMPLETE DONATION LIST CONTACT: BRENDA.ARIAS@WILKES.EDU �The Beacon - October 2, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment Sydney Allabaugh: 8 Sam Mullen: COLE PIMP - Denzel Curry, Ty Dolla $ign, Juicy J Not Like Us - Kendrick Lamar Stephen Youkoski: The Weeknd - Play Carti Save Your Heart - Mayday Paradise Megan Davis: Disconnected - 5 Seconds of Summer Adam Grundt: Leah Smith: Lonely is the Muse - Halsey Zach Paraway: O-o-h Child - The Five Stairships Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staﬀ picks their favorite song of the week. Check out this week’s bops! �Life, Arts & Entertainment The Beacon – October 2, 2024 9 Banned books celebrated, added to campus Little Free Library By Natalia Willians Staff Writer On Sept. 23, The Wilkes University Alpha Gamma Alpha chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Society hosted a celebration for banned books. Attendees were offered cupcakes and celebrated banned books. In addition to this, several banned books were added to the Little Free Library, which is located outside of Kirby Hall. Anyone borrowing books from the Little Free Library is urged to return them to the library or share it with another student to ensure as many people as possible can read a banned book. Banned Books Week established in 1982, brings awareness to the surge of the number of books being challenged in bookstores, libraries, and schools. This year’s theme was “Freed Between the Lines” Book banning is a form of censorship, when government officials or organizations remove books from school reading lists, libraries, or bookstores due to themes, content, or ideas. According to the Free Speech Center of Middle Tennessee State University, books that are banned or censored contain themes or ideas such as graphic violence, lack literary merit, include offensive language, or express disrespect for parents and family. Banning and censoring books has surged in the past year. According to the American Library Association, in 2023 alone, there were 1,247 efforts to censor books and other resources in libraries, which is an 65% increase from the year before. “I am certainly opposed to banning books—beyond those that instruct on violence and means of violence, or have some significant national security threat,” said English professor Dr. Chad Stanley. “We thrive by considering other ideas and perspectives, whether historical or purely fictive and imaginative.” In total, 4,240 book titles were targeted and many of them were representing the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC experiences and voices. When looking at the top 10 most challenged books of 2023 provided by the ALA, more than half contain themes about race and LGBTQIA+. Books that have been banned in multiple states across the US include “Gender Queer: A Memoir,” by Maia Kobabe; “The Hate U Give,” by Angie Thomas; and “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Have you read a banned book lately? Indian,” by Sherman Alexie. Banning books with these themes makes it harder for students to access books that teach valuable lessons. “Sexuality and gender have always been key target areas/topics,” Stanley said. “This has persisted, but we are also very sadly now in an era in which there is newly active denial of the historical realities of racism and the past enslavement of human beings.” The Beacon is looking for writers and photographers interested in covering Life, Arts & Entertainment Interested? Email kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu �The Beacon – October 2, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 Office of Diversity Initiatives: Night on the town @ La Cantina Amigon As part of its efforts to provide learning experiences surrounding the history and customs of cultural groups, the Office of Diversity Initiatives recently took students to nearby La Cantina Amigon to enjoy a variety of foods. Above, from left, Najhae Johnson, Shanelly Hinds, and Joey Savorsky attended the Night on the Town event, sponsored by the Office of Diversity Initiatives. Below, from left, Shanelly Hinds, Joey Savorsky, David Hesiner and Starr Sandt enjoy dinner from La Cantina Amigon. At top right, Jacob Kelley, interim assistant director for the Office of Diversity Initiatves joins students for dinner at La Cantina Amigon. Photos by Zachary Paraway �Football Word Scramble alfolotb agmemrisc wnod nnoesocrvi axrte tpion reups wlbo istrf nwod seltac tlioaann pansiichhpom hlteme otondwcuh galf football scrimmage down conversion extra point super bowl first down cleats national championship helmet touchdown flag Answer Key: �� Word Scramble The Beacon - October 2, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 11 �The Beacon- October 2, 2025 12 Slominski hed by Shannon p ra g to o h p ly m Mullen al Pep R tographed by Sa o h p y lt ya o R g Homecomin �The Beacon- October 2, 2025 13 HOMECOMING COURT �The Beacon - October 2, 2024 Opinion Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact assistant opinion editors: leah.smith@wilkes.edu or logan.colonna@wilkes.edu. Editorial Staff 2024-25 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Sydney Allabaugh Managing Editor: Stephen Youkoski Social Media Manager - Megan Davis Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Emma Broda Sports - Zach Paraway ASSISTANT EDITORS Opinion - Logan Colonna Opinion - Leah Smith Sports - Adam Grundt Sports - Sam Mullen DESIGNERS Head Designer - Lara Mullen Designer - Laura De Lora Layout Designer - Brady Melovitz SECTION STAFF WRITERS News - Kayla Bicskei LA&E - Natalia Williams Opinion - Shawn Carey Opinion - “Freeze” Sports - Andrew Marshallsay Sports - Ava Tureen 141 S. Main Street Clayton and Theresa Karambelas Media & Communication Center Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 Phone - (570) 408-5903 www.thewilkesbeacon.com Want to advertise in The Beacon? Contact: Kalen Churcher at kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or Sydney Allabaugh at sydney. allabaugh@wilkes.edu. The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. Combining two major events was a poor choice September is always a busy month at Wilkes University. Students are just getting comfortable on campus, classes are still getting underway and the school had many events going on during this time. Two of these key events during this month are Family Day and Homecoming weekend. Family Day, which usually takes place the second or third Saturday of September, is a chance for students to have their families come see their day-to-day lives on campus. It’s great for first-year students who are still adjusting and could use the opportunity to see their families, and it works well for upperclassmen who, as the years go on, can now have more and more of their family come and see them. Then we have Homecoming weekend, the last weekend of September or the first in October. Everyone knows what Homecoming looks like, with all the events for alumni, students and staff all weekend. Whether that is the football game, any dinner or brunch or the dance, there are events for all. While they are both in the same month, they take place during different weekends to give space for not only students but for the campus as a whole. That was until this year with the combination of Family Day and Homecoming weekend into one this year, which led to a variety of issues. Many of the problems about the weekend revolved around the same thing, space. This campus is simply not big enough to support both parents and alumni properly. First and most obvious of all, parking. While no places on campus closed their parkings lots thankfully, they were all full due to the sheer amount of people. Not only was all the parking gone, but everywhere you turned, an event was going on. While this can be seen as fun and great for the campus as a whole, it comes off as disingenuous when on any other weekend on this campus, hardly anything happens. The campus shouldn’t necessarily feel responsible for putting on events every single weekend for the campus as a whole, but they should take more of a responsibility of making events for the students in the same breadth that they do for alumni. The student leaders and clubs should not be solely responsible for creating that; that idea has led to many of our student leaders feeling overwhelmed and underappreciated. That responsibility has to fall more on the offices within this university. Another issue with the weekend was the complete lack of information given to the students. Many students had to find out everything about parents’ weekend from their parents. This included a change to now charging for events for the weekend. While it is understandable that there is a need to charge the parents for events being held by the school, students need to also understand this information. That becomes especially true when parents call their child asking why it is now $20 per person to preregister for the weekend. This is not even to mention the parking issues for the football game and not widely publicizing to the students about how to get parking. Letter to the editor policy: The Beacon welcomes letters to the editor from differing viewpoints. Letters must contain contact information, including name, city, state and phone number. Phone numbers will not be published but may be used for verification purposes. All letters to the editor must be sent using one of the following methods: Email: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu Phone: (570) 408-5903 (Voicemail: 30 seconds or less, please.) Mail: 84 West South Street, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766 Attn: The Beacon �The Beacon - October 2, 2024 Opinion 15 The Icebox: Wilkes spirit through “Pokemon Go?” By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer Do you remember back in 2016 when GameFreak shattered the capabilities of mobile gaming through their revolutionary title, “Pokémon Go?” You may have noticed how it became the talk of the town for adults and children alike. The truth is, the game is very much still alive to this day, even here on Wilkes campus. If you are not familiar with “Pokémon Go,” it is a mobile game in which players are tracked in real-time by GPS so their avatar in-game can travel among the world of the Pokémon. Every so often there are Pokémon that appear and can be caught with pokéballs. All is done through augmented reality, an advanced camera software that combines the digital world with real life. Places in real life play an important role in the game. Significant areas are labeled as Pokéstops, where players can harvest items like fruits, gifts and more catching equipment. Some places which are even more important are gyms. Here, players can station a chosen Pokémon to defend a gym claimed by their team. There are three teams: Instinct (Yellow), Valor (Red) and Mystic (Blue). If a gym is not claimed by your team, you have the option of running a 6-team against the Pokémon stationed at the gym in order to defeat and conquer it, reaping many gym-specific rewards and enabling your teammates around the area to help defend the newly claimed gym. Now, how exactly can one show Wilkes spirit through such a game? It’s quite simple, really. First of all, many students on campus are likely to checkin through “Pokémon Go” at least once per day. During this time, they are very likely to participate in gym battles. Normally, you can get a good idea of the dominating team per area by seeing the color of each gym in proximity. When I check the gyms that are on campus, they are never the same color. This means that there are plenty of competitors somewhere on campus who are always ready to play. It gets even more interesting than just competing over gym locations. Players who friend each other are able to trade gifts and send each other postcards of places they have visited through the game. A group of players can organize a physical meeting in which they are all able to trade and showcase their Pokémon. It would be very interesting to have people on campus be able to bond over this game by setting up meetings on campus. In a way, we can encourage everyone that likes to play the game to connect with one another and create a Wilkes-wide program, perhaps even setting up adventures together. It would even be beneficial in the healthy sense in that it provides means of getting fresh air, physical exercise and even relieving some stress. Finally, the biggest reason to connect with others in “Pokémon Go” is the Shadow Raids, courtesy of Team Rocket. The Shadow Raids are an attempt for Team Rocket to take over gyms by placement of eggs. These eggs have a timer to let players nearby know when the raid will begin. Basically, a gigantic, shadow and often mega-evolved Pokémon hatches from the egg and takes over the gym. The raid only lasts for a limited time, but it is important that a player participates. When the raid begins, players who wish to participate can queue into a team, each with their own six Pokémon. The raid boss is supposed to be extremely difficult, so it will take all of the players working together to defeat it. The more people in the raid, the easier it will be to defeat the boss, free the gym and reap the rewards. Once the boss is defeated, it shrinks back to normal size and players have the opportunity to catch it before it flees. The Pokémon will be in shadow form, meaning it needs to be purified before it can evolve or be powered up. The boss is usually a very powerful and rare Pokémon, so defeating them is quite rewarding. There you have it, plenty of reasons to connect with your friends through this wonderful game and to make new friends on campus. Perhaps you forgot about how amazing “Pokémon Go” is and now you will log back in after many a year. In any case, I think this is a great way to create some unity and competition among the Colonels. At the very least, we can do better than our rivals across the Square. Why 1990’s and 2000’s music is better than modern music By Natalia Williams Life, Arts and Entertainment Staff Writer Ever since I was little, I’ve always remembered hearing my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles always say, “People don’t make music like they used to.” I never understood why they said that, until I was old enough to grasp music and understand it. As I got older, I started to realize what they were saying was true. I have been surrounded by music from the ‘90s and 2000s practically all my life. Listening to music from back then and comparing it to now, it’s completely different. I’ve always gravitated toward throwback music because of the nostalgic feeling, the messages the music gave and just the overall feeling I get when I hear my favorite throwback track. Listening to the music artists used to write back then, I feel there was more passion, emotion and deep feelings put into it. Artists cared about the quality of the production and the lyrics during this time period. Songs in that era quickly became iconic pieces of music that allowed their listeners to connect with them on a deeper level. We do have some artists who are excellent writers nowadays, but a lot of the songs that are mainstream almost sound the same production wise and tell the same story lyrically. During the ‘90s and 2000s, we saw a rise in new and diverse genres. There were artists of many different genres releasing different and unique things. During this day and age, I feel even though artists are in the same genre, their music still sounds the same. Let’s use the pop genre for an example. If I turn on a playlist with the newest pop hits, they are most likely gonna sound the same production wise or storyline. Granted, most 2000’s pop songs gave the same vibe, but each had a different quality that made them stand out and sound different. I feel there aren’t any artists today that are simply iconic musicians. In my opinion, I have yet to see an artist genuinely make a statement and contribution to the music industry like artists used to do. Yes, we have artists like Taylor Swift, but I don’t believe that she has made an impact on music like someone like Mariah Carey or Britney Spears. Finally, the feeling I get when listening to throwback music is something indescribable. I love turning on a song and instantly getting taken back to a moment I had in my childhood. Whether it’s a good or bad time, it’s always so comforting to reminisce and cherish different memories. Even though I love some of the music that is coming out recently, I will always stick to my ‘90s and 2000s to listen to on a daily basis due to the connections I have and can make with the tracks, the diversity of the songs and that feeling of traveling back in time whenever I hit play on my playlist. �The Beacon - October 2, 2024 Opinion 16 “Batman: Mask of the Phantasm” is wildly underrated Why “Batman: Mask of the Phantasm” is the best Batman movie By Leah Smith Asst. Opinion Editor �� Graphic by Laura De Lora �The Beacon - October 2, 2024 Opinion 17 First-person vs third-person POV: Which is better? By Shawn Carey Opinion Staff Writer It’s pretty hard to describe the many important decisions an author must make when they start working on a new book, especially when it comes to fiction stories. Voice, themes, tone, genre and imagery are just a few of the literary devices an author must manage. Not all devices are of equal importance, however. I have always believed that one of the most important aspects of writing a fiction book is deciding what point of view it’s going to be told in. As I’m sure many know, in writing there are three points of view: first, second and third. For the sake of convenience, I’m not really going to talk about second person point of view. Second-person isn’t really used in fiction stories. Off the top of my head the only example that I can think of are those old choose your own adventure books. It has recently come to my attention that there is a bit of discord around what point of view a story uses, mainly among the “Booktok” crowd. I’ve seen countless videos of readers complaining about the use of third-person in books, with many of which outright saying that they refuse to read in books that are written in the POV. I was honestly a bit taken aback by this discoverly. I understand that everyone has their own preferences; I’m not faulting anyone for having an opinion. However, I do find it a bit strange that there’s such a vocal hatred for the POV. In this article, I want to find out if the hate is justified, or if everyone is just overreacting. I’m going to be comparing their strengths and weaknesses, what makes them unique and how they should be used. Before we officially get started, I want to say that I have experience writing in both POVs. Much of what I’m talking about will be based around personal works and what I’ve learned from them. First-person point of view is a way of telling a story from the perspective of a specific character. Pronouns such as “I,” “me,” “myself ” and “we” are the most commonly known ones. First-person is used quite often in our current literary environment. As of right now it’s most common to see it be used in romance and romance-adjacent stories. The “Twilight” series by Stephen Meyer is a pretty good example. There’s a lot of really interesting things an author can do with a first-person perspective. For instance, first person is often used to limit what the reader knows to only what the narrator knows. This leads me to my favorite reason for using first person: the characters. First person is able to make a story feel extremely intimate and conversational. The reader is directly involved in the characters’ thoughts; we get to know how they feel before anyone else. This includes things they don’t know. You can build tension much easier than you can in third person. Both the character and reader are kept in the dark. You’re going through the story together. As I mentioned before, romance is a great genre for first-person. However, I would make the argument that mystery may be an even better genre for the POV, mainly due to the limited POV the reader has, which in a way, turns them into amateur detectives. Moving on, next we have third-person point of view. Third person has it where the narrator is not part of the story and instead uses third-person pronouns, like “his” and “her,” to describe the characters’ actions. Third person is overall seen as a lot less personal than first person. However, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The POV gives us access to multiple characters’ perspectives, which helps the reader to feel more empathetic and attached to them. It’s also much easier to jump around to different scenes, helping build out the world around the characters. Speaking of world building, third person allows for more detailed scene description, making it the ideal POV for fantasy novels. You’re beyond a single character’s point of view; you can describe everything about a given location, even if they don’t know anything about it. There are actually multiple types of third-person points of view in writing: omniscient, limited, and objective. As the name suggests, omniscient has the narrator as this all-knowing being. They have the ability to share the thoughts and feelings of every single character, as well as their own opinions. Then there’s my personal favorite: limited. The narrator can only see what the protagonist experiences and thinks and perceives other characters through the protagonist’s eyes. If you think that this sounds a lot like first-person, you would be correct. It has all the important elements of first, just with different pronouns. Lastly, there’s objective. The narrator uses an observational tone and only describes what is seen and heard. The narrator doesn’t usually express or understand the characters’ thoughts or feelings. This one is probably my least favorite out of the three. I personally think that a story needs to be somewhat biased for the sake of it’s story. Third-person works really well with fantasy and sci-fi stories. The wider point of view allows for much more complex storytelling and world exploration, two things that are especially important in the previously mentioned genres. Third person is usually harder to write, especially with newer writers. You can very easily lose the plot, mainly by spending too much time describing a singular location. Now that we have everything out there, which one is better? I honestly don’t believe that one is better than the other. Yeah I know, that’s a bit of a cop out. After going through everything I must say, I honestly don’t think that I can say that I like one more. Sure, while I may prefer to write in third-person, I’m constantly using first-person techniques. I think that it depends mainly on the genre. Romance works really well with first-person so it makes sense why a romance-focused reader may like firstperson more. The same goes with thirdperson and fantasy. Even with that, there are genres that work well with both. Let’s look at horror. Two of the most popular horror novels are “The Shining” by Stephen King and “Dracula” by Bram Stoker. “The Shining” uses an omniscient thirdperson narrator for its story. Meanwhile, “Dracula” is told through old journal entries, making it first-person. The world of literature is an extremely complex place. I understand why a person would want to stick exclusively with one genre or POV. However, I believe that it would be beneficial for a person to read outside their comfort zone every once in a while. After all, you’ll never know what you might like. Perhaps you may even have a new favorite way of reading. Graphic by Maria Gonzalez �The Beacon - October 2, 2024 Opinion 18 A review of Lil Tecca's fourth studio album "PLAN A" By Logan Colonna Asst. Opinion Editor If you’re like me and disapproved of Future’s most recent release “MIXTAPE PLUTO,” then you may have been steered into listening to a project that released the same night. For me, this was Lil Tecca’s fourth studio album, “PLAN A.” Coming off of his successful 2023 album, “TEC,” I expect Lil Tecca to deliver on this album as well. As always, we’ll dive into how Lil Tecca did on this project. Overall, I believe that he did pretty well. He does what he usually does on his tracks and simply raps over the instrumentals with ease. Each beat is made just for him so it’s hard for him to not sound good from track to track. Some standout songs are “TASTE” and “I CAN’T LET GO.” As for “TASTE,” I thoroughly enjoyed what Tecca did sonically. I loved his flow and vocals during the entire track. I thought it merged amazingly well with the production of the song. On “I CAN’T LET GO,” we see Tecca imitate the feature artist, Don Toliver, and I loved everything about his verses. I see myself liking quite a bit of Don Toliver songs, so this comes as no surprise to me. On top of this, Tecca continues to rap his heart out when stops copying Don, showing off how he grew his rapping capabilities. Side note, random lyric that I’m bringing up simply because I thought it was smart and clever. Off of “4U” we have this lyric, “Her and her friends come. She gettin’ way too physical, I’m callin’ AND1.” AND1 being a term used when a player is fouled for being too physical in basketball. I heard this lyric while listening to the album and gave out a chuckle when I first heard it. At the end of the day, Lil Tecca did great in my book. This next section is short this time around since there is only one feature on the album. That being Don Toliver off of “I CAN’T LET GO.” Don has been on one as of now, most recently releasing his fourth studio album, “HARDSTONE PSYCHO,” this album being my personal favorite. As for his feature, I love it. In all reality, this is more of Don Toliver’s song than it is Tecca’s. Tecca only has one verse while Don has three choruses and his own verse on the track. Per usual, he offers melodic raps for both his verse and chorus, those of which I enjoy. With nothing else to really say, I believe that the feature on the album was an outstanding addition to the record. Moving onto the production of the project. For the most part, “PLAN A” offers the typical trap beats you would encounter while listening to present-day trap music. With this being said, I do still have a few standout tracks that I believe are great sonically. This includes “TASTE,” “I CAN’T LET GO,” “TIME & A PLACE” AND “ALL THE TIME.” “TASTE” gives out a very smooth instrumental which matches Lil Tecca music style. “I CAN’T LET GO” offers a faster beat than usual to match Don Toliver’s rock approach to his music. This comes as no surprise since Don covers most of the runtime on the track. Next, “TIME & A PLACE” opens up with an ethereal instrumentation before the beat drops and goes into the main portion of the song. The usual trap production style is used here but some background sounds are used to make it just different enough. Lastly, “ALL THE TIME” yet again softens the beat and allows for Tecca to get slightly more melodic than usual. Just like “TIME & A PLACE,” this track isn’t all that different from the rest of the tracks, but does offer slightly different sounds that helps differentiate it from other tracks. With this, the production is good on the album. Next up, the replayability of the record. While the album isn’t too long, clocking in at 44 minutes, the album does start to become a drag near the last third of the runtime. Eighteen tracks is near the limit of what I’d like from an album, but these tracks apart from the few standouts I talked about all sound the same. This makes a few three-minute songs seem like one really big song, and it makes the album seem like it’ll never end. On the other hand, I did come back a few times to the album simply for the amazing transitions from track to track. I love transitions purely because most artists let the instrumental play from one to the next, leaving the production having a chance to shine. Although the transitions are great, it doesn’t outweigh the negative of the album having too many songs that sound alike. Because of this, the album’s replayability is mediocre at best. With all points being accounted for, I for one believe that this album was decent, despite my complaints. While there are multiple things holding this album back, there are various things such as Lil Tecca’s performances, Don Toliver’s inclusion and some of the production that all bring the album up. Because of this, Lil Tecca’s “PLAN A” gets a 6 out of 10 from me. Graphic by Laura De Lora �The Beacon - October 2, 2024 Sports ...Homecoming, cont. from page 1 The momentum continued into the fourth quarter as Hess forced yet another turnover for the Cardinals. Jules was able to get a three-yard touchdown, tying the game with only three minutes. Finally, with 56 seconds left on the clock, senior defensive back Donnell Mackey-Woodson intercepted a pass and ran 65 yards for a pick-six. After another hold by the defense, the comeback was secured with a 28-21 win for the Colonels. Senior quarterback Xavier Powell completed six passes with a total of 66 yards and 23 rushing yards. Junior kicker Nick Valpone was successful on all four attempts for field goals and earned 100 career points during the game. Along with the pick-six, Mackey-Woodson had two pass-breakups, tying him for the team high. The Colonels open up conference play next week where they will travel to Juniata College on Friday, Oct., 4th at 6 p.m. Sports 19 Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: zachary.paraway@wilkes.edu Junior running back Ben Contella prepares to receive the ball. Junior kicker Nick Valpone succeeded on all four ﬁeld goal attempts and earned 100 career points during the game. Photos by Sam Mullen Fall season check-in: Wilkes University golf team Andrew Marshallsay Sports Staff Writer With just a few weeks left in the first part of the season, both of Wilkes University’s golf teams are gearing up for the final stretch. The men’s team currently holds a record of 3-2-1, while the women’s team holds a current record of 2-2 on the season. Playing two parts of the season in the fall and spring semester, the entire season takes place over the span of the school year, For the men’s team it is their second in the Landmark Conference. Last season, the team finished with an overall record of 14-5, with an 8-1 record in the fall and a 6-4 record in the spring campaign. Last spring, the Colonels placed eighth overall in the Landmark Championships, above ninth place Susquehanna and 10th place Lycoming. Most recently, the men’s team defeated Misericordia 332-446 in a win at Huntsville Golf Club on Sept. 21. Senior Cole Jungwirth led all players earning a medal in the process while shooting 3 over par, with a score of 75. Matthew Carlson played his best round of the season, shooting a 79 on the day. Looking ahead to the rest of the season, the Colonels face off against the University of Scranton on Oct. 5, Penn State WilkesBarre on Oct. 6, and Misericordia on Oct. 12. After that, Oct. 26 and 27 will be the Landmark Conference Fall Preview which will end the fall campaign. In last fall’s preview, the Colonels finished ninth over the two day event, with Drew University taking the title. The women’s team is also competing in the Landmark for the second time this season. Last season, the team finished 7-7 overall, with a 2-4 record in the fall and a spring record of 5-3. In last spring’s championships, the Colonels placed fifth overall, above teams such as Susquehanna, Juniata and Elizabethtown. On Sept. 28, the team faced off against King’s and Marywood in a tri-match at home from the Wyoming Valley Country Club. On the day, the Colonels had a score of 275 on the card. For the Monarchs and Pacers, they shot 332 and 336 respectively. Kyleen McCance set a program record during the tri- match, shooting a career best of 72 on the scorecard. For the rest of the season, the Colonels are back in action on Oct. 6 against Misericordia and FDU-Florham in a home tri-match at the Wyoming Valley Country Club in Hanover Township, Pa. Later in the month, the colonels travel to Irem Country Club in Dallas, Pa. to take on Misericordia. Ending the season, similarly to the men’s team will be the Landmark Fall Preview. The Colonels did not participate in the event last fall, with Catholic University taking the title. For more information regarding the Wilkes University Golf Team, visit www. gowilkesu.com and stay tuned with The Beacon. �The Beacon - October 2, 2024 Sports 20 Q&A with Wilkes University baseball coach Mike Guy Stephen Youkoski (Interview) Managing Editor Andrew Marshallsay (Transcription) Sports Staff Writer The Beacon’s Stephen Youkoski sat down with Wilkes Baseball Coach Mike Guy to discuss the upcoming season. Last year, the Colonels amassed a record of 22-16 with an 11-13 record in Landmark Conference play. Q (Youkoski): How long have you been at Wilkes? A (Coach Guy): I’ve been here going on my second season. Stephen Youkosi conducts interview with WIlkes Baseball Head Coach Mike Guy. Q: Where were you coaching prior to coming to the university? A: The last 11 years, I was at the University of Scranton coaching in the same conference, the Landmark Conference. the teams we might have played out of conference in years prior. Then coaching at Scranton, knowing those different programs in the Landmark Conference, it gave us a little bit of a headstart with getting involved in the Landmark. Q: Do you have any other experience aside than being a head coach? A: Associate head coach, assistant coach, played in college, coached a local travel team as well. Q: How important do you think it was going .500 for the younger guys on the team? A: I think it was really important. I think we were a really young team. We graduated five seniors on the team, but we have a majority of the guys coming back this year. We had, whether they were freshman, sophomores, or juniors, they played significant roles. With the incoming freshman class as well, we are used to the conference and set up. We know the different styles of play that each team has. Some teams are trying to out hit you, other teams are trying to outrun you. Some teams have power arms, some teams have a crafty righty or crafty lefty. Just being more familiar with the style of play of each of the Landmark Conference teams will definitely help us out this year. Q: Where did you play at in college? A: I played at Salem Community College in South Jersey, then I went to my four year college at University of Maryland - Eastern Shore down by Ocean City, Md. Q: Why did you decide to come and coach for Wilkes University? A: I really liked the majors that were offered here. I think Wilkes provides a number of interesting majors as well as the master's programs. Being local, from Scranton, I’ve always been familiar with wilkes and their sports programs. I thought this was a really great place to recruit student athletes with the variety of majors and the great facilities we have. Q: How did you feel about the first season in the landmark conference? A: First year, pretty good. Would’ve liked to win the championship, but overall we went over .500. We were very familiar with the landmark conference, as a lot of Q: How do you feel that past season had an influence on recruiting? A: I think that for three or four weeks we were in the top 25 in the country. Recognized by the NCAA so that certainly help with recruiting when we were doing really well in the beginning of the season. I think the freshman coming in, when they saw the facilities, they saw the majors, they met the players and coach staff, I think it was a really good recruiting year for our freshman class coming in; especially with the success we had in our first year Q: Do you expect to see those top 25 rankings again? If so, do you have a sense of how often we can be in that position? A: I hope every year. I hope we win the Landmark every year. Ultimate goal is to make a regional run, postseason run hopefully. Get to a world series and give ourselves a chance to compete for a national title. It comes with a lot of hard work and sacrifice, especially with being a division 3 athlete. There’s no money involved, no NIL deals involved. Were not really sponsored by anybody. Guys who come here are firstly students, secondly athletes. They have a true passion for the game and there’s no extrinsic rewards they’re receiving for playing the sport. It’s all intrinsic and a lot of self motivation Q: How do you think a local team like Misericordia going on such a run, how does it affect our guys? A: I think it really inspires them because they are 15 minutes down the road. If they can do it, why can’t we do it? I know a lot of our guys know the Misericordia guys as well, whether they played with them in high school or they played against them in college. Some of them play with some of the Misericordia players in collegiate leagues. Coach Egbert over there for Misericordia has done a phenomenal job the last 15 years, 20 years that he’s been there. We’re trying to do the same thing here at Wilkes. Hopefully we get a chance to take that title from Misericordia and bring it back to Wilkes Q: What is your favorite memory here at Wilkes? A: My favorite memory would be when we played Catholic. In the eighth inning, we were down by four runs, and we had an 11 run inning. So, Catholic was another top 25 team in the country, went to regionals. We came back and we won the game by six runs that day. It was the biggest inning we had, it was at home in front of our fans. It was against a conference opponent, which was one of the best innings I’ve seen coach collegially, against one of our in conference opponents. For more information regarding the upcoming baseball season and schedule, which will be released later this year, visit www.gowilkesu.com or the Landmark Conference at www.landmarkconference. org. See the full interview on the Wilkes Now YouTube page. Watch the full interview on YouTube: @wilkesnow7145 �The Beacon - October 2, 2024 Sports 21 WNBA announces award winners for the 2024 season Wilson MVP, Clark Rookie of the Year Ava Tureen Sports Staff Writer The Women’s National Basketball Association recently announced numerous award winners now that the season has concluded. This year they gave 17 awards to players and coaches throughout the league. This year's season set records for the league being the most viewed season in the its history. On Sept. 22, the league named star forward for the Las Vegas Aces, A’ja Wilson, the Most Valuable Player in a unanimous vote, the second to do so as such. Wilson has been awarded MVP three times since 2020 and has set the single-season scoring record, averaging 26.9 points. After a storied college career, Caitlin Clark came into the league with all eyes on her. She proved to be worth the hype, winning Rookie of the Year in a unanimous vote. She set a plethora of records during her season, but the biggest achievement was her leading her team from the first overall pick to the playoffs, having a seven-win improvement for the Indiana Fever. Connecticut Sun forward DiJonai Carrington took home the Most Improved Player Award after an immense improvement in the fourth season of her career. Starting every game for the first time in her career, she saw a jump in her numbers across the board as she helped to guide her team to the second seed in the Western Conference. The Defensive Player of the Year award was won by Napheesa Collier, forward for the Minnesota Lynx. This is her first time with the award in her six-year career,. She won after averaging 1.91 steals and 1.41 blocks on the season. Wilson came in second for the award, flipping the results for the MVP award where Collier came in second to Wilson. Coach and Executive of the Year awards were won by Cheryl Reeve of the Minnesota Lynx. Reeve adds these awards to her career as she now holds the most COY awards of any coach in WNBA history, this being her fourth. It is her second EOY award, making her only the second executive to win the award multiple times. Dan Padover is the other. This comes after leading the Lynx to a franchise best 30-10 record, the second best record of the league. The awards were announced over the past week by the WNBA before the start of their playoffs, which are currently underway as of writing this issue. Additional information on the Women’s National Basketball Ass o ciation and the awards, can be found on ESPN. Graphic by Sydney Allabaugh First four weeks of NFL season riddled with surprises Adam Grundt Asst. Sports Editor With the NFL season often comes many surprises. This season, there are plenty. Arguably, the biggest surprise of the season thus far is the Minnesota Vikings. Projected prior to the season to finish at the bottom of their division, they have won four straight games to start the 2024 campaign. Most recently, the team traveled to Green Bay and defeated the Packers 31-29. After firstround draft pick JJ McCarthy suffered a season ending injury in training camp, seasoned veteran Sam Darnold, with the help of star wide receiver Justin Jefferson, has led the Vikings to four straight wins. On the other side of this week’s game in Green Bay, the Packers are 2-2 to begin the 2024 season when most critics thought that this could be their year. Jordan Love missed weeks two and three with an injury and was captaining the offense when the team fell to Minnesota in week four as well as when they lost to Philadelphia in week one. Closer to campus, the Philadelphia Eagles are coming off a surprising loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in week four. The Eagles are dealing with the “injury bug” in their receiver room, with their two best wide receivers in AJ Brown and Devonta Smith dealing with injuries. Elsewhere in Philadelphia’s division, the Washington Commanders are experiencing great production from their newest quarterback: Jayden Daniels. The rookie quarterback from LSU has been putting up outstanding numbers throughout the first four weeks of this new season. As it stands right now, he is the most likely contender to win the offensive rookie of the year award. Daniels’s Commanders (3-1) are atop the NFC North as it stands through four weeks, when many thought they would finish at the bottom. The Chicago Bears are experiencing a somewhat mixed start to the season. In week one, they defeated the Tennessee Titans, and then dropped two straight road games to the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts. First-overall draft pick Caleb Williams set the Chicago Bears record for passing yards in a single game by a rookie in week three against Indianapolis. However, he threw for two interceptions in week two against Houston. With a not-so-trustful offensive line, strong defense, and promising quarterback, fans are dealing with different levels of production throughout the first four games. However, they are ecstatic for the potential that comes with a prospect like Williams. As of Monday morning, three undefeated teams remain heading into week five of the NFL season. The Minnesota Vikings (4-0), the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs (4-0), and the Seattle Seahawks (3-0). It would have been four, however the Buffalo Bills took a big loss on Sunday night as the Ravens bounced back after an 0-2 start, winning 3510. Derrick Henry was the story of the game as rushed for 199 yards and scored two TDs in the win. On the contrary, there are two winless teams as it stands on Sunday night. The Tennessee Titans are 0-3, while the Jacksonville Jaguars stand at 0-4. The Jaguars come as somewhat of a surprise to be winless at this point in the season, but due to lackluster production from Trevor Lawrence at quarterback, the team remains at the bottom of the NFL through four weeks. As the season progresses, the playoff picture will begin to take shape and the leaves will begin to fall. Autumn will turn to winter, and the weeks will become more meaningful in the NFL. �The Beacon - October 2, 2024 Sports Athlete of the Week 22 Teá Amerise Senior, 1st Singles & 1st Doubles, Women's Tennis The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Amerise led the tennis team to a 5-2 victory over Immaculata University with Julia Spaeth for a 8-3 No. 1 doubles victory. She won in singles match 6-0, 4-6, and 11-9 Major: Math; Minor: Statistics Hometown: Mountain Top, PA What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? My favorite memory was probably from my freshman year when we played Misericordia in the semifinals. It was a very exiting and competitive match, which we won, sending us to the finals against Stevens. The Beacon//Samantha Mullen Editor’s note : Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor t s staff each week. At the e nd of the acade mic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw itte r @ Wilkes B eacon to c row n an “Athlete of the Year." What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? My favorite sports movies is "Space Jam." If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? I would probably play soccer What has been your favorite sports memory overall? My absolute favorite sports memory was from high schoool. What is your favorite professional My doubles partner and I won sports team (any sport)? our District Championship match I like all the Pennsylvania teams, and got to compete at the State particularly the Eagles and the Championships. Phillies. What is your favorite post-game What is your favorite thing to do meal? away from sports? I don't really have a favorite postAway from sports, I like spending game meal. I do, however, enjoy time taking care of and playing a sweet treat after a match like an with my 4 cats and my dog. I also Italian ice. enjoy giving tetnnis lessons and tutoring Calculus or Trigonometry How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? What is your favorite part of I am truly honored to be selected being an athlete at Wilkes? as the Athlete of the Week. I I like being part of the team and know all the athletes at Wilkes getting to meet people who are in work really hard, so I consider it different majors that I wouldn’t to be a privilege to be recognized. meet otherwise. Not many I am grateful to my coaches and students major in Math, so playing teammates because I know my a sport provides a way to meet a individual successes are a product more diverse group of people of working with and alongside them. �The Beacon October 2, 2024 Sports Athlete of the Week Cole Jungwirth Graduate Student, Men’s Golf The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week Jungwirth led the golf team to victory over Misericordia University after shooting a round-low 75, earning medalist honors at Huntsville Golf Club. Major: Corporate Finance Hometown: Minneapolis, MN What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? MAC Conference hockey championship game my freshman year in Utica What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? Minnesota Wild What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Getting ice cream at Josie’s What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Minnesota high school hockey What is your favorite postgame meal? Gerry’s sweet sauce pie How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? I’m very proiud of myself and the entire team’s season so far! What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? The campus support for all of our athletic teams What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? “Miracle” If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Baseball Compiled by Samantha Assistant Sports Editor Mullen, Editor’s note : Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor t s staff each week. At the e nd of the acade mic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw itte r @ Wilkes B eacon to c row n an “Athlete of the Year." The Beacon/Sam Mullen 23 �The Beacon - October 2, 2024 24 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource This is Wilkes University's Beacon Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the Beacon's predecessors, The Bucknell Bison Stampede, 1934-1935 and The Bucknell Beacon, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>. Missing Issues: 1947 August 8th 1947 September 5th 1947 October 3rd 1947 October 17th 1947 October 31st 1947 November 21st 1947 December 19th 1948 September 9th 1950 April 28th 1953 April 10th 1962 February 2nd Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon, 2024 October 2 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communications Department Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024 October 2 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/fbf46f43eaae664d0f404ed26904fb78.pdf 5e738b643a63f9e554a7ba2252003360 PDF Text Text The Beacon - September 25, 2024 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 77, Issue 4 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” WUPB hosts fiesta event to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month On Sept. 19, Programming Board hosted a ﬁesta on the greenway consiting of Hispanic food, drinks, dance, crafts and games to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. That’s So Honors: Student teaching in Cairo, Egypt, page 4 Student starts Buddhism club on campus, page 7 How DC is winning back fans and Marvel’s downfall, page 16 Photo by Emma Broda/News Editor ...More fiesta photos on p.12 Athletes of the Week, pages 22 and 23 �The Beacon - September 25, 2024 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Emma Broda: emma.broda@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: Sept. 18 weekly meeting By Kayla Bicskei Contributing Writer Student Government convened for their fourth weekly meeting of the Fall 2024 semester on Sept. 18. This meeting addressed funding requests, club recognitions, a club report, and Homecoming Weekend team planning. The treasurer’s report showed a current budget of $51,781. SHPE began the meeting with their week two of two funding request. Within the past year, the club has organized professional development workshops, hosted two fundraisers, and was declared Club of the Month in October 2024. SHPE is requesting an allocation of $2,500 for the attendance of 13 students in the 2024 National SHPE Convention. The Student Government voted to approve a full allocation of $2,500. The Wilkes Health and Fitness Club was next to present their week one of two club recognition requests. To begin the presentation, the club explained the “freshman 15” and showed statistics. The WHFC representatives stated that they would help students by encouraging them to become physically active and improve their health. To achieve this goal, the club will have three branches addressing exercise, nutrition, and self-care that create a holistic solution for student health and fitness. WHFC will return at next week’s meeting. The Wilkes Crochet Club also presented for their week one of two club recognition requests. The mission of the club is to teach students how to crochet to relieve the burden of learning by themselves, give students who already crochet a place where they can talk about their projects and interests, and create a community of crochet lovers. The Wilkes Crochet Club will return next meeting. The club report recap was the last presentation of this week’s meeting. Wilkes clubs are no longer required to physically present their club report at meetings and their presentations will be reported by executive board members. The Equestrian Club’s report was the last to be presented at the meeting. To end the meeting, members separated into teams according to their class. Each team worked together to collectively plan the Fall 2024 Homecoming Weekend. The next meeting will take place on Sept. 25. Student Government editorial correction By Stephen Youkoski Managing Editor In Volume 77, Issue 2 of The Beacon, an editorial piece was written on the new club funding rules that were set in place for the 2024-2025 academic year. In the article, it is stated that the Wilkes University Student Government is the power that instated the rule, but this is incorrect. Student Government is in fact subject to this new change as well. The University Financial Aid Department is the body that initiated this new rule, NOT the Student Government. This information was deliberated to the larger student body at the Council of the Clubs on Sept. 9, which took place after all content was written and submitted for Volume 77, Issue 2 of the paper. The information on why it was instated, was correct. This information was also elaborated on and explained at the Council of the Clubs. Once again, it was a decision made by the university, not its students. We are committed to delivering correct and reliable information as students and as a newspaper. The staff of The Beacon would like to apologize to the Student Government and the rest of the student body for this glint in reporting. The Beacon strives to maintain accuracy and objectivity in its reporting. If you ever notice an error in an online or print article, you may reach out to one of the following sources: Kalen Chucher, faculty adviser; Sydney Allabaugh, editor in-chief; Stephen Youkoski, managing editor; or the editor of the section where the error occured. Once again, we apologize to the Student Government, the student body, and the community for this misunderstanding. For more information, you may visit the Student Government's response to this error on Page 15. You may also check out the Student Government on their Instagram page, @wilkessg, for any other information about campus activities or additional updates on this matter. Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Upcoming Events: 2024 Fall Semester September 25 - Produce Pop-Up 26 - Programming Board giveaway 28 - LVU Ultimate Frisbee Tournament Ongoing - Movie Ticket Sales October 3 - Blockbuster Bingo 10-14- Fall Recess 17 - Wilkestober Fest 22 - Honors Thrift Store 24 - Sound Showdown 28-31 - Freak Week �� The Beacon - September 25, 2024 News 3 Wilkes University welcomes Japanese international students By Emma Broda News Editor This fall semester, Wilkes University welcomed a huge number of international students to campus, one of the university's largest groups yet. While a large contingency of students arrived from Nepal, a few came from other regions, including Japan. The students shared their experience on campus so far, as well as the major differences between studying in the United States versus Japan. Students Mao Takai, junior crosscultural studies major, and Towa Sasaki, sophomore applied physics major, both attend Kanagawa University in Yokohama. “I was born and raised in Niigata prefecture," Taikai said. "Niigata is a speciality of sushi and sashimi because it is by the sea. There is a lot of snow in winter, so many people visit from all over Japan.” Yokohama is well-known for many reasons, Sasakisaid. It is where Matthew Perry visited in Japan and where the American Naval Commander Matthew Perry signed a peace treaty with Japan in the 1850s. Sasaki also mentioned a particular area of Yokohama she recommends to anyone visiting. “Minato Mirai in Yokohama because the night view is really beautiful.” It is a difficult decision for many students in the United States to choose to move out of state, and for many it can also take some time to get adjusted to. The decision to come to a university in a different country can be even more difficult. “I considered going to a university in another country, and chose Wilkes University because I had wanted to study in the United States since I was a child,” Sasaki said. International students can join the University Preparatory Program to strengthen their English and to become well-adjusted to the American academic environment, which can be very different from the educational systems in other countries. Takai said the preparatory program was incredibly helpful to her. “it had my ideal program ... to improve my English skills and learn American culture and understand diversity for my dream.” Takai continued stating, “There is the Office of Diversity Initiative that values minority students and supports their education by promoting learning across social group boundaries.” The culture and university life in the United States is also incredibly different from Japan. One of the biggest differences is talking to strangers, Sasaki said. “In Japan, people don’t talk to someone in an elevator, and they don’t talk to someone sitting near you in a diner. I think it is a very nice culture." Takai said she noticed that there is a certain respect people have for the cultures and values of different students on campus. "There are few foreigners in Japan, so this environment is really stimulating for me and there are a lot of things that I learn from them,” Takai said. "Also, most of the food here is bigger and more voluminous than in Japan.” Takai and Sasaki do miss aspects of their Japanese life, including their family, friends, boyfriends and Japanese food. “I miss raw seafood," Takai said. "I love sushi and sashimi." Takai noted the lack of variety in sashimi in American supermarkets. Overall, howerver, both are excited to study and learn in the United States. "Professors provide many opportunities to students to give presentations and have discussions," Takai said. "It makes me have confidence and I can learn diverse ideas.” �The Beacon - September 25, 2024 News 4 That’s So Honors: Student teaching in Cairo, Egypt By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer Daniel Yap, an Honors P1 Pharmacy student, spent his summer outside of the pharmacy, serving as a student teaching assistant for a high school biology class in Cairo, Egypt. Yap spent his summer in the classroom grading papers, teaching lessons and moderating discussions. For international students, high school looks different, and Yap’s teaching experience reflects that. In many other countries, the education system is modeled on the International Baccalaureate (IB), which encourages critical thinking over memorization. Though he worked a typical teacher’s schedule, Yap said he had plenty of time for fun and experiencing Egypt’s many historical sites, including the Egyptian Civilization Museum, the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphynx and the Alabaster Mosque. Yap shared that he has a deep respect for the educational discipline. “I think that it is always valuable to have experience teaching as teaching is the highest form of understanding. If you’re able to explain a concept to someone at a high school level it shows that you were able to understand it to the fullest degree.” The cultural experience was also a crucial element of Yap’s internship. Yap previously traveled to Egypt, but he came to understand the country even more through this visit. “While I had been to Egypt before, interacting with high school kids was a great way to get to know Egyptian culture Daniel Yap spent the summer in Cairo, Egypt, as a teaching assistant. and the diverse experiences of the students I interacted with. This allowed me to see how those experiences influenced their learning styles and how they liked to study. “As the program was during weekdays, I had evenings and weekends to explore everything Italy had to offer,” he said. Yap, who himself attended an international school, explained that students will travel across countries for school, and it creates an opportunity for both conflict and greater understanding of new cultures. "I have found that American school systems often have kids who have difficulty dealing with people who are different from themselves while international systems have trained students from a young age to deal with people who are different and how to bridge those differences," Yap said. Other than recommending that students familiarize themselves with public transportation, Yap says his best piece of advice is to keep an open mind. “I think it is super important for students to be able to experience a wide range of cultures and that means experiencing things that you would not expect to be normal and other places." Yap believes that putting yourself outside of your comfort zone is an invaluable expereince, especially with another culture. Students, no matter what major, have plenty of opportunities to experience new disciplines, particularly through the field of teaching. To keep up with Daniel and the rest of the Honors Program, follow the Honors Instagram, @wilkeshonors. Photos submittted by Daniel Yap Yap visited numerous cultural sites during his stay in Cairo, Egypt. �The Beacon - September 25, 2024 News 5 Wilkes University changes online library database By Stephen Youkoski Managing Editor Wilkes University has recently undergone a change in the online library database system. This change brings a new host, different materials and a change to the website layout. The former online database the university used was Summon, an online paid research program with thousands of sources, both scholarly and non scholarly, for schools to use. The change was announced in April and the transition occurred over the summer. The new system is Find@Farley, which is named after the university library. It is run off of the FOLIO programming. FOLIO is used by other local universities such as the University of Scranton, but also by national sources, namely the Library of Congress. According to Brian Sacolic, the director of the university's Farley Library, the change is due to three main reasons. Sacolic stated that the new system “offers increased compatibility with our full-text sources.” In other words, sources the university owns through the host, EBSCO Discovery Service, should be more readily available. Furthermore, Sacolic said that the new system is better for the library staff, as Find@Farley will streamline a number of in-house processes and improve overall work efficiency. Finally, the switch away from Summon is a huge money saver for the university. “[Find@Farley] will save the university nearly $15K over time,” Sacolic said. With the announcement being so late in the year, many students were unaware of the change. Allison Lussi, a sophomore English major, has not had to use the new system yet, so she did not realize anything was different. “I have used Summon before… around three times a semester or so,” said Lussi. She will be using it soon with some upcoming papers in her classes. Lussi is unsure whether she will find the new system better or worse with the new interface. Students with questions about the new database or about the library in general should email ask.librarian@wilkes.edu, or visit wilkes.libguides.com for more information. The new tools and resources tab on Find@Farley. The new search interface and dashboard tab on Find@Farley Read The Beacon online at www.thewilkesbeacon.com �The Beacon - September 25, 2024 News 6 Honors students clean up Shawnee Cemetery in nearby Plymouth By Emma Broda News Editor Honors students who helped clean up the Shawnee Cemetery include, from left, Sarah Arshad, Salma Lampack-Heverly, John Devereux, Megan Novak, Megan Sandt, Colleeen Ryan, Elena Rivera, Joe Sokolowski, Luke Mauro, Erik Mauro, Ryan Collins, Chris Kopiak, Kamea Paresa and Nate Martes. Students raked away brush that had grown over graves. From left, Luke Mauro, Erik Mauro and Colleen Ryan, were just a few of the volunteers who helped clean the cemetery. The Mauros are pharmacy majors, while Ryan majors in history. Students raked leaves that had been covering much of the cemetery. Photos submitted by Megan Rozanski �The Beacon - September 25, 2024 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Life, Arts & Entertainment Student begins Buddhism club on campus Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Editor-in-Chief Sydney Allabaugh at sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu By Kailey Vogel Special to The Beacon Dixon Rexach Toro, a first-year philosophy major has started Wilkes University’s first Buddhism club. The United Society of Buddhism is an organization dedicated to providing its members with a new outlook on life by bringing consciousness to the forefront of one’s daily life. The club will accelerate the development of minds through religious practice, letting members reflect on personal aspects of life to achieve enrichment, happiness, and bliss. The Buddhism club intends to provide a safe space in which one can learn techniques to drive out negative thoughts such as stress and school work, in order to focus on the ideas of personal enlightenment. This club is open to any student or staff member on Wilkes University’s campus and is currently looking for new members. Rexach Toro is a transfer student from Pasaic County Community College and has been practicing Buddhism for six years at the Japanese Zen temple Eiryu-ji Zen Center in Wycoff, NJ. Dixon became part of a Sangha in May 2023 and has decided to share what he has learned with the students of Wilkes University with the formation of this club. Dixon explained that Buddhism has been helpful in placing ideas for oneself. He explained that Buddhism allows those practicing it to understand relationships between other people and everything in the world around them. “Questioning the world” and how it works will also be a main priority of Dixon’s Buddhist club. Members will be immersed in the religion and its practices in a From left, Dr. Mun Young Chung, assistant professor of communication and media studies; Trinity Veaudry; and Dixon Rexach Toro, club founder, pose for a photo during the recent Club Day at Wilkes. variety of ways, from breathwork and breathing techniques to asking those worldly questions. However, his main focus is “advocating the practice and channeling people’s curiosity.” “I wanted to create a safe space where people can come in, grow, and expand their capabilities as a whole,” he said. Members are not required to have previous experience with Buddhism and are encouraged to join and learn the practices that provide important skills for all aspects of life. Rexach Toro has many ideas for the near and distant future pertaining to the club and the education of its members. Some community service events in mind for the club include: seated and walking meditation events, Tai Chi and Qi gong events, book study, and “Dharma Talk” events. He also hopes to get in contact with guest speakers for presentations and conduct engaging Buddhist-related field trips. In fact, Dixon is determined to continue creating connections with other Buddhist temples around Wilkes-Barre and has officially partnered with the Flowing River Sagna, a supportive community that aids in the practice of Zen meditation and traditions of the Buddhist faith. The United Society of Buddhism Club is looking for new members. The group meets on Thursdays during club hours. For more information on the club, email �The Beacon - September 25, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 Sam Mullen: Sydney Allabaugh: Ballet - The Garden Stephen Youkoski: English Love Aﬀair 5 Seconds of Summer Emma Broda: Set the Stage - Lunar Vacation Bring Em Out - T.I. Adam Grundt: The Painter - Cody Johnson Leah Smith: True Friends - Bring Me The Horizon Zach Paraway: Lithonia - Childish Gambino Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staﬀ picks their favorite song of the week. Check out this week’s bops! �The Beacon – September 25, 2024 Career Carnival aims to help with jobs and internships By Natalia Willians Staff Writer The Wilkes Center for Career Development and Internships is hosting its first annual career carnival on Sept. 26. While enjoying some Dunkin coffee, walking tacos, and hot dogs, professionals at the the Career Carnival will offer information to help students prepare for internships, jobs and future career fairs. Students will be able to receive feedback and tips from recruiters from Enterprise, Greater Wyoming Valley YMCA, Reachum, PPL and Children’s Service Center. Attendees will also be able receive feedback on their resumes from real recruiters at the Resume Review Station. “Students should know that along with fun, there will be great opportunities as well,” said internship coordinator Jenna Weiss “There will be business recruiters on-site reviewing resumes and listening to elevator pitches, to give students feedback from the recruiter prospective.” She also recommends that students craft an elevator pitch, as well as bring along a resume. The event includes a bit of everything career- or internshiprelated. Not sure what to wear to an interview? Check out the “What Not to Wear” Colonels Clothing Closet Pop-Up. There, students will be able to find professional clothing for future career and internships fairs or interviews. According to Weiss, students should show up to the event as they are.“It’s a casual, fun event opposed to a Career Fair where they should dress professionally.” Other events include games and giveaways and handshake and hotdogs. At these events participants will be able to have a chance to win gift cards, enjoy fun games and grab a hot dog if the Handshake app is shown. “I’m genuinely excited to see everything come together,” Weiss said. “I look forward to students connecting fun with careers and internships, which can often feel intimidating.” Students are encouraged to stop by their table to see the employer list for some upcoming career fairs, learn more about the CCDI services, and additional information regarding Career Services and Internship Information. The Center for Career Development and Internships is a place available to help and guide students find their desired career paths by assisting in building resumes, internships, interviews and job searches. Through the center, students can discuss their options by meeting one on one with Career and Internship professionals. If interested, register on Handshake. Staff and Faculty wanting to take part are able to reach out to jenna.weiss@ wilkes.edu. Life, Arts & Entertainment 9 �The Beacon – September 25, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 Farmer’s Market brings fresh shopping for everyone, Thursdays on Public Square Photos by Shannon Slominski �The Beacon - September 25, 2024 11 Life, Arts & Entertainment Word Search �� Astrology Word Search Words can be found in any direction (including diagonals) and can overlap each other. Use the word bank below. O G V C L D Y E Y N Z W G U D P E A I N W O U C U Z S I C V D I R O C S L Answer Key: E Dictionary.com O U H E G B Z A R E Q V W Z W V I A J S Y G B U X J V A Z B A B X M Q I T O R B C P Y C Q T R R Z Z D E D L I S A M O X G U H A Y T A C Q G S U P X N Z G N B Y C I R D L Z U X T H A S T E R I J W I R K F T C V U S A C X Y P D O B D F X T O O S G H E M S E I R A T R Q L E U I I R A U Q A E A I N S M N I B O B Q I T G D G L B R A X Z F D O E I K W K R T Q Q Q A J S W Q N B 1. pisces 5. leo 9. cancer 2. aries 6. taurus 10. gemini 3. aquarius 7. virgo 11. sagittarius 4. scorpio 8. libra 12. capricorn Word Bank B J G X B A U E G A U H B O J B Z S C Y P C B Y E W V T S L C I V Q M X A W Z V O R A E R A P I Z A P S I L Z Z O G V X C C G Y C T H Q R Y Q M R E S O D A I R I U I D Q B R E I D J E T S L C S U V N A C G H T Z T A X F K N U V G U Z N W O U T X O X D Y O Q S L E X F B I A A R E E O S B G A S T I P E Q B R I N Z S L T W K X K I A E N R O G U I S Q J U O Z D H I U Z Q Q A Q R D M A B W I Y T D I R Y C G N O R N D W Q R A T B D M I E L W G U C F D Words can be found in any direction (including diagonals) and can overlap each other. Use the word bank below. Astrology Word Search Word Bank 1. pisces 5. leo 9. cancer 2. aries 6. taurus 10. gemini 3. aquarius 7. virgo 11. sagittarius 4. scorpio 8. libra 12. capricorn Dictionary.com �The Beacon- September 25 2024 12 �The Beacon- September 25, 2024 13 �The Beacon - September 25, 2024 Opinion Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact assistant opinion editors: leah.smith@wilkes.edu or logan.colonna@wilkes.edu. Editorial Staff 2024-25 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Sydney Allabaugh Managing Editor: Stephen Youkoski Social Media Manager - Megan Davis Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Emma Broda Sports - Zach Paraway ASSISTANT EDITORS Opinion - Logan Colonna Opinion - Leah Smith Sports - Adam Grundt Sports - Sam Mullen DESIGNERS Head Designer - Lara Mullen Designer - Laura De Lora Layout Designer - Brady Melovitz SECTION STAFF WRITERS News - Kayla Bicskei LA&E - Natalia Williams Opinion - Shawn Carey Opinion - “Freeze” Sports - Andrew Marshallsay Sports - Ava Tureen 141 S. Main Street Clayton and Theresa Karambelas Media & Communication Center Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 Phone - (570) 408-5903 www.thewilkesbeacon.com Want to advertise in The Beacon? Contact: Kalen Churcher at kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or Sydney Allabaugh at sydney. allabaugh@wilkes.edu. The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. Texas Roadhouse is the best restaurant chain In a world where fast food restaurants and mainstream restaurants chains reign over our society and diets, one restaurant stands out when it comes to quality in dining experience and delectable taste: Texas Roadhouse. Ever since its inception in 1993, Texas Roadhouse has been aiming to satisfy customers through both their Southerninspired aesthetic and hearty meal choices that have kept customers coming back to this day. Texas Roadhouse sets itself apart from other major restaurants for msny reasons. First and foremost, its look. The exterior of the restaurant tells you everything you need to know about what aesthetic the restaurant is going for: American Southern. The interior is a packed yet cozy countryheavy mix-match. There is usually a small crane machine for children to play with while they wait to be seated, a glass case showing off the steaks the restaurant is offering for the night, and the walls that are covered with country music star memorabilia and art from Dolly Parton to Keith Urban. TVs are also scattered throughout the restaurant; if you and your friends want to catch a game while enjoying a delicious meal, Texas Roadhouse is just the place for that. One of the best parts about Texas Roadhouse and most definitely what Texas Roadhouse is known for are their dinner rolls. Texas Roadhouse dinner rolls are exquisite. What makes them so popular among the masses is that they come with cinnamon butter rather than typical butter normally offered at restaurants. The cinnamon butter rolls are many consumers’ favorite item at the restaurant because of its sweet taste and buttery-doughy texture that melts in your mouth the moment it hits your tongue. The restaurant’s novelty steaks are also fantastic because not only do they have a variety of cuts that customers can dig into but also the restaurant cooks them to absolute perfection. Also, the addition of mushrooms and gravy just adds even more flavor to the juicy and delectable steak. For those who aren’t steak lovers, their other menu items are just as delicious They offer burgers, ribs, pulled pork, chicken and fish. One of their best options is the smothered chicken which comes with sauteed mushrooms and onions, a choice of melted cheese or gravy and two sides. The sides are also nothing to sleep on either since they come in a variety of unique styles. Their green beans are different from how other restaurants serve them due to Texas Roadhouse’s country style; they serve their green beans with bacon as a nod to the country inspiration of their restaurant. Their desserts, though limited, are also sweet and tasty. The Granny’s Apple Classic is notably one of their most unique desserts with the slice of apple pie coming with vanilla ice cream and honey cinnamon applesauce. It’s a dessert that is not only tasty but perfectly fitting the country aesthetic. What also makes Texas Roadhouse so great are its employees. The employees are enthusiastic and get into the spirit of the restaurant’s Southern-friendly atmosphere. They always wear a smile and become very animated whenever it is someone’s birthday. Birthday celebrations at celebrations are known to be awkward, but Texas Roadhouse does it the best by not only having their own country birthday song but by accompanying that song by having the lucky birthday individual hop on a wooden horse with a cowboy hat. This could seem embarrassing to some, but they do give the patron the option whether or not they wish to hop on the horse. Though, the song and enthusiasm alone bring a lot of fun and excitement that turn heads all around the restaurant. Texas Roadhouse is a fun and enthusiastic restaurant to go to for any occasion that sets itself apart from other major restaurant chains by having great food, energetic staff, a cozy Country atmosphere and the best dinner rolls ever to keep customers coming back over and over to enjoy all of those qualities and more. Letter to the editor policy: The Beacon welcomes letters to the editor from differing viewpoints. Letters must contain contact information, including name, city, state and phone number. Phone numbers will not be published but may be used for verification purposes. All letters to the editor must be sent using one of the following methods: Email: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu Phone: (570) 408-5903 (Voicemail: 30 seconds or less, please.) Mail: 84 West South Street, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766 Attn: The Beacon �The Beacon - September 25, 2024 Opinion 15 The Icebox: The Wilkes Colonels’ Smashtastic entry By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer Wilkes University Esports officially kicks off with their first matches of the season this week. The organization has grown so much since it was first introduced one year ago by the legendary Robert Eskra, assisted by coach Val. As of now, we have a team for five games: “Rocket League,” “Overwatch 2,” “League of Legends,” “Valorant” and my specialty “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.” I think I speak for everyone in the Esports organization that we are very excited to start this season. Mostly every player is coming in hot with their practice and we are pumped up to defeat one college after the next in competition. Since I am a Smash player, I will give some insight on the competitive scene for collegiate, teambased Smash leagues. The format of our competition is a special mode called crew battle. Two teams of four players play against each other in a line-up format. Team A sends in Player 1 and Team B sends in Player 1 at the same time. The winner of the first match moves on to round two with the same amount of stocks that they finished the last match. Suppose Team B needs to send in a new player after their lead was eliminated. The entire Team B is allowed to strategize characters, players and stage bans as they send in Player 2. The first team to be completely eliminated loses the match. Since this is a competitive scene, it is traditional to play an entire set (best of three) against the opponent. There are a couple of additional rules to take note of, in case you would like to gather your friends and try this format for yourself. The same character cannot appear twice on a single team during the match. Once you have picked a character for the match, you must stick with that character until the next one. The stage-pick is done through a traditional banning system, which includes: Final Destination, Battlefield, Small Battlefield, Pokemon Stadium 2, Town and City, Smashville, Kalos and Hollow Bastion. Stage bans depend on the winner of a match, though a lot of players like to “gentleman into PS2.” The conference that Wilkes Esports is signed under is called the National Esports Collegiate Conference, or NECC. This organization spans the entire United States and includes hundreds of colleges and universities. The organizers of the conference have designated members for writing the rulebook for each of the games. These people are the ones who decide how competitions go and are constantly adjusting rules based on direct feedback from teams. It is thanks to such a considerable amount of effort that I, and lots of others like myself, am able to compete in my favorite video game while on campus. Some of those other people are my teammates whom I met through the program. They are worth cheering for. Last year, our star player was Mooch, aka Drew Fiedler. He mains Pac-Man, Pokemon Trainer and Kazuya, and was able to wipe out entire teams by himself. Unfortunately, he graduated, so we have some big shoes to fill. He can still be seen on stream attending local tournaments. Our current standing team includes Toggers (Robert Thomas), Cheese Toast (Logan Dickson) and myself, Master Freeze with the addition of a handful of substitute players who will soon make a name for themselves. Toggers mains Ness, but I promise it’s not what you think. While many Ness players spam “PK Fire” and make it hell for their opponent, Rob takes a new approach that makes the game practically unplayable if you don’t know the matchup. He makes great use of aerials, throws and just a sprinkle of special moves to absolutely dominate. Cheese Toast has experienced quite the improvement arc, originally maining Little Mac before switching to a more viable character: Samus. His movement as Samus combined with the stylish tossing of projectiles is very impressive. You should take a look at his controller, which we call the “cheese machine”. As for Master Freeze, I play Snake and Mr. Game & Watch. I will let you challenge me if you want to find out how I defeat my opponents. I am also working on improving my other favorites: Wario, Lucario and Villager. Surely, I will be unstoppable. Finally, I want to give a special thanks to our coach, Valentino Timonte, who dedicates so much time for the organization and has been the reason for so much improvement that we have all experienced as competitors. Letter to the Editor: A statement from Student Government By Michael Santini Student Government Treasurer Dear Editor, Thank you so much for the recent coverage on the changing club financial policy; the goal of our Council of the Clubs meeting was to give all students on campus the news and tools they need to succeed in the new environment. However, upon reading the opinion piece, I was disappointed to find a noteworthy perpetuation of misinformation that damages the image of the Student Government and our student body. In its simplest terms, the new university financial guidelines are not something that the Student Government, the executive treasurer, or any member of the student body has control over. This policy is based on direct instructions from our finance office, and we had hoped that our Council of the Clubs would reflect this by having representatives from the office present that section. Categorizing the policy as “Student Government’s change” places undue stress on our members and advisors as we attempt to address questions and misinterpretations such as this. Additionally, while the intricacies of why we made this change are still relatively unclear, the finance office has explained to me that the decision is necessary to align ourselves with general accounting standards, which, to my understanding, can not easily be refuted. Also, as a side note, the Student Government is not exempt from this policy, and in fact, it has absolved an entire fund that we reserve for campus improvements and capital projects. As the executive treasurer of Student Government, a student leader on campus, and a member of other clubs, I know that this subject affects many people on campus, as it has affected my job significantly and is near to my heart. I completely understand the author’s advocacy for our club accounts and their existing funds in light of the new financial guidelines. Your writer’s frustration and concern are similar to mine, and express what many students and advisors have approached me with as well. I want to assure you that SG is working to address these issues. Once again, thank you for your continued interest in our Student Government; we appreciate all feedback so that we can better serve the campus. The concerns over future funds are entirely justified, and as a member of the student body, I encourage club leaders and student organizations to continue voicing their concerns. Please contact me, the Executive Treasurer, at michael.santini@wilkes.edu if you have any questions regarding club funds in the future. Best, Michael Santini �The Beacon - September 25, 2024 Opinion 16 How DC is winning back fans and Marvel’s downfall By Leah Smith Asst. Opinion Editor �� ¡�� Graphic by Maria Gonzalez �The Beacon - September 25, 2024 Opinion 17 The culture of card collecting and its many problems How a simple hobby turned into a business By Shawn Carey Opinion Staff Writer It’s basic human nature to want to collect. Coins, stamps, dolls, bottle caps, magazines. If there’s multiple variations of the same object, there’s someone who collects it. I consider myself a pretty big collector. I love collecting physical media. Comics, books, video games, vinyls, figures, board games, the whole nine yards. I also collect trading cards, which is what I would say if I could actually buy them. Cards are probably the most common thing to collect, unsurprisingly. They’ve been around for forever, since 1868 to be exact. The earliest trading cards took the form of baseball cards, later evolving into tobacco cards. They were somewhat popular, nothing crazy really. These cards were by a variety of companies to promote their business, even if the product themselves had nothing to do with baseball. That would all change in the 80s when collectors started to realize that their collections could be worth something one day. Manufacturers started to increase their numbers due to everyone now buying multiple copies. It was also during the 80s that trading cards started to move further and further away from their sport origins. There were cards based on everything from movies to original concepts. The 90s brought even more change to the medium. This was mainly due to the introduction of trading card games, also known as TCGs. Cards in a TCG are specially designed sets of playing cards. Each card represents an element of the theme and rules of the game itself. Each card represents its respective game’s version of characters, locations, items, spells or events. “Magic: The Gathering” introduced all of this and more in 1993. As important and popular “Magic: The Gathering” is, it’s definitely not the first game you think of. No, that honor probably goes to “Pokemon.” “Pokemon” rules the 90s. The game, anime and toys were absolutely everywhere. As you probably guessed, the TCG was no exception. The very first set of cards were released in 1998 and even since, they have dominated the trading card space. “Pokemon” is often referred to as the franchise that made trading cards mainstream. This is something I see as a good and bad thing. I think it’s a cool thing that such a niche and nerdy hobby is so widespread. Collecting trading cards is an all ages activity; it can be enjoyed by pretty much anyone, especially TCG. You can either get the cards for the game or the artwork. As with most things, there are people who like to ruin a good thing. Remember when I said that collectors started to realize that their collection was going to be worth something one day. Well that day has arrived. The aftermarket for trading cards is absolutely insane. If done correctly, collectors can make massive profits off of cards. There are multiple websites built around aftermarket selling. Websites that not only list the value of every single card ever made, but also the projected value of every new release. It’s honestly pretty intimidating. I have never been a fan of selling my collectibles. I don’t know what it is, but something about it has always made me feel weird about t h e entire thing. As of today, I think I finally know what that something is. A lot of people only buy cards just to sell them again for an easy profit. These people are unaffectedly known as scalpers. There are many ways for scalpers to quickly build up a large inventory. The more technical ones have bots that automatically buy the maximum amount of allowed packs. Back in the day, i.e two years ago, scalpers used to wait outside for stores to open and buy every single pack possible. This has since changed. Stores like Walmart and Target picked up on this and now have a limit on how many cards a single customer can buy. About a year or so ago I went to Target with my friends with the intent of buying Disney’s new card game “Lorcana.” When we got to the store there was a long line of people waiting in the card aisle. A poor employee had to give packs out one at a time just to make sure everyone got one. This leads me to what inspired me to write this article in the first place. It’s no secret that I love “One Piece.” I adore every aspect of the series. About two years ago, they announced that the “One Piece” card would be getting an English release. I was beyond excited for this. Two years and two months later, I brought a starter deck and a few single packs. It is currently pretty much impossible to find “One Piece” cards in store. This is due to the rapid demand for them on the aftermarket. The “One Piece” card game is currently the second most popular TCG to resell. “Pokemon” is still the first. It’s getting to the point where you can’t even buy single packs online for their original price. Everything is marked up. This is a hugely disappointing situation. I’ve seen plenty of fans who want to get into the hobby but literally can’t. What makes this worse is that there isn’t really a way to fix this. We just have to wait for them to die down in popularity. The only other alternative I can think of is staying alert when new sets are coming out and buying them as soon as possible. Next month sees the release of the brand new “Ultraman” card game. I am excited to see how the game will be received in the coming months. Will it be another “One Piece?” Or will I actually be able to collect it? Graphic by Sydney Allabaugh �The Beacon - September 25, 2024 Opinion 18 A review of Saba's sophomore album "CARE FOR ME" By Logan Colonna Asst. Opinion Editor Since no big albums were released this week, I thought it would be a perfect time to take a look at one of my favorite albums recently. This album is Saba’s “CARE FOR ME.” Released in 2018, this was Saba’s sophomore album. I personally found it back in 2022 and have loved it ever since. Without further ado, let’s get into the review. Before we talk about Saba’s performance, it’s important to get to know the background of the album. The project is dedicated to his late cousin, who was fatally stabbed in 2017. “CARE FOR ME” is an introspective piece that centers around how Saba was emotionally and mentally after his loss. With that being said, I admire Saba’s performance all across the album much, most importantly on tracks like “BUSY/ SIRENS” and “PROM/KING.” These two songs alone convey so much emotion that they nearly made me cry, especially “PROM/KING” as it tells the story that led to Saba’s cousin passing away. Building off of this, the content of each song ties greatly into the overall theme of Saba’s mental state at the time. We have songs like “BROKEN GIRLS” that tells the listener that he always looked into the wrong girls for the wrong reasons, adding to his mental torment, “SMILE,” which tells the listener that Saba wished for a life of peace ever since he was a child, and “PROM/KING,” which told the story of how Saba got closer with his cousin and how he was eventually taken away from Saba by the fatal stabbing. All of these tracks wonderfully tell the listener why Saba is how he is following his cousin’s passing. Saba’s vocals, lyricism, and flow throughout the entire album is superb. From front to back, his lyrics are never lacking. If you were to look up Genius’s annotations for the album, each song has quite a lot of lyrics annotated, showing that Saba crafted intricate lyrics that allow listeners to dive deep into each song’s true meaning. Without a great flow, I’d say that songs can be unlistenable. With that being said, Saba’s flow throughout each song is great, even offering multiple switches of his flow in order to keep listeners engaged and on their toes. It’s easy to say that Saba’s performance was a key factor to the success of this record. With only three features on the album, it’s important that each one is carefully implemented into the tracklist in order to not feel out of place and so they’re used to their greatest potential. First, we have theMIND on “BUSY/ SIRENS.” I’m personally not too crazy about his verse to close out the “BUSY” portion of the track, but it still does wrap up the half of the song nicely. It adds onto Saba’s softness throughout his two verses and the chorus and even gets listeners ready for the softer “SIRENS” part of the song. Next is KAINA’s feature off of “FIGHTER.” While her inclusion in the track is miniscule, it’s still a nice addition to the song. Her vocals are layered with Saba’s on the chorus and that’s it. I find it more odd that she received a mention on the track credits more than anything else. Lastly, we have the feature of “CARE FOR ME,” Saba’s cousin. At the end of “PROM/KING,” his cousin provides the listener with an outro. The alone fact that he’s on the album at all is heartbreaking and leaves listeners emotional. At the end of the outro, the line “I just hope I make it ‘til tomorrow–” is repeated numerous times. This severely adds to the emotions being created after knowing that he has passed since saying these lines. While each feature is small compared to the rest of the album, each and every one does provide a more than positive addition to the album. Next, we have the production that supports Saba on each track. I for one love each instrumental on each song. I apologize for heavily praising the same tracks again, but both portions of “BUSY/SIRENS” and “PROM/KING” offer wonderful beats that pair perfectly with the atmosphere of the album. As for “BUSY/SIRENS,” the first half opens up the album with a somber tone which pairs with Saba’s tone well. The second half slowly transitions from the first and offers an even slower, melancholic sound. I truly cannot put words to it, but the production on this song, the “SIRENS” portion more so, is beyond amazing. For “PROM/KING” the first half offers yet another sad tune to pair with the content matter of the track, being about Saba’s life before he started making music. As the song progresses into the “KING” half, the beat gets upbeat and allows Saba to be cheerful. This is his opportunity to celebrate his cousin’s life instead of being down all the time because of it. The outro track even follows suit after this shift and offers a more upbeat instrumental to yet again celebrate. With all of this being accounted for, I believe that the production on this album is great. Lastly, is the album worth revisiting even after various listens? I obviously say yes. Ever since 2022, this album has constantly found its way back into my listening rotation. This is for a good reason, too. Throughout the album, we find the theme of Saba finding ways to grow from his former self as he’s coping from his cousin’s death. This alone allows many listeners to be enticed to listen, and continue to listen over and over again, because so many people have had to deal with death. I personally have revisited this album quite a bit earlier this year when we had a death in the family, just as a way to cope. Besides this, each track contains lyrics that many will miss the point of on their first listen. This allows true music enjoyers to relisten to each song and really get the whole message. On top of this, while the entire album does offer a soft sound, each track does have its defining features, which lets the listener not get bored as they go through the tracklist. To back this up even more, the album only offers 10 tracks, totaling to 44 minutes. I believe that this is the perfect length for an album. Not too long in the grand scheme of things, especially in today’s world, and just the right amount of tracks so each listen doesn’t end with boredom. With this, the album is beyond replayable. Between Saba’s excellent performance, the fine-picked features, to the cloudy instrumentals and even the replayability of the album, it’s easy to give props to “CARE FOR ME.” Saba’s second studio album gets a 9 out of 10. �The Beacon - September 25, 2024 Sports Sports 19 Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: zachary.paraway@wilkes.edu WVB: Battles but falls short, 3-2 against Albright College By Sam Mullen Sports Asst. Editor On Thursday night, the women’s volleyball team hosted Albright College. In the first set, the Colonels lost 25-17 but were able to find their footing in the second set where they won 25-23. The fight continued the rest of the night with the team winning the third set 25 to 21. By set four, the Colonel’s continued to push but fell 25-21. In the final set of the game, the team fought hard but lost 15 to 10 and lost the match 3-2. Senior Sierra Hines, junior Ally Sheridan, and senior Jenna Baron led Wilkes in points with each having 10 kills. Senior Alexa Cassel led in assists with 27 throughout the match. Sophomore Kendra Kalp had a total of 30 digs. They will host Neumann University on Wednesday September 25 at 7 p.m and travel to Penn State Altoona on Saturday September 28 at 1 p.m. Sr. Alexis Reedy spikes the ball over the net during the 3-2 contest against Albright College on Sept. 19. The team hulddes up after winning the second set in their 3-2 loss against Albright College on Sept. 19. Photos by Sam Mullen 2024-2025 National Hockey League (NHL) season preview By Ava Turren Sports Staff Writer This 2024-25 NHL season is right around the corner. After last season's insane ending between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers, this upcoming season should have an interesting start. Many hockey fans believe that the Edmonton Oilers are going to win the Stanley Cup during the 2024-25 season since they came up short this past season in seven games. Conor McDavid, the captain of the Oilers, led his team to a near championship and many fans believe because of his records last season that they will do it again. Last season he scored 132 total points, with 64 goals and 89 assists. The Pittsburgh Penguins have made some moves this offseason. Earlier in the summer, they acquired Cody Glass from the Nashville Predators and a 2025 3rd round draft pick and a 2026 sixth round draft pick. They drafted Harrison Brunicke during the second round of the draft. Brunicke is an 18-year-old born in Johannesburg, South Africa and he will be the second player from there that will play in the NHL. The Calgary Flames have been trying to rebuild their team for a couple seasons now. During the off-season they traded a forward and a goalie for Dustin Wolf who will hopefully become the number one goalie in the NHL. This will be Wolf’s first season in the NHL but he has proven himself over and over again during his time in the American Hockey League (AHL) with a save percentage of .922. The Chicago Blackhawks are another team that have been trying to rebuild their team and Connor Bedard has helped them make massive strides. He now has one full NHL season under his belt and in his last season alone he had 22 goals and 39 assists. Unfortunately, this offseason, tragedy has struck the hockey community. Johnny Gaudreau was killed during a drunk driving accident and his team and all of the Columbus Blue Jackets fans are still grieving the loss of a beloved player. Without Gaudreau, who was the team's leading scorer last season, they are eager for the production from Adam Fantili who is going into his second season in the NHL. The Detroit Red Wings have had seven straight seasons without making it to the playoffs. This season if they don't make it to the playoffs for the eighth season in a row they might consider rebuilding the team. The Red Wings aren’t looking very promising. Alexander Ovechkin is very likely to break the all-time score record during this season. Overall, the Washington Capitals are going to go into this season with positives and negatives. Unfortunately for the Capitals, TJ Oshie suffered a long-term injury. However, the team received some new great players going into this upcoming season. The Capitals acquired Ilya Protas, the younger brother of another player on the team, and Aliaksei Protas who will be a player to watch. With their first round selection, the team picked Terik Parascak who was named to the 2024 CHL All Rookie Team. The Boston Bruins are hopeful for success this season. Last season a lot of the team's success was thanks to their goaltender pair; Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark. This season they will no longer have Ulmark and the team is still working with Swayman on his contract which leaves this team with many unknowns. Going into the upcoming 2024-2025 season there are a lot of unknowns, however fans remain excited for what is to come. The NHL preseason started Sept. 21 and the season will begin on Oct. 4. �The Beacon - September 25, 2024 Sports 20 Formula One World Championship Racing-Season Update By Andrew Marshallsay Sports Staff Writer With the end of the season in under two months, drivers and constructors in the Formula One World Championship are gearing up for the last stretch ahead. Leading the pack in the drivers championship is Max Verstappen. The current world champion, Verstappen is looking to win his fourth title in a row. If he wins, the Dutch driver will become the first driver since Sebastian Vettel to win four in a row. Vettel won consecutive titles in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. For Sergio Perez, it’s been quite the opposite in terms of results compared to his teammate. Perez has struggled for most of the season, and questions have risen about his ability. While he is signed with Red Bull until the conclusion of next season, the 34-year-old from Mexico may be in hot water come the end of the current season. In the constructors championship, McLaren have taken the lead over Red Bull. Powered by the duo of British driver Lando Norris and Australian Oscar Piastri. Norris and Piastri continue to perform well, with each having multiple race wins this year. Mercedes’ 2023 struggles continued into the early part of the 2024 season, with British duo Lewis Hamilton and George Russell plagued early on with issues with their cars. However, Hamilton, who is set to join Ferrari in 2025, has begun to find his pace and was able to capture a race win at Silverstone Raceway in the British Grand Prix. For Logan Sargeant, it has been a dreadful season. The United States born driver has been replaced by Williams. After multiple crashes in races, Sergeant was replaced by Argentinian rookie Franco Colapinto. Another surprise this season has been Valteri Bottas. The former Mercedes driver has amassed zero points this season for Kick Sauber. The Finnish driver’s contract ends at the conclusion of the season. While his contract expires at the end of the year, Bottas is likely to stay with his current team next season. For the grid next year, Hamilton’s move to be with Charles Leclerc at Ferrari means Russell will be with a new teammate. 18-yearold Kimi Antonelli will join M e r c e d e s beginning next season. Also, Leclerc’s current teammate, Carlos Sainz will be joining Williams as Alex Albon’s new teammate. Norris and Piastri will still be on the grid for McLaren in 2025, while Red Bull and Aston Martin keep their lineups for next year as well. Nico Hulkenberg will be with Kick Sauber next season, with the team set to change their name to Stake F1. Drivers such as Kevin Magnusson and Guanyu Zhou are without a team as of now. Furthermore, Ferrari and Haas reserve driver Oliver Bearman will join Haas on a permanent basis for next season. For fan favorite Daniel Ricciardo, the Australian driver is without a team for next year, as RB Honda are unlucky to keep him after this season. That means Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda is likely to have a new teammate in 2025. Lastly, Alpine will welcome current F2 driver Jack Doohan to the team next year, pairing him with one of the team’s current drivers, Frenchman Pierre Gasly. Two grands prix are coming up here at home. The United States Grand Prix from the Circuit of the Americas is on Oct. 20. Later on, the second annual Las Vegas Grand Prix kicks off a month later on Nov. 24. �The Beacon - September 25, 2024 Sports 21 The Wilkes Berries ultimate frisbee team offers fun for all By Zachary Paraway Sports Editor Walking by the greenway any given night, one could be liable to see a frisbee fly toward them followed by an invitation to join in on the fun. This would be the Wilkes Berries, Wilkes University’s club ultimate frisbee team. The team has been slinging the disk since 2017 and the team has never been bigger. Ultimate frisbee is a non-contact sport that sees one throw a frisbee like a football down the field into endzones. However, the person with the disk in hand cannot advance, making teamwork and passing is of necessity. Junior Brennan Reiner serves as the captain of the team and it is his third year on the squad. Reiner details what makes the team fun and unique. “Ultimate frisbee creates a strong community that allows for you to learn skills like growth, teamwork, and adaptability. What keeps making me come back is the smile on the team's face when we score a point. Whether that point was quick and painless or long and trying. The effort and work people put The Wilkes Berries join to take a photo after a tournament outing in Spring 2024 in at practice changes how they play and makes them better players. I see a lot of growth in new and returning players and I love to see how they change their style and their approach to the game," Reiner said. "Overall, It's fun because of the people. Whether you are playing in practice against your teammates or playing at a school two hours away, you can always learn, grow, and find a smile on your face." The team has spent the start of this semester getting the returners familiar again with the game and getting a lot of newcomers up to speed with the rest of the team. After attending Club Day, they saw a big growth in the people coming to their practices and look to keep capitalizing off of that. “I would tell you to give it a try. Whether you like it or not it is something new and you can meet and make new friends. If you wanna play that's amazing, if you wanna watch, join us too, if you have the time maybe frisbee is for you. Also we have some pretty sick jerseys so sign up and earn it.” Newcomers are finding fun with the Berries. Jr. Logan Smith really has enjoyed his time so far. “This team is super fun. I’m still learning the game, but hanging out everyone makes it all go faster. They are super helpful in teaching and it's something I'm going to keep coming back to,” Smith said. The team practices every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday in either the McHale Athletic Center or on the greenway. The team also competes in optional tournaments once players get familiar with the game. For more information or interested to join, email brennan.reiner@wilkes.edu. Photo courtesy of Brennan Reiner Wilkes prepares for the third annual Kisses to Cancer 5K By Lexi McHugh Sports Writer Sept. 28 is an important day for the Wilkes community. Wilkes University AFROTC detachment 752, which trains and prepares hundreds of young men and women for future careers as United States Air Force officers, is hosting Kisses to Cancer 5k. Wilkes-Barre has been hosting this event for three years now in honor of Major Candice Adams Ismirle, an alumnus of Wilkes University who died from triple negative breast cancer in 2016. Ismirle was an example of resilience and dedication. Born into a military family, she continued the tradition, excelling at Wilkes University as an ROTC cadet before her career as a public affairs officer in the Air Force. Her achievements included awardwinning communication work and leadership during challenging times. She went on to win the ALOM Company Grade Officer of the Year Award two years in a row. Ismirle also received the General Harry Dalton Award for public affairs communication excellence in 2007. Despite a battle with aggressive breast cancer, she remained strong, producing a documentar y to raise awareness a n d continuing her service. She and her husband Ryan welcomed twin boys in 2015 before she passed away in 2016. Her legacy of service, strength and love lives on through her family and the Kisses to Cancer 5K in her honor. T h e proceeds for this race will go to a few different organizations. The first organization is Relay for Life: The Fight Against Cancer, specifically the “PinkKisses fund” in Candice’s name. The second organization is The Valor Clinic, which supports homeless veterans in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The final proceeds will go to Wilkes University Gold Bar Club, where Candice started her military journey. Registration is now open for the race. The tickets will cost adults $35, seniors $30, students $25, active and veteran military $20, and children $20, while infants can participate for free. When registering, participants can select the category that fits them best while adding their option to their cart and checking out. This event is an opportunity for the community to come together, support a meaningful cause, and honor the memory of a remarkable individual. Whether you're running, walking or donating, every contribution helps make a difference. Graphic by Laura De Lora �The Beacon - September 25, 2024 Sports Athlete of the Week 22 Ava Bailor First-Year, Women's Cross Counrty The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Bailor finished in the top ten at the Couage Classic, crossing the line ninth with a time of 26:59.9. This is the second time she's finished as the teams runner-up. Bailor's efforts helped bring the Colonels to finish second as a team. Major: Pharmacy Hometown: Brogue, PA What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? Being a freshman, I haven't been here long, but my favorite memory so far is running in my first collegiate race at the Misericordia Invitational 4k. I have also enjoyed spending time with my teammates as they have been super welcoming and are all fun to be around! What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? I enjoy watching college basketball. My teams are Penn State and Michigan. What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Away from sports, I enjoy spending time outdoors, going hiking and going camping. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? Being able to find a good academic and athletic balance The Beacon//Samantha Mullen Editor’s note : Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor t s staff each week. At the e nd of the acade mic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw itte r @ Wilkes B eacon to c row n an “Athlete of the Year." What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? One of my favorite sports movies is "Dodgeball!" If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? If I didn't run cross counttry, I think swimming would be a fun sport. What has been your favorite sports memory overall? My favorite overall sports memory was medaling at counties my senior year and also running at the Paul Short Run Invitational at Lehigh University my senior year, as they were many collges racing at the invite and it was a really cool experience. What is your favorite post-game meal? Post-game meals always vary, but some of my favorite post-race snacks are pretzels and peanut butter and any kind of nut. How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? I feel honored being named Athlete of the Week, and am excited for the rest of the Wilkes cross country teams season! Compiled by Samantha Mullen, Asst. Sports Editor �The Beacon September 25, 2024 Sports Athlete of the Week Conor Frey Senior, 4th Singles, Men’s Tennis The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week Frey was the King’s Invitational Champion at the number four singles slot, with a record of 6-2 and 7-6 win in his quarter final match. He earned his way to the final with a 6-2, 4-6, and 10-2. He won the title with a 2-6, 7-5, and 10-8 against FDU-Florham. Major: Political Science Hometown: Binghamton, NY What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? Beating FDU in the MAC SemiFinals my freshman year. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? The Boston Bruins What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? I love to go to the gym and lift. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? The culture of the team, I love getting loud at matches and compeing at a high intensity If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Definitely hockey What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Team nighs and team dinners What is your favorite post-game meal? Yummy bowl How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? I feel great, I’m honored! What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? “Miracle” Compiled by Samantha Mullen, Assistant Sports Editor Editor’s note : Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor t s staff each week. At the e nd of the acade mic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw itte r @ Wilkes B eacon to c row n an “Athlete of the Year." The Beacon/Sam Mullen 23 �The Beacon - September 25, 2024 24 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource This is Wilkes University's Beacon Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the Beacon's predecessors, The Bucknell Bison Stampede, 1934-1935 and The Bucknell Beacon, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>. Missing Issues: 1947 August 8th 1947 September 5th 1947 October 3rd 1947 October 17th 1947 October 31st 1947 November 21st 1947 December 19th 1948 September 9th 1950 April 28th 1953 April 10th 1962 February 2nd Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon, 2024 September 25 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communications Department Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024 September 25 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper