244 15 4134 https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/107fad7ee722d53895faddf94cb95a4f.pdf df80369b0840161df5c19f580708cc54 PDF Text Text The Beacon - April 17, 2024 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 76, Issue 16 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” Solar eclipse buzz on Wilkes University campus By Emma Broda News Staff Writer On April 8, people across the world and students and faculty on Wilkes’ campus were able to experience a solar eclipse. The eclipse passed through Mexico first before reaching the United States, beginning in Texas. The eclipse could be viewed at full totality in northern parts of states on the east coast, and many people traveled to these areas to see the eclipse fully. One Wilkes student, Orlando Carannante, a senior history major, and some of his friends traveled six hours to Buffalo to see the eclipse in full totality. The location they were viewing from was a popular location for many. “There were a lot of people. We were at an eclipse festival so there were food trucks and music and people sitting all around,” Carannante said. Carannante also shared that the experience was worth the drive and he would “do it again in a heartbeat.” “We had a pretty good view of the eclipse,” said Carannante. “It was a little cloudy but you could still see everything. The best part was when the eclipse hit totality it went from daytime to nighttime in a few seconds, all the street lights turned Wilkes University makes waves at Model United Nations, page 3 on it was really cool.” While the view from Wilkes-Barre was not directly within the path of totality like Buffalo was, students and faculty gathered on campus to catch a glimpse of the eclipse. The weather was cloudy; however, students were still able to see a partial view of the event and experience the sky darkening as the eclipse passed. Kamea Paresa, sophomore mathematics major, viewed the eclipse on campus. “While it was cloudy, we were able to see through some clear areas between the clouds,” said Paresa. “It felt rewarding to see when it cleared up a little, because I got to see this super cool event.” Paresa also shared other thoughts she had about the eclipse. “I think that in the future, it would be cool to travel to an area with full totality and share the experience with my loved ones.” Chris Kopiak, a sophomore mathematics major, also watched the eclipse from campus. Kopiak said, “it was so totally great” and agreed that he would also travel to see the eclipse full totality path in the future. Solar eclipse cont. page 4 Wilkes Theater Department presents “Puffs” April 18-22, page 8 The Beacon/Emma Broda Kamea Paresa, a sophomore mathematics major, uses her eclipse glasses to view the eclipse on the Fenner Quadrangle. Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter”: A track-by-track album review, page 18 Women’s LAX teams supports student who died in 2023, page 19 �The Beacon - April 17, 2024 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Amanda Montgomery: Amanda.Montgomery1@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: April 10 weekly meeting By Kayla Bicskei Contributing Writer Student Government held its tenth weekly meeting of the Spring 2024 semester on April 10. This week’s meeting addressed funding requests and club reports. SG has a current budget of $6,934. WEBS, We’re Empowered by Science, began the meeting’s agenda with their week one of two for their funding request. WEBS Club holds its annual Summer Science Camp for 7th-12th grade students. This summer, the camp will have students participate in STEM activities, such as addressing scientific questions and working with laboratory equipment, and the camp will now include boys in enrollment instead of only girls. The club is requesting $2,750 and will return next week for week two of two for their funding request. ASME returned this meeting for week two of two for their funding request. ASME is holding its 17th Annual Car Show with an anticipated 200 cars in attendance and current 26 registered cars. Last year, the club donated $1,915 of the car show’s profits to Ruth’s Place and will be donating 50% of this year’s proceeds to the STAAR Ovarian Cancer Foundation. The club requested $4,000 for a mobile dynamometer. SG voted to approve an allocation of $2,000. Lambda Kappa Sigma also returned this week for week two of two for their funding request. LKS is a professional pharmacy fraternity for women that strives to provide lifelong opportunities for women in pharmacy. LKS requested $3,111 to help fund a six-member trip to their 2024 conference. SG voted to approve an allocation of $1,200. Kappa Psi continued the meeting’s agenda with week two of two for their funding request. Kappa Psi is another professional pharmaceutical fraternity that is attending this year’s Northeast Province Conference and Grand Council Convention, two conventions that Kappa Psi has attended and been awarded by. Kappa Psi requested funding of $10,434. SG voted to approve an allocation of $1,200. Beginning the club report portion of the meeting, the Education Club presented its monthly meetings and activities, such as club day, bandana training and the Dot Musical. Additionally, the club demonstrated its community service in events such as the Wilkes Trunk or Treat and Block Party. SG voted to approve the club report. Friends of Panama continued the club report portion of the meeting. The club presented its cultural events, such as its Showcase of Panama event and Club Day participation. The club has been meeting biweekly, but, as the club members announced, it will discontinue its meetings and status because Wilkes has not welcomed any more Panamanians into the college. SG voted to approve the club report. GSA presented its club report next. GSA demonstrated participation in various events, such as the Women’s and Gender Studies Conference, Transgender Day of Visibility, and various other activities, such as Gays and Media Collaboration and Rainbow Bingo. GSA expressed its wish to create a safe space for all students and extended its invitation to all students and faculty. SG voted to approve the report. UNICEF was next to present its Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Beacon News Staff Apply to the Honors Program Current first-year students who have a GPA of 3.5 or higher are invited to apply to the Honors Program. Applications close April 15. Fill out the application using this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F AIpQLSc83nxWLJuGQLrq40Aw1t8Z H9hWIUCz4KMO2q7KEAxjuVn5aA/ viewform. Contact jennifer.mclaughlin1@wilkes. edu with questions. Fall 2024 Parking Applications Resident and Commuter parking permit applications for the Fall 2024 semester are now open. The deadline for applications is Monday, July 1 at 5 p.m. Use this link to access the applications: https://www.wilkes.edu/campus-life/ safety-security/parking/studentparking-permits.aspx Contact parking at 570-408-7275 with questions. Fulbright U.S. Student Program The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is an international program that offers opportunities for students to create connections through academic and professional advancement. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of State, and is only available to U.S. students. Campus deadline is September 1, 2024. Contact: gina.morrison@wilkes.edu with questions. CPR Training The Nursing Student Organization is interested in hosting a CPR-certification course on-campus. This will be available to all majors. Use this link to access the interest form: https://docs.google.com/forms/ d/e/1FAIpQLScHMtR_5hzY3rvACF6_ yB0iTmYFRilxwxCNqAnHsl-ecrv_iA/ club report. The club presented its participation in limited activities, such as Barbie Night and their upcoming red sand project, as they require approval from its larger organization for any events. The club showed its fundraising through its Trick or Treat fundraiser. SG voted to approve the report. Wrapping up the club report portion of the meeting, the Cheerleading Club presented its club report. The club reported their meetings as being twice per week during Wilkes football and basketball seasons. The club also demonstrated its participation in fundraising and volunteering through its breast cancer awareness shirt sale, bake sale and suicide awareness walk. SG voted to approve the report. SG will meet again on April 17. Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Upcoming Events: April 20 - Downtown Establishment Tour 20 - Dylan Scott Concert 26 - GSA Drag Show Want your event featured in the calendar? Email: Amanda.Montgomery1@ wilkes.edu �The Beacon - April 17, 2024 News 3 Wilkes University makes waves at Model United Nations By Morgan Steiner Staff Writer In the first week of April, students in Dr. Andy Miller’s PS-341: Model UN course traveled to New York City to participate in the National Model United Nations Conference. For one week, students participated in simulated UN sessions, writing resolutions and collaborating with students from other universities on draft resolutions. The real United Nations is made up of 193 Member States and two Observer States. All states have the power to speak, and negotiate, but only Member States may sponsor a resolution and vote on measures. The two Observer States are the Holy See and Palestine. States, be they observers or members, serve on various committees with the goal of creating and implementing global policy relevant to the topic of the committee. At Model UN, universities take up the mantle of a specific delegation, role-playing as the country and attempting to write resolutions that the real country would create. At the end of the week, resolutions are voted on and adopted by the entire body. Model UN is a Wilkes University tradition, and Wilkes is one of the universities that has been attending for the longest amount of time. “It’s a really good experience for students to learn the perspective of the country we are representing and the United Nations," Miller said. "It shows them how to negotiate and work with others, and they get to meet people from all over the world, since there are around 5,000 students, and half of them are from outside the U.S.” This year, Wilkes University represented the Holy See, better known as Vatican City. “I try to have a different experience for students every year and the Holy See is really unique," Miller explained. "It’s an Observer, but relatively powerful behind the scenes, so it gives students a different perspective”. Junior criminology and political science student Emma Stout explained that she took the class to fulfill a major requirement. As a student in the honors portion of the class, Stout served as head delegate, which granted her extra opportunities and work. “I had to pick up all our passes, make sure everyone was where they were supposed to be, and I took on a more observing role in order to learn from our other head delegate, Emma Guzdek,” said Stout. The week was full of “working sessions’”, where students would gather in their committees. After roll call, a “speaker’s list” was open, where students had the Back Left to Back Right: Christian Blomquist, Colin Post, Morgan Steiner, Connor Frey, Sean Renz, Damien Chmielewski, Julie Schwartz, Emma Stout and Eduardo Abrego Camano. Front Left to Front Right: Vassiliki Gkroutski, Dr. Andy Miller, Archbishop Gabrielle Caccia, Marytere Quintana-Avila and Emma Guzdek. opportunity to stand in front of the room and, as their country, explain their thoughts on the issue at hand and convince others to agree to their resolution. Marytere-Quintana Avila, a junior studying communication studies and political science, shared what the average “Working Session” looked like. “I was in the United Nations Environment Assembly, or UNEA. I worked on the implementation of the Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework,” said Avila. Following the speaker’s list, students were called to motion for one of a few options: expand or shorten the speaker’s time, vote on a resolution (which was saved for the final day), or, the most common option, begin an informal session. “Informal sessions were the times that we had to actually work on a resolution. We’d gather in groups and discuss what should be done, how it should be implemented, and actually write it out. Because we were the Holy See, we couldn’t sponsor certain papers, so a lot of my work was observing, sharing ideas, and ensuring the wellbeing of all people were considered and respected.” Each student took away something different from the Model UN experience. Stout said, “I loved the experience of being able to not only take part in this conference, but also see the city for a whole week.” Even faculty take something away. “Seeing students take what they learned, negotiate, and work with other delegations towards Model UN Resolutions is my favorite part," Miller said For many, the best part of the conference was the final day: a closing ceremony at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. “It was very inspirational, being able to sit in the seats where ambassadors from all over the world work on implementing legislation," said Quintana-Avila.. That, and being able to share that space with all the other students there.” Wilkes will not know which state they will be representing in Spring 2025. Miller explained that universities submit a “top ten” list in November, and hear back from the conference before the start of the new year. Stout said that, no matter what state Wilkes will be representing she will, “definitely be back.” Anyone interested in Model UN, should sign up for PS-341 in the Spring 2025 semester. Photos Courtesy of Dr. Andy Miller Back Left to Back Right: Connor Frey, Damien Chmielewski Emma Stout, Emma Guzdek, Colin Post and Christian Blomquist. Front Left to Front Right: Morgan Steiner, Sean Renz, Marytere Quintana-Avila, Eduardo Abrego Camano, Julie Schwartz and Vassiliki Gkroutsi. �The Beacon - April 17, 2024 News 4 Dr. LaFleur Small joins Wilkes as associate provost By Erin Kowalski Contributing Writer This semester, LaFleur F. Small Ph.D. joined Wilkes University as the new associate provost of academic and diversity affairs. Starting this position Feb. 19, Dr. Small has been busy meeting new members of the Wilkes faculty and staff as well as acclimating to the area. “There’s been a lot to do, but great work so far,” said Dr. Small. Dr. Small’s most recent position was vice provost of academic administration & faculty affairs and professor of public health at the University of Toledo. She also worked for 17 years before at Wright State University. The last 20 years have been spent in Ohio, and she has recently transitioned to the Northeast Pennsylvania area. “Wilkes exhibits a culture that focuses on academic and inclusive excellence which is very important in any sphere of higher education,” said Dr. Small. Dr. Small's new position is described as a bifurcated role in which the work that is being done in the Provost office involves academic policy, faculty, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) matters. This includes leadership of the Office of Institutional Research, Eugene S. Farley Library and Office of Diversity Initiatives. Dr. Small also represents the University as the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) accreditation officer. She also works with two faculty committees to assist with functions throughout the institution: the Academic Standards Committee, which deals with student academic eligibility, and the Council on Diversity, Inclusion and Equity. Dr. Small is originally from the Caribbean. She and her family moved to the Bronx in New York City, and she is a first-generation college student who attended Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, where she completed her Bachelors of Arts in sociology. Dr. Small then attended the University of Miami and completed both her Masters of Arts in sociology and her Ph.D. in medical sociology and epidemiology. Throughout Dr. Small’s years of experience in higher education, she has worked within many areas and experienced a lot. She offers some advice for current students. “Embrace your collegiate experience and the ability to be a part of the global community that Wilkes offers. Be open, communicate, learn and travel.” One fun fact about Dr. Small is that she loves live music and musicianship, specifically jazz, and her favorite musician is Garth Brooks. She also is a foodie who loves to try new cuisine and restaurants with her friends and family. “Going to plays and the theatre are also very important and enriching parts of my life,” said Dr. Small. Dr. Small mentions that she has an extensive bucket list of places that she would love to travel to. Places like Croatia, Vietnam, Slovenia, Ireland, South Africa and Portugal are all places she would love to check off of the list. Photo courtesy Dr. Small Since joining the Wilkes community, Dr. Small has many big plans for getting herself settled in. This includes finding a new home for her and her cat Lizzo, a new cat sitter and friend for Lizzo to spend time with and exploring all that this area has to offer. ...solar eclipse cont. from page 4 Other students chose to view the eclipse from a virtual live stream from an area within the totality path. One of these students was Emilie Protsko, a senior criminology and political science major, who watched the NASA live stream sent to students. “It was really cool to see, I enjoyed being able to see it, even though it wasn’t in person," said Protsko. "Especially since the weather was slightly cloudy on campus.” Live streams showed the eclipse from different cities that were in the totality path to allow viewers who may not be in an area with as clear of a view an opportunity to see the eclipse in real time. Protsko agreed with others who shared that they would like to travel to see a total eclipse in the future, “I’d like to see it in the future, I think it would be really interesting to see." Although students on campus were unable to see a total eclipse on campus, they were still able to experience this very cool and rare event. Many Wilkes students also took advantage of live streams and traveling to experience an even clearer view of this opportunity. Photo: The Beacon/Emma Broda Despite the cloudy sky, students were able to get a view of the eclipse on the Wilkes University campus. �The Beacon - April 17, 2024 Wellness group plans events By Erin Kowalski News Staff Writer Wilkes Wellness Committee has partnered with employees to offer two activities for faculty, staff, and students throughout the month of March. Bridget Guinta, executive assistant in the President’s office, and Janet Cussatt, senior procurement specialist in the procurement office, will be leading the two wellness activities as a way of improving campus physical and mental well-being. These spring events are the perfect space for all members of the campus community to take a break from their busy schedules and enjoy some fresh air and physical activity. Guinta leads the dance and cardio sessions on Tuesdays at noon. These sessions will consist of cardio and stretching. No dance experience is required as the activity fits all skill levels and is open to everyone. The only requirements are athletic wear you can move around in and a positive attitude. “I started leading these events back in 2019 before COVID," said Guinta. "I offer my time because I’ve taught dance before and it gives me joy and is a nice opportunity to offer to campus." Cussatt leads the walking group on Thursdays at noon. These sessions consist of taking time to walk with the destination being entirely up to each individudals’ discretion. Weather permitting, the walks begin at the flagpoles in Fenner Quadrangle or can take place inside the McHale Athletic Center. “The committee is trying to put together some things to get the campus together and to stay healthy," said Cussatt. "Physical activity is important to me and we all try our best to get up and take a break by walking." It is important that everyones gives their body and mind a break here and there. As far as future events, there is the possibility for new activities to become offered as interest increases in specific areas. Mental and physical health go hand in hand so the addition of new activities will only benefit students further. News 5 �The Beacon - April 17, 2024 News 6 CCDI & Office of Academic Success host roundtable event By Erin Kowalski News Staff Writer The Wilkes Center of Career Development and Internships (CCDI) teamed up with the Office of Academic Success to host the “I Have No Clue” roundtable discussion in the Karambelas Media & Communication Center. This discussion was aimed for students who need help navigating their choice in major and career path. The discussion featured students and professionals sharing experiences, expertise and answering any questions. Samuel Kimmel, a sophomore psychology major, is one of the career peer ambassadors and ran the event as a part of his many responsibilities in the CCDI. An overview of his role is to give students direction when it comes to finding a major or career that fits them, preparing resumes for interviews, and who to communicate with on a professional level. “My goal in running this event was that I wanted to help just one person have more clarity and an understanding that there are sources here to help them,” said Kimmel. There was a mix of students who attended at different stages within their academic career and that mix allowed the conversation to be relatable to more than just one group. There were students who loved their major, those who were unsure if the major they are in is what they see themselves doing and also those who knew they were changing or had no clue. The discussion was meant for undeclared students and students who may be doubting whether they made the right choice in their major. There was talk about uncertainty of what to do with your major and finding them a starting point for the many careers they could pursue. Kierstin Miller, a senior marketing major, shared her journey through switching majors with the group. Her story showed that although her journey was not a straight path, she was able to get to a major that was right for her. “I came into Wilkes as a biology major with hopes of becoming a veterinarian," said Miller. "After my first semester, I realized that I not only wasn't excelling in my courses, but I didn't enjoy what I was learning. I went undeclared and decided to look at different majors. I finally landed on majoring in marketing during the spring semester of my sophomore year, and now I will be graduating this May." Jeanne Rabel, a senior advising coordinator in the office of academic success, attended the event to give professional advice and offer help to those students questioning their decisions. Rabel shared her hopes for what students take away from an event such as this one. “The event offered a chance for students to gain perspective on what it means to make a thorough, informed career decision, and they do not need to navigate the stress and enlightenment that comes with the process," said Rabel. "Not only should they trust the process and share their experiences, but they are not alone in feeling this way. There are many individuals on campus that may provide guidance and support." Toward the end of the discussion, conversation was had about the stigma surrounding being an undeclared student and how every major provides students with the transferable skills that future employers are looking for. The ending theme to wrap up discussion was that every career path may not be linear, but it can lead you down paths where you end up doing what you love. Graphic: The Beacon/Amanda Montgomery �The Beacon - April 17, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Life, Arts & Entertainment Editor: Anthony.Cazun@wilkes.edu Communication Studies student wins first place at ECA By Cally Williams Life, Arts & Entertainment Staff Writer On March 20, two Wilkes students attended the Eastern Communication Association 115th annual convention. Among these students included senior communication studies major Morgan Rich and senior communication studies major Jess Fellerman. The students were joined by communication studies professors Drs. Kalen Churcher and Mark Stine. The conference was held from March 20-24 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Every year, students submit papers and presentations to the ECA and those chosen are invited to the conference. Many students attend and some present their papers and posters to be judged for possible awards. This year’s theme for the conference was “Currents.” According to the conference website, currents, “represents our convention location on the banks of the Charles River in Cambridge while serving as a metaphor for how ideas are the currents that shape our discipline in this contemporary moment.” Morgan Rich, editor-in-chief of The Beacon, was chosen out of hundreds to present a poster and a panel at the convention. For the past two years, Rich was encouraged to attend by several professors. “I finally worked up the courage to submit a paper and a poster,” said Rich. “I felt extremely prepared and loved this experience. It was a wonderful testament to our professors at Wilkes.” She and 45 other students from across the country presented their posters and later attended a scholar’s dinner. Rich’s poster entitled “Taylor Swift and Her Use of Conceptual Metaphors to Emphasize American Ideals” won first place. “I was up against students from Northeastern, Boston and Harvard so winning was absolutely out of this world,” said Rich about her first place award. The day after Rich found out she won first place she got to present her paper as part of a panel. She presented her slideshow and answered questions from fellow communication scholars. Rich was thrilled with her first place winning and thanked her professors. “It was a huge showing of how amazing the communications professors at Wilkes are,” said Rich. Jess Fellerman attended the convention with Rich as not only a close friend for moral support, but a fellow communication studies scholar. “Engaging with peers provided an invaluable opportunity to expand my understanding of the multitude of topics within the communications field,” said Fellerman, explaining how much she enjoyed attending the conference. “The highlight was the Undergraduate Scholars Conference dinner, where randomized seating facilitated networking with esteemed professionals, allowing for insightful conversations and valuable advice,” said Fellerman. “Overall, the conference proved to be an exceptional platform for learning, networking, and broadening my appreciation for the expansive landscape of communication studies.” Overall, the ECA conference acted as an amazing opportunity for these students to meet like minded individuals as well as people in other communication studies fields. The convention will be held again next year from March 26-30 in Buffalo, New York. Morgan Rich posing with the poster that won first place at ECA. Photos Courtesy of Morgan Rich Jess Fellerman engaging with a communication studies scholar who was presenting her poster on “The Hunger Games.” �The Beacon - April 17, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 Album of the Week: I Disagree - Poppy By Anthony Cazun Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor There are many contributing factors that go into an artist’s sound. Their influences, state of mind or even the world around them. There are few artists that better encapsulate this phenomenon better than Poppy. An artist that is not a chameleon, but a butterfly in a continuous cycle of re-emerging from a new sonic cocoon. Moriah Rose Pereira began her career many years before she would embrace the “Poppy” persona. Writing songs, performing covers of various songs and having background appearances on TV shows. She would achieve her big break making strange and abstract YouTube videos under the “Poppy” name. She and her former creative partner would create these videos to create traction to her music career, effectively creating a multi-media brand that could veer into any direction they chose. From music, to videos, to comics, to fashion, to gaming and more, Poppy would have experimented with them all. She began with various subgenres within the pop music sphere. Her debut EP and album would both contain elements of electropop, dance-pop, bubblegum-pop etc. Despite the upbeat and cheery sound, the lyrics would often contain darker undertones, just like the unsettling videos she produced. This darkness would be elevated on subsequent EP’s and her next album “Am I A Girl?” which would end on a complete genre shift, beginning with heavy, chunky distorted guitar riffs. The song was Poppy’s first dip into metal music. The song would contrast between a melodic pop tune and then routinely dip back into the metal. This philosophy is seen all throughout Poppy’s next record, “I Disagree.” Her third LP would take this new sound to the next level. Incorporating her new metal stylings with pop flourishes. The opening track “Concrete” would perfectly exemplify this new dichotomy Poppy will indulge in within the album. The titular track would include nu-metal esque tones, while “BLOODMONEY” would be an industrial-metal barrage, almost sounding like a wave of glitchy technology washing over the listener. “Sit / Stay” will have a electro-metal techno drive, and Bite Your Teeth provides the most hard hitting metal punches of the entire record. The album is not without its slower, softer, more pop oriented tunes however. Songs like “Nothing I Need” and “Sick of the Sun” will take the listener through a silky smooth sonic experience, an intermission from the heart thumping riffs and percussion throughout much of the record. The album closes with “Don’t Go Outside,” a continuously elevating journey that has reprisal elements from the first two opening tracks. “I Disagree” would be a hit critically, landing Poppy the first ever female solo metal artist to be nominated at the Grammy’s, cementing her a comtemporary metal icon. Theater Department presents “Puffs” April 18 - 22 By Erin Kowalski News Staff Writer Wilkes Theatre will be presenting its next show, “Puffs,” written by Matt Cox. The script is a hilarious spoof of the seven Harry Potter book series by J.K. Rowling. The play will not focus on the main character that we all know and love, however. Rather, it will give the perspective of three potential heroes and the “Puffs.” The House of Hufflepuff will finally get its moment in the spotlight. There will be five performances on “Puffs”; April 18, 19, and 20 starting at 8 p.m. and April 21 and 22 starting at 2 p.m. The show has a faster-paced storyline and will last about two hours. Admission ist $10 for students and seniors and $15 for adults and can be purchased online at www.wilkes.edu/ theatre or at the Box Office starting an hour before the show time. Anthony Kehls, a first-year communication studies major, will have his debut on opening night, as this is his first show at Wilkes. He will take on the role of Wayne and is looking forward to getting to be on stage with his friends, whom he has grown very close to throughout this experience. “Being able to do this show with such talented people only pushes me to do my best,” said Kehls. “Seeing the show come together has been such a fulfilling experience. Every actor is doing a fantastic job and it’s so nice seeing everyone do what they do best.” Kehls fills us in on one particular scene that is sure to entertain the audience. “One specific scene I’m excited to perform is definitely the battle scene,” said Kehls. “It’s pure chaos but it’s gorgeous.” Emily Repp, a senior nursing student, is very excited for this show, especially as a fellow Harry Potter series fan. She shares her thoughts as opening night approaches. “I’ve always been a huge fan of the series and am curious how the play will go from the perspective of the Hufflepuff house,” said Repp. This play is guaranteed to give you a good laugh and shed light on the eventful years at a Photo courtesy of Wilkes University Theater �The Beacon - April 17, 2024 News 9 Wilkes University's Green Bandana Project initative By Emma Broda News Staff Writer On April 3, the Green Bandana Project held its second training session of the semester to train more students on joining their “army of advocates” to spread awareness on mental health and provide resources. The Green Bandana Project is a suicide prevention program that was created to train university students to be someone that fellow students who may need mental health resources can approach. This program offers a safe solution for students who may be feeling suicidal or just in need of someone to talk to. Students who complete training receive a green bandana to attach to their backpacks as a means of signaling that they are a safe resource to approach. The project has successfully trained numerous students, and it is likely that there is not a place on campus where a green bandana is not visible. Students like Morgan Andretta, junior pharmacy major, and Megan Novak, junior environmental science major, have become a part of the Green Bandana Project. Novak shared that she “heard about the project through being an RA; we had training prior to the fall semester with Dr. Hastings and he informed us about the project,” while Andretta heard about the project through the Honors Program. Andretta had shared that she believes the project has had a very positive impact on campus, “It’s great walking around and knowing that there are people on campus who are willing to talk if you ever are struggling or need help.” Novak agreed saying, “I think seeing so many people having a green bandana has a positive impact. It shows how many people The educational pamphlet students carrying the Green Bandana on their backpack will hand out to students in need. It contains important information, such as locations, resources, and numbers to call for getting help. care about mental health and are willing to help others if the time ever arose. It’s amazing to see people come together in the Wilkes Community to help others in need.” Students who would like to get involved with the project should keep an eye out for training sessions in the Today at Wilkes emails. Andretta encourages students to get involved with the project, “It’s a very low maintenance program to get involved with. If you love being there for others and helping others, this program is for you.” Novak also recommends getting involved. “If you are interested in joining, reach out to Dr. Hastings. He is more than willing to assist you and get you the training. If someone reached out needing help, we would offer a listening ear and give them any appropriate resources that would be helpful for them. We carry around cards with resources for abuse, LGBTQ+ related hotlines, domestic violence, suicide and resources directly available on campus.” Suicide prevention and mental health awareness should be a crucial part of any university campus, and the Green Bandana Project emphasises this need. Students carry cards containing important resource information for students seeking help, and information for students who know someone needing help. The card provides information for Wilke’s Counseling Center and emergency hotlines for anyone who needs immediate help. If you or a friend need mental health resources or help, call 570-408-4100 for the Wilkes University Counseling Center, or for an emergency call the 24/7 Crisis Support Line at 570-408-CHAT. Morgan Andretta, junior pharmacy major, showing off her Green Bandana which is tied to the outside of her backpack where other students can see it. Photos: The Beacon/Emma Broda �The Beacon – April 17, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 University celebrates Transgender Day of Visibility By Cally Williams Life, Arts and Entertainment Staff Writer While Easter fell on March 31 this year, there was another important day that took place on this same date. Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) is celebrated every year on March 31, honoring the transgender individuals who make up our lives and communities. This year marks 15 years of TDOV, only being founded as a national observance in 2009, while transgender people have existed for much, much longer. TDOV was founded on March 31, 2009 by Rachel Crandall-Crocker. Crandall-Crocker is a therapist in Michigan who specializes in helping transgender patients. She founded the organization “Transgender Michigian” and is known as a key figure in raising awareness for transgender issues and celebrating transgender identities. Before the TDOV was founded by Crandall-Crocker there was only Transgender Day of Remembrance. This day honored the deaths of transgender individuals that were murdered as acts of hate. While this day is important, there was no day celebrating and lifting up transgender people. She created TDOV to make a day for transgender individuals to be noticed for who they are. Wilkes University celebrated this special day by raising the trans flag on the greenway. The blue, white and pink colors soared through the air next to the other flags on campus to celebrate trans students and those in the surrounding communities. The ceremony was held on March 26, during club hours. Along with the flag raising ceremony, the GSA held a TDOV ball that evening in Kirby Hall. Wilkes’ Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) held the event and some members spoke at the ceremony. Moderator Helen Davis was in attendance along with many students in the GSA including speakers Jai Manning, Ozzie Priebe and Aster Rowland who together raised the transgender flag. “TDOV is especially important now because transgender people are facing a lot of public backlash. Last year, over 600 anti-trans bills were introduced in this country. 539 anti-trans bills have already been introduced this year,” said Davis. Aster Rowland, junior sociology major, was one of the speakers at the flag raising ceremony in the greenway. “We live in a time where politicians and lawmakers are trying to make it seem like we do not exist and make younger transgender kids scared to be proud of who they are,” said Rowland. “Wilkes is a great place to exist as a trans person.” Along with the flag raising, Wilkes has done numerous other things to make campus inclusive for transgender and LGBTQ+ students. Dr. Greg Cant. the university president, is also very vocal about his support for transgender individuals. “It helps trans people feel seen,” said first-year history and political science major, Ozzie Priebe, who is a member of the GSA who spoke during the flag raising ceremony. Morgan Steiner, GSA president and junior history, political science, international relations, and history major, also had a lot to say about TDOV. “It is a nice way to showcase transgender voices and spread some positivity in a world that can be so dark,” said Steiner. “It is nice to hear people my age talk about what they have ve gone through and how, like all three of our speakers expressed, life does get better “ Wilkes also has an extremely active GSA club that works hard to educate students and faculty on LGBTQ+ issues. Along with this, the GSA also holds many fun and engaging events for the Wilkes community and LGBTQ+ students on campus. The GSA hosts events such as the TDOV flag raising and a candlelight vigil for Transgender Day of Remembrance. Wilkes also supports transgender students in several ways apart from the GSA. This includes gender neutral housing and gender neutral restrooms across campus. There is also the Safe Space program. Faculty who have completed Safe Space Training have rainbow stickers on their doors to show that they are safe to go to and are allies. All resident assistants have completed the safe space training as well. “TDOV is a day to recognize and celebrate our trans community member,” said Davis. “We want them to know that they are welcome and valued members of our Wilkes community.” TDOV helped uplift transgender voices on campus and throughout the community. Of course TDOV was met with some hate, but mostly love from allies and members of the LGBTQ+ community from Wilkes and the surrounding area. Steiner added, “People might get mad or become offended but we, the LGBTQ+ community as a whole, and especially the transgender community, do not ask for much. We ask for the same kindness and respect as any other individual.” �The Beacon - April 17, 2024 11 Life, Arts & Entertainment Number Sodoku Easy Puzzle #1 ��������������������������������������� ���������� Challenge your brain with some sudoku! How to play: Fill in the missing number. Each row should have 6 different numbers, no repeats. Each column should have 6 different numbers, no repeats. Each 2x2 quadrant should have 6 numbers, no repeats. Answer Key: 5 1 6 8 7 6 2 9 1 3 8 8 2 3 6 8 3 4 4 1 7 6 5 7 8 3 4 7 3 8 4 6 2 9 4 5 5 3 2 1 7 Fill in the puzzle so that every row across, every column down and every 9 by 9 box contains the numbers 1 to 9. Credit for these puzzles goes to: 8 7 8 6 1 www.sodokutodo.com 5 Compiled by Morgan Rich, Editor In Chief Copyright © 2024 SudokuTodo | For personal or classroom use only. Play online or make your own free printable sudoku at SudokuTodo.com 3 1 9 2 6 6 3 2 8 4 7 8 3 6 5 4 8 4 3 7 6 4 8 3 7 1 5 4 9 2 7 1 2 3 5 �The Beacon - April 17, 2024 Center 12 �The Beacon - April 17, 2024 Center 13 �The Beacon - April 17, 2024 Opinion Editorial Staff 2023-24 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Morgan Rich Social Media Manager - Liz Cherinka Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Amanda Montgomery Opinion - Sydney Allabaugh ASSISTANT EDITORS LA&E - Anthony Cazun Opinion: Samara Carey Sports - Adam Grundt Sports - Sam Mullen DESIGNERS Designer - Lara Mullen Layout Designer - Brady Melovitz SECTION STAFF WRITERS News - Emma Broda LA&E - Cally Williams LA&E - Brooke Lare Opinion - “Freeze” Want to join The Beacon? Several positions are open! Contact: kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or morgan.rich@wilkes.edu 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 Morgan Rich at morgan.rich@wilkes.edu The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact opinion editor: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu. Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. The last month before finals is dreadful With both spring and holiday break being long gone, all many students can think about is the end of the semester drawing near. And with the end of the semester, comes finals week. Since we are now currently in the final weeks of the spring semester, it seems like everyone is out to get us, specifically our professors. With April being our last full month of school, it feels like students of all majors are overwhelmed with school work. When it comes to finishing up our homework, studying for our exams and trying to keep up with our overall personal lives, it is not a surprise that students are stressed. While yes, we did get two breaks, it seems like there was hardly a break at all. With professors assigning work and exams for the Monday we came back, a number of students were forced to work over their holiday and spring breaks. While it is normal to expect some sort of assignment over break, most students would definitely prefer the opportunity to relax and spend time with their friends and family during their actual allotted time off. While the over-break work is unfrotunate, it is better than piling all the work on the week after break ends. Nonetheless, most students can agree that the entire month of April seems like it is never going to end. With summer break being so close, students may feel unmotivated to do any school work. And when they decide to do school work, it is often at the very last minute. This seems to be extremely common with college students all around the world, since burn out tends to happen during this point of the semester for a lot of them. While it is easier said than done, students of all majors must try to make time for themselves, especially during finals season approaching. Since students are so focused on work - or focused on procrastinating - students may forget to take care of their basic human needs. This can range from forgetting to eat three meals a day, forgetting to text parents every night or just basic hygiene. But, it is easy to fall into the trap of non-stop studying, drinking energy drinks and quickly grabbing snacks to fuel yourself during all nighters. In order to assure that you get the best grades possible during finals week, we must try to get a good night’s sleep, eat properly and to take breaks when needed. Finals season is often described as “the last round in Mario Kart,” and that honestly seems like a truthful statement. From studying like there’s no tomorrow, typing as many pages as your hands will allow for essays, and memorizing terms on a Quizlet, it really is one of the most stressful times of the year. Despite all of this though, it really is worth it. Whether you are a senior or still have a few years left, you did it. You are one step closer to your degree and achieving the career you want to pursue. Hopefully one day, all of those sleepless nights will be a memory that we can all look back on and laugh at in the future. Until then, good luck and finish this semester strong. 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: morgan.rich@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 17, 2024 Opinion The Return of The Red Raven: An original story 15 This edition of The Beacon features two installments of “The Return of the Red Raven”. Be sure to check out www.thewilkesbeacon.com for the final installment. By Leah Smith Contributing Writer PART 12 Isabelle rushed through traffic to get to Vivian Keller’s address. She ran two red lights and nearly hit a minivan, and she couldn’t tell if it was because she was seeing red from her past or due to the stressful urgency of the present. Regardless, she needed to get to her before the mysterious killer did. A few minutes later, Isabelle reached 136 Piper Boulevard and parked across from Vivian Keller’s home. She grabbed the pistol in her glove compartment as she slowly approached the door. She knocked three times. No response. She knocked once more. “Ms. Keller, this is the police. You are in immediate danger and need to come with me for safety. Please open the door, ma’am,” Isabelle instructed. Suddenly, the door opened with a creak. Isabelle steadied the pistol in her hands and aimed it right at the door. Officer Nathan jumped when he saw the gun pointed to his face. “Christ, Greenblatt! It’s just me!” Isabelle lowered her weapon. “Sorry, Caulfield. Is she in there?” Nathan’s eyes lowered to his feet as he struggled to find the words to tell her what happened. Isabelle instantly gathered what happened and sighed. “Where’s her body?” she asked. “In the bathroom. The killer hung her body on the curtain rod,” Nathan stated. An emotional storm surged through Isabelle and all she did was mumble the word, “Damn.” “Was she close to you?” Nathan asked. “It’s... complicated,” Isabelle replied. “I see, I remember seeing something about your dad and her a while ago and...” Isabelle gave him a cold glare, indicating for him to stop talking. “Yeah, sorry,” he mumbled. “It’s fine. I’ll call this in and I’ll have forensics on this immediately.” As Isabelle reached for the walkie in her pocket, Nathan grabbed her arm to stop her. Isabelle’s eyebrows arched. “What are you doing, Caulfield?” “Don’t call it in yet. I want to talk to you.” “About what?” “Your father, you, and this whole murder spree going on,” Nathan explained. “It’s none of your business. Besides, why do you want to know about all of this anyway?” “Just curious and because it just seems you’ve been too hard on your dad and yourself for what he’s put you through.” “If you had to endure the life I had around that man, especially involving the woman hanging in that bathroom then you would understand. Now, if you excuse me, I’m done talking and I need to see my father at the hospital.” Isabelle stormed off. Back at the hospital, Rick felt nothing but fear. Fear for his husband, fear for his daughter, fear for Vivian and fear for himself. He dreaded hearing his phone ring from an unknown number. It’s been hours and Cameron still hasn’t woken up. He kept blaming himself for everything that happened. He was sweating profusely and started running his thin hair with his fingers. The weight of this domino effect was crushing him and he couldn’t hold on anymore. How much more of this could he take? What more could this killer do to torture him to no end? Shortly, a doctor coming back from the emergency wing approached Rick. “Mr. Greenblatt, right?” the doctor asked. “Y-yes, that’s me,” Rick said. His heart started to sink, bracing for the news. “Your husband is in stable condition and is awake. He’s on a lot of antibiotics, so I’ll only allow short visiting hours for him to get used to their effects.” “I need to see him now,” Rick stated, standing straight up from his chair. “Fine, but be quick.” Rick quickly walked through the emergency wing to find Cameron’s room. He was in a white hospital gown and had two tubes sticking through him. “Cameron, you are awake, right?” “Barely, but yes,” he answered softly. Rick wanted to give him a hug but stepped back seeing the weak condition. “I need to tell you something, Rick.” “What is it?” “I saw the killer’s face.” To be continued... PART 13 “You saw what they looked like?!” Rick asked again. Cameron winced, startled by Rick’s sudden booming voice. “Yes, I did.” “Do they know that you saw them?” “No, I- I don’t think so,” Cameron replied. “What did they look like? Do we know them?” “I don’t think so. It was a young guy. Probably in his 20s or 30s. When he had me tied in that chair before he started his little call with you, he showed me his face on purpose,” Cameron explained. “Why would he do that?” “He said because he wants you to find him. He said he wanted the Red Raven himself to capture him.” “Of course,” Rick thought out loud. “Why’s that?” “Because that’s been his play this whole time. He wants the Red Raven to go after him for what he’s done not only to hurt those I love but to have me become the Red Raven in reality. He’s creating his own real life Red Raven fever dream,” Rick summarized. Cameron took in the information silently and changed the subject, “He said that he saw you in person not long ago, either.” “What?” “He said you saw him and that it was the most important day of his life. He saw you and said that if he could have, he would have told you everything but didn’t want to spoil his plans. What a sick puppy.” Rick fast traveled through his memories of the past couple days; he couldn’t point anyone out exactly who would feel like the type of person to go after him or let alone feel such an exciting feeling upon meeting him. Suddenly, like a train, the identity of the killer hit him. “Oh my God,” he mouthed. “You know who it is?” Cameron asked. “I need to go find Isabelle now.” Rick ran out of Cameron’s room to the emergency room parking lot. He had no idea where Officer Nathan would be, but he supposed the police station would be a good start. Then, his phone began to ring. Rick’s stomach sank to the floor, knowing exactly who it was. Despite his dread, he answered. “Hello, Mr. Greenblatt. You’ve cracked the code, haven’t you?” the killer teased. “You’re that Nathan kid from the police station. I should’ve known since the moment you left the evidence room. You didn’t leave because of my argument with my daughter, you left to cover your tracks,” Rick assessed. “Very good, Mr. Greenblatt. I guess old dogs can learn new tricks. But, I have just one last thing to tell you before I’m done calling you forever.” “Just tell me,” Rick said. “I have Isabelle at the old canning warehouse across Miller Avenue and 68th Street. She’s alive for now, and if you want to keep her alive, I need you to follow my instructions perfectly. I want you to come down here promptly at 8:43 p.m. with your Red Raven costume on, and I want you to take me down like all of the other dastardly villains from the show. I want to be known as the final adversary the Red Raven has ever taken down. Please, do this one request for me, and I will stop all that I am doing and serve my time in prison. If you do not do what I say then your daughter, your husband and you will all die. I would also say everyone you have ever loved but you don’t have anyone else who loved you,” the killer instructed. Rick replied, “Fine. I’ll do as you say.” “Very good, Mr. Greenblatt. Time for justice to be served yet again by the Red Raven,” Nathan ended the call. Rick turned his car around and took the route to his home. Once he entered his house, he noticed the silence. A silence he hasn’t known was there for many years. The roar of the crowd, the snaps from the paparazzi, the boiling of spaghetti noodles and the music from the television were all silenced. Rick walked into his closet and grabbed the infamous Red Raven costume. The red hat, coat, mask and gloves were all in pristine condition. They called out to him as he spread the attire out on his bed. “Was this right? Giving the killer what he wants?” He thought to himself. Then, he put the costume back in the closet and began waiting for the time. To be continued... �The Beacon - April 17, 2024 Opinion 16 The Icebox: An in-depth review of video game “Valheim” By ”Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer “Minecraft” is a wonderful game. However, it simply doesn’t cut it sometimes when playing and seeking adventure. Sure, one could always mod the game to make it harder to seem different, but that takes a lot of experimentation. The truth is that the gameplay mechanics make the game uninteresting at times, and things such as biomes don’t necessarily have any rewarding aspects that make a player feel compelled to explore often. It would be better for a game to incorporate a type of built-in progression to guide a player and to give them incentive to explore, craft and expand their inventory. Better options for movement and combat certainly make the game more interesting. Such things are available in “Valheim.” “Valheim” is a survival and sandbox game that has a medieval, viking theme and includes aspects of Norse mythology. The basic story is that the allfather, Odin, created a separate tenth realm where the greatest warriors of Midgard would be revived and tested, which was done in an effort to increase his army in preparation for the rise of his enemies. This realm was known as Valheim. In the tutorial, the player receives guidance from a raven sent by Odin. The raven mentions that warriors who overcome challenges in Valheim and prove themselves can be taken to Valhalla. This can be done by exploring, crafting, harvesting and fighting. The exploration in Valheim is across several biomes, which are kind of unlocked in a linear fashion as players need to visit different areas for more advanced materials. The biomes include trees, rocks, fruit, and other perishable items important to the player’s health. Wood can initially be collected from branches on the ground and rocks can be picked up without needing a pickaxe. With proper collection of resources, players can invest in farming and fishing too. Players can craft benches to make tools, which can be upgraded and used to harvest wood and rock. The crafting system is simple as one does not need to memorize any recipes. Tools can easily be repaired without using many resources. This makes it easier to always have tools on hand and gives players a reason to keep track of their item durability. Crafting enables players to build houses, which are made up of pieces of floor, wall and roof that can be arranged in millions of ways to the user’s liking. To make building structures more realistic, certain pieces can only be placed on flat ground, a campfire is needed to consider a place “cozy” and a roof must be placed over workbenches and beds. “Valheim” progress is dependent on how often a player seeks adventure. For each action there are individual experience points. For example, the more a player jumps the better they get at the jumping skill. This level of progression encourages players to use all of their skills and constantly improve their player’s health and stamina. Speaking of, the food is needed for passive fulfillment of hunger rather than being exclusive to health. This feels more realistic and can be helpful in longer adventures. If a player picks up a berry while exploring, they can consume it or brew it into a potion to maximize effects of healing, strength and speed. Finally, the combat in “Valheim” is much more interesting. Players can wield weapons that deal three main types of damage: blunt, slashing and piercing.That means your character can use clubs, swords, spears, knives, axes and bows. The movement when a player is using a weapon changes so that dodging and counter-attacking is different depending on what you’re wielding. There are two main types of strikes, and there are options for quick evasion and blocking attacks. This combat system isn’t too advanced, but it certainly beats the bland style in “Minecraft.” The enemies in “Valheim” are much smarter and have various types of attack patterns. Sometimes they chase you alone, and sometimes they band together or carry powerful loot with them. There are boss fights that get progressively harder and exist across the different biomes. A player’s ultimate goal is to summon the bosses in order to prove their worth as a warrior. If you would like to face a good challenge and get a taste of new opportunities in a sandbox game, pick up this title and earn Valhalla. Listening between the lines: Review of AJR’s “The Maybe Man” By Stephen Youkoski Contributing Writer On Nov. 10, 2023, electropop band AJR released its fifth studio album titled “The Maybe Man.” It follows “OK Orchestra,” which was released on March 26, 2021, making it over three years since their last album. Now, I will be the first to admit that AJR and their style of music is not for everyone. The brothers use many odd instruments and sound effects that are a turnoff for many people. In order to truly experience the band, you must look past all of that for a moment. Instead, focus on how we can see what AJR are really about: the lyrics. The lyrics are what make their music so personal, and “The Maybe Man” may be the most personal so far. This is also their first album where the majority of songs have the explicit rating. Many of the songs in the album have that classic AJR feel, including “Maybe Man,” “Inertia,” “I Won’t” and the conclusion of the album “2085.” Many of the same loud beat drops, background acapella and funky sounding instruments are present. However, even with those sounds, the lyrics of these songs hold a much deeper meaning. In “Maybe Man,” who is a recurring character so to speak, struggles with who and what they are. “Wish I was a stone, so I couldn’t feel… I wish I had eyes in the back of my head, then I could see the places I’ve been.” After each wish, they then list why those things would be back. It shows a constant cycle of feeling inadequate and confused. The song concludes with a loud crash and the words “here I go again,” continuing the spiral. The next song, “Touchy Feely Fool,” explores a real life family scandal that the brothers went through. The song is about wishing you could stop caring about someone who wronged you. “Someday, won’t this be funny? Well, I want it funny now… I would give anything to not [care], but I do.” The song teaches us that we can be hurt and still love someone, that we can know someone is bad, but be unable to escape our feelings. And that’s okay. Later in the album comes “Inertia,” a song that much like “World’s Smallest Violin” from their previous album, became a hit on TikTok with a viral trend. As someone who listens to the radio a lot, it has certainly made its way on-air plenty as well. Inertia, in physics, is an object’s resistance to change while in motion. In other words, objects in motion tend to stay in motion. That definition is exactly how it feels to listen to this song. The background sound, with that classic AJR feel, does just enough to avoid being too much. It is a perfect complementary piece to the lyrics. The chorus of “Inertia” takes the definition of inertia and spins it to a human being. “I’m an object in motion, I’ve lost all emotion, my two legs are broken but look at me dance. An object in motion, don’t ask where I’m going ‘cause where I am going is right where I am.” We as humans are resistant to change. We fight and fight in order to grow, yet we still stick with familiarity and in turn, harm ourselves in the process. We stunt our growth and we stay stagnant. Moving on from relationships, from jobs, from school–anything can start to feel impossible. Yet, there’s still hope. In those same chorus lyrics that sound like we are stuck, they also show us that we can still dance through the pain. Ultimately, the album is a beautifully crafted journey through life. That’s not to say it’s perfect though. Songs like “Steve’s Going to London,” which is a song literally about nothing, drag the album down. Even “2085,” which has a beautiful conclusion, is unbelievably drawn out. It could be half the time and be just as good. With that, I leave you with this. Give it a shot. There is so much more for you to discover. The worst that can happen is you stay in motion. �The Beacon - April 17, 2024 Opinion 17 Why you should give long-term media series a chance By Shawn Carey Contributing Writer Think if this has ever happened to you. You and someone else are talking about some form of media; for this example, let’s say a television show. The conversation eventually leads to you recommending your favorite show to them. You hype the show up and explain what makes it so great. It seems like they are completely on board, until you tell them that there are 16 seasons. They give you a shocked look and tell you that it’s too long. Okay, maybe that’s a bit oddly specific. However, I’m sure a somewhat similar event has happened to you. Whenever we look for a new show or movie to watch, we usually tend to avoid lengthy series. The same goes for most forms of media such as books, games and comics. We don’t even notice ourselves doing it most of the time; it’s just a subconscious reaction. There’s a number of reasons why we do this, such as time. No matter if it’s because of work or school, we often find ourselves pressed for time. Not everyone has the time to sit down and read a 1000page book or a 20-season show, which is perfectly understandable. Not everyone wants to use what little downtime they have on a seemingly never ending endeavor. Another reason is that we tend to have a completionist mindset. We want to watch something we can easily finish. We want to be able to get through something as quickly as possible, so we can move on to the next series. Once again, there isn’t really anything wrong with this. There’s so much great content out there, and no one wants to be hung up on a single series. There’s also a financial aspect to it. Let’s use “Dune” as an example. There are a total of 23 books in the series. While many of them are spinoffs, there are still six canon books in the main series. Unless you’re a super fan, I highly doubt that anyone wants to buy that many books just to get the maximum amount of enjoyment out of a franchise. Longer series are honestly a hassle to get through most of the time, and I don’t really blame anyone for avoiding them. However, if you’re willing to power through the length, you’ll experience some truly fantastic storytelling. In this article, I’ll be highlighting one series that’s known for its intense length and how it uses it to its advantage: “One Piece.” The story follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew the Straw Hats Pirates as they travel the “Grand Line” in search of the mythical treasure known as the “One Piece.” The series has been serialized “Weekly Shonen Jump Magazine” since July 1997, with its individual chapters compiled in 108 volumes as of April 2024. The series also has an anime adaptation which currently stands at 1100 episodes. Around 90 or so of those episodes are filler and can be skipped, however that still leaves you over a 1000 episodes worth of content. I grew up watching “One Piece,” so I never had to go through the challenge of binge watching it. However, my friends who have binged the series have told me all about how much of a struggle it was. I, for one, believe that the length does more to help the series than it does to harm it. The story of “One Piece” takes place over the course of many years. While the main story of “The Straw Hats” takes place over the span of just a couple of months, the series is full of flashbacks that take the viewers back to earlier times. This is done for the sake of world building. It’s through these flashbacks that we get to really learn the true story of “One Piece.” We get to see how the wicked actions of the “World Government” have affected the lives of many of the characters and how they’ve manipulated history to fit into their unjust narrative. The show also has a rather large and diverse cast. The “Grand Line” is full of people from vastly different backgrounds. Pirates, marines, fish men, warlords, giants and more occupy the seas. The series is able to give a decent amount of screen time to many of its important characters. It also provides ample time for those characters to develop. Let’s take a look at how the main character Monkey D. Luffy has changed since the start of the series. Luffy begins his journey to become “King of the Pirates” with absolutely nothing: no crew, no ship and no idea of even what to do. He knew that he wanted to be a pirate; however, he didn’t really know what being a pirate was all about. Luffy spends much of the series growing not only as a pirate but as a person. Over the course of his journey, he finds individuals to join his crew and help him achieve his dream, gaining not only a crew but also a family. He also earns quite a bit of fame. He starts out as a rookie with no experience and eventually becomes an “Emperors of the Sea,” a group of four pirates considered to be the most notorious and powerful captains in the world. As you can imagine, it took quite a while for Luffy to reach the level he’s currently at. The series’ long length is used to explore these fanatical concepts and complex developments in a smooth and natural way. If it wasn’t for the series length, many ideas would seem rushed and wouldn’t flow smoothly in the story. Even after saying all of that, I do still believe that the series could realistically be a tad bit shorter, mainly the anime adaptation. Many of “One Piece” story arcs are so long that they can practically be considered their own series. However, if you’re willing to go through with it, you’ll be greeted with a great series, and hopefully, it will inspire you to check out many other long series. Graphic by Laura De Lora �The Beacon - April 17, 2024 Opinion 18 Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter": A track-by-track album review By Natalia Williams Life, Arts and Entertainment Staff Writer Beyoncé is back! Her new album “Cowboy Carter” released on March 29, and it definitely made an impression on Beyoncé fans and music lovers all around the world. This album follows as a second act from her other recent album “Renaissance.” For this record, Beyoncé stepped into the country genre but added her own twist to it. The record contains 27 tracks with features from mega stars like Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus and Post Malone. Personally, I was excited to hear something that Beyoncé hasn’t done before, so this album was one I was really excited for. Now let's take a deeper look at one of the highly anticipated albums of the year so far. AMERIICAN REQUIEM: 6/10 Album openers are the most important part of an album in my opinion. It sets the tone and theme on what you are about to listen to. This track already gave a vibe of country and R&B. It was a very soulful song and showcased her vocal abilities greatly. The production quality on this song was amazing, and it made me excited to see what the other songs had to offer. It's not a track I’d play on repeat, but it was a good album opener. BLACKBIIRD: 9/10 This track serves as sort of an interlude. It is a cover of The Beatles song “Blackbird,” and the track was a tribute to the Little Rock Nine. The transition from the opener to this one was very seamless and I am always a fan of smooth transitions in albums. It's not a long song but it gives you so much in just two minutes. This track features Tanner A d e l l , Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy and Reyna Roberts. I really enjoyed the overall vibe of the track. It's slow and again showcases her vocals greatly. The added singers made harmonies sound beautiful, and it was something I appreciated. 16 CARRIAGES: 7/10 This song is one two singles off the album and one of my favorites. It's another song that gives a country/R&B sound, and by this track, I can start to tell how the rest of the album is going to sound. The production elements are once again amazing. The organ piano in the track adds such a soulful feel, and it adds so much to the song. PROTECTOR: 9/10 This song is a love song to her three children. It gives a message saying she will love and protect them from anything in this world no matter what. It's a bit more country than the past songs but again, she doesn't let go of her own style. I enjoy how relaxed this song is. For this one, there aren't that many instruments that can be heard, but similar to the other tracks, the overall production quality of the track is simply beautiful. TEXAS HOLD ‘EM: 8/10 “Texas Hold ‘Em” is another single off the album. This song was very popular on social media and it had a lot of mixed reviews. For me personally, I feel this one sounds more country than the previous songs but also does include those R&B and hip hop elements that the other tracks include. Overall, it's not a bad song, and it's very catchy. It is one that has to grow on me, but with time, I feel it will become one of my favorites. JOLENE: 9/10 I’m absolutely obsessed with the way Beyoncé did this. She turned a country classic into something modern that fits her style, and I love the way she did it. DAUGHTER: 10/10 Two words. In. Love. There is something about this song that I LOVE. The songwriting is amazing, and the overall vibe of the track is something that made me fall in love. I was shocked when she switched to Italian for a verse; she sounded so good. This song also shows off her vocals beautifully. The instruments in this song are gorgeous and it gives me classical music vibes, but it is still cohesive with the other tracks. SPAGHETTII: 9/10 This track is a complete 360 of what the previous track sounds like. This isn't a country track and it is more rap/hip-hop. I was scared that this track would mess up the cohesiveness of the album, but for some reason it just works and it still flows. Transitioning from “Daughter” to this was definitely a surprise but it just works. The production on this track is also just simply outstanding. It is one of the shorter tracks, but again, it gives you so much. JUST FOR FUN: 8/10 This song features Willie Nelson. It's a very chill and beautiful song. There isn't too much going on production wise, but it's still really good. My favorite part is the orchestra that peaks through in some points of the song. I feel it adds such a soft aspect to the music, and it sounds beautiful. Willie Jones adds something so special to this track and it is one of my favorites. II MOST WANTED: 9/10 I was the most excited about this song. Miley Cyrus is one of my favorite singers, so her being on a Beyoncé track made me very excited! It is definitely more of a country song, but they sound so beautiful together. Their voices blend together so well and they compliment each other. It was also nice hearing Miley on a country track again. The song definitely met my expectations and it's definitely in my top five for rankings. LEVII’S JEANS: 7/10 This song has a Post Malone feature. I was very curious when I first saw he was gonna be on the album, and I was interested in how they were gonna do it. This one surprised me. Beyoncé and Post Malone just work together so well. I like this song more than I thought I would. It is still the same country/R&B sound, but I also hear a few pop elements in there as well. FLAMENCO: 8/10 This song title got me very excited because I really like flamenco music so I was fully expecting a flamenco song, but she incorporated flamenco with country and it sounded beautiful. It is a bit on the shorter side but again gives us a lot in a short time. YA YA: 8/10 The transition from the interlude and to the song was so flawless. It's definitely a bit more hip-hop/R&B than a country track, but it does still have country elements. This song reminds me of songs you would hear at a southern church. Even though it is a bit of a different sound it, again, flows with the other tracks and is cohesive with the rest. DESERT EAGLE: 4/10 This song is only one minute and 12 seconds long so it's short and doesn't really give anything too special. Compared to the other shorter tracks, this one is a bit more bland with not too much going on. RIVERDANCE: 5/10 For this track, Beyoncé incorporated more of a dance beat with country, and I think she did really well. This has a different vibe than the previous ones but it flows well. This is one of the longer tracks but overall it's nothing too special for me personally. II HANDS II HEAVEN: 5/10 This one sounds like a continuation of “Riverdance.” It has the same beat and same feel but just two different songs. There are some differences sound wise but overall for me it's just a continuation of the last track. SWEET HONEY BUCKIIN’: 10/10 SO GOOD! It is another 360 from the rest of the tracks and it's such a good hype song. Although it is very different from the rest of the tracks, it somehow just fits for me personally. I really liked that song towards the end because it just leaves a good impression and it's such a good hype song. AMEN: 8/10 Just like the opening track, the ending is very important for me as well. It finishes off the album and is like closing a book. This track is like closing the album. It almost acts as a continuation of “American Requiem” but just as a closing. The end of this track smoothly transitions back to the first track, and I thought that was really neat. Overall I would give this album a solid 7/10. It's not my favorite Beyoncé album, but I thought it was good. This album had a lot of people wondering what Beyoncé would sound like in the country, but I thought she did it pretty well. She added her own twist to it and her own style and I really like that. The album has different sounds for some songs, but it wasn't incohesive and all over the place. I would recommend this album to everyone just so they can hear how versatile Beyoncé is. This album shows she can try any genre, and she will still keep her top spot in the music industry. Graphic by Laura De Lora �The Beacon - April 17, 2024 Sports 19 Sports Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: Adam.grundt@wilkes.edu Wilkes LAX suffers tough loss in fundraiser game Team show support the Julia Hockey Mazur Foundation By Ava Tureen Sports Writer The women’s lacrosse team honored the Julia Hockey Mazur Foundation in a recent home game against Lycoming College. Julia Mazur was a junior at Wilkes who died from cancer late last year. She was a business major pursuing a minor in communication studies. “It was a very emotional game as we were playing for Julia Mazur,” said senior Maleah Cobham. “She was loved by many people here at Wilkes and was close with girls on the team." In the week prior to the game, the team solid T-shirts honoring Julia, with proceeds benefiting the foundation. "Even though we did not come out on top, it was one of our best games as a team.” Although the team put up a tough fight, they were unable to put up more points than Lycoming with a final score of 19-6. During the first period, Lycoming scored nine times. Firstyear student Brooklynn Donia was in goal for the first period. In the last minute of the first quarter Maleah Cobham scored Wilkes' first point. Cobham had five shots on goal during the first period. Morgan Hettesheimer had first possession of the ball during the game. Hettesheimer also had one shot on goal during the first period. There were three fouls on Wilkes during the last five minutes of the first period. Ava Ward had a turnover and drew control within the first five minutes of the game. In the second quarter junior and captain Samantha Scott went in goal. Anmarie Lebron opened the second quarter up with a ground ball and Ward with a shot on goal. Brooklyn Pedana had her 13th goal of the season and was assisted by Sam Mullen. After Pedana’s goal the score was 10-2. One minute later, Breanne Fulling received a green card and Wilkes had a failed clear attempt. Bianka Melendez and Keara Dugey both got fouls one after the other. Maleah Cobham and Ward both had shots on goal but they were saved by the Lycoming goalie Zoe Stauffer. Starting off the 3rd quarter on the right foot Hettesheimer had her 7th goal of the season. Her goal made the score 16-3. “The team kept positive attitudes and lifted each other up if we saw someone start to get down,” said Cobham. Ward then proceeded to gain control of the ball and had a shot on goal but hit the post. Mullen picked up a ground ball and had a shot on goal. Pedana also had a shot on goal. Within the last five minutes of the 3rd quarter Taylor Quackenbush picked up a ground ball and Emma Raville had a turnover. Raville then scored her econd goal of the season in the last 10 seconds of the quarter. Pedana started the final quarter off right by scoring her 14th goal of the season and Ward assisted. After the goal, Fullinwg gained control of the ball. Cobham then shot wide at the goal and Raville had a turnover. Cobham picked up a ground ball and had another shot on Lycoming’s goal. Lexie Nevel picked up a ground ball and Cobham and Ward both had shots on goal. Carly Yuhas picked up her first ground ball of the game and Emaily Jackson had a turnover. Pedana then scored her final goal of the game. Jackson received the final foul of the game within the last three minutes.. “I have never been on a team so close to one another and I would not change that for the world,” said Cobham. Wilkes continues their season at Bruggeworth Field on April 20 when they take on Elizabethtown College. For information on the foundation, go to: https:// ju li a ho cke y mazur found at ion.com/ �The Beacon - April 17, 2024 Sports 20 WrestleMania 40: The “Avengers Endgame” of WWE By Leah Smith Contributing Writer On April 6 and 7, WWE held its 40th WrestleMania event. This year’s event became streaming service Peacock’s most streamed sporting event with 1.3 billion minutes watched. Starting with Night One of WrestleMania was the Women’s Champion Title match between Rhea Ripley and Becky Lynch. The match opened with Motionless in White performing Ripley’s entrance song live. Ripley retained the title against Lynch. Next, was the six-pack ladder match for the Tag Team Championship. The two winning teams were Austin Theory and Grayson Waller and The Miz and R-Truth. Next, was Andrade and Rey Mysterio vs. Dominik Mysterio and Santos Escobar. Rey and Andrade took the win in this match with the help of Philadelphia Eagles, Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson. The following match was between brothers Jey and Jimmy Uso. Jey Uso took the win against his brother. The penultimate match was for the Intercontinental Championship between Gunther and Sami Zayn. The match ended with Sami Zayn taking the title from Gunther in what was a miraculous win. The main event of that night was the tag team match with Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins vs. The Rock and Roman Reigns. The result of this match was vital because if Rhodes and Rollins won, there would be no interference allowed for the Rhodes vs. Reigns match the following day. However, if The Rock and Reigns won, it would be “Bloodline rules,” meaning that anything goes. The Rock and Reigns won this match. The first match on Sunday was for the Heavyweight Champion title between Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre. Rollins lost the title to McIntyre, but his celebration was cut short due to Damian Priest running in to cash in his Money in the Bank contract. He pinned McIntyre and took the title. The next match was a street fight between The Street Profits vs. The Final Testament. The match ended with The Street Profits taking the win. The following match was between LA Knight and AJ Styles, who have had an entertaining rivalry on Friday Night SmackDown. The match resulted with LA Knight taking the win. The following match was for the United States Championship title. Logan Paul had to face off against Randy Orton, and Kevin Owens and managed to retain the title. The penultimate match was for the second Women’s Championship title between Bayley and Iyo Sky. Bayley won the match against her former partner. Finally, the main event arrives with Cody Rhodes facing off against Roman Reigns for the Undisputed championship title. The match started off with no interference until Jimmy Uso attacked Rhodes. Shortly following that, Jey Uso ran out to help Rhodes and got Jimmy out of the way. Then, Solo Sikoa came out to help Reigns but was stopped by John Cena. To stop Cena, The Rock came out and performed a “rock bottom” on him. Then, The Shield entrance music started playing and Seth Rollins came out in his old Shield gear. He was taken out by Reigns with a chair, mirroring what Rollins did to him which broke apart the Shield faction. Then, for one last surprise, The Undertaker appeared behind The Rock and chokeslammed him. After all of that, Rhodes pinned Reigns and finally “finished the story” by winning the title against Reigns. Recapping a “Free Agency Eclipse” in the NFL By Adam Grundt Asst. Sports Editor Free agency in the NFL is often a hectic time. Millions of dollars are given out in contracts, and players sign to teams that they will spend the majority of their careers with. Typically, only a few star players change teams every season. However, this year, the number of players moving to new teams was taken to a new level, which is about as rare as a solar eclipse. This season, some superstars moved to new teams. Even some departed old squads for their former team’s fiercest rivals, upsetting fans. Saquon Barkley was drafted by the New York Giants in 2018. However, after six disappointing seasons as one of the lone stars on the Giants’ roster, he has joined the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason. Giants’ fans were shocked by this deal, as the Eagles are one of New York’s biggest division rivals. The Giants are looking to build off a disappointing past few seasons. After losing Barkley, the Giants don’t have much star power on their roster. However, the Eagles are just looking to compete after adding Barkley to a juggernaut team that already has the talent to win a Super Bowl. Jalen Hurts, AJ Brown, Barkley, and Devonta Smith are looking to lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl Championship after coming so close in years prior. In addition, the Chicago Bears have made a few moves in free agency. They have most notably signed former Eagles running back, D’Andre Swift, former Eagles safety Kevin Byard, and former Los Angeles Charger and probowl wide receiver Keenan Allen. The Bears shipping off their old quarterback, Justin Fields, to the Pittsburgh Steelers signifies that they are putting these pieces in place with the intentions of taking Caleb Williams with the first pick in the NFL Draft in a few weeks. As a result of trading the number one pick for a package including Carolina’s number one pick in 2024 and DJ Moore, the Bears hold the power to draft a quarterback that could change the direction of their franchise. Most recently, the Buffalo Bills shockingly traded star wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans. After first year quarterback CJ Stroud solidified himself as the best quarterback in the 2023 draft class, the Texans have established a core around him with hopes to contend for a division championship. Diggs joins a wide receiver room that already includes Nico Collins and Tank Dell. With Stroud running the offense, this team has extreme potential to do some damage this upcoming season. A few moves containing former Philadelphia Eagles went under the radar. Carson Wentz inked a one-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs to be Patrick Mahomes’s backup for the upcoming season. Also, outside linebacker Haason Reddick was traded from Philadelphia to the New York Jets. A seismic loss for the Eagles, Reddick immediately steps in to make New York’s defense fearsome alongside cornerback Sauce Gardner, who is looking to build on a great 2023 campaign. The NFL offseason is always an exciting time. It is not often that moves of this caliber happen more than once in any given offseason. Typically, few star players switch uniforms but every so often, a free agency “eclipse” is to happen, and players switch teams. �The Beacon - April 17, 2024 Sports 21 Men’s LAX update: Time remains to improve record By Sam Mullen Contributing Writer The men’s lacrosse team is currently having a back and forth season with a current overall record of 4-8. They are 1-4 in the Landmark conference The team hosted Goucher College for Senior Day. The team celebrated the eight seniors: goalie Joseph Marino, midfielder Colby Opromolla, midfielder Austin Seames, defensive and long stick midfielder Tucker Parmer, face-off midfielder Blake Billingsly, defender Brendan Keegan, and long stick midfielder Matthew Warns. The game was back and forth the whole time but the Colonels ultimately lost the game 10-5. Junior attackman Anthony DelDuca opened up the scoring with a pass from fifth year attackmen Dillin Kadis. Matthew Warns followed up next with an assist from first year defenseman J’Vier Johnson. Warns broke the 2-2 tie at the beginning of the second quarter which was unassisted. First year Austin Sosnovik and senior Austin Seames were the last two Colonel’s to score with Sosnovik’s goal being assisted by junior defensemen Jackson Casper. Sosnovik is in his first year as a Colonel and has been having an incredible season. He currently has 15 goals, nine assists, and 11 ground balls to his name this year. Though the statistics may show that the transition from high school to college have been easy for Sosnovik, he still has experienced challenges. “One challenge I have faced as a freshman player was learning to play with the shot clock. In high school we didn’t play with a shot clock so I have had to learn to be aware of it and make decisions based on how much time is left on it.” With the season so close to the end, there have been some very memorable moments for all of the players and coaches. As no surprise, the game against the cross-town rival was one that came Photo by Steve Finkernagel Senior Tucker Parmer during a recent game. to all of their minds. The Colonels hosted King’s College back on March 20, where the game ended in a double overtime victory. “There are a couple of moments that really stand out for me from this season. The most notable one was beating King’s College in double overtime to end our out of commerce play,” stated captain Tim Harka, a sophomore attackmen when looking back at the game. The shift to the Landmark Conference has created adjustments for everyone. “I am very happy with our effort," Coach Curtis Jaques stated. "Everyday this group comes ready to work and get better at practice. Their time spent in the weight room and preparing their bodies for game days shows against some tough Landmark teams. "Our team plays tough, physical lacrosse for 60 minutes.” Jaques is in his ninth year as head coach for the men’s lacrosse team. He has expressed how the team members are at their peak performance levels and have adapted well with a new field and new conference. “This season we are a full field lacrosse team," he said. "Offense starts from our goalie outlets and we expect pole goals in transition. We have athletic defensemen and mids who can push full field lacrosse and it’s fun to watch. "We want to compete in every game and get better everyday. Stay focused on what we can control and train hard. We have specific game goals we want to achieve in every game. "We like ground balls, assisted goals, riding caused turnovers, and face off wins.” The Colonel’s only have a few more games remaining for the season. On April 17, they play home against the University of Scranton at 7 p.m. The team’s last two games are both away with athletes traveling to Elizabethtown College on April 20 at 1 p.m. Their final game will have them traveling to Maryland to face Catholic University of America on April 27 at 1 p.m. 7 p.m. April 17 Men's LAX Home against U. of Scranton �The Beacon - April 17, 2024 22 Sports Athlete of the Week Zoe Klein Senior, Women's Tennis The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Klein helped the Colonels defeat Juniata with winning the #3 singles match. She also won the #1 doubles match alongside Cassidy Greenman Major: Psychology Hometown: Southbury, CT have wanted to play? I used to do a lot of running and loved that and practicing for relay races. What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? What has been your favorite My favorite sports memory took sports memory overall? place all the way back during my freshman year, when the Women's tennis team beat Stevens to win the MAC conference. Although the whole process of getting recruited was exciting, nothing can beat my favorite sports memory from Freshman year. What is your favorite What is your favorite post-game professional sports team (any meal? sport)? My favorite post match meal is As a native of Connecticut, my favorite sports team is the Giants Panera Bread, especially the frontega chicken panini. What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? My favorite thing to do apart from sports is cooking and baking. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? My favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes is the team. I have a great team that I can rely on to keep spirits high. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? A League of Their Own 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." If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you It's an honor to have been selected for Athlete of the Week. There are so many amazing athletes and coaches at Wilkes, I hold this award in the highest regard. Compiled by Samantha Mullen, Asst. Sports Editor �The Beacon April 17, 2024 Sports Athlete of the Week Luke Spencer Junior, Men’s Baseball, Third Baseman The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week Spencer went 8 for 13 against Juniata College with nine RBIs, four doubles, and two stolen bases. The first game, he went 2 for 5 with three RBIs, one double, and a stolen base. During the final game, Spencer put up another 3 for 4 with two more RBIs, another double, and a second stolen base. Major: Business Administration Hometown: Lehman, PA If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you What had been your favorite have wanted to play? sports memory from your time If I didn’t play baseball, I would have as a Colonel? wanted to play football. My favorite sports memory as a Colonel so far was our comeback win against SUNY Cobleskill, where What has been your favorite Devin Markert hit a walk off homer. sports memory overall? Favorite sports memory overall What is your favorite would be playing little league state professional sports team (any championship. We got to play the sport)? team that won the United States The Philadelphia Phillies. championship, which is a really cool and humbling experience. What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? What is your favorite post-game Either hang out with friends or meal? working out Grilled burgers with mac n cheese What is your favorite part of How do you feel about being being an athlete at Wilkes? selected as the Athlete of the My favorite part about being an Week? athlete at Wilkes is the environment. There is an upbeat, happy mood everyday, so I am excited to get out there and compete day after day It’s an honor, I am blessed to be able to achieve Athlete of the Week and I can only hope for more positive things to come. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? The Bad News Bears The Beacon/Sam 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." 23 �The Beacon - April 17, 2024 SUMMER is a great time to lighten your course load for next year or catch up on missed classes. And with start dates in May, June or July, classes conveniently fit your summer plans. Sports THREE-WEEK PRESESSION May 20 to June 7 FULL SESSION May 20 to Aug. 16 FIRST SESSION June 10 to July 12 NINE-WEEK SESSION June 10 to Aug. 13 Make an appointment with your advisor and visit wilkes.edu/summer. SECOND SESSION July 15 to Aug. 16 Wilkes University is an equal opportunity institution. For information on the University’s Policy on Non-Discrimination, visit www.wilkes.edu/nondiscrimination. 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 <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 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>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> 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. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre 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 Wilkes Beacon, 2024 April 16 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024 April 16 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wilkes University retains copyright of this publication. https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/f4ec945145aa804d887a70db03c05d97.pdf d4d7ee6334c80d2d38bdbd7b0556764c PDF Text Text The Beacon - February 21, 2024 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 76, Issue 13 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” Fifth Annual Douglass Day Transcribe-a-Thon By Emma Broda News Staff Writer On Thursday Feb. 15, students and faculty participated in the Fifth Annual Douglass Day Transcribe-a-Thon. This event takes place yearly on the birthday of abolitionist Frederick Douglass, in order to celebrate his life and Black History Month. The goal of the event is also to aid in making historical documents more accessible by transcribing difficult to read handwritten documents. The event focuses specifically on documents from Frederick Douglass and his associates during the nineteenth century. Students and faculty went online to a collection of documents from the Library of Congress that needed to be transcribed and got to work. Transcribing the documents is not always an easy task for both beginners and experienced transcribers. Transcribe continued on p. 3 Aiden Hermon, first year pharmacy major, working to transcribe a document with Dr. Jonathan Kuiken. The Beacon/Emma Broda Wilkes AOTW GSA hosts “AntiValentine’s Day” event, page 6 The gift of giving at the annual Wilkes Giving Day event, page 7 Here are three reasons why cats make better pets than dogs, page 16 Wilkes Athletes of the Week, pages 22 & 23 �The Beacon - February 21, 2024 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Amanda Montgomery: Amanda.Montgomery1@wilkes.edu Programming board spring schedule of events Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Beacon News Staff Alumni Scholarship Opportunity The Alumni Scholarship is awarded annually to a current Wilkes undergraduate student who has a parent or grandparent who graduated from Wilkes, has at least a 3.0 GPA and has a FAFSA on file for the 2024-2025 academic year. Deadline to apply is March 17. Use this link to apply: www.community. wilkes.edu/alumnischolarship. Contact alumni@wilkes.edu with any questions. Kappa Kappa Psi Talent Show Interest Form Wilke University’s music fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi, would like to host a talent show this semester. Anyone is allowed to sign up. Fill out this form if you are interested: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1 FAIpQLSdnAmAtuUyJOxInXXPiLyK Y9pzb_uMCsOenMyDopx-6RT6lVQ/ viewform. Lavender Graduation Ceremony This spring, GSA will be hosting a Lavender Graduation Ceremony for the LGBTQ+ members of the class of 2024 on May 3 at 3 p.m. Use this link to fill out the interest form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/ e/1FAIpQLSccGu5bgXa1Ll-w7bju5jlEZ aezizB34svSyqPwqacpI2io3w/viewform. CCDI Resume Workshop The Center for Career Development and Internships is hosting a resume workshop on Thursday, Feb. 29 in the JPAC Ballroom starting at 11:15 a.m. Students are encouraged to bring their laptops/tablets to create their own resumes during the presentation. Contact Jenna Weiss at jenna.weiss@ wilkes.edu with any questions. Register on Handshake with this link: https://wilkes.joinhandshake.com/edu/ events/1467525. HPSC Soda Tab Collection Join the Honors Program Student Committee for a soda tap drive. Donate your soda tabs in the marked boxes located on the first floor of the SUB, outside the Honors Office and in the lobby of the SIMMS Center. The donations will be taken to a recycling center in exchange for funds that will benefit the Ronald McDonald House. 2024 Outstanding Adult Learner Award The Office of Admissions is seeking nominations for the 2024 Outstanding Adult Learner Award. To be considered for the award, the adult learner must be 24 years or older, graduate with a bachelor’s degree in January, May or September 2024, have a GPA of 3.0 or higher, have overcome obstacles and be an active member in the community. Sports................19 Upcoming Events: 2024 Spring Semester February 22 - Family Feud 25 - Ice Skating at Revolution Ice 29 - Giveaway One March 14 - Adventure BINGO 17 - Orangetheory Fitness Class 21 - Laser Tag April 4 - Everything but the Kitchen Sink 7 - Bye Bye BINGO �������������������������������� ���������� ������ ����� ������������ ������ ��� �3 The Beacon - February 21, 2024 Transcribe, continued from p. 1 Starr Sandt, junior psychology and sports management major, shared her experience with the event. “This is my second year, and it is definitely a challenge every year, but once you get the hang of it, it does get a bit easier,” said Sandt. “It is really interesting and I really enjoy doing it.” While Sandt had prior experience, other students shared that this was totally new and different for them. The documents included correspondences to and from Frederick Douglass, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, James G. Blaine and Ida B. Wells-Barnett. Aiden Hermon, first year pharmacy major, shared that the difficulty was in the way documents were written. “I cannot read cursive very well, so it’s been a little difficult,” said Hermon. These documents highlight factors of abolition and offer insight into an important aspect of American history. Students and faculty’s work across the country aid in keeping this history alive through these important documents. Another student, Kamea Paresa, Members of the Wilkes University community came together to honor Douglass’ birthday and help make historic documents more accessible at the Fifth Annual Transcribe-a-thon. The event took place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the first floor of the Farley Library. sophomore math major, said, “I have never transcribed before, and I came because I wanted to try something new.” “I’m reading a letter from Frederick Douglass’ wife, and she was saying that she’s not really in a letter writing mood, Mia Decker, junor history and secondary education major, transcribing. but wanted to write to her niece saying she hopes she stays in school,” said Paresa. Paresa mentioned that it is a rather difficult task, but that it is also a rewarding one. The documents can be found on the Library of Congress’s website under “Yours truly, Frederick Douglass.” Dr. Akira Shimizu reading a document during the Transcribe-a-Thon event. �The Beacon - February 21, 2024 News What is... the U.S. Fulbright Program at Wilkes University? By Morgan Steiner News Staff Writer Most on-campus organizations focus on advancing the undergraduate experience, but what about answering the question of “What Next?” While there are many options for students after they earn their bachelor's or PharmD, an amazing international opportunity can be found right here on campus. Wilkes University is a participant in the global program called Fulbright. The U.S. Fulbright Program is a crossgovernmental attempt to increase cultural competency and allow US students to travel to other countries and advance their own education, while working on meaningful projects in their host country. There are two types of awards open to recent and soon-to-be graduates. The first is as an English teaching assistant, or ETA. Those who are selected for this role move to their chosen country for a year and assist an English teacher in a classroom setting. These classrooms could vary from kindergarten all the way to universitylevel English classes. These types of awards allow students to travel, assist different global communities and practice classroom engagement and cultural competency. These types of awards are the most popular, with the most open spots. One example of this award would be the four available grants to work as an ETA in rural areas of Nepal. The second type of award is an open study/research award. These awards are more flexible, allowing students to work on their own original research project incountry or pursue a Masters degree at an international university. These awards are more competitive than the ETA process. For example, Taiwan has four open study/ research awards and an additional 28 awards in various degree programs at different national universities. On the other end of the spectrum, Denmark has ten open study/research awards with no specific specialty programs. How does Wilkes University prepare students for the Fulbright application? Wilkes has a Fulbright Advisor, Dr. Gina Morrison. Her role is to mentor students through the application process and ensure they understand what the entire process looks like. In addition, Wilkes University is currently offering a one credit class, GC-298: Writing for Fellowships, which focuses on guiding students through the process of writing a Fulbright Application. Beyond that, Fulbright typically has a table at events like Open Houses and Accepted 4 Colonel’s Day. Other than providing students with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study or work abroad, Fulbright has other benefits. These include: accident and sickness benefits, 12 months of non-competitive eligibility hiring status with the U.S. government, a stipend based on the host country’s cost of living and a lifelong Fulbright email address. Depending on the country or program, Fulbrighters can also receive transportation, research allowances, full or partial tuition and various enrichment activities. As of the publication of this article, Wilkes University has never had an undergraduate student successfully qualify for the Fulbright Program. You could be the first. For more information, contact gina.morrison@wilkes.edu or check out the US Fulbright Program website. Graphic: The Beacon/Amanda Montgomery �The Beacon - February 21, 2024 News 5 That's So Honors: Life in Waller, first-year housing By Morgan Steiner News Staff Writer One aspect of life in the Wilkes University Honors Program is the living situation itself. Residential students are required to spend their first year in Waller Hall, a mansion-style residence hall on West River Street. Though Honors students don’t get the typical “Evans Hall experience” that so many are familiar with, they get to experience a unique livinglearning experience. Waller Hall is divided into a “north” and “south” side, affectionately dubbed “guys side” and "girls side” by residents, both past and present. As a mansion, the building is unique, with winding corridors, chandeliers and yes, fireplaces in certain rooms. The building is full of character and ghosts. Residents, including former resident assistants (RAs), report hauntings and strange occurrences. Despite the supernatural (and a lack of air conditioning), students love their building. Ozzie Priebe, a first-year political science and history major, also shared the benefits of living in a building that isn’t as crowded as other first-year buildings. “I have the entire third floor of the north end to myself " said Priebe. "I have a bathroom that I don't have to share with other people as well. Honestly, I like my room more than the other freshman dorms. I've been to Roth and Evans, and those rooms are much smaller and there's way more people." For the RAs living in Waller, the experience is unique. Since 2021, the Waller RAs are honors students who spent their first year in either Waller or Doane Hall and have returned to fulfill a mentor role in the hall. One of the Waller RAs this year is Gabriel Sawarynski, a sophomore pharmacy major. “In my opinion, living at Waller as an RA is like living as a resident just with some extra perks," said Sawarynski. "Not only do I have a room to myself, but I also am the one who gets to create the fun activities we do at Waller. Being able to use my creativity, I can give my residents fun opportunities that I wish I had last year, and an overall great first-year experience." These activities and experiences include the regular hall meetings, educational and community events that occur in every hall on campus, but also some that are unique to Waller. One such event is the Waller Haunted House, sponsored by the traditions committee in residence life. “Waller Haunted House is a tradition held every year either close to or on Halloween," said Sawarynski. "It is a great opportunity for Waller residents and other RAs to get in on the fun and scare people walking through the decorated haunted mansion. It's a fun time and I had such a great time decorating the hall with my residents." The residential experience is just as special as in any other building. For many students, this is their first time truly living away from home. Sharing a room, bathrooms and kitchen with so many people is a different experience and presents a learning curve, even for those who come from large families. But, Waller residents create their own family with those who live just down the hall. The group is close knit, often enjoying dinner together or nights in, playing pool in the Northside lounge. Residents are also quick to praise their RAs, Gabe and Kaelin Hughes. Priebe shared that both RAs are “great” and always there to help with problems, big or small. “Gabe was a blessing on my life when I started a new medication and was having trouble obtaining and administering it (he is a certified pharmacy technician)” said Priebe. “Waller residents are either hanging out watching a movie, studying, or, most fun, singing when it's karaoke night," said Sawarynski. Priebe echoed the sentiment, sharing that when he returns from work, it is nearly impossible not to talk to other students studying in the lounges or hallways of Waller Hall. No one has a “perfect” experience dorming on campus, but life in Waller can seem idyllic. One of the foremost goals of a Residence Hall is to create a community that is welcoming of all students and helps those residents grow, both as people and academically. While other buildings on campus, particularly those reserved for first-year students, provide a safe, nurturing environment, few are able to foster as close knit a community as Waller Hall, though not to the detriment of residents or RAs. There is something special in the walls of Waller Hall, and it is not just the ghosts. From left to right it is: Liz Keller, Michael Santini, Julia Kapitula, Kensington Edmond, Analiese Monteiro and Luke Mauro Photo Courtesy Gabriel Sawrynski �The Beacon - February 21, 2024 News 6 GSA hosts educational “Anti-Valentine’s Day” event By Erin Kowalski Contributing Writer The Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) recently held an Anti-Valentine’s Day event Thursday, Feb. 15. The afternoon was open to all WIlkes faculty, staff and students and was filled with a mixture of informational learning and crafting where informational videos were played that discussed aromantic and asexual orientations while students painted. Morgan Steiner, president of GSA and a junior majoring in political science, international relations and history, hosted the event to educate students and come together to have some fun after Valentine’s Day. “I like doing some of our events on a smaller scale, especially because the majority of our events are larger,” said Steiner. "This one is more intimate where we will learn more while having fun and enjoying some painting.” Ozzie Priebe, a freshman political science major, attended the event and shared that this was very important when it came to teaching those outside the community what the identities are. “I think it teaches people outside of the community what aromantics and other From front to back is Brian Guzman, Eza Chaudhry, Taylor Mattei and Ozzie Priebe. Students had the opportunity to work on fun crafts and activities while also being educated on aromantic and asexual orientations. There was a mixture of informational videos and informational crafting to reduce stigma and to better understand one another. identities are that way others can have a better understanding,” said Priebe. The informational videos shown were meant to inform those who did not already know what aromatic or asexual orientations were and how they can differ from others. Aromantic orientations feel little to no romantic affection and asexual orientations feel little or no sexual attraction. Dr. Helen Davis, English and women and gender studies professor and advisor for GSA, thought this was a great event to hold especially with it being the day after Valentine's Day. “The educational component to this event is so important because these identities are often not understood and by educating students about what they are, it will help us all to better understand," said Davis. "It is nice to be able to get together and do this event the day after." Davis mentioned that this holiday comes with a lot of pressure associated with it, especially to form romantic relationships, and it is important for students to understand and learn that there are different identities other than the traditional romantic ones. Photos: The Beacon/Erin Kowalski GSA hosted their "Anti-Valentine's Day" event in Breiseth 207 from 4 to 6 p.m. Pictured here is one of the educational videos played where students could learn more about aromantic and asexual orientations, and how they differ from traditional romantic identities. Also pictured is one of the crafts students could make during the presentation and event. �The Beacon - February 21, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Life, Arts & Entertainment Editor: anthony.cazun@wilkes.edu The gift of giving at the annual Wilkes Giving Day event By Cally Williams Life, Arts and Entertainment Staff Writer For many years people have shown their love and appreciation for each other by giving gifts. From cave people giving their family members unusual rocks to the Statue of Liberty, gift giving has been a way to say you care without actually saying it. Giving Day at Wilkes reacently served as a way for the Wilkes Community to show its appreciation for the university. On Feb. 14, Colonel alumni, current students and community members shared the Valentine’s Day love through donations to the University. Giving Day is a 24-hour fundraising event where people in the community can donate money to Wilkes. There are different areas to donate to. These areas include athletics, the college of arts and sciences, the college of business and engineering, the college of health and education, student success, student wellness and various scholarships. A total of 932 donors gave to Wilkes on Giving Day, going over the Giving Day goal of 850 donors. A total of $118,740 was raised from Giving Day. Of that, $40,416 was raised for athletics from 378 donors. Wilkes athletics raised the most money out of all of the areas of need. After athletics the Wilkes Fund raised the most money. In addition, 176 people donated to the Wilkes area of greatest need: the Wilkes Fund. The Wilkes Fund goes to the university’s essential needs, such as financial aid, supporting academics and student development and mentoring. $13,787 was raised for the Wilkes Fund on Giving Day within just 24 hours. Many people donated through the Giving Day website, but tables were also set up across campus. Brooke Coleman, junior business management and marketing major, and Brie Friedman, associate director of alumni relations, worked the Giving Table in the Henry Student Center. They provided students with information on how to donate, along with candy set out on the table. “It is our biggest philanthropic push,” said Friedman about Giving Day. “It is about the number of donors,” Friedman explained that even by donating a dollar students and alumni could make a huge impact. For example, if 850 people donated one dollar, that still counted toward the Giving Day goal. “I gave a dollar,” said first-year musical theater major, Charley Cain, while talking about her experience on Giving Day. First dog, Walter Cant, also made an appearance at Giving Day. Walter and Angela Cant were set up in the Simms Center for Giving Day. Shawn Evans from Simplest Expressions Photography set up a photo booth to shoot pictures of students and faculty with the presidential dog. As a favorite among students, Walter did his part in gaining donations. While Giving Day has ended, donations are still accepted and encouraged. The Wilkes Giving Day website is accepting donations for anyone interested. Along with helping to improve the University, Giving Day also brought some cheer on Valentine’s day with help from the Wilkes community and of course, Walter. Photos courtesy of Shawn Evans and The Beacon/Cally Williams Angela Cant, Walter and Greg Cant posing for a photo on Giving Day. Wilkes Giving Day stand overseen by Brooke Coleman and Brie Friedman. �The Beacon - February 21, 2024 W Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 Album of the Week: RTJ4 - Run The Jewels By Anthony Cazun Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor There are a few bands that may automatically come to mind when it comes to visceral, angry protest songs or records. Rage Against the Machine, Public Enemy, Refused, N.W.A. or maybe even Metallica, but there is a more contemporary group that is destined to join the ranks, and that is Run The Jewels. Killer Mike and El-P make up the rap duo Run The Jewels, and although their first LP together was released in 2013, both are veterans of the rap scene. Killer Mike, or Michael Render comes from the Atlanta, Georgia southern hip-hop scene, releasing various highly acclaimed solo records, and also featuring on several tracks of the popular Atlanta rap duo Outkast. EL-P, or Jaime Meline is from the east coast hip-hop scene, more specifically Brooklyn, New York. EL-P has spent much of his career producing hip-hop beats for artists, including Aesop Rock, DJ Krush, Cage and himself among many others. EL-P and Killer Mike first came together through a mutual friend, that being the at the time vice president and creative director at Adult Swim on air. They collaborated on Killer Mike’s solo album “R.A.P. Music” which blossomed into a friendship that then became Run The Jewels. The duo have released four albums under the title Run The Jewels. Their albums have always had an edge, but nothing in their discography reaches the height of their fourth studio album, RTJ4. RTJ4 was released on June 3, 2020 Graphics/Lara Mullen Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staff picks their favorite song of the week. Our very own Anthony Cazun has put together a Spotify playlist where you can scan it and listen to the Beacon’s staff weekly picks! amongst the immense civil unrest and reemergence of the Black Lives Matter movement within much of the world due to elections and the abuse of power by law enforcement. Run The Jewels released the album early for free on their website, as the record had much in common with the current unrest, so common that one would be understood for believing the album was written about it. The album lambasts corruption within politics, law enforcement and capitalism. Tracks such as “JU$T” contain lyrics like “Look at all these slave masters posing on your dollar” while calling out corrupt and hypocritical politicians. Songs such as “walking in the snow” speak of various power imbalances in America, and how it will continue to come for everybody. The album also has moments of personal sentimentality, much of the closing track “a few words for the firing squad (radiation)” is the duo letting out their final words as if they were being subjected to a firing squad. They reflect at their life, they speak of regrets, things they wish they could have changed, things they have endured as a result of corrupt establishments. It is a powerful ending to an incredibly potent record. Allowing these grander sentiments of antiestablishment to a small, personal scale that makes it connect deeply with the listener. RTJ4 would receive immense critical and commercial acclaim, releasing at possibly the most critical time. Morgan Rich, Editor-in-Chief: Sydney Allabaugh, Opinion Editor: Cherry - Lana Del Rey Dame Beso // Muévete - Kali Uchis Amanda Montgomery, News Editor: Samara Carey, Asst. Opinion Editor Missing Out - Maya Hawke Springsteen - Eric Church Emma Broda, News Staff Writer: “Freeze,” Opinion Staff Writer: Morning Comes - SASAMI Buckshot - UAV Anthony Cazun, LA&E Editor: Adam Grundt, Sports Asst. Editor: Getting Smaller - Nine Inch Nails Crash into Me - Dave Matthews Band Cally Williams, LA&E Staff Writer: Sam Mullen, Sports. Asst. Editor: My Love Mine All Mine - Mitski Carol - Forêt de Vin Natalia Williams, LA&E Staff Writer: Liz Cherinka, Social Media Manager: Dos Cuerpos Un Alma - Jessie & Joy Ripple - Grateful Dead �The Beacon – February 21, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 9 Wilkes University Theatre presents Fun Home From a University press release Wilkes University Theatre will stage Fun Home, the Pulitzer-Prize nominated musical based on Alison Bechdel’s best-selling graphic novel of the same name, at 8 p.m. on Feb. 22, 23 and 24, and at 2 p.m. on Feb. 24 and 25, at the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts. Based on Bechdel’s life, Fun Home moves between past and present to tell her queer coming-of-age story. The musical explores how Bechdel’s understanding of her identity connects to her volatile, intelligent and obsessive father, his death and the secrets he held. Director Alison Morooney explained that she finds Fun Home to be an especially important and timely musical to stage. “It is so vital to be telling queer stories especially right now while, in some parts of this country, novels that contain such narratives are being removed from our schools and libraries,” said Morooney. “In the medium of musical theatre, there are so few stories that focus on the queer female experience, so this story feels especially important to share as a way for the theatre arts to participate in the promotion of diverse representation in our stories.” The musical provides students with the opportunity to portray complex characters and challenges design students with the intricate technical demands of the show. In addition, the cast and crew will have the unique opportunity to meet Bechdel during her visit to campus. The cast will perform a scene from the show following the author’s public reading at 7 p.m. on Feb. 27, in the Darte Center. Bechdel will visit the English senior seminar course in Queer Theory and Literature and present a craft talk in the Sordoni Art Gallery. She will also have dinner with the cast and crew, as well as some faculty and students from English and theatre. The cast features Rachel Kern (Alison), Kasey Karoll (Medium Alison), Sarah Pugliese (Small Alison), Sarah Pugliese, a first-year student, plays Small Alison in the university’s production of Fun Home. Jack Flynn (Bruce), Jay’na Johnson (Helen), Maddie Meier (Joan), Jahel Duran-Diaz (Roy), Mary Jane Michaels (Christian) and Leo Seamans (John). In addition to Morooney as director, production staff includes Isabella Ruiz (stage manager), Cally Williams and Caleb Flannery (assistant stage managers), Joshua Harper (music director), Joel Graham (pit director), Lisa Liebetrau (costume designer), Lee Michaels (sound designer and technical director), Vandy Scoates (scenic, lighting and projection designer) and Caleb Gething (assistant scenic designer). Wilkes theatre students will serve as stage crew. “This was a bucket list musical for me so I am grateful every day we get to work on it,” said Morooney. “The students are highly passionate about this material, and it is so expertly written that we discover new complexities every rehearsal.” M o r o o n e y acknowledges that while Fun Home may be challenging, with content warnings for verbal abuse, suicide, adult language and sexual content, she believes that audience members will find a personal connection to the musical. “I think everyone will take away something a little different depending on where they are in life, whether that be a reminder to reach out to a distant loved one, to appreciate the quiet labor of a caretaker or to celebrate a discovery in your life,” says Morooney. “Personally, what this musical has to offer about self-healing and loving younger versions of yourself is what grips my heart.” Tickets are available online at wilkes.edu/theatre. Tickets are $20 general admission, $15 for students/ senior citizens and free with ID for Wilkes students, faculty and staff. The box office will open one hour before curtain for purchases in person. Questions? Call 570-408-4540. �The Beacon - February 21, 2024 Opinion 10 Are you passionate about your beliefs? Do you have an interest in writing? Consider writing for The Beacon. We are always looking for individuals to share their opinions with us. Email kalen.churcher@ wilkes.edu for more info. �The Beacon – February 21, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 11 The oversaturation of the “Biopic” within the film industry By Natalia Williams Life, Arts and Entertainment Staff Writer Over the past few years we have witnessed biopic films rising and have taken over the film industry. With movies like “Elvis” (2022), “Priscilla” (2023), “Bohemian Rhapsody” (2018) and films that are soon to be released like “Back to Black” (2024), showing the life of music star Amy Winehouse and “One Love” (2024) which is spotlighting the life of music legend Bob Marley. According to Nashville Film Institute (NSI), Biopics generally focused on historical people such as Peter the Great, Joan of Arc, Napoleon Bonaparte and even Jesus of Nazareth, who were the first films ever made. Over time these films started covering more public figures. These types of films have seen to be taking over the box office and are well loved by audiences worldwide. But why are they starting to trend and what does this mean for the film industry? A biopic is a biographical motion picture. It is essentially a biography, but put in film format. These films are a portrayal of an individual’s life. Biopics put a spotlight on a public figure’s life, whether it is a legendary singer/ entertainer, political figure or a historical figure. They ultimately display what a person went through by showing the good and the bad, to gain the success that they had. They give us a glimpse of a persons life and show us things we didn’t know about them. Biopics often receive hit or miss reviews. For fans that know about the person they made a film about, they are more than often going to pick apart the movie. Whether it is the casting, the accuracy of the film or the overall performance of the actors and actresses. Others are often well made, receive good feedback and portray the life of a public figure accurately. Biopics have a pattern of making a lot of money. Films such as “Oppenhimer” (2023), which is about J. Robert Oppenhimer portrayed by Cillian Murphy, who is credited as the “Father of Atomic Bombs” and is known for his role in the Manhattan Project. The film soared in box offices across the country and went on to make $912 million, gaining the title of the highest grossing biopic of all time. With the continuous pattern of biopics doing well in the box office, film studios and filmmakers have noticed the trend and are starting to realize that these movies seem to be easy cash grabs. This surge of these movies, however, may not be a positive thing. Filmmakers and film studios are noticing that these movies are an easy way to get good money from the box office and good ratings, but many are noticing that all of the movies that are coming out seem to just be biopics. With the influx of these films it seems like it’s coming to a point where that’s all studios want to create and it is causing a lack of creativity in film. First-year nursing major Anthony Vissotski said, “I think they’re cool, I dont think they’re taking over because there’s still a bunch of movies coming out” he followed this up by saying, “It’s interesting to see a documentary on someone famous.” Gabrielle Morris, a first-year nursing Major also said, “I feel like there’s definitely been a surge in them. I don’t necessarily think its a bad thing. I like seeing how people adapt to different things.” They are noticing how easy it is to create and do well with audiences without having to develop or come up with original story lines. The surge of these films can start to cause little to no innovation in the film world. It can cause moviegoers to want more original and new movies with new and fresh storylines. All we are seeing these past couple of months are remakes, live action movies that were originally animated and sequels “I do think there has been an increase in sequels and live action movies,” said first-year middle-level education major, Erin Danko. These types of films also already come with an audience. For instance, the biopic “Michael” which portrays the life of Michael Jackson, which is to be released next year, already has Michael Jackson fans worldwide ready to flock to movie theaters to see the film. Biopics are simple to create since they are following a person’s life and already have a guideline on what to do. With all of these biopics coming out, it seems very repetitive. It raises questions about the future of the film industry and whether or not creative movies are dying down. Although they are educating audiences about public figures they might not know, movie lovers want to see more than just stories about famous people. Hopefully in the next coming years, we can start to see more original movies and a comeback of creativity in the film industry. It is important and detrimental for filmmakers to continue to push new innovative ideas in the film world and entertain movie lovers all over the world. Graphic by Anthony Cazun Blind date with a book event does not judge by its cover By Anthony Cazun Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor For three consecutive days, Sigma Tau Delta, an international English honors society, hosted an event that sold books of various genres to students, but with an interesting twist: the cover was hidden. Instead of merely glancing at the cover, the books were wrapped in paper and labeled with the genre and tropes found within the pages. This encouraged attendees to pick up and read books they may have not read otherwise. The books themselves were picked out from the event coordinators and the English department’s own libraries. “Since we pulled from our own libraries, there were a lot of romance, fiction and fantasy classics,” said Olvia Wychock, fourth year English major and vice president of Wilkes’ chapter of Sigma Tau Delta. “Surprisingly, the genres that went the fastest were the young adult fiction/fantasy novels.” The fundraiser was to raise funds in order to build a little free library on campus near Kirby Hall, ideally by the end of the semester. Little Free Library is a non-profit organization that aims to provide communities with access to books through a public bookshelf. “We are both from the area and have seen little free libraries around town and wanted to provide that access to not only those we interact with at Wilkes, but also to those passing by or through campus,” said Kelci Smith, fourth year english major and president of Wilkes’ chapter of Sigma Tau Delta. The event was a massive success, and the organizers aim to return “The fundraiser was a great success,” said Wychock. “We sold out of books in less than an hour both days we were set up in the SUB, and sold around 80 books in total. Lots of people asked if we were doing the event again, so we are definitely looking into it.” ���The Beacon - February 21, 2024 Opinion Editorial Staff 2023-24 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Morgan Rich Social Media Manager - Liz Cherinka Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Amanda Montgomery Opinion - Sydney AllabaugWh ASSISTANT EDITORS LA&E - Anthony Cazun Opinion: Samara Carey Sports - Adam Grundt Sports - Sam Mullen DESIGNERS Designer - Lara Mullen Layout Designer - Brady Melovitz SECTION STAFF WRITERS News - Emma Broda LA&E - Cally Williams LA&E - Brooke Lare Opinion - “Freeze” Want to join The Beacon? Several positions are open! Contact: kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or morgan.rich@wilkes.edu 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 Morgan Rich at morgan.rich@wilkes. edu The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact opinion editor: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu. Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. Why it is important to respect quiet hours For students who live on campus, it is common knowledge that all resident halls have designated quiet hours. Quiet hours are in effect Sunday night through Thursday night from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. As there are no classes the following day, quiet hours change on Friday and Saturday nights and become midnight to 10 a.m. to accommodate students’ social lives. Despite having these hours posted on multiple walls of each resident hall and the reminders resident assistants (RAs) give at each hall meeting, the allotted quiet hours are not followed. Quiet hours were created to support students’ education by allowing them time to relax, study and sleep peacefully. However, various disturbances occur frequently during quiet hours throughout the week, including but not limited to parties, random screaming, loud music, loud knocking on doors and floors and many other distracting noises that can interfere with academic life on campus. Although quiet hour obligations are posted in resident halls and declared by RAs, loud noises during these times continue with little to no consequences for students who are disrupting the peace. Throughout quiet hours, most importantly the quiet hours allotted during weekdays and nights before classes, students are subjected to joltingly random and chronically loud noises, voices and music. Two of the most significant freshman residence halls, Roth Hall and Evans Hall, experience these quiet hour disturbances most severely. The third-floor resident assistant at Roth Hall, Ashley O’Connor, gave her thoughts on quiet hours and how they are implemented as both a student and as a resident assistant. “As a student, I believe they can be regulated. I also believe people do not call the RA on call enough to report their problem,” said O’Connor. “As an RA, it is difficult to tell what noises are simply inconsiderate to rulebreaking. Overall, I just want people to be respectful to others,” O’Connor said. The RAs display strength in their best attempts to adhere residents to quiet hour rules in the resident hall or building they are responsible for, but the problem cannot be placed solely into their hands. Junior sociology major, Rebekah Livermore, lived in Evans Hall during her first year. She reflected on her experiences with quiet hour disturbances and rule enforcement. “Quiet hours can work to a certain extent, but it is hard to enforce a building with over 100 people to be quiet after 10 p.m.,” said Livermore. Quiet hours are an important time for students to relax, study and sleep peacefully. The disturbances in these hours can impede the academic success and emotional health of students living in resident halls. Sophomore marketing major and a resident of Evans Hall during the fall 2022 and spring 2023 semesters, Seth Williams, encountered disturbances during quiet hours during finals week. “It was tough,” said Williams. “I had so much work to do, and I understand that there’s nothing to do sometimes during finals week, but I wanted to work in my room some days and there was just so much noise during the day and the night that I couldn’t get as much done as I wanted to and couldn’t sleep without some music or yelling happening.” Although resident assistants are within the closest proximity to student behavior, they cannot be expected to consistently police every student in their hall. Instead, resident assistants should be given more support by their direct superiors and administration to help them succeed. 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: morgan.rich@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 21, 2024 Opinion The Icebox: An in-depth The Return of The Red review of “Hollow Knight” Raven: an original story By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer Many may be familiar with the “soulslike” genre of video games. This genre was dubbed after the infamous “Dark Souls” because a player’s repeated failure is highly expected. Soulslike games rely on making progress bit-by-bit and improving with each mistake and each death. If you ask me, the real reason it’s called soulslike is because the game eats away at your soul until there is nothing left. The good news: there is a game that gives you the opportunity to recover your soul after you lost it. That game is called “Hollow Knight,” one of the masterpieces of our era. “Hollow Knight” is a two-dimensional platform-adventure game where the protagonist is a mysterious creature who travels into the deep underground to fight monsters. The entire game takes place in a lost underground kingdom called Hallownest. As you make more progress, you unlock more of the map and discover more secrets. Most of the areas seem like they were once occupied by civilians but have been abandoned long ago. The caves and pathways are riddled with creatures, all of which have designs like that of insects and beetles. If that bothers you, don’t worry. The design in this game is hand-drawn and cartoonish, and some of the creatures are rather cute! Wait? Hand-drawn? That’s right. The game was created by indie developers who poured their heart–and soul–into the design. Each character, object, background and frame animation was done by hand in software like Photoshop. The voices for all of the creatures are done by the human voice, and the music was developed by Christopher Larkin, a talented composer who primarily works for indie animation. The atmosphere that the team created through “Hollow Knight” is truly wondrous. Not only did they nail the dark theme of a “hollow” world, but they managed to incorporate aspects of coziness and mystery. It is hard not to appreciate every second of the game. With the design alone, it’s easier to maintain your soul while playing the game. The reason I mentioned soulslike games is because “Hollow Knight” could count as part of the genre. Though it is not a three-dimensional open-world game, it practically fits every other criteria, which is that a player will die multiple times, learn from their mistakes and get to fight really cool bosses. The mechanics in “Hollow Knight” are very simple. The character has a sword which can be used to defeat enemies. The sword can strike in any direction, even while the knight is in midair. The basic enemies take about two or three hits before dying, while stronger enemies require a much greater amount of hits. Each enemy defeated drops some amount of currency, called Geo, that can be used to purchase some items. There are stamps and upgrades to the in-game map for navigation and charms that enhance or provide different abilities when equipped. The special thing about the knight is that he is mysterious and possesses a dark side. The knight only has a certain number of hits he can take before he dies himself. When this happens, he drops all of his Geo and his soul escapes his body. The player respawns at the last location where they rested and has the chance to recover their Geo by finding their wandering dark spirit and defeating it. If you fail to retrieve your darkness and die again on the way, you can say goodbye to the Geo and your spirit will relocate. This particular mechanic makes the game sound a bit difficult, right? Fortunately, there is another mechanic that is available for players. This is the ability to collect “soul” into a gauge that can be used to perform special attacks or to recover hearts. The soul comes from defeating enemies and its efficiency can be enhanced with charms. From my experience with the game, the hardest part is keeping track of where you should or shouldn’t be going. Players need to manually find parts of a map and the skill of navigation is necessary in order to succeed. On top of that, the boss fights can be really difficult and losing to them repeatedly, only to get teleported far away, can be frustrating. On the bright side, each of those deaths is a moment for learning. By Leah Smith Opinion Staff Writer PART 11 Isabelle called in for backup to find Vivian Keller before the mystery killer could. Officer Nathan found the location and pinned it to Isabelle’s phone through her messages. Isabelle drove furiously in her truck to Vivian’s location. Her knuckles were red and started to turn white on top of the steering wheel. She tried to focus on the rescue itself rather than her emotions because she was on her way to save the woman that helped ruin the relationship with her father. Years ago, before Isabelle joined the police force, she was returning home from her first year in training. She knocked on the door and it was Vivian who answered in nothing but a see-through blue nightgown. “I’m sorry, who are you?” Isabelle asked. “Oh, your father never told you about me?” Vivian replied. “I’m afraid not. Are you a friend of his?” “Well, that’s complicated.” Isabelle arched her eyebrow. “What does that mean?” Then, Rick approached the door. “Viv, who is it?” he asked drunkenly. Isabelle pushed Vivian to the side and confronted her father. She saw that he had baggy red eyes, disheveled hair and was wearing only boxer briefs and a tank top. “When were you going to tell me about this?” Isabelle demanded. “I was...well, I was going to tell you... sometime,” Rick mumbled. Isabelle frowned, “Seriously? You’re cheating on dad with some woman and you were just going to never speak about it?” “She’s not just some woman okay? Vivian Keller is a bombshell and she and I are really, really close,” Rick said. “I can’t believe you. Did you even have anything planned for me or was your late night ritual more important?” “Izzy, sweetie, don’t get mad at me, but I forgot you were even coming home.” Isabelle was speechless. Meanwhile, Vivian was walking back and forth in the bedroom, putting her clothes back on. “Rick, I’m leaving. Don’t call me back, I don’t want to do this anymore,” she 15 announced. Soon, she finished dressing herself and left Isabelle and Rick in a standoff. Isabelle fought back tears. “You forgot?” Rick raised his hands in surrender, “Look, I know that sounds bad. Now that you’re here though, we can go out for dinner and it’ll be my treat. If you really want to know about Vivian, I’ll tell you the whole thing-” Isabelle cut him off by running into the bedroom. She saw on the TV an episode of the Red Raven playing quietly and clothes sprawled out on the floor. She shook her head. “How it happened is that she called me to tell me that she wanted to see me again and she made the move on me, okay? I didn’t want to do it. She forced me into it. Then, I told her how much I loved her and how I felt about her when we filmed the show. I promise, Izzy, it’s nothing,” Rick tried to defend himself again. “Not only did you just contradict yourself but you betrayed my trust. It hurts, but I can forgive you for forgetting about me coming home, but I can’t forgive this. Not only did you hurt me, but you hurt dad.” Rick began reaching his arms out to her. “Izzy, please-” Isabelle interrupted, “Don’t you dare. If you’re not telling dad, then I’ll tell him.” “Izzy, he can’t know about this, nobody can. My reputation will be ruined! You know what the tabloids will say about this?!” “You care more about what the press will say about your affair than your own husband? Wake up, dad. You’re not the Red Raven anymore, you’re not the A-list actor you used to be anymore, you’re just Rick Greenblatt, an old, washed-up man who, apparently, wants to return to his youth so bad that he’ll ruin his marriage.” “That’s not fair,” Rick protested. “You want fair? Fine, you know what’s fair? Me leaving right now and telling dad about all of this because that’ll be fair for all of us,” Isabelle said. She began to storm out until Rick grabbed her arm. “Izzy, please, don’t be like this.” Isabelle nudged his hand off of her, “Dad, you’re hurting yourself by doing this and I want you to seek help, but I can’t be a part of this. Goodbye.” Then, she walked out. To be continued... �The Beacon - February 21, 2024 Opinion 16 Here are three reasons why cats make better pets than dogs By Sydney Allabaugh Opinion Editor It’s a question that leads to heated debates, tears apart friendships and puzzles even the greatest thinkers: “Which are better pets, cats or dogs?” To me, the answer seems obvious. Cats are better, and it’s not even close. Here’s why. Cleanliness One reason why cats are better pets to have in the house is because they are cleaner. Dogs spend a lot of time outside and tend to bring the outside in. They track in mud after they roll around in it, get the floors and furniture wet after being out in the rain and may even bring in bugs after a hike. Owners must frequently clean up after them. Cats spend most or all their time indoors, meaning they are much less likely to become dirty. If they become dirty indoors, most cats consistently groom themselves, and they almost never stink like dogs do. Some may argue that cats still shed and have dirty litter boxes to clean. However, both issues can be resolved in all of about 10 minutes with a routine brushing and daily litter box scooping. Also, on top of the already existing issues, dogs shed too, potentially more than cats depending on the size and breed, and they have something to that of a litter box to clean too: the yard or the sidewalks when on a walk. Lower maintenance Adding onto the fact that dogs are to be frequently cleaned up after, dogs are higher maintenance in many other ways. They require a lot of attention and stimulation. They need to go on daily walks, must be let out of the house many times a day to go to the bathroom and almost always want to play or be pet, which makes it very difficult to leave them alone in the house for more than just a few hours at a time. Although some dog owners enjoy that dogs are more needy, it may take a physical or emotional toll on a dog if owners do not have free time or energy to fulfill all their dog’s needs all the time. Cats, on the other hand, can spend more time alone without it being detrimental to their well-being. They do not need to be let out every few hours as they have an indoor litter box, nor do they require daily walks. There are also many ways cats can be entertained and exercise by themselves. Sure, cats still need to be cared for, cleaned up after and played with daily, but cat owners have more flexibility when accomplishing these tasks and most routine tasks take little time or energy. Personality One of the most common criticisms of cats is that they are unfriendly or boring, but to me, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Cats have a variety of different endearing quirks and personalities that make each one interesting, unique and charming. Cats can be just as friendly as dogs, but they just show it without all the barking, jumping and licking. Potentially, they may walk across your lap or rub against your legs as you walk by. Other cats may be more shy, mellow and sleepy, spending their time curled up in a box, or playful and rambunctious, commonly running around the house swatting at a toy or, more commonly, a random household object. Learning more about a cat’s personality is one of the best parts of owning one. Regardless of personality, most cats enjoy spending time with their owners just like dogs do; they just show it in different ways. They do not need us to survive yet still enjoy spending time with us, which makes the companionship between humans and cats even more genuine and meaningful. These are just a few of the likely endless reasons cats are superior. You know what they say, cats rule, dogs drool. Graphic by Laura De Lora Campus Suggestions: the avoidable craziness of a noon start By Samara Carey Asst. Opinion Editor As many of you know, we recently received quite a bit of snow for our area. When having snow in the forecast, those of us in school are usually hopeful for a snow day, or at least a compressed schedule. As we saw snowflakes falling from the sky and covering the roads, I am sure I wasn’t the only one hoping for the first full day campus cancellation of the semester. However, on Feb. 13, at 5:45 a.m, students received a message saying that we were starting classes at noon. This was obviously a shock, considering I do not know anybody on campus who has ever experienced a noon start to classes. Since it was a noon start, all of our morning classes were either canceled or put on a Zoom call. For the classes in the afternoon, many professors had the choice of keeping their classes going on as normal, having an online instruction day or being canceled completely. For myself, my afternoon class went on as normal, and I still had to drive to campus in the snowy weather. That leads to my main point, which is that commuters are typically the ones who have to suffer the most when it comes to campus closures or delays. Being a commuter myself, I have had my fair share of waking up early, getting ready for class, driving to campus and then getting an email or text message saying my class was canceled or delayed. Since about half of the students here at Wilkes are commuters, I still find it quite shocking on the university’s end that they don’t really seem to consider all of the issues, like the hazardous driving conditions and having to leave earlier to account for them. As for myself, I am grateful for not living that far away from campus, so driving on the roads is not bad for me. However, when we are considering the entire commuter population here on campus, there are so many other students here on campus that live further away than I do. I personally know some students on campus that commute to school every day and they live more than 45 minutes away from campus. So, when the school announces that they are still having class at a time like noon, it directly affects commuters and is risking their safety by having them drive on the roads, especially when they live farther away from campus. This then makes commuters at this school question if going to class is worth risking both their lives and cars in the snow. So, even if their class was not canceled originally, they are still missing a day of class since the school decided not to cancel in the first place. Students have discussed this matter multiple times, whether it was to the school, with our peers or just to ourselves, but it is no secret that this needs to change in order for the commuter population on this campus to feel like they are included in the campus community and that their safety is at top priority to the campus administrators. �The Beacon - February 21, 2024 Opinion 17 Netflix live-action “Avatar” and change for the sake of change By Shawn Carey Contributing Writer The 2000s were truly a great time for television animation. Channels such as Disney, Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon were constantly playing some amazing shows, especially when it came to action cartoons. “Danny Phantom,” “Ben 10,” “Samurai Jack” and “Jake Long: American Dragon” are just a handful of some of the great animated shows that were being released at the time. These shows were action-packed, heartfelt and plotdriven, a sharp change in direction from the comedies that were released the decade prior. To me “Avatar: The Last Airbender” has always been the standout cartoon of this era. The show followed 12-yearold Aang, the current Avatar and last survivor of the Air Nomad, and his friends as they strived to put an end to the Fire Nation’s Hundred Year War. During his journey, Aang must also master all four elements, water, earth, fire and air. While it was similar to other shows that were airing at the time, there was something special about it. The characters were complex, the world was rich in lore and it covered some pretty dark themes. The show was a massive hit among audiences of all ages. Viewers quickly fell in love with the unique setting and inspiring characters. Nickelodeon, the show’s network, took full advantage of its popularity. Several sequel comics, prequel novels, video games, guide books and other spin-offs would be released to capitalize on the show’s success. The most famous of these spin offs would be its sequel series “The Legend of Korra.” The network didn’t stop at just expanding the series canon material, they would go on and start to retell the story of the show in different media formats. This would lead to the most infamous piece of Avatar media, M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Last Airbender.” The 2010 movie was critically panned by both fans and critics alike. The movie did so much wrong. It whitewashed the main cast, had awful acting, barely followed the plot of the show and had terrible use of CGI. As you can imagine, the movie was a failure and all plans to continue adapting the series into live action came to an end. That was the case at least. In 2018, Netflix would announce that a “reimagined” live-action TV series of Avatar would start production the following year. The series’ original creators, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko were set to act as executive producers on the show. Fans felt some hope for a proper live action adaptation upon release of the news. Not only was it a television series, a m e d i u m that fits the original show much better, but they brought the original creators back to work on the show, something that the movie didn’t bother to do. The casting would be announced soon after the initial announcement. Once again, unlike the movie fans were pleased with the casting choice. The actors actually matched the appearance of their character. Dallas James Liu as Zuko and Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai were by far the fan favorite castings. Things were looking good for the show. Mostly everyone was excited for it. It had a lot to live up to, and it actually looked like it was going to be able to be a worthy successor to the original cartoon. This didn’t last long. As development of the show continued, we would be faced with some truly upsetting news. First and foremost, DiMartino and Konietzko released a public statement in 2020 announcing that they would be leaving the show’s production. They stated in their announcement that it was over creative differences, stating “it ultimately wouldn’t be the show (they) set out to make.” While it did seem like all parties involved were still on good terms, fans didn’t take the news well. Many questions were asked, such as what were the creative differences? What was changed and why? We wouldn’t receive any answers to these questions until recently, a few weeks before the show’s premiere. The show’s creative team made a fair amount of changes to the source material, changes that honestly s e e m unnecessary. By far the biggest change can be found in Aang’s personality. In an IGN interview with showrunner Albert Kim, it was revealed that the Netflix team made the decision to make Aang’s narrative more straightforward than it was in the animated series. She stated “He’s kind of going from place to place looking for adventures, we wanted to make sure he had that drive from the start.” The solution they found was giving Aang a vision right from the beginning; they wanted to make the stakes very clear to him, so he would be imminently motivated to reach the Northern Water tribe. This was something he didn’t even think about doing until a few episodes into the original series. Doing this fundamentally changes Aang’s entire character arc. Aang is a 12-year-old boy who received the most important job in the world overnight. For a good portion of the first season he didn’t even want to be the Avatar. The only thing we wanted to do was to mess around and play with his new friends. Aang had to learn responsibility and what it truly meant to be the Avatar. He spent so much time running away from his responsibilities until he was left with no choice but to face them. Giving Aang a clear goal at the start of the season throws around an entire part of his character. There was a message about facing responsibility in the original show, a message that is no longer there. He wasn’t the only character that was changed. Main cast member Sokka also faced some pretty big changes as well. In the original cartoon Sokka was pretty sexist towards many of the women they came across in their travels. This was mainly in the context of him trying to make himself sound cooler than he actually was. The Netflix show is planning on removing that entire aspect of his personality entirely. This is something I would normally be OK with them doing. However, there was a point to him being that way in the first place. Sokka learns over the course of the show that women are just as capable as men and that he didn’t have to try to elevate himself higher to them. In fact, he starts to date a skilled martial artist named Suki, a character he acknowledges is a better fighter than him. While we don’t know the full extent of the changes the series has to offer yet, there’s word that Katara and Zuko also faced pretty big changes to their characters. These character traits may seem childish on paper, but they were there for a reason. They were used to elevate the story of these characters. When it comes to adapting an animated piece of media into live action, we are so often faced with showrunners missing the original point of the story. Netflix’s “Avatar” is shaping up to be another example of this. Graphic by Laura De Lora �The Beacon - February 21, 2024 Opinion 18 Reviewing "VULTURES 1" by Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign By Logan Colonna Opinion Staff Writer After countless delays, the first volume of Kanye West’s and Ty Dolla $ign’s collaboration album “VULTURES 1” has finally made it to streaming platforms and into listeners’ ears. The album is coming after Kanye released the abysmal “Donda” sequel named after the 2021 record. This album in particular was easily Kanye’s worst to come, so he certainly needed to up his game with “VULTURES 1.” Starting off this album not so strong is the performance of Kanye. Various times throughout the album, we see the “newer” Kanye shine dully and bring about subpar lyrics and odd bars. The most outrageous, but honestly really catchy, part of the album is Kanye’s verse on the fifth track, “BACK TO ME.” In means of sampling the 1999 comedy “Dogma,” Kanye falls short lyrically as he’s seen talking about how “beautiful big-titty, butt-naked women just don’t fall out the sky.” And yes, this goes on for a while throughout his verse. Seven times to be exact. Now while it is awful lyrically, it’s still somehow catchy to me. I truly don’t know how he does it. On the other end of the spectrum are his performances on songs like “BURN” and “CARNIVAL.” “BURN” brings back the old Kanye that everyone knows and loves, even sonically. In this song, we see Kanye touch on his divorce with his now exwife Kim Kardashian, mention his 2020 presidential run and take shots at designer brand, Balenciaga. Going onto “CARNIVAL,” we have Kanye talking about the whole industry as he’s name-dropping several celebrities, such as Bill Cosby, R. Kelly and Taylor Swift, within his verse. On top of this, we see him doubling down on him being a terrible person. This is easily the grittiest we’ve seen Kanye since this new era he’s in. Moving onto Ty Dolla $ign’s performance, I believe he did so much better than Kanye. A lot of people have the belief that Ty is playing second fiddle to Kanye here. However, when really looking at it, Ty easily has the better and more consistent performances throughout the tracklist. I personally view the album more as a Ty Dolla $ign album than a Kanye West album because of this. While he was used as a “chorus boy” for most of the tracks, the choruses were easily the best part of some of the songs, bringing everything together. If I was to say which tracks he excelled on, I’d be forced to list every one of the 16 on the album. With this being said, his absolute best performance is on “BEG FORGIVENESS” with Chris Brown. He delivers a tear-jerker of a verse on this track. Then we have the features of the album. The best feature for me is either Freddie Gibbs or Rich the Kid, as both bring their best performances in a while to each track they’re on. Freddie on “BACK TO ME” goes so well with the instrumental provided and goes above and beyond what Ty and especially Kanye bring to the table. As for Rich’s performance, he starts off “ C A R N I VA L” with nearly the best verse on the track. He shows so much emotion and hype through his runtime. Now to the bad. First up, we have Kanye’s daughter, North. She’s on “TALKING” and truly makes the song worse. Everytime I listen, I have to fight the urge to not skip her verse. It’s simply just very annoying. Production-wise, the album was phenomenal. Some great standouts were “CARNIVAL,” “BEG FORGIVENESS” and “DO IT.” “CARNIVAL” started off booming with chanting that could’ve been ripped out from the Super Bowl. On top of this, there’s an electrifying bass in the background also looming around. This sets the scene as the song is primarily there to hype the listener up. While nothing sticks out like a sore thumb, the song as a whole conveys such emotion from the instrumental alone. Next, we have “BEG FORGIVENESS.” To begin, we do have two halves of production. The first half of the song shows off 808s that seem like they’ve been taken from Kanye’s 2008 album, “808s & Heartbreak.” The song overall is very reminiscent of the album. Moving on to the true show-stopper, the second half of the track. There’s a dreadful voice saying “Beg forgiveness” being looped countless times as Ty and Chris Brown pour their souls out over it. As weird as it sounds, it’s one of the most powerful songs in terms of emotions being conveyed. Ending off this segment with “DO IT,” we have this weird Brazilian funk soundscape here, and I adore it so much. It’s so energetic that it makes me groove to the beat instantly. The instrumentals go so well with Ye, Ty and YG. Wrapping this up, nearly everything on “VULTURES 1” is amazing. The only apparent downsides of the record are some of Ye’s performances and a handful of features. I’m glad the runtime of the album (55 minutes) is much shorter than Donda’s (1 hour and 48 minutes), making the album much more cohesive and actually listenable. Overall, “VULTURES 1” is a solid 9 out of 10. Lastly, as a disclaimer, It’s important to separate the art from the artist. Kanye himself is a beyond-awful person, but most agree that his music is more than decent. Graphic by Laura De Lora �The Beacon - February 21, 2024 Sports 19 Sports Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: Adam.grundt@wilkes.edu Women’s Lacrosse team ready for Landmark By Samatha Mullen Contributing writer The Women’s lacrosse team’s season is set to start on February 21st at Schmidt stadium. This is the team’s first season in the Landmark Conference and going into the conference they are ranked number 10. Coach Mccarver is ready to work hard and play hard this season. “Going into the Landmark conference ranked at number 10, we are pumped. We have everything to gain and nothing to lose. The team is fired up and ready to compete. This should be a good season and a good introduction to the conference.” The lacrosse team welcomes 4 freshmen this season. One of those freshmen is Halie Albright; she is from Taneytown, Maryland and plays midfield. Her position requires a lot of running and she works hard to stay in good shape during the off season. “I’ve always been a runner and it’s my favorite way to workout during the off-season. I also like biking because it’s a great way to stay in shape without putting as much strain on my legs.” Albright will be a force on the field this season. She feels confident going into her first season at Wilkes because of the team's chemistry. The team's chemistry helps them read each other on the field. Along with the freshmen, the team also welcome’s fifth year Ava Ward. She is from Mount Pleasant, South Carolina and plays midfield. Before coming to Wilkes University she was a Division 1 athlete at Presbyterian College. During Ward’s last season at Presbyterian she scored seven times with an additional assist. She has already proved that she is going to be a major asset to the team. The team is very close fit and has a bond unlike any other. They feel very comfortable around each other and that shows even during their pre-game ritual. “Before every game the team gathers together to get pumped by blasting music and hyping everyone up. There is nothing that will boost your adrenaline.” stated junior Samantha Scott. Last season senior Breanne Fulling had 51 shots on goal which was the highest amount of any player on the team as well as 25 goals. She is a captain alongside senior Maleah Cobham, junior Samantha Scott and junior Alexis Guttilla. This is Samantha’s Scott's first season as a captain, She is a goalie from Binghamton, New York. Scott has a lot of goals this season and is hoping to bring the team together on and off the field. “I want to work on bringing the team together as a whole. My goal is to get the team focused on working together, on and off the field to succeed together. Most of all, I want to promote a team atmosphere where we can excel in our play and have fun playing the sport we all love.” A player to watch out for this season is senior defensive player Taylor Quackenbush. She has improved t r e m e n d o u s l y through her time at Wilkes. For instance, Quackenbush has noticed her “technique has improved in that I can read the ball and attackers a lot quicker. In addition, I think working with so many different teammates my ability to communicate on the field and make split game time decisions is a lot better.” Quakenbush thanks her teammates and coaches for her improvement throughout her past seasons. Overall last season the team scored 109 times and 268 ground balls. Last season their overall record was 3 wins and 14 loses. They are hoping to improve these scores this season starting Wednesday, February 21st at home against Kean University starting at 5 p.m. Photo by Samantha Mullen �The Beacon - February 21, 2024 Sports 20 Men’s basketball getting ready for postseason By Lexi McHugh Contributing Writer With the basketball season nearing a close, the Wilkes Colonels hold a record of 18 wins and 7 losses, including an 11-6 record against Landmark conference opposition. Their first match was on November 9th against Keystone College where they won with a score of 86-61. This early success has secured them a spot in the upcoming Landmark Conference tournament. The Colonels were on a five day winning streak in December, beating Lycoming College, Juniata College, Clarks Summit University, Centre College, and Hamline University all back to back. From there, they continued into conference play, where they faced other schools in the Landmark like Susquehanna University Photo by Steve Finkernagel and the University of Scranton. Head Coach Izzi Metz is on his tenth season coaching for Wilkes basketball, accumulating a 112-106 record over the past nine seasons. “Our preparation for this season started back in September with 6 a.m. conditioning workouts at Schmidt Stadium as well weight training with Coach Keith Klahold. We then started basketball workouts and practices in early October,” said Metz. So far, the team has had an amazing season with 18 wins, but with wins come losses. Junior business and sports management major Cayden Merrifield, who has accumulated 369 points this season, shares his team’s recovery from the few losses they had this season. “Next play, next game mentality. Be ready to come to practice the next day looking to improve and get better,” said Merrifield. After close losses, the team were able to bounce back and show that despite a loss, they wouldn’t let it affect their upcoming games. Metz believes that he coaches for a great team. “We have good veteran leadership with 5 seniors and a graduate student. We also have plenty of experience from previous seasons. Our players enjoy playing for each other that usually produces a positive result on the court,” said Metz. It’s not hard to tell that Wilkes basketball team appreciates their seniors and are very grateful for each of them. “The seniors do a great job every day setting a good example for us underclassmen. When we see the energy and hard work they bring everyday, it makes everyone else boost their intensity and match the energy they bring,” said Merrifield. Merrifield believes his team will be prepared for playoffs by following simple steps.” The biggest thing is coming to practice everyday ready to work and get not only yourself but your teammates better. Our coaches will get us prepared with their game plan, it’s up to us players to step up and compete at a high level,” said Merrifield. Wilkes basketball had their regular season finale game against Goucher on February 17th this game was also Wilkes senior night. The seniors on the Wilkes basketball team, dance, and cheer team were honored with gifts while surrounded by their friends and family. Wilkes lost this game with a final score of 55-76 while trailing close behind the first half. �The Beacon - February 21, 2024 21 Interested in writing for Sports? Email adam.grundt@wilkes. edu or kalen.churcher@ wilkes.edu Photographers and videographers are also encouraged to apply. �The Beacon - February 21, 2024 22 Sports Athlete of the Week Haylee Bouchard First Year, Forward, Women's Ice Hockey The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Bouchard totaled four points in the double-header weekend against Neumann University. She had two goals and two assists for the weekend. What sports movie is your go-to Major: Business Hometown: Sioux Lookout, for movie night? Miracle Ontario, Canada What had been your favorite sports memory from your time If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you as a Colonel? My favorite sports memory as have wanted to play? a Colonel was when we swept Lebanon Valley. It was a great moment for our returners, breaking their previous record and being a part of that was very moving. I would like to try tennis. What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Getting into our 10th game win streak. What is your favorite professional sports team (any What is your favorite post-game sport)? meal? Montreal Canadians Definitely Chick-fil-A. What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? I love playing games like Chess and Fortnite. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? 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." Definitely being on the Wice team, we have such a strong atmosphere and couldn't ask for a better group. How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? Being selected as athlete of the week is pretty cool. It is definitely a shared mention as I couldn't have achieved these records without my linemates and overall team. �The Beacon February 21, 2024 Sports Athlete of the Week Jackson Shafer Senior, Men’s Volleyball, Outside Hitter The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week Shafer recorded 54 kills over four matches, taking over the program record for career kills. He recorded 63 points, 13 digs, 8 blocks, and 4 aces. In the tri-match against Widener University, Shafer tied his career high with 22 kills. Major: Financial Investments Hometown: Milford, PA If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you What had been your favorite have wanted to play? sports memory from your time Golf or football as a Colonel? Breaking the single season wins record last year and being on pace to What has been your favorite sports memory overall? do so again this year. Everytime I jump into Paul Binner after he does something What is your favorite crazy. professional sports team (any sport)? The Philadelphia 76ers. What is your favorite post-game meal? What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Applebees I enjoy reading, hanging out with How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the friends and going to the gym. Week? I feel thrilled to be chosen for this What is your favorite part of but this is more of a testament to how being an athlete at Wilkes? well the team has been performing The lifelone friendships and thus far this season. connections I have made along the way. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? The first Rocky movie The Beacon/Sam 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." 23 �The Beacon - February 21, 2024 24 Wilkes University Theatre presents Fun Home, the musical Feb. 22, 23, 24 @ 8 p.m. Feb. 24 & 25 @ 2 p.m. Purchase tickets at www.wilkes.edu/ theatre or at the box office starting an hour before performances. � 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 <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 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>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> 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. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre 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 Wilkes Beacon, 2024 February 21 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wilkes University retains copyright of this publication. https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/50df3493d48145f3227be509f47e83ba.pdf 2f8921309c709e8b4c5e26106f11f7fd PDF Text Text The Beacon - February 14, 2024 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Pa. Newspaper Association Member Volume 76, Issue 12 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” RAs help residents better understand mental health By Lexi McHugh Contributing Writer In an event that combined mental health, compassion and community outreach, Resident Advisors (RAs) recently hosted a gathering for students at the Stark Learning Center. The evening not only delved into the crucial topic of mental health but also provided a place for students to engage in thoughtful activities, leaving a positive impact on both their wellbeing and the community. The main highlight of the event was a presentation on mental health, made and presented by the RAs to address various aspects of college students’ mental health. The presentation went over four specific sections regarding mental health including indicators of mental health issues, seeking assistance, prevention and self-care, and ways to support those around you. The goal was not only to raise awareness but also to enable students to recognize signs, seek help when needed and be able to surround themselves with a supportive environment. See health, pg. 3 Public Safety addresses recent Wilkes-Barre burglaries, page 3 Understranding mental health was topic of recent event held by resident assistants. Why we should care about Wilkes Adventure and support the BDS Education hosts rose course movement, page 16 fundraising event, page 7 The Beacon/Lexi McHugh Highlights from the “Big Game,” page 19 �The Beacon - February 14, 2024 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Amanda Montgomery: Amanda.Montgomery1@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: Feb. 7 meeting By Zach Paraway Student Government had its second meeting for the semester Feb. 7. The first order of business was a fund request from Wilkes Athletics. Presented by Keith Kalhold, a strength and conditioning coach here. The request was Late Night Lift items such as shaker bottles and t-shirts for the event. LNL is an event held in late February, the date is still pending, where the athletics department opens the Martz weightroom to the Wilkes community after hours. The request was for $1900 and was approved for the full amount. The second order of business was a fund request from Wilkes Adventure Education from a spring break trip. WAE had many places for their proposed trip and are looking to take a west coast hiking tour for the trip. Considering all logistics, the request was for $3,600. This was week one of a two week request and will be voted on next week. The third order of business was a club report by the nursing student organization. They spoke at the conferences that they went to over the past year. The fourth order of business was a club report/update by the South Asian Cultural Association, formerly the Indian Cultural Association. The fifth order of business was a club report from the pre-pharmacy club. They spoke about their event called Kathy’s kids where they teach kids the importance of knowing what you eat and not mistaking drugs for candy. The sixth order of business was a club report from the ski and snowboarding Club. The seventh order of business was a fund request for spring fling, presented by executive member, Marytere QuinanaAvlia. The date for this year’s event is still being determined but is looking to be held in late March again in the Mary Stegmaier mansion. The budget is still under debate and will take more than the normal two weeks. The eighth order of business was a fund request for Big Event, presented by executive member, Nolee Ana Garbowski. Big Event is a large community service event for all clubs on campus held on April 27. The request was for t-shirts and other items for the event This was week one of two and will be voted on next week. SG will meet again on Wednesday, Feb. 14. Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Beacon News Staff Spring Intramural Sports Registration is now open for intramural sports this spring. The season begins Feb. 19 and ends March 27. Sports offered are soccer, basketball, dodgeball and volleyball. Register yourself and your team on IMleagues.com before the start of the season. Any questions contact casey. carpenter@wilkes.edu. Alumni Scholarship Opportunity The Alumni Scholarship is awarded annually to a current Wilkes undergraduate student who has a parent or grandparent who graduated from Wilkes, has at least a 3.0 GPA and has a FAFSA on file for the 2024-2025 academic year. Deadline to apply is March 17, 2024. Use this link to apply: www.community. wilkes.edu/alumnischolarship. Contact alumni@wilkes.edu with any questions. Kappa Kappa Psi Talent Show Interest Form Wilkes University’s music fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi, would like to host a talent show this semester. Anyone is allowed to sign up. Fill out this form if you are interested: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1 FAIpQLSdnAmAtuUyJOxInXXPiLyK Y9pzb_uMCsOenMyDopx-6RT6lVQ/ viewform. Lavender Graduation Ceremony This spring, GSA will be hosting a Lavender Graduation Ceremony for the LGBTQ+ members of the class of 2024 on May 3 at 3 p.m. Use this link to fill out the interest form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/ e/1FAIpQLSccGu5bgXa1Ll-w7bju5jlEZ aezizB34svSyqPwqacpI2io3w/viewform. CCDI Resume Workshop The Center for Career Development and Internships is hosting a resume workshop on Feb. 29 in the JPAC Ballroom starting at 11:15 a.m. Students are encouraged to bring their laptops/tablets to create their own resumes during the presentation. Contact Jenna Weiss at jenna.weiss@ wilkes.edu with any questions. Register on Handshake with this link: https://wilkes.joinhandshake.com/edu/ events/1467525. HPSC Soda Tab Collection Join the Honors Program Student Committee for a soda tap drive. Donate your soda tabs in the marked boxes located on the first floor of the SUB, outside the Honors Office and in the lobby of the SIMMS Center. The donations will be taken to a recycling center in exchange for funds that Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Upcoming Events: 2024 Spring Semester February 15 - Music BINGO 22 - Family Feud 25 - Ice Skating at Revolution Ice 29 - Giveaway One March 14 - Adventure BINGO 17 - Orangetheory Fitness Class 21 - Laser Tag April 4 - Everything but the Kitchen Sink 11 - Bye Bye BINGO Want your event featured in the calendar? Email: Amanda.Montgomery1@ wilkes.edu �The Beacon - February 14, 2024 ...cont. from pg. 1 health The first part of the presentation talked about the indicators of mental health challenges. The common indicators presented in the slide were: feeling anxious, worried, depressed, guilty, worthless or unhappy, having emotional outbursts, sleeping problems, moderate weight/appetite changes, being more withdrawn than usual, neglecting responsibilities, strange or harmful thoughts and considering substance abuse. After the RAs talked about the indicators, they gave the students the appropriate resources to get help. There were three main 0ptions: go to in-person counseling, use the 24/7 hotline and to huntdown a green bandana. Shortly after discussing the crucial indicators to declining mental health, the RAs presented to students six self care methods they can go about. Doing a full skin care routine, reading your favorite book, watching a movie or tv show, spending time with friends, crafting and journaling. The last section of the slide may be the most important, “How do I help?” The RAs gave students two resources. Students can join NAMI on campus to educate themselves on more mental health and develop the skills to help others. Students can also join Green bandana to become an official student resource for others that need help with their mental health. The presentation ended with statistics of students who struggle with mental health, people between the ages of 18-24 who struggle with mental health, and the percentage of college students who meet the criteria for mental illness. RAs also asked students if they had any questions about the presentation. While the RAs were presenting their mental health slideshow, students worked on Valentine’s Day cards. Students left kind messages on their cards to the elders at the senior center who may be struggling with their mental health. 3 Public Safety addresses recent Wilkes-Barre burglaries extending toward campus By Amanda Montgomery News Editor In recent days, the city of WilkesBarre has experienced a surge in burglaries, with several businesses falling victim to theft. Among the affected businesses are two located in the vicinity of Wilkes University – Eden-a-Vegan Café and Asian Kitchen, both situated in the 100 block of South Main Street. While these incidents are under investigation by the Wilkes-Barre City Police, Wilkes University students and the broader community are urged to remain vigilant. “The best way to stay vigilant is to report anything that you may feel is uncomfortable, and always trust your instincts,” said Chief of Police Michael Krzywicki. “If you feel something is not right, you are usually correct and you should report it to the proper authorities. If you see any criminal activity, please call 911 immediately to report it as it is happening. Valuable time and resources may be lost if you wait to report this activity.” The Wilkes University Police Department (WUPD) is actively monitoring the situation, emphasizing that no university-owned properties have been involved in these incidents. “All decisions are handled on a caseby-case basis with the safety of our campus community in mind,” said Krzywicki. WUPD encourages anyone with information related to these crimes to contact the WIlkes-Barre City Police at 570-208-4200. In their email to students, WUPD reiterated safety precautions, including reporting suspicious persons or vehicles, being aware of surroundings when walking on campus and using the Wilkes Shield safety app to report incidents immediately. A rumor surfaced on the social media app, YikYik, about a person who was allegedly robbed in the MAC. “In reference to the MAC, I cannot Sunset on Wilkes’ campus. share any misconception or additional details about something that has not occurred, or has not been reported to our department,” said Krzywicki. “If there was a robbery in the MAC, we have an obligation by law to notify our campus community.” Local businesses affected by recent burglaries have shared their experiences on social media. “Today I woke up to devastating news,” said Boozy B’s, a local shop, via Facebook. “Early this morning around 3 a.m. someone broke into the shop. Completely shattered the glass on my front door with a brick and stole all the money from my register.” Another affected business, Eden-aVegan Café, expressed their frustration, also on Facebook. “A smashed front door and they got a few hundred bucks from the register,” said Eden. “When they are found, it surely will prove that it wasn’t worth it.” The impact on business is not just financial; it disrupts their operations and challenges their sense of security. Despite these setbacks, the affected businesses were determined to reopen promptly, demonstrating resilience in the face of adversity. As the community rallies to support one another, both businesses and Wilkes University are taking steps to enhance security measures. Residents are encouraged to stay informed, report any suspicious activity and actively participate in community safety efforts. A recent update, from The Times Leader, reports that a 17-year-old boy is responsible for anumber of the downtown burglaries, according to Wilkes-Barre City Police. “We are working with WBPD by providing them with video footage we have relative to their investigation,” said Krzywicki. For more information on safety and security, students can refer to the Wilkes Univeristy Police Department’s annual security report at https:// www.wilkes.edu/campus-life/safetys e c ur it y/annu a l-s e c ur it y-and-f iresafety-report.aspx. Questions about this advisory can be directed to Chief of Police Michael Krzywicki at 570408-4952 or by email at michael. krzywicki@wilkes.edu. �The Beacon - February 14, 2024 News 4 What is... the Office of Residence Life at Wilkes University? By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer Wilkes University is full of groups that share the same goal: support. The Office of Residence Life, affectionately dubbed “Res Life” by those working in it, provides comprehensive support for students living on campus. From sending out forms to apply for housing, reminder and safety emails and filling the halls with Resident Assistants (RAs), Res Life is here for the students who call this campus home. Residence Life is a blend of professional staff and undergraduate RAs. The director and assistant director of residence life work with students and staff to prepare the halls for move-in, deal with serious issues and send out the forms and information needed to apply (and reapply) for housing. Residence life is also staffed by two graduate assistants, learners in graduate programs who live in the halls with RAs and students as an extra layer of support. These individuals work directly with RAs to ensure they are performing their duties and serve as a bridge between residential students and the directors of residence life. Then, there are 34 resident assistants who live and work directly with the students of Wilkes University. First, to become an RA, applicants fill out an application and participate in individual interviews and a group processing day, which puts students in small groups and has them complete activities that allow current RAs and staff to see how applicants work in a team. “It can feel pretty stressful leading up to the different events, however, once you are in the moment the stress disappears,” said Starr Sandt, a sophomore RA serving University Towers, floors two and three. After the process is over, candidates are notified and assigned to their buildings. RAs are not necessarily placed in buildings because they want to be there, but because the professional staff believes your skill set is best suited to a specific building. Nolee Ana Grabowski, who is also a sophomore RA on the fifth floor of University Towers, said, “...if you get the position and aren't thrilled with your placement, keep in mind that your first year is all a learning experience. I was placed in Evans as my first year as an RA and I loved it. I created really great bonds with my residents and being an RA has really helped me grow in my leadership skills.” All of this occurs in the spring semester. Before the new year starts, in August, RAs report to campus for a few weeks of training to prepare for their new roles as resident assistants. RAs do so much in the residence halls, even if it goes unseen. Grabowski says that most of her responsibilities include hanging up posters, connecting with and checking in on residents, working to resolve issues, and serving on a residence life committee. There are four committees: New RA Selection, which focuses on the interview process to select new RAs; traditions, which focuses on hosting annual events, like the Waller haunted mansion or hall brawl; social media, which has students working to curate content for the residence life Instagram; and advisory board, which hears and resolves RA complaints and considers the changes suggested by the RAs. Another major aspect of the RA role is ensuring safety and enforcing the rules. Wilkes University is an open, urban campus and RAs must make sure the halls are safe and their residents are comfortable. If your RA seems very strict about propping open doors, there’s a good reason. Resolving roommate conflicts and ensuring safety in the halls aren’t all that RAs are responsible for. They must also host two community builder events and two educational events for their residents each semester. These can be done for an individual floor, building, area, or even campus wide. Last year, Grabowski hosted an event for her residents in Evans Hall. “It was a Valentine's Day event where I had written the names of every resident on the floor on the back of a heart and I gave my residents hearts with the other side of the hall's name on it and vice versa," said Grabowski. "I had my residents just write a sweet message on it and then flip it over and give it to the resident that they had. It was very sweet seeing the whole floor come together and at the end I handed out goodie bags to everyone who came." Events like these are examples of Community Builders: they focus on building a community, one way or another. Other examples of this include movie or game night, an interactive bulletin board or karaoke nights. One popular event is the highly-anticipated sex bingo. “The RAs hosted a sex bingo for students to come learn about safe sex and play bingo at the same time," said Sandt. "I loved seeing how engaged everyone was and overall it was such a fun time." Events like these are educational because they teach students something, even if it isn’t a “traditional” lesson. Educational events also include things like the recent cookies and cards, where RAs gave a mental health presentation, shared cookies and wrote Valentine’s Cards for a local nursing home, a tutorial on how to use the laundry machines or a kahoot about hall policies and the student handbook. Being an RA isn’t all about the work. There are plenty of fun things going on in residence life. Sandt shared that the professional staff, or pro staff and RHC have recently shown their appreciation with gifts, like blankets and winter coats. “Walking around with my Res Life jacket on rounds makes me feel "official" and puts a positive spin on certain job duties," said Sandt. "I am always excited when we receive something, even if it is as simple as a bag of candy from RHC, because it truly shows that we as RAs are valued." There are other, non-material benefits. “I have enjoyed getting to know my residents…I always have to smile when an old resident still feels comfortable talking to me about anything going on or even just saying hello when we are out and about,” said Sandt. Grabowski shared that her connections with the Pro Staff are one of the highlights of her Res Life experience. “It is very nice building close connections with a team of people that you will be working with very closely, they are all so helpful and are there to assist whenever you need it,” said Grabowski. The Office of residence life is located in the second floor of Max Roth, at 215 South Franklin Street, directly across from the Farley Library. To keep up with residence life, follow them on Instagram @wilkes_ reslife. Photo Courtesy Residence Life Instagram Evans second floor celebrates their victory in hall brawl back in October. �The Beacon - February 14, 2024 News 5 Programming Board welcomes all to Pickles-Barre By Emma Broda News Staff Writer On Feb. 8, Programming Board hosted Pickles-Barre in the MAC. The event had a wide variety of different pickles and pickleflavored foods. In addition to the many snacks to try, students also participated in a pickleball competition. Some of the pickles included bourbon maple pickles, dill pickles, sweet and sour pickles, bread and butter pickles and the TikTok famous chamoy pickle kit. While these were more classic flavors, the pickle flavored foods had a large assortment of flavors. These included pickle chips, pickle flavored popcorn, pickle dip, pickle pizza, pickle ranch dressing, pickle flavored wings, relish for hot dogs, fried pickles, a pineapple pickle drink and a pickle margarita mocktail. Both pickle lovers, and surprisingly a number of pickle haters who were willing to change their minds, gathered to try the treats, hang out with friends and try to win the pickleball tournament. Students shared both their favorite and least favorite snacks of the night. William Wolfgang, sophomore data science major, shared that his favorite of the spread were the bourbon maple pickles. Natalie Hernandez, senior accounting major, shared that she was a pickle lover, even saying that she “dips them in hummus,” and had been looking forward to the evening. Hernandez also shared that “The pickle wings were really good.” Eza Chaudhry, senior business management and marketing major, said that her favorites were “pickle chips, because they taste like pickles without being too much.” Chaudhry also shared that her least favorite was the pickle margherita. While pickles were the main star of the night, students also got to enjoy other foods like chicken tenders, onion rings and jalapeño poppers. After eating every variation of pickles and pickle flavored foods, students who never played pickleball before and regular players both got ready to play against each other in the pickleball competition. Wolfgang was excited to participate in the competition as he shared, “I’m so hyped to play pickleball after eating my pickles. I’ve never played before, but I play tennis so I’m looking forward to it.” Chaudhry also shared that she had never played before but was “so excited.” Whether students were self-proclaimed pickle lovers or pickle haters, everyone in attendance seemed to enjoy the huge spread of pickles and pickle flavored foods, and had fun playing pickleball in a friendly competition. While “Pickles-Barre” is not nearly as famous as “Pickles-burgh”, it was still a night of love for pickles and fun. The TikTok famous chamoy pickle kit which contains one pickle, a fruit roll up, chamoy sauce and tajin powder. TOP: From left, Aster Rowland, junior criminology major; Savannah Evanski, senior theater major; Alyssa Brown, first year psychology major; Abigail Malin, first-year psychology major; and Ozzie Priebe, first-year, history and sociology major take a break from pickle-eating to pose for a picture at Pickels-Barre. BOTTOM: From left to right: Ellie Schreiner, junior early education major, and Alexis Reedy, junior nursing major, playing pickleball. Photos: The Beacon/Emma Broda �The Beacon - February 14, 2024 News 6 Lunar New Year celebration draws crowd By Brooke Lare Staff Writer Monday night, the Office of Global Engagement and Residence Hall Council had a Lunar New Year celebration to commemorate the beginning of Chinese New Year. With this event, more than three dozen students came in and out to eat, make arts and crafts, and play trivia games for a chance to be entered into a raffle for a gift card. Students were also treated to a variety of Chinese food options, including vegetable dumplings and lo mein, which proved to be quite popular. Abigail Malin, Alyssa Brown and Sam Dempsey, all first-year students majoring in psychology had different reasons for attending, but all seemed to have a good time Malin said she was interested in the food provided. However, she arrived too late and the food had already been eaten. Brown wanted to learn more about the celebration, as she didn’t know much beforehand, and Dempsey came at the prompting of her mom, who encouraged to be more involved on campus. The trivia was interactive as students went around to each table to scan QR codes, encouraging people to mingle with one another. As much as it was fun, it was just as informative. Aniah Austin, a firstyear student majoring in business, was impressed with the food provided. She sampled everything, and enjoyed it all. As different students piled in, they could all be seen making different crafts laughing and having a good time. The success of the event was evident in the positive energy circulating throughout the room and K-Pop music playing over the speaker. Crafts and trivia were popular at the Lunar New Year celebration. The Lunar New Year celebration proved to be a popular event for a number of students on campus. Photos: The Beacon/Brooke Lare Who doesn't love a fortune cookie? Here's hoping this person's fortune comes true. �The Beacon - February 14, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Life, Arts & Entertainment Editor: Anthony.Cazun@wilkes.edu Wilkes Adventure Education hosts ropes course fundraising event By Anthony Cazun Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor On Feb. 11, WAE, or Wilkes Adventure Education, held a ropes course within the McHale Athletics Center here on campus. The event was comprised of various different ropes course obstacles that involved the attendee climbing, ducking and crawling in order to test the strength and resolve of the participant, all while having fun in a safe environment. The event had a small entrance fee in order to help fundraise a spring break trip to the Pacific Northwest. The money raised will help make it easier and more cost efficient for those within the WAE. “We are a rugged group that likes to find adventures that take students out of their comfort zone in a fun and safe atmosphere,” said Carolyn Purdy, senior psychology major and memeber of WAE. “We will be hiking, camping, rock climbing and whatever else we can get into in Washington, Oregon, and the tiniest part of California. This, along with other fundraisers, will help keep the cost low for students going on the trip.” According to Wilkes University’s website, WAE encourages students to step outside of their comfort zone and and participate in new experiences. Students in the club are trained to lead small (and big) groups on ropes courses and rock walls. The club also makes frequent day and weekend trips such as hikes, camping, and biking. The ropes course was set up inhouse by WAE members, staff and alumni, going to show that current and former members of WAE are incredibly passionate and knowledgable about ropes course obstacles and wall climbing. “It is important for students to have another outlet for fun on campus, especially here at Wilkes,” said senior history and political science major, A picture of the large rock climbing wall with various handholes. Visitor clumbing obstacle ladder. Kaelin Hughes. “WAE brings students outside of the “Wilkes block,” per se, and out into the surrounding area. It is a great way for students to explore and pursue their interests with the outdoors, building skills along the “wae” like backpacking and belaying for the rock wall and ropes courses.” Both purposes of the event were met, as the fundraiser was successful, drawing in people from within and outside of Wilkes Univeristy. As well as providing a fun and safe environment for attendees to enjoy. “We encourage everyone to take a step outside of their comfort zone and want to invite any and all adventurers, adrenaline junkies, climbers and nonclimbers, as well as people willing to try something new,” said Purdy. “We also have fun games going on a well, so you can give your arms a break or get moving in between taking cool pictures of your friends.” Keep a look out as WAE will also host a yoga night on Feb. 17 at 6:30 p.m. Sophomore environmental engineering major Ben Campbell and sophomore chemistry major Simon Ferrell helped work the course for Photos: The Beacon/Anthony Cazun the fundraiser. �The Beacon - February 14, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 Album of the Week: “In Rainbows” - Radiohead By Anthony Cazun Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor There are no words to describe the level of stardom and adoration the English alternative “rock” band Radiohead receives. Pioneers in more than one genre, creating some of the most visceral sonic landscapes and emotionally touching lyricism within contemporary music. After the massive success of their divisive song “Creep” off of their debut record “Pablo Honey,” Radiohead did a hard right turn in their sound, as they are now well known for doing repeatedly. To the more emotionally complex record “The Bends,” then the sterile and unnerving “OK Computer,” an album many may deem the greatest of the genre, if not of all time, to the cold and unfeeling ambience and soundscapes on “Kid A,” Radiohead have reinvented what it means to be Radiohead countless times. Once the band released “Amnesiac” in 2001 and “Hail To The Theif ” in 2003, the band’s contractual obligations were up, and there was no concrete need to continue as Radiohead. The band could split off, never to see each other again. After the daunting creation of their last albums, that was a large possibility. However, two years later in 2005, Radiohead resumed their work, lovingly crafting “In Rainbows.” The album breathed new life into the band. While the previous records were still acclaimed, the creative exhaustion was felt. “In Rainbows” felt like the converging point of all their previous sonic experimentation, giving fans the most versatile and fleshed out Radiohead project to date. The “Kid A” influence on “15 Step” and “Videotape,” the rocking grooves and hard hitting edge of their early records found on “Bodysnatchers” and “Jigsaw Falling Into Place,” to the more melodic “OK Computer” esque instrumentation on “Weird Fishes / Arpeggi” and “Nude,” all of the songs felt like the culmination of years of perfecting their craft. New songs that while having familiarity, craft their own uniquely beautiful identities. There is a lingering feeling of warmth throughout many of the tracks, primarily due to Colin Greenwood’s warm bass tone throughout much of the album, most noticably on the track “Nude.” The arpeggios and complex string arrangements that are now a signature Morgan Rich, Editor-in-Chief: Samara Carey, Asst. Opinion Editor London Boy - Taylor Swift Heartbreak on the Map - Samara Carey Amanda Montgomery, News Editor: “Freeze,” Opinion Staff Writer: Salt In The Wound - boygenius Emma Broda, News Staff Writer: It’s Too Late - Carole King Brooke Lare, News Staff Writer Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staff picks their favorite song of the week. Our very own Anthony Cazun has put together a Spotify playlist where you can scan it and listen to the Beacon’s staff weekly picks! Path - Altare Adam Grundt, Sports Asst. Editor: Linger - The Cranberries see the real - 21 Savage Sam Mullen, Sports. Asst. Editor: Anthony Cazun, LA&E Editor: Loose Control - Teddy Swims Suspension Without Suspense - No Doubt Graphics/Lara Mullen of Johnny Greenwood and Ed O’ Brian on tracks like “Weird Fishes,” The jazz-like quality of Phillip Selway’s drumming and of course the haunting and beautiful lyricism written by Thom York. Every member playing their role perfectly, creating a cohesive and cerebral experience. The album would release in 2007 on their website with nearly no buildup. The album was live, and the customer was given the option to pay any price they wanted, an unheard of practice at the time. The record would gain universal appraise from both critics and fans alike. What could have been the end of the band ended up being possibly their greatest achievement. Cally Williams, LA&E Staff Writer: Never Love an Anchor - The Crane Wives Lara Mullen, Designer: Possum Kingdom - Toadies Sydney Allabaugh, Opinion Editor: Liz Cherinka, Social Media Manager: 0% - $NOT, ZillaKami Cool About It - boygenius �The Beacon – February 14, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 9 HPSC holds a donut fundraiser sure to raise spirits By Cally Williams Life, Arts and Entertainment Staff Writer The cold winter weather often brings down everyone’s spirits. With the drab weather and lack of daylight, sometimes a little pop of color and a donut is all that is needed to brighten up someone’s day. The Honors Program Student Committee, also known as HPSC, held a fundraiser for their program by selling Valentine’s day donuts for $2 each and giving students a chance to make Valentine’s Day cards. Valentine’s Day acts as a nice pop of color and friendly warmth in the middle of winter. Feb. 14 is Valentine’s Day’s actual date, but Wilkes University students are starting their festivities a little bit earlier. Several Valentine’s Day events have been happening all around campus from bouquet making to chocolate rose sales. The HPSC held their fundraiser on Feb. 8 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Student Union Building. Students from the HPSC set up a table with colorful paper and drawing supplies. The HPSC is made up of honors students who want to have a voice within the honors program. “It is a cute little fundraiser,” said Nick Devitis, junior psychology major and president of HPSC. Zoe Morley, sophomore biology major and HPSC director of publicity, also helped with the fundraiser. She enjoyed the Valentine’s Day event because of the colors. “I just like pink,” said Morley, “Everything is pink!” As Morley described, there was a lot of pink in the Henry Center. There was an assortment of Valentine’s themed donuts. From heart shaped to pink sprinkles to just glazed, the pink and red donuts helped share some Valentine’s Day love. Along with the donuts, students stopped by the stand to make cards for their friends and loved ones. The HPSC provided construction paper and markers for students to make their own Valentine’s cards. The cards came in shades of red, orange, green, yellow and more. “I think it was a great idea,” said senior musical theater major Olivia Scarborough. “It is nice that they offer that for people to make things for their loves ones or themselves. It is also a smart idea because who does not love a donut?” Valentine’s cards have been a tradition for a very long time. Whether it is the little store bought ones that kids give out to their classmates or a homemade card, valentines are a holiday staple. The tradition of giving out “valentines” comes from the legend of St. Valentine. The legend states that a man named Valentine was imprisoned and eventually executed. He fell in love with the daughter of his jailer and sent her letters from his cell before he died. While this is not the first instance of Valentine’s Day being celebrated, it is a well known legend that gave us the Valentine’s cards that we know now. As well as the story of St. Valentine, the modern holiday also may originate from a Pagan holiday called Lupercalia where men picked women’s names out of a jar for a date. “It is just something fun to do to get into the holiday,” said Devitis. “It was more about the cards than making money.” Photo Courtesty of the Wilkes Honors & Scholars Program’s Instagram From left, sophomore political science, international relations and history major, Morgan Steiner; sophomore nursing major, Sydney Farmer; and sophomore biology major, Zoe Morley, sell donuts in the SUB for HPSC. �The Beacon - February 14, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment Winter Word Search ��������������������������������� �������� Words to find! blizzard festive gloves hockey igloo mittens scarf sleet storm cocoa fireplace grey ice wind sknitwear penguin skating snow tea evergreen freezing hat icicle layers polar ski solstice Answer Key: Credit for these puzzles goes to: www.puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com Compiled by Morgan Rich, Editor In Chief 10 �The Beacon – February 14, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 11 Universal Music Group ends partnership with TikTok By Anthony Cazun Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor The stranglehold that TikTok’s grip has on the music industry is no secret by any means. What used to be in the form of album sales is now within the hands of TikTok, the current arbiter of what goes platinum. Or at least, they were, as it seems that concept may be in the rearview mirror very soon. This is because the Universal Music Group, or UMG, has decided to end its partnership with the TikTok and pull all of their music from the application. UMG is one of if not the largest music companies in the entire world, holding ownership over many of the largest record labels in the industry. These include Abbey Road Studios, Capitol Records, Virgin Records, Def Jam Recordings, Island Records, Republic Records, EMI and many more. This domination of record labels means they own the rights to many of the largest artists of today, including Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Bad Bunny, BTS, SZA, Billie Eilish, Adele, Harry Styles, Ariana Grande, Elton John, Drake and many more. All of these artists being pulled from TikTok is undoubtebly an incoming disaster for the TikTok service, as they rely heavily on music for their user experience. “Music is at the heart of the TikTok experience,” said TikTok during their annual music report in 2021. UMG is largely responsible for that experience, thus UMG’s anger that TikTok is refusing to play nice. “I think it is frustrating for a lot of people who used that music as their audio on videos and for viewers that enjoyed those audios,” said senior middle level mathematics education major Emma Freels. “Since UMG is a lot of big artists, like Justin Bieber, UMG pulling their songs removes a lot of songs from videos on TikTok.” UMG stated in an open letter titled “AN OPEN LETTER TO THE ARTIST AND SONGWRITER COMMUNITY - WHY WE MUST CALL TIME OUT ON TIKTOK” that TikTok has been neglectful of their responsibilities as a platform primarily centered around music, as well as unwilling to budge on various key issues. “In our contract renewal discussions, we have been pressing them on three critical issues—appropriate compensation for our artists and songwriters, protecting human artists from the harmful effects of AI, and online safety for TikTok’s users,” said UMG in their open letter. UMG goes on to state that TikTok is refusing to pay artists properly and is engaged in a strategy to bully record labels for less money than market value. “As much as I personally find it annoying to come across a lot of muted videos now, I understand that UMG did it for the reason of artists not getting the money they deserve for their music being used,” said junior biology major Amelia Smicherko. UMG also stated that TikTok has done nothing to quell the fear many artists have about A.I. voice and likeness replication. “We honor our responsibilities with the utmost seriousness. Intimidation and threats will never cause us to shirk those responsibilities,” were the closing words in UMG’s statement. TikTok then fired back in their own statement, accusing UMG of perpetuating a false narrative. “Despite Universal’s false narrative and rhetoric, the fact is they have chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent,” said TikTok. Many speculate that the reason for TikTok attempting to pay much less than their contemporaries is because of their free promotion strategy, which has its pros and cons. “I think that this entire situation was a shock for everyone, especially for TikTok creators and fans,” said senior early childhood education major Amanda Merrick-Tompkins. “I know a lot of people feel silenced and disappointed after their favorite artists were removed from the platform. I am worried for the younger community that turns to TikTok to find a sense of comfort and entertainment, I think this is something that will negatively affect the community. “Myself, I am definitely upset knowing that I will not be hearing s o m e of my favorite artists on the app.” T i k To k t h e n accused U M G of being negligent toward their own artists, mirroring UMG’s claims against TikTok. “ T i k To k has been able to reach ‘artist-first’ agreements with every other label and publisher,” TikTok stated. “Clearly, Universal’s self-serving actions are not in the best interests of artists, songwriters and fans..” There is no knowing if UMG and TikTok will reach a compromise, but at this moment, users will have to get more crafty and creative with their song choices. “If TikTok is such a wealthy company though, it really makes no sense to me why they could not just come up with a better agreement because I think having all this music on TikTok really benefits both sides,” said Smicherko. Graphic/Morgan Rich ���The Beacon - February 14, 2024 Opinion Editorial Staff 2023-24 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Morgan Rich Social Media Manager - Liz Cherinka Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Amanda Montgomery Opinion - Sydney Allabaugh ASSISTANT EDITORS LA&E - Anthony Cazun Opinion: Samara Carey Sports - Adam Grundt Sports - Sam Mullen DESIGNERS Designer - Lara Mullen Layout Designer - Brady Melovitz SECTION STAFF WRITERS News - Emma Broda LA&E - Cally Williams LA&E - Brooke Lare Opinion - “Freeze” Want to join The Beacon? Several positions are open! Contact : kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or morgan.rich@wilkes.edu 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 Morgan Rich at morgan.rich@wilkes. edu The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact opinion editor: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu. Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. Award show results should hold less influence The 66th annual Grammy Awards was hosted on Sunday, Feb. 4. To no surprise, people had something to say about virtually every aspect. From iconic performances like Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs, to Miley Cyrus winning her first Grammy, the night was full of surprises. The host was comedian Trevor Noah, and based on the lack of any social media eruption, he did not say any outlandish jokes, which is good, considering the fact that the public still have not been able to get over the monstrosity that was the Golden Globes. Although little was said about Trevor Noah, people still had their complaints. Whether it was about Lana Del Rey not winning any of her nominations that night, or Taylor Swift winning far too much for the people’s liking, the audience is never going to be pleased when watching the night unfold live. That being said, society should stop treating award shows as gospel, and instead, we should make our own opinions on the nominees without being so impacted by the Academy’s decision. It is understandably discouraging to watch our favorite artist lose an award they were nominated for, but that does not mean that their work is bad. With that in mind, it is important to not outwardly hate on the people that do win these awards. There was an absurd amount of hate online regarding the winners at this year’s Grammys. One of the awards to point out specifically is the one that was granted for “Best New Artist.” Up and coming R&B artist, Victoria Monét, graciously won the award. After this was announced, the internet completely blew up in flames over it. This was completely unnecessary. We should not discredit the work she has done to get to this point in her career. It goes without saying that Taylor Swift also received a disproportionate amount of hate online, with many saying that other artists deserved to win more. Although it is understandable to feel this way, no one should be blaming or sending hate towards the artists. While this may seem obvious to most people, it is important to remember that for many artists, even being nominated was a struggle and an accomplishment. Chances are, if they received the nomination, their work is likely deserving of one. The original point still stands though, which is that we should not take these award shows so seriously. Yes, it is fun to tune into the show itself, watch the performances and judge the different outfits that you see on the red carpet, but, at the end of the day, these award shows are not always earnest or of the highest authority to assess music. Award shows are just different marketing strategies for the entertainment industry to cling onto to make money, attract viewership and create buzz. There are also countless controversies of Academies snubbing artists who are women or minorities, which was brought up at the Grammys in Jay-Z’s speech. Although being awarded a Grammy is an achievement, there are countless amazing artists who never received one. We should not allow award shows to influence our music opinions, and the results should not result in hate towards the artists. 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: morgan.rich@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 14, 2024 Opinion The Icebox: A review of The Return of The Red mobile game “Marvel SNAP” Raven: an original story By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer Do you remember in 2018 when our favorite superheroes all teamed up to fight the big bad Thanos? If so, then you probably also recall that he blew us all away with the snap of his fingers. Let’s be honest, things haven’t really been okay since that happened. The real world has experienced countless disasters. However, there are many good things that came of it. One of those things is a hit known as “Marvel SNAP”. “Marvel SNAP” is a basic turn-based card game that is available to play for free on mobile. Wait a minute! I know it doesn’t sound very exciting. However, this game is not like the rest, I promise. The game was inspired by the devastation that Thanos brought to the universe and officially released in 2022, so it is a relatively new game. First of all, this game is unique in its structure, and there are no other card games out there that would compare to the style of play. One game can last anywhere from thirty seconds to three minutes, but it never exceeds that! This means that you can crack out several victories in just the matter of ten minutes, depending on how good you are. The reason why matches are so short is because the developers wanted their target audience to be anyone who likes superheroes and villains. Moreover, they felt inspired to make a game that could be played while sitting on the toilet, as Ben Brode, cofounder of Second Dinner, said because he once broke his leg playing Hearthstone when the match lasted forty minutes while he sat on the toilet. The gameplay is just as simple as the match progression. Two players face off with decks of 12 cards in order to claim the best of three locations on the table. There are only six turns in the game, with the exception of a few cards that can add or remove one turn. The first location is revealed on the first turn, the second on the second turn and the final on the third turn. Each location has four spots for cards and its own ability, which could drastically change the game. Therefore, players must strategize from turns one to three in order to maximize their power output. Power is determined by the cards that are placed at each location. But wait, can’t players just build a deck with really high power and win every time? No, because there is also a cost system! Each turn players get increasing amounts of energy. On the first turn you get one energy, and then it increases by one each turn unless certain cards are played to change that. The energy is used to place cards that cost from zero to six energy. Generally, the higher the cost the more powerful or useful the card is. Most cards have one of two natures. “Ongoing” cards have an effect that lasts the whole game, while “On Reveal” cards have an effect that only happens once. A lot of decks combine these types of cards to result in the best synergy. The developers were sure to make some cards work very well with others on purpose to make it easier for players. For example, all of the Spider-Man-related cards have similar abilities that have to do with moving cards from one location to another. Personally, I enjoy the “Destroy” decks, which involve cards that destroy other cards to gain more power. Carnage gains two power for every card it destroys on reveal, and Venom gains the power of any card that it destroys. They both cost under three energy and work well with the king of symbiotes, Knull, whose power is equal to every card that was destroyed the whole game! “Marvel SNAP” has an excellent matchmaking system, and it is very easy to rank higher. If you start losing a match, you have the option to “Retreat” in order to lose less of your rank progress. Be a good sport and don’t close the app on your opponent! They will still win, but will have to wait through each turn anyway. The fact that such a wonderful game is free-to-play on mobile makes it even more spectacular. You can assemble the Avengers, or take the streets with the Midnight Suns. From Howard the Duck to Galactus the Devourer, “Marvel SNAP” takes all of your favorite heroes and villains and puts them on the table. Get ready to snap to dust! By Leah Smith Contributing Writer PART 10 Isabelle repeated, “Dad, are you telling me the truth?” Rick stared deeply into his daughter’s eyes. His face held no expression, and he didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t stand lying to her, but he’s done it before. He nodded, “Yeah, that’s what happened.” Isabelle exhaled and took a seat next to Rick. “Okay, I’ll stay here until the doctor comes back to make sure dad is okay,” Isabelle said. “That’s fine with me,” Rick mumbled. Rick leaned his head back, trying to calm his nerves. As he began to close his eyes, his phone lit up in his pocket and began to buzz. His whole body jolted as his fingers clumsily searched for his phone in his pocket. He looked at the caller name and saw that it was labeled as “UNKNOWN.” Panic electrified his body as he started to get out of his chair. “Where are you going?” Isabelle asked. “It’s an important call, nothing to worry about,” Rick stammered. He walked out of the waiting room and stepped into the same bathroom he was in before. He locked the door and quickly tapped the green call button. “Hello?” he asked reluctantly. “Mr. Greenblatt, it’s nice to hear your voice again,” the unknown killer said. “Oh god,” Rick said with choked tears. He slid down down the wall and hugged his legs. “You were really hoping it wasn’t me, weren’t you? I appreciate the fear, Mr. Greenblatt. It makes me feel like I’ve done a good job with what I’m doing. Unless, of course, you’re acting. Then again, you’re really selling it if you are,” the killer teased. “What do you want now?” Rick demanded. “I realize I have missed one cast member from the show. I’m ashamed of myself, really because I feel she should’ve been the first one I killed,” the killer replied. “Who?” “Oh, I think you would know her very well, Mr. Greenblatt. I remember seeing all of the tabloid magazines talking about your affair with this certain woman. She was only 15 your love interest throughout the show.” Rick froze, “...Vivian?” “That’s right, Mr. Greenblatt. Vivian Keller, the femme fatale Scarlet Redwood herself. She’s been doing quite well for herself after the Red Raven ended, y’know? I know you two haven’t talked in a while because well, you know. Anyway, I’m outside her door right now with a rope and I think it’s time I pay her a visit,” the killer explained. “Don’t you lay a finger on her, or I swear I will kill you myself,” Rick threatened. The killer gasped, “Mr. Greenblatt, that’s not in the script! You know that the Red Raven doesn’t kill people! Besides, you’re at the emergency wing at the memorial hospital sobbing onto your daughter’s arms. By the way, you didn’t tell her about me, did you?” “No. I lied to keep her safe,” Rick answered. “You tell yourself that a lot I bet. That’s good though, we can just keep all of this to ourselves.” “I’m not going to let you get away with this, whoever you are.” “Now that sounds like the old Red Raven I know and love! This is all a dream come true to me, you don’t even know. Now, I have to go if I’m going to make this perfect. I’ll keep in touch. Farewell, Red Raven.” The call ended and Rick ran out of the bathroom. He hurried back into the waiting room and grabbed onto Isabelle’s shoulders. “What is it?” Isabelle said, letting go of Rick’s grasp. “It- Dammit, I can’t say,” Rick shook his head. “What’s wrong, dad?” Isabelle asked again. Finally, Rick told the truth. “The killer, the one that killed Teddy Flowers, they called me. They held Cameron hostage and tortured him. I found Cameron downstairs in the basement and realized the killer was in the house. I tried to find them but they were gone, and I took Cameron to the hospital. Now, they called again and said that they were going to kill Vivian Keller. Izzy, I’m so sorry for keeping this from you.” Isabelle was speechless. “They told me if I told you then they would come after you and I di-” Isabelle cut off Rick and said, “I’ll find Vivian. We’ll talk later.” To be continued... �The Beacon - February 14, 2024 Opinion 16 Why are Americans increasingly leaving religion behind? The importance of finding meaning as a nonreligious person By Sydney Allabaugh Opinion Editor “In God We Trust” is the official motto of the United States, yet for many Americans, the Christian God and religion are no longer at the forefront of their lives. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 29 percent of U.S. adults identify as religiously unaffiliated. As recent as 1990, this number was only at 5 percent, with 90 percent of U.S. adults identifying as Christian. This rise of unaffiliates shows no signs of stopping. The Pew Research Center predicts that around half the nation will be religiously unaffiliated by 2070 if trends continue. So, why is this? Half of those who left religion say they did so because they simply no longer believe. Common responses in Pew surveys cite rational thought, evolution and a lack of scientific evidence as contributing factors of their choice. Others, about 20 percent, left because they dislike organized religion, commonly citing corruption, contributions to social division, clergy sex abuse scandals and anti-LGBTQ+ teachings as their rationale. Regardless of reasoning, some see this trend as problematic. They argue a loss of religion will likely lead to an increase in depression as religion historically provided answers to life’s toughest questions, relieved anxiety and gave people purpose and meaning. Frankly, research supports this notion. Rachel Bonelli, Rachel Dew and other researchers reviewed hundreds of studies done on the correlation between religion and depression and published their comprehensive review in the National Library of Medicine. They concluded that 272 out of the 444 studies found less depression among those more religious, and in general, those with no affiliation experienced higher rates of depression than other groups. Why is this? According to this research summary, it is possible that organized religion helps people cope, offers a strong support system and provides meaning. Also, religious involvement has been associated with “greater altruism, gratefulness, forgiveness, marital satisfaction, less delinquency/crime, better school performance, less substance abuse and more disease prevention activities,” all of which foster fewer life stressors in the first place. Commonly, those who see this rise in unaffiliates as problematic use this research to argue why Americans need to go back to religion. However, when you consider the reasons why people left in the first place, it is easy to see how that isn’t a feasible solution. As previously stated, the primary reason why people leave religion is because they do not believe in God. This is not something that can be easily reconsidered, especially since there is not necessarily a way to prove a higher power exists. The secondary reason is because they dislike organized religion. Although there are ways in which the church can attempt to reestablish trustworthiness, there would likely need to be significant proof of integrity or reconstruction to allow for any reconsideration from unaffiliates, and some may still be simply uninterested in returning. Instead of ignoring the issues or fighting this trend and trying to force uninterested unaffiliates back into religion, it seems as though it would be more productive to accept and embrace it and determine how they can feel fulfilled and recover from depression without relying on religion. I, nor anyone else for that matter, has objective answers on how everyone can find meaning and fulfillment. Personally, I do not even believe an objective meaning or purpose of life exists. However, if we continue to stray from religion moving forward, I think we should be empowered to actively work towards finding that meaning for ourselves and act in ways that foster fulfillment and happiness. Although it can be scary to think about, I find a sense of purpose in the impermanence of things as it reminds me to suck the marrow out of life, to appreciate those around me, to accomplish, learn, share and experience all I can and to be grateful each day because I may not have the opportunity to tomorrow. I try to reflect this perspective in my actions, by spending time with and appreciating loved ones, taking opportunities given to me, emphasizing education, trying to be present and caring for myself to the best of my ability, all of which are behaviors that foster lower rates of depression in religious people according to the previously discussed NLM research. Obviously, my perspective is not the correct or only way to fulfilment. My point is solely that finding meaning without religion is possible, and it is something that should be actively sought after and worked towards to allow for fulfillment, happiness and direction in life, especially among those who no longer are guided by religion. The search does not have to be difficult. Soul-searching, talking with others and reading could act as a helpful guide. Purpose does not necessarily have to be profound. Potentially, education, activism, family or volunteering, for example, can be a source of happiness and fulfillment. Regardless of what it is, you should find your reason, but it does not have to be religion. Graphic by Laura De Lora �The Beacon - February 14, 2024 Opinion 17 Why we should care about and support the BDS movement By Shawn Carey Contributing Writer There isn’t an easy way to describe the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. I want to say that the last few months have been crazy, but that would be partly untrue. Yes, there has been a lot going on; however, the problems Palestinians have been facing aren’t exactly new. So much has been coming out about the tragedies that the people of Palestine have been facing. Every day countless articles are released discussing the atrocities that Israel commits. What makes this worse is that it seems like the majority of people believe that the conflict is a recent event. In reality, it started all the way back in 1948 when Israel declared its independence. As a country we have to ask ourselves a question: How are we, the United States, responding to this. America has an extremely long history of joining in other nations’ conflicts, especially if it’s for a cause we deem as just, acting almost as a global peacekeeper. The two most well-known examples of this would be when the U.S. entered the Vietnam and Korean War as an attempt to prevent the spread of communism. So how are we, one of seven global superpowers, responding to seeing Palestine getting repeatedly attacked? We joined the side of the people against them. The United States has decided to side with Israel and has been doing so for a long time. The earliest record of us having a positive relationship with Israel dates all the way back to the late 1940s when America became the first state country to recognize Israel as an independent state. In the modern age, we have been showering the country with financial, military and political support. According to researcher Sahar Okhovat, we have used our United Nations Security Council veto power a substantial 42 times between 1991 and 2011 against resolutions condemning Israel. It’s not just the government supporting Israel however, many popular American brands and actors have been very vocal about who they side with in the conflict. Many companies have made posts on their social media discussing the conflict. The posts all follow the same pattern. They open up by framing the people of Palestine as the enemy and close with them sending their thoughts and prays to Israel. In most cases, this is the most effort these brands put in. However, sometimes they go the extra mile. McDonald’s and Starbucks have made headlines for their support of Israel. The Hill journalist Miranda Nazzaro reported that McDonald’s has been providing Israeli soldiers with free meals. Meanwhile, Starbucks sued Workers United, the union organizing its workers, for a pro-Palestinian social media post, saying that it would damage the company’s reputation, according to Dee-Ann Durbin from AP. There are a few more major companies supporting or helping Israel, such as HP who’s helping run the biometric ID system that Israel uses to restrict Palestinian movement. However, the two I previously mentioned differ from others due to how the public reacted. For a few months now, McDonald’s and Starbucks have been the target of a mass boycott. Countless regular customers are now refusing to shop at the restaurant due to their direct or implied support for Israel. There have been countless boycotts throughout the years, with various degrees of success. In most cases, the boycott slowly fades away and people forget about it. This one is different however. The two mega corporations have seen a huge loss in their earnings. Beth Kowitt from Bloomberg reported that Starbucks lost about 9 percent of its market share, which translates to about $11 billion. We don’t have a concrete amount for McDonald’s yet; however, the CEO released a report on Monday saying the ongoing tensions in the Middle East are putting a dent in its business. Upon the news release, investors’ shares dropped by about 3.7 percent. With all that being said, what is the future of the boycott looking like? I usually try to avoid getting ahead of myself in these articles, however, this is an exception. We the people have successfully been able to scare these two large and powerful corporations. They now know that they’re not invincible and that their actions have consequences. I can see the boycott expanding out to other companies, affecting the likes of Burger King and Kraft, two other brands that have shown direct support for Israel. This can also show other companies that we are not willing to sit and watch them support the massacre of innocent people, making them think twice about if and how they want to support Israel. I truly believe that if we continue fighting back, we can make things a little easier for Palestine and its people. Don’t forget, free Palestine. Graphic by Laura De Lora �The Beacon - February 14, 2024 Opinion 18 This week's wrap on rap: A review of recent rap singles Lil Yachty, Kid Cudi, Don Toliver and more By Logan Colonna Opinion Staff Writer As February kicks off, we have multiple singles that have been released from bigger artists like Logic, Lil Yachty, Kid Cudi and more. Today, I’m going to go over the singles that I’ve listened to this week, good or bad. "Fear" - Logic The first single from this week that was on my radar was Logic’s “Fear.” I was excited for this single simply because it’s used as the lead single to Logic’s most anticipated album yet, “Ultra 85.” As we dive into the track, sonically we hear what we usually hear from him, but it sounds a lot more upbeat than usual. His performance here is great as there’s a lot of switches on his delivery and flow. My favorite part about the track is the cheerful keyboard chords along with other instruments being played. The production really brings this song altogether. Halfway in, the beat slows down and allows Logic to get a little melodic as we saw him do at the end of his last studio album, “College Park.” Here, we saw Logic wanting to branch out from rap, not wanting to be tied down artistically. This single is a continuation of this. We even hear Logic talking about not suppressing himself anymore and becoming the person he truly wants to by getting rid of his fears of judgment. I love both this single’s message and the overall sound of it. "A Cold Sunday" - Lil Yachty We also received a surprise drop from Lil Yachty. He released the rest of a snippet from his “Verses Im Proud of ” series from his TikTok. “A Cold Sunday” dives into his outlook on his success he’s had since his reinsurance from his album last year. He then ends the track stating that he’ll die for the respect of his music, pretty much signifying that he’s not going anywhere soon and is here to stay. The song is a short two-minutes, but showcases one of the best performances I’ve seen from him. From the amazing, catchy delivery that he adopts to the smooth, “oldie” instrumental that he raps over, everything from this song is certainly something to be proud of. "Black Ops" - Kid Cudi ft. Denzel Curry Kicking it off with Kid Cudi’s “ B l a c k Ops” is a video game s o u n d i n g instrumental. I don’t know how to explain it exactly apart from saying it’s a little “pixel-y.” Much of what is here is strongly related to his album he just released last month, “INSANO.” The track also showcases a feature from none other than Denzel Curry. I’ve been wanting to hear more from him ever since his near-perfect 2022 record, “Melt My Eyez See Your Future.” Denzel steers away from his usual, gritty sound and opts in for more of a lighter tone. While he is still rapping like he normally does, the flow and delivery we see on this track is really floaty and bubbly. While the track was really good, I just wish it was marketed well. Before the day of, I had no idea the song came out. Unrelated to the actual song, Kid Cudi teased a deluxe version of “INSANO,” which will be offering 18 new tracks, practically acting as a whole new album, so stay tuned for that within the year (hopefully). "Bandit" - Don Toliver Next, we have the highly anticipated track from Don Toliver, “Bandit.” The song samples Tame Impala’s “One More Hour” and builds itself around the track quite a lot. In fact, the entire instrumental is just one section from the song being chopped over and over again into itself. As fans heard this song previewed at multiple concerts f r o m London, Birmingham and more, they all loved it from that point. Sonically, the song has hardhitting 808s and showcases Don rapping like his life depended on it. He’s not entirely known for his rapping, compared to his R&B-inspired tracks, so it’s nice to see him polish it off once in a while. I do wish Don had more than just a single verse on this track, but I still enjoyed what I heard nonetheless. To begin, the production is really uninspiring as it’s the most boring trap beat I've heard in a long time. It’s just a piano along with 808s, and that's pretty much it. To add on, Both OT’s and Dababy’s verses are even more boring than the instrumental. OT has the better verse and vocals easily, but it doesn’t really match with the production. He was known for having a Western voice, while this song has the least Western-sounding beat. DaBaby comes in with the same flow he’s used from 2019. It’s really getting tiring to hear the same thing from him for the hundredth time in the row now. This song had a lot of potential with the collaboration between the two but missed the mark by a lot. Check out what's up on Wilkes' own WCLH Tuesdays 5 p.m. to midnight Hip Hop Coming soon... some changes to WCLH's programming "Point Em Out" - That Mexican OT & DaBaby Eight months after his breakout single debuted, “Johnny Dang,” That Mexican OT dropped a song with DaBaby titled, “Point Em Out.” I really wanted this song to be stellar, but it’s everything but that if I’m being transparent. Graphic by Laura De Lora �The Beacon - February 14, 2024 Sports 19 Sports Stars Shine At Super Bowl LVIII Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: Adam.grundt@wilkes.edu Chiefs dethrone the 49ers as Patrick Mahomes wins SuperBowl MVP for the third time. By Adam Grundt Asst. Sports Editor Taylor Swift. Patrick Mahomes. Travis Kelce. Usher. As the stars were shining in Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVIII, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in the “big game” to repeat as champions. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs to a 25-22 victory over the 49ers behind 333 yards passing, two passing touchdowns, and 66 rushing yards. Mahomes was named the game’s most valuable player after his performance in the game. After a slow first half, Mahomes turned it up in the second half and put on a veteran-like performance to secure his status as the best quarterback in the National Football League. Mahomes fought off a slow start by connecting with Marquez ValdezScantling for a touchdown early in the third quarter. He only turned up to the intensity from there, as he led the Chiefs down the field in overtime to save their season. He connected with wide receiver Mecole Hardman for a game-winning touchdown that allowed the Chiefs to become Super Bowl champions. Travis Kelce was Mahomes’s favorite target of the night. He connected with Kelce for nine receptions and 93 receiving yards. Pop superstar Taylor Swift was in attendance after playing a sold-out show in Tokyo just a few days prior. The broadcast repeatedly showed Swift in her seat alongside other members of the music industry. Swift flew across the globe from Japan back to the States in order to be there to support her boyfriend, Travis Kelce. She was spotted sitting in a suite with Kelce’s mom, and brother Jason, and fellow star Ice Spice. Kelce embraced Swift following his third Super Bowl victory. Usher performed in this year’s halftime show, and his ability to perform was on display. Through dance moves and his outstanding voice, he performed hit songs such as “Yeah!”, “My Boo”, and “U Got It Bad”, and brought out fellow music legends Alicia Keys, Lil Jon and Ludacris. San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy had a stellar outing in his first Super Bowl appearance. He threw for 255 yards passing and a touchdown, but that wasn’t enough to dethrone the Chiefs’ dynasty. 49ers kicker Jake Moody drained a 55yard field goal in the second quarter. At the time, it was the longest field goal in Super Bowl history. Shortly after, in the second half, Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker broke Moody’s shortly-held record and hit a 57- yard field goal. By the end of the game, Butker finished with four field goals and Moody hit three. The 49ers were dealt with some injuries suffered by players throughout the game. Star linebacker Dre Greenlaw, tight end George Kittle, and wide receiver Deebo Samuel were all dealing with injuries that either caused them to play hurt or have to be removed from the game. Next year, Super Bowl LIX will be held on Feb 9. The game will be held at the Caesar’s Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. �The Beacon - February 14, 2024 Wilkes men’s lacrosse team ready for action By Ava Tureen Sports Writer As a new season approaches, the men’s lacrosse team is ready for action this spring. The team’s first game is Feb. 25 against Manhattanville College. It is the team’s first season in the Landmark conference. This is a more challenging conference than the MAC conference they were in before but they feel up to the competition. This season, the lacrosse team welcomes seven first-year athletes to the team. Owen Peters is one of those athletes, and is from Oreland PA. Peters also has family ties to Wilkes University; his mother played for the women’s field hockey team and because of that, he felt strongly about being an athlete at Wilkes as well. “What made me want to play Wilkes lacrosse had a lot to do with my mom and her legacy,” Peters said. “She is in the hall of fame for field hockey.” Last season the team won four games and lost 13. Colby Opromolla is a senior from Patterson, N.Y. Opromolla had a major impact on the four games the team did win. Last season he threw 61 shots and made 18 goals and 18 assists. Colby’s shot percentage has gone up over .100 from the 2022 season to the 2023 season. Michael Rauch is a sophomore on the team from Jackson N.J. Rauch plays as a defensive/ long stick midfielder for the team. Last season he picked up 48 ground balls and had 20 turnovers during his freshman season. Rauch loves playing lacrosse and values the relationships he’s made by being a part of the team. “Going into my 13th straight year of playing lacrosse I’m happy that I am still able to find people that are just as enthusiastic about a sport as me,” Rauch said. “These bonds extend both on and off the field, whether we are clashing heads on the field or making time to hang out while Sports studying for school or just to have fun.” Joey Marino is a senior from Swedesboro, N.J. He is the starting goalie for this season and was also for the 2023 season. During the 2023 season, Marino had 236 saves and played over 900 minutes. Last season, he also won Conference Player of the Week: MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Week. Joey hopes to beat save records this season. “This season my goals would be earning conference honors at the end of the season and breaking one of the program save records,” Marino said.. Marino is determined to have an all around better season and become a more cohesive team. “I hope to be more of a leader to help our defense be more efficient and also be more consistent in games,” he added. Dillion Kadis is a graduate student on the team from Mcsherrystown, PA. His position for the team was Attack. During his 2022 and 2023 season he was consistent, staying at 38 and 39 shots on goal in 2022 and 2023. He scored 13 goals last season and 10 assists. One of the four games the team won last season was against Manhattanville with a score of 11-9. The last game they played was against King’s College, where they defeated them 11-9. During the King’s game, they had 39 ground balls and had 26 turnovers. They hope to play another great game against King’s College this season. The team had a few game highs including the 46 turnovers against Neumann University. During their win against Rosemont they had a high of 15 points and 10 assists. They picked up 48 ground balls during their Utica game last season. They are training hard on and off the field hoping to have an efficient and consistent season. The Colonels open their home season at Schmidt Stadium against Utica on March 2. 20 �Sports The Beacon - February 14, 2024 21 A way-too-early MLB season prediction By Adam Grundt Asst. Sports Editor As winter slowly turns to spring and players start reporting to spring training, the MLB season is right around the corner. Teams have spent a large sum of money on contracts in the offseason in order to better their chances at a World Series title. One team in particular seems to be the favorite to win the “Fall Classic” this season. After locking in two Japanese superstars, the Los Angeles Dodgers seem to be the favorites to win the World Series during the preseason. Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers agreed to a contract that will pay him $700 million over the next 20 years in total. His contract is only for 10 years of playing time, and most of the money is deferred. He will be paid $68 million every July 1 from 2034-2043. In addition, the Dodgers also signed star pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He is a three-time Eiji Sawamura award winner (the best pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan, equivalent to the MLB’s Cy Young Award) and a three-time winner of the Pacific League’s MVP award. The Los Angeles Dodgers signed him to a 12year contract worth $325 million in December. In addition to these groundbreaking contracts, a seismic trade was completed this offseason between the San Diego Padres and New York Yankees this offseason. Superstar outfielder Juan Soto will call Yankee Stadium home for the 2023 season. As one of the best outfielders in the game of baseball coming off an all-star caliber season with San Diego, Soto hit .275 with an on-base percentage of .412. He led the MLB in walks last season with 132, and hit 35 home runs and drove in 109 runs. The Atlanta Braves are another team set to compete in the 2024 season. Ronald Acuña Jr., one of if not the best outfielder in the game of baseball, is coming off a career season where he stole 73 bases. A player in the Major Leagues had not stolen more than 70 bases in a season since 2009. In 2023, he was the National League’s most valuable player. Playing alongside one of the best pitching staffs in Major League Baseball and fellow stars Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies, the Braves are certainly one of the league’s best teams and will certainly make noise this October. Throughout the offseason, teams and players have worked tirelessly to better themselves and their organizations. Some teams are in pursuit of chasing a World Series championship, while others are sitting back and going through a rebuilding phase. The Texas Rangers, who were crowned champions in 2023, are looking to beat the “championship hangover” and repeat as World Series champions in 2024. Many experts believe the Texas Rangers have what it takes to repeat as champions of the fall classic. Corey Seager, who was the most valuable player in the World Series last season, is poised to have a stellar season in 2024. A player who has had trouble staying healthy throughout the course of his career, will undoubtedly be one of the best shortstops and overall players in baseball if he is to remain off of the disabled list in 2025. The Baltimore Orioles had a breakout season in 2023, and have improved the area in which they struggled with during that season. Corbin Burnes, one of the best pitchers in baseball, was recently acquired by the Orioles in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. With Burnes on the mound and players like Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson playing behind him, Baltimore will certainly be the team to beat in the American League East division. As always, there is a lot of speculation on who will win the World Series as pitchers and catchers begin to report to Spring Training. Major League Baseball has the longest season of all of the “Big 4” sports leagues, and often expectations change as the season progresses. Baseball will be a fascinating sport to watch during the days of this upcoming summer. The Beacon is looking for sports writers for the Spring 2024 semester. If you are interested in sports writing, editing, photography or graphics contact Adam Grundt at adam.grundt@wilkes.edu �The Beacon - February 14, 2024 22 Sports Athlete of the Week Jordan Ferry First Year, Center, Women's Ice Hockey The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Ferry earned a total of 5 points after facing cross-town rival King's College and Hilbert College. She had a total of 3 goals and 2 assists to help to Colonel's secure 3 wins. Major: Mechanical Engineering Hometown: Bohemia, NY What has been your favorite sports memory overall? What had been your favorite When my youth coach pulled our sports memory from your time goalie in overtime. We ended up winning and making it to states. as a Colonel? Clinching playoffs What is your favorite post-game What is your favorite meal? professional sports team (any Cheeseburger sport)? How do you feel about being New York Islanders selected as the Athlete of the What is your favorite thing to do Week? It's really exciting to be chosen as away from sports? athlete of the week, but our wins CrossFit What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? this week were a team effort and I couldn't have done itt without them. The culture that surrounds our athletic department, it's filled with love and support. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? Mighty Ducks If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Basketball 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 February 14, 2024 Sports Athlete of the Week Trent Fisher Senior, Men’s Basketball, Center The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week Fisher hit a milestone of 1,000 career points and 100 blocks as a Colonel. He helped his team securing wins against the last three Landmark Conference game by averaging 17.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 4.5 assits, and shooting 71.4%. Major: Sports Management Hometown: Sellersville, PA What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Plauong for a 6A State Championship What had been your favorite my junior year of high school sports memory from your time as a Colonel? What is your favorite post-game Scoring 1,000 points for my career in meal? front of my family and friends. Chicken wings and fries What is your favorite professional How do you feel about being sports team (any sport)? selected as the Athlete of the My favorite team is the Philadelphia Week? 76ers. It’s a great honor and I appreciate being recognized for this What is your favorite thing to do opportunity. away from sports? Go golfing with my teammates and friends. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? Living and being with my teammates each and everyday. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? Remember The Titans If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Golf or baseball 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 - February 14, 2024 24 Wilkes University Theatre presents Fun Home, the musical Feb. 22, 23, 24 @ 8 p.m. Feb. 24 & 25 @ 2 p.m. Purchase tickets at www.wilkes.edu/ theatre or at the box office starting an hour before performances. � 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 <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 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>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> 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. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre 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 Wilkes Beacon, 2024 February 14 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wilkes University retains copyright of this publication. https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/20eb31548b8e9a9da3bb06907667b837.pdf e3666ce457c4d83a55a0ea463c49d2c1 PDF Text Text The Beacon - February 7, 2024 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 76, Issue 9 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” Puppies & Plushies event puts a pep in everyone’s step By Natalia Williams Life, Arts and Entertainment Staff Writer The Programming Board opened up the month of February with a brand new event, one that included some friendly and furry little friends. The Programming Board hosted the Puppies and Plushies event on Thursday and it is one that warmed the hearts of dog lovers all around campus. Thursday’s event wasn’t just a regular event, it served as a community service event to help The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or SPCA. The SPCA helps find homes for once abused and abandoned animals. They also help educate about animal welfare. The SPCA brought over puppies and dogs that were available for adoption. The moment they had entered, the dogs were extremely excited to receive some love from all the students. “I’ve always wanted to do some- All Belgium Waffles introduces their new storefront, page 6 thing to help out with the SPCA,” said third year nursing major and secretary of programming Board, Lauren Beaver. “Madie came up with the idea with the plushies.” Students were also able to give back to the SPCA and they were able to donate things for dogs in need such as paper towels, gently used blankets and towels to be entered in a raffle. The SPCA were also accepting cash donations. A door prize raffle was also held. Prizes included an “Animal Crossing” themed monopoly game, an Owala water bottle, Fujifilm Instax Mini 40 Camera, a beginners crocheting kit and a human sized dog bed. Students were able to pick out a plushie from an assortment of adorable different animals such as teddy bears, koalas, zebras and so much more. Then they were able to Puppies cont. page 10 Vision board event allows students to look froward, page 7 The Beacon/Natalia Williams Emma Raville hugging “Boy” at Puppies & Plushies. It’s time to stop hating on the 10-year-old girls at Sephora, page 16 Wrestling golden age, page 17 �The Beacon - February 7, 2024 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Amanda Montgomery: Amanda.Montgomery1@wilkes.edu Programming board spring schedule of events Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............6 Opinion............14 Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Beacon News Staff Free Rock Climbing in the MAC On Mondays and Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m., WAE hosts free rock climbing in the MAC. There is no registration required, and anyone can participate. Become an e-Mentor The Office of Student Development is now accepting student e-Mentor applications for the Fall 2024 semester. A First Year Student e-Mentor is a fulltime, undergraduate student trained to provide support to 12-25 new students. e-Mentors are student leaders who have a variety of campus experiences. Fill out the application using this link: https://www.wilkes.edu/campuslife/student-development/leadershipopportunities/e-mentors/index.aspx. Contact Stacy Mullen at stacy. mullen@wilkes.edu or 570.408.4645 with any questions. Spring Intramural Sports Registration is now open for intramural sports this spring. The season begins Feb. 19 and ends March 27. Sports offered are soccer (Mondays/ Thursdays), basketball (Tuesdays), dodgeball (Wednesdays) and volleyball (Wednesdays). Register yourself and your team on IMleagues.com before the start of the season. Any questions contact casey. carpenter@wilkes.edu. Patagonia Quarter Zips for Sale Industry Pharmacists Organization (IPhO) is selling Wilkes Patagonia Quarter Zips. Sales will close on Feb. 14. Jackets will be available for pick up on campus at select dates/times. Use this link to purchase: wilkes.edu/ IPhOSweaters. Sports................19 Alumni Scholarship Opportunity The Alumni Scholarship is awarded annually to a current Wilkes undergraduate student who has a parent or grandparent who graduated from Wilkes, has at least a 3.0 GPA and has a FAFSA on file for the 2024-2025 academic year. Deadline to apply is March 17, 2024. Use this link to apply: www.community. wilkes.edu/alumnischolarship. Contact alumni@wilkes.edu with any questions. Kappa Kappa Psi Talent Show Interest Form Wilke University’s music fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi, would like to host a talent show this semester. Anyone is allowed to sign up. Fill out this form if you are interested: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1 FAIpQLSdnAmAtuUyJOxInXXPiLyK Y9pzb_uMCsOenMyDopx-6RT6lVQ/ viewform. Upcoming Events: 2024 Spring Semester February 8 - Pickles-Barre 10 - King of Prussia Shopping Trip 15 - Music BINGO 22 - Family Feud 25 - Ice Skating at Revolution Ice 29 - Giveaway One March 14 - Adventure BINGO 17 - Orangetheory Fitness Class 21 - Laser Tag April 4 - Everything but the Kitchen Sink 7 - Bye Bye BINGO �������������������������������� ���������� ������ ����� ������������ ������ ��� �The Beacon - February 7, 2024 News History in the making: First death penalty by nitrogen gas 3 A bold move or a controversial shift in capital punishment? By Amanda Montgomery News Editor In a historic turn of events, the United States witnessed its first death penalty execution using nitrogen gas, sparking a heated debate over the ethics and implications of this unconventional method. The execution, conducted in Alabama, marks a departure from traditional lethal injection practices, prompting questions about the future of capital punishment in the country. Alabama’s decision to execute Kenneth Smith, a 58-years-old, convicted murderer and hitman, using nitrogen gas comes from a nationwide struggle to secure the drugs needed for lethal injections. Dr. Kyle Kreider, political science professor and department chair, explained that the three-drug cocktail that would put people to death in a more “humane fashion” is not doing what we think it does, as there are no outward signs of pain. “Alabama said, 'you're going to deny us the three-drug cocktail, then we're going to use this nitrogen gas,'" said Kreider. "So that's how we're here today, it's because of the opponents of the death penalty kind of forcing the pharmaceutical companies not to sell it to the states for that purpose." The search for alternatives, prompted by difficulties in obtaining conventional lethal injection drugs, has led to the emergence of nitrogen gas as an execution method. To understand the gravity of this shift in capital punishment, Dr. Paul Riggs, dean of Arts and Sciences, provides a historical perspective. “Until the twentieth century, hanging was the most common method used to carry out the death penalty," said Riggs. "Concerns about its supposed painlessness led to a search for new methods, such as electrocution and the gas chamber." He also explained that lethal injection was developed in the late 1970s as an alternative to prior methods, and was first used in Texas in 1982. “In recent years, legal challenges to lethal injection have questioned its painlessness, and drug companies are now refusing to sell these drugs to states for this purpose," said Riggs. "This has led to proposals and plans, in those states that still have the death penalty, to use older methods (like electrocution or firing squad) or to develop new methods, such as this new asphyxiation by nitrogen gas process." There are also legal and ethical considerations that surround the use of nitrogen gas in executions. Dr. Andy Wilczak, a s s o c i a t e professor and associate dean of Arts and Sciences emphasizes this. “There's a majority of the states that don't have capital punishment anymore, or have placed an indefinite moratorium on it as they kind of explore it,” said Wilczak. In the discussion for the potential future of nitrogen gas execution, Dr. Kreider predicts that it will be used more often. “I think you might see a movement in this direction because it allows them to continue to execute those who have committed first-degree murder in a way that, at least to one group, is humane," said Kreider. Dr. Riggs notes that public sentiment is gradually turning away from capital punishment. "American public opinion has gradually turned away from capital punishment over the course of the 20th century and into the 21st, though not as decisively as in other western democracies," said new execution method. Riggs. “Ohio lawmakers have introduced a bill As the debate rages on, with legal, that would allow execution by nitrogen ethical, and cultural considerations gas, a controversial practice critics call being discussed, the future of nitrogen untested and lacking in evidence that it's gas as an execution method remains more humane than lethal injection, after uncertain. The execution in Alabama Alabama became the first state to execute has not only ignited discussions on the someone with nitrogen gas,” said Mary constitutionality of this approach, but Kekatos, ABC News. also raised broader questions about the Alabama’s utilization of nitrogen role of capital punishment in a changing hypoxia as a form of execution prompted societal landscape. Ohio state representatives, Phil Plummer Kreider provides a and Brian Stewart, to propose legislation glimpse into the allowing executions via nitrogen gas. potential widespread "The legislation introduced by Rep. adoption of Plummer and I will authorize the state nitrogen gas of Ohio to utilize nitrogen hypoxia, in execution. addition to lethal injection, and directed "I think you [that] it shall be used in instances where might see a lethal injection is not an available means movement in of carrying out a capital sentence," said this direction Stewart during a press conference. because it While this execution is controversial allows them apart from the execution method, calls to continue to have emerged to spare Smith’s life based execute those who on the previous failed attempt to put him have committed to death. Bryan Stevensen, founder and first-degree murder, director of the Equal Justice Initiative, a but the jury has said it's non-profit opposed to excessive criminal worthy of the death penalty, and punishment that advocates on behalf of do it in a way that, at least to one group, death row inmates, emphasized the state’s is humane," said Kreider. lack of competence in the execution Wilczak adds a cautionary note, raising process. concerns about the lack of testing and "Since that time, we've been arguing transparency regarding the humanity of that the state doesn't have the competency nitrogen gas execution. to carry out these executions," said “The reports from the execution said Stevenson to CNN. "They switched the that he seemed like he held his breath for method, and now they're saying they as long as he could and then went into have the skill to carry out a method that's hypoxia," said Wilczak. "It does not seem untested and never been used before." like it was this peaceful, just drifting off Wilczak cautions everyone to be to sleep kind of thing." mindful of those on death row. Riggs explained that our Eighth “There are innocent people sitting on Amendment, aimed at humane death row who might be executed using punishment, is at the center of the this apparently very horrific method. And ongoing debate on whether the new what does that say about us that we are nitrogen gas method qualifies as 'cruel really just willing to go ahead with this and unusual.' without taking time to stop and consider ABC News published an article on the morality of what we're doing rather Jan. 30 that addresses Ohio’s new law than just focusing on the politics of this.” regarding nitrogen gas being used as a Graphic: The Beacon/Amanda Montgomery �The Beacon - February 7, 2024 News 4 What is... Wilkes University's Resident Hall Council? By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer This column has focused on mega councils dedicated to programming, cultural identities and commuter life. There is one last mega council, the Residence Hall Council, or RHC, that focuses on providing programming and events catered to residential students. RHC is the foil to the Commuter Council. Whereas one focuses on events and opportunities for commuters, the other provides unique opportunities for the students who call the residence halls “home”. Amy Hunter, the assistant director of residence life, serves as the advisor to RHC. She says that her favorite part of working with the club is learning the process. “Not only do I guide the RHC members in decision making, but they are also teaching me about different aspects of campus and Residence Life. They are a breath of fresh air when searching for new ideas and ways to build community in the halls,” said Hunter. Melissa Ooi, a sophomore biochemistry major, is Vice President of RHC. She first got involved because she heard it was beneficial for students interested in becoming RAs. “After learning more about what RHC does involving student and residence life, I thought I was more suited to helping RAs from behind the scenes instead of becoming one. This led me to join the executive board,” said Ooi. RHC hosts all kinds of events, from Pop Ups to Movie Nights. To begin the year, RHC hosted their annual Movie Night during Welcome Weekend. Students watched Monsters University in the JPAC and enjoyed snacks and free blankets, courtesy of RHC. Another campus favorite is Deck the Halls, a yearly doordecorating contest. Residents are welcome Waller Hall residents Luke Mauro (L) and Kensy Edmond (R.) celebrate the holiday season with a pop-up party sponsored by RHC. to decorate their doors in holiday garb for the chance to win a prize and be featured on the RHC Instagram. One of the most common RHC events is Pop Ups. Whether in the Residence Hall or in the SUB, RHC loves to surprise students with unique opportunities. In the fall of 2023, RHC celebrated chocolate milkshake day by giving away chocolate and vanilla milkshakes and reusable straws in the SUB. Since then, RHC has worked to get into the Residence Halls, hosting different, unique events for the different halls. Two distinct events include a pop up on the second floor of Evans Hall to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month in September and a Gingerbread House Making Pop Up in Waller Hall. Ooi said Pop Ups were her favorite events because, “...it’s always fun to randomly surprise the residents with food and a fun time.” Despite all the fun events hosted by RHC, students don’t know much about the club. Hunter said she wishes students knew all the support that RHC makes available for them. “RHC provides extra funding for our RAs to implement community programs within the residence halls. This allows all residents to partake in fun activities that are educational as well as recreational,” said Hunter. As for Ooi, she said she wishes students knew that General Board meetings were open to the general public. “They usually help the executive board come up with event ideas and help execute those plans,” said Ooi. To get involved with RHC, you can email rhc@wilkes.edu for more information or follow them on Instagram @wilkes_rhc. In the meantime, you can join RHC for a Superbowl Pregame Giveaway on February 8 and a Lunar New Year Celebration with the Office of Global Engagement on Feb. 12. First-year students enjoy RHC’s annual Movie Night during Welcome Weekend. Photos Courtesy RHC Instagram �The Beacon - February 7, 2024 News That's So Honors... it’s not too late to join the program By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer Of all the opportunities for excellence Wilkes University provides, few are as comprehensive as the Honors Program, which provides students with not only challenging coursework, but a unique community within Wilkes University. Why should you apply for the Wilkes University Honors Program? Honors students are required to take 18 credits, or six classes, of Honors coursework. Often, these classes require students to complete an additional project, like a paper or review, or do something to benefit the entire class. For example, a past Honors section of WS-301, or the women and gender studies capstone required students to work on a project, either on or off campus, that advanced the cause of gender equality. Honors students are also invited to tons of special opportunities. These include special faculty lectures and access to other on-campus guests. For example, Honors students are typically invited to special discussions with the Max Rosenn lecturers who come to campus. Some Honors Program Student Committee (HPSC) events, like fundraisers, are open to the entire campus; however, others are reserved specifically for honors students. Some of these include special Registration Nights, Broadway trips, and parties for the beginning and end of the year. Honors students receive a $500 stipend to be used for educational needs, in addition to a $1,000 housing stipend for residential students. Honors Students can also apply for grant funding to put toward different projects, including academic conferences and study abroad trips. In addition to all these benefits, Honors students also register for classes first, even before seniors. Honors students will also receive a special notation on their transcript, recognition at graduation, additional academic advising, and access to Honors spaces, including the Honors Lounge and Office, both located on the second floor of Stark Learning Center. The Honors Program application is open to all Wilkes students who have at least a 3.5 GPA and at least six more semesters at Wilkes University. In addition to the application found online, students must write a leadership essay and share community service and extracurricular activities they participate in. Current first-year students can apply for the Honors Program through the Wilkes University website until April 15. You can also follow the Honors Program on Instagram @wilkeshonors. P1 Honors student, Ada Soriano, shares the opportunities she has utilized while on campus to a group of Barre Scholars. 5 TOP: P3 Pharmacy student, Matthew Schwartzstrauber graduated from the Honors Program in Spring 2023. He also won the Honors Program Academic Distinction Award. BOTTOM: During Summer 2023, a group of Honors students traveled to Scotland and Ireland to learn about the culture. Many of the students in attendance utilized grant funding for the opportunity. Photo Courtesy Honors Program Instagram �The Beacon - February 7, 2024 News 6 Two roomates, one vision All Belgium Waffles introduces new storefront By Brooke Lare Staff Writer It all started with a shared vision between two roommates at Wilkes University. The roommates teamed up to tackle a road of entrepreneurship. To one of the roommates, Billy Berry, a desk job is on the list of things-to-avoid. A life of the standard grind and a path of complete knowing is not what interests Berry. The student athlete graduated with his finance degree, and unlike most, he knows exactly what he plans to do with it. Waffles. Waffles. Waffles, and more waffles. Berry and his roommate, Toon De Schepper, started perfecting their waffle recipe and eventually opened up a food truck. The four wheeled truck brought so much success, they opened up another food truck, but this four wheeled truck is massive, which it must be, to appeal to the big city it’s homed: Chicago. John Barrett and Jimmy O’Kane, fellow student athletes of Wilkes University, saw this vision and backed De Schepper and Berry to the best of their abilities, utilizing their networks in Chicago to speed up the process for De Schepper and Berry. What's next? The next move was obvious to the business owners: a storefront. The waffles are cozy so it makes sense for the store to be nestled in the middle of Livingstone Lane, directly across from the movie theater on Northampton Street. The duo proves to be inspired, drawing All Belgium waffle topped with powdered sugar, strawberies and whipped cream made fresh and in front of customers. The thick batter is poured into the skillet and a thick fluffy waffle was taken out of the skillet and place in a box. in support from locals and King's College with open arms, encouraging them to join campus events frequently. The business owners were able to be on popular food delivery apps such as Doordash and UberEats, with no added delivery fees. With the success of their business, Berry, and alumni customers wish Wilkes would be as supportive as Kings College has been and the surrounding neighborhood, since Wilkes is a key part of their success story. Although the business owners feel the support could be better, they are proud of their Wilkes alumni status, considering De Schepper and Berry wouldn’t have met otherwise. Currently, De Schepper is back home in Belgium. When asked if that makes things harder, Berry, the optimist, says there’s not a problem at all. Although he misses his business partner, they are able to manage their business countries apart all the same. Ericka, Berry’s girlfriend, shows her loyal support, and adoration of their recipe. Berry likes his waffle topped with chocolate syrup, whipped cream and powdered sugar. His girlfriend prefers her waffle to be completely plain. “It’s just so good on its own,” she elaborates. Berry says she’s just a picky eater, but she reiterates how good it tastes on its own, how it is not an ordinary waffle. A plain waffle goes for $5 a piece, with their sweet toppings only $1 each. For Valentine’s Day, they have heart shaped waffles. Photos: The Beacon/Brooke Lare The new All Belgium storefront, located on Livingston Lane in Wilkes-Barre, offers the same waffles and toppings as their food trucks. Owners painted the outside to match the colors and style as the familiar food trucks which were seen all over campus. �The Beacon - February 7, 2024 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Life, Arts & Entertainment Editor: Anthony.Cazun@wilkes.edu Vision Board event allows students to look forward By Emma Broda Opinion Staff Writer Honors students started the month of February off by making vision boards to manifest their 2024 goals. The event was held by the Honors Program Student Committee (HPSC), who provided materials for students, as well as refreshments of tea and cookies. The beginning of the semester can be both exciting and sometimes overwhelming for students as they navigate through new classes, schedules and responsibilities. The vision board activity gave students an opportunity to spend time with their friends and relax while doing a fun and beneficial craft. A vision board is a collage of different pictures or words that represent dreams, affirmations and motivations that a person has for themself. Students cut out images and glued them to their board, used markers to write goals, and decorated with colorful patterned tape to create collages of their own goals and “visions.” Reagan Weldon Peri, sophomore geology major, said her board focused on the outdoors because, “I plan to spend a lot of time outdoors this year through field trips, research, and an internship I have with an environmental firm.” The outdoors as a motivator or “vision” was fairly popular with Kensy Edmond, a first year environmental engineering major. She added that her board focused on the outdoors as well as hydration and self care. There was also a range of other dreams and goals for the year. “My vision was a happy and fun 2024 full of traveling and spending time with friends,” said Zoë Morely, a sophomore biology major. Writing goals and keeping them in mind as the semester progresses is Star Sandt with her vision board. Students were able to choose different pictures for their vision boards. important so they can be motivating when things get too stressful or overwhelming. While this event allowed students to create beneficial motivators for the rest of the semester, it also provided a night of de-stressing and time with friends. Weldon Peri said she enjoyed getting to see other people from the honors program who she had not seen for awhile. Morley, one of the members of the Honors Program Student Committee said her favorite part of the night was watching participants pick out their photos and then create the personal boards. A vision board being assembled. The Beacon/Emma Broda �The Beacon - February 7, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 Album of the Week: By Anthony Cazun Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor “They told me that the classics never go out of style, but they do, they do. Somehow baby, I never thought that we’d do too.” These are the first words heard on the incredibly influential punk record that reshaped the perception of punk for an entire generation. An album that while adhering to traditional punk values, steered it out of the then sterile and diluted sounds and messaging that were plaguing the genre and the scene as a whole. During the 1990s, punk underwent a transformation that would shoot the genre into the mainstream charts. That transformation would come in the form of what is titled “Pop punk.” The Shape of Punk to Come - Refused Commercialized bands such as The Offspring, Green Day, blink-182, Jimmy Eat World, Sum 41, etc. have all utilized the punk sound and aesthetic for their music, but lacked most if not all of the central punk messaging and values. The hardcore scene, one similar to punk but with a more aggressive spin, suffered from the same issue. People wanted the energy, but were losing sight of the core. That is when Swedish punk and hardcore band Refused became disillusioned with the scenes as a whole. Front man Dennis Lyxzén was revolted with the rising conservatism within the scene, and instead believed in dismantling the establishment, tearing down capitalistic systems and forming revolution through music. That is when they began work on their now iconic record ‘The Shape of Punk to Come.” The record sought to reform the current landscape of punk and hardcore, with more hard hitting anti-establishment messaging, attention demanding riffs and percussion, non conventional punk instrumentation as well as fusing with other genres to create a more diverse sonic pallete. Jazz, techno, ambience and even folk were all inspirations for their record. Songs like “Liberation Frequency” repeatedly shout “We want the airwaves back,” as a way of vocalizing their discontent of the safe and unchallenging state of radio and punk at the time. “New Noise” may be the most popular and poignant song on the record. Beginning with the line “Can I scream?” as a way to voice frustration and Morgan Rich, Editor-in-Chief: Samara Carey, Asst.W Opinion Editor Karma - Taylor Swift I’m Not Pretty - Megan Moroney Amanda Montgomery, News Editor: “Freeze,” Opinion Staff Writer: Then Because She Goes - The 1975 BFG Division - Mick Gordon Emma Broda, News Staff Writer: Adam Grundt, Sports Asst. Editor: Ingydar - Adrienne Lenker Gasoline - The Weeknd Anthony Cazun, LA&E Editor: Linger - The Cranberries Cally Williams, LA&E Staff Writer: Clay Pigeons - Michael Cera Graphics/Lara Mullen Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staff picks their favorite song of the week. Our very own Anthony Cazun has put together a Spotify playlist where you can scan it and listen to the Beacon’s staff weekly picks! reintroduce the concept of anger, not angst, into the scene. “How we can expect anyone to listen of we’re using the same old voice? We need new noise.” No lyric better encapsulates the core of the record. Before the record even released in 1998, the band would split due to growing tensions. The album would initally sell next to nothing, but in the following years would gain a growing fanbase through word of mouth. The once overlooked album would be cited as the inspiration of many of the largest bands of the coming decade. Bands such as Linkin Park, Rage Against the Machine and Paramore, amongst many others. In 2015, Refused finally reunited. Brooke Lare, LA&E Staff Writer Turks & Caicos - Rod Wave Sam Mullen, Sports. Asst. Editor: Loose Control - Teddy Swims Lara Mullen, Designer: Homesick (with Sam Fender) - Noah Kahan, Sam Fender Sydney Allabaugh, Opinion Editor: Liz Cherinka, Social Media Manager: Pacer - Doechii Lavender Girl - Caamp �The Beacon – February 7, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment Buzz around the new cast of the Sweeney Todd Musical By Cally Williams Life, Arts and Entertainment Staff Writer Sweeney Todd is a hit Broadway musical by Stephen Sondheim, and the announcement of a new cast for the Broadway production has theatregoers excited for what is next. The musical is based on the “Victorian Penny Dreadfuls,” a series of horror stories. The musical has been made into a movie by Tim Burton with Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. The musical is available for licensing and has been performed all over, from schools to community theater to Broadway. It originated on Broadway in 1979 and the revival opened on March 26, 2023. The musical follows a barber named Sweeney Todd and his plan to get revenge on the Judge that tore his family apart after exiling him for a crime he did not commit. Sweeney Todd meets a baker, named Mrs. Lovett, and together they come up with a plan. He starts killing his customers using a shaving razor and gives the human meat to Lovett. Lovett bakes the bodies into her pies as her role in their sinister partnership. Sweeney meets a sailor named Anthony on their way back to London. Anthony falls in love with Johanna, a young woman locked up by Judge Turpin. Johanna turns out to be Sweeney’s long lost daughter. The story does not have the happiest of endings, but is fitting for such a grim and gruesome tale. The revival cast consisted of Josh Groban as the titular character, Annaleigh Ashford as Mrs. Lovett, Jordan Fisher as Anthony, Maria Bilbao as Johanna and Gaten Materazzo as Tobias. Ashford and Groban gave their final performances on Jan 14. Materazzo left his role on Nov 5, 2023, and Fisher gave his final bow in June of 2023 Groban is a singer, songwriter and actor. He made his Broadway debut in 2016 when he played Pierre in “Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812.” Groban is most well known for his singing and made a very famous cover of “You Raise Me Up.” He won the “Billboard Music Award” in 2003 and has been nominated for numerous awards, including a Tony for his performance in Sweeney Todd as the titular character. Ashford originated the role of Margot in the musical adaptation of “Legally Blonde” on Broadway. She won the Tony Award for “Best Featured Actress” for her role of Essie in “You Can’t Take it With You.” She was also nominated for a Grammy for the cast recording of “Sweeney Todd.” With the departure of the original cast, this makes room for new actors to perform the classic horror musical. Broadwy’s sweetheart, Sutton Foster, will be taking over the role of Lovett on Feb. 9 alongside Aaron Tveit as Sweeney himself. Foster is known for her roles as Millie in “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and Fiona in the musical version of the movie “Shrek.” Tveit originated the role of Christian in the jukebox musical “Moulin Rouge” 11 and played Danny Zuko in FOX’s “Grease Live!” “Heartstopper” actor Joe Locke made his debut as Tobias Ragg on Jan. 31. Not only was it his first performance as Tobias but his first Broadway performance ever. Locke is most well known for his role as Charlie Spring in the Netflix adaptation of the graphic novel “Heartstopper.” Maria Bilbao will continue her role as Sweeney’s daughter, Johanna. Bilbao’s performance as Johanna marked her Broadway debut. Sweeney Todd made over $1 million in the box office for the 2023 revival. Groban and Ashford’s performances sold out, as fans of the musical were excited to see the stars’ performances. Sondheim’s genius is shown in his musicals like “Into the Woods” and “Company.” “Sweeney Todd” definitely lives up to the standards of Sondheim’s legacy. Possible artificial intelligence regulation on the horizon By Anthony Cazun Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor In the modern era, society as a whole has to credit many of its conveniences to technology. From smartphones to smart fridges, this has continued to persist. This growing reliance has grown onto the most human thing of all, art itself. Artificial intelligence, or more specifically, A.I. art, has been a contentious topic for many years now. Some deem it as convenient and new way for the functionally unskilled to realize their thoughts, while many others deem it as unethical, believing it is not only taking the soul and talent out of art, but also steals art and styles from real artists in order to create artificial artwork. For many years that was the primary discussion revolving around A.I. artwork, however there is a more sinister, humiliating and possibly illegal issue with A.I. artwork that is making headlines, a discussion that may finally lead to A.I. art regulations. Within the last week, A.I. generated explicit imagery of Taylor Swift went viral on the Twitter, or X, platform. These images were met with millions of viewers across the platform, the most viral of which earned over 45 million views alone. The account that posted it would be met with immense criticism, leading to them privating their account. This lead to a larger discussion that had been bubbling for many years. The ethics and immorality of generating explicit imagery of nonconsenting people. Taylor Swift was noticely enraged by the images, leading to her team threatening to possibly take legal action against various A.I. image creation platforms. “These fake A.I. generated images are abusive, offensive, exploitative, and done without Taylor’s consent and/or knowledge.” said a source close to Swift. “Taylor’s circle of family and friends are furious, as are her fans obviously. They have the right to be, and every woman should be. The door needs to be shut on this. Legislation needs to be passed to prevent this and laws must be enacted.” This controversey was large enough to spark genuine conversation around legal regulation. Congress Rep. Joseph Morelle introduced a bill titled “Preventing Deepfakes of Intimate Images Act.” This would inhibit. The law titled “DEFIANCE” or “Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits” would allow victims of digital forgery to successfully sue those responsible. Hundreds of women, mostly but not limited to actresses and singers, have been affected by explicit digital forgery, ranging from images to videos. One of the most tragically affected has been 17 year old actress Xochitl Gomez. Most known for her role as America Chavez in the Marvel Universe, she has been victim of rampant digital forgery. Recently, she spoke out against it during an interview. “It made me weirded out and I didn’t like it and I wanted it taken down. That was my main thought process was, ‘Down. Take this down. Please,’” said Gomez, “In my mind, I knew that it wasn’t me, so it didn’t mess with me or anything like that. It was just something that felt really uncomfortable because I couldn’t take it down.” Gomez expressed discomfort with the A.I. generated videos, saying that her team had attempted to take them down various times to no effect, despite her being a minor. While the laws are currently undecided and nothing is set in stone, the morality of the technology, especially for creation of explicit imagery without consent, is not morally up for debate. Lawmakers have finally recognized this and steps are being taken to prevent digital forgery. �The Beacon – February 7, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 ...Puppies & Plushies cont’d from p. 1 let their creativity show by having fun decorating their plushies, and they were able to show some love and affection to the dogs. With the beginning of the new semester in full gear, this fun relaxing night worked a stress reliever for students with some exams coming up “This event is a big stress reliever because I have an exam coming up,” said Emma Raville, a first-year nursing major. For most students this event helped to fill the void of missing their pets back at home and to give them a sense of happiness while being away from their own pets. “I came to the event because I miss my pets at home and I really love dogs,” said Raville. Not only did students have a fun time decorating their plushies and creating new memories with their friends, they also supported an amazing organization and helped them so they can educate our community and help as many animals as possible. The programming board hosts events every Thursday for students. On Feb. 8, Pickles-Barre will be hosted followed by Music Bingo on Feb. 15. Izabel Lynn and Jenna Winkler pose with their plushies. Programming Board member Maggie McHenry is all smiles at the donation table. Programming Board members interacting with “Jade.” From left, Programming Board members Sadena Perez, Kylie Kilvitis and Owen Ward work the plushies table at the Puppies & Plushies event. �The Beacon – February 7, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment “Hockey is my middle name” 11 Student remembered by campus and area community Editors note: The Beacon would like to express it sincerest sympathy to Julia Mazur’s family. Julia’s mother visited Wilkes in December and shared a poem Julia had written after her diagnosis. That poem, and photos celebrating Julia’s life, can be found on pages 12 and 13 of this Beacon. By Adam Grundt Sports editor Wilkes University student and hockey fanatic, Julia Hockey Mazur, passed away on Nov. 18 after a strong-fought battle with stage 4 metastatic melanoma. Nearly three months after her death, her personality, spirit and drive are kept alive through the people -family, classmates, professors, athletes, business professionals, and just about anyone else -- she met. Mazur was a double-major student in marketing and sports management, while also pursuing a minor in communication studies. As a member of the Communication Studies Department and its co-curricular activities, Mazur was an active writer at The Beacon and worked as a sports reporter for the school’s television program, Wilkes Now. In addition to her contributions to these programs, Mazur was more than just a colleague, she was a friend to many and always had a smile on her face. She also had a hockey story to tell. Mazur didn’t just like hockey, she loved it. In fact, she legally made her middle name Hockey. The diagnosis On July 28, 2023, Mazur was diagnosed with stage four metastatic melanoma, which had already infected her lymph nodes, lungs, liver and parts of her bone joints. Support from not only the Wilkes community but from the entire hockey community in Northeastern Pennsylvania overwhelmed the 20-year- old student. “One big thing I learned is how important positivity is in a bad situation,” Mazur explained in an interview shortly after her diagnosis. “I also learned that you can always have some bad moments but there is no reason to have a bad day. I also learned how important it is to live in the moment and appreciate every day and everything that you have.” A love of hockey As someone who legally changed her middle name to “Hockey,” most of Mazur’s short life was centered around hockey and her favorite team, the Pittsburgh Penguins. She was employed by the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the Pittsburgh American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, for a several years. “I have never met someone who loves the sport of hockey more than Julia,” Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins Vice President of Operations Brian Coe said. “She had a passion for the game that was unrivaled, and she loved being around the rink. Julia joined the Penguins as a member of our ice crew when she was still in her early teens, and she quickly took on a leadership role with the group. She was an important member of our behind-the-scenes staff, and we were looking forward to seeing her take on a larger role with the team’s front office staff this season.” Mazur was in the middle of a summer internship when she received her diagnosis. She continued to contribute to our creative department remotely, even while she was undergoing treatment and hospital stays. Mazur’s story gained national attention during the month of November, which is known in the hockey community as “Hockey Fights Cancer” month. The AHL and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins published a story about her battle with metastatic melanoma. The story was also picked up by the Pittsburgh Penguins and can be found online. Impact felt Mazur’s passing certainly has affected the Wilkes community. Mazur worked as team manager for the Wilkes men’s ice hockey team before her death. “Julia embodied everything our team is about: blue collar workers with white collar talent,” men’s ice hockey head coach Tyler Hynes said. “She was an ‘above and beyond-er’ who impacted our program not by how much she did, but by who she was. Julia was special to us and her spirit will live on forever here.” Mazur’s family and friends have since established the Julia Hockey Mazur Foundation, a nonprofit organization that has been started in Mazur’s honor. This nonprofit organanzation “pays it forward” around the community and continues to educate the public about living life, while supporting those with cancer. Currently, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are having a T-shirt fundraiser with their logo and the quote “My middle name is Hockey.” The shirt can be purchased at https://axelradshop. com/wbs_penguins/shop/ To learn more about the Julia Hockey Mazur Foundation, follow them on Facebook at “Julia Hockey Mazur Foundation”. �The Beacon - February 7, 2024 �The Beacon - February 7, 2024 �The Beacon - February 7, 2024 Opinion Editorial Staff 2023-24 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Morgan Rich Social Media Manager - Liz Cherinka Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Amanda Montgomery Opinion - Sydney Allabaugh ASSISTANT EDITORS LA&E - Anthony Cazun Opinion: Samara Carey Sports - Adam Grundt Sports - Sam Mullen DESIGNERS Designer - Lara Mullen Layout Designer - Brady Melovitz SECTION STAFF WRITERS News - Emma Broda LA&E - Cally Williams LA&E - Brooke Lare Opinion - “Freeze” Want to join The Beacon? Several positions are open! Contact : kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or morgan.rich@wilkes.edu 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 Morgan Rich at morgan.rich@wilkes. edu The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact opinion editor: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu. Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. The “Barbie” Oscar snubs are painfully ironic On Jan. 23, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released their nominations for the 2024 Oscar awards, and people are angry, rightfully so. The blockbuster hit “Barbie” was nominated for eight categories including Best Picture as well as Best Supporting Actor for Ryan Gosling for his role as Ken. However, who the Academy failed to recognize in their nomination list were the women who truly made this film possible: lead actress and executive producer Margot Robbie and the film’s director Greta Gerwig. In poor ironic fashion, the Academy nominated the leading man in the film about recognizing women and not even the star herself. The film would not have been nearly as emotionally or culturally impactful if it were not for Robbie’s fantastic performance as Barbie, but alas, Robbie is snubbed yet again. On behalf of Gerwig, this snub is not only shocking but downright unbelievable. Both critics and general audiences alike have praised the film for its directing. It’s not like the Academy doesn’t feel the same way given its Best Picture nomination, yet it’s still not nominated for directing? Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” which was largely compared to “Barbie” due to the Barbenheimer memes of the past summer, also received a Best Picture nomination and a directing nomination which makes sense, right? But why does Greta Gerwig not receive one? The Academy has been notorious for being extremely tone deaf when it comes to choosing which film gets nominated for which category, but this time it just comes off as extremely distasteful. Gosling was even outraged by the Academy’s poor voting and addressed his disappointment in Time magazine in which he stated, “...There is no Ken without Barbie, and there is no Barbie movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, the two people responsible for this history-making, globally-celebrated film.” Many other celebrities have spoken out against the Robbie/Gerwig snub including actress and singer, Bette Midler in which she tweeted, “This movie not only resonated deeply but also grossed a billion dollars. Yet, in a twist of irony, it was Ken who received the Oscar nomination. Everyone go rewatch ‘Barbie’ tonight.” The reason why we are all outraged by the Academy is because they are embodying exactly what the film is talking about, that men will always be acknowledged more than women despite working just as hard as them. Women are not recognized as women in our patriarchal world for their brilliance, and it is sad to see that the Academy not only proved the film’s thesis, but continue to carry on their tone deaf legacy of poor nomination selection. A silver lining to all of this is that America Ferrera was nominated for Best Supporting Actress which is great since she gave one of the best monologues in cinema history. However, it doesn’t change the fact that the world is one big “Mojo Dojo Casa House,” and we continue living in it. All we can hope is that the Academy finally learns to acknowledge the women that have reshaped cinema. Gerwig and Robbie are two of the many women taking cinema by storm, and it is sad to see that they continue to be put down by the patriarchal Academy. 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: morgan.rich@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 7, 2024 The Icebox: An in-depth review of “Doom Eternal” By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer In a world where demons prevail and the spawn of hell has control of Earth, there is only one force that stands in the way of the alien race of Maykrs. This is the game where the demons may have caused endless suffering, but for them, the doom is eternal. Most video games involve defeating a dangerous threat and often being greatly outnumbered. This game follows such a theme with a twist, which is that you, the player, are the one to be feared. While others may run from demons, in this game they are the ones running from you! “Doom Eternal” is the latest installment of the Doom series, originally released in March 2020, right before the dreaded quarantine. This means that players, though locked at home, were able to traverse the apocalyptic planet Earth as the brave protagonist known as the Slayer or Doomguy. The Slayer is said to be so terrifying that people have attempted to animate an alien’s perspective of the game, and it was scarier than playing the game. The game, like its prequels, is an actionpacked first-person shooter where the protagonist is a brave marine-turned-space warrior who has only one mission: to stop the invasion on Earth and rid his home planet of the monsters for good. Why would a man risk his life to jump straight into hell and complete such a daunting, seemingly impossible task? Well, it’s because the aliens beheaded his pet rabbit, Daisy. The term “first-person shooter” might make someone think of “CSGO” or “Call of Duty.” One thing that you should make note of is that these games wouldn’t exist if it were not for the original “Doom” in 1993. The title of today is a large extension of the original game. The player has the option to switch between loadouts with the flick of the controls, ranging from big rifles, shotguns and explosives. There are unique attachments for each gun that give it a special ability. “Doom Eternal” takes the shoot-emup to the next level with abilities and charges that make you feel like a champion. One of the best things about the game is just how violent it gets. Players can train themselves to optimally punish the big, Opinion bad monsters with the unique defense mechanics. For example, the Arachnotron is a brain-like alien with two metal limbs. The Doomguy can take them down by ripping off one of the limbs and impaling the Arachnotron’s skull straight through the eyes. For some people, such an experience may not be so settling. For others, it’s the rush of adrenaline and the ability to feel unstoppable that makes it so amusing. To top it off, the Doomguy unlocks more weapons with each defeated boss, some of which are melee. You can start the game by literally punching your way through monsters, then acquiring a chainsaw which can be used to slice demons into shreds. The bigger the arsenal gets, the more creative a player can be. Finally, the best part of this hell-cleaning experience is the soundtrack. Without a good soundtrack, it’s hard to drive forth the idea that the player is the final boss themself. Thus, the talented composer Mick Gordon composed almost seven hours of heavy metal and rock music that perfectly captures the setting and theme of “Doom.” Legend has it that the real reason Earth is on fire is because Gordon lives there. Many fans agree that the unnamed protagonist must be Gordon himself. I would recommend watching his documentary regarding the research he put into his music. You may have heard of some of the most iconic songs from this game, such as “The Only Thing They Fear Is You” and “Rip and Tear”. There is even a theme, “Meathook,” that is for a weapon unlocked later in the game. If you check out the Beacon Bops for this issue, you will see my personal favorite. Unfortunately, Gordon was not treated well by Bethesda studios, the company that hosts the “Doom” franchise. In November 2022, he opened up about how the company executives did not pay him for his work and mandated an aggressive workload and deadline. Many fans were unsure how to feel about his statement until more truths came to light. Since then, there have not been any significant updates about this situation. Thus, a true “Doom” fan will say: “Justice for Mick Gordon, aka the Doom Slayer!” 15 The Return of The Red Raven: an original story By Leah Smith Contributing Writer PART 9 Rick sat down on the covered toilet seat after he finished cleaning Cameron’s blood off of him. His mind was leaping from one thought to another. A serial killer is on the loose. That same serial killer is going after cast members of an irrelevant superhero TV show. That same serial killer knows where he lives and tortured his husband. Now, all of those events lead up to him sitting in a hospital bathroom alone. Alone? The mere idea of being alone ached Rick. However, he knew deep down that he wasn’t alone. He picked up his phone and started to dial Isabelle’s phone number. Before he could finish dialing her, he had to calculate what he had to say to her. How much should he give away? What will happen if he gives her all of the details? He couldn’t stand thinking about all of the possibilities anymore and finished dialing her number. The dial tone buzzed for so long that he thought she wasn’t going to pick up. Soon, Isabelle picked up her phone. “Hello?” she asked into the phone. “Hey Izzy, it’s me. I know I’m the last person you want to hear from right now but this is serious,” Rick stated. “Fine, but it actually better be serious.” “Your dad is in the hospital,” Rick said. He felt sick hearing himself say those words out loud so easily. Isabelle stood silent for a moment. “I’ll be at the hospital ASAP. We’ll talk more when I get there,” she stated. Isabelle ended the call, leaving Rick alone yet again. He decided to leave the bathroom and walk out to the front of the emergency room entrance. He stared off into the distance and continued to think. He thought about what he would say to Isabelle, writing a mental script for himself. He thought about what to do about the serial killer and what they told him to do. Is the killer trustworthy? If he talks, is he next on the list? Will what happened to Cameron happen to Isabelle next? As Rick continued to think about every “what-if” scenario he could think of, Isabelle began to grab her things in her office at the police station and started to walk out. “What’s the matter, detective?” Mabel, the mousy forensics intern asked. “It’s a family emergency, Ms. Smalls. I have to go,” Isabelle answered sternly. “Well, I hope everything’s okay. I just wanted to let you know that I finished scanning the severed thumb prints for the Rossi family case for you,” Mabel added. “Thanks, just leave it on my desk.” Before Isabelle left the building, Mabel added one last comment. “Being the daughter of the Red Raven sure gives you a lot of privilege. She can just walk out all she wants.” Isabelle walked right back up to her and scowled. “What was that?” she demanded. “What?” Mabel blushed and kept her eyes away from her. “I don’t have any privilege being Rick Greenblatt’s daughter, okay? I had to work my ass off just as hard as you and everyone else in this precinct. Hell, I had to work even harder before I even dreamt about being an officer. You have no idea what kind of hell I had to endure being related to that man. He’s lucky I’m even seeing him right now,” Isabelle explained. Mabel shivered, “I-I’m sorry.” “You better be. Now, keep your damn mouth shut,” Isabelle warned. Finally, Isabelle was out of the building. She stormed across the building and into the parking lot. She opened the door of her black truck, sat herself up on the seat and slammed the door closed. She took a deep breath and relaxed. She looked up from the floor and soaked in the peace of the emerald trees, ocean sky and wispy clouds. Like her therapist instructed her to do, she kept acknowledging her surroundings to keep herself calm. Finally, when she took one last deep exhale, she started to take off. As soon as she parked her car at the emergency parking lot, she ran into the waiting room and saw Rick. “What happened?” Isabelle asked. Rick stated, “He was coming upstairs from the basement but he fell and started bleeding out a lot.” Isabelle lowered her brows, “Are you telling me the truth?” To be continued... �The Beacon - February 7, 2024 Opinion 16 It’s time to stop hating on the 10-year-old girls at Sephora By Sydney Allabaugh Opinion Editor The tweens of America are now shopping at Sephora, and TikTokers are not happy about it. Across the platform, teenage and adult creators have been complaining that 10to 13-year-old girls have been infiltrating Sephora to test or buy expensive products intended for adults, such as Drunk Elephant retinols, and have been making a mess or damaging their skin in the process. Some are so resentful towards them that they mock them in reenactment skits, and others have even recorded young girls in Sephora without their permission to make fun of them online. Although I can understand being concerned about kids wrecking displays at Sephora or damaging their skin with these products, the amount of hatred and widespread anger towards the innocent ones who have simply purchased these products is quite ridiculous. It should not come as a surprise that tweens with unlimited access to the internet with dwindling spaces intended for their age demographic are interested in trends and consumer goods intended for teens or adults, especially when these products are constantly advertised online. Being a tween marks the transition out of childhood, and thus, it is the common experience to no longer want to be treated like a child. To be seen as cool and more mature, young people have always adopted trends from adults, especially from celebrities. When I was a tween, I remember wearing pink clip-in hair extensions because celebrities were dying streaks in their hair. In the 80s, tweens may have wanted to wear bows like Madonna. This is the same phenomenon occurring with tweens now, except now teen and adult influencers on social media are setting the trends via sponsored content. According to a survey conducted by Common Sense Media, tweens between the ages of eight and 12 are spending on average five and a half hours on screens each day for entertainment, and the number of tweens on social media is increasing. This exposure makes them more likely to view more social media ads, some being from beauty influencers who claim that Drunk Elephant products are essential for clear skin. This type of advertisement exposure among children is relatively new as traditional media platforms like television are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission to limit the number and types of ads that play during children’s media. Since social media is managed by private companies, much less is done to regulate advertising children view online, which can expose them to these ads intended for adults. This exposure could likely be decreased if parents played a more active role in monitoring their children’s internet usage. However, avoiding deceitful marketing tactics is difficult to do online when they are so omnipresent. Even on websites intended for this age demographic, pervasive ads are likely to remain, and regardless, positive online platforms intended exclusively for the modern tweens are scarce the way it is. Some may argue that children should not be exposed to social media—or even the internet—at all and should be interested in more age-appropriate stores and products, like how the tweens of 10 years ago still played with toys and shopped at Justice. First, toys and stores for the tween age demographic are few and far between these days. Second, what many fail to realize is that expectations for what it means to be a tween are changing rapidly due to these technological advancements. Using social media is becoming increasingly necessary to maintain a social life or to avoid social stigma among peers, even though it is not necessarily an always healthy or safe place for children. With spaces and platforms for tweens disappearing and social media becoming increasingly intertwined with youth culture, tweens are influenced to join teen and adult communities and participate in their trends to fit in, especially when peer pressure is combined with advertising. This can obviously be problematic and lead to situations like this one. Although it may be annoying when children take over adult spaces or bothersome that they can be harming their skin, it is difficult to not to victimize them when so much of modern youth culture is now influenced by social media, which is dominated by adult influencers trying to make a profit. Sure, you can say there are a few young girls who act disorderly in stores (the parents are to blame for this one), but most young Sephora customers simply want to fit in and be seen as cool for owning a new popular product, as tweens always have, in a time in which being in this age demographic presents new expectations and challenges. You can blame social media companies, influencers or parents, but stop being so harsh to the kids. Instead of mocking and bullying them, try being a positive influence and gently encourage safer choices and product selections, or better yet, just leave them alone. If you ask me, the app itself does have some good intentions behind it. For example, it gives students the ability to openly talk about their opinions and ask questions without feeling embarrassed. We as students are able to give our perspectives on important matters across campus without any worry of consequence. However, in my experience, this app does not have a good record of accomplishment regarding positive interactions with others. The toxicity of the app starts to become an issue when the users start to indirectly insult people in their posts. Since you are not able to directly name people or else the post gets taken down, the users of this app will give the people they are speaking about different personas. Without directly naming the different personas and nicknames of people, I am positive that you would be able to identify people on campus just by hearing the names that YikYak gives them. To see how people truly felt about this app, I decided to post on YikYak myself to see if other people felt the same way that I do. In my post, I asked users to upvote my post if they agreed that the app was negatively impacting this campus. To my surprise, almost 50 people upvoted the post, meaning that they felt the same way that I did. Additionally, I asked users to comment underneath the post to explain their reasoning for staying on the app, despite the toxic implications behind it. From there, many users went on to explain that they are still on the app due to fear that they will be talked about on there without being able to defend themselves. Some other anonymous users explained that they enjoy seeing the drama they see on the app each day. Whether they were being sarcastic or not, this was a common response to my initial question. Despite some people saying that they are only here for the drama or out of fear, some people said that they do genuinely enjoy the app and they are only on there to post their random or unnecessary thoughts. This app was never supposed to be like this. I do not think the original creators of this app decided to create this so that college students can purposely make fun of their classmates anonymously. Instead, it was created to form a sense of community for college students that are new to campus and learning the area around them. However, when the app is then handed over to multiple young adults, the original purpose goes out the window. I am not writing this article to try and change this app for the better, especially since I know that my opinion means nothing compared to the hundreds of people using the app. But I do want to make it known that this app can negatively impact people and their mental health. Whether these “jokes” are truthful or not, people can be cruel, and these statements can ruin their reputation or outlook on college as a whole. Campus Suggestions: the toxicity of YikYak across campus By Samara Carey Asst. Opinion Editor YikYak. An app that we all know and pretend to love. If you have been on this campus for longer than a day, chances are you have heard someone discuss this app at least once. If you have not, consider yourself lucky. For those of you unaware, YikYak is an app famously created exclusively for college students, and it gives them the chance to talk to their peers anonymously about anything. In recent weeks, YikYak has become an app where students go to discuss professors, make fun of the school’s Snapchat stories and gossip about the events happening on campus. If you were on the app recently, chances are you saw backlash regarding one of the bigger clubs on campus about one of the events they held. But that is not all, I have also seen a plethora of discussion posts regarding proper classroom etiquette and the food options on campus. �The Beacon - February 7, 2024 Opinion 17 Professional wrestling is fake, but for a good reason By Shawn Carey Analyzing the drama and storytelling in WWE Contributing Writer The world of professional wrestling is a strange one. At first glance, it appears to just be grown men and women beating each other up, which is only somewhat true. However, in reality, it is so much more. Professional wrestling is a form of athletic theater, combining action with drama. Wrestlers, rings and announcers take the place of actors, stages and narrators. It may seem like wrestling is just all about the fights, however, in reality they’re just there to pave the way for the medium’s m o s t important aspect: the drama. Ever since the early days of the medium, the story has always been the most important aspect. Sure, the fights are cool and all but, it’s mainly used as a plot device, a means to an end. It’s not the main reason most fans watch it. Wrestling usually tells sort of mythological stories. These larger-than-life people are locked in never ending combat, trying their best to prove themselves as the best. With that being said, wrestling is fictional. Everything from the punches, the slams, kicks, throws and even the storylines. Meaning wrestlers are just glorified stuntmen. While this is often a point a lot of nonfans like to use to insult the sport, it is wrestling’s greatest tool. There are about a half-dozen major wrestling companies, so for the sake of the article I’ll only stick to talking about the most popular one, World Wrestling Entertainment or WWE. With that being said, keep in mind that what I go over in this article applies to all of them. Wrestling as we know it today started in the early 1950s. Controversial businessman Vince McMahon hosted the very first WWE (known as the Capitol Wrestling Corporation at the time) show on Jan. 7, 1953. It was here that we saw the first and most important story telling device in the medium: the championship belt. There are a number of championship belts in the industry, the Intercontinental, United States, Tag Team and Universal just to name a few. These belts are used almost as a status symbol among wrestlers. Being the holder of a belt is one of the highest honors a wrestler can earn, symbolizing excellence, achievement and prestige. They’re also one of the main causes of conflicts. Most storylines follow the endless battle to claim a specific belt. Most of the major conflicts we’ve seen within wrestling stems from the belts. In reality, they’re just these big and bucky straps of leather covered in fake gold. However, if you strip away your logical worldview you start to see them as something different. They’re these grand prizes, a wrestler’s means to an end, the only true way to stop fighting. A wrestler with a belt sits on top of the food chain, no longer having to fight their way upwards. It’s the only true way to prove oneself. One of the best examples of this can be found in a currently ongoing storyline, Roman Reigns and his Bloodline. Roman Reign was granted the WWE championship belt back on Aug. 30, 2020. This happened right after the wrestler returned from a year long battle with leukemia. After Roman claimed the belt, he made a promise to the entire WWE that we will do everything within his power to stay the champion. Roman started the Bloodline as a way to protect his title. The team is led by Roman Reigns and features his real-life cousins, Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa. They group is managed by long time promoter Paul Heyman. Sami Zayn and Jimmy’s twin brother Jay Uso were also members at one point. The Bloodline was his way to make sure that he would keep the belt and stay the champion. The group would find ways to make sure Roman won all of his matches, whether legal or not. During big matches if it looked like Roman was in a rough spot and about to lose, the Bloodline would come bursting out onto the ring and save him. Thanks to them, Roman has been able to stay as the WWE champion for over 1200 days, the longest in the company’s history. Roman is now seen almost as a villain figure in the world of wrestling, doing what it takes to win. Speaking of villains (also known as heels), they also serve as pretty big parts of storylines. If there’s a hero, there must also be a villain, but how does one frame a real person as this big unstoppable thread? How do you get millions to hate you? It’s all about stage presence. The way you walk, your speech patterns, what you wear and even the moves you use, are all important. Let’s look at the most infamous villain in the business, the Undertaker. Everything about the Undertaker is meant to look as intense and threatening as possible. Before even stepping foot into the ring, you were able to tell what he was all about. He would enter wearing a big black leather trench coat and stetson hat, resembling the traditional appearance of his namesake. He would even sometimes carry a shovel with him. The Undertaker doesn’t become truly horrifying, however, until he is in the ring. He’s mostly known for his devastating submission Hells Gate and his horrifying Tombstone Piledriver. As amazing as those moves are, I think the most important part of the Undertaker character is the specific way he gets up. Most wrestlers do something similar to a kickup after being knocked on their back. The Undertaker however, does something much different. He hoists himself back up, almost as if he was a zombie being brought back to life. No matter what hit him, he would get back up. He was painted as this unstoppable force of nature and all-powerful force. I know that I used some really grand words in this article, words that honestly sound a bit silly considering the context. However, they are well deserved. Yes, wrestling may be fake, but there’s a good reason behind it. Wrestling is not about watching the peak of human strength battle each other, it’s about watching these individuals fight each other to prove a point. They fight to prove that they are the best. While the titles may not really mean anything, seeing the journey these people go through makes it all worth it. Graphic by Lara Mullen �The Beacon - February 7, 2024 Opinion 18 Suffering from success: 21 Savage's “american dream” review By Logan Colonna Opinion Staff Writer On Jan. 12, 21 Savage released his third studio album, “american dream.” Coming after his insanely successful collaboration album with Drake, “Her Loss,” 21 was attempting to ride off his mainstream success with this album. Less than a week prior to the album’s release, he announced that he’d be creating a movie, sharing the same name. Days after this, he revealed to the public that he’s releasing yet another project for fans to listen to. Starting off with the first song of the album, “all of me,” includes a greatsounding sample. The voice used from the sample is very soft and goes well with 21’s softish vocals on this track. 21’s performance wasn’t too exciting for me as he uses his signature flow and doesn’t deviate from it whatsoever. “Redrum” was immediately a fanfavorite following the record’s release. Yet again, I enjoy the sample being used and applaud 21’s use of these kinds of productions. You rarely hear this kind of soundscape from him, which makes it nice to hear something new from him. A common theme here is him using the same flow over and over again throughout the entire album nearly. It’s not bad by any means, but it allows for the album to get repetitive and boring vocal-wise very quickly. My personal favorite track is “n.h.i.e.” It features Doja Cat, which made many people write the song off. This upsets me because the song is actually so great sonically. Her performance is very chill and I’m here for it. It sets a certain tone that allows 21 to show his softer side. The instrumental is easily my favorite part of the song. I don’t know how to explain it but it just makes me want to hear it over and over again. “Sneaky” may be one of my least favorite 21 Savage songs in general. The instrumental is annoying as it’s just always in your ear just ringing over and over again. 21’s verse and chorus is laughably bad. He even makes it seem like he’s full of himself because of the constant “mhm” adlib, which is also blood-boiling. This track alone brings the album down so much. “Pop ur shit” is another favorite of mine because of the featured artist. The chorus, however, is a big mess. For the first half of it, it has 21 just repeating “pop your shit” eight times in a row followed by the worst “bar” I’ve heard in a while. “It smell like gas, I think somebody pooped.” WHAT? I don’t know why artists feel the need to clutter their songs up with lines like this. The feature, Young Thug, saves this song so much. I’m a little bit of a fan of his, so it’s nice seeing him not just being on this song, but pulling it out of the trenches with his clever vocal inflections. Besides the terrible chorus, this song is quite good. “Letter to my brudda” is also pretty great in its own right. The production is as excellent as ever and 21’s performance is even pretty good here. Sure, it’s still similar to his previous verses, but he sounds more alive than usual on this track. Even the subject matter is pretty great as he’s exploring things that he’s been forced to experience when living the “street life,” such as loyalty and betrayal. We even see him resenting his past ways and asking for his sins to be lifted off of him in the second verse. “Dangerous” offers a solid Lil Durk feature, which amazes me simply because it’s actually good. I’m known for hating Lil Durk so much, but I can say that he’s great here. Both artists are serious with their delivery which heightens the track. The instrumental is enjoyable, being crafted by legendary producer, Metro Boomin, most known for collaborating with the faces of trap music like 21 Savage and Future. This track gives me a “SAVAGE MODE II” feel which I loved entirely, front to back. Travis Scott brings on his “UTOPIA” vibes on “nee-nah.” In my humble opinion, I believe that he carries this song. Everything about his performance is amazing. Even the instrumental has a dystopian kind-of feel, matching the whole aesthetic of the era he’s currently in. 21’s verse isn’t bad, but it is severely overshadowed by Travis’s verses. Another track I cannot get behind is “see the real.” It’s just that nothing is really brought to the table. The instrumental is somewhat annoying. 21’s verses are lackluster, although I must applaud them for varying a bit flowwise. Overall, nothing really stands out here, and I wouldn’t mind if this track was scrapped completely and got something else put in place instead of it. Another favorite of mine is “prove it” with Summer Walker. I’ve been getting into Walker piece by piece, and I love nearly everything I've heard from her. Just like “n.h.i.e,” the beat is floaty and cheerful, but I feel as if it matches 21’s vocals more than the usual beats he chooses. Although Walker only contributes to the chorus and some background vocals, I deeply enjoy everything she brought to the table. “Should’ve wore a bonnet” is another great departure from 21’s usual sound. This time around, it’s a sort of an R&B track because of the feature included, Brent Faiyaz. Both artists are amazing here. I even think that this contains one of 21’s best verses on the album. The instrumental is also a favorite of mine because of the inclusion of both R&B and trap. Everything about this song is excellent. “Just like me” offers a whole new sound to the album. Since Burna Boy is on it, it takes on a reggae approach. I don’t like Burna Boy all that much, but I can stand his chorus. The track as a whole makes an attempt to “trap-ify” the reggae-inspired beat and does it quite well. With the mixture of the two, 21’s performance is made even better. “Red sky” is another fan-favorite with its cinematic feel. From the intro and chorus, from Tommy Newport and Mikky Ekko, to the grimmy-feeling production, this whole song seems like it was taken out of an action movie. I must applaud 21 for his verses. He’s leveled up his delivery a bit, and it made the song. One little thing I liked about this song was how whenever it would transition from a verse to a chorus, the instrumental would get a lot quieter, making it seem like time stopped just for the chorus to come in. The last track on this project is “dark days,” which showcases an R&B artist, Mariah the Scientist. The track as a whole is very chill as the instrumental is lowkey in terms of instrument usage. The production gives a chance to 21 and Mariah to speak what’s on their mind as 21’s and Mariah’s vocals match perfectly with the vibe of the track. Just like “letter to my brudda,” 21 uses this track to speak upon street life. To sum it up, 21 believed that the time he was in the streets was the darkest period in his life. Mariah doesn’t fail to add an emotional layer to the song with her amazing, wholehearted vocals. This is without a doubt, one of the most heartfelt outros I’ve heard in a long time. I’ll admit, getting over that hump of 21’s performances being repetitive was quite hard on my first few listens. However, when I tried to get past that, I loved this album. From the fantastic production to the unique features, everything here was great. Even if 21’s rapping wasn’t sticking out like a sore thumb, it still had a great basis. Even the runtime of the album was great, only having 14 songs, which is a perfect middle ground in my eyes. With all of this being taken into account, I’m giving this album a straight 8 on a 10-point scale. Graphic by Laura Viviana De Lora Leon �The Beacon - February 7, 2024 Sports 19 Sports Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: Adam.grundt@wilkes.edu NHL holds All-Star festivities in Toronto By Adam Grundt Asst. Sports Editor The National Hockey League held its annual All-Star festivities at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Feb. 2 & 3, and a star-studded lineup participating. Each January, with the exception of years where the Winter Olympics are held, the world’s best hockey players that are part of NHL teams gather in a different location to showcase their skills. Held every season, the game and festivities mark the symbolic halfway point of the season. This season, it was held in Canada’s largest city: Toronto, Ontario. This was Toronto’s ninth time hosting the NHL’s all-star game. As one of the Original Six franchises, the city held the league’s first annual all-star game in 1947. This season, each team was captained by a player and a celebrity and players were drafted in a draft-style format that was popularly used from 2011-2015. Teams were picked by their captains in a draft-style manner. Captains for each team are New Jersey’s Jack Hughes, Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes and singer Michael Bublé, Colorado’s Nathan Mackinnon and pop star Tate McRae, Toronto’s Auston Matthews and pop superstar Justin Bieber, and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and actor and comedian Will Arnett. The players shined in a skills competition held on Feb 2. The player with the most points throughout each of the events will take home $1 million. The challenges held included: the Fastest Skater, Hardest Shot, Stick Handling, One-timers, Passing Challenge, and Accuracy Shooting. The top eight point earners throughout that series of challenges will advance to the Honda one-onone challenge, where the player will select a goalie they want to take on in a breakaway. After that, the top six point earners will move on to the final event: the Pepsi obstacle course. The player with the most points throughout all eight of the events will be crowned the champion, and this season, the player who won the $1 million prize was Connor McDavid, who made every contest (but especially the fastest skater competition) look easy. In the National Hockey League, each team must send one all-star to the game by rule. The rest of the players are chosen by the fans through a fan voting system. The Vancouver Canucks lead the field with five all-stars: Brock Boeser, J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, and Thatcher Demko. On Jan. 31, they completed a trade with Calgary in which they acquired another allstart in Elias Lindholm. The Toronto Maple Leafs have four all-stars: Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Morgan Rielly. Edmonton’s notorious one-two punch, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will be taking the ice as members of the same team during allstar weekend, making them a favorite to win the tournament. The league leader in points in the NHL, Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov, will be on the Hughes/Bublé squad. Two players who were selected to the all-star game but are currently injured and will not participate are Chicago’s young star Connor Bedard, and Vegas’s Jack Eichel. Some other notable players participating in this year’s festivities include Colorado’s Cale Makar, Pittsburgh’s longtime captain Sidney Crosby, Boston’s David Pastrnak, and Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin. In addition, Winnipeg’s goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, Montreal’s Nick Suzuki, Minnesota’s Kirill Kaprizov, Nashville’s Filip Forsberg, Arizona’s Clayton Keller, Detroit’s Alex DeBrincat, and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers will also be competing. In the past, the best players from each conference in the league would take each other on in a single, regular style game. However, recently, the league shifted to a different format. Team Matthews/Bieber came out on top in the tournament this season. Powered by two goals and an assist by the captain, Matthews, and a goal and an assist from three different players (DeBrincat, Barzal, and Keller), the squad was able to defeat Team McDavid by a score of 7-4. Each player from Team Matthews tallied a point in the final match. It is unknown where the NHL’s allstar game will be held next season. There are a few teams that have yet to host an all-star game, so it will be interesting to see where the league will travel to next season for its halfway point extravaganza. Sports wants to know about your all-star players. Do you have a player who is extraordinary on and off the field? Let us know! They may be featured in a future Beacon. Email adam.grundt@wilkes.edu �The Beacon - February 7, 2024 Sports 20 Successful season of women’s basketball led by Matos By Ava Tureen Staff Writer The Women’s basketball team is showing some good scores with a 8-12 season under their belt. As the team is reaching the final chapter of the season, team members are confident in how they have been playing and how they will play for the rest of their season. Yamirelis Matos has stood out thus far. She has had an amazing season, and in games against Penn State Altoon and Goucher, she scored 21 points per game. Matos is one of the team’s four leading scorers, along with Erin Shober, Taylor Simpson, and Brenna Babcock. “Like most of the team, I put up extra shots on my off time as well as work on my ball handling,” said Matos. “However, going 100% in practice thus practicing in a gamelike manner is what sets me up for the success I have been having.” Matos will continue to work on her shots and ball handling throughout the rest of the season and her off time. She has 25 3-pointers throughout her entire season so far and 66 free throws made. “Staying consistent in games has been a pure result of the work put in practice everyday,” she continued. “My mindset stays the same every game, and that is playing to develop as a player and continue the same work ethic. As well as wanting to win as a team, when we work together the game comes easier to us and is so much more enjoyable.” In the game against Scranton on Jan. 31, Emma Stout, a junior, shot two 3-pointers. One of those 3-pointers was immediately after entering the game from the bench. She is definitely a player to watch in the upcoming season. Nadia Evanosky is a sophomore on the basketball team who is having a good comeback after facing an injury earlier in the season that kept her from playing seven games. “Over the course of those weeks I was unable to participate in practice and could do minimal physical activity,” Evanosky said. “However, upon getting cleared I rehabbed and worked out as much as possible to get myself back into the shape I was prior to the injury.” Now that she is back and rehabilitated she is proving to be an asset to this team’s success by scoring eight 3-pointers. This season alone Matos has scored 263 points. Brenna Babcock has 161 points and Erin Shober has put up 138 points that has all led to their teams eight victories. Erin Shober has 21 blocked shots so far this season, and has blocked six shots within the last four games. Taylor Simpson is also one of the lead scorers and has helped the team tremendously with 21 3-pointers this season. This is Taylor’s first season playing for the Colonels. Julia Marino has proven time and time again that she is a team player. She has the most assists on the team with 62 so far. Julia has also made 20 out of 33 free throws she has done throughout her season. Erin Shober has 21 blocked shots and Madison Robel has 66 blocked shots so far this season. Erin has blocked 6 shots within the last four games. Head coach Al Berger is proud of the team’s ability to bounce back and their resilience. “The Landmark Conference is a really tough league, and you have to be able to move forward from one game to the next, regardless of the result,” said Berger. “I think we’ve done a good job of that throughout the season.” Coach Berger and his team go into every game with the same mindset and philosophy. “We look at each game the same way,” Berger explained. “We prepare to win every game, and have an attitude that each game is a great opportunity to show people what we’re all about.” The women’s basketball team is currently ranked #8 in the Landmark Conference above Juniata and Goucher. Coach Al is excited for the future of Wilkes Women’s basketball, especially with the four outstanding commits in the class of 2024. The women’s team has five games left in their regular season and are excited for playoffs to roll around. Catch the women’s basketball team HOME at 7 p.m. on Feb. 7 AWAY at Elizabethown at 4 p.m. on Feb. 10 �The Beacon - February 7, 2024 Sports 21 Spring means softball: A preview of this season By Lexi McHugh Staff Writer As the spring season approaches, the Wilkes softball team is gearing up for its 2024 season in a new conference. The team is prepared for any challenges it may face. In the previous season, the Wilkes softball team held a record of 18 wins and 18 losses. Head Coach Jacqueline Klahold is embarking on her impressive fifth season at Wilkes. Before taking over the softball program, she dedicated four years to the athletic department, serving as a staff assistant to the athletic director. In 2010, Klahold transitioned into coaching college softball, kickstarting a journey that would define her career. Over the course of nine years, Klahold built her coaching portfolio, furthering her skills and fostering a deep understanding of the game. In late 2019, when the opportunity to lead the Wilkes softball team presented itself, she eagerly applied for and accepted the position. The decision was not just a career move; it was a heartfelt commitment to a place that holds special significance for both Klahold and her family. It's worth noting that Klahold's connection to Wilkes runs deep, as her husband has been a part of the university for the past 21 years. Serving as the Fitness Center Coordinator and Head Strength and Conditioning Coach. For Klahold, choosing to lead the softball program at Wilkes was more than a professional decision, it was a personal one. In reflecting on her journey and the Wilkes community, Klahold emphasizes the importance of family. She believes in instilling a sense of unity within her teams, fostering an environment where players support each other through the highs and lows of both athletics and life. "Wilkes is family to me, and that is what I have tried to incorporate into my teams, family,” said Klahold. “Be there for each other and support each other through good and bad.” Klahold explains what she believes makes Wilkes softball a strong team. "I think each coach, in their own right, has their own formula for what makes their team great,” explained Klahold. “For our team, it starts with our core values and our players. "Integrity, accountability, trust, respect, and commitment are our core values, defining our players as student- athletes in the classroom, on the field, in the community, and in the weight room.” She emphasizes that her athletes should be the best teammates they can be on and off the field. "We know our players are going to make mistakes in life, and our job as mentors is to help them learn from those mistakes and become stronger from their experiences," said Klahold. Wilkes softball has a lot in store for this upcoming season according to Klahold. "We have solid team goals of continuing to compete at a high level every game, and making it to the Landmark playoffs,” said Klahold. "There is a lot of parity in this conference from top to bottom, headed up by national powerhouse Moravian University. It’s a great challenge for us, but it is an opportunity that we are excited for." Junior student-athlete Evan Sherrick, who plays second base for the Wilkes softball team, is also eager for the season. "I’m looking forward to beginning our season by heading down to Myrtle Beach. It is always such a great team bonding experience that sets the tone for the rest of the season. These girls truly are my best friends, and I cannot wait to see what the season holds for us. Sherrick, reflecting on the challenges of the new conference, shared insights on the team's resilience during preseason. "Although this new conference is really going to test us, I believe my teammates and I are working extremely hard during preseason to be successful against the tough competition,” said Sherrick. “This season, we have a group that is different from each of my previous years here at Wilkes. "Everyone selflessly wants the best for one another, and we have an energy that I am so excited to be a part of.” The Wilkes Softball Team's schedule promises exciting matchups during their spring break at Myrtle Beach. On March 3, the team will face off against Norwich University, with subsequent games against Penn State Abington, Kenyon College, Bridgewater State University, Rosemont College, Lancaster Bible College, and Eastern Nazarene College. Upon their return, the team looks forward to their first home game on Friday, March 22, against Lancaster Bible College. The Beacon is looking for sports writers for the Spring 2024 semester If you are interested in sports writing, editing, photography or graphics contact Adam Grundt at adam.grundt@wilkes.edu �The Beacon - February 7, 2024 22 Sports Athlete of the Week Rissa Braseau First Year, Forward, Women's Ice Hockey The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Braseau recored her first two-goal career game in the nonconference game against Albertus Mangus College. The second goal Braseau scored was the game-winning goal. Major: Undecided Hometown: Timmins Ontario, Canada What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? Team building at hot yoga What has been your favorite sports memory overall? The amount of friendships domestically and internationally hockey has allowed me to create throughout my career. What is your favorite post-game meal? Cereal What is your favorite professional sports team (any How do you feel about being sport)? selected as the Athlete of the Providence Bruins (AHL) Week? What is your favorite thing to do I am honored because there are also so many other great and very away from sports? successful athletes on my time Jetski and other teams who could have What is your favorite part of been chosen being an athlete at Wilkes? The support for anything including academics and sports. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? "Grand Turismo" If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Flag fooball 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 January 30, 2024 Sports Athlete of the Week Jaryn Hartranft Sophomore, Wrestling, 157 The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week Hartranft had a perfect 4-0 week on the mat. He is ranked second in the Southeast Region at 157 pounds and was able to help Wilkes to a 40-8 senior night win over Scranton. Hartranft also went 3-0 at the John Reese Duals, picking up three more pins. Major: Undecided Hometown: Catasauqua, PA What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? My favorite memory as a colonel so far was he King’s match at the Martz Center my frist year here. The crowd was electric and the wrestling team really put on a show! What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? Vision Quest If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Football since I played my whole life growing up until high school. Once I hot high school, I focused on wrestling. What is your favorite professional What has been your favorite sports team (any sport)? sports memory overall? Philadelphia Eagles!! Go Birds My senior year of high school when I hit 100 wins. It was surreal What is your favorite thing to do and a huge accomplishment that away from sports? I’ve always wanted since I was a My favorite thing to do away from little boy. wrestling is video games. It gets my mind off things and I really get What is your favorite post-game to just relax and enjoy what’s in meal? front of me. Definitely has to be come wings. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? My favorite part of being an athlete here at Wilkes is the friendships I have gained. I have met some of the coolest people here that will be my friends for along time. The Beacon/Sam Mullen How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? I am honored to be athlete of the week for Wilkes. I’ve put in a lot of hard work and effort to accomplish this goal, but the end goal is to become a national qualifier at the least. 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 - February 7, 2024 24 Interested in joining The Beacon? Email morgan.rich@wilkes.edu or 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 <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 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>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> 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. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre 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 Wilkes Beacon, 2024 February 7 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wilkes University retains copyright of this publication. https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/7a72d93d14ee6246a39b6c804974d48b.pdf ad3c4c89a18602daa39a7c06657dab98 PDF Text Text The Beacon - January 31, 2024 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 76, Issue 9 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” It’s war in the battle of whose wings are best By Anthony Cazun Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor With the spring 2024 semester in full swing, the Programming Board recently held one of its student-favorite weekly events. With mouths watering, the group presented Wing War to the campus community. Students of Wilkes University took part in the annual event that requires them to taste test various wings from various restaurants around the WilkesBarre area. The restaurants included North Slope, Frog Pond Club, Pizza Bella, Franklin’s, R Bar and Grill, Grotto’s Pizza, Whiskey Business, Tommy’s Pizza Corner, Januzzi’s and Anthracite Cafe. The event is especially helpful to new students, as it allows them to find out about local spots to eat, restaurants that may have been hidden gems. Opening up people new to the area to brand new culinary experiences that they may not have known about otherwise. “For wing wars there are two sides, the mild side and the specialty side,” said Maggie McHenry, digital design and media arts major and Programming Board member. “For each side, there’s a different toothpick color for each type of wing, and you use the corresponding toothpick color to pick one of those wings. After that, you rate which wing was your favorite depending on the toothpick color.” The participant then scanned a QR code that took them to a Google form. It is there that the participant voted for their favorite wings from one of the various restaurants. Fried and baked drums and flat wings covered in savory sauces filled several dozens of tables. For those not interested in meat, or who wanted to try something different, there were vegan options as well. Many participants leisurely enjoyed their wings and engaged in raffles that included gift cards, air fryers and more. However, there was a much more competitive and intense element to the event: The Hot Wing eating competition. Contest participants had to endure a gauntlet of spicy wings in various rounds. Each round increased the scoville count which increased the spiciness, ending with The Last Dab, a hot wing sauce with a scoville count of 2 1 6 Student finds ‘home’ and mentorship at Wilkes, page 3 7 8 7 9 3 9 8 Can you sodoku?, page 10 over 2.5 million. Throughout the competition, participants were eliminated one by one from the table. Despite the number of contestants, the final contestant, the winner of the wing wars hot wing gauntlet was Anthony Veach, who won various prizes including a cooler, three hot sauces and chips. “It took a lot of willpower, a lot of mental toughness,” Veach said. “I am just glad I came back on top.” Veach, a sophomore business major, chatted with a reporter in between large gulps of milk. Another contestant who nearly had the victory was Logan Seling, who was also given milk to help diminish the pain of the hot sauce. Is there a correct way to adapt a story?, page 17 Winter sports roundup, page 19 see wings, cont. on pg. 9 8 3 �The Beacon - January 31, 2024 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Amanda Montgomery: Amanda.Montgomery1@wilkes.edu Programming Board's spring semester schedule of events Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............4 Opinion............6 Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Beacon News Staff HPSC Donut Sale The Honors Program Student Committee is selling donuts on Tuesday, Feb. 1 and Thursday Feb. 8 in the SUB from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. All donuts will be sold individually for $2 each. In addition, there will be supplies ready to create Valentine’s Day cards. All profit will directly support the Honors Program. Movie Channel: Pick the February Movies Use this link to vote on the February movies https://forms.gle/ iagYrzjEsJdtxZvL6. Free Rock Climbing in the MAC On Mondays and Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m., Wilkes Adventure Education (WAE) hosts free rock climbing in the MAC. There is no registration required, and anyone can participate. Become an e-Mentor The Office of Student Development is now accepting student e-Mentor applications for the Fall 2024 semester. A First Year Student e-Mentor is a fulltime, undergraduate student trained to provide support to 12-25 new students. e-Mentors are student leaders who have a variety of campus experiences. Fill out the application using this link: https://www.wilkes.edu/campuslife/student-development/leadershipopportunities/e-mentors/index.aspx. Contact Stacy Mullen at stacy. mullen@wilkes.edu or 570.408.4645 with any questions. Spring Intramural Sports Registration is now open for spring intramural sports. The season begins Feb. 19 and ends March 27. Sports offered are soccer (Mondays/ Thursdays), basketball (Tuesdays), dodgeball (Wednesdays) and volleyball (Wednesdays). Register yourself and your team on Sports................8 IMleagues.com before the start of the season. Any questions contact casey. carpenter@wilkes.edu. Transgender Day of Visibility Ball The Gender & Sexuality Alliance (GSA) will be celebrating Transgender Day of Visibility in March with a ball. Voting for this year's theme is now open and can be found using this link: https:// forms.gle/vbdshUnESomuk5xb8. Patagonia Quarter Zips for Sale Industry Pharmacists Organization (IPhO) is selling Wilkes Patagonia Quarter Zips. Sales will close on Feb. 14. Jackets will be available for pick up on campus at select dates/times. Use this link to purchase: wilkes.edu/ IPhOSweaters. Upcoming Events: 2024 Spring Semester February 1 - Puppies & Plushies 8 - Pickles-Barre 10 - King of Prussia Shopping Trip 15 - Music BINGO 22 - Family Feud 25 - Ice Skating at Revolution Ice 29 - Giveaway One March 14 - Adventure BINGO 17 - Orangetheory Fitness Class 21 - Laser Tag April 4 - Everything but the Kitchen Sink 7 - Bye Bye BINGO �������������������������������� ���������� ������ ����� ������������ ������ ��� �The Beacon - January 31, 2024 News Student finds 'home' and mentorship at Wilkes News@Wilkes From a news release Brahim Hamid Oudjana came to Wilkes from Oman intending to study for one semester and stayed a year. Now in his second year in the United States, he’s participating in the Disney College Program, which brings students to work at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. He credits Wilkes with making it all happen. Oudjana, an international business and service management major at German University of Technology, came to Wilkes in fall 2022 as a senior on an exchange program. “I loved Wilkes and I extended my time there for spring 2023. And then I paid my own tuition for the summer,” he says. “This speaks to how attached I was to the University and the culture and community there.” Studying in the United States had always been a dream, Oudjana said, but the Omani government only awarded him scholarships to study in that country. Then he learned the German university he attended had a partnership with Wilkes. Oudjana says he found a family at Wilkes even before classes started. He was on campus just two days when Tom Hansen, another international student from the University of Birmingham, suggested he attend a Wilkes Adventure Education (WAE) event. WAE organizes outdoor activities such as hiking and camping and facilitates the climbing wall and ropes course in the McHale Athletic Center. Jill Price, WAE coordinator, asked the newly arrived Oudjana to help facilitate WAE Day, an event for new students. Since then, he has participated in WAE hiking and camping adventures at the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, New Mexico, Death Valley and eventually the famous Grand Canyon. “With WAE, it’s like I have a big family. And when I say family, I cannot stress that enough. It’s a big part of me,” Oudjana said. Price says that Oudjana – who is known as Ibra to his friends – brought special qualities to the group. “Ibra is very even keeled. He’s a very introspective guy,” Price said. “I was so glad to hike side by side with him on some of our trips and get to know him as a person…. He had an air of gratitude about him. He had humility and was connected to discovering his purpose. You just can’t beat it.” Oudjana also excelled academically at Wilkes. He noted faculty in the Sidhu School of Business and Leadership went out of their way to help him to take the classes he needed by allowing him to do them as independent studies. These included classes like revenue management with Anu Ghai, assistant professor of accounting. He also completed a research project studying a heritage site that is part of Oman’s tourism industry. The project, done under the supervision of HyeRyeon Lee, associate professor of hospitality, 3 Brahim Hamid Oudjana earned him second-place honors in the Sidhu School’s annual research symposium. “His research idea and approach demonstrated a high level of innovation, which earned him second-place recognition,” Lee said. “He attempted to provide insightful solutions to complex issues in Oman’s tourism industry. While the current operational system cannot be fixed immediately, his research results offer valuable suggestions for long-term development. His outstanding research approach is particularly noteworthy considering he is an undergraduate student.” Oudjana credits Wilkes for helping him get into the prestigious Disney College Program. Carol Bosack Kosek, director of career services, told him about the opportunity. “If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have even heard of the program,” Oudjana said. Oudjana is working at one of the Disney resorts until February – a perfect opportunity for someone interested in the tourism industry – and hopes he will be able to continue for a second semester to work in marketing. He also wants to come back to Wilkes-Barre to see his Wilkes family. “I always thought if I came to the states, I would want to go to a big university … I’m really glad that I landed at Wilkes,” says Oudjana. “If I went to one of those schools, I don’t think I’d have the sense of community, the warmth of Wilkes.” �The Beacon - January 31, 2024 News 4 What is... Wilkes University's Student Government? By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer Of all the student organizations on campus, none have as far a reach as Student Government, or SG. Because the organization doesn’t have a traditional “general board," most students do not know what exactly Student Government does. SG is responsible for major events on campus. Carter Henritzy, a senior psychology major and SG President, has a soft spot for "spring fling," an upcoming dance that is usually held at the Mary Stegmaier Mansion. “It’s a great chance to bring students together for a night of dancing, socializing, and great food,” said Henritzy. SG also hosts other events, including the upcoming Casino Night, Big Event and Block Party. Michael Santini, an undeclared first-year student and treasurer for the class of 2027, explained what block party might look like come spring. “Block Party is still very early in its planning stages, and I would hate to give too much away so early in the semester. That said, we have a ton planned, and the whole committee is excited about what's to come,” said Santini. One thing most students do not realize about SG is that every member serves on at least one committee that focuses on different projects -- both SG events and general campus projects. For example, the Capital Projects committee helped fund the renovations to the basement of the Farley Library. In addition to the Block Party committee, Santini is also on the food committee. “Although we primarily serve as an avenue of feedback for the food services, I can share something brand new this semester: the vending machine directly next to Which Wich on the first floor of the SUB, which offers a few additional food options,” said Santini. Though familiar now, the updated Student Union Building (SUB) lounge on the first floor is also a Student Government project. Student Government members at this year’s Winterfest. In addition to serving on committees, SG members sit in on weekly meetings. “An average meeting can vary depending on who we have coming into the meeting," said Henritzy. "Usually, we have one or two clubs that are asking for funds for their club and a couple of club reports a meeting." More than anything else, the passion its members have for the body speaks to the efficacy of SG. Students are not supposed to join an organization for the way it will look on their resume, but for the love of the group and for what they want to provide for the community. “I wish people knew that SG is more than just meeting in a room every Wednesday.," said Henritzy. "We are involved in many things on campus. All of our members contribute to every event we hold for the students. Each individual class does great things for their classes as well. SG is here to make student’s enjoy Wilkes to the fullest. We love to see all the students enjoying everything we hold for the students." It may be too late to join SG this year, but students can still get involved. Santini and Henritzy echoed the same sentiment: Student Government needs students' input. “SG thrives on engagement and feedback, and I encourage the student body to participate and voice their opinions as much as possible," said Santini. "You can do this by reaching out to your class representatives or making your voice heard at one of the open meetings we hold throughout the semester." Keep an eye out for the SG table at next year’s Club Day and in the meantime, students can follow them on Instagram @wilkessg to keep up with their events during the semester. Photos Courtesy SG Instagram �The Beacon - January 31, 2024 News 5 A love letter to the Wilkes University e-mentor program By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer Everyone on campus knows someone who is or was involved in e-Mentoring. An e-Mentor reached out to you when you arrived on this campus, whether or not you responded to that email, joined the groupchat and engaged during orientation, Welcome Weekend and your first semester, was up to you. Regardless of whether or not you wanted or needed an e-Mentor, you can and should apply to be an e-Mentor. Here’s why. Stacy Mullen, Director of Student Development and e-Mentor boss explains the program best. “The program serves as a valuable resource for incoming students, pairing them with an upperclassman mentor who (most often) shares the same major," said Mullen. "The support and guidance provided by the e-Mentors begins during summer orientation and extends throughout the fall semester. The e-Mentor Program not only helps our incoming students establish their first friendships on campus but also offers a chance for the e-Mentors to share their knowledge of campus life, provide guidance and support and help others find their place here at Wilkes." But what do e-Mentors actually do? They attend a few training sessions, work Orientation and Welcome Weekend and engage with their mentees throughout their first semester at Wilkes. They do this in a variety of ways, including sending emails or texts to their mentee groups, inviting them to sporting and campus events and by working one of four e-Mentor supported events: Family Day, Hall Brawl, Registration Bingo or Bowling Night. Emma Freels, who has been a mentor for two years and most recently served as the Social Media Coordinator for the program, is proud to have engaged with her e-Mentor during her firstyear and applied after the program was recommended to her. “I really enjoyed attending the events that my e-Mentor, Kait Falco, held for us as well," said Freels. "I met one of my best friends by being part of that group, and after struggling a bit my first-year, I realized that I wanted to be able to give other students the same welcoming community that was there to support me." In addition to the traditional e-Mentor duties, Freels took on even more responsibility as the Social Media Coordinator. “I applied for this additional leadership position because I love designing and planning, and it allowed me to keep my role as an e-Mentor which was really important to me," said Freels. "I created and uploaded content for the organization's social media accounts and promoted events through flyers and posters." This is not the only coordinator position available. There is also the e-Mentor coordinator, who works directly with the mentors, creates the training sessions and keeps tabs on the e-Mentor’s work during the semester, and the orientation coordinator, who plans New Student Orientation and Welcome Weekend. This year, a new coordinator position is being introduced: the Civic Engagement coordinator. “As part of the revitalization of our Office of Civic Engagement, incoming students will have the opportunity to kick off their Wilkes experience with a day of service, a tradition that has been embraced by many classes in the past (pre-COVID)," said Mullen. "E-mentors will play a significant role in organizing and leading this day of service, and there are also discussions about incorporating service as a regular part of the programming throughout the fall semester." Mullen shared that she would have appreciated an experience like this during her undergraduate experience. “As a transfer student, my orientation experience wasn't very comprehensive, and I didn't have the privilege of being assigned a student mentor," said Mullen. "Reflecting on it now, I believe that a program like this would have made a huge difference in ensuring that I had the necessary tools and resources to navigate a new campus and my academics with support and confidence." But why should students apply to be an e-Mentor? The 2023 Mentor cohort at the Colonel Carnival, one of the hallmarks of Welcome Weekend. As valuable as it is for first-year and transfer students, mentors gain just as much and have even more fun. Mullen shared that, while witnessing first-year students grow is fulfilling, she also loves to see the mentors grow and step out of their comfort zone. “I really wish people knew just how fun the e-Mentor program is," said Freels. "Truly, it is such a welcoming group of people that no matter how different you might be you will always feel included. It's also a great way to get involved on campus. I can't express how much it makes my day when a mentee or mentor waves hello,” said Freels." Speaking not as the author of this article, but as the girl who entered college friendless, confused and overwhelmed, e-Mentoring has been crucial to the formation of who I am today. Though I did not utilize my e-Mentor, I knew I wanted to help students who needed the assistance. Students do not have to be the bubbly, outgoing person that may come to mind when they hear “orientation guide”. It is one thing to be a student and have an e-Mentor available to help, but it is entirely different to be a mentor. I have met and grown closer to so many wonderful people through this program. If students want to make new friends, use knowledge to help incoming students, get more involved or just have something to do over the summer, e-Mentoring is for them. Students can apply to be an e-Mentor on the Wilkes University website and navigating to the mentoring page. Students can also follow the e-Mentors on Instagram and TikTok, @ wilkesumentors. Love truly is the best word to describe how those involved feel about the program. Just ask your e-Mentor. Photo Courtesy Stacy Mullen �The Beacon - January 31, 2024 Dr. Ashrafur Rahman joins Wilkes as assistant professor By Lexi McHugh Contributing Writer Dr. Ashrafur Rahman is an assistant professor for pharmaceutical sciences here at Wilkes University. Rahman is from Bangladesh. He completed his masters at North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. After graduation he moved to Japan where he completed his PSD of neuroscience. Shortly after he moved to Texas and completed his postdoctoral degree. Before working at Wilkes he worked in Bangladesh at a Renowned University as an assistant professor for four and a half years at the department of pharmaceutical sciences. “I have worked on various research projects such as memory dysfunction, mechanism of learning and memory, memory disorder, COVID-19 treatment, polycystic ovary syndrome and stereotaxic surgery,” said Raham. He loves to talk to his students and help them in any way he can. Raham said that Wilkes University provided him with a grant to build his new laboratory. “I chose Wilkes because of their high rate in faculty retention, its healthy work environment and the one on one engagement from professor to student,” said Raham. Raham says he always wanted to be in the pharmaceutical field and loves to fish. “What I love most about his job is the ability to be able to teach,”said Raham. He’s passionate about his students’ learning and he always likes to give them ideas that are helpful to them being a good researcher as well as their academic performance. Right now Raham is teaching anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, CNS and endocrine. His students are currently doing a poster presentation on microbiology. “It helps them improve their confidence and deliver to the scientific community,” said Raham. He does lab experiments with his students as well. Raham’s goals are to do more research that benefits people and helps mankind. 6 “I hope my research can help people get rid of a disease they have or bring them closer to it,” said Raham. His future plans consist of being the best possible teacher he can be. He never wanted to be a teacher or a researcher, but right now those two things are his main focus. His most enjoyable part so far here at Wilkes is last year when he published ten papers. He also mentions his research team who is doing excellent in research and writing scientific articles. He also enjoys the teaching aspect of it all. Rahams advice for all his students is to never give up: “If you miss your events today or anything today, you’ll miss it forever.” Dr. Kelly Sklanka returns to Wilkes as assistant professor By Amanda Montgomery News Editor Dr. Kelly Sklanka joined Wilkes last fall as assistant professor of pharmacy practice. She was an adjunct faculty member for the Nesbit School of Pharmacy before coming back to her alma mater. Sklanka is from Old Forge, Pa., and now lives in Wyoming, Pa. with her husband and 10-month-old daughter. She received her doctor of pharmacy degree from the Wilkes University and Nesbit School of Pharmacy in 2018. “The experience that I had as a student and the impact that the faculty had on me during my time at Wilkes was something that I really can’t even put into words. “It was just such a wonderful experience, and they really shaped me into the pharmacist and professional that I am today, so I wanted to be able to return the favor to current students and help shape them and guide them in their career,” said Sklanka. Sklanka explained that the healthcare system can be hard to navigate, especially with making appointments. “I saw a pharmacist as a provider who was so accessible and ready to unique because I have the opportunity help patients and answer questions to work with students both in the and make them feel comfortable, that classroom and then out in pharmacy was something that I wanted to do,” practice,” said Sklanka. said Sklanka. Her favorite part about teaching is While she getting to see never imagined her students her career would interact with lead her to patients, or teach pharmacy examining students, Sklanka their charts explained that and making she was fortunate connections enough to have to what they been that type have learned of healthcare in the provider for classroom. patients. “I was very D u r i n g accessible and her time helped make them at Wilkes, feel comfortable S k l a n k a in navigating the hopes to Photo courtesy Dr. Sklanka healthcare system, c r e a t e taking their medications and really relationships with her current taking control of their own health.” students through mentorship, just This semester, Sklanka is teaching in like she had with her past professors. a pharmacy care lab, where third year “I kind of hope that I can have pharmacy students learn motivational that same relationship with current interviewing. Additionally, Sklanka students that I serve as a mentor to is also teaching in the foundations them and help them decide what for pharmacy practice class. they want to do with their career “I think in pharmacy, it’s really and maybe shape the way that they practice and care for patients based on things that I’ve learned myself,“ said Sklanka. Sklanka participated in the New York City Marathon. This was also done as part of fundraising for Allied Services, which has a special place in her heart as her grandmother had gone to allied care after she had a stroke. “It kind of was some additional motivation that I needed to conquer the task of running a full marathon, but also was just really an important way to raise awareness for the wonderful things that allied services have done and kind of give back in that way,” said Sklanka. In the next few years, Sklanka is contemplating on pursuing an additional degree, including her masters in either health informatics or business administration. She also has a goal to become board certified in ambulatory care. Sklanka offers some advice to students, encouraging them to keep an open mind about the different courses they are taking, whether they are relevant to their major or not. �The Beacon - January 31, 2024 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Life, Arts & Entertainment Editor: Anthony.Cazun@wilkes.edu Art in Context film screening: A Choice of Weapons By Cally Williams Life, Arts & Entertainment Staff Writer Art is often used to tell a story for those whose story is rarely told. Gordon Parks used his photography to elevate African American voices. Parks would refer to his camera as his “weapon of choice…I could have picked up a gun” said Parks, but instead he chose the camera and gave us some of the most famous and eye opening photography that exists. The concept of art as a weapon is interesting and Parks used his weapon well. The camera makes change and makes people change in ways that a gun or a knife cannot. The Sordoni Art Gallery’s current exhibit, Framing Moments: Photography from the Kalamazoo Institute of the Arts, actually has one of Parks’ pieces on display. The exhibit opened on Nov. 7 and will be up until Feb. 4. On Jan. 25, The Sordoni Art Gallery held a screening of “Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks.” The documentary follows Park’s life and career and his role as a trailblazer for African American artists. The screening took place in the Karambelas viewing room. About 20 people registered to see the film, filling up the entire space. Parks was an influential photographer, filmmaker, poet and composer. He is best known for his photography for Life magazine, specifically for his photographs of everyday American life. Parks was also the first African American man to write and direct a major Hollywood film. Dan Kimbrough came to the screening as a special guest. After the film, Kimbrough even led a discussion about Parks and his role as an African American artist. Kimbrough works as a DI practitioner and is the owner and founder of Park Multimedia. He is also a podcast host and a former filmmaker. Kimbrough spoke on the influence Parks had on African American artists now. “Without him we would not have what we took for granted,” Kimbrough said about Parks, referring to all of the black filmmakers, photographers and artists of today. “It was an attack on white cinema. He himself. Parks started his photography career in the 1940s His first job was for a department store in Minnesota. After that he set up a portrait studio in Chicago. He won a fellowship for his photography and started working for the government in 1942. The Beacon/Cally Williams started a movement with his one film,” said Kimbrough. Parks started the “Blaxploitation” genre of film with his movie 1971 “Shaft” and its sequels. Park’s movie, “The Learning Tree” was one of his biggest successes as a filmmaker. It is known as the first major Hollywood movie to be directed by an African American artist, that being Parks In 1942, Parks started working as a photographer for the the Farm Security Administration (FSA). While working there he met a woman named Ella Watson. He took a picture of her now known as “American Gothic” that is currently being displayed in the Sordoni Art Gallery. The photo features Watson, an African American working woman, standing in front of an American flag while holding a mop. The title, “American Gothic,” and pose reference the well known painting of the same name. The photograph sheds light on black working women, like Watson. “It says so much about America’s treatment of black women,” said Melissa Carestia, assistant director of the Sordoni Art Gallery. “They are the backbone of America,” she stated, “and are treated terribly.” Parks spent four months capturing photographs of Watson, her family and her everyday life. Another photo that Parks took while working with Watson shows her with her three grandchildren and her adopted daughter in her home. Parks formatted his subjects in a way that not just shows Watson’s home and life but shows four generations of this family. Watson holds her grandchildren while her adopted daughter is shown through the mirror of the vanity. Sitting on the vanity is a picture of Watson’s parents. Parks managed to capture four generations of one family in a single photograph. In 1948, Parks was hired by LIFE magazine. This made him the first black staff photographer for the magazine. He worked for LIFE from the late 1940s to the 1970s. Many of his photographs dealt with issues like race, social issues, and poverty. The pictures that he published in the magazine during his years there showed wide audiences aspects of society they do not often see or hear about, like the life of a young gang leader or a poor African American family. Parks’ contribution to photography and African American art brought to light what society takes for granted. His art gave voices to those who do not often get the chance to speak. His influence gave birth to new generations of black photographers and writers who are inspired by his work and what can be said in pictures, not words. �The Beacon - January 31, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 Album of the Week: “Cross” - Justice By Anthony Cazun Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor There are some albums that truly stand the test if time. Albums across all genres, whether it be rock, hiphop, electronic, country or any of the hundreds of sub genres those contain. Each genre has its own batch of classics. Dance and electronic music have many beloved records, but there are some that are considered pilllars of the genre, one of the most notable being “Cross” by the electronic french duo Justice. In 2003, Justice was formed by Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay. The two graphic designers, soon to be music producers met in Paris and first collaborated on a track for a college radio station remix contest. The rest is history. They were quickly signed by Ed Banger records and began working. After doing a handful of remixes for other artists such as Britney Spears, N.E.R.D. and even one of their largest influences, Daft Punk, they went to work on their own record, “Cross.” “Cross,” released in 2007, was described as an intensive process by the french duo. That sentiment can be heard in the tone and intensity throughout the album itself. “Cross” can be a dark and moody experience, with its abrasive tone and bass heavy distortion found on several tracks, including the opening track “Genesis.” The track begins with heavy brass instrumentation and timpani drums, creating a tone that evokes similarities to old monster flicks such as “Godzilla,” creating a feeling that something large is emerging on the horizon. This is right before a heavy crash of distorted bass slams onto the track, being shadowed by an extended elevating sound, making each thump hit harder. A perfect introduction to the duo. The song evolves into synths, vocal samples, pitch shifts, guitars and much more. These tools and tactics are found through much of “Cross” runtime. Justice used unique methods of audio capturing in order to gain the distinct sound found throughout much of “Cross.” One of them being layering various effects on top of a sample and then resampling it so it gains a type of crunchy fuzziness to it. Other tracks such as “Newjack,” “Phantom,” “Waters of Nazareth,” etc. all utilize this unique, harsh sound. However, Morgan Rich, Editor-in-Chief: Samara Carey, Asst. Opinion Editor Silver Springs - Fleetwood Mac Any Day Now - Zac Brown Band Amanda Montgomery, News Editor: Neon Pill - Cage The Elephant Emma Broda, News Staff Writer: Swing - Earthgang Adam Grundt, Sports Asst. Editor: Anthony Cazun, LA&E Editor: Hours in Silence - Drake & 21 Savage Cally Williams, LA&E Staff Writer: Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staff picks their favorite song of the week. Our very own Anthony Cazun has put together a Spotify playlist where you can scan it and listen to the Beacon’s staff weekly picks! “Freeze,” Opinion Staff Writer: Get Gone - Fiona Apple Generator - Justice Graphics/Lara Mullen that does not mean the album lacks a softer, more genuine side. Songs like “D.A.N.C.E.,” a tribute song to many of the great works by Michael Jackson, Valentine and One Minute To Midnight all sport softer edges. The album was a critical and commercial success, being nominated for dozens of awards and gaining top spots on many essential albums of the 2000’s lists. “Cross” would turn Justice into a household name within the electronic scene. It would go on to inspire many others similar artists such as Carpenter Brut, Skrillix, Le Castle Vania, etc. along with various other established acts that would dip their toes into Justice’s harsher, distorted sound. Sam Mullen, Sports. Asst. Editor: Falling Behind - Laufey Tummy Hurts - Reneé Rapp Brooke Lare, LA&E Staff Writer Lara Mullen, Designer: Pistachios - Brent Faiyaz Sydney Allabaugh, Opinion Editor: HISS - Megan Thee Stallion Pure Morning - Placebo Liz Cherinka, Social Media Manager: Paul Revere - Noah Kahan �The Beacon – January 31, 2024 wings, continued from pg. 1 “It was a fight until the very end. Those wings were something else but we persevered” the mechanical engineering major said. The wing wars event typically has a very positive reception, allowing students to either simply come by and enjoy some wings, or engage in an intense challenge to test conviction, strength and endurance. Life, Arts & Entertainment “I feel like what’s fun about these types of events is we get a good turn out,” said McHenry. “People love free stuff, and we are able to meet and experience new people. “It is also just fun to see how we are all the same in this one spot, we are all enjoying the same event. It is fun to see the reactions, it helps them forget about all the stress of classes.” The next Programming Board event will be Puppies and Plushies, held on Feb. 1. Photos/Anthony Cazun RIGHT: Participants at Wing Wars were able to taste a variety of wings from throughout the area. Toothpicks helps tasters know heat levels and flavors. BELOW: Students packed the Jean and Paul Adams Commons, located in the Student Center, to participate in the battle known as Wing Wars. Wing Wars is a highly-anticipated event put on by the university’s Programming Board. The event full of students who were eating wings at their tables, while figuring out the contestants for the hot wing contest. 9 �The Beacon - January 31, 2023 10 Life, Arts & Entertainment Number Sodoku ����������������������������������������������� Challenge your brain with some sudoku! How to play: Fill in the missing number. Each row should have 6 different numbers, no repeats. Each column should have 6 different numbers, no repeats. Each 2x2 quadrant should have 6 numbers, no repeats. 1 5 8 2 6 9 4 2 Answer Key: 1 3 2 6 7 6 1 8 4 5 1 7 9 6 4 9 3 8 6 3 2 Credit for these puzzles goes to: www.sodokutodo.com Compiled by Morgan Rich, Editor In Chief 1 8 3 8 3 7 4 6 �The Beacon – January 31, 2024 Life, Arts & Entertainment 11 Academy Award nominees and drama during award season By Anthony Cazun Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor As 2023 has come to a close, it is time to take a look back and rummage through all of the films peppered throughout the year and collectively give praise to them through mankind’s favorite method of appreciation, awards. Award season has begun and as usual, plenty of discussion and drama has ensued. Before all of the juicy details, it is important to remember what award season is about and appreciate all of the fine craftsmanship that artists have created throughout the year. The 96th annual Academy Awards, commonly referred to as The Oscars, is to be held on March 10. Weeks before the ceremony, is the unveiling of all of the Oscar nominations. Many of which are not surprising, some of which are and there are some decisions that have been controversial and have caused a stir in the film world. To no surprise, the film that is dominating the nominations is Christopher Nolan’s atomic box office hit “Oppenheimer.” Leading the charge with 13 nominations, Nolan’s film is gaining heavy favor from the academy. The success has given way for the film’s lead, Cillian Murphy, acquiring his first ever academy nomination, despite being a prestigious and seasoned actor. The film also allowed actor Robert Downey Jr., front runner for best supporting actor, to greater flex his more sophisticated acting muscles after dedicating over a decade to his more comedic role as Tony Stark in the Marvel universe. In second place comes is Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things” with 11 nominations. The film stars Emma Stone and Mark Ruffalo, both of which are nominated for best lead actress and best supporting actor respectively. Despite releasing at the tail end of 2023, the film was recieved incredibly well by critics and audiences alike. The film with the third most amount of nominations is Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon.” The film follows Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone as they are embroiled in a conflict involving indigenous people, their land and murders surrounding them. The film nominated for 10 academy awards, including best lead actress for Lily Gladstone, the first Native American woman to ever be given the nomination. In a surprising turn of events, DiCaprio was not nominated for lead actor, despite the films large amount of nominations. Some say its a mistake to not nominate DiCaprio, other’s say it is beneficial for the academy to leave more best leading actor spots for actors below A-list. Another film within the top five most academy award nominated films of 2023 is the biggest movie of the summer, “Barbie.” Coming in with eight nominations, Barbie may be the most curious case of all, as while the film has gained unprecedented success both commercially and critically, the academy did not deem the director herself, Greta Gerwig, as worthy of an academy award for best director. This is despite the film being nominated for best picture. Not only was Gerwig locked out of a nomination, but so was Margot Robbie, the actress of the titular Barbie herself. While both of these decisions certainly turned heads on their own, it was the decision to continue to nominate Ryan Gosling for best supporting actor for his role as Ken in the Barbie film. This sparked a bit of outrage from fans of the film, as one of the various themes of word “refreshing” as one of the main descriptors. The trajectory of moviegoing changed drastically in a postCOVID-19 world. The previous theater experience is almost in the past, as the option of streaming is very alluring. However, describing the film as refreshing when the storyline has been recycled countless times in Hollywood, is speaking directly to the emotion felt with the overall movie going experience, and the romantic comedy genre gave it that extra push of nostalgia. Something that is becoming increasingly prevalent. The movie, amongst critics, is a throwback to the romcoms that dominated the early 2000’s, which was the ultimate goal of the film. In the movie, Glen Powell’s character, Ben, listens to “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield in times of added anxiety. The song was first released in the early 2000s, and it has hit the Top 20 for Official Charts on Jan. 18 due to the movie’s release. As people are gravitating towards the song in response to the popularity of the movie, the nostalgia reappears, the feel good and predictable time. With the heavy action and horror theme occurring in theaters, the change of pace allows for people to sit down and relax, instead of gripping at their popcorn. With “Unwritten” going back on the charts and the recent success of the “Mean Girls” reboot, it shows how mutually nostalgic the public is for the feel good era of the early 2000s. The romantic comedy genre has been at a standstill for years according to the boxoffice, but “Anyone But You” instills hope back into the genre. The trajectory of the movie using old- “Barbie” is society’s consistant tearing down of women in order to hold up men, something that many are accusing the academy of doing. Gosling released a statement on the matter. “There is no Ken without Barbie, and there is no Barbie movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie,” said Gosling. America Ferrara, who was nominated for best supporting actress for “Barbie” also gave a response. “Greta has done just about everything that a director could do to deserve it.” said Ferrara, “It feels disappointing to not see her on that list.” Other celebrities also weighed in on the matter, including Michelle Yeoh, who won best lead actress for her 2022 best picture film “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” The discussion was so widespread that even Hillary Clinton gave her thoughts. Despite the drama, it is important to celebrate those that create impactful pieces of art, regardless of award recognition. The Oscars air March 10. “Anything But You,” nostalgia and the state of romcoms By Brooke Lare Life, Arts and Entertainment Staff Writer “Anyone But You” was released Dec. 22, 2023, and is still affecting the box office, social media spaces, the charts and even radio play. Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell star in the corny enemies to lovers romcom that is unexpectedly leaving its mark. The film follows a duo that spend a night together, then thought they would never see each other again, until they coincidentally end up both being invited to the same wedding. The two pretend to be together to keep their families happy since everyone is aware of their mutual hatred. Following romantic comedy cliches, the two end up falling for one another. The storyline is as old as time, recycled plenty of times, but a simple Google search will fill your screen with the school movie tactics and the public responding so well to it, is leaving room for Hollywood to get a new perspective on what the public is really looking for. A shift in what general audiences desire after action blockbusters reigning supreme for over a decade. After social media dives on the hashtag and Google searches, what the public wants seems simple. Younger moviegoing audiences seem to want a time they were barely alive for, where everything felt good and predictable. Where they are no longer stressing hard over deadlines, dealing with coworkers and learning what it means to be independently responsible. One can fully expect more and more romantic comedies to pop up in theaters in the coming years. �The Beacon - January 31, 2024 �The Beacon - January 31, 2024 �The Beacon - January 31, 2024 Opinion Editorial Staff 2023-24 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Morgan Rich Social Media Manager - Liz Cherinka Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Amanda Montgomery Opinion - Sydney Allabaugh ASSISTANT EDITORS LA&E - Anthony Cazun Opinion: Samara Carey Sports - Adam Grundt Sports - Sam Mullen DESIGNERS Designer - Lara Mullen Layout Designer - Brady Melovitz SECTION STAFF WRITERS News - Emma Broda LA&E - Cally Williams LA&E - Brooke Lare Opinion - “Freeze” Want to join The Beacon? Several positions are open! Contact : kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or morgan.rich@wilkes.edu 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 Morgan Rich at morgan.rich@wilkes. edu The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact opinion editor: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu. Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. Snowy conditions call for school cancellations Sun, snow, ice, rain, sleet, earthquake, zombie apocalypse, Wilkes University will keep its doors open. To top it all off, students will have to fight off the zombies while slipping on the ice, without the courtesy of a condensed schedule. Dramatics aside, the first two weeks of the spring semester in good old northeastern Pennsylvania were filled with snow, ice and below-zero wind chills. With inclement weather on the rise, students were glued to their phones, anxiously awaiting some type of cancellation or delay. However, despite local school closures and warnings of the weather, Wilkes remained open. On the first day of classes, students were met with at least four inches of snow that they had to walk through. Students felt fortunate to receive a condensed schedule; however, as they got to campus, there were hardly any sidewalks shoveled and the parking lots were barely plowed. The weather, although inconvenient for students on campus, was a little more manageable than it was for commuter students. On the first day of classes, many commuter students were unable to come to class due to the terrible road conditions. Bad weather also attacked the campus that same Friday with another few inches of snow and slippery sidewalks. However, students were met with no condensed schedule, and, once again, the sidewalks were hardly shoveled and the parking lots were barely plowed. Students also reported there being little to no salt on the sidewalks. Luckily, the university stated that all classes after 1 p.m. would be canceled. Although this felt like good news, the issue was that this alert came to students at 12:45 p.m., which was far too close to 1 p.m. Many commuter students were already on campus when the alert was issued, and many faculty members who had afternoon classes were already on campus or on their way to campus to teach. According to the Department of Transportation, over 1,300 people are killed and more than 116,800 people are injured in vehicle accidents due to snowy, icy or slushy roads and pavements annually. Many students are concerned that without the proper action taken by the university in inclement weather, these statistics could someday include our students, faulty and staff. Some may say students on campus are overreacting; however, the argument among the students is that they would have no problem coming to class in inclement weather if they felt the campus was able to keep up with taking proper precautions. If people have to come to classes in inclement weather, parking lots should be properly plowed, salt should be continuously placed on the sidewalks and the sidewalks should be properly shoveled. This way, no students are injured on their way to class and feel safe. During the first two weeks of classes, the argument around campus was that students felt unsafe on campus during the inclement weather because the university seemed to not have take enough precautions to ensure their safety during this weather. Wilkes University, if there is inclement weather, please ensure that the students feel safe on campus and take the necessary precautions. If these precautions cannot happen, then please cancel class. The commuters need to be considered, especially since many commuters attend the university. It is always better to be safe than sorry, after all. 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: morgan.rich@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 - January 31, 2023 Opinion The Icebox: A review of The Return of The Red Insomniac’s “Spider-Man” Raven: an original story By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer Welcome to the Icebox, where you can learn to stay cool, although I think you are probably doing just fine in this weather. As you try to warm back up for the spring semester, don’t forget to keep it cool once in a while with some video games. Over break, I did plenty of gaming on my new PC. Today, I want to talk about a game that I recently played for the first time, which is Insomniac’s “Spider-Man.” Amazing. Spectacular. Superior. Ultimate. You see what I did there? This experience lets you swing around as the one and only friendly neighborhood web-shooting vigilante: Spider-Man. The entire game revolves around the life of Peter Parker during a very difficult time of his life, where he has almost no room for Peter and spends most of his time behind the mask. This is reflective of the game in that you, the player, can’t seem to put the controller down. The mechanics of the game are very straightforward, yet there are so many combat options for every player. You can choose to stick with the basic combat skills, and it would be more than enough to get you through the majority of the missions. If you get bored of that, you can switch it around by practicing combos, which can take you into the air or keep you on the ground. Spider-Man can zip up his opponents with his webs, stick them to walls, hang them from the ceiling and even use them as objects to toss at other enemies. He can dodge attacks and perform special finishers, which charge based on how many hits have been landed in a fight. Although the enemies can be overwhelming at times, it is no problem for a well-prepared Spider-Man. Players have the option to equip three of several gadgets at a time, which greatly enhances fighting ability and always helps during critical moments. If you get bored of the old spidey look, you can select from several suit styles, some of which are references to other spiders. The neat part about these suits is that they each come with a special ability, but they are customizable so a player does not have to wear a certain suit in order to use the associated ability. The ability itself charges over time based on combat status, and it is both a great way to enter a fight and to end it quickly. My personal favorite ability is the Web Blossom, which is where Spidey leaps into the air, spins rapidly and releases large web shots that force enemies to be stuck to the wall or be incapacitated. This ability is unlocked early in the game and remains one of the best ways to quickly clean up a criminal mess. Aside from the innovative beat-em-up genre, this game includes side missions and a few minigames. Players can help NPC by taking photos of New York City landmarks, capturing pigeons or even trying to outsmart the Taskmaster through his tedious challenges, which help the player hone their swinging and combo skills. Some of the main missions even require that Peter be a sneaky spider to take out his enemies one at a time. Speaking of stealth missions, did you know you can play as Mary Jane in the game too? That’s right, she works for the Daily Bugle and will do anything she can to get some good coverage. Unfortunately, since this game takes place years after Peter leaves the Bugle, the infamous J. Jonah Jameson is retired, but you can still hear his thoughts on his latest podcast! Finally, the plot remains one of the most enjoyable parts of the game, which is impressive because Insomniac’s Spider even appears in a lot of Spider-Man power scaling discussions. I would not want to spoil too much, but let’s just say the opening act with Wilson Fisk is the least of Peter’s worries. From an early introduction of Miles Morales to a mythological plot twist, the story of this game keeps a player interested in the main story and wanting to come back for more. In fact, most players end up getting strongly attached to the characters, which have been given great depth. I am looking forward to playing the other installments of the Insomniac franchise, which would be the story of Miles and the latest sequel that features my favorite villain, Venom. If you haven’t already, put on the mask and swing into action! By Leah Smith Contributing Writer PART 8 The killer was inside the house. Rick placed his hands on Cameron’s bloody face and tried to comfort him. “Are you okay?” he asked, caressing Cameron’s cheeks. “N-no, I need h-help,” Cameron mumbled. “Of course, but first, I need to get that freak. They’re in the basement,” Rick stated. “Rick-” Cameron tried to shout but couldn’t from the blood choking his voice. Rick ran downstairs, grabbed an old fire poker from the bottom of the steps and readied himself for a confrontation. “I got you now, you psycho! Come out and face me!” he said with gritted teeth. Rick walked past the line of boxes on the wall. He regretted having so many at the moment since it blocked his vision on the next turn. He lowered himself at the end of the path of boxes and tried to peek at the next turn. From what he could see, the chair the killer had Cameron tied up in was still there. Cameron’s blood stained the floor in red slashes and drops. Rick assumed the killer was waiting for him to pounce and that they wouldn’t move until he moved. He thought about what weapon they would have on them. An alphabet block to continue the pattern of murders? A Colt .45 pistol like Father Destiny used on the show? Whatever it was, Rick didn’t have time to contemplate anymore. He leapt out of the path and stabbed the air with the fire poker. Rick blinked as he realized that he didn’t actually stab anyone. It was a familiar feeling but never felt quite like this. He scanned the area and carefully checked behind the final tower of boxes that were still lining the wall. The killer was nowhere to be found. A warm glow of light rubbed his neck, causing him to turn around and realize how the killer left. The window was wide open and greeted Rick to a feeling of disappointment and annoyance. Rick ran back up the stairs, dropped the fire poker by the basement door and returned to Cameron. He looked pale and his eyes were fighting to stay awake. “I got you, honey, we’re going to a hospital 15 right now,” Rick said. He carried Cameron all the way to his car and opened the back seat door for him. He made sure to comfortably lay him out on the seats and slammed the door. Rick opened the door to the driver’s seat and got the car moving. His knuckles burned red as his eyes kept playing hot potato with the road and Cameron’s body. The hospital wasn’t too far from where they lived. He was sure Cameron was going to make it. Nothing but white noise and the sound of his heartbeat was heard through Rick’s ears. He kept repeating to himself that Cameron would be okay and that he would make it before he would die. Sometimes, he would prevent himself from saying that word. Finally, his eyes caught the giant red cross that hung above the words “EMERGENCY” and merged to turn left where those words were located. He parked at the emergency parking lot, grabbed Cameron’s body and shoved the door open with his back. “Help! Someone help! My husband needs help!” Rick shouted. The people in the waiting room line gawked seeing Rick clinging onto Cameron’s blood-soaked body. A group of three doctors rushed in, grabbed a stretcher and ripped Cameron out of Rick’s arms. Rick tried to trail behind them, but one of the doctors instructed Rick to stay back and sit in the waiting area. Rick reluctantly listened and stood solemnly behind the emergency doors. “What have I done?” Rick asked himself. He slowly walked into the waiting area and took a seat. He examined the encrusted blood on his hands as tears began to race down his cheeks. He scratched at his hair anxiously and kept trying to relax. His teary eyes slowly began to clear up. Everyone in the waiting room was staring at him. He felt frightened by all of these eyes digging into him. It was as if they were all pointing at him, pointing at Cameron’s body and chanting, “It’s all your fault.” Rick left the room and walked into the bathroom. He locked the door and started to thoroughly wash his hands. He washed his face and looked at himself in the mirror to see a face he could no longer recognize as the man he wished he still was. To be continued... �The Beacon - January 31, 2024 Opinion 16 Otto von Bismarck: the overlooked and forgotten statesman By Noah Garraoui Contributing Writer “The great questions of the day will not be settled by means of speeches and majority decisions but by iron and blood.” With this famous quote, we understand the policies and legacy that defined one of history’s chronically overlooked greats: the Iron Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck. Unlike the rest of history’s greats, Otto von Bismarck is seldom known or addressed. For a man so cunning and of high stature, it is almost tragic his overcoming of great odds is not recognized. Despite being the youngest in Europe, the nation Bismarck created arguably was and still is the most capable and powerful on the continent. Despite his monumental achievement, Bismarck remains overlooked. A brief history is necessary to understand the times Bismarck lived in. Bismarck was born into post-Napoleonic Europe that was still recovering from the recent wars and was locked in a delicate balance of power. For Bismarck to turn 39 small German states into a united empire without upsetting the other great powers would pose a significant challenge for the statesman. His ability to maneuver in this political theater would prove Bismarck’s mastery of realpolitik, a political philosophy of pragmatism. By way of careful diplomacy and decisive military campaigns, Bismarck successfully unified the German Empire, while at the same time, weakening its enemies without turning Europe against it. Bismarck’s Germany was a monumental achievement, considering what came before. The 39 states of Germany formed a loose confederation similar to the large but divided Holy Roman Empire. Compared to all the great empires surrounding Central Europe, these states were powerless and would have been forced to accept hegemony from the Austrian Empire. Likewise, without Bismarck reviving the authority of the Kaiser, Prussia would have likely fallen victim to the revolutions of 1848. Instead, guided by the doctrine of iron and blood, Prussia rose to match and surpass the increasingly backward states around it. It is essential also to consider that Bismarck did not wield war lightly or without extensive forethought. He would choose his targets carefully and with an extensive plan. Bismarck always had a plan. Each campaign he embarked on had a set goal, and Bismarck, unlike Napoleon Bonaparte, knew when to stop. On his first campaign against Denmark, he aligned Prussia with Austria and offered territory in exchange for military aid. The war was short, but it set Austria up as failing to uphold its end of the PrussianAustrian agreement, giving Bismarck a justification to go to war with them. With this campaign, Bismarck also unified North Germany and formed the North German Confederation, but there was no harsh peace imposed on Austria despite having lost pathetically. The Iron Chancellor knew Austria would be a valuable ally, but it would only set the other powers against Germany to impose strict terms. In his final significant campaign, France and Germany were poised to go to war, but neither wanted to be considered the aggressor. To force France into aggression, Bismarck commented on the succession of the Spanish crown in such a way that outraged the French but without explicitly saying anything. Inspired by nationalist zeal, the rest of the German states joined the North German Confederation, creating the German Empire. In a decisive campaign, the German Empire defeated the Second French Empire, cementing Germany as the new great power on the continent. As renowned as he was in the political theater, Bismarck made a concerted effort aimed at the well-being of the German people, creating the first welfare state. Besides the first social security system, he also introduced bills for insurance for the sick, elderly and victims of accidents. His peacetime influence would also permeate throughout Europe, maintaining the balance of power and perpetuating the second-longest European peace. There is a very evident reason that Bismarck has not been remembered in the same way as or as much as other significant figures from the modern history of the world. The Germany Bismarck created would, in the 20th century, twice attempt the conquest of Europe and the world. It is also doubtless that Bismarck was an authoritarian and militarist and suppressed opposition. Nevertheless, Bismarck’s realpolitik and strategic vision set the stage for modern European politics. Graphic by Lara Mullen more until I fell asleep. Now that school is in session, I find myself much more organized, and I am following a proper schedule. If I did not have this routine, keeping up with everything that I am involved in would be a struggle. Another positive of being back from a break that I think everyone can agree with is that we get to see our friends. While I am still fortunate to have hometown friends, you cannot deny that special bond that you have with your college friends. It is especially hard when your friends at school live in different counties, states or even countries. It is hard to see them over even if you wanted to and time allowed, which makes seeing them over the school year more special. Let us dive into the negatives, and believe me, there are several. The first one that comes to mind is the tragedy that is the weather. I like to make the joke that it is ironic that we are currently in the “spring” semester, despite us trudging through the depths of winter the last few weeks. As I am writing this, the snow around campus is currently melting, and the number of times I have almost slipped is two. This is not necessarily a negative for everyone, since the weather has been giving us compressed schedules, class cancellations and overall campus closures. But I cannot imagine people preferring the wintry weather over the nice summer weather that we so graciously endure during the fall semester and end of spring. Another negative about being back from a break that I personally hate more than anything is waking up early. For my last two semesters, I have unfortunately experienced the horrors of having an 8 a.m. class. While I do enjoy these classes, I would like them a lot more if they were later in the day. Especially since I need to wake up, get ready, drive to campus and then take the hike around Wilkes-Barre at the crack of dawn. It is not that I hate waking up early in the mornings, but I do think my quality of life would increase drastically if I were able to wake up at 9 a.m. at the earliest on weekdays. Lastly, one of the negatives that I think everyone can agree on is having to survive solely on campus food. Being home for break, we were spoiled with actual home cooked food to the point that we were sick of it. But now, we took our mothers’ homemade lasagnas for granted and are now stuck with burgers, sandwiches and chicken tenders every day. Oh, also, try not to forget about “Fish Friday” every week in the dining hall. You will not want to miss it! I will admit, it is nice being on campus every day again, since it truthfully keeps me sane, but there are small things around here that make me go insane. I am still trying to navigate my way through my classes this semester, but I believe I will make it through. Hopefully, you all are too. Campus Suggestions: pros and cons of being back from break By Samara Carey Asst.Opinion Editor “Welcome back Colonels!” is a phrase that I have heard one too many times recently. Obviously, there is a reason for it. The spring 2024 semester has begun, and break is officially over. While I like to think of myself as a person who likes school, I cannot think of a single soul who would be thrilled to start a new semester after a month-long break. However, I will admit that I would much rather be in school procrastinating on my assignments than lying in bed doing nothing over break. But of course, there are pros and cons to this. To start with the positives of being back on campus, I have once again found a routine that works for me. Over break, I practically went stir-crazy staying in my house all day. At home, my routine was as follows: wake up, lay in bed, go to work and lay in bed some �The Beacon - January 31, 2024 Opinion 17 Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Is there a correct way to adapt a story to a different medium? By Shawn Carey Contributing Writer If you’re a fan of a popular franchise I’m sure you are familiar with the idea of an adaptation. In case you aren’t, the Oxford dictionary definition of adaptation reads as follows, “The process of making a work of art upon the basis of elements provided by an earlier work in a different medium.” A good example would be the “Dune” and “Hunger Games” movies. Both franchises originally started out as book series that received theatrical adaptations years after their original release. While it’s most common to see a book get adapted into a film or television series, pretty much anything can be adapted into something else. A show can be turned into a game, a toy line can turn into a film series, and so on. When it comes to adapting a story there’s a lot of questions you have to ask yourself. There’s the obvious ones, like how to translate a specific element or finding the right actor for a character. However, after a while, you’ll find yourself running into much more pressing issues, one of them being, “what do I change?” Due to the nature of translating a story into a different media, it’s almost impossible to do an absolute perfect adaptation. There will likely be something you have to replace, move around or outright get rid of. As you can imagine, this can have a significant impact on the story and characters. While most adaptations try to be as faithful as possible to the original source material, every so often you run into one that tries to do something wildly different. This is most often seen in comic book related media, especially when it comes to Spider-Man. Oct. 20, 2023 marked the release of “Marvel’s Spider-Man 2,” the newest entry in Spidey’s long running series of video games. I spent my winter break playing through the game’s story. As much as I enjoyed it, I was left feeling disappointed at how the game handled many of its main characters, leading me to write this article and ask the question, “Is there a correct way to adapt something?” Before we start I would like to drop a quick spoiler warning. I will be talking in great detail about the story, especially the third act. First I will be talking about the parts of the adaptation that I honestly consider bad. Unlike previous g a m e s , “Spider-Man 2” has dual protagonists, Peter Parker and Miles Morales. Both SpiderMen have their own supporting cast and list of villains, meaning this game has an awfully large amount of characters. When you’re writing a story with a large ensemble cast, there’s a pretty high chance that some characters will get more attention than others. However, one would think that wouldn’t apply to the leads. I believe the game could’ve handled the characters of Venom and Mary Jane Watson in a much better and more respectful way. I would like to praise the game before I speak negatively of it. Peter Parker was handled amazingly well, the game did a fantastic job showing off his personality and inner struggle. His undying love for MJ, the questioning of his morals and just everything about black suit was all great. He may not be a one-to-one replica of his comic counterpart, but the game was still able to keep his most important traits. Now, let’s talk about the character who is the complete opposite of Peter. Both in terms of character and writing, Venom. The i nte re s t i ng thing about V e n o m is that he cannot exist without being attached to another c h a r a c t e r. Venom by himself is a shapeless a l i e n symbiote that is incapable of speech, h owe ve r, once he finds himself a host to bond with he becomes an antihero with attitude. In most S p i d e y adaptations the symbiote bonds to disgrace journalist Eddie Brock. “SpiderMan 2,” however, decided to do something different with its version of the character. Instead of joining forces with Eddie, the symbiote is attached to Peter’s best friend Harry Osbone, which on paper, isn’t a change I hate. I will say, however, that I believe it was handled extremely poorly. Unlike Peter, Venom pretty much has nothing in common with his comic version outside of his name and design. He may look and sound like the character but I assure you, he is not. First of all, let’s talk about the relationship between Harry and the symbiote. The symbiote and the host tend to share the same goal, usually being to ruin Peter’s life. The game, however, goes for a different approach. Venom’s main goal is now to take over the planet, explaining the symbiote hive mind. This is extremely out of character. While Venom may be an alien, it isn’t a character trait that’s often mentioned. That’s because it isn’t really important. I always believed that the beauty of Venom comes from the idea that two separate entities can hate a single person so much that they literally come together for the sole purpose of making that person’s existence a living nightmare, an honestly pathetic reason to become a villain. Making him this big bad world destroyer takes away from that. Adding on to that last point, the symbiote and host don’t share the same hatred for Peter. As I mentioned before, Harry is Peter’s best friend. He doesn’t really agree with what the symbiote wants to do, making the entire relationship one sided. His name doesn’t even make sense within the context of the game. Eddie and the symbiote gave themselves the name Venom due to seeing themselves as the poison that inflected Peter’s life. However, the game just sort of gave him the name for no apparent reason. Yes, the player may know them as Venom, but the in game characters have no real reason to call them that, especially when you consider the fact that Harry’s main goal is to “heal the world.” Moving on from the main villain, let’s discuss the main love interest, Mary Jane Watson. Non comic readers tend to misinterpret MJ’s character. General audiences seem to believe that she is nothing more than a damsel in distress, someone that Peter has to constantly save. This couldn’t be more wrong. MJ has always very much been her own distinct character. In the comics she was see spider, cont. on pg. 24 Graphic by Lara Mullen �The Beacon - January 31, 2024 Opinion 18 Mr. Rager’s return: A review of Kid Cudi’s album “INSANO” By Logan Colonna Contributing Writer Kid Cudi is back again with a new release titled “INSANO.” I cannot speak for all listeners and fans, but I for one was ecstatic to hear about this album. From the numerous singles that have been released, I knew I wanted more of what I heard. Before this, he last released a studio album all the way back in 2020, with “Man on the Moon III: The Chosen.” Soon after this, in 2022, he released a decent soundtrack to his Emmy-winning movie “Entergalactic,” which shares a name with the movie (I legit just watched it after I typed that sentence and it’s so great. I advise all to watch it). After numerous singles and leaks, the album was finally released on Jan. 12. Starting off, “OFTEN, I HAVE THESE DREAMZ,” begins with DJ Drama yelling into the microphone, acting as a hype man for Kid Cudi here and throughout the rest of the album to come. In the background, you can hear these enchanting voices making up the instrumental which Cudi starts to rap over after DJ Drama’s introduction. If you have ever listened to Kid Cudi before, you’d know he’s known for his melodic and entrancing hums and vocals. Here, however, he displays his rapping ability and absolutely sells it. As the next track “KEEP BOUNCIN’” plays, Cudi continues his rapping performance. As for the chorus, it’s not an extreme show of talent, but you can tell that Cudi is actually having fun with this project this time around. I personally like to see Cudi’s fun side because based on this alone, you can tell he isn’t struggling as much mentally compared to his previous work. We continue to see this playful nature throughout the whole record. “GET OFF ME” displays the first of many features. The feature here is none other than Travis Scott. I really enjoyed his performance here as it is much like how he was on his 2018 album, “ASTROWORLD,” which is a fan-favorite for all the right reasons. The last verse contains bars being traded back and forth between Cudi and Scott, allowing a dynamic duo to collide. I love when artists do this, most notably on “Bad Meets Evil” by Eminem and Royce Da 5’9”, “Welcome to the Midwest” by Tech N9ne and Krizz Kaliko and “Pete VS Andre” by Westside Gunn and Conway the Machine. “MOST AIN’T DENNIS” immediately sets itself apart from the rest of the tracks as it is a raging beat. This lets Cudi have the most fun he’s definitely had in a while. The whole song, especially the chorus, makes me hyped just off of the way Cudi presents himself alone. Apart from this, the track doesn’t bring much to the table. It is still a great addition nonetheless. Then we have “WOW” featuring A$AP Rocky. This is such a feel-good song and I love it. I wish this album as a whole was released in the summer because it would have been such a mood booster, especially during the hot months. I love everything about this track. From Cudi and Rocky enjoying themselves, to the catchy chorus. Rocky especially does a great job here and makes me want to drop his highly awaited album “DON’T BE DUMB,” even more now. “A TALE OF A KNIGHT” starts off by blasting the bass into the listener's ear. This track, like many others off of this project, is meant to just get you up and moving, and it does this perfectly. I love how Cudi switches his flow often, which sounds great over this instrumental as well. It really shows off his rapping capabilities. Next, we have “CUD LIFE.” Nothing is outstanding here, but I still like the way the song sounds. Still, the song has little to offer and is overall just average. I don’t know how to feel about the chorus as it’s just a little boring and lacks excitement when compared to the rest of the tracklist. Overall, this isn’t the worst this album has to offer, but it certainly is not the best. We have an amazing feature on the way with “TOO DAMN HIGH.” The feature in question is Lil Yachty. Lately, he’s been on a resurgence as he released an amazing comeback album with “Let’s Start Here” last year and has been on an insane feature run ever since. He even released incredible singles throughout the year as well. Yatchy’s vocals match with Cudi’s too well, which made me surprised as to why they haven’t had more songs with each other. Revisiting this track over and over again has me thinking that this is one of the best to come out of “INSANO.” “MR. COOLA” instantly puts me off because of the production. Throughout the whole song, the listener is forced to just endure piano chords that are similar to that of the “Halloween Theme,” and it’s just incredibly annoying. Besides this, I enjoyed Cudi’s rap performance. This just goes to show how much production matters for songs. Now while the next song, “FRESHIE,” might be biased towards me because I use it purely for “hype” purposes, I still love this track nonetheless. I say this because while the production is constantly booming in the listener’s ears, we have Cudi being harsher than usual and showing slight anger through his verses. Even his ad-libs here convey a sense of anger. That being said, I love listening to this song whenever in the gym just to get hyped for my next exercise. Even outside of the gym, I think this song has a lot to offer sonically. “TORTURED” is a slight return to form as we immediately hear Cudi’s hums that made him what he is. Overall, the song does keep the same sound as the rest of the album but incorporates similar styles to what he’s used to doing, like how the instrumental is floaty like the past but has powerful, newage 808s pumping through every second. Next, we have a feature from the late XXXTENTACION on “X & CUD.” This song, yet again, is a significant return to form. If you enjoy the old Kid Cudi, you are sure to love this song. I enjoy what both artists have to offer to this song, and I wish we could see more from these too, even if X has passed away. On “SEVEN,” we have yet another feature. This time it was from the rap legend, Lil Wayne. If you’ve read my previous review of his latest EP, “Tha Fix Before Tha VI” then you’d know that I’m truly a hater of his newer work. The same stays true here as he adds little to nothing to the track. He includes one verse that equates to 20 seconds of the two-minute-and-a-half track. Cudi, however, did pretty well. I honestly would prefer if he left the song as is with his verse and chorus. “RAGER BOYZ” showcases the masterful synergy between Cudi and Young Thug. They work perfectly together which makes the fact that they only have one other released song with each other. From an outside perspective, you’d think the two have been working together for their whole lives. Both performances verse-wise are some of the best on the album. As for the chorus, I’m honestly in love with it. This is easily at least within the best three songs on “INSANO.” After covering all of the highlights, lowlights and some in-betweens, I can say that I adore this album. From the exuberant production and vocals to the amazing features, apart from Lil Wayne, this album has just what I was looking for from Cudi. It’s even great to see him having fun after being in such despair during his whole career. While this album is mostly positive, the only thing that it can improve upon is being less bloated. The project is at 21 songs, which is just way too much for my liking. I’d personally keep all of the features, yes, even Lil Wayne, to keep variety. I would get rid of some average tracks like “CUD LIFE” and “MR. COOLA” to shorten the playtime. In a perfect world, this album would be best at 17-ish songs. This being said, I’m confidently giving this album an 8.5 on a 10-point scale. Graphic by Lara Mullen �Sports 19 Sports The Beacon - January 31, 2024 Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: Adam.grundt@wilkes.edu Winter sports: Where teams are at the start of 2024 Winter break seems far behind and spring semester is up and running. Wilkes athletics are eager for fans to catch up on the performances and exciting moments that unfolded on the winter sports scene. By Samantha Mullen Sports Assistant Editor From the ice rinks to the courts, Wilkes University athletes showcased their talent and determination in various winter sports competitions. To see how you can continue to support the teams, check out Wilkes Athletics. Men's Basketball Before ringing in the new year, the men’s basketball team traveled to Florida to face Centre College and Hamline University. The Colonels were able to come out with two wins, beating Centre College 56-53 and 81-76 against Hamline University. With the new year starting, the team started conference play. Being in a new conference can mean unknowns, but Coach Izzi Metz has “enjoyed playing new teams and seeing different gyms. It’s been a great challenge so far.” So far, the team is 7-4 in the conference, making them 14-4 overall. Metz has expressed his confidence in the team and is hopeful they'll make it into the playoffs. “We are hoping to earn a home game in the Landmark Conference playoffs,” said Metz. “We know we have a lot of work to do in order to accomplish that goal, but the guys are motivated.” This week, the Colonels will travel to the University of Scranton at 7 p.m. on Jan. 31. On Saturday, the team will play home against Susquehanna University at 2 p.m. Women's Basketball The women’s basketball team also started conference play over winter break. They were able to secure a 50- 48 win over Drew University and a 6660 win over Moravian University. The team is currently 3-8 in the conference, making them 7-11 overall. The season isn’t over yet, however, so there is still hope for a strong finish. Coach Al Berger feels confident that the players can finish out the rest of the season strong. The Colonels have two home games this week. On Jan. 31, they will play the University of Scranton at 7 p.m. On Saturday, the team will host Susquehanna University for their Ovarian C a n c e r Aw are n e s s game at 4 p.m. Women's Ice Hockey The women’s ice hockey team has been off to a strong start this year and that did not stop while most students were on a break. The Colonels started the new year with a tough double header loss to number 13, Nazareth University. They were able to get back into their groove with a 2-1 and 4-1 win over Chatham University. When the spring semester started, the Colonels were able to dominate over Stevenson University, securing a 4-1 win on Jan. 20 and a 6-1 win on Jan. 21. Many of the first years have been dominating their time. “They have definitely had an impact on the score sheet, but I am most proud of the growth I have seen in them as people," said Coach Dave LaBaff. "When you have 13 freshmen walk in the door there will inevitably be some 'freshman hiccups', but this group has grown tremendously since September and there is no doubt to me that our upperclassmen have been pivotal for the growth.” The team currently has a 8-6-1 record in the UCHC conference and an overall record of 10-6-1. T h i s upcoming week, the Colonels will face crosstown rival King’s College home at 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 30. At 5 p.m. on Feb. 2, they will face Hilbert College. They'll meet again at 3:30 p.m. the following day when the team will honor the seniors for their Senior Night. Men's Ice Hockey The men’s ice hockey team is also off to a great start this season. They currently have a 1-3-0 record in the UCHC conference and an overall record of 13-6-0. The Colonels started the new year strong with a double win over Arcadia University. The first game was a 3-2 overtime win and the second was a strong 7-0 win. Coach Tyler Hynes feels good about the rest of the season starting. The Colonels will continue play this upcoming week with a double-header game against Nazareth University. The games will be at 7 p.m. on Feb. 3 and at 4 p.m. on Feb. 4. Wrestling The Wrestling team hosted the 90th Wilkes Open on Dec. 22. During the open, junior Christopher Nuss continued his undefeated season making him 8-0 and earning his second title of the year. Junior Caleb Burkhart earned second place honors at heavyweight. Burkhart was also recently ranked No. 12 in the latest NWCA Division III rankings. First year Lucas Miller earned his career tournament placement as a Colonel where he placed sixth at 184 pounds. The Colonels also participated in the Budd Whitehill Duals where they earned wins over York College of Pennsylvania and Oswego State. The team finished 13th overall in the tournament with wins from graduate student Jack Bauer, first- year Connor Kerwin, sophomore Jaryn Hartranft, Senior Trevor DuBoff, first year Melquan Warren, junior Cameron Butka, Nussand Burkhart. The Colonels went 3-0 at the 2024 John Reese Duals on Jan. 28, finishing off the day with a 34-16 victory over Oneonta. The Colonels will travel on Feb. 3 to Berea, Ohio for the John Summa Invitational. The John Summa Invitational is hosted by Baldwin Wallace University. Graphic/Morgan Rich �The Beacon - January 31, 2024 Sports 20 Wilkes swimming sees major strides this season By Ava Tureen Staff Writer This swim season, the men’s and women’s team have had massive accomplishments. Every swimmer on the team has beat one of their own personal bests during competition, and team wins have grown. “This season is going very well, especially compared to last year,” said head coach Christopher Paynter. “Just looking at our record alon,e the men’s and women’s team have both improved incredibly. Last year the men were 2-11 to finish the season, and they are now 8-5 with one meet left to go.” Paynter touched upon the recent success of the women’s program in particular. “The women didn’t win a single meet last year and now stand at 5-8 on the year. A lot of that improvement is because of the student-athletes that we brought in for this season. They are an incredible group of kids who work hard everyday and are such a joy to be around and it shows in the results that they are getting. They definitely have a bright future ahead of them.” Coach Paynter said that a change in their training has led to an improved season. Recently, there has been more emphasis on racing. Athletes are swimming fast in practce two or three times per week and doing pacework throughout. In addition, swimmers also spend time in the weight room and doing resistance work. During the tri-meet against Juniata and Lycoming, the team’s lone senior, Stephen Verosko, won in the 400 IM and had a time of 4:52.71. During this meet first-year Owen Lewis won first in the 50 freestyle. “One really memorable moment that has stuck with me and tends to be a highlight of any swimmer’s experience on a competitive team is the winter training trips,” Verosko said. “Specifically for me, our 2023 training trip to Englewood Florida. It was our first since I came here in 2020 and it was such an enjoyable experience of hard training and fun moments with the small team we had at the time. “Being in Florida with your closest friends and fighting through tough practices is truly an unforgettable experience and I hope that Coach Paynter can deliver that for the team for many years into the future.” Verosko has had a solid swimming career through his time at Wilkes. He has worked to shave eight seconds off his 400 IM. “This year, Coach Paynter and I really wanted to hit on the aspects of intentional swimming in my races while also not trying to force too much. We tried to integrate a lot of technical changes with all four strokes while maintaining the strength and aerobic longevity needed for both the 200 and 400 IM. “We have really been focusing on those aspects from the beginning, starting the season off with a bang, and I think so far it has really paid off. We have made pretty big strides in not only the technical aspects but also race strategy that have contributed towards the time drops you mentioned.” Owen Lewis is a first-year athlete on the men’s swim team and has dropped times throughout the season. “Since swimming at Wilkes I have almost completely changed my technique making changes to my sprint freestyle by working with Coach Paynter on changing my catch and hand placement in the water. Additionally, I have made changes to my start and turns to be faster in those areas which has helped me drop time from the beginning of the season.” Currently Wilkes stands at 8-5 overall after the tri-meet. They compete against rival King’s College on February 3. With the important meet coming up, Coach Paynter has split practice into 3 groups: sprint, distance and IM (individual medley). Each of the groups does something different each day at practice. “(W)e are very specific with what we are training for in each practice session. So, if we are running a race pace session for that day our sprinters are focusing on those shorter events of the 50’s and 100’s where our distance group is focusing on the 500 and 1000. This emphasis on specificity and race training this year I believe is what has played a huge part in the team’s improvement. It also makes training a lot more enjoyable and if the athlete enjoys what they are doing they are usually going to put more effort into it and ultimately in the end swim faster.” Paynter believes that it’s old-fashioned to believe athletes have to train hard every single day. He views the team as a big family that does many activities together outside of swimming. He is ecstatic for the remainder of the season and to see what the team will achieve. Interested in covering sports? The Beacon is looking for sports writers, photographers and videographers. Email adam.grundt@wilkes.edu or kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu �The Beacon - January 31, 2024 Sports 21 Super Bowl matchup set after exciting championship weekend By Adam Grundt Asst. Sports Editor The AFC & NFC Championship games were played on Jan. 28, and they were certainly filled excitement and stardom. In the earliest of the two games, Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens took on Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in Baltimore, Md. The Chiefs, a perennial Super Bowl contender appearing in their sixth consecutive AFC championship game, prevailed over the Ravens by a score of 17-10. Travis Kelce led the way for the Chiefs. With girlfriend and pop superstar Taylor Swift in attendance, Kelce caught 11 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. Isiah Pacheco was responsible for the other Chiefs touchdown in the game, and he also ran for 68 yards on 24 carries. Patrick Mahomes did what he does best: he threw for 241 yards, 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions. The Chiefs return to the Super Bowl this season following their victory in “the big game” last season over Philadelphia. The Ravens had a bit of a slower day on offense. Lamar Jackson threw for 272 yards and a touchdown. Jackson also threw one interception on the day and rushed for 54 yards. Zay Flowers, who injured his hand in frustration in the later portion of the game, tallied one touchdown on the day with 5 catches and 115 yards receiving. In the later game, the Detroit Lions took on the San Francisco 49ers. This season, Detroit won their division for the first time in 30 years, had not won a playoff game since 1991, and had never appeared in a Super Bowl in their franchise’s history. The game began with the Detroit Lions taking a commanding 24-7 lead going into halftime. But it was the 49ers who stormed back in the second half putting up an impressive 27 points to ultimately defeat the Lions, 34-31. The Lions spent most of their offensive day on the ground. As a team, the three main running backs tallied 182 yards on 29 carries. David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Jameson Williams all got into the end zone during the game. Jameson Williams also caught a touchdown pass late in the game to make it a 3-point game. Christian McCaffrey had a sensational game for the 49ers. He ran for 90 yards on 20 carries and scored 2 touchdowns on the day. Brandon Aiyuk caught three passes for 68 yards and a touchdown, and Deebo Samuel caught eight for 89 yards. Elijah Mitchell also found the endzone for the 49ers. Brock Purdy, who was picked with the final pick fo the 2022 NFL Draft, led his team back to the Super Bowl with 267 yards passing and a touchdown. In addition, he rushed for 51 yards. On Feb. 11, the Kansas City Chiefs will take on the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVII held in Las Vegas. This game is a rematch of Super Bowl LIV which was played in 2020. The Chiefs came out victorious in that game, 3120. The game will be broadcast on CBS. Is your team in the Super Bowl? Do you consider yourself a Super Fan? If so, email sports editor Adam Grundt and let him know. You could be featured in an upcoming Beacon story! adam.grundt@wilkes.edu �The Beacon - January 30, 2024 22 Sports Athlete of the Week Haylee Bouchard First Year, Forward, Women's Ice Hockey The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Haylee Bouchard tallied 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists) in a pair of Colonels UCHC conference victories against Stevenson University. One of these goals Bouchard scored was a highlight reel backhand goal in Sunday's contest. Major: Business What sports movie is your goHometown: Sioux Lookout, to for movie night? Ontario, Canada "Greater" or "Remember the Titans" What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? If you did not play your current My favorite sports memory as sport, what sport would you a Colonel was when we swept have wanted to play? Lebanon Valley. It was a great moment for our returners, breaking their previous win record and being part of that was very moving. Gymnastics. Then I could finally touch my toes. What has been your favorite sports memory overall? What is your favorite My freshman year of high school professional sports team (any when we won against our rivals sport)? for the first time in years. The Montreal Canadians What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Work. I work at a hospital back home with the elderly and it is a blast. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? How helpful the school has been focusing on how the athletes are treated and how important the academics are. The Beacon//Ava Tureen 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." crowd was going bananas. There were only 20 of them but they made it roar. What is your favorite postgame meal? Here, Chick-Fil-A. In Canada, it has to be Wendy's. How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? Being selected as athlete of the week is pretty cool. It is definitely a shared mention as I couldn't have achieved these records without my linemates and overall team. �The Beacon January 30, 2024 Sports Athlete of the Week Lucas Mages Junior, Men’s Volleyball, Opposite The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week Mages finished up a tri-meet against Bard and Mount Aloysius with some impressive statistics. He finished the tri-meet with 27 points, 21 kils, 4 digs, and 2 blocks over the two matches. Major: Mechanical Engineering Hometown: Buffalo, N.Y. High School: Iroquois Central If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Bowling What had been your favorite sports memory from your time What has been your favorite sports memory overall? as a Colonel? Our first conference win of the season last year against Widener University. Playing club volleyball against Klistan Lawrence on 352 Elite Volleyball at the Rochester Can-Am Boy’s National Qualifier What is your favorite professional sports team (any What is your favorite post-game meal? sport)? Buffalo Bills What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Sharing a pizza with my twin brother after an away tri-match. How do you feel about being Visit Cedar Point with my friends selected as the Athlete of the Week? and family What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? Creating lifelong friendships through a sport I love. What sports movie is your goto for movie night? I am honored to receive such a prestigous award. After countless hours of off-season preparation, I am grateful, blessed, and humbled to be recognized as the Male Athlete of the Week. The Sandlot The Beacon/Sam 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." 23 �The Beacon - January 31, 2024 24 spider, continued from pg. 17 Interested in joining The Beacon? Email morgan.rich@wilkes.edu or kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu introduced as a lively, energetic, fun and irresponsible party girl who ran away from her problems, someone who was the exact opposite of Peter. Later on she would learn the same lesson about responsibility that Peter did and leave her life of partying behind. She would go on and become a world famous model, actress and businesswoman. She would find success through her own skills and merits, learning to move on from her past struggles, keeping her carefree and extroverted nature. The game’s MJ is much different. She is a lot more like Peter in terms of personality. She seemingly has a lot more in common with her partner. Instead of being lighthearted and relaxed, she’s more awkward and worryful. Her career even changed. Instead of having any of the previous jobs I listed, she’s now a reporter, much in the same as Superman’s love interest Lois Lane, with the only difference being that she isn’t successful. With all of that being said, I have to say, I didn’t hate MJ’s character like I did with Venom. Sure, she has very little in common with her comic counterpart but overall she is still a fun character to see on screen. This raises the question, is heavily changing a character fine just as long as they’re still written well? I don’t have a simple answer to this. Yes, I would like the character to be similar to how they were originally portrayed. However, what if it clashes with the tone of the story? “SpiderMan 2” tells a pretty dramatic story, so I can see if the writers thought that it would be more fitting if MJ had a more serious personality. While I can sort of agree with this, why adapt Many Jane at all at that point? If they wanted Peter’s love interest to be more serious than why not adapt someone like Gwen Stacy, a character who is known for being angsty and broody? So, is there a correct way to adapt a story? Writing is extremely subjective, so there’s no such thing as right and wrong answers. Some people may desire a perfect recreation of the original story, while others may want to see something new. In my very personal opinion, I want to see a mix of the two. I want the characters to share traits with their original counterparts while offering something new. I want to experience a story that is familiar, yet new. What I’m saying may sound a little bit greedy, but I believe it’s the least the writers could do for the fans. � 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 <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 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>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> 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. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre 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 Wilkes Beacon, 2024 January 31 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wilkes University retains copyright of this publication. https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/af882f90267e905e4538658c3a3eb1c5.pdf ba19f7666ef4235a559e0d01a976b7ed PDF Text Text The Beacon - November 9, 2023 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 76, Issue 7 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” Framing Moments exhibition spans decades By Cally Williams Life, Arts and Entertainment Staff Following the incredibly successful Rose O’Neill exhibition, the Sordoni Art Gallery returns with another exhibition. The Framing Moments exhibition aims to capture quick, singular moments in time and make them last a lifetime. The contents of the gallery originate from the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, a nonprofit museum and school residing in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The gallery includes a wide array of pieces across decades of photography, utilizing various styles, methods and techniques to create the work displayed. Among the works of the gallery are some increasingly iconic pieces. A gelatin silver print of the iconic “Migrant Mother” image by Dorothea Lange takes a substantial place in the gallery’s new exhibition. One of the most iconic photographic works of the great depression era, the Migrant Mother photo perfectly encapsulates the dirt, grime and desperation during the economic crisis. Various photographic prints of famous artists and prominent historical figures also make their appearance at the gallery. Spotlight on Commuter Council, page 4 A print of the incredibly influential and respected funk and soul singer James Brown performing at the MidSouth Coliseum proudly resides on the wall, bursting with energy. The photo, taken by Ernest C. Withers, features Brown on his knees, singing passionately into his microphone as the band plays behind him. Another striking piece is a very large chromogenic print of a Cindy Sherman. As with all Cindy Sherman pieces, the work remains untitled. Sherman often refused to title her works, as she believed that her work should be admired, not restricted by any preconceived narrative or influence. An incredibly iconic image of Martin Luther King Jr. being arrested in Alabama sits powerfully on the walls of the exhibit. The photo, taken by Charles Moore, documents a critical moment within the civil rights movement. King was being arrested on a loitering charge, as there were several restrictions against boycotting at this time. These rules were heavily enforced against African-Americans seeking justice and equality. Moore would continue to be a prolific Civil Rights photographer. Casino Week sweeps through campus, page 7 1 Review: SCARING THE HOES, page 18 Basket raffle to aid Wilkes student battling cancer, page 19 �The Beacon - November 16, 2023 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Amanda Montgomery: Amanda.Montgomery1@wilkes.edu Carousel opens at the Darte Center From a press release Wilkes University Theatre will take audiences for a spin with a production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel at 8 p.m. on Nov. 16, 17 and 18, and 2 p.m. on Nov. 18 and 19, at the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts. Carousel opened at Broadway’s Majestic Theatre in 1945, running for nearly 900 performances and launching a national tour. The musical was the subject of three Broadway revivals, most recently in 2018, and received the big screen treatment in 1956. Set on the coast of Maine in the late 1800s, Carousel focuses on the turbulent romance and troubled marriage of Billy Bigelow, a carnival barker, and Julie Jordan, a millworker. While the couple’s love takes center stage, the story also deals with the difficult issues of violence and retribution, before delivering a message of hope and redemption. Alison Morooney, serving as director Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Beacon News Staff Spring 2024 Commuter and Resident Student Parking Applications Commuter and resident parking permit applications are available now until Monday Dec. 4 at 4 p.m. The applications will not re-open again once they are closed. The link for parking applications: https://www.wilkes.edu/campus-life/ safety-security/parking/studentparking-permits.aspx. Any questions contact parking 570408-7275, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. HPSC Give Kids the World Fundraiser Join the Honors Program Student Committee in community service by donating children’s books and Halloween costumes to Give Kids the World, a nonprofit that helps make dreams come true for Make a Wish children with a critical illness. Monetary donations can also be made. Donations will be accepted in the Honors office until the end of the semester. Any questions, email jennifer. mclaughlin1@wilkes.edu. Spring Break Trip to London and Paris The International Business trip is now open for registration. The trip leaves the Philadelphia Airport March 2, 2024 and returns March 9, 2024. The total estimated cost is $3,500, which includes airfare, hotel, breakfast and dinner expenses. Contact Dr. Matus at justin.matus@ wilkes.edu for more information. Diploma Order Form May 2024 Bachelor’s degree candidates, now is the time to complete your diploma order information and degree audit review for processing for May 2024 Commencement. Now is the time to complete your Diploma Order information and Degree and choreographer, addressed the darker elements of the show with her cast on the first day of rehearsal to make sure they were ready to dive into their roles. “Sometimes they have to play characters that are objectively harmful to others. It requires a lot of empathy and a clear understanding of what our production is trying to say,” says Morooney. “The challenge of Carousel is usually the content. With our students, the content is worthy work.” The production provides Wilkes students with an opportunity to hone the skills they need to perform in the Golden Age musical style. This experience with big, broad vocals and dance numbers typical of the era helps to make the cast members more competitive in the industry. Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Upcoming Events: 2023 Fall Semester November 16 - Fast Food Bingo 18 - Melt Yoga Session 21 - Red Cross Blood Drive 30 - Break-FEST December 1 - One World Celebration 7 - Bingo Want your event featured in the calendar? Email: Amanda.Montgomery1@ wilkes.edu �The Beacon - November 16, 2023 News That's so Honors... the HPSC 2024 student elections By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer Most student organizations will hold their executive board elections in the Spring, but not the Honors Program Student Committee, or HPSC. Because members serve one year terms, JanuaryDecember, elections will be taking place at the end of the month. Certain roles will not have elections, due to the nature of the program. For example, the presidential role has been awarded to Nick Devitis, a junior psychology major, who last served as vice president of HPSC. Other positions saw only one candidate in the race. For example, the vice president for the 2024 executive board is P1 pharmacy student Kayla Burleson, the director of social events is Katie Ritsick, a junior nursing major, and the treasurer will be Syndey Farmer, who is also a junior majoring in nursing. Several other roles will require an election, occurring at the end of November. Until then, students are able to campaign for their roles. One race is for the director of publicity, between sophomore biology major Zoe Morley, and first-year history major, Ozzie Priebe. Morley explained she wants the role, “because I deeply believe in the impact that the Honors Program can have and I am passionate about fostering a supportive, academic community.” Priebe, who has similar reasons for running, shared, “I want to get more involved with the Honors Program and utilize a skill set that I have that I don’t get to use often.” When it comes to campaigning, students are welcome to hang posters in Honors spaces, like the Honors Office, lounge, and Residence Hall, Waller Hall. Priebe has taken full advantage of this opportunity. “Michael Santini, Daniel Yap and I are all running together and we made similar looking posters.” Morley admitted she’d thought about campaigning. “I am still unsure if I will campaign or not.” Even if candidates choose not to campaign, voters still get the opportunity to get to know each candidate when they go to vote. When the voting form comes out at the end of the month, each student will have a small section dedicated to why Graphic: The Beacon/Amanda Montgomery Honors Program students should vote for them over their opponent. Although these two candidates are opposing each other and there is no way of telling who will win, they are both excited about the future of HPSC. Morley shared the reasons why she would love this role. “It gives me the unique opportunity to connect with every member of the Honors 3 Program.” Priebe said, “...no matter who wins, the Honors Program will continue to thrive and be the best that it can be.” Candidates are excited about the upcoming election, and you should be too. Honors students can vote for HPSC candidates in a special “Election Buzz”, coming at the end of November. The HPSC Executive Board Photo: The Beacon/Morgan Steiner �The Beacon - November 16, 2023 News What is... the Wilkes University Commuter Council By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer So far in this column, we’ve covered Mega Councils dedicated to programming for every student and diversity, but this week, we’re featuring a club that focuses on the students that go back home every night: Commuter Council. Caleb Gething, junior theater design and technology major and president of Commuter Council, or CC, explained that he got involved with the club very early in his Wilkes career. “I got started with the Commuter Council my freshman year during the commuter orientation session. I was drawn to this club because of the sense of community I felt just from sitting through the presentation.” Gething has become a part of this tradition, as he was one of the students giving that presentation to incoming first-years at new student orientation in July. “The Commuter Council, while small, tries to do a lot around campus. Having people interact with and come to commuter events can make it so we can plan much bigger and better events,” said Teara Deonarine, psychology major, and secretary of the Commuter Council. Deonarine shared that there are tons of fun events happening. “This fall semester has basically been a jumpstart with us doing more events and communicating with more people. We plan on doing more community service, and being more active on campus.” Despite all the new plans, Commuter Council hopes to continue some favorite events, like Gething’s favorite: the Annual CC BBQ “...not only for the food, but to see everyone come together.” Clubs that cater to a specific Wilkesneed, like the Commuter Council, are essential to the success of these students. “Clubs like the Commuter Council are important specifically because if there is a commuter issue, we can talk to Dean Gretchen about it and see what we can do to help commuters on campus feel more at home here,” said Deonarine. Gretchen Yeninas, Dean for Student Life, serves as the Adviser to the Commuter Council. The Commuter Council meets every other Thursday in the new Commuter Lounge, located in the basement of the Farley Library, right next to the Prayer Room. Gething shared, “...while the club was designed for commuter students, we are not exclusive to the commuter students. All are welcome.” To keep up with the Commuter Council, you can follow them on Instagram @wilkes_commuter. Photos Courtesy Teara Deonarine and Commuter Council The Commuter Council Executive Board at Club Day earlier this fall. The Commuter Council Bulletin Board, where students can add their own photos with their friends for the whole Lounge to enjoy. 4 Students play Mario Kart at CC’s Mario Kart Tournament earlier in the fall 2023 semester. �The Beacon - November 16, 2023 News It's On Us hosts first informational session at Wilkes By Emma Broda News Staff Writer On Nov. 8, the It's On Us club held an informational session to discuss plans, hear from students and get more people involved. It’s On Us is a national program created to spread awareness about sexual assault on college campuses. Over 200 college campuses in the United States have their own individual chapters working on events and student awareness to combat sexual assault. Wilkes had its own chapter prior to Covid,but it later dissolved. This year, students worked to reestablish it. The information session discussed events the club is looking to hold this year, intentions with the chapter and how they hope to get more students involved. Jaci Bickel, sophomore political science and criminology major, is the club’s president. She talked about how she got involved with the club. “Dr. Wilczak and I wanted to see the club start off again, and I felt really motivated to start it again since it relates to me personally, and I wanted to create something for students who also related to express their feelings in a healthy way.” Similarly, another founding member, Emily Roberts, junior criminology and sociology, shared how she got involved. “I heard about it originally last year through Dr. Wilczak…He said he wanted to start our chapter back up after it died down post Covid, and we had a meeting with Elizabeth Leo about our plans for it. Not much happened last year, but our amazing President Jaci, has some really big plans that I am so excited for.” Roberts also shared the plans they hoped to see in the future. “We hope to first and foremost have large turnouts so that we can educate as many people as possible. We are thinking about having events where survivors can use their trauma in a healthy way to help others who are struggling, as well as helping themselves.” Bickel mentioned she really wants to see a lot of student participation and that since so many students are able to relate to the issues being combated by the club, it's important that the club is kept alive. Bickel, Roberts and other members of the club are very excited to get things going again. “I'm just really excited to see what we can do. Our biggest goal is to make everyone who has a story to tell feel safe and secure to tell it. That way we can give everyone a voice who feels it has been taken away from them,” said Roberts. Jaci Bickel, sophomore poli sci and criminology major kicking off the It's On Us information session presentation. 5 From left to right: Emily Roberts, junior criminology and sociology major, Reagan Metz, junior criminology and sociology majors and Alyssa Denini, junior criminology and psychology major. Photos: The Beacon/Emma Broda Mikayla Faatz, junior criminology and sociology major welcoming students to the first It's On Us information session at Wilkes. �The Beacon - November 16, 2023 Dr. Martha Agbeli joins Wilkes as an assistant professor By Amanda Montgomery News Editor Dr. Martha Agbeli joined Wilkes this fall as an assistant professor in the graduate nursing department. Agbeli is from Ghana, West Africa, and came to the United States when she was 17-years-old. Agbeli’s educational background is extensive, having started with a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Rhode Island. She then went on to earn her master’s degree in psychiatric nursing from Drexel University and eventually obtained her doctorate in nursing. Her diverse educational journey reflects her commitment to continuous learning and professional development. “I’ve always been an adjunct faculty at Wilkes and I would always joke and say Wilkes is a cool place to work. I’ve really enjoyed the experience,” said Agbeli. Agbeli highlighted the positive experience she had working with students and praised the learning identifying it as management an area where s y s t e m , she wants to Brightspace. Her grow. Her transition to a enthusiasm for full-time position teaching and at Wilkes was nursing as a facilitated by passion, and recommendations her unique from upper blend of administrative personnel. nursing and Her entry into teaching fulfills the medical field a lifelong was inspired dream. by her family’s L o ok ing ahead, Agbeli strong medical envisions background, with herself heavily her mother and involved in older sister both Photo courtesy Dr. Agbeli scholarly work, being nurses. aiming for “It just made sense growing around nurses to go into publications. Her research focus lies in nursing and I’m very passionate about geriatric pscyhiatry, working towards improving the quality of life for the it,” said Agbeli. In her role at Wilkes, Agbeli hopes elderly population. “In the next five years I see myself as to delve deeper into scholarly work, 6 doing a lot of scholarship work being published and hopefully becoming an associate professor,” said Agbeli. Beyond her academic pursuits, Agbeli shared insights into her personal life. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking traditional meals and spending quality time with her husband and three children. Her favorite dish to make is jollof rice and chicken. Agbeli spoke about the impact she’s had on her students, and expressed pride in receiving messages from former students, thanking her for the positive influence she had on their educational journeys. In offering advice to students, Agbeli emphasized the importance of having a dream and working towards it with dedication. “Have a dream, go for it. Just set your heart on one thing that you love and just work, whether it’s a slow pace, fast pace, just so far as you achieve it, I think that’s the most important thing. Just hard work and dedication, you’ll get there.” Do you have a professor who has done something unique? Feature them in The Beacon! We are looking to spotlight the interesting and special things that Wilkes professors do in and out of the classroom. Email: Kalen.Churcher@wilkes.edu with your nominations. �The Beacon - November 16, 2023 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Editor-In-Chief: Morgan.Rich@wilkes.edu Casino Week sweeps its way through Wilkes campus By Cassidy Brumagin Contributing Writer Casino Week kicked off Nov. 6 with a scavenger hunt. The week began with Student Government hiding 52 playing cards throughout campus. Students who found a card were able to bring it to Thursday’s event to exchange for extra tickets for Casino Night and a Wilkesthemed deck of cards. In addition to the cards, students were also on the lookout for free giveaway stands on Tuesday. The giveaway consisted of three pop-up stands that were placed around campus for students to find at random. The stands were giving away free crewnecks, hoodies and T-shirts with the event’s logo on the back. Lucky students found the crewnecks in the pod, hoodies in Karambelas and T-shirts in the student center. Later in the week, students were invited to wear their Casino Week gear to the Thursday and Friday night events for free tickets for Casino Night at the end of the week. Student Government executive Marytere Quintana-Avila gave her input on what it is like to plan a campus-wide event like this. “It has been a lot of fun planning this,” said Quintana-Avila, junior political science major. “A lot of hands went into making this happen. We have something called the casino committee for this event bringing everyone’s ideas together.” Thursday night’s event hosted a magician in the JPAC. Student government provided light snacks including cheese and crackers and mocktails including Shirley Temples, “cuddles” on the beach, blue lagoons and bay breezes. Students were invited to visit the refreshment stand as they settled in waiting for the show to start. The event starred magician Denny Corby. Corby is from Scranton and graduated from Marywood. He has performed magic in various venues, even starring on an episode of television series “Penn & Teller: Fool Us.” “I am from the area, so it’s nice to be able to do a show so close to home,” said Corby. “Growing up here, everyone knows Wilkes. I’m very fortunate to be performing here for the second time. I’m here to make everyone smile and laugh.” Corby’s performances include magic, comedy and a whole lot of audience participation. Rather than simple volunteers, however, Corby selected his participants with randomized methods including throwing a paper ball around until it landed in the hands of the student who would join him for the trick. Corby claimed there is a method to the madness here, but the exact logic behind the participant selection remains a magician’s secret. The show began with a student brought up on stage to sign his name on a card. Corby then did the same, and both of them then folded their cards up and stuck them in their mouths. By the slight of hand, Corby then somehow switched the positions of the cards, revealing each man to have the other’s signed card in their mouth when they reopened it. Another student was even given the opportunity to participate in a trick which involved her picking an envelope with a chance of winning money. As Corby said, she was aiming to select the envelope with $20 in it amongst three envelopes. After some mind tricks, the girl selected an envelope and revealed a $20 bill as the crowd cheered. The catch, though, was that the other two envelopes actually were not empty but contained a $50 and $100 bill. Corby grinned, telling the girl she succeeded at her goal of selecting the $20 bill. Additional tricks involved balloon animals, rope and randomly selected numbers by the audience which magically added up to 11923. 11923 was the number Corby had written down before the start of the trick. At an even bigger surprise to the audience, 11923 was also the date, Nov. 9, 2023. A standout trick of the show involved a few participants from the audience who were given a book and told to select a word at random which Corby would then use psychological magic to try to guess. After a few successes, Corby shocked the audience when he had written down 129L10 as his guess for one girl’s word. The girl gave a bit of a giggle at his guess and revealed that her word was “finger”. Corby, however, then took out a dictionary, had an audience member turn to page 129, go to the left hand column (hence the L) and go to the tenth word down. It was “finger.” “The show was so fun,” said Eza Chaudhry, senior business administration of management major. “I loved the audience participation. I loved how it was mandatory, even when you did not want to do it at first,” Chaudhry continued with a grin. The week led up to Friday night’s The Beacon/Cassidy Brumagin Casino Night. The event included playto-win games, food and drinks, celebrity dealers and big prizes. Prizes for the event included an inflatable kayak, Playstation 5, 10-in-1 game table, electric scooter, bike, Xbox Series X, Legos, Air Pod Max, Montage Mountain ski set valued at $250, two Wilkes baskets and a Nintendo Switch. Students were encouraged to wear their Casino Week gear again for additional tickets to win a prize. The event wrapped up the week, giving students a chance to come together and try their luck at a variety of games for big prizes. �The Beacon - November 16, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 Club of the Week: GeoExplorers Club By Anthony Cazun Asst. Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor Exploring is one of the most fun parts of the college experience. Exploring new eras, discovering new interests and learning all about new interests. The GeoExplorers Club promises all of those experiences and more, as they continue to be one of the most prolific and welcoming clubs across Wilkes university campus. The club deals much in the realm of geology. One of the club’s main goals is to spread and gain more interest surrounding geology and the fun that can come with it. While the club does have a slant toward geology, as the name suggests, it also deals much within the exploration of nature. This comes in the form of the club’s many trips and expeditions to various places including hiking trails, day trips to new locations and treks through nature and more. “We usually do a trip during spring break (and sometimes during fall break) for those who are interested.” said Gabriella Amaya, second year nursing student and member of The GeoExplorers Club. The club is also active and passionate about fundraising, thinking up new ways to pique people’s interest and get them involved. “During club meetings, we mainly plan fundraisers or trips that we can do throughout the year,” said Amaya. “For fundraising, we primarily do rock sales. “We like to sell a wide variety of rocks, crystals, fossils, etc. We also give people the chance to make their own bracelets.” The club is not narrow in its focus when it comes to welcoming those of all majors and walks of life, as anyone is open to join, it might even boost one’s appreciation and interest in geology. “People who join GeoExplorers can expect to have a good time with people who share similar interests with them, and might leave with a newfound appreciation for geology.” said Amaya, “...it allows people the chance to learn more about geology and it creates a space where everyone can feel welcome.” While the club is active, it is not incredibly demanding, making it so that any student can join regardless of workload and still enjoy the club to the fullest. Meetings are often held about twice per semester. Morgan Rich, Editor-in-Chief: Can’t Catch Me Now - Olivia Rodrigo Amanda Montgomery, News Editor: As for upcoming events, the GeoExplorers club is already planning for new trips and fundraisers to be held. “This spring, we’re planning for a trip out west so if anyone is interested, let us know!” said Amaya. The GeoExplorers Club has a unique blend of exploration, nature appreciation, fundraising, relationship building and a focus on geological academia that can not be found elsewhere. Put all together, this allows for a club that makes up all of the ideal aspects of what a club should be about. Sydney Allabaugh, Opinion Editor: Say It - Rihanna “Freeze,” Opinion Staff Writer: Shadow Warrior - Philipp Beesen Cedar - Gracie Abrams Adam Grundt, Sports Asst. Editor: Emma Broda, News Staff Writer: Smurk Carter - Lil Durk Runner - Alex G Sam Mullen, Sports. Asst. Editor: 20 Dollar Nose Bleed - Fall Out Boy Anthony Cazun, LA&E Asst. Editor: Graphics/Lara Mullen Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staff picks their favorite song of the week. Our very own Anthony Cazun has put together a Spotify playlist where you can scan it and listen to the Beacon’s staff weekly picks! Crave - Paramore Cally Williams, LA&E Staff Writer: Money, Money, Money - ABBA Lara Mullen, Designer: Regret - New Order Liz Cherinka, Social Media Manager: Northern Attitude - Noah Kahan (with Hozier) �The Beacon – November 16, 2023 ...Framing Moments: Continued Life, Arts & Entertainment After pursuing all of the many and family. All her photos gave off an iconic pieces in the gallery, one may be aura of authenticity and sincerity. struck by a small black and white print While Whalen is more than capable of depicting a tree branch surrounded using digital forms of photography, she by a small body of water. This wet still prefers the methods of the past. plate print was elegantly taken in 2013 “I love the old stuff. It is hanging by Mary Whalen, an individual with on a little bit to the past, or looking at lots of prominence within the current something that is old and making a new exhibition. image of it through a new lens.” said “I love the way the trees bend and Whalen. extend outward. They have a lot of Whalen utilized photographic methods personality to them, they always have used in the 1800’s for many of her pieces. something to say.” said Mary Whalen. This process includes using sheets of Whalen is a resident of Kalamazoo, metal and various vapors in tandem with Michigan. She is also the chairperson light to create the visual images. of the Photography and Digital Media “This is the same process that civil program at the Kalamazoo Institute of war soldiers were photographed with. Arts, as well as an active teacher within Normally the portraits are very small. her field. Whalen is adept at all forms of Most of the photos of Abraham Lincoln image taking and processing. were done in the same process. If you The collaboration between Whalen shoot these in glass, then you have a and the Sordoni Art Gallery is the negative image, in which you can make a primary reason why the exhibition found print out of.” said Whalen. its way to Wilkes University. Whalen Whalen uses various analog techniques did not just gift the people of Wilkesto create many of her pieces. She even barre the illustrious gallery, but also an had a darkroom created in her home in art lecture about her own work and the various processes and experiences she has had throughout her decades as a photographer. “The Art in Context Lecture: Kalamazoo: a Place, a River and Home by Mary Whalen, Photographer and teaching artist at Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and Education for the Arts” was held on Nov. 9. The event was open to the public and included various snacks and refreshments to enjoy outside of the gallery. During the lecture, Whalen walked the audience through her career, in turn, walking them through various stages in her life. Various vacations, outings, jobs, friends James Brown, photographed by Ernest C. Withers 9 The Beacon/Anthony Cazun order to continue her more hands on techniques. She combines her talents for analog and digital when creating cyanotype pieces. These pieces are taken on digital cameras and put into photoshop. While in photoshop the photographer will create a digital negative of the image, which will then be put onto film where it will be coated in various chemicals, exposed to sunlight and then washed in water. This process will create a beautiful, painting-like cyan print image. Whalen has many areas of expertise, along with her very patient and welcoming demeanor, she has had a very long and successful career. The Framing Moments exhibition will be available until Feb. 4, 2024. Martin Luther King Jr. arrest, photographed by Charlies Moore Mary Whalen at Wilkes Univeristy podium during art lecture �The Beacon - November 16, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 Alison Bechdel to open Allan Hamilton Dickson Spring Writers Series From a press release The Wilkes University English Department will open the Allan Hamilton Dickson Spring Writers Series with author Alison Bechdel at 7 p.m. on Feb. 13, in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts. Bechdel is the creator of “The Secret to Superhuman Strength, Are You My Mother? A Comic Drama, Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic and Dykes to Watch Out For. She has been the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and a MacArthur Genius Grant. Fun Home, her first graphic novel, was named a 2006 Best Book of the Year by TIME and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. The Broadway musical adaption of Fun Home won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Wilkes University Theatre will bring Fun Home to the stage from Feb. 22 through25. The evening with Alison Bechdel will include a reading and book signing. The event is free and open to the public. Seats are expected to fill quickly and registration is strongly suggested. For more information on registration and additional guest artists for March and April, visit wilkes.edu/dickson. �The Beacon - November 16, 2023 11 Life, Arts & Entertainment Want The Beacon to highlight your club or special event? Let us know about it! Email kalen.churcher@ wilkes.edu ���The Beacon - November 16, 2023 Opinion Editorial Staff 2023-24 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Morgan Rich Social Media Manager - Liz Cherinka Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Amanda Montgomery Opinion - Sydney Allabaugh ASSISTANT EDITORS LA&E - Anthony Cazun Sports - Adam Grundt Sports - Sam Mullen DESIGNERS Designer - Lara Mullen Section Staff Writers News - Emma Broda LA&E - Cally Williams Opinion - “Freeze” Want to join The Beacon? Several positions are open! Contact : kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or morgan.rich@wilkes.edu 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 Morgan Rich at morgan.rich@ wilkes.edu The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact opinion editor: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu. Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. Daylight savings time needs to be eliminated Twice a year, residents of nearly the entire nation and many parts of the globe all must endure the disorienting feeling that something is off. More specifically, the time is off. The clocks are wrong, the sun is in the wrong place at the wrong time, everyone’s routine is thrown through a loop and the general energy around everyone is just… off. This is because of the strange and morethan-not unnecessary daylight savings time tradition. March 12 began this year’s daylight savings time, where the sun rises later in the day, around 6:40-7 a.m., which allows for sunlight to remain for most of the day’s duration, with sundown often beginning around 5 p.m. The explanation for this is to allow for greater productivity during the day and save energy by utilizing more sunlight. It’s a noble reasoning, however, it has its issues. The human body needs sunlight for energy, to adjust one’s circadian rhythm. Many people must wake up before sunrise to get ready for work, school or any other responsibilities. Waking up in the darkness of night to start the day is incredibly exhausting and discouraging. This is the standard for much of the entire year. Many people have trouble falling asleep and waking up early during daylight savings time, especially during the first few weeks of the adjustment period. After all of that, one may expect that once standard time returns everything would be solved, however that is not exactly true either. Standard time presents its own myriad of issues. While sunrise is earlier in the morning, which coincides with the schedule of many, the downside resides at the other side of the day. Particularly, during sundown. During standard time, the sun will begin to set around 4:40-5 p.m. Meaning that perceptually, the day will end earlier than before. The limited amount of daylight during the evening makes people naturally tired earlier and discourages productivity during those hours. These hours are especially valuable, as it is when many return from the standard 9 to 5 work schedule. People also generally spend more money on electricity during standard time, as they will need to utilize more interior lighting due to the lack of sunlight during the evening. This leads to many wondering what the ideal solution is. Both have their pros and cons, and many feel that daylight savings time should be either applied all year around, or completely eliminated as a whole. The Senate recently approved a bill that would make daylight savings time permanent. However, members of the House of Representatives have yet to make their decision. This is not too uncommon, as the government has been trying to both solidify and abolish daylight savings time for decades, with there never being a concrete outcome. While there are pros and cons to both daylight savings time and standard time, the hard decision should be made to streamline the entire process and keep a permanent standard. While daylight savings is easier on the wallet, standard time is more catered to the body’s natural sleeping process, lessening health risks. There seems to be no end in sight to the annual daylight savings time routine, however, the entire concept of two different time sets during the year is in dire need of elimination or reevaluation. 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: morgan.rich@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 - November 16, 2023 Opinion The Icebox: “The Legend of The Return of The Red Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” Raven: an original story By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer Welcome back to the Icebox, where you can learn to stay cool. Last week, I presented to you the treasure known as “Breath of the Wild.” One would think that no game could possibly surpass the nature of such a creation or, at the very least, exceed the expectations that fans had for a sequel. What if I told you that Nintendo managed to knock both of these goals out of the park? “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” is the long-anticipated sequel to “Breath of the Wild” that truly broke the barriers of gaming and outranked its predecessor. If you read the previous issue of the Beacon, you would know that “Breath of the Wild” contains numerous abilities that enhance one’s experience in combat and adventuring. “Tears of the Kingdom” takes these mechanics to a whole new level and practically reinvents the game. Link is now able to upgrade his weapons with unique attachments, such as making a bouncy hammer with a Hylian shroom, a long whip with Lizalfos tails and even attaching pieces of technology called “Zonai devices.” The building mechanics do not stop there. Link can grab hold of almost any object and build large contraptions, machines, vehicles, you name it. As if shield tricks and remote bombs weren’t already groundbreaking, Link can now build war machines and take on entire armies of enemies with the swipe of his hand. Unfortunately for players who fear combat, the enemies in “Tears of the Kingdom” have also been boosted. You will notice that bokoblins and moblins look meaner and scarier and that they are harder to defeat. The monsters have found more industrial ways to take control of Hyrule, building large fortresses with deadly traps. Their weapons are upgraded with abilities, and their body parts are key ingredients in making a weapon more powerful. There are a handful of new enemies, such as the Boss Bokoblin, the cave-dwelling Horriblins and the Frox in the depths. Of course, “Tears of the Kingdom” also has many changes to the map and the basic worldbuilding formula. This game still included the base area of Hyrule seen in the previous game, with changes caused by an event known as the Upheaval. The map now includes three levels: the sky islands, Hyrule and the depths. The sky islands are the tutorial grounds of the game and are more concentrated on the new lore. The mainland of Hyrule still contains a majority of the familiar places. There are wells and caves spread throughout the mainland where Link can find rare treasures. Finally, the depths are very dark and rely on the activation of light roots in order to combat the gloom, which is malicious terrain created by the main enemy Ganon. The depths have unique enemies, such as (spoiler alert) the Yiga clan! Remember when you pushed Master Kohga down that mysterious hole in the Gerudo Desert? Well, guess where he ended up... Finally, “Tears of the Kingdom” introduces a new plot that draws many players into the experience. After the fall of the Great Calamity in “Breath of the Wild,” Link and Zelda go to explore the ruined Hyrule Castle in an attempt to discover the source of Ganon’s power. The rest of the story is for you to find out when you play it. It would be a complete dishonor for me to reveal anything more and spoil the surprise. Mostly every player admits that “Tears of the Kingdom” has a better story than “Breath of the Wild” and that the former is basically the completed version of the latter. One final note is that “Tears of the Kingdom,” though cohesive with its previous game, is actually standalone in plot. This means that a player does not even need to play “Breath of the Wild” in order to enjoy “Tears of the Kingdom.” The developers designed the game to signal continuity, but also included some retconning so that new players can understand the game all the way through. Personally, I did not agree with this decision as a “Breath of the Wild” player. However, I soon came to terms when I realized that the developers had consideration for their fans and just wanted everyone to enjoy their new masterpiece. By Leah Smith Contributing Writer PART 7 “You understand me, Mr. Greenblatt. You agree with me that this bleak and cold world has tainted the world’s idea of what it means to be a hero. That’s why you played along so perfectly up to this point,” the mysterious caller elaborated. “We’re not alike whatsoever, if that’s what you’re implying. You’re a crazy fanatic, and I’m just trying to get my life back together,” Rick protested. “Sure, but we both know what will really bring yourself back up to your feet. We both know the solution you so desperately want. You want to wear the mask and cape again. You want that warm feeling of relevance again, you want it to tell you that you’re special,” the mystery caller theorized. Rick didn’t answer immediately. He only fidgeted his phone briefly before he came up with a remark that would ignore his very correct theory. “If you feel that the idea of superhero stories should be wholesome again then why kill? Why haven’t you made up your own story that takes it all back to the basics?” “I tried, but I was laughed at and shunned by everyone I know. More importantly, I do what I do now because I missed you, the world misses you,” the mystery caller said. Rick’s tone broke as he said, “The world doesn’t miss me.” “Oh, sure, they do! Why do you think they keep rebooting and remaking every franchise ever made?! They miss the things that shaped their whole childhood, their whole generation, they want that old feeling of justice and hope that you gave them!” the mystery caller explained. Suddenly, Cameron’s head began to slowly move as he tried to say something. His voice was muffled and his words were indecipherable from the duct tape in his mouth. Rick noticed and was about to call out to him until the killer noticed Cameron waking up. He whacked him in the face with a small wooden alphabet block with the letter “B” on it. Rick’s hands silenced the scream crawling out of his mouth, but he was still horrified by 15 not only seeing his husband being brutalized by a crazed murderer, but from the sight of the alphabet block being used as a weapon. Cameron’s head fell back on the chair that he was tied to as the killer adjusted the fancy black glove they were wearing. A small splash of blood spilled onto the knuckles of their glove. They brushed it off against their black coat and looked dead-on at the camera. “This is my only warning for you. Do not interfere with my work. What I am doing here is going to teach people a lesson, a very important one. The only time I’d ever want you involved is if you dress up as the Red Raven and take me to prison for what I’ve done. However, if you get involved in any other way or get your cop daughter involved in this, I will kill Cameron, Isabelle and everyone else you love. I’ve already made my way through most of the cast, so, I guess I’ve been doing a good job so far!” The mystery killer laughed at their dark joke then stated, “I’m being honest when I say that I’m a big fan of yours, Mr. Greenblatt. It would be a shame if I were to kill you, but I will do what it takes to get what I want.” Suddenly, the video ended, and Rick started to quickly type in 9-1-1 onto his phone but stopped midway when he remembered the mystery killer’s warning. If he were to get the police involved, they would kill everyone he loves and most likely him as well. He couldn’t bear to lose his loved ones, let alone being harmed. He started to make his way to the front door to start a search for Cameron, but heard a knock against the basement door. Rick ran to the basement door and opened it with such aggression, the handle nearly broke. Cameron was bleeding all over the steps and still had the duct tape in his mouth. Rick ripped the tape off of his mouth and hugged Cameron’s body. “Oh my God, Cameron,” he cried onto his shoulder. “R-Rick,” Cameron mumbled. He could barely talk from the blood pouring from his mouth. Rick carried his body to the couch and as he settled his body onto the cushions he realized something. The killer was inside of their home. To be continued... �The Beacon - November 16, 2023 Opinion 16 The numerous problems with live service video games By Shawn Carey Contributing Writer Modern gaming is an interesting place to say the least. There’s constantly something changing. Whether that be trends, developers or release dates. Every once in a while, however, there’s an aspect of the industry that stays around for a while. Right now that aspect seems to regrettably be “live service” games. “Live service” games, also known as “games as a service,” are games that are forever evolving with new features and content. The concept of getting more content for your favorite game on a semiregular schedule sounds nice on paper. In reality however, they usually end up featuring problems such as broken launches, micro-transactions, limited content and half-finished updates. These are problems that the publishers are usually aware of and don’t care about. Ever since the concept of live service games first got popular in 2015, we have witnessed an increase in unbelievably mediocre titles. Devs have started to have a sort of “release now, fix later” approach to their work, especially involving multiplayer player games. Game companies used to have to make their launches count back in the day in order to turn a profit, but now thanks to the convenience of being able to patch a game post launch, these studios are now allowed to ship these buggy, unbalanced and downright unfinished products. All they have to do is promise the consumer that they will improve their game later now. Developers are no longer selling games, but a promise that it *might* be good at a later date. A lot of these games have a sort of “job-like” feel to them. Just like with a real job, there’s this over whelming feeling that you have to play it. You have to complete the battle pass, or you have to unlock this limited time item before it goes away forever. Just like with a job, you can’t play at your own pace because everything now has an expiration date. You can’t even take a break from playing due to the fear that other players will become better than you and make your experience worse. These games pretty much weaponize the idea of “fear of missing out.” If you’re playing and you see a player using a cool battle pass emote that you can’t get anymore, I’m sure you’ll feel a little bad that you missed out on such a cool cosmetic. This will inspire you to buy the newest battle pass and grind it to make sure that you don’t miss out again. Not even single player games are safe from the live service curse. Games l i k e “Cyberpunk 2077” and “Fallout 76” launched in unfinished states and didn’t become the games that the developers originally promised until years later. This goes back to the whole “release now, fix later” mindset. Some single player games even have “timesaver” micro-transactions that promote the player to actively not play the game. Instead of having to fight a challenging boss to unlock a rare item, you can just spend a few bucks and buy it. This has been a part of the last three “Assassin’s Creed” games and they find success from it each and every time, which leads into my last point. Companies aren’t entirely at blame. They can only get away with things that the consumers tolerate. In the gaming community, there’s a huge amount of people who defend the actions of these devs. No matter how poor a game is there will always be someone there to say “give it time it’ll get better” or “just ignore (insert flaw here).” Not every live service game is bad. “Fortnite” and “Final Fantasy XIV” were released as perfectly great games, only using the live service format to make themselves even better. The core of the matter is where do we draw the line in the sand? Adding new content to our favorite games is great but when does it become too much? I have always believed that a developer’s first goal should be to release a good game and everything after that should just be there to improve said game. However, as I mentioned before, this doesn’t seem to be the mindset most have. I do believe that gaming will get better as time goes on, but how long will it take? When will players finally say enough is enough? While I don’t have the answers to any of these questions, I do believe that it will eventually happen. Graphic by Lara Mullen Campus Suggestions: Why being a commuter isn’t so bad By Samara Carey Contributing Writer Hello everyone! Welcome back to “Campus Suggestions,” where I talk about my opinions about our campus and try to convince you to feel the same way that I do (or at least attempt to do so). In this article, I will be discussing the highs and lows of being a commuter on campus. Now, obviously everyone that is a commuter has their own opinions on this topic, but I’m here to say it’s not that bad. Before I begin, I know you’re asking why I am speaking out about this, and to that I say because I’m a commuter silly! I’ve been driving 15 minutes to and from campus every day for the last year and a half now, so I feel like I’m qualified enough to talk about this. For starters, let’s get the elephant out of the room here. We are saving a ton of money. Since we aren’t living directly on campus and need a meal plan for every meal, our tuition bill doesn’t make us wince every time it’s time for us to pay for each semester. Even though we don’t have dining or flex dollars, we do have the ability to have a commuter meal plan that we can use for meals for those long days on campus (which is pretty much everyday, to be honest). So it’s nice to have an option even if we can all mutually agree that the food is just OK. Speaking of food, we are able to eat meals at our own houses! I always hear people say that they “miss their moms cooking,” and that “all they want is a home cooked meal.” Well, guess what? My mom makes me that every night, since I see her everyday for dinner of course. In all seriousness though, it is nice to be able to eat my own food and have control over what I choose to eat each day. Another pro of mine that I want to talk about is more of a personal one. If you are like me, moving away to college was an incredibly hard thing to imagine, especially since I am so close with my family. When I was picking schools out to look at, I was terrified of moving away to colleges that were only 45 minutes away, let alone a few hours. Therefore, the fact that I am able to get my education, pursue amazing opportunities, love where I go and also only live 15 minutes away from campus is a huge blessing in my book. While I do acknowledge that there are some cons to being a commuter, it really isn’t that bad. If you want to know the worst part of being a commuter, it is the constant fear of missing out. That being said, I always feel like I am missing out on the “college experience,” since I am not rooming here at Wilkes. I will admit, I do not have this fear as bad as I’m sure many people do, due to the fact that I feel that I am very involved on campus. Also, I like to think that since I am here all the time and I practically live in my friends dorms, I am an honorary resident of University Towers the way it is. That being said, if it wasn’t for them, I think I would probably go crazy thinking about all the crazy stuff happening without me there. While there are other disadvantages about not being a commuter like not having anywhere to go in between classes, needing to wake up extra early in the morning to get ready and drive and having to deal with snow during the winter, it could be worse. At the end of the day, we get to have a different college experience, and if commuting works for you, that’s great. If you prefer to live on campus, that’s also great. If you are really feeling bold, why not do both? �The Beacon - November 16, 2023 Opinion 17 Explaining the hate towards legacy characters in comics Why do some comic fans detest character changes? By Shawn Carey Contributing Writer Recently it seems like every piece of superhero media has been playing with the idea of “passing on the mantle.” The “Marvel Cinematic Universe” is a prime example of this. Within the last three years alone, we have seen the characters Sam Wilson, Shuri, Kate Bishop and Riri Williams toss aside their previous identities and pick up the roles of Captain America, Black Panther, Hawkeye and Iron Heart respectively. The previous four heroes I listed are what is known as “legacy characters.” The concept of “legacy characters” has existed in the realm of comics for quite some time. “The Phantom” is the earliest example of the character type, dating all the way back to the 1950s. It has always been a beloved part of the comic medium with a lot of fans liking legacy characters more than the original. With that being said, why does it seem like so many people have problems with the newer characters? Before we get into everything I just want to make a quick note. The comic community is split into many different parts and is incredibly diverse. There’s something for everyone. Whether that be in the books, movies, video games or animated series, it’s quite rare to find someone who doesn’t like anything superhero related. What I’m going to be discussing in this article applies to every aspect of comics, but I will have a focus on the books and films since that’s where the problem is most rampant. So, what problems do people tend to have with the new legacy characters? If you were to ask someone this question, they’ll probably give you one of the following answers. “They didn’t earn the title,” “the original was better,” and “it was an unnecessary change,” “just make new characters.” Personally, I don’t really tend to take any of these answers seriously. In fact, I believe that these are all used as cover for their true reasoning. Let’s quickly go over some of the problems with these answers. Starting with the idea that the character “didn’t earn the title.” I never understood what people meant with this. How does a person “earn” the title of a certain hero? There are a few heroes that this argument makes sense for, such as the Lantern Corps of DC Comics. To become a lantern you must embody a specific emotion, such a s ange r, f e a r, willpower, hope and love. There is a set way in becoming a lantern. However, what makes someone worthy of becoming a hero like Captain America? Most legacy heroes share the same powers as their predecessor, but apparently that’s not enough for some people. There’s “something else” that makes them worthy. What that “something” is tends to be a mystery. It doesn’t seem like they need the blessing of those who came before them, for example Barry Allen is widely accepted as The Flash even though he didn’t get permission from Jay Garrick to use the name. So what exactly is needed? Next is the most common answer “the original was better.” I don’t think I have to tell you guys the problem with this one. This is an extremely subjective answer. There isn’t really a way to judge the quality of a character. There isn’t a specific personality trait that instantly makes a character better. Let’s compare and contrast the first and second characters that took up the Ant-man persona. Hank Pym is a brilliant scientist who’s constantly trying to push mankind forward into a bright future. Meanwhile, Scott Lang is a witty ex-con who’s trying to do right by his daughter and make up for his past actions. While one character may seem more interesting than the other, that doesn’t make the other bad. “It was an unnecessary change” is an answer I have mixed opinions on. While I can see it as a valuable response, I can’t think of a story where this applies. Most writers build up to the change; it never j u s t happens. When a person says this I usually just blame it on them not keeping up with t h e universe. Jane Foster was the focus of much backlash in 2015 when Marvel made her the new Thor. Countless “fans” complained about the change and how it didn’t make sense for such a random character to become the new god of thunder. In reality, the event was being built up for about two years. I understand that not everyone has the time to keep up with multiple monthly series, and I do believe that there is a conversation to have about how that is harmful to the overall reader experience. However, these writers tend to know what they are doing, and I think a person has to actually experience the story before making comments about it. Lastly we have the infamous “just make new characters.” I purposely saved this one for last because it plays well into my main point. When a character shows up donning the uniform and power set of an old hero you tend to hear people complain about the publisher being out of ideas and pandering to a crowd. As much as I hate to admit it, the comic community is full of some truly awful people. There’s a select group of comic fans who seemingly hate change, especially when it comes to getting rid of straight white male protagonists. I’m sure you know the group of people I’m talking about. Whenever one of the big comic publishers makes a post online announcing that a new character will be taking the role of an old one, there’s a high chance that the comment section will be filled with people complaining about it. These complaints can vary depending on the gender, race and sexual orientation of the new character. However, in the end it mainly boils down to grown men crying about “wokeness” and “white erasure,” two things that don’t actually exist. Miles Morales sadly tends to be one of the characters these people love to talk about. Ever since he first debuted almost 10 years ago, he has been the subject of nonstop hate. As of recently, his haters have taken to saying the phrase “Peter Parker is Spider-man and Miles Morales is Miles Morales.” This is strange to me because no one really said anything when Ben Reilly took up the Spiderman mantle back in the 90s. In fact, they welcomed him with open arms. Ben Reilly is a white man by the way. I know I’m writing an article about them, but I truly believe that the worst thing you could do is show these people attention. They make up a small percentage of the community, and I promise you that real fans do not share the same opinion. If they truly understood the heroes they claim to love so much then they would know that reputation matters. Graphic by Lara Mullen �The Beacon - November 16, 2023 Opinion 18 JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown push the boundaries of music An in-depth review of "SCARING THE HOES" By Logan Colonna Contributing Writer JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown, two underground American hip-hop artists, teamed up for their highly-anticipated debut collaboration, "SCARING THE HOES." This album had fans on the edge of their seats as its release date came marching forward. In this record, listeners are in for an experience that pushes the boundaries of what's considered "normal" in hip-hop. JPEGMAFIA's distinctive production choices, characterized by their avantgarde nature and unapologetic intensity, are complemented by Danny Brown's unexpected vocal inflections and raunchy lyrical content matter. Together, they have crafted an album that goes beyond the mainstream, delivering an audacious sound. The two made sure to push the boundaries of the genre to ensure that it leaves a lasting impression. The album hits the ground running with “Lean Beef Patty.” The listener is immediately greeted with weird production choices as the instrumental comes from a hyper-speed version of a 2002 Diddy track, setting the tone for what’s to follow. On top of this, the thunderous bass and drum patterns accompany the rapping from JPEG and Danny greatly. As the two show off their chemistry, it's already obvious why so many fans are in love with this album. “Steppa Pig” starts with Danny as soon as the song begins. Per usual, he does great. However, JPEG easily steals the show here. For whatever reason, I love JPEG’s performance here, even over Danny’s, especially if you include his production skills being used here. Personally, this track is slightly forgetful, but everytime I come back to it, I’m reminded of its greatness. The title track, “SCARING THE HOES,” is a standout of the album. This is because of the immense use of brass instruments and the overly graininess of the soundscape. When both artists are rapping, you can hear the grain that was layered onto their voices. Danny has an excellent verse, while JPEG takes a step back and takes on the chorus, which is also great. My favorite track is undoubtedly “Garbage Pale Kids.” The sample used here is nothing less than weird, as it calls back to a Japanese ramen commercial from the mid-90s. The duo shines brightly here as it’s easily their best rap performance on this record. The rappers glide effortlessly on the quirky and catchy beat. JPEG’s unique production and Danny’s raw lyrical talent combine without fail. “Fentanyl Tester” is the fifth track on the album. The track samples a popular song from 2003, this being “Milkshake” by Kelis. The iconic line, “My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard,” is chopped up and used throughout the whole song. Apart from this sample, I absolutely love the way JPEG and Danny rap over the instrumental. The song ends with an outro of just the instrumental with “Milkshake” being chopped over and over again. The fan favorite is “Burfict!” As the song begins, the listener is greeted with a grand introduction as Roman Colosseum-like horns start to blast into their ears. As the song progresses, JPEG unfolds this fusion of hip-hop and orchestral production. While the rapping does take a back seat to the production, it still adds to the overall track. “Shut Yo B---h A-- Up/Muddy Waters” is divided into two different sections. The first being Danny’s portion, while the second is JPEG’s. I like JPEG’s a little bit more just because of the instrumental. While it’s pretty similar to the beat used before it, something about it just hits me right. Both artist performances here are pretty great overall as well. “Orange Juice Jones” is named after the R&B singer of the 1980s, Oran “Juice” Jones, and pays homage to his certain style. To capture his sound, the instrumental is sampled from Michael Jackson’s “Dear Michael.” Both artists tone down their vocals to match the track’s atmosphere, and they do it quite well. This exhibits their sheer amount of versatility as they easily rap over any obstacle thrown their way. The track, “Kingdom Hearts Key,” is a standout from the rest, yielding the only feature on this album, redveil. For those not aware of him, he created his breakout song “pg baby” in 2022, which was loved by the masses. The instrumental stands out as it uses sampled voices from an anime and offers intricate drum patterns. The track shifts into redveil’s verse as the instrumental tones down, offering a fresh breath of air for the listener. “God Loves You” instantly starts off with a gospel-like soundscape with a choir singing in the background. Danny’s whole verse contains constant references to the Bible, such as Noah’s Ark, Moses, the Twelve Disciples and Adam and Eve. All of the lyrics here are funny and witty. Nothing is added here content wise by JPEG, but I still enjoy his performance here quite a bit. Yet again, I love the overproduction as it ties the track all together. “Run The Jewels” is the shortest track on the record, clocking in at a minute and change. In comparison to the other songs on the album, the vocal inflections and overall production are somewhat calm. Think of it as a break from the album. While it’s not bad by any means, it is the worst on the album. Another personal favorite is “Jack Harlow Combo Meal,” which, despite its odd name, stands out as a unique track. This song features this elegant piano chord progression that’s constantly in the background, which makes this track stand out even among the other anomalies on the album. Throughout the song, both rappers maintain the theme of refusing to compromise their artistic integrity. They take shots at people in the music industry, American hip-hop artist Jack Harlow in particular for his endorsement with KFC in 2022. Yet another one of my favorite tracks is “HOE (Heaven on Earth).” The song takes obvious inspiration from gospel music as it incorporates certain elements from it, such as an organ and choir-like vocals into its instrumental. Toward the end of the track, the vocals take a backseat as they’re cut from the track while the instrumental shifts to a different approach. This allows listeners to appreciate the amazing production of this song and the album as a whole. The last track, “Where Ya Get Ya Coke From?” undoubtedly offers an interesting experience sonically with a booming instrumental per usual. However, the previous track would have acted as a much better send-off for the listener rather than this song, lowering my overall likeliness of the track. I deeply admire the approach this album has taken as it pushed the boundaries of hip-hop and music as a whole. Since the initial release of the album, fans have been treated to an EP titled “SCARING THE HOES: DLC PACK.” News has been released from JPEG and Danny that tells fans they’re working on another album. I’m eagerly looking forward to how they further push the boundaries of music. Graphic by Lara Mullen �The Beacon - November 16, 2023 19 Sports Sports Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: Adam.grundt@wilkes.edu Wilkes student & hockey fanatic fighting courageous battle By Adam Grundt and Sam Mullen Editor’s Note: Julia Mazur, a 20-year-old Wilkes University student, former staff writer for The Beacon, and member of the Communication Studies Department, is currently in the fight for her life against stage 4 cancer. In addition to writing stories for The Beacon, Mazur was active in several cocurriculars within the Communication Studies Department when healthy. We, at The Beacon, await her return to campus and are proud to not only call Julia a colleague, but, more importantly, a friend. Cancer. The dangerous disease, feared by individuals across America, hit close to home this year. On July 28, Wilkes University student and men’s ice hockey equipment manager, Julia Mazur, was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic melanoma, infecting her lymph nodes, liver, lungs, and small parts of her bone joints. Mazur is 20 years old. But even during her battle with this disease, Mazur remains positive and stresses the importance of positivity during tough times. “Positivity has helped me a lot through everything,” Mazur said. “It is such a hard and painful thing to go through. My mother has been my rock in this and hasn’t left my side even while I have been hospitalized over a month. "One big thing I learned is how important positivity is in a bad situation. I also learned that you could have some bad moments but there is no reason to have a bad day. It is also important to live in the moment and appreciate every day and everything you have. "I often think about how I used to cry over the smallest things and I look back on it and realize that none of it was ever important.” During treatment, Mazur has been unable to attend physical classes and often has to join classes via Zoom. “Right now, I am unable to really do much schoolwork because of all the testing I’m having done and also spending the last month in the hospital,” Mazur explained. “Prior to that it was a huge struggle to get to be physically on campus to sit through a class so I had requested to Zoom into classes a lot. "All my professors have been so kind and willing to help and accommodate with anything I need.” The Wilkes men’s ice hockey team is pulling for Julia in her courageous battle with cancer. “We want our equipment manager Julia to know we are thinking about her and are behind her every step of the way,” men’s ice hockey head coach Tyler Hynes said. “She’s had our back and we have hers.” The Wilkes men’s ice hockey team is not the only group pulling for Mazur during this time. Mazur’s love for hockey extends outside of Wilkes University and to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. She attended the games and then got an opportunity to work there as a member of the ice crew. The Penguins even mapped out an internship for Mazur that allowed her to see how the AHL team was able to make everything work for their entire season at the Mohegan Sun Arena. This past Saturday, the Penguins had a Julia Mazur Penguin for a Day Benefit. Portions of the gold zone were donated to Mazur. There was a great turnout for the game as well as the game earlier in the day for D-League and Friends members. There were tons of people there to support Mazur and sport the purple “Cancer is Brutal” shirt. “Support has been overwhelming to say the least,” Mazur said, graciously. “People I haven’t talked to in forever have reached out asking if I need anything or even to donate a basket for the fundraiser we are having on Feb. 18.” A basket raffle event will be held in February, to help raise funds for Mazur during her battle. Tickets for this event will go on sale in January. More information about the event can be found on Mazur’s Instagram page, @ julia.mazur93. “People can donate a basket for the fundraiser we will be having in February of next year,” Mazur said. “The baskets can be dropped off at Tiny Trends in Luzerne or Lil’ Tikes Playschool in Scranton.” In addition, Mazur has also started a GoFundMe page to help limit the financial costs of treatment. The support, needless to say, has been overwhelming. Mazur has raised over $18,000 through this fundraiser. To donate to Mazur's GoFundMe, go to: https://www.gofundme. com/f/julia-diagnosedwith-stage-4-metastaticcancer. �The Beacon - November 16, 2023 Sports 20 Wilkes women’s basketball season preview By Sam Mullen Contributing Writer This season, women’s basketball is looking to improve from last year, which was full of ups and downs. This is the first season the team, and players are eager to make the Wilkes name known. In addition, the team has a new head coach, Al Berger. Despite the major changes, team members have shown nothing but excitement. During the 2022-23 season, the team won eight games, including the game against cross-town rival King’s College, played on Wilkes’ home court. Another noteworthy game was against FDU-Florham. The women had 69 rebounds in that game, as well as 11 three-pointers. They beat FDU by more than 60 points, with a score of 84-20. “This season I’m looking forward to playing in a new conference that will challenge us as a team and continue to push us to the level we hope to achieve,” said Yamerilis Matos, a sophomore from Springfield Massachusetts. “Personally, I look forward to expanding my skill set as a point guard and adjusting to a faster style of play that will bring many scoring opportunities and success”. When asked if there was anybody in particular that she looked up to, Matos said fellow teammate Julia Marino. “The way she plays fascinates me. Her ability to create plays and facilitate the ball amazes me. I look up to her in the sense that I enjoy learning from her on the court. “She maintains aggressiveness while calm through tough times in the game and is very smart when it comes to making decisions.” Marino, from Washington Township, New Jersey, is ready for her senior season and excited for the team’s new coach.. “He has brought a fresh perspective and coaching view to our team,” she said. “His belief in the team’s capabilities is something I think all of Photo courtesy of Wilkes Athletics Wilkes women’s basketball secured their first season win against Marywood University with a score of 56-50. us really respond to. “Entering the Landmark Conference and having a new coach is definitely a lot of adjustment, but the team has been working hard day in and day out to make sure we’re fully prepared once conference play begins”. Marino, in her final year playing, reflected on her time at Wilkes. She said one of her favorite memoiies is when the team beat nationally-ranked Stevens her sophomore year. “It was a really exciting accomplishment for the program and our team,” she explained. “Additionally, I have so many memories that I’ve made with my teammates every year that I’m super thankful for.” Also returning this year is fifth-year student, Brenna Babcock of Sweet Valley, Pennsylvania. Babcock plays point guard. “I think throughout my years playing at Wilkes I have developed into a much more mature and well-rounded player. My teammates and coaches have helped me grow physically and mentally as a player to help our team succeed.” Taylor Simpson, a first-year from Dunmore, Pennsylvania, is one of two first-years playing. Coming into college is a big adjustment to anyone’s life, but Simpson has taken it in stride. “Whether it is on the court, in the weight room, or in the classroom, I prioritize my mental and physical health. In order to do my best as a college athlete, I have to make sure I stay on top of my physical health such as eating, sleeping, and having free time. “I work hard to stay on top of basketball and school, but I also make time to spend time with my friends and prioritize my own well-being.” Althouth it is Berger’s first season coaching, he has already sensed the commitment the team has to improving. “The team knows we have a tough schedule but we are excited for the challenge.” Before coming to Wilkes in May of 2023 he was the head coach of the Keystone Giants. “I have a very balanced group led by our four seniors,” Berger said. “I am excited for the return of the majority of our leading scorers from last year.” The Colonels had their first game on Nov. 10 against Marywood University. They were able to secure a 56-50 win with Marino securing the win two free-throws. . �The Beacon - November 16, 2023 Sports 21 Eagles sit 8-1 at halfway point of season By Adam Grundt Asst. Sports Editor Last season, the Eagles came very close to the franchise’s second super bowl championship, where they were defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs in a 38-35 shootout. As the 2023 National Football Season reaches its halfway point, many students and NFL insiders believe that this could truly be the Eagles’ year. The Eagles are coming off a close victory against the Dallas Cowboys, a game in which they won 28-23 and improved their record to 8-1. Jalen Hurts passed for 207 yards, D’Andre Swift rushed for 43 yards, and A.J. Brown caught seven passes for 66 yards and a touchdown to lead the Eagles to their eighth victory of the season. To this point in the season, the Eagles defeated the New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders (twice), Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, and most recently, the Cowboys. Their only loss came at the hands of the New York Jets. Sophomore student Devin Markert believes that this is the Eagles best chance for a Super Bowl championship. “They have eight wins, they are solid on both sides of the ball, and I don’t think many teams in the league can beat the Birds at full strength.” The Eagles, with a record of 8-1, sit atop the league’s NFC East division. Wide receiver A.J. Brown has six touchdowns this season, and quarterback Jalen Hurts has thrown for 15 touchdowns. Although he has thrown eight interceptions, Hurts has compiled a passer rating of 97.0 and thrown for over 2,000 yards at the halfway point of the season. “I think Haason Reddick has been the best player this season,” sophomore Danny Storm said. “He is the leader on defense, and has over seven sacks so far this season. He has been the most impactful player so far this season and sets the tone for the defense week in and week out.” Reddick leads a defensive core that also contains Reed Blankenship, Darius Slay, and Zach Cunnigham, three defensive players that currently hold Pro Bowl potential. Blankenship and Slay each have two interceptions on the year, and Cunningham has over 50 tackles at the halfway point of the year. If the Eagles want to find success for the remainder of the season, the defense must remain strong and the offense must produce at the rate they have produced so far this season. If quarterback Jalen Hurts wants to return to MVP contention, he must lead his team to another deep playoff run. The Eagles next five games will certainly be a test for the team. On Nov. 20, they play the Kansas City Chiefs (7-2) on Monday Night Football. Then, the team travels back to Philadelphia for two consecutive games against the Buffalo Bills (5-4) and San Francisco 49ers (5-3). The Eagles then go on the road to face off against the Dallas Cowboys (5-3) and Seattle Seahawks (5-3). The team then concludes their season with two games against the New York Giants (2-7) and one against the Arizona Cardinals (2-7) in the final three weeks of the season. Graphic/Morgan Rich The Beacon is looking for sports writers for the Spring 2024 semester If you are interested in sports writing, editing, photography or graphics contact Adam Grundt at adam.grundt@wilkes.edu �The Beacon - November 16, 2023 22 Sports Athlete of the Week Emma Burlew First Year, Women's Swimming The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Burlew won two individual races, the 50 freestyle and 500 freestyle, in a match against Goucher College. She recorded a time of 27.05 in the 50 freestyle, and a time of 5:54.93 in the 500 freestyle where she defeated two of Goucher College's swimmers. Major: Neuroscience Hometown: Effort, Pa. High School: Pleasant Valley What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? On Halloween, we split into two teams and made rafts out of cardboard and other things from the pool deck and raced. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? Philadelphia Eagles What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Reading or going out with my friends. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? I get to represent Wilkes! I love being a Colonel and being able to swim for Wilkes is amazing. The Beacon//Ava Tureen 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? She's the Man If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Perhaps water polo because I don't see myself outside of the pool. . What has been your favorite sports memory overall? On my club team, I was counting for someone swimming the mile during practice and I accidentally fell into the water. It was a very funny moment and I don't think I'll ever forget it. What is your favorite post-game meal? Chick-fil-a. How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? I am honestly very surprised I got picked athlete of the week. There are many great female athletes at Wilkes so I felt very grateful when I found out. I will continue to work hard at practice, during swim meets, and outside of the pool. �The Beacon November 16, 2023 Sports Athlete of the Week Jack Perna Junior, Men’s Ice Hockey Goalie The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week Perna led the Colonels to two victories against No. 15 Albertus Magnus Colege on Friday and Saturday. He finished the two games with 71 saves, a goals-against-average of 1.00, and a .973 save percentage. Major: Mechanical Engineering Hometown: Sykesville, Md. What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? Winning the MAC championship my freshman year and playing in the UCHC championship game What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? New York Rangers What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Work out and hang out with my friends. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? I love how close knit our team is and the support we receive from other students and faculty. If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Baseball What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Winning states in my last year of youth hockey and getting to go to USA Hockey Nationals. What is your favorite post-game meal? Chipotle How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? I feel honored to be chosen but would not be here without the guys in front of me. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? Miracle The Beacon/Sam 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." 23 �The Beacon - November 16, 2023 24 REGISTER FOR WINTER SESSION! EARN CREDITS & CHILL WINTER SESSION: DEC. 26, 2023 TO JAN. 12, 2024 Take undergraduate courses at the reduced tuition rate of $530 per credit. REGISTER NOW! Visit the schedule and register at wilkes.edu/winter. Wilkes University is an equal opportunity institution. For information on the University’s Policy on Non-Discrimination, visit www.wilkes.edu/nondiscrimination. � 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 <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 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>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> 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. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre 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 Wilkes Beacon, 2023 November 16 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wilkes University retains copyright of this publication. https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/b74df6af1981457ea3e63202a16d4488.pdf bdbe1a2c18af6e05786d35c587b0ddbb PDF Text Text The Beacon - November 9, 2023 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 76, Issue 4 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” Kristin Degnan-Boonin celebrates 40th anniversary By Cally Williams Life, Arts and Entertainment Staff The Conservatory in the Dorothy Darte Center plays a pivotal role in student life and growth of talents. Kristin Degnan-Boonin, one of the founders of the Degnan Ballet Center and Wilkes’ dance program is celebrating 40 years since she and her late husband, Peter Degnan, founded the Degnan Ballet Center. Degnan-Boonin and her late husband founded the Degnan Ballet Center in 1983, but added their previously existing dance studio to campus later. The conservatory consists of the Degnan Ballet Center, Indian Classical Dance, instrumental and vocal music lessons. The conservatory originally focused on theater rather than dance until the Degnan Ballet Center was added by the couple. Throughout its 40 years, the Degnan Ballet Center has m oved around from five different locations. At its founding, the studio was located in the back of the third floor of theHotel Sterling (now torn down) in Wilkes-Barre. From there, the ballet center moved to other locations in Wilkes Barre, Kingston and Gender and Sexuality Alliance hosts Halloween party, page 5 finally the campus of Wilkes University. When Degnan-Boonin started teaching, she was still dancing professionally in Pittsburgh and working with Nicolas Petrov. Her late husband was still dancing professionally as well. The two had to commute from their jobs as dancers about five hours to their jobs as dance instructors. Degnan-Boonin described it as a “transition period” between being a dancer and a teacher. Many dancers end up pursuing careers in teaching dance to pass down their knowledge of training to future generations of dancers. Dance is passed down all the way from some of the most famous and influential dancers and choreographers from teacher to student by repeating the artistic cycle. In 1991, Degnan and Degnan-Boonin added dance to Wilkes University through the Encore summer intensive program. This was a program offering intensive classes in music, theater and dance to high school students. They taught this program from 1991 to 1998 while also teaching and running the Degnan Ballet Center. ...Anniversary, continued on page 9 Honors Program sets up donation drive to GKTWV, page 7 Photo Courtesy of Wilkes University Faculty and Staff Review: Westside Gunn’s newest album, page 18 “Five Nights at Freddy’s” unfairly criticized, page 16 �The Beacon - November 9, 2023 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Amanda Montgomery: Amanda.Montgomery1@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: Nov. 1 weekly meeting By Zach Paraway Contributing Writer Student Government held another meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 1. The remaining amount in the SG account is $9,345.84. The first order of business was a fund request from the Fly Fishing Club. The presentation was given by club president Jacob Smith. The Fly Fishing club is a conservation group that also teaches and takes students to fly fishing in local bodies of water. They came to request funds in order to purchase materials to do a fundraiser. They would like to do a clothing sale with shirts, hats, patches and more. The money made from this would go to club business such as fly fishing trips, upgrading some of the equipment and to send students to conferences. The total request was for $700. It was voted on this week and approved for the full amount. The second and final order of business was a club report by Sports Management Club. The presentation was given by president Christian Reino and vice president Nick Splain. Voting occurred for club and member of the month. Voted club of the month was the Speech and Debate Club. Member of the month went to Victoria Corbo, sophomore pharmacy major who serves as a class representative. SG's next meeting in Nov. 8 in the Miller Room. Beacon Briefs: Upcoming Compiled by Beacon News Staff Spring 2024 Commuter and Resident Student Parking Applications Commuter and resident parking permit applications are available now until Monday Dec. 4 at 4 p.m. The applications will not re-open again once they are closed. The link for parking applications: https://www.wilkes.edu/campus-life/ safety-security/parking/studentparking-permits.aspx. Any questions contact parking 570408-7275, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. HPSC Give Kids the World Fundraiser Join the Honors Program Student Committee in community service by donating children’s books and Halloween costumes to Give Kids the World, a nonprofit that helps make dreams come true for Make a Wish children with a critical illness. Monetary donations can also be made. Donations will be accepted in the honors office until the end of the semester. Any questions, email jennifer. mclaughlin1@wilkes.edu. Spring Break Trip to London and Paris The International Business trip is now open for registration. The trip leaves the Philadelphia Airport March 2, 2024 and returns March 9, 2024. The total estimated cost is $3,500, which includes airfare, hotel, breakfast and dinner expenses. Contact Dr. Matus at justin.matus@ wilkes.edu for more information. Diploma Order Form May 2024 Bachelor’s degree candidates, now is the time to complete your diploma order information and degree audit review for processing for May 2024 Commencement. Now is the time to complete your Diploma Order information and Degree Audit Review for processing for May 2024 Commencement. The deadline to submit your Diploma Order is Dec.18. Use this link to complete your Diploma Order information: https:// etcentral.wilkes.edu/#/form/4. Further Graduation information can be found here: https://www.wilkes.edu/ academics/registrar/graduation.aspx. Free Professional Portrait Sessions The Center for Career Development and Internships is holding professional portrait sessions for students on Nov. 7 and 9 during club hours. Spots are limited. The Colonel’s Clothing Closet also has professional wear that is free for all students. Link to register: https://forms.gle/ ZHx3rvsGEb2RCXUo8. Contact Lois Grimm at lois.grimm@ wilkes.edu or 570-408-4060 with any questions. Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............4 Opinion..............6 Sports..................8 Upcoming Events: 2023 Fall Semester November 9 - Giveaway 16 - Fast Food Bingo 30 - Break-FEST December 7 - Bingo �������������������������������� ���������� ������ ����� ������������ ������ ��� �The Beacon - November 9, 2023 News 3 Gender and Sexuality Alliance hosts Halloween party By Emma Broda News Staff Writer Although Halloween for college students is not as filled with costumes and candy as Halloween for children, many students still find ways to be festive. The Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) Halloween Party was just one of the Halloween celebrations held recently on campus. The party had an array of snacks and a Halloween movie on for everyone to watch. Students wore costumes of their favorite characters, or Halloween figures for the club’s costume contest. Ozzie Priebe, a first year history, political science and sociology major, said he was dressed as Shinzo Abe, former Japanese prime minister, and that he was planning on “eating lots of candy” later that evening. Another student Alyssa Brown, a first year psychology major, shared that she was dressed as a wizard and that she would be “spending time with friends” to celebrate Halloween. One of Brown’s friends, Astrid Overby, a first year pharmacy major, shared that she would be watching horror movies, but also doing homework. Finally, the club’s vice president, Brian Guzman, a senior business major, said he planned to spend time with friends. His costime: Where’s Waldo. Other fun costumes included Aaron Haber, asophomore digital design and media art major, dressed as Denji from “Chainsaw Man”; Jackie St. Claire, a senior digital design and media art major, dressed as an archangel; Kaitlyn Schuyler, a sophomore psychology major, was dressed as a devil; Logan Dickson, sophomore environmental biology major, was Choso from “Jujutsu Kaisen”; and Liz Keller, a first year political science major, was Fiona from “Adventure Time.” From left to right: Mia Decker, junior history major secondary education major, and Kamea Paresa, sophomore math major. From left to right: Logan Dickson, sophomore environmental biology major, Aaron Haber, sophomore ddma major, Kaitlyn Schuyler, sophomore psychology major and Jackie St. Claire, senior digital design and media art major. From left to right: Alyssa Brown, first year psychology major and Abigail Malin, first year psychology major. Photos: The Beacon/Emma Broda �News The Beacon - November 9, 2023 What is... Multicultural Student Coalition (MSC) By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer Wilkes University has more than 80 clubs to join, many of which celebrate the unique differences of the campus community members. They encourage participants to explore different cultures and identities. Of all the different groups on campus, only the Multicultural Student Coalition, or MSC, is solely dedicated to celebrating multiculturalism in all its forms. “We have such a unique experience at Wilkes that MSC gets the privilege of taking a deeper dive into when we learn and share all of our cultural, ethnic, and diverse backgrounds with one another," said Kathrine Ermeus, senior political science major, and president of MSC. "This is MSC. It’s not just what we do, but it’s who we are." Erica Acosta, the director of diversity initiatives and advisor for MSC further elaborated. “This club differs because it focuses on being the umbrella for multiculturalism," said Acosta. "This club highlights and educates the community on cultural awareness and promotes diversity inclusion." With so many clubs that focus on diversity on campus, there are aspects of MSC that make it stand out from others. “Having groups that focus on diversity here at Wilkes helps to educate the community on these topics," said Starr Sandt, vice president of MSC and junior psychology major. "While the education aspect is important, having these groups that focus on diversity allow the creation of an inclusive space where everyone can From left to right, Kathrine Ermeus, president, Abel Gonzalez, treasurer, Starr Sandt, vice president and Erica Acosta, adviser. feel like they have a home within Wilkes community." Sandt explained that she got involved with MSC because of Acosta. “I was speaking with her during my first year here at Wilkes and she told me about a club that she thought that I would enjoy being a part of, and that club happened to be MSC," said Sandt. "She later introduced me to our president Kathrine Ermeus and the rest was history." MSC hosts a variety of events, ranging from fun with pumpkin carvings, one world, and the annual talent show, to serious, with regular “real talks,” which gives students a safe space to come and talk honestly about different topics, from professional etiquette to celebrating Hispanic heritage. MSC plans to continue with its yearly tradition. 4 “We want to be more communicative with our General Board this year and really reach the masses as a club,” said Ermeus. “So if anyone is interested, don’t be shy, come say hi,” Sandt added. “We try to make diversity, equity, and inclusion less of a ‘scary’ topic to talk about and if there are any events that you want to see on campus, please let us know about them and we will make them happen to the best of our ability.” MSC meets from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month in the Savitz Lounge on the second floor of the SUB. To get involved with MSC, you can email msc@wilkes.edu or kathrine. ermeus@wilkes.edu. Keep up to date, on Instagram @wilkes_msc. Photos: The Beacon/Morgan Stiener Participants during the annual cookout event during Welcome Weekend this past August. �The Beacon - November 9, 2023 News 5 New photography exhibit open at Sordoni Art Gallery University Press Release Framing Moments: Photography from the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts (KIA) opened at the Sordoni Art Gallery on Nov. 7. It runs through Feb. 4. Framing Moments offers a distinct and inclusive overview of photography in the United States and beyond. Curated by Deborah Willis, the exhibit features selected gems from the KIA’s significant photography holdings. Works range from the mid-nineteenth century to the present and reveal how photographers can uniquely preserve moments, people and places. Expressly interested in highlighting the time in which these photographs were made and collected, Willis imagines the stories and events that encouraged KIA curators to acquire these images over the past 60 years. The seminal exhibition includes nearly 100 photographs that juxtapose a diverse group of photographers who reveal everyday life across rural and urban communities, explore modern photographic aesthetics, document pivotal moments of social change and conflict, and present artists as both celebrities and ordinary people. In connection with the exhibition, the Sordoni Art Gallery will host an Art in Context lecture, Kalamazoo: a Place, a River and Home, at 5 p.m. on Nov. 9. The Art in Context lecture will be presented by Mary Whalen, photographer and teaching artist at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and the Education For the Arts program in the Kalamazoo Area Schools System. Whalen’s photographic work is a testament to her ongoing evolution as a visual artist. The journey continually incorporates and expounds upon exploring techniques, some of which harken back to the 1800’s and the creation of photography. Through time, these techniques have been paired with new ideas and creative concepts that have added immense depth to her body of work. Whalen will discuss this evolution and body of work, which serves as a personal history of an artist, educator and member of her community and brings viewers into that life and place. The lecture is free and open to the public with light refreshments to follow. The Sordoni Art Gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; and is closed Mondays and university holidays For more information, visit wilkes. edu/sordoniartgallery. Menghini named president of state financial aid group University Press Release Jared Menghini, vice president of enrollment management at Wilkes University, will serve as president of the Pennsylvania Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (PASFAA) for 2023-24. The PASFAA represents more than 300 educational institutions, lenders and other organizations involved with higher education in the state of Pennsylvania. The organization assists with professional development for its members and other constituents, advocates for access to post-secondary education and helps to educate the public on financial aid and funding opportunities. Menghini has more than 13 years of experience in higher education, with seven years devoted to financial aid. He joined Wilkes in 2021 as executive director of student financial services. Prior to Wilkes, Menghini served as the associate vice president of enrollment management and director of financial aid at King’s College. In his role as PASFAA president, Menghini will focus on the long-term health of the organization. He intends to build a five-year strategic plan, update the policy and procedures manual and make more connections with business partners. According to Menghini, his presidential position shows the value Wilkes places on leadership roles for its people. “It’s important to have administrators involved on the state level to advocate for financial aid for our students and their families,” he said. Jared Menghini �The Beacon - November 9, 2023 Gina Harrison: Passan School of Nursing, faculty of practice By Zach Paraway Contributing Writer When talking about higher education, people most want to learn from those who take pride in what they teach. That is no truer than with Gina Harrison. Harrison is a faculty of practice for the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner program in the Passan School of Nursing. She works within the graduate program, helping those with completion of their master’s degree. Her name may sound familiar because she is a former adjunct faculty member at the university. “I think that working with graduate students is very interesting because everybody has a life that they have already established so they come with a lot of experience and knowledge that they can really add to the class and bring their own flavor to the course,” said doctoral degree Harrison. in nursing H e r p r a c t i c e , experience with looking to Wilkes comes be finished from growing at the end of up in the area the current of northeastern semester. Pe n ns y l v an i a . Not only She was born does Harrison in Plymouth teach and learn and moved at Wilkes, but around the area she also serves throughout her in practice life to places currently as a like HunLock psychiatricCreek and mental health S h i c k s h i n n y, Photo courtesy Professor Harrison c e r t i f i e d where she registered nurse currently lives. She completed her bachelor of practitioner at the State Correctional science degree at Penn State Scranton Institution at Dallas. “The job of working as a psychiatric in nursing. She then earned her master of science in nursing science at Wilkes professional in a correctional institution and is currently working toward her is very interesting.” said Harrison. “There is never really a dull moment and it is really needed too because a lot of people who are incarcerated require mental health treatment.” Harrison holds three major responsibilities in her professional life with holding jobs at Wilkes and in state corrections, while still working to complete her degree. “I like to fill my time,” said Harrison. “You have to be really dedicated and I think learning at Wilkes and Penn State and other local colleges has really prepared me to be diligent in studying to make sure that I can give back to the community. And to keep it growing and keep people in the area.” Harrison loves Wilkes from her time as a student here and hopes to show students the increased importance of mental health in the United States. Dr. Judy Williams: practicing nurse and educator By Amanda Montgomery News Editor Wilkes welcomes Dr. Judy Williams, a new addition to its faculty, as an assistant professor on the tenure track in the undergraduate nursing program. Originally from Greentown, Pennsylvania, Williams brings a wealth of experience and a passion for empowering students. Williams’ educational background began with an associate degree at Northampton Community College in 1976. She then pursued a bachelor of science in nursing at Kutztown University, followed by a master of science in health education from East Stroudsburg University. Continuing her academic pursuits, Williams earned a PhD from Marywood University, and a second masters degree in management from Grand Canyon University. Her decision to join Wilkes was rooted in the institution’s commitment to its vision and the profession, mission. a c t i v e l y “I’ve heard practicing today. a lot of “I still work in good things the emergency about Wilkes room at William University and M e m o r i a l about that they Hospital on a per are true to their diem basis and I vision and to do it because to their mission keep my skills up about actually as well as to still allowing the have be able to s t u d e nt s , do the practice,” empowering said Williams. the students “ T h e r e ’ s to actually something about become very bedside nursing Photo courtesy Dr. Williams that still is part productive individuals,” said Williams. of me.” Despite not having a specific plan, Williams’ favorite aspect of teaching Williams entered the medical field lies in the interactions with students. without a predefined path. Her journey “What I love most is the type of into nursing was a personal choice students that I have and the faculty made two years after high school, and that I’m with,” said Williams. she has since maintained a deep love for Looking ahead, her future plans 6 involve expanding into research and conducting studies, with a dream of writing a book. Currently, her research focuses on clinical instructors and the opportunities available to them. Williams’ proudest achievement is the long and challenging journey of obtaining her PhD. As for an interesting fact about herself, she humorously admits her openness, making it challenging to find something unknown about her. Outside of academia, she enjoys running, engaging in hobbies like stained glass and embracing outdoor activities like boat riding, kayaking and paddle boarding. In her time at Wilkes, Williams hopes to see her nursing students lead fulfilled professional lives. Williams offers advice to all students, not just those pursuing a degree in nursing. “Everybody needs to take ownership of their education and their learning,” said Williams. �The Beacon - November 9, 2023 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Life, Arts & Entertainment Editor: Morgan.Rich@wilkes.edu Honors Program sets up donation drive to GKTWV By Morgan Rich Editor-In-Chief Editor’s note: The author of this piece attended the first Give Kids the World Village trip in 2022. The Honors Program Student Committee (HPSC) is helping to make the Christmas holiday merry and bright by collecting costumes, books, and donations for Give Kids the World Village (GKTWV). GKTWV is a non-profit organization resort in Kissimmee, Florida, that provides critically ill children and their families with Make-A-Wish vacations that are free of cost. Around half of all the critically ill children that are eligable for Make-A-Wish choose to visit Central Florida and choose to visit its themeparks including Universal Orlando Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, SeaWorld Orlando, and more. GKTWV was founded in 1986 by Henri Landwirth who survived concentration camps in Nazi Germany and then decided to study hotel management. In 1954, he opened a Holiday Inn in Orlando; however, he was inspired to crete GKTWV during the 1980s. “One of the main values of the honors program is service, and I feel this is one of the greatest examples we can do to promote this value,” said Nikki Polivka, P3 pharmacy major. “Supporting GKTWV is not only a wonderful experience for the kids, but for their families, as well. Volunteers contribute their time to GKTWV and make up a majority of the workers and fill around 1,800 shifts each week. According to GKTWV’s website, volunteers make up the heart and soul of the village. “Doing something as small as running a carnival ride can mean the world to a child and their family,” said Polivka. During the summers, the honors The students who were able to attend the very first GKTWV trip with the honors program. The students are, from first row, Emma Freels, senior middle level math education, Jennifer McLaughlin, the assistant director of the honors and scholars program. From second row, Samantha Uggla, alumni musical theater, Mel Fouts, alumni environmental engineering, Kaelin Hughes, senior history and political science and Morgan Rich, senior communication studies. program makes it a priority to run a service trip to GKTWV so the students can volunteer. This started during the summer of 2022, and has since been a tradition every summer. During these trips, students get the volunteer in a multitude of ways, including cleaning tables, serving ice cream, breakfast, and dinner, driving a cookie cart around the village, attending different parties such as a Halloween party, etc. “It’s important for honors students, who are learning to servie their communities as leaders, understand the importance of helping others,” said Jennifer McLaughlin, the assistant director of the honors and scholars program. “This is especially true of children and their families who need support as they deal with terminal diseases in their lives, and the repercussions such news can have on everyone in a family unit. We go there every year, so we just like to help out in any way we can. Both from Pennsylvania and down in Florida.” The trips have the students volunteering around eight hours a day in different locations around the village every day. These trips that the honors programs take are also classified by two “relaxation” days. On last year’s trip, the students traveled to Epcot at Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Studios and Island’s of Adventure at Universal Orlando Resort. “I knew it was going to be an emotional experience for me, but it meant I got to have a better understanding of the meaning of life,” said Emma Freels, senior middle level math education major, who went on the first trip to GKTWV in June of 2022 with the honors program. “That sounds crazy, but truthfully it gave me a new mindset of focusing on happiness and surrounding myself with people that support my goals. The families there understood that it wasn’t a normal vacation but they were all focusing on the positives.” It is a competitive process to be selected for these trips, considering many students want to participate. In order to be selected, students must put their names in a lottery, where they are then randomly selected. Only five to six students, and a student leader, along with McLaughlin participate in the trip to keep the group small and intimate. “The group I went with was also very supportive and I got to bond with everyone dna actually better understand parts about myself,” said Freels. “I hope thai was the first of many experiences for me because I got to learn a lot about myself and the world.” Costumes and books can be donated in the honors office in Start Learning Center (SLC) 261 and monetary donations can be given to McLaughlin directly or by heading to the GKTWV website. “It’s the happiest and saddest place on earth to me. It’s somber knowing why families are in the village, but everyone is just so positive and happy to be in the village that endless smiles occur, too. It’s the true meaning of serving with a smile.” Donations can be made until the end of the semester and for more information on the donation drive, email jennifer. mclaughlin1@wilkes.edu. �The Beacon - November 9, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 Club of the Week: Wilkes UNICEF Club By Anthony Cazun Asst. Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor There are many clubs across Wilkes University campus that seek to accomplish relatively simple tasks to varying degrees. Activities of enjoyment and interest, these clubs are incredibly important to students and campus life in general. However there are some clubs that seek to create and advocate change on a grander scale than any one individual. Clubs such as The Wilkes UNICEF Club are an example of that idea. The Wilkes UNICEF Club is a chapter of UNICEF, or United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund. The general purpose and goal of this club is to educate and inform students and staff about current events and crises across the globe. The club does this in various ways; however, the club’s primary methods are very clear. “Advocate: become an active citizen. Fundraise: raise money directly for UNICEF programs,” said Emma Guzdek, executive board member of UNICEF. “Educate: spread awareness about challenges childrens and families face around the world. Build a community: work with other clubs on campus and local organizations.” Events and fundraisers are a very common and integral part of UNICEF. They are incredibly active, holding a fundraiser nearly every month. “In September we held a Voter Registration Drive. Throughout October we did an online Trick-orTreat for UNICEF fundraiser, and we partnered with GSA in October at their Halloween Movie Night selling candy, drinks, and snacks for our Trick or Treat for UNICEF fundraiser,” said Guzdek. UNICEF is known for its collaborative nature, always seeking out new partnerships and ways to assist the most people in need. “UNICEF works with over 190 countries to help defend the rights of children and their families,” said Guzdek, “Our UNICEF fundraisers and UNICEF funds go directly to providing emergency food, healthcare and other necessities to children and their families.” The Wilkes UNICEF club members are incredibly passionate about their work. They are always around campus looking for more ways to help those less fortunate all around the world. Their diligent actions reflect their firm belief in a better future for all people. Morgan Rich, Editor-in-Chief: Somebody Else - The 1975 Amanda Montgomery, News Editor: Pink Rabbits - The National Emma Broda, News Staff Writer: “Understanding what is going on in the world around us is important to truly appreciating the rights and opportunities we have in the United States,” said Guzdek. “As well as providing support to those who do not have the same rights and opportunities that we do.” Ultimately, that is the goal of UNICEF. For more information about UNICEF and their mission, one can visit the organization’s website. For details about Wilkes’ very own UNICEF club, email emma.guzdek@wilkes. edu. Graphics/Lara Mullen Sydney Allabaugh, Opinion Editor: Cobra - Megan Thee Stallion “Freeze,” Opinion Staff Writer: Healthy Destruction - Sunlight Defect Adam Grundt, Sports Asst. Editor: Baller - NAV Fast As You Can - Fiona Apple Anthony Cazun, LA&E Asst. Editor: Sabotage - Beastie Boys Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staff picks their favorite song of the week. Our very own Anthony Cazun has put together a Spotify playlist where you can scan it and listen to the Beacon’s staff weekly picks! Sam Mullen, Sports. Asst. Editor: Apocalypse - Cigarettes After Sex Lara Mullen, Designer: Start Choppin’ - Dinosaur Jr. Cally Williams, LA&E Staff Writer: space girl - Frances Forever Liz Cherinka, Social Media Manager: Dealer - Lana Del Ray �The Beacon - November 9, 2023 ...Anniversary, continued from Page 1 The Degnan Ballet Center was still on its own at the time, separate from the University. Twelve years later, the studio was finally added to Wilkes as part of the Conservatory. Degnan-Boonin felt like her and her late husband’s studio belonged there. “It is such a supporting and nurturing community,” said Degnan-Boonin. “As you begin something like this you can never fully realize the impact it had on your students and your own life.” Degnan-Boonin talked about how rewarding it was to see her students continue the ballet tradition. “You look back on this sea of generations.” Determining her favorite ballet memory was a challenge. She paused for Life, Arts & Entertainment some time before providing any answer. “It is so hard to pick just one,” DegnanBoonin stated, in thought. Degnan-Boonin ultimately said that one of her f a v o r i t e memories took place d u r i n g last year’s production of “The Nutcracker.” Her former students organized the annual holiday ballet in 2022, so Degnan-Boonin did not have to stage or teach anything. She recalled standing backstage and watching the “organized chaos” during the battle scene of “The Nutcracker.” Looking at all of the soldiers and the little mice, Degnan-Boonin thought about how the magic of the story and the artform continues on. She was worried how it would go on without her, but seeing others so passionate about dance filled her with gratitude k now ing that it could ~Degnan-Boonin continue on. “Seeing my students now after we started it and lived it, I have faith it will go on,” DegnanBoonin added. “I feel like the last man standing. I can see the tradition of what we started.” She also spoke of the impact and “As you begin something like this you can never fully realize the impact it had on your students and your own life.” 9 influence that the Degnan Ballet Center has had on current and former generations of students. She remarked that countless young professional dancers have emerged from the ballet studio. One of her former students is currently a director for a professional ballet company in Maryland. Another former student of hers works as the artistic director for a ballet company in New York. Her daughter also danced professionally. “Ballet training is a testament to success in other fields,” Degnan-Boonin added. She emphasized how ballet training builds discipline, confidence, time management skills and much more. Some students have gone to seek other careers outside of dance, but the skills that ballet requires helped them succeed in whatever field. �The Beacon - November 9, 2023 10 Life, Arts & Entertainment Number Sodoku ��������������������������������������� ���������� 4 Challenge your brain with some sudoku! 1 9 How to play: Fill in the missing number. Each row should have 6 different numbers, no repeats. Each column should have 6 different numbers, no repeats. Each 2x2 quadrant should have 6 numbers, no repeats. Answer Key: 2 7 5 9 3 6 5 9 4 1 5 2 3 3 9 8 9 2 1 7 8 7 5 1 9 3 1 2 2 6 Credit for these puzzles goes to: www.sodokutodo.com Compiled by Morgan Rich, Editor In Chief 4 2 8 5 4 8 7 �The Beacon - November 9, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 11 The loss of a “Friend”: Matthew Perry’s beloved legacy By Cassidy Brumagin Contributing Writer Actor Matthew Perry, known for his role as Chandler Bing on popular television show “Friends,” died in his Los Angeles home on Oct. 28. Published reports have stated Perry drowned. Respondents got to his home around 4 p.m. Saturday to find Perry dead in his hot tub. Perry, 54, has starred in dozens of television shows and movies throughout his lifetime. His most notable charater by far was the sarcastic Chandler Bing in “Friends,” which ran from 1994 to 2004, for a total of 10 seasons. This role resonates with the university’s students the most. Saturday night, murmurs of, “Chandler Bing died,” could be heard throughout the campus and at neighboring Halloween parties. For many students, Chandler Bing was a favorite character from a show that many relied on as a comfort show. “I see Chandler Bing as one of the most beloved sitcom characters of all time,” Jocelyn Cussatt, senior biology major, said. “I am genuinely devastated to hear about his passing. It will definitely be hard to rewatch any episodes for a while.” Cussatt has watched “Friends” since freshman year of high school and considers it one of her go-to shows. With Chandler Bing so close to her heart, she took the news of Perry’s death hard, taking to Instagram to share her devastation with her followers and fellow “Friends” fans. “Breaking my silence on the matter: I am the saddest ever,” Cussatt’s post read over a picture of a young Perry. In addition to his acting work, Perry actively struggled with drugs and alcohol throughout much of his life. Coming out on the other side of addiction, Perry prided himself on his ability to help other addicts get sober towards the end of his life. “I find it devastating because he was so young in the grand scheme of life,” Emilie Protsko, senior political science and criminology major, said. “I know he struggled for a long time with drugs, which is unfortunate with his career.” Protsko continued to share her thoughts on being open with struggles. “It’s a shame to see people-celebrities and characters- you admire going through a struggle, especially when they’re so open to let people know they’re not alone,” Protsko continued. “For him to pass so suddenly is very upsetting.” Perry opened up about his addiction in his memoir “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing”. Perry recalled struggling with alcohol since his first drink at the age of 14 along with addiction to painkillers after being prescribed them for a jetski accident. Some fans were shocked to learn that Perry would even drink on the set of “Friends” throughout the show’s filming. Of all the many sitcoms students have reported watching throughout their lifetimes, the pattern seems to put “The Office” and “Friends” at the top of the list based on popularity. This comes as no surprise, seeing as “Friends” topped the Netflix charts when it was streaming on the service. Even students who were not familiar with the show themselves reported the palpable sense of dismay at the news. “When you watch someone enough, it almost feels like you’re friends in some way,” Sidney McNeil, senior pharmacy major said. “I wasn’t familiar with Matthew Perry, and I’ve never seen ‘Friends’, but the shock and sadness was unavoidable that night.” McNeil reported she was with friends who were fans of Perry and the show when she saw news of his death. “You could tell that someone special was gone, someone that made all of my friends laugh and smile,” McNeil continued. At this point in time, the exact cause of death is unknown. Initial reports found that there was no trace of drugs at the scene. Investigators are, however, still waiting on in-depth toxicology results. Reports state that it could take months to complete a full report. In the meantime, thousands of fans, family members, and friends have taken the time to share their grief at the loss of someone dear to them. “Friends” co-stars Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox and David Schwimmer released a statement to People magazine on Monday, Oct. 30. “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” the group stated. “There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.” Graphic by Morgan Rich ���The Beacon - November 9, 2023 Opinion Editorial Staff 2023-24 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Morgan Rich Social Media Manager - Liz Cherinka Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Amanda Montgomery Opinion - Sydney Allabaugh ASSISTANT EDITORS LA&E - Anthony Cazun Sports - Adam Grundt Sports - Sam Mullen DESIGNERS Designer - Lara Mullen Section Staff Writers News - Emma Broda LA&E - Cally Williams Opinion - “Freeze” Want to join The Beacon? Several positions are open! Contact : kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or morgan.rich@wilkes.edu 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 Morgan Rich at morgan.rich@ wilkes.edu The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact opinion editor: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu. Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. Mariah Carey defrosting overshadows career Inevitables. There are certain things in life that will occur no matter what, and we call these things inevitable. Few things are truly inevitable in life. We are also all very familiar with these things. Death and taxes are just examples of things we all as humans must go through without any exception, whether they are good or bad. Within the last 10 years, however, we can add one more thing to this exclusive list. That would be Mariah Carey “defrosting” every year come November. To explain before giving an opinion, Mariah Carey is one of the most successful pop stars from the 90s and 2000s, selling millions of records and having multiple records that have gone platinum. And out of those many songs she has made, only two have gone diamond. One is her 1995 song “Daydream,” which is a bop if you never heard it. And the other is the topic of today, her 1994 song, “All I Want for Christmas is You.” The song is played every year once the calendar turns from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1. It is synonymous with the Christmas season as that shows in the charts, and the impact the song leaves. Every year since 2019, the song has reached number one on the Billboard charts for all music and it has led to a term for this. “Defrosting” is what it is called now, to tell about how Mariah Carey is unfrozen every year to have this song be played over and over again. It has gained a lot of traction over the last four years, with Carey not only topping the charts again despite not making a charting album since 2011, but also allowing her to also go on tour again. Her new tour will be the first since 2019 and has already sold well, with her adding three more shows to the now 16 show tour. The defrosting of Mariah Carey is real, and even she knows it, having created online videos the last two years for Nov. 1 to mark the return of her dominance. With all of this information, the question to be raised is is defrosting overrated? In short, yes. Now before throwing away the article and turning the page, just hold on. The song is amazing, fits the season well and is a culture marker for the holiday season. The reason to say yes is because of what this has done to Carey’s career. Carey’s first album came out in 1990 and last came out in 2018. That is almost 30 years of music that she has made, and also, it’s 30 years of music that performs very well. Excluding her last three albums, every single one of her 12 studio albums have gone platinum, including two diamond albums. She is one of just 22 artists to ever have two or more diamond albums, putting her with names such as Garth Brooks, Led Zeppelin and Michael Jackson. She has many songs off those albums that have charted even higher such as the aforementioned “Daydream,” “Someday,” “Touch My Body,” “Heartbreaker” and many, many more. And this is just her impact as a singer, not mentioning at all her ability as a producer and songwriter. She has also written hit songs for Faith Hill and Trey Lorenz, and she produces many of her own songs. The defrosting memes are funny and great for this time of year. It’s funny to laugh at how we go from spooky Halloween music and joy to just spamming Carey’s song over and over again. This song has brought Carey a lot of success, but the career that came along with it is arguably more prolific. Next time someone plays the hit, remember that Mariah Carey just makes bangers, period. 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: morgan.rich@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 - November 9, 2023 Opinion The Icebox: “The Legend of The Return of The Red Zelda Breath of the Wild” Raven: an original story By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer Welcome to the Icebox! A friend of mine suggested that I should spice up my game spotlights with a unique title, so now you can learn to be cool. Today, the Icebox presents to you one of the most legendary video games of all time. “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” is a masterpiece that will go down as one of the greatest experiences ever delivered to the gaming side of humanity. First of all, one should understand that there is no clear-cut way to describe “Breath of the Wild.” In fact, there is absolutely no review out there, whether it’s a video, book or an article like this one, that can do the game any bit of justice. That certainly doesn’t mean one can’t try, right? However, my focus will be on why you should play the game, given that you haven’t already. The most noticeable thing about “Breath of the Wild” is the unique artstyle. Even if one isn’t playing the game, they can certainly enjoy the jaw-dropping views that it offers. The game seems like an elaborate painting, with bright and vibrant tones and shadows that correspond to the various times of day and regions of the map. There are mountains, valleys, canyons, cliffs and natural beauties that have players mesmerized. To this day, people share beautiful screenshots and compliment the developers for the highlyartistic style of the game. The visuals in this game are one of the best ways to immerse yourself in this experience. Another aspect of “Breath of the Wild” that really places it on the top are the mechanics, of course. The mechanics include staminabased running, jumping and climbing, while also incorporating combat skills that are fairly easy to master compared to other titles such as “Dark Souls.” The enemies in the game have an hierarchy that determines their power, such as bokoblins, moblins, lizalfos and their color alterations that are based on their location on the map as well as the player’s progress through the game. The boss battles, mainly forms of Ganon, the force of darkness, each have their own unique mechanics as well. There is also the Sheikah slate which offers the main character, Link, unique abilities. Stasis allows a player to freeze an object, and sometimes an enemy, in time to build up damage and momentum. Cryonis is the ability to form up to three ice blocks at once on surfaces of water. Magnesis enables Link to lift objects made of metal. Remote bombs, which have an impulse-effect when detonated, come in the cubicle and spherical variety. There is also a camera rune that players can unlock later that allows Link to take pictures of wildlife, enemies and plants in order to register them in a personal compendium. That brings up the next point, which is that “Breath of the Wild” isn’t just about fighting enemies and destroying Ganon to free Hyrule. There are more than a handful of other things that are available for players of all types. Interested in clothing? Check out Link’s wardrobe and visit the dye shop. Are you a chef? Well, Link is even better at cooking up delicious meals and elixirs. The best part is that they enhance his abilities: stamina, strength, defense, resistance and more. Do you like scenery? The developers want you to appreciate it. Do you like wandering around? That’s why Korok seeds, treasures, shrines, temples, towers and all kinds of things are scattered across the map. Are you an animal lover? You can tame a horse, befriend dogs and even ride a bear! And if you are hungry, you can always cook those too. Perhaps you’re not so great at combat, like my older sister who absolutely loves this game despite being terrible at progressing the story. That is completely fine because it’s about how you enjoy the experience. “Breath of the Wild” offers plenty of side quests, some that involve searching for an item, some that require cooking a certain meal and some that help to hone in on your skills with a bow and arrow, sword, spear, claymore or even Link’s trusty paraglider. Even if a player doesn’t do anything in particular, they can still enjoy the adventure. Maybe they want to relieve their “collector’s anxiety,” a term coined by speedrunner PointCrow in regards to the item collection in any large-scale video game. By Leah Smith Contributing Writer PART 6 Rick sat in his seat, motionless. His hand shook slowly as the mystery caller laughed, indicating they were still on the other side. “You better move now, Mr. Greenblatt, or Cameron is dead,” the caller threatened. Rick pulled the car out of park and began to drive quickly back to his house. If the killer was speaking, Rick couldn’t hear them because the beating from his heart occupied his hearing. He was sweating profusely and felt the phone slide off of his hand and hit the floor of his seat. He looked down and almost hit the car in front of him at a traffic light. The driver honked at him and gave him an icy glare. When he finally made it home, Rick parked the car, grabbed his phone and ran up to the front door. He opened the door and screamed, “CAMERON!” There was no response and the house looked suspiciously untouched. Rick held the phone up to his ear and the killer laughed. “It’s so cute that you think I’m that predictable,” the killer teased. “Predictable enough to be using material from my show!” Rick shouted back. “Fair point, but I’m not that dumb. I’m going to send you something. Don’t bother sending this number to the police, either. They’ll never trace it,” the killer said. Rick’s phone vibrated against his cheek, and he pulled it away from his face. He tapped on the messages app to see the unidentified number of the killer. The killer sent him a link to a video. “Press that link,” the killer demanded. Rick did as he was told and pressed the link. The call ended. However, the link took him to a livestream from a strange website where a tall person in a black tophat and tuxedo stood. The person was also wearing a skeleton mask to not only keep themselves covered but to disguise themselves as one of the Red Raven’s arch rivals, Father Destiny. The room looked like a basement, but Rick couldn’t tell because of the dim lighting and barren scenery. The Father Destinyinspired killer stood in front of a chair where a man with his head down was tied up. 15 “I’m so happy that you’ve decided to join us, Mr. Greenblatt,” the killer said. “You forced me. I’m trying to protect Cameron, now where is he?” Rick demanded. “Don’t fret, Mr. Greenblatt. He’s safe here with me,” the killer said. They grabbed the man by his receding brown hair and lifted his bruised and bloodied head to the camera. Rick gasped seeing the condition the killer put Cameron in. His mouth was duct taped, his forehead was bruised and his torso was covered in cuts and blood. The killer held onto Cameron’s head tightly and displayed it like he was presenting a grand prize to a winner of a game show. “Why did you do this?” Rick asked in a tear-choked voice. “I’ve always been a big fan of yours, Mr. Greenblatt. I have just about all of the merchandise ever made that comes from ‘The Red Raven.’ It’s become a part of my personality, really. All of these other franchises and caped hero stories don’t do it like ‘The Red Raven’ did. There was always justice, always adventure, always some sort of mysterious intrigue that I can’t quite explain. God, it was just so perfect in every way,” the killer praised. Shortly, they added, “But, nobody seems to understand it. All they want these days are newer, flashier, edgier superhero stories, but that’s not what they should be about! Heroes are meant to be pure and seek out justice not these foul-mouthed action and sex-crazed beings! This generation is poisoning the purity of heroes, of storytelling! I can’t bear to see that! Not only that, but they have no idea who the Red Raven even is! Do you know how sad that is?!” Rick watched as the killer went on their rant, horrified by how passionate they were. Although, Rick believed they did have a few points. The killer readjusted themselves. “That’s why I’m here. I’m here to teach people about the Red Raven. I’m here to express what makes him so great and it’s so great to see you playing along, too.” “But I’m not–” Rick tried to speak. “But you are. You answered the call and this is going exactly like a conversation between Red Raven and Father Destiny. You understand me.” To be continued... �The Beacon - November 9, 2023 Opinion 16 The “Five Nights at Freddy’s” movie has been overly criticized By Sydney Allabaugh Opinion Editor Immediately following its release on Oct. 27, the long-awaited and highly anticipated “Five Nights at Freddy’s” movie has been ripped apart by movie critics. These critics, however, are analyzing this movie through an incorrect lens and failing to appreciate the highlights of the movie or to assess it for what it was intended to be. On Rotten Tomatoes, “Five Nights at Freddy’s” has scored a 30 percent amongst critics, with their consensus being that viewers who are not fans of the game will find this movie “muddled and decidedly unscary.” Other common critiques are that the story is not engaging and that the pacing issues make it boring. As someone who has never played “Five Nights at Freddy’s” and is only vaguely familiar with the franchise, I think this movie adaptation can be appreciated by all audiences and shouldn’t be evaluated as if it were just another horror movie. There are many aspects of the movie that are simply incredible, most notably the set and prop design. The attention to detail to Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, an abandoned arcade from the 80s, is phenomenal. The old pinball machines, 80s style arcade furniture, dark and dingy hallways, outdated security room and, of course, the intricate animatronics created an eerie yet mesmerizing atmosphere. Impressively, all animatronics were genuinely brought to life with actual animatronic puppets, not CGI, which further added to viewer immersion. Although critics argue that the story is uninteresting and poorly paced, I found it to be the opposite. I found myself invested in characters like Mike, a man who attempts to find his missing little brother’s captor in his dreams, and Abby, his little sister who uses drawings to express her connection to the supernatural. It was interesting to see how the different characters connected and the plot unfolded. I did not find that the movie dragged. If anything, I felt as though I was left with unanswered questions about Abby’s connection to the animatronics and what happened to their aunt Jane, for example. A d m i t t e d l y, there were some tonal issues with the movie. Dialogue and emotional r e a c t i o n s sometimes felt like they came out of nowhere or were unfit for the situation. I also wasn’t sure how I was supposed to feel about the animatronics, wondering if I should fear them, feel sorry for them or find them funny. But for me, the highlights of the movie outweigh potential problems. I think critics feel otherwise because they are going about their criticism the wrong way, analyzing it as a stand-alone horror movie instead of a video game adaptation intended mostly—but not exclusively— for fans. To my understanding, the horror component of the “Five Nights at Freddy’s” video game franchise relies on disturbing storylines, jump scares and a frightening, suspenseful atmosphere, all of which were implemented in the movie. Although some may fail to find this to be scary, I think this lighter lean into horror, leading to a PG-13 rating instead of R, was likely to include the diverse fanbase that spreads across many age demographics. And among these fans, most enjoyed the movie, with an 88 percent audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie may be appreciated most by fans, but the thought-provoking storyline, the elaborate sets and intricate characters are accessible to and can be enjoyed by general audiences. Do not let the critics deter you from seeing this movie. Graphic by Lara Mullen Campus Suggestions: you should be kind to others on campus By Samara Carey Contributing Writer Hello everyone! Welcome back to another installment of “Campus Suggestions!” Today, I will be talking about all of the hate that has been circulating on campus recently. I have seen this especially through the popular college app, YikYak, where people like to talk about campus happenings and also complain a lot. Some of the things that I have seen getting hated the most include: the Esports team, the freshmen and theater majors. Now, if you want my honest opinion, I do not believe that these things deserve to be hated on as much as they do. For starters, I have heard that Esports has been getting quite the beating recently, with people saying things like “it isn’t a real sport,” or “they don’t do anything.” I believe it is actually the opposite. I feel this way because the people on Esports have actually been killing it recently. To my knowledge, they have been winning their matches more often than people originally thought. Looking at their statistics, I have noticed that they are most successful when they are playing games like “Overwatch” and “Super Smash Bros.” While, admittedly, I do not know much about Esports and how winning and matches work, I can confidently say they have won more than some other sports teams (who will go unidentified). Therefore, we should be giving them more credit, especially because of the fact that they have won and have the opportunity to win more than some traditional sports teams. The second thing that I have noticed recently is that people have been absolutely ruthless to the first-year students. Now, maybe this is just the E-Mentor in me coming out (again), but I feel like they do not deserve half of the negativity that they have been receiving recently. In my experience with working with the freshmen, a lot of them are very kind and just nervous to be in a new place with new people. Also, to give them the benefit of the doubt, they were also experiencing COVID first hand, with it directly affecting them since their first-year of high school. Therefore, a lot of them may not be used to social cues that you would usually expect them to know. All of that being said, they are obviously going to be some not-so-good apples in the bunch, but we need to look at our freshmen in a better light. Lastly, one of the things that I see people bashing rather consistently are theater majors. I have noticed that people like to call them “annoying” or “taking the easy way out.” However, this is also not the case. If you ask me, those who have decided to take the theater route during their college career are extremely courageous and are following their dreams. Also, let’s get the elephant out of the room and say that they are also very talented. I have seen two separate musicals that the theater department has put on, and I was blown away by the talent and the production that came out of the shows. Those in the theater department, both cast and behind the scenes, put their heart and soul into what they do, and they should be given more credit. After all, you don’t see people bashing people who chose pharmacy or engineering as their majors, do you? Everyone is on their own path and we should treat everyone equally because we all want different things for ourselves. At the end of the day, we are never going to be able to stop the negativity across campus; we all do it. Honestly, I have had my fair share of hating around campus, but we must give credit where credit is due, and hopefully I changed your mind. �The Beacon - November 9, 2023 Opinion 17 Modern children’s media and its effects can be concerning How will graphic content and influencers impact kids? By Shawn Carey Contributing Writer The media that we consume at a young age tends to really stick with us. We often feel a strong sense of nostalgia for old movies and shows. This happens for several reasons. Everything from having an appreciation for its message, enjoying the general aesthetic, liking the characters or even just associating it with a simpler time. This is something that affects our generation heavily. It’s not uncommon to see a person wearing something like a “SpongeBob” hoodie or seeing excitement over the announcement of a sequel show. I am extremely guilty of this as I still obsess over series I grew up with such as “The Legend of Zelda” and “Godzilla.” Those two franchises alone have had a huge impact on me and greatly influenced my current taste in media. The other day I was talking to one of my peers about how I attribute my love of writing to the many stories I experienced at a young age. Soon after that conversation I found myself thinking about something I hadn’t given much thought to before. How will what kids enjoy now shape their future? This isn’t really a question we can just answer. Every child is different and therefore enjoys different things. However, we can look at what is currently popular and make a sort of hypothesis. To get a proper idea of what kids enjoy today I asked my 9-year-old brother Nicky the following three questions: 1) “What do the kids in your class enjoy watching?” 2) “What toys do they like to play with?” 3) “What games do they like to play?” I received a variety of answers. Some I expected, but many of them came as a surprise. I also learned about a lot of series I wasn’t previously familiar with. I decided I would sit down and experience some of the latter myself. I would come to regret this. First off, let’s go over the obvious. Kids still enjoy superhero franchises, mainly “Marvel.” Not really a surprise considering the popularity of the “MCU.” However, the choices of heroes are very different. Heroes like the “X-men,” “Fantastic Four” and most cosmic level characters seem to be wildly unknown among current kids. They gravitate more towards heroes like “Iron-man,” “Hulk” and strangely enough “Daredevil.” What I find interesting about this is how “Spider-man” is treated. “Peter Parker,” the first and original spidey, seems to no longer be the most popular version of the character. That honor now goes to “Miles Morales,” which I think is great. Miles is such an interesting and fun character to watch/read. More importantly however, he’s an icon to so many young kids. Games like “Minecraft” and “Roblox” are also still enjoyed. More specifically “Roblox.” Kids spend hours every day playing the popular MMO, my brother included. While I was never into it, I understand the appeal. The app offers a seemingly endless amount of different games and activities for kids to enjoy. Additionally the game also contains a chat and friend system. I really don’t like this. I find it strange that a game with a mainly young player base has something like this in the first place. I’m sure we all know that the internet can be a dangerous place for kids and to be this is a disaster waiting to happen. Now, there is the option to turn all chatting off, which is something I have done on my brother’s account. However, I don’t believe that this is a widely known feature. The game’s description barely says anything about online interactions so it’s something most parents wouldn’t even know about. The ill-informed parent will be a constant theme throughout the rest of this paper. One of the conclusions I came to while researching this is that parents either need to do background checks on what their kids like or simply just talk to them more. This can best be seen with the next topic. Kids love anime, which isn’t really a surprise. There’s a lot to like about the media such as the huge battles, larger than life characters, epic transformations and grand adventures. Within the last few years, the medium has become extremely mainstream, so it makes perfect sense that kids have learned about it and become fans of a few shows. The shows in question, however, are certainly a choice. There is a child in Nicky’s second grade class who is a fan of “Chainsaw Man.” Now, let me continue by saying that I consider myself to be a huge fan of the show. But in my opinion, it’s absolutely not something a kid should be watching. For those unfamiliar with the series, “Chainsaw Man” is about a highschoolaged delinquent named Denji trying to live a normal life. To maintain his way of living he must turn into his alter ego, Chainsaw man and battle monsters known as devils. It’s a complex series with themes of body horror, dismemberment, sexual content, an extreme amount of blood, and much more. Seeing stuff like that at a young age can be extremely traumatic and I’m sure that if their parents knew that they were watching the show like that they would take it away from them. That is the thing however, parents don’t know. “Chainsaw man? That sounds like one of those superheroes you like!” The last few things I went over are enjoyed by a variety of different kids in his class. One thing they all share a love for is video sharing platforms, with Youtube, Twitch and Tiktok being the most popular. The old days of watching “Cartoon Network” and “Disney Channel” are over as it’s not about watching people live stream their day. People like Kai Cenat, Adin Ross and xQc are the Internet personalities kids are currently obsessing over. To get an idea of what they’re like, I went to Tiktok and watched a few dozen clips from their live streams. I sat down for two hours and watched these men say the most hateful and heinous things. Adin Ross is by far the worst of the three. His content is mainly just him making sexist, homophobic, racist and transphobic comments. Kai Cenat and xQc seem to be in the same ballpark as Adin but with slightly less of a focus on being a completely terrible person. They seem to care more about obnoxious flexing and constant shouting. They do tend to interact and collaborate with Adien on a somewhat frequent basis. There is still much more I would like to talk about, such as the reliance on shorter form content such as Youtube Shorts and their unexplainable love for horror video games. While those are certainly topics that could be discussed, I believe them to be less relevant in the grand scheme of things. I came to the conclusion that kids like the idea of feeling older than they actually are. They enjoy experiencing media that makes them feel like a teenager or young adult. The edgy jokes, blood and ability to talk to anyone is what they believe to be a part of that. I would like to believe that in the future they will look back and laugh at their behavior, but I don’t think that’s entirely true. There are countless videos of kids saying openly horrible things so casually. Even my brother isn’t safe as I had to correct him a few times. I don’t think all is lost however, seeing how kids look up to characters like Spiderman and even Tanjiro makes me feel good. I hope some of what those characters stand for rubs off on them and hopefully improve their outlook. Graphic by Lara Mullen �The Beacon - November 9, 2023 Opinion 18 Westside Gunn’s newest album falls flat and is decent at best An in-depth review of "And Then You Pray For Me" By Logan Colonna Contributing Writer “And Then You Pray For Me” is a direct sequel to Westside Gunn’s 2020 project, “Pray for Paris.” “Pray for Paris” is near and dear to my heart as it’s easily my favorite project from Westside. It’s also his first album in a year, which typically is normal for artists. For Westside, however, is a large gap in time considering he releases new music at least two times a year. After the introduction, “FLYGOD DiD,” the album kicks off with “Mamas PrimeTime.” This track was underwhelming from the beat to the artists’ performances. While none of the verses were bad, there wasn’t anything compelling about them. Westside rapped with his usual flow, but JID and Conway the Machine missed the mark in terms of their usual work. Because of this being the opener, I was expecting much more. The next track, “Kostas,” is even more unbearable as the beat just doesn’t match Westside Gunn at all. The features, Conway the Machine and Benny the Butcher, do quite well here. The song just doesn’t seem to really care for the same kind of vibe that was given off from the prequel to this album. The project starts to increase in quality with “Suicide in Selfridges.” The instrumental was created by Conductor Williams, a long-time collaborator with Westside Gunn. I’m so glad he’s helping out with this record because the beats were getting boring and nothing like “Pray for Paris” tracks. DJ Drama helps out on the track by being Westside’s hype man. I truly love whenever he’s there just to shout stuff. It’s subtle but adds a lot when you realize. Gunn’s performance here is great as well, one of the best verses of the album so far. Possibly the best track on the album is “KITCHEN LIGHTS.” From the orchestral instrumental, to the amazing chorus sung by Stove God Cooks, to his and Westside G u n n ’ s fantastic verses. Everything about this track is perfect. My favorite part of the song is the outro, which is the isolated instrumental, letting the listener digest it for what it is. “DunnHill” showcases another dip in quality. The beat is recognizable as a Rick Ross one, as he’s on the track. However, it doesn’t fit Westside’s usual style or the rest of the album. When Rick Ross does eventually come over the beat, he’s painfully average. The chorus includes a guest appearance with Estee Nack whispering the lyrics and is barely audible, so it just seems like a bunch of mumble over the beat. What could have been one of the best on the album if executed correctly, turned out to be one of my least favorites. The next track, “JD Wrist” is my guilty pleasure song of the project. Objectively, I think this song is decent at best. I personally love this song, however. This track is a throwback to classic trap songs from the 2000s, even offering ad libs and such from DJ Trap-A-Holics, a staple in the early trap industry. My only dislike about this song is the runtime for it. It’s just over six minutes, which is way too long for a song like this. A personal favorite of mine is “LL BOOL GUNN.” A lot of critics dislike this song for being unrememberable and lazy to some. While I get their point of view, I cannot disagree more. The track is one of the shortest songs clocking in at roughly two minutes. The instrumental is great and I love Westside's approach to his performance, slowing things down a lot compared to the rest of the album. “Jalen Rose” offers one of the worst features on the album. Boldly James’s verse is the most boring verse I have ever heard from an artist. He keeps the same monotone voice throughout his whole performance. I'm almost certain he’s even rapping off-beat. The sound selection is painfully average as all it is is just a basic piano beat accompanied by snares here and there. Westside’s verse is decent but not something to brag about. Overall, this song is certainly a lowlight of the project. The album is saved yet again with “The Revenge of Flips Leg.” Conductor Williams is behind the production yet again, thankfully. I truly did wish that he was utilized more on this project as my main dislike against this album is the soundscape as a whole. Rome Streetz and Westside offer pretty good verses as well. Nothing really stands out about the track, but I’m glad it’s good at least. The title track and outro, “AND THEN YOU PRAY FOR ME,” is a decent ending to close out the album. My only complaint is that Westide Gunn isn’t even on his own song. The feature, KayCyy, is on the entire song. He does really well with his singing and rapping performances, it’s just odd, in my opinion, to not have yourself on your own last track. From the abysmal feature performances, the subpar sound selection and even the decent-at-best Westside Gunn verses, this album fell flat pretty early on for me. What upsets me even more is the speculation that this may be Westside Gunn’s last album as he decides if he whether or not he wants to retire. At the end of the day, this album is decent at best. Graphic by Lara Mullen �The Beacon - November 9, 2023 Sports Sports 19 Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: Adam.grundt@wilkes.edu Wilkes championship hopeful as season begins The Wilkes Mens Ice Hockey team is set to kick off their season and are hopeful to contend for a championship. By Adam Grundt Asst. Sports Editor Head coach Tyler Hynes is set to begin his fifth season at the helm of the program. He led the Colonels to a record of 13-10-3 last season, and a conference record of 11-7-2. “We had a really good September and October as a team,” Hynes said. “Getting to practice eight times in September was huge. We have a group that loves competing and getting on the ice so that was a lot of fun getting a head start this season.” Senior Jimmy O’Kane commends the effort the team has put in throughout preseason practices. “Preseason showed that we have potential to have an explosive offense and can beat teams with our speed,” O’Kane stated. “As a team we feel that if we have everyone’s legs going there is not a team we can’t beat.” Graduate student Billy Berry is certainly a player to watch this season. Berry tallied 7 goals and 5 assists for 12 points last season in 26 games. As a silent leader of this year’s team, he understands the value of the preseason practices the team had. “The preseason practices were very valuable for this team,” Berry explained. “It is the first time since I’ve been here that we have been able to add eight more practices to our preseason with our coach. Our practices were filled with intensity, competitiveness, and purpose, which I know will carry onto the ice during the season. We have a group full of relentless competitors who want to get a little better every day, and those preseason practices made it possible to develop our habits as a team early and be prepared for the season. The Colonels season ended last year in the UCHC quarterfinals last year in a 4-1 loss against Manhattanville College. As the Colonels send a more mature team out onto the ice this season, expectations remain high within the squad for the upcoming season. “Our expectations for the season are high,” Berry continued. “We have a lot of returners this year who are hungry for more. Our season ended earlier than we wanted last year, so we know there is a lot more meat on the bone left for this group. It is our last year in the UCHC and we want to finish what we started before changing leagues.” Coach Hynes highlighted three specific players slated for breakout seasons this upcoming year. “Billy Berry, Joe Johnson, and Matt Carlson have been excellent and guys who just bring it every day in practice,” Coach Hynes explained when asked about players to watch this season. “Quiet leaders with loud actions. They aren’t the only guys who have been good, but they are setting a bar that makes all of our young men better every day.” The Colonels welcome Coach Phil Erickson to the staff this season. Erickson skated with the Colonels for five seasons from 2018-2023 as a forward, tallying 82 points in 117 games. “The biggest addition has been having Phil Erickson on our staff this season and it has paid immediate dividends for our young men,” Coach Hynes explained. “Phil has transitioned seamlessly from captain of our team last season to coach this season.” After the ending of last season, the Colonels reflected upon how they could build toward successes this season through the help of Coach Erickson. “I think the difference this year compared to last year is experience,” Berry said. “Last year our roster was loaded with freshmen and a younger squad who needed to understand what it is like to win college hockey games. This year we have a lot more experience and chemistry as a group. We also gained a new assistant coach, who previously was our captain, who continuously gives great perspective and insight. He works as a huge asset for us, someone who played Wilkes hockey for five great years.” The ending of last season raises expectations for the team within the locker room, and the team’s expectations for themselves couldn’t be higher. “I would say our expectations for this season is to win the conference and earn a bid to the national tournament,” O’Kane explained. “It is something that Wilkes has been close to achieving but has never done and we want to be the first to do it.” The Colonels ended their preseason in a game against SUNY Cortland, in which they lost 5-2. The Colonels’ goals were scored by Billy Berry and Matt Carlson. “We are fast and we want to play fast,” said Coach Hynes. “Playing fast is more than moving fast on the ice but I’m happy we have a group that is willing to make mistakes fast. That’s on our staff to reign them in a bit, but I’d much rather have a group as eager and excited to compete like we have right now. They want to be coached and we feel like we’ve gotten a little bit better every day.” The Colonels open up their conference season on Nov. 10 in a game against Manhattanville College. They return to their home rink at the Toyota SportsPlex on Nov. 18 against Utica University. For more information on the Colonels ice hockey team and all of the other Division III sports teams at Wilkes, please visit gowilkesu.com. �The Beacon - Nov. 9, 2023 Sports 20 Want The Beacon to highlight a team member or one of your athletes? Let us know about it! Email kalen.churcher@ wilkes.edu �The Beacon - November 9, 2023 Sports 21 Wilkes dance team recognized as club sport By Samantha Mullen Sports Assistant Edior Editor's note: Due to factual errors in a previous version of this story, The Beacon has chosen to rerun a new version of the piece. Dance has been celebrated as an art form where individuals can express themselves, tell stories, and bring cultures to life. Continuing into this year, Wilkes University Athletics recognizes the dance team as a club sport with a roster on the athletics website. The team has become an integral part of the campus culture while performing at basketball games, some football games (new this year) and on-campus events, such as homecoming and dance marathon. The team also attends open houses, Accepted Colonel’s Day and different kick-offs to bring Wilkes spirit. The team also practices every Wednesday and Sunday for two hours. “I love being on the dance team at Wilkes as it gives me an opportunity to continue my dance career in college, even with a busy class schedule,” said Amelia Smicherko, junior biology major. Dance, as an art form, often struggles to be viewed as a sport, despite the immense athleticism and discipline required. The dancers at Wilkes University have shown they practice rigorously and perfect their routines, demonstrating that they are both dedicated and hardworking. Captain Amanda Merrick-Tompkins, senior early childhood education major, expressed that the dance team has allowed her to get closer to many people and highlighted how “it is always such a fun, stress-free and positive environment.” Merrick-Tompkins additionally stated how during practices the team can be “ahead of the game and can finish early, or other days [they] need to practice certain things more so [they] stay later.” The official recognition of the Dance Team as a club sport has brought numerous benefits to both the team and the university as a whole. “The benefits of the program being recognized as an official club sport is to get more recognition to officially spread the love and art of dance, especially as a performance team,” said sophomore biology major, BobbiRose Smith. Due to the fact that they are a club sport, funding comes from student government and as a club recognized by them, the team accepts everyone who tries out, regardless of experience. This adds opportunity to individuals who want to learn dance without taki ng a class and there is a 'practice' team in place for those who are unable to commit to the team for the full year, but can come when they are available to stretch, learn fun choreography and get together with the team. Despite the team having a great future ahead of them, they sadly still do not have a coach and do not have the same resources as official athletic teams. “I see a bright future for this team and with this continued trajectory for the team, I think it could go so much further,” said Purdy. “My goal for the team has always been to get a coach, for one reason to alleviate stress off of the captains to run the team as it can be daunting and time consuming but also to go to competitions (and be good enough to win!) Having a coach, I believe, would tremendously make a positive impact on the team.” The captains, which include junior English major Mya Corcoran, senior early childhood education major Amanda Merrick-Tompkins, senior psychology major Carolyn Purdy, and sophomore pre-pharmacy major Jennifer Zemetro, hold a lot of responsibility for helping the team throughout the year. Purdy expressed how she and the other captains “keep the team on track with new choreography, fundraising, uniforms, meetings, and events.” The recognition of the Wilkes Dance Team is not just a milestone for the team itself but a celebration of diversity within the athletic department. This achievement allows for the team to be highlighted on the Wilkes athletic page under the athletic department and includes a full current 2023-2024 team roster. “I, along with our advisor, Jeanne Rabel, got the ball rolling to be recognized on the Athletics website last year, I am so incredibly grateful to have it continued this year,” said Carolyn Purdy, senior psychology major and one of the captains of the team. “With this recognition, my hope is that the team can be considered more of a sport. With all the time and energy everyone puts into it along with the technique training we do, we deserve just as much attention as the other sports.” In the next coming years, hopefully, the Wilkes community will see the dance team continue to push boundaries within their routines. Adding more to their jazz and hiphop will bring attention to their hard work and dedication. Dance team members, fourth row from left, first-year biology, Emma Infante; first-year secondary education, Kelci Carle; first-year musical theater, Charley Cain; and senior communication studies, Morgan Rich. Third row:, senior digital design and media arts, Lauren Stokes,; junior biology, Amelia Smicherko, senior pharmacy; Arrington Wall, junior pharmacy; and Morgan Andretta. Second row: first-year digital design and media arts, Krystal Crespo Clark; sophomore biology, Bobbi-Rose Smith; first-year psychology, Kaley Calpin; first-year pre-pharmacy, Astrid Overby; First row: captain senior psychology, Carolyn Purdy; captain senior early childhood education, Amanda Merrick-Tompkins; captain sophomore pre-pharmacy, Jennifer Zemetro; and captain junior English, Mya Corcoran. Not pictured: first-year pre-pharmacy, Kendyl Keefer; first-year neuroscience, Kylie Kilvitis; and senior hospitality leadership, Maybis Remicio. When talking to junior pre-pharmacy major, Morgan Andretta, she expressed how being recognized at Wilkes has led the team to “make routines that are enjoyable for the audience.” Additionally, it helps not just herself but also her teammates to push themselves harder in practice. The team debuted their Pom routine for the first time two years ago and will be doing it once again this year. “Pom is a style of jazz that uses pompoms and uses similar tricks as cheerleading, but not the same technique,” said Purdy. Wilkes Dance Team will have their first halftime performance for basketball on November 9th for the men’s basketball team’s first game against Keystone College at 7 p.m. To keep up to date with the dance team, they post some of their performances on their Instagram @wilkesdanceteam, along with any fundraisers the team is doing. �The Beacon - November 9, 2023 22 Sports Athlete of the Week Jordan Ferry First Year, Women's Ice Hockey Forward The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Ferry lead the Colonels to a sweep to open their season against MCLA where she became the eighth player in Wilkes program history to record a two-goal game. Ferry also was 15 for 21 on faceoffs and totaled 19 shots on goal throughout the two games. Major: Mechanical Engineering Hometown: Bohemia, N.Y. If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? What had been your favorite Basketball sports memory from your time as a Colonel? What has been your favorite sports Playing in my first game. memory overall? Winning states last year with my club What is your favorite professional team. sports team (any sport)? New York Islanders. What is your favorite post-game meal? What is your favorite thing to do Chicken and rice. away from sports? Snowboard. How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? What is your favorite part of being It's really exciting to be selected as Colonel of the Week, but it was an athlete at Wilkes? Having a built in family of teammates definitely a team effort and I couldn't and coaches who are all helping each have done it without my teammates and coaches. other accomplish their goals. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? Miracle. The Beacon//Sam Mullen Editor’s note: Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor ts staff each week. At the end of the academic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw it ter @WilkesB eacon to crow n an “Athlete of the Year." �The Beacon November 9, 2023 Sports Athlete of the Week Mason McCoy First year, Swimming The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week In a tri-meet sweep against Marywood University and King’s College, McCoy won two individual races and was a member of the Wilkes 400 medley relay team that took first as well. In his first individual race, he was the first of four other swimmers in the 1,000 freestyle and won the 500 freestyle against two other swimmers. Major: Mechanical Engineering Hometown: Essington, Pa. High School: Interboro If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? What had been your favorite I would not want to play any other sports memory from your time as a sport than swimming, it is my favorite. Colonel? When I finished my first ever 1000 meter free swim and at the same time our team won against Marywood and What is your favorite post-game King’s College. meal? Chicken parmesan. What is your favorite thing to do How do you feel about being away from sports? Playing my guitar around my friends. selected as the Athlete of the Week? I feel very happy and honored to be selected for Athlete of the Week. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? I like the meal plan at Wilkes, I never go hungry when I’m here. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? The Tooth Fairy. The Beacon/Sam 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." 23 �The Beacon - November 9, 2023 24 REGISTER FOR WINTER SESSION! EARN CREDITS & CHILL WINTER SESSION: DEC. 26, 2023 TO JAN. 12, 2024 Take undergraduate courses at the reduced tuition rate of $530 per credit. REGISTER NOW! Visit the schedule and register at wilkes.edu/winter. Wilkes University is an equal opportunity institution. For information on the University’s Policy on Non-Discrimination, visit www.wilkes.edu/nondiscrimination. � 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 <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 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>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> 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. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre 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 Wilkes Beacon, 2023 November 9 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wilkes University retains copyright of this publication. https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/3fe80b2ce0bc85592a6833dd9d5f6042.pdf ddcf0cbd4bda396cde259668d9855caa PDF Text Text The Beacon - November 2, 2023 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 76, Issue 4 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” Programming Board hosts annual “Freak Week” on campus By Cassidy Brumagin Contributing Writer In celebration of Halloween, Programming Board hosted “Freak Week” the week of Oct. 23, with events every day leading up to Fall Fest on Oct. 27. The week began with bingo on Monday, followed by a Fear Factor event on Tuesday, Haunting for Candy on Wednesday and a hypnotist on Thursday before rounding out the week with Fall Fest. The first event of the week proved to be a fan favorite: bingo. The event was free to the students, with the opportunity to receive a free additional board for dressing up in costume. It offered the chance to win one of 10 baskets featuring a variety of prizes. The event was hosted in the ballroom of the Henry Student Center. The event filled the ballroom resulting in standing room only. Students in costumes from superheroes to animals to movie characters were joined by those who chose to participate in casual dress in various rounds of bingo. Each round sent a student home with a gift basket put together by the Programming Board. The hosts of bingo were two characters from Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax”. The orange A taste of Polish food comes to Wilkes, page 5 painted hosts read the bingo calls out for students to mark on their boards. Winning requirements varied by round, including traditional bingo, an L-shape on the board and an entirely blacked-out board. “It was bloody amazing,” said Heather Brinig, senior international relations and political science major, on being one bingo winner. Brinig’s basket was filled with art supplies and cozy gifts. “The crochet narwhal is my favorite.” Some prizes in the baskets for the winners included a Kodak camera, a weighted blanket, a Halloweeen Squishmallow, Halloween candy, Legos, hot chocolate fixings, a Keurig Mini, art supplies, a 32-inch TV and a mini fridge. Winners also got to pose for a photo with their new prizes. On the overall success of the first night’s event, one Lorax-dressed host had but one thing to say. “I just wanna say I speak for the trees,” said Kylie Jayne, junior nursing student, without breaking character. Day two’s event was Fear Factor, which was complete with reptiles and basket raffles. ... Freak, continued on page 7 Taylor Swift’s latest rereleased album, “1989 (Taylor’s Version,” page 9 The Beacon/Cassidy Brumagin Kylie Jayne, a junior nursing student, dressed up as the Lorax to host bingo. How indie studios are changing the animation industry, page 17 Wilkes dance team now recognized as a sport, page 21 �The Beacon - November 2, 2023 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Amanda Montgomery: Amanda.Montgomery1@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: Oct. 25 weekly meeting By Zach Paraway Contributing Writer Student Government held its weekly meeting on Oct. 25. The remaining amount in the SG account is $30,330.84 The first order of business was a fund request from the Fly Fishing Club. The presentation was given by club president Jacob Smith. The Fly Fishing Club is a conservation group that also teaches and takes students fly fishing locally. Members came to request funds to purchase fund raising materials. The group would like to do a clothing sale including, T-shirts, hats and patches. The money raised would go toward club business such trips, upgrading equipment and sending students to conferences. The total request was for $490. This is to be voted on next week. The second order of business was a club report by the Speech and Debate team. The presentation was given by Gracie Giuszak, Emilie Protsko and E. Alexis. The third order of business was a club report from Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The presentation was given by Micheal Nowak, Evan Feng, Trent Szczecinti and Ian Williams. The fourth order of business was a constitution update by Student Government. This presentation was given by SG Parliamentarian Francessca Mehl. Many changes were proposed to the constitution beginning with an update to the academic leave policy. The rest of the changes had to do with when a member of e-board and/ or student government is removed or leaves. The voting was passed to make these changes official. The fifth order of business was the emergency election of executive treasurer. This was a second attempt to fill the position by vote and is the first with the changes in the constitution. One vote was held and a new secretary was elected. P2 student Makenzie Psarakis was elected and accepted the position of executive treasurer. The sixth order of business was a constitution update from the Resident Hall Council. The presentation was given by RHC President Natalite Hernandez. Changes include language updates, more defined roles for the treasurer and the secretary, move from weekly meetings to bi-weekly and a change in the proposal process down from two weeks to one, unless stated otherwise by RHC E-Board. This was voted on and passed. The seventh order of business was a fund request for Casino Night. The presentation was given by SG Corresponding Secretary Marytere Quintana-Avila. This was formerly known as Casino Week and was formally in a request to SG a month ago. SG voted to take Casino Week down to Casino Night. This is the fund request for those festivities. The event will take place on Nov. 10. The lead up to Casino Night will include giveaways and a performance by a to-be-determined entertainer. The total budget requested was $21,000. Last week, the prizes for the event were voted on, totaling at $6,054.20. This week, the rest of the budget, T-shirt and decorations were to be voted on. The remaining amount was $14,590. This was voted on and approved. The eighth order of business was an overview of the SG bonding trip. This presentation was given by the E-Board. The trip will take place on Jan. 28 to Aquatopia. Minor changes had been made over the week to insinuate this presentation. The cost will come out to be $2,628. Table of Contents News..................2 Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Life, A&E............7 Spring 2024 Commuter & Resident Student Parking Applications Sports................19 Compiled by Beacon News Staff Commuter and resident parking permit applications are available now until Monday Dec. 4 at 4 p.m. If you are interested in a Ralston permit, please note your preference in the comments. The applications will not re-open again once they are closed. The link for parking applications: https://www.wilkes.edu/campus-life/ safety-security/parking/studentparking-permits.aspx. Any questions contact parking 570408-7275, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. HPSC Give Kids the World Fundraiser Join the Honors Program Student Committee in community service by donating children’s books and Halloween costumes to Give Kids the World, a nonprofit that helps make dreams come true for Make a Wish children with a critical illness. Monetary donations can also be made. Donations will be accepted in the Honors office until the end of the semester. Any questions, email jennifer. mclaughlin1@wilkes.edu. Professional Portrait Sessions The Center for Career Development and Internships is holding professional portrait sessions for students on Nov. 7 and 9 during club hours. Spots are limited. The Colonel’s Clothing Closet also has professional wear that is free for all students. Link to register: https:// forms.gle/ZHx3rvsGEb2RCXUo8. Contact Lois Grimm at lois.grimm@ wilkes.edu or 570-408-4060 with any questions. Spring Break Trip The International Business trip is now open for registration. The trip leaves the Philadelphia Airport March 2, 2024, and returns March 9. The total estimated cost is $3,500, which includes airfare, hotel, breakfast and dinner expenses. Contact Dr. Matus at justin.matus@ wilkes.edu for more information. Opinion............14 Upcoming Events: November 2 - Silent Disco 9 - Giveaway 16 - Fast Food Bingo 30 - Break-FEST December 7 - Bingo Want your event featured in the calendar? Email: Amanda.Montgomery1@ wilkes.edu �The Beacon - November 2, 2023 News Who's so honors? Student spotlight: Kaelin Hughes By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer Kaelin Hughes, a senior political science and history honors student, is this week’s honors feature. Hughes also has a minor in policy studies, is the president of HPSC, an honors peer mentor, an honors small group coordinator, and has been making the most of work study opportunities at Wilkes. Work study jobs are on-campus jobs that get students involved in the inner-workings of different departments. They can range from jobs related to extracurriculars, like working with student athletes in the weight room or shelving music in the Darte Theater, or jobs related to coursework or major, like the ones Hughes has. Hughes works as a Supplemental Instructor (SI) for students taking Quantitative Reasoning for the Social Science, which is cross listed as PS-265 and SOC-370, depending on the major. This course focuses on teaching students how to collect quantitative data in research projects. Hughes shared that this was a valuable experience, both for them and students enrolled. “This is my second year helping with the course. I’m glad I can help make the course material more digestible for students who may not be math or computer-oriented with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) database.” For many social science students, this type of data analysis can be difficult. Hughes holds open meetings weekly that allow students to come and ask for help with the content they are struggling with. Hughes’ second job relates to their history major. Over the summer, she began working at the Harold Cox Archives, located on the third floor of the Farley Library. The goal of her specific role is "transcribing and inventorying the John Jenkins papers, a collection of 18th and 19th century documents concerning our local history.” Similar to how Hughes’ SI job helps with her stay engaged with SPSS database, this role helps engage critical thinking and historical research skills. Unlike the clear outcome of helping students maintain good grades, the goals of this role aren’t as well-defined. “Hopefully, once it’s all transcribed, we can process it into different sub-series within the collection,” said Hughes. This work aims to make these historical documents more accessible and better organized for future students to utilize. For those interested in work study, view job postings online at wilkes.edu/ workstudy. It is important to note that some work studies are federally funded, while others are funded by Wilkes University. In short, some job opportunities may not be available because of Financial Aid eligibility. Hughes is one of more than 200 honors students on campus. If you’re an honors 3 student and want to share your story, please fill out the Google Form found at the end of the weekly Honors Buzz. Photo Courtesy Kaelin Hughes In addition to these work study jobs, Hughes is also an RA in Waller Hall, a firstyear Residence Hall specifically for Honors students. �The Beacon - November 2, 2023 News What is... the University Barre Scholars Program By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer At Wilkes, there are so many opportunities for students to try something new, from community service with the Bonner Leaders to trips with Wilkes Adventure Education (WAE). There is also a program for students who solely want to focus on academics, without worrying about meeting requirements or extra projects. The Barre Scholars program was introduced in the fall of 2021 as a way for students to access benefits of the Honors Program, like waived course overload fees, honors courses and special access to research and work study opportunities, without the requirements of the Honors Program. Sydney Farmer, a junior nursing major, was one of the first students to enter the Barre Scholars program. “The Barre Scholars program was mentioned to me prior to entering my freshman year of college. I was excited to be a part of a program that provided opportunities, such as bringing in speakers for students,” said Farmer. If students qualify, they are contacted before entry their first semester and it is a simple “yes or no”. There is no outside application or interview required. Barre Scholars receive one email a month, full of opportunities for excellence. These opportunities usually include internship opportunities, research presentations and special “Pizza Plus” events, where students can enjoy pizza and learn about different opportunities, like Study Abroad. In September, current Barre students gave a research presentation to discuss what they have been able to accomplish on campus. Farmer was one of the presenters. “For me, I was able to discuss research, work study opportunities, and some of the clubs I’m involved in,” said Farmer. During her presentation, she focused on her work study job in the weight room in Marts and her research project with Dr. Angela Jones, which aims to find a correlation between clinical judgment and being a camp nurse. Jones is an assistant professor of nursing. As for requirements, students are only required to maintain a certain GPA, which raises after each year. By their senior year, Barre Scholars must have a 3.6 GPA. “I do not believe it’s too difficult to maintain,” said Farmer. Should scholars slip below the GPA requirement, they receive an email at the end of that semester and have a grace period to bring it up before being removed from the program. This spring marks the first time Barre Scholars will be graduating. To keep up with information about the Barre Scholars program, you can follow@ wilkeshonors on Instagram. 4 Sydney Farmer presents at the Barre Opportunities Panel in September. Scholars attended a social pizza party on Oct. 26, a fun way to get to know each other. Photos Courtesy of Honors Program Beacon Graphic/Amanda Montgomery �The Beacon - November 2, 2023 News Taste of Polish food, hosted by the Polish Room By Emma Broda Contributing Writer Students, faculty and alumni gathered recently in the Farley Library to taste a variety of Polish foods. The second floor of the library is home to the Polish Room, a room dedicated to Polish heritage and culture that has been in the library since 1950. The room features many Polish artifacts and publications which have been collected by the Polish Room Committee. This same committee holds the annual Polish food tasting event, in which members of the committee bring homemade Polish foods for members of the community to enjoy. Many students attended as well, ranging from those who are Polish and come every year, to those who were not and were trying the foods for the first time. “I’m Polish on my mom’s side, but I’ve never been to one of these before,” said Mia Decker, junior history major secondary education. “I loved the potato salad and the deviled eggs were very delicious.” There was a range of savory and sweet foods that everyone enjoyed, as well as sharing an appreciation for Polish culture. “I wasn’t aware of it in the past, but I saw it in the email and was really excited,” said Lily Hebda, junior English and Top: There was plenty of chatting outside the Polish Room with participants enejoyed a variety of food. Bottom: A plate filled with some Polish food that was served at the event. secondary education major. “I’ve never had candied sauerkraut and decided to try it, and it’s awesome.” Two members of the committee, Susan Braden and Rose Fritzen spoke about the event as well as the scholarship offered to students of Polish descent. “It’s nice to see everyone’s smiling faces, and it's just fun to be here,” said Braden. Both Braden and Fritzen participate in the event every year and look forward to it. “We enjoy being with all the students and faculty together,” said Fritzen. Fritzen also spoke about a special scholarship. “We award the scholarship to three 5 students of Polish descent every year. They have to write an essay, and we award based on those, financial need, and academics.We award the scholarships to the winners in December. "We get a lot of applications every year.” Students who attend Wilkes and have Polish heritage are invited to apply for the scholarship next year. The criteria is submitting an essay based on their Polish heritage according to the prompt, as well as including financial information and GPA. Photos: The Beacon/Emma Broda Top: Donna Stankiewicz and Joyce Latowski welcomed students and other visitros to try a variety of Polish food. Bottom: The Polish Room was set up with tables full of Polish food for visitors to sample. �The Beacon - November 2, 2023 James Jones First Novel Competition winner 2023 By Amanda Montgomery News Editor Wilkes University announced the recipient of the James Jones First Novel Fellowship. This was done through the Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing and in collaboration with the James Jones Literary Society. The prestigious award, established in 1992 to honor the literary legacy of James Jones, recognized outstanding submissions in its latest iteration. Catherine Carberry of Woodstock, New York, claimed the top spot and a $10,000 prize for her novel titled, “Bitter Tropic.” Carberry’s work, inspired by the true story of the women leaders of Puerto Rico’s independence movement and the subsequent assassination attempt on President Truman, stood out among 637 submissions. Anna Badkhen, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, secured the first runner-up position, earning $3,000 for her novel titled, “The Sound Keeps Coming.” Badkhen’s work, set against the backdrop of imperial collapse in northwest Russia, explores the complexities of love, loss and memories of violence within a septuagenarian couple and their teenage grand-niece. Jennifer Deane, from Clifton, New Jersey, claimed the second runner-up position, as well as a $2,000 prize for her novel titled, “The Eleventh Horse.” Deane, with a background in social work, visual design and psychology, weaves a tale set amid rural Tuscany’s natural beauty and the edge of New York City, exploring the lives of peasant farmers and the challenges they face. The James Jones First Novel Fellowship, established to celebrate the unblinking honesty, determination and insight exemplified by James Graphic: The Beacon/Amanda Montgom- Jones, author of acclaimed novels such as “From Here to Eternity,” and “The Thin Red Line,” has been a beacon for emerging writers since its inception. Carberry, the first-place winner, boasts a rich literary background with fellowships from the Macdowell Artist Retreat, Hedgebrook Writing Retreat and Sewanee Writers Conference. Her fiction has been featured in prestigious journals, including Guernica, The Kenyon Review, Tin House online, North American Review and Harvard Review. Badkhen, the first runner-up, is a prolific author with seven nonfiction books, including the shortlisted “Bright Unbearable Reality.” Her awards, such as the Guggenheim Fellowship and the Barry Lopez Visiting Writer in Ethics and Community Fellowship, reflect her significant contributions to literature. Deane, the second runner-up, brings 6 a unique blend of expertise with a master’s degree in social work and bachelor’s degrees in visual design and psychology. Her diverse writing experiences range from freelance newspaper writing to collecting oral histories from Portuguese whaling men. The James Jones Literary Society, founded in 19992, aims to promote appreciation for James Jones’s writings and encourage academic study of his contributions to 20th-century literature. In addition to the James Jones First Novel Fellowship, the society sponsors an essay contest for high school students and the annual James Jones Symposium at Eastern Illinois University. For more information about the James Jones Literary Society, visit www.jamesjonesliterarysociety.org. Catherine Carberry, winner of the 2023 James Jones First Novel Competition. Photo Courtesy Kelly Clisham �The Beacon - November 2, 2023 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Life, Arts & Entertainment Editor: Zara.Lantzman@wilkes.edu ...Freak, continued from Page 1 The event featured a demonstration by the New Jersey Snakesman and eight to 10 of his reptiles. Included in these reptiles was a bearded dragon, a blue-tongued lizard and a 17-foot python. Students were even offered the opportunity to hold one of the reptiles. In addition to having the opportunity to hold the reptiles, students were offered the opportunity to compete in two food challenges. The challenges involved eating a flavored cricket or a very spicy jelly bean. Students who either held a reptile or completed a food challenge won a ticket to enter into the basket raffles. Additionally, students who were too spooked to go in and actually see the reptiles themselves were offered the opportunity to participate in a door prize raffle. Wednesday’s event was called Haunting for Candy. The students began in the Student Union Building (SUB) where they picked up their “passport” and then continued on to nine stops around campus. At each station students got a passport stamp and candy. Once the student earned all nine stamps on their passport, they would return to the SUB to be entered for a chance to win one of five total raffle baskets. For Thursday’s event, a hypnotist by the name of Eric Mina was brought into the ballroom from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. Mina has done over a thousand shows, including venues in Las Vegas and New York City. Food was also provided at the event with Auntie Anne’s pretzels, popcorn, cupcakes and chocolate covered pretzels from Alle’s Chocolate Shoppe. The show began with Mina asking the entire audience to participate in an exercise where they imagined their hands were being glued together to find who would be most susceptible to hypnosis. From there, he gathered his volunteers up to the stage and used his hypnosis Bingo was a definite favorite part of the 2023 “Freak Week.” techniques on them to put them in a dream-like state they would remain in for the rest of the show. The participants were then told to perform various comedic activities, starting with playing fake instruments and dancing as though they were giving a rock concert performance. Later in the show, they were tasked with believing they were dogs chasing a ball, seeing their favorite celebrity out in the audience and competing on “Dancing with the Stars” all thanks to the conviction of hypnosis. One of the participants who Mina deemed to be in the deepest state of hypnosis later stated she had a vague memory of what had happened throughout much of the end of the show. “But the beginning,” Becca Earnst, first-year marketing major said before shaking her head. “No, I don’t remember anything.” After the show, Mina sent participants home with a complimentary copy of his book on the power of hypnosis for volunteering for the show. Freak Week concluded with Fall Fest on Oct. 27. Students were encouraged to come and get donuts and cider from Brace’s Orchard. Additionally, the event featured pumpkin carving and painting, making your own scarecrow and decorating your own tumbler. “Freak Week has been amazing this year,” Programming Board president Kim Wheeler, junior pharmacy major, commented. Punch cards were given out to students who attended the Freak Week events. Students who went to at least three events and brought their punch card were eligible to receive a free Freak Week 2023 T-shirt. Shirts were given out at the Fall Fest event. “We have had over 500 students at the events throughout the week and seeing the campus community enjoy the different nights has been really rewarding,” Wheeler continued. “Planning this week was very much a group effort to make sure we did a different style event for each day. One of my favorite things about campus is that we are able to host these events because I get a lot of happiness seeing students have a good time.” Photos: The Beacon/Cassidy Brumagin Bingo winner, Heather Brinig, senior international relations and political science major, shows off her basket. �The Beacon - November 2, 2023 W Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 Club of the Week: Games & Media By Anthony Cazun Asst. Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor There are many clubs across campus that seek to invigorate students in many types of ways. Advocation, expanding one’s understanding of a field or spreading awareness. In between all those efforts, however, one needs some time to just sit back, relax and enjoy some games with some close friends, or maybe make some new ones. This is the express purpose of the Games & Media Club. The club does not fail to live up to its name, as there is a large library of different types of games, and media, to participate in. There are a variety of board games available to play, not just the classics such as Clue, but also more recent fan favorites such as One Night Ultimate Werewolf. These classics allow for a more familiar, casual game night, while the newer more experimental games will allow for greater discovery, competition and unexpected fun. Tabletop games are also a welcome addition. Tabletop games seek to invigorate the imagination of players by creating vast worlds and complex or silly characters. These games create palpable excitement and encourage creativity. The club is not just limited to games in the physical sense, but also video games are a large part of the club’s weekly itinerary. There are spots for people to bring their computers and laptops in order to play games, single player or multiplayer. Members are also encouraged to bring portable systems such as Nintendo Switch’s or Steam Deck’s. Some will even choose to bring a home console and plug it into the television. There are many options to enjoy video games with all members of the club. If one would so please, members of the Games & Media club are encouraged to bring their own board and tabletop games as well. The club’s collaborative nature goes far beyond just converging with other members, but also other schools and clubs entirely. Just recently the Games & Media club collaborated with the Bloomsburg Smash Club. Together, they all enjoyed eating snacks and versing each other in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. While the title insinuates a more Morgan Rich, Editor-in-Chief: Suburban Legends (Taylor’s Version) Taylor Swift Amanda Montgomery, News Editor: Something to Believe - Weyes Blood Emma Broda, News Staff Writer: Casual - Chappel Roan Anthony Cazun, LA&E Asst. Editor: linear, focused club, that could not be further from the truth. The Games & Media club does not act expressly as a club for strictly games and media, but also pop culture as a whole. Just last week, the club pulled together and ventured to the Movies 14 theater to go see the new Five Nights at Freddy’s movie. The Games & Media club is an excellent way to shed the stress of student life and just have some fun with some friends. The club meets on Mondays and Fridays from 6 to 8 p.m. in the SUB lounge. Sydney Allabaugh, Opinion Editor: Manmade Horrors - Dorian Electra “Freeze,” Opinion Staff Writer: Paulygon - Ghost House Adam Grundt, Sports Asst. Editor: Style (Taylor’s Version) - Taylor Swift Sam Mullen, Sports. Asst. Editor: S.OS From ‘Mamma Mia!’ - Pierce Brosnan and Meryl Streep Lara Mullen, Designer: Muldur and Scully - Catatonia Liz Cherinka, Social Media Manager: Prove It - Poppy Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staff picks their favorite song of the week. Our very own Anthony Cazun has put together a Spotify playlist where you can scan it and listen to the Beacon’s staff weekly picks! Cally Williams, LA&E Staff Writer: Harness Your Hopes - Pavement Now That We Don’t Talk (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault) - Taylor Swift Graphics/Lara Mullen �The Beacon – November 2, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment Taylor Swift’s latest re-released album, “1989 (Taylor’sVersion)” By Cally Williams Life, Arts, and Entertainment Staff Writer Taylor Swift’s most recent re-released album, “1989 (Taylor’s Version,)” dropped on Oct. 27 at midnight to the excitement of “Swifties” everywhere. Taylor Swift started rerecording her albums in April of 2021 after Scooter Braun bought and sold the master rights to her first six albums: “Taylor Swift,” “Fearless,” “Speak Now,” “Red,” “1989” and “Reputation.” In 2019 Braun bought the record company, “Big Machine,” that she was contracted with. He then bought Swift’s masters and later sold them, without her knowledge or consent, to “Shamrock Holdings” in 2020 after having them for a year and a half. Swift took back her music by rerecording and rereleasing her albums, with some slight changes, rebranding them with the label “Taylor’s Version.” She started doing this in 2021, beginning with her album, “Fearless.” “1989” was originally released on the same date in 2014. Swift posted “My name is Taylor and I was born in 1989” on Instagram once the album was released for the first time in 2014. “1989” included some of Swift’s most popular songs including “Shake It Off,” “Welcome to New York” and “Blank Space.” Fans have been looking forward to “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” since Swift announced its re-release on Aug. 9. “She revitalized the pop sound that she had in her original album with a fresh, new tone,” said Olivia Scarborough, a senior theatre major. “One that matches her beachy theme within her new era.” Since “1989” was one of the albums that Swift lost because of Braun, she rerecorded it in 2023 and added five songs that she never added to the original album. These songs, which Swift refers to as “vault tracks” are, “Now That We Don’t Talk (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault),” “Suburban Legends (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault),” “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault),” “Say Don’t Go (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” and “Slut! (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” Swifties have been especially excited and curious about “Slut!” considering its unusual title. “It is cool that when you look up ‘Taylor Swift slut’ it is the song and not any articles,” said Ella Villani, first-year theatre major, who reported that “Slut (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” is her favorite vault track. “Slut! (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” addresses the immense shaming and criticism Swift has received in the past. Because Swift often wrote her music about ex-boyfriends, the public has made many sexist remarks about her, often shaming her for her dating life. “Slut! (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault),” despite what its title makes listeners assume, is a lighter sounding song with a pretty chorus; this allows Swift to reclaim the insult in her vault track. Swift has added her vault tracks in previous re-recordings of albums, but “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” stirred much excitement among fans. Swift herself remarked that she could not believe she ever left the five songs in the vault. “To be perfectly honest, this is my most favorite re-record I’ve ever done because the five from the vault tracks are so insane,” Swift said in a post before the release of “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” “Now That We Don’t Talk (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” is another of the five vault tracks released in “1989 (Taylor’s Version)”. There have been speculations that Swift may have written this about singer and former One Direction member, Harry Styles. One lyric made fans think that the vault track was written about Styles: “Now that we 9 do not talk you grew your hair long.” This lyric made fans wonder, as Styles grew his hair out after the breakup. Swift wrote “Now That We Don’t Talk (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” around the time that she and Styles broke up, so she may be continuing her theme of writing songs about her ex-lovers. “Say Don’t Go (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” is a heartbreaking song about wanting someone to stay with you even though they have fallen out of love. Swift wrote the tragic vault track in 2013 with songwriter Diane Warren. Warren has written many famous hits for popular artists, including Aerosmith and Mariah Carey. “It is such a popstar kind of song and I love popstar Taylor,” said Charley Cain, a first-year theatre major. “It is my guilty pleasure.” “Is It Over Now (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” is another break up song by Swift, that talks about a doomed relationship, possibly about one of Taylor’s former boyfriends. One of the lyrics mentions a blue dress on a boat. An iconic image, and meme, of Swift shows her sitting sadly on a boat in a blue dress after her breakup with Harry Styles while on a trip with him. Swifties have theorized that “Is It over Now (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” may have also been written about Styles at the time, as supported by her blue dress lyric. The last of Swift’s five vault tracks is “Suburban Legends (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault).” The vault track tells of two lovers in a small town whose success ends up breaking the couple up. Fans have commented on how similar the song is Swift’s song “Mastermind” from her album, “Midnights,” and some have even referred to the songs as “cousins.” Swift rightfully took back her music and is continuing to do so by re-recording her iconic albums. “1989’s” re-release officially made her a billionaire, proving that artists deserve to keep their music. �The Beacon - November 2, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” Word Search ����������������������������������������� Words To Find: HUNTERS CLEAN BLUE FOXES SEAGULLS SNOWGLOBE BEACH BAD BLOOD WONDERLAND WOODS STYLE NEW YORK Answer Key: Credit for this puzzles goes to: www.thewordsearch.com Compiled by Morgan Rich, Editor In Chief 10 �The Beacon – November 2, 2023 Have an upcoming event on campus? Let us know about it! Email kalen.churcher@ wilkes.edu Life, Arts & Entertainment 11 �Page Design Lara Mullen Ryan Piekanski (Left), Mechanical Engineering Major Zackery Drake (Right) Computer Science Major �Studio 20’s Trip to Roba’s Family Farm! Sean Papke, Environmental Science Major Sydney Ruskey, Sociology Major �The Beacon - November 2, 2023 Opinion Editorial Staff 2023-24 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Morgan Rich Social Media Manager - Liz Cherinka Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Amanda Montgomery Opinion - Sydney Allabaugh ASSISTANT EDITORS LA&E - Anthony Cazun Sports - Adam Grundt Sports - Sam Mullen DESIGNERS Designer - Lara Mullen Section Staff Writers News - Emma Broda LA&E - Cally Williams Opinion - “Freeze” Want to join The Beacon? Several positions are open! Contact : kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or morgan.rich@wilkes.edu 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 Morgan Rich at morgan.rich@ wilkes.edu The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact opinion editor: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu. Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. The TicketMaster monopoly needs to end The dreaded “10,000+ people ahead of you” in a TicketMaster queue is practically a death sentence for fans trying to acquire tickets to see their favorite band. TicketMaster is a greedy monopoly that consumers want burned and demolished as soon as possible. However, it is often disguised as an American ticket sales distribution company in California. For years, fans have been suffering at the hands of this large company, facing problems such as hidden fees, the verified fan system and bot attacks. According to The Atlantic, fans even end up paying an additional 60 to 70 percent more money for service fees on top of their actual ticket. One of the most well known dilemmas that fans faced was getting tickets for Taylor Swift’s, “The Era’s Tour.” This tour was singer-songwriter Taylor Swift’s sixth tour in five years. Of course, Ticketmaster ensured Swift and her team that they could handle it. However, they were mistaken. When tickets went on sale, the site experienced a bot attack, which caused the site to glitch and shut down for hours, causing thousands of people to stay stuck in a paused queue. When fans were finally able to purchase tickets, no tickets were available and quickly appeared on scalping websites for thousands of dollars. On Nov. 18, Swift posted to her Instagram story, “There are a multitude of reasons why people had such a hard time trying to get tickets and I’m trying to figure out how this situation can be improved moving forward. I’m not going to make excuses for anyone because we asked them, multiple times, if they could handle this kind of demand and we were assured they could.” From a different perspective, another artist that has had some strong words publicly for TicketMaster is country music superstar Zach Bryan. Bryan wants his fans to be able to see his shows “without paying $450 a ticket.” The artist wants the working class to be able to afford a ticket to see his show, and rightfully so. The artist has become so fed up with TicketMaster that he took to Twitter to publicly state his disgust with the popular ticket app. “I have met kids at my shows who have paid upwards of four hundred and fifty bucks to be there and I’m done with it,” Bryan tweeted. “I’ve decided to play a limited number of headline shows next year to which I’ve done all I can to make prices as cheap as possible and to prove to people tickets don’t have to cost $450 to see a good and honest show.” Bryan then went further with the matter and released a live album titled “All My Homies Hate TicketMaster,” containing his performance from the iconic venue of Red Rocks in Colorado. It was at this moment Bryan became a superstar in the country music industry when he quite literally had 10,000 people at this venue screaming every word to his songs in a snowstorm that lasted an hour and a half. All in all, artists with such large magnitude such as Bryan are speaking out against TicketMaster and their, for lack of a better term, garbage policies regarding ticket sales. Their words are certainly reaching their fanbase, as many music fans around the world are boycotting TicketMaster as a whole. 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: morgan.rich@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 - November 2, 2023 Video game spotlight: “Mario Kart Wii” review By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer If you’ve read my previous articles, you know that I like to appreciate video games as if they are art. I think it’s appropriate to shine the first spotlight on my favorite video game of all time. You have probably heard of the hit 2008 release: “Mario Kart Wii.” If you haven’t, well, it’s about time you grabbed that steering wheel. “Mario Kart Wii”, although not the first of its kind, has proven to be the best in its own series. The truth is, this game is not only enjoyable to people of all ages, but it is also a revolutionary contribution to the video game industry as a whole. First of all, this game is exceptionally entertaining. If you’ve played the game, I’m sure you remember spending hours racing with your friends and family and destroying each other’s relationships with an optimal blue shell or the dreaded lightning bolt. Anyone can easily pick this game up and enjoy it for what it has to offer, without even being particularly good at it. If you don’t believe me, you can always ask my mother. Believe it or not, my mom is the reason why “Mario Kart Wii” is my favorite. She spent hours unlocking the characters and races using my license... and she still claims I am not her favorite child. Even though you will notice that the CPU algorithm has a dangerously heavy bias towards human players and practically beats them to death with cruelty, the game is still very inviting. In fact, a lot of players claim that is the fun part. When compared to the ridiculously simple “Mario Kart 8,” their view of the Wii version makes complete sense. This is similar to how gamers prefer “Super Smash Bros. Melee” over the rest of the installments of the franchise. I can confidently say that “Mario Kart Wii” is the “Melee” of the “Mario Kart” series. “Mario Kart Wii” also offers a decentlysized roster of characters, all uniquely organized by weight and stat-classes. Most casual players will use whatever vehiclecharacter combination they prefer, while the professionals can be seen primarily with Funky Kong-Flame Runner, Luigi/Daisy- Opinion Mach Bike or Toad-Quacker/Magikruiser. Additionally, the game includes a selection of the best tracks from previous games, as well as many great originals. My personal favorites, both for the level design and the soundtrack of the course, are Mushroom Gorge, Toad’s Factory, Daisy’s Circuit, Moonview Highway, Wario’s Gold Mine and the killer Rainbow Road. “Mario Kart Wii” has been one of the leading video games for speedrunners to really test their limits. The most noticeable thing about this racing experience is the surplus of glitches, specifically known as “ultra shortcuts,” available for a player to take advantage of. Basically, they allow a player to increase speed, swiftly maneuver or even completely skip entire portions of the race course, allowing them to finish in record times. Two courses with the most iconic ultra shortcuts are Coconut Mall and Grumble Volcano. The former can be completed in roughly 40 seconds, while the latter in only 15 seconds. Through years of experimentation, optimization, and tool-based analysis, speedrunners have obtained various track records. The modern tool-assisted speedruns (TAS) present ways to match the best possible time using computer-generated movement that is frame-perfect. Human world records for “Super Mario 64” and “Super Mario Bros.” have exceeded the speed of some TAS throughout history, and it’s not surprising for it to happen in this game as well. The bottom line is that “Mario Kart Wii” has revolutionized the experience of a party game. Many racing games have been inspired to include elements that are similar to “Mario Kart.” This game has shaped the lives of many of us students, as we were children when the game was released. “Mario Kart Wii” introduced, and made perfect use of, the motion control system that made the Wii so unique. Without a game like this, I always wonder where I would be and how I could have ended up as a person. The Return of The Red Raven: an original story By Leah Smith Contributing Writer PART 5 “Why don’t I stay with you?” Rick repeated the question. Isabelle sighed and pressed her fingers against her temples. “Because there’s nothing for us to go off of here. The murderer hasn’t repeated the same crime which means there’s no pattern and also means that your theory is wrong. There’s no reason for you to be here,” Isabelle explained. “But what if something happens and you need help?” Rick urged. “The chances of that happening is minimal. Besides, I don’t need your help,” Isabelle replied, coldly. Nathan scurried out of the room like a sneaky mouse and left Rick and Isabelle on their own. He didn’t want any part of this. Rick understood Isabelle’s refusal but couldn’t tolerate her cold shoulder any longer. “What’s with you, Izzy? You haven’t seen me in years and this is how you treat me? This is just petty,” he scolded her. Isabelle’s face lit up and a wave of anger crashed against her. “Petty?! You do not get to call me petty!” she yelled. “What you did all those years ago was unforgivable and yet you think that I’ll just forgive you and welcome you back like nothing happened? You’re pathetic. You think just because you had more than the average fifteen minutes of fame that everyone will just kiss your ass, but I’m not like that anymore and neither is the world! You’re too damn old to be acting like this and too stupid to actually see it yourself which is why you’re coming up to me and calling me petty even though, deep down, you know I’m right!” she rebuked, tears running down her cheeks. She wiped her eyes with her palms and began to walk out of the room. “What are you doing?” Rick asked. “Holding the door. This is the last of my patience for you. Get out, now.” Rick opened his mouth to object but lowered himself back down where reality was. He took the VHS box and took the walk of shame out the door. Isabelle didn’t say a word to him as he walked up the corridor to the front area. She walked across from 15 the VHS room to what he assumed to be her office door. She entered the room and slammed the door behind her. He lowered his head as he left the station. The sun was buried under the darkness and tiny sparks of stars when Rick made it outside. He found his car parked out across the street and placed the heavy box of VHS tapes on the passenger’s seat. He slid the key in the slot which brought the car to life, but he couldn’t feel bothered to move. His hands rested on top of the steering wheel and he started to sob. He knew that she was right about all of it. He knew that her anger was justified and his selfishness plagued their lives. He bashed his head against his resting hands, which landed on the car horn. The horn beeped twice and Rick perched his head back onto the seat. He didn’t know where to go from here, what to do or how to make amends, if he even could. Suddenly, his phone buzzed against his thigh where his pants pocket was located. He quickly searched for the phone and pressed the green button before the ringtone ceased. “Hello?” Rick answered, weakly. “Hello, Mr. Greenblatt. I’m a big fan of yours. Such a fan in fact, that I met one of your co-stars from The Red Raven the other day. Teddy Flowers,” an indistinguishable, monotone voice answered. Rick’s body warmed up with goosebumps rising on his arms and legs. “You’re the murderer,” Rick stated. “Correct, Mr. Greenblatt. However, murderer is such a strong word. I’m just a big fan who likes to express themselves differently,” the voice responded with a darkly joyful tone. Rick furrowed his eyebrows and gritted his teeth. “You’re no fan in my book, alright? You listen to me, the people at the station and I are going to find you and you’re going to rot for what you did,” he said, raising his voice. “Well, that meeting didn’t work out quite well, did it? Now, you listen to me, you drive back to your house and don’t hang up this phone or else your husband dies,” the voice demanded. Rick hesitantly responded, “What?” “Time is of the essence, Mr. Greenblatt,” the voice said. To be continued... �The Beacon - November 2, 2023 Opinion 16 Letter to the Editor: Grubhub is effective and convenient By Class of English 101-M Contributing Writers Over the summer, Wilkes made the transition from Dining Sidekick to Grubhub. Grubhub is an established food ordering app with many userfriendly features. Some upperclassmen have exhibited resistance to change but adapting students will find a better dining experience. The switch to Grubhub has proven to be a positive change, as it is simple, effective and convenient to use. Grubhub has created a simpler network for students to buy food on the go. When entering the Grubhub app, these students will find the full menu with pictures of the desired items, creating a more simplistic experience while surfing through the app. Many may find the use of Grubhub as second nature due to it already being an established app across the U.S., whereas Dining Sidekick could prove to be more isolated to Wilkes students, making it harder for incoming freshmen to navigate. In addition to its established proficiency, Grubhub allows for better dining customization within the elements of the meal compared to its counterpart which did not. Moreover, Grubhub has made the dining experience more simplistic. Grubhub has been effective because it is quick and easy to use, especially when someone is in a hurry. Upon opening the app, everyone is greeted with the available restaurants and wait times. Each restaurant has pre-built orders that can be customized to one’s liking. Past orders can be reselected to speed up the process, showcasing Grubhub’s speed of use, which has saved many in a time crunch. Additionally, mobile ordering has streamlined the restaurant business by increasing efficiency and reducing errors regarding a customer’s order. There is no confusion between the cashier and the customer that is caused by verbal miscommunication. Grubhub offers convenient qualityof-life features that Dining Sidekick lacks. Grubhub’s interface has several useful features such as displaying the user’s campus card balance. Using this feature, students can see how much they can buy while they order instead of switching to another app. In addition, Grubhub provides an image and description of most of the menu items, which makes it easier for students to choose what to order. Grubhub also visually displays what place the user is in line, which keeps students updated on how long they may have to wait for their food. Furthermore, most students have used Grubhub before coming to Wilkes, so they are already familiar with the platform. The transition from Dining Sidekick to Grubhub is a significant change. However, the benefits provided are worth the switch. Grubhub only offers additional improvements and qualityof-life changes to the previously existing Dining Sidekick system. It’s simple, effective and convenient interface is the best way for busy college students to order food on the go without wasting their time in line, thus making the best of time management. Do you have strong opinions? Do you wish you had a platform to share them? Well, look no further than the Opinion section of the Beacon. Contact Sydney Allabaugh and get your opinions off your chest. sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu �The Beacon - November 2, 2023 Opinion 17 How indie studios are changing the animation industry By Shawn Carey Contributing Writer Animation is amazing. It offers us a truly special experience. I’ve always seen it as a true test of creativity. The amount of work that goes into a single project is astounding. Writers, artists, musicians and actors are usually all required for a single piece of work. No matter what creative field you work in, there’s a chance that it’s a necessary part of the animation process. We have been fortunate enough to be in a sort of animation renaissance as of recent. “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” “Entergalactic,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” and “Spider-man: Across the Spider-verse” are just a few of the impressive projects we have seen in the last few years. These projects received countless praise from both fans and critics alike. Animation is a long and challenging process, but in the end, it tends to be extremely rewarding. Creating a truly amazing and unique piece of animation requires time, money and talent, three things Hollywood executives have strong opinions on. Studio execs tend to carry this quantity over quality mindset when it comes to releasing products. This is mainly because releasing multiple cheap, easy to produce movies tends to be more successful than releasing a single expensive one. If there are two things animation is not, it’s cheap and easy. For example the average filming time for a drama series is two to five days. Meanwhile, the average time for an animated show is a full year. While multiple episodes are usually worked on at once, the team is much smaller and demands more time. Movies follow the same pattern. Most films take one to two years to complete production while animated movies take four years at the very least to finish. Let’s not forget the budget as well. Animation isn’t cheap, especially 2D and stop motion. It takes many skilled animators to make even the simplest scenes. The more expensive the project, the less of a chance it has to make back its cost and be successful. There’s a reason there has been an increase in remakes and sequels. They are simply known brands and have much better chances of making money. No matter how ingenious a concept is, it will always be second in the eyes of the studio. With all that being said, I would still say animation is in a pretty good state right now all things considered especially in terms of creativity. I mainly believe this to be true due to the rise of online indie projects. The internet has always welcomed animated content, whether that be the short and edgy flash cartoons of Newgrounds or the video game parodies of Youtube. The internet allows so many talented creatives to release whatever they want without a studio looming over them. Having grown up on online content, I can say that I have seen some truly fantastic projects that can only truly belong on the internet, which seems to be a way of thinking many share. For the longest time, most online animated content was done by extremely small teams. Honestly, that made a lot of sense as most videos would only go on for a few minutes. We wouldn’t see larger, studio-size teams until 2020. People had a lot of time on their hands due to the pandemic, and because of that, creatives got thinking. They could do so much more, work on larger projects if they were a part of a studio. “Spindlehorse,” “Glitch” and “Iron Circus” are the three biggest studios that formed. These studios were created by actual artists, so there’s a bit of a sense of understanding among them about deadlines and creative freedom, which is what I find to be the most impressive part. Some really cool and interesting projects have already been released. “Helluva Boss,” “Murder Drones,” “The Amazing Digital Circus” and “Lackadaisy’’ are just some of my personal favorites. What’s even better is that they’re all available for free on Youtube. While I don’t think this will ever become the status quo for animation, it’s great seeing what can be achieved through a common love of the art form. Graphic by Lara Mullen was when those with a platform were sharing information and videos about the unjust killing of George Floyd. Since those with audiences were keeping eyes on the situation and holding the officers involved accountable, perpetrators were tried and charged, and legislation followed to try to prevent another situation like this. Although social media activism can be effective, issues arise when a situation is more nuanced and requires further research. Celebrities and influencers are so concerned about getting their side out there quickly, they become less concerned about the merit or factual basis of their message. Reposting an Instagram story infographic without conducting further research is not just inadequate and superficial, but it can be harmful. This can be seen over the past few weeks regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Celebrities, influencers and regular people were quick to choose sides via an Instagram story repost, before quickly deleting them and choosing the other side, then retracting their statements another time and posting an infographic without considering the credibility of the information. Many fail to take the time to understand and develop a nuanced and fully developed opinion before speaking, which can have detrimental effects. As a result of careless statements and reposts, there has been a slew of misinformation, antisemitism and Islamophobia that likely would be lessened if those with audiences were more careful about their messaging and information they shared. This new age of democracy has turned many into self-proclaimed social media activists. Although this sounds positive in sentiment, it falls short when these people are only partially committed to issues, do not fact-check information or start talking over the minority groups. Not everyone is cut out to be an activist and not everybody should be expected to if they’re not willing to put in the necessary effort it requires to make adequate and effective messages. Sometimes the most meaningful and effective thing those with an audience can do is just stop, listen and amplify voices of those who are knowledgeable and committed instead of speaking over them. “I don’t know,” or “I do not have enough information to speak on this,” can be the most intelligent thing to say before blindly choosing a position and realizing it may be the wrong one when it is too late. More people are relying on social media for news and opinions, so it is more important than ever to be extra considerate and critical of messages shared, especially if you have a large platform. Many argue that silence is violence, but what may be even more harmful is careless misinformation and performance activism. Do your research before partaking in social media activism By Sydney Allabaugh Opinion Editor Social media has granted the opportunity for anyone, regardless of status or merit, to have a platform to share information and their opinions. The power to influence the masses comes with great responsibility, and it too frequently seems to be wielded carelessly. In a politically polarized nation in which individuals are presented with instantaneous updates on politics and world events, there are increasingly intense pressures for those with both small and large platforms to choose a side quickly and publicly on each new issue that arises. Audiences argue that a person with a platform has the responsibility to speak out on the issues that matter. I agree with this sentiment to a degree. Those with a platform should amplify stories and injustices that go overlooked. A great example of when this was effective �The Beacon - November 2, 2023 Opinion A review of Travis Scott's fourth album, "UTOPIA" By Logan Colonna Contributing Writer “UTOPIA” marks Travis Scott’s return into the music world as it’s his fourth studio album, following the successful release of “ASTROWORLD.” Travis had to really pump out a great album here after the 2021 incident at his Astroworld Festival. The project clocks in at roughly 75 minutes, making it his second-longest album. It also shares features with the likes of Drake, The Weeknd and SZA. “HYAENA” starts off the album energetic as ever. The drum patterns, bass and other assortments of instruments are in full effect. On top of the overproduction of the track, Travis is back again with his amazing delivery and flow. While he’s not known for being the most lyrical rapper by any standards, he still makes this track enjoyable for the average listener. One of my favorite features on the album is by Teezo Touchdown on “MODERN JAM.” He’s been making a name for himself as of lately, and this performance from him doesn’t disappoint. Travis is having so much fun on this track as his usual autotune is being used here. To pair up with this, we have Teezo’s verse that is very reminiscent of David Bowie or Freddie Mercury’s soundscape with his vocals. This song is one of the best that “UTOPIA” has to offer. “GOD’S COUNTRY” is a leftover from Kanye West’s “Donda” that was given to Travis for this project. The influence from Mr. West is strong here from the entrancing instrumental to some vocal effects, like Travis’s screams, as they sound eerily similar to Kanye. The track as a whole is a great addition to the tracklist. “MELTDOWN” gives the listener another collaboration between Travis and Drake. The song had big shoes to fill since their last outing together, “SICKO MODE.” This track does everything right, from Drake’s verse, Travis’s verse, and even the chorus is flawless. Drake offers one of his best verses of the 2020s so far. The second half of the song has a beat switch and has Drake and Travis going back and forth for a bit, before going fully into Travis’s verse. All artists’ performances here are amazing, making this one of the greats on the album. My favorite track on the album is “I KNOW?” with good reason. The content of the track is Travis’s life as of now with drugs and alcohol tainting it every second of the day. With this, we get the realest he’s ever been. With his raw vocal and no autotune, we hear the extent. Travis’s verse is decent but not anything to be in awe over. The 21 Savage verse here is great, but it isn’t enough to save the rest of the performances here. The worst part of this song is the chorus. It’s just annoying as Travis stretches the syllables in the words within the chorus, which irritates me. On top of that, it’s just repetitive. I often see myself skipping past “CIRCUS MAXIMUS” because it lacks personality. Every other collaboration fact that he’s reflecting on himself. The instrumentation is excellent as well. While it’s as simple as some effects being thrown around over a piano beat, I love it so much. The track brings together everything great about Travis, cementing it as the best on the project. We get one of the few lowlights of the album with “TOPIA TWINS.” Everything about this song is just decent at best. I’m not the biggest fan of the Rob49 verse here at all. People just know him for sounding similar to NBA Youngboy, who I also dislike to a certain between Travis and The Weeknd is excellent. However, this record just doesn’t seem to have both artists giving it their all. The instrumental is spacey which I thought I’d like, but with the subpar verses, it made the song worse. A major highlight of the album is “SKITZO.” It offers several beats, all of which are fantastic. Travis’s performance starts off at great but slowly starts to ramp up as the beats switch. Young Thug, a common collaborator of Travis, keeps up with Travis here well. I’m not blown away by his performance, but it 18 doesn’t take away from the track. The last verse of the song is my favorite by far. The sample used here, on top of the instrumental, is perfection. It wraps up the whole song excellently. Yet another highlight is heard with “LOST FOREVER.” James Blake is credited on the track but adds little to the overall track besides a short intro and a sample cut used throughout the song. Travis has a great verse per usual. Westside Gunn steps into the scene and blows me away. The beat turns twisted as he begins, making it seem like a complete dystopia. His weird rapping style scratches an itch in my brain. With this, his adlibs, flow and delivery of all of this, he gives us one of the best verses on the project. “LOOOVE” is yet another one of my favorites. The instrumental is as fun as ever. Kid Cudi takes the cake here as the beat matches his style used here so well. I love the chorus and refrain from Travis. While it is repeated a lot here, it’s fine because it’s simply so good. You can just tell that both rappers had so much fun on this track, which I appreciate a lot. Possibly the best outro track on a Travis Scott album is here with “TIL FURTHER NOTICE.” James Blake’s voice conveys so many emotions of sadness here and gave me goosebumps during my first listens of the song. Travis’s and 21 Savage’s verses are fantastic as they rap over the beautiful instrumental sent in by none other than Metro Boomin. Metro showed me why he’s the best hip-hop producer as of right now. The record is used as a way of telling the listener “until further notice” of new music from Scott. After all is said and done, this is Travis Scott’s best work to date. It may be recency bias speaking, but I believe it’ll stand the test of time. While there are some lowlights seen on the tracklist, they’re still great at least. The positives absolutely outweigh the negatives. Between the production, performances from the artists and the flow of the overall album, we have an amazing album in front of us. Graphic by Lara Mullen �The Beacon - November 2, 2023 Sports Sports 19 Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: Adam.grundt@wilkes.edu Women’s ice hockey set to begin season By Ava Tureen Contributing Writer The women’s ice hockey team is off to a solid start after winning its first two preseason games. The team carried its momentum into regular season place on Oct. 27 and 28. Wilkes beat Hockey Training Institute with a score of 6-3 and then followed up that game with a 9-0 shutout against rival King’s College. The team then went on to win its regular season games against Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, with scores of 6-0 and 6-1. First year player Milica Veleck is excited to get the season started. “Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts …(has) never played in this division before. I think we will play well because our team and Coaches have experience in this division. We work great as a team and we are ready to play a great game!” Although the season is just getting started, some folks were quick to point out some potential standouts for the season. Audrey Milne, #47, is a goaltender. This is her first season as a Colonel, but she was quick to comment on the team’s strong bond. Defenseman Allie Spencer, #3, is another first-year player. She has been named by the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) as one of their 20232024 players to watch. Other players to watch include, #4 Abigail Barcles, from Hamilton, New Jersey. Barcles is a defender and a graduate student. During the 2022-2023 season she received an all - UCHU honorable mention. Bella Kaczorowski, a junior from Anchorage, Alaska, plays forward and set the Wilkes single-season record: nine goals and 14 points (last season). Finally, Rachel Morey, is a senior from Buffalo, Wyoming. Morey is one of the three captains this year and has 22 career points. She also holds a record of 618 career face-off wins. Coach David Labaff is excited to see what this season brings for the team. “This year’s squad brings its own distinctive characteristics when compared to last season’s roster,” Labaff said. “Every year is a new canvas filled with unique challenges and opportunities. One significant change is the infusion of 14 fresh faces, boosting our roster size. “Every player brings their unique set of skills and strengths, and we’ve got individuals who understand their roles and are committed to daily improvement. The hope is that this depth will serve us well throughout the season.” Labaff was reluctant to name his own players “to watch,” but is excited to see what his team member can do this season. “…(T)here are certainly individuals who are showing the potential to make a significant impact. It’s not solely about individual performance; it’s about how players mesh within our team dynamics and contribute positively to the collective Photo credit to Wilkes University Athletics effort. of skills and strengths, and we’ve got “Every player on our roster understands individuals who understand their roles that you can’t shine on the ice as an and are committed to daily improvement. individual without the other 26 players The hope is that this depth will serve us on our team. Last season they played 28 well throughout the season.” games including two exhibition games, This season also sees 13 players return and they lost 85% of those games.” to play. Labaff continued to state that each year “We’re certainly feeling the excitement brings a new team with its own “unique for the upcoming year,” Labaff explained. challenges and opportunities.” This year, “But our approach remains unwavering – the team has 14 new players. Nine of taking it one day at a time, delivering our whom are international students. absolute best every time we step onto the “We have a lot of international talent, ice as we continuously strive to raise our and our team plays as a unit and not standards. as individuals,” said Rissa Brazeneau “In the UCHC, success isn’t handed (forward), from Timmins, Ontario. “I out freely; it’s earned through relentless enjoy the environment and it’s been a hard work and unwavering dedication. good transition.” Our commitment to achieving our shared Lily Zingaro is also a first-year student objectives as a team is resolute, and we’ll from (Collingwood) Ontario. Zingaro spare no effort in our relentless pursuit of agrees that the team is very close knit and excellence.” has “a lot of deep-rooted talent.” For more information on the women’s Labaff agrees. ice hockey program, visit gowilkesu.com. “Every player brings their unique set �The Beacon - October 2, 2023 Sports 20 Mixed thoughts on switch to the Landmark Conference By Adam Grundt Asst. Sports Editor In December of 2022, Wilkes University was invited to leave the MiddleAtlantic Conference and join the Landmark Conference. According to its website, he Landmark Conference was formed in 2005 and competitions began 2007. The conference “recognizes, as paramount, the centrality of the academic mission at each institution, while embracing the idea that athletics competition is an important component of the undergraduate experience.” After considerable discussion, Wilkes accepted the invitation, thus ending the 75-year relationship the university had with their former athletic conference. The Colonels began competing in the Landmark Conference at the beginning of the 2023 fall sports season. The teams have been finding success throughout the first two months of the seasons, but there are mixed opinions on the university joining this conference after a lengthy tenure as members of the MAC. Wilkes joined the Landmark Conference along with Lycoming College, making the two schools the ninth and tenth members of the conference. Other members of the conference include Catholic University of America, Washington D.C.; Drew University, Madison, N.J.; Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, Pa.; Goucher College, Baltimore, Md.; Juniata College, Huntingdon, Pa.; Moravian College, Bethlehem, Pa.; Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, Pa.; and the University of Scranton, Scranton, Pa. “We get to play new teams in a more competitive conference,” sophomore football player Ben Contella said. “There are more opportunities for us to play in the postseason and compete in the NCAA Division III playoffs.” As members of the MAC, the Colonels were able to compete against a few schools within 10 miles of campus. With Wilkes departing the MAC, they no longer get to compete in the same conference as schools such as rival King’s College and Misericordia University. Although the schools may still meet in exhibition matches, the ability to compete against schools within an extremely close proximity is lost. “I like the switch to the Landmark,” said Devin Markert, a sophomore on the Wilkes University baseball team. “We get to travel farther and see new places, but we won’t be able to compete against teams like King’s and Misericordia in conference play anymore, something I really enjoyed being a part of.” Although the switch to the conference provides new opportunities for Wilkes athletes, some miss being a part of the Middle Atlantic Conference. “Honestly, I miss the MAC,” said Abby Kuppinger, senior member of the cross-country team. “I think the Landmark is better competition and I like it from that perspective. But I miss racing against King’s because we are rivals and it was always fun to race against them.” Currently, the Wilkes University Colonels sports teams are finding some successes in the new conference. The football team holds a conference record of 3-1 as of Oct. 27, with an upcoming game against Catholic University of America on Nov. 4. The field hockey team recently clinched the No. 6 seed in the Landmark Conference playoffs with a 1-0 win against Drew University on Oct. 25. They are scheduled to face off against the No. 3 seed, the University of Scranton, on Oct. 28. For more information on all 23 of Wilkes’ collegiate sports teams, please visit gowilkesu.com. The Beacon is looking for sports writers for the Spring 2024 semester If you are interested in sports writing, editing, photography or graphics contact Adam Grundt at adam.grundt@wilkes.edu �The Beacon - November 2, 2023 Sports 21 Wilkes dance team now recognized as a sport By Samantha Mullen Sports Assistant Edior Dance has been celebrated as an art form where individuals can express themselves, tell stories, and bring cultures to life. At the start of the year, Wilkes Athletics recognized the Wilkes dance team as a sport. The team has become an integral part of the campus culture while performing during sporting events, pep rallies and other functions. Dance teams have long struggled to be viewed as a sport, despite the athleticism and discipline required. Though dance teams cannot officially be recognized as an NCAA sport, the university has given them a spot as an athletic team. The official recognition of the dance team as a sport has brought numerous benefits to the team and the university. Junior Morgan Andretta, a pharmacy major, said that being recognized as a sport has led the team to “make routines that are enjoyable for the audience.” Additionally, it helps her and her teammates to push themselves harder in practice. Senior captain Carolyn Purdy, a psychology major, said she sees “a bright future for the team and with this continued trajectory for the team.” Purdy also stated that she and Jeanne Rabel, the team’s adviser, “got the ball rolling to be recognized on the athletics website last year”. Rabel also works at the university as an advising coordinator in the University College. Purdy said that the move by Wilkes acknowledges the training and dedication the members have -- just as other athletes do. The recognition is not just a milestone for the team, but a celebration of diversity within the athletic department. This achievement allows for the team to be highlighted on the Wilkes athletic page and include a full team roster. In the next coming years, members hope to continue to push boundaries within their routines. Adding more challenging movement to their jazz, pom, and hip hop will definitely bring attention to their hard work and dedication. The dance team will perform at halftime during the Nov. 4 football game. Their first basketball performance will be on Nov. 9. This year's captains include Purdy, Amanda Merrick-Topkins, Katherine Ecker and Mya Corcoran The dance team posts some of their performances and highlight plays on their Instagram @wilkesdanceteam. Dance team members are, first row, from left, Amelia Merrick-Tompkins, earlychildhood education; Carolyn Purdy, psychology; Katie Ecker, nursing; and Maya Corcoran, English. Second row, Zoë Morley, biology; Morgan Rich, communication studies; Amelia Smicherko, biology; Lauren Stokes, digital design and media arts; and Jennifer Zemetro, pre-pharmacy. Third row, Jessica Rushton, political science and history; Bethany Yaskus, neuroscience; Emily Makaravege, digital design and media arts and Morgan Andretta, pharmacy. �The Beacon November 2, 2023 Sports 22 Athlete of the Week Cole Jungwirth Junior, Golf The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week Jungwirth shot his season low score of +7 at the Landmark Conference Fall Preview which was enough to get him 7th overall in the tournament. Major: Corporate Finance Hometown: Bloomington, Minn. High School: Thomas Jefferson What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? Winning MAC Rookie of the Year for golf my freshman year. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? Minnesota Wild What is your favorite post-game meal? Angelo’s sweet sauce How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? Appreciative and proud. The work and dedication that the team and I have put in and will not on translate to match success, but to life as well. What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Completing my assignments and papers three weeks early for my professors. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? The camraderie and culture that we get to experience and live by every day. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? Miracle The Beacon/Sam 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." If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Pickleball Compiled by Adam Grundt, Sports Editor and Morgan Rich, Editor-In-Chief �Sports The Beacon - November 2, 2023 Athlete of the Week 23 Kellie Scott Junior, Field Hockey Midfielder The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week In a road conference match aganst Lycoming College, Scott scored the two goals in the game on two shots leading the Colonels to a 2-0 Landmark Conference victory. In retrospect, this performance propelled the Colonels into the 6th seed allowing them to clinch a playoff spot. Major: Communication Studies and Psychology Hometown: Northport, Maine High School: Kents Hill What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? Clinching a playoff spot in the Landmark Conference for sure. Our whole motto this season has been to "do hard work well" What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? Philadelphia Eagles or Boston Bruins. What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Watching a good crime documentary or movie in my bed with some good snacks or comfort food. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? Definitely the grittiness of it. The hard work, dedication and overall sense of community that Wilkes athletes bring to campus is unmatched. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? Creed 2. If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Definitely something like cross country or track. Something with running. What has been your favorite sports memory overall? I think this year as a whole. It has been filled with so many great memories. From our wins, losses. practices, or even conversations. All of it has made my experience at Wilkes memorable. What is your favorite post-game meal? Mac and cheese, dinosaur nuggets, and a chocolate chip cookie. How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? I feel honored. The field hockey team has worked hard to make a new name for ourselves. We are the embodiment of the new era of WIlkes field hockey. I feel honored to be under a new program, with a new coach, with a new team to help pave the way for future Colonels. Compiled by Adam Grundt, Asst. Sports Editor The Beacon//Adam Grundt Editor’s note: Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor ts staff each week. At the end of the academic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw it ter @WilkesB eacon to crow n an “Athlete of the Year." �The Beacon - November 2, 2023 23 � 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 <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 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>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> 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. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre 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 Wilkes Beacon, 2023 November 2 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wilkes University retains copyright of this publication. https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/209d394c5ccc3208285dffc2d1006b49.pdf 07b144790c864f8173bd88c6decb1036 PDF Text Text The Beacon - October 5, 2023 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Amanda Montgomery: Amanda.Montgomery1@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: Sept. 27 weekly meeting By Zach Paraway Contributing Writer Student Government had its fifth meeting for the semester on Sept. 27. SG currently has $47,345.84 in its account. The first order of business was a presentation given by Dr. Greg Cant, university president. Over the last year, Cant has led a team with the interest of changing the mission statement and values of the university, which have not changed in over 15 years. This process has been worked on since fall of 2022 and took about six months to come with a full mission statement. He came to present it to SG before showing it to the whole student body. The statement was changed to put more emphasis on the empowerment of students and take away emphasis from the classroom from teaching to a more modern take of teaching for new and upcoming generations. The new statement also put more emphasis on the school as a university with graduate students as well as undergraduate students. This also came with changes to the values of the school, turning the old five into seven. The second order of business was a fund request from the Wilkes Wilkes Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA). GSA serves the campus community in the promotion of conversation and of the rights for all people that may identify outside of heterosexual. The presentation was given by Morgan Steiner, junior political science student. The request is for GSA and its guests to be able to attend the Mid-Atlantic LGBTQ+ conference being held Nov. 3-5 in Bloomsburg, Pa. The conference would help students send work for the conference in the form of papers, projects and workshops. It also gives many of the members a chance in order to present formally and gain that experience. The request was for $1,000 and the vote was passed for the full amount. The third order of business was a revision of the Programming Board Constitution presented by club president, senior Kim Wheeler. This is the first time the constitution was updated since 2016. This was to cover things such as name changes, revisions to job titles, voting processes, new rules and includes a change to the mission statement. The fifth order of business was a presentation for Casino Week, presented by Jaci Bickel. This was a week one of two for the fund request. Casino Week, formerly Casino Night, has been a tradition at Wilkes for years. The presentation was given with activities taking place over five days for the week of Nov. 6-10. However, most of the plans presented will be changed as a vote was taken and SG decided to scale back Casino Week, back to Casino Night. This request will be worked on and voted on next week. The final order of business was an internal presentation given by Michael Nowak, senior electrical engineering Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Beacon News Staff Scholarship Opportunity for Students of Polish Descent The Polish Room Committee Scholarship ($3,000 top award) welcomes applications from Luzerne County residents. To be considered, applicants must write a brief description of their Polish heritage and what that heritage means to them. Applications can be emailed to allison.naumann@wilkes.edu with the subject line “Polish Heritage Scholarships.” Deadline for applications is Oct. 13 at 4:30 p.m. BACCHUS Alcohol Awareness Walk The Alcohol Awareness Walk will take place on Oct. 24 from 11a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Fenner Quad. Food will be provided. Kappa Psi Paint and Dip Kappa Psi is hosting a paint and dip night on Oct. 30 from 6-8 p.m. in the Jean & Paul Adams Commons (JPAC) on the second floor of the Henry Student Center (HSC). Admission is $5 per person collected upon arrival. This event is open to the school but will be capped at 50 responses. Sign-up form: https://docs.google. com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf7s9CMJrJ fnbhT15vGacPt9qPevcQKKz8lNpRk xauM30TzRg/viewform?usp=sf_link Chemistry Club Krispy Kreme Fundraiser The chemistry club is selling Krispy Kreme donuts until Oct. 19. Distribution is from Oct. 24 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in CSC 101. Boxes are $12 and orders can be placed at http://wilkes.edu/ chemistryclubdonuts. Contact emily.purcell@wilkes.edu with any questions. student and vice president of SG. This was for a fall event getaway for members of the student community. The trip would see them travel to Roba’s farms, the Taste of Autumn and a scavenger hunt. This would occur over fall break from Oct. 16-20 and give many students a chance to have an activity to break up the semester as it comes right before midterms. The cost and fund request for this trip went down from $3,600 to $2,800. This was voted on and approved for the full amount. SG will meet again on Oct. 4. Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Upcoming Events: October 8 - Statue of Liberty Boat Tour NYC 12-15 - Fall Break 19 - Couch Potato 23-27 - Freak Week 28 - Dorney Haunted Park November 2 - Silent Disco 9 - Giveaway Want your event featured in the calendar? Email: Amanda.Montgomery1@ wilkes.edu �The Beacon - October 5, 2023 News 3 What’s happening in the Honors and Scholars Program? By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer Honors and Scholars Program is a fouryear program that allows students to take challenging honors courses, provides them access to special programs and speakers, and lets them register for classes before all other students. While many students are familiar with the program, not every student knows about the Honors Program Student Committee (HPSC). “The honors office was looking for ways to offer leadership and real-life valuable experiences for our students where collaboration, communication, creativity, and workplace skills could be used during their four years here with us at Wilkes,” said Jennifer McLaughlin, the HPSC assistant director. Members of the HPSC executive board use these skills to host academic, social and service oriented events during the year. “HPSC is different from other clubs on campus because of its commitment to instilling the values of the Honors Program onto our honors students," said Kaelin Hughes, senior political science and history major and the president of HPSC. "The program is committed to leadership, scholarship, community, along with other values, and our job as a board is to provide those opportunities for these students through our different opportunities." Leadership skills are not the only benefit to joining HPSC. “They earn a participation point for being on the team and they also earn additional funding for experiences such as study abroad, research, and internship opportunities for each term served,” said McLaughlin. Honors students are required to earn two of these participation points every academic year to remain in good standing. They can earn these points at HPSC events. “I learned that HPSC means a lot to me and I want it to be successful!" said Hughes. "We are leaders within the program, and it is extremely important to me that our events reflect quality leadership and encourage other honors students. I learned that I am a capable leader and can successfully run and encourage a board of students dedicated to the same values as I am." HPSC is not open to all students because of the club’s focus on the Honors Program. However, some events are open The HPSC Executive Board to everyone. One of Hughes's favorite events, a semester-long donation drive for Give Kids the World, a non-profit based in Florida, is open to all students and faculty. Other events are more specialized. “I think my favorite [event] is, and always will be, the registration night event that HPSC organizes each semester,” said McLaughlin. "At this event, older honors students can earn a point by helping younger students register for honors courses." Other honors events have students learning about the Sordoni Art Gallery, playing trivia or enjoying a trip to Lahey’s Family Fun Park. As the semester progresses, HPSC has more planned, including a "Name That Tune" event for honors students on Oct. 20 and the annual registration night on Oct. 29. Those who are interested in attending events should keep an eye on WilkesToday for more information. Photo: The Beacon/Morgan Steiner Who's so Honors? Student spotlight: Bhavika “Nikki” Dawar By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer Bhavika “Nikki” Dawar, a junior biology and pre-medicine honors student, embodies #thatssohonors. Dawar recently applied for the Guthrie Scholars program, a clinical semester experience at Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, Pa. This experience is highly selective, with seats going to students at two universities: Binghamton and Wilkes. Applying for clinical experiences might seem daunting, but for Dawar, it was simple. “The application was done over the summer of entering my junior year," said Dawar. "I had to send in my Curriculum Vitae (CV) along with three letters of recommendation. It was a very manageable application." Over the summer, Dawar participated in the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Research internship. Dawar also has a minor in chemistry, and is an honors small group coordinator. In between all these internships, extracurriculars and experiences, she still finds time to study for her Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). “My biggest advice for anyone wanting to apply to the program or apply to any other internship, is to never doubt yourself," said Dawar. "Hearing “no’s” may be a part of the process; however, that first yes is probably the greatest feeling in the world. So never hesitate to test the waters and apply for something that may seem out of reach." To keep up with what’s going on in honors and to hear about more amazing opportunities, like Dawar’s, follow @ wilkeshonors on Instagram. Photo Courtesy Nikki Dawar Nikki Dawar upon her acceptance to Wilkes University. �The Beacon - October 5, 2023 News 4 Programming board gives out hoodies for homecoming By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer Programming board gave away Wilkes University hoodies for their Thursday event. The table opened at 11:30 a.m and eight minutes later, more than 100 hoodies had been given away. Members of the campus community welcomed the giveaway and found the change of pace exciting compared to their usual Thursday night events. “I love pop up events," said Adrianna Aziz, sophomore pharmacy major. "I think they’re a great opportunity for the community to get involved and immersed in Wilkes culture.” Members of the general board were also excited about the giveaway. "We don’t have to hopefully get bingo or get a raffle ticket to win," said Aiden Allen, sophomore history and secondary education major. "Everybody gets something." There were several changes in the way this giveaway functioned compared to those of years past. First, instead of branding the hoodie with “programming board,” the sweatshirt instead promotes the school. "Wilkes University” was written in bold across the front, followed by the programming board logo which goes down the arm. “I do like this item,” said Aziz. Her sentiment was echoed by Natalia Williams, a first-year Spanish major and general board member. “They’re so cute and it’s nice because it’ll get colder outside,” said Williams. Another change was implementing numbers. As students got in line, they were given a number with their spot in line. Their WIN numbers were collected and they handed the number back in. This was to ensure that no students were skipping the line. In addition, the giveaway was moved to the second floor which is a rarity for giveaways. “[The event was] very well organized and it ran really smoothly,” said Williams. The new changes were very well received, by members of the community and the programming board. “(It) gets some energy into the crowd. It really gives people a chance to get free Wilkes swag if they can’t afford it,’ said Allen. Executive and general members of the programming board pose with their new hoodies to celebrate a job well done. From left to right, first-year students Jada Michel, Ashlyn Smith, Ella Villani, Elena DiScullio and sophomore Mackenzie Edgar were the first in line after the event moved upstairs. Photos: The Beacon/Morgan Stiener The crowd awaiting the giveaway on the first floor of the student center. Students lined up during club hours to secure their own hoodie. �The Beacon - October 5, 2023 News 5 Colonel Cupboard hosts bingo and collects donations By Emma Broda News Staff Writer Upperclassmen resident assistants hosted Colonel Cupboard Bingo for students last week, on Sept. 25. Students gathered to play bingo, but also to make donations to the Colonel Cupboard. Colonel Cupboard is a pantry at the university with food, personal care items and household items for students to take as they need. In return for donations, students received extra bingo boards to raise their chances of winning. Donations included items such as cereal, rice, shampoo, hand soap and toothbrushes. “I don’t come from a super food secure household, so I will go to the cupboard, but I like to give as much as I can too,” said Kayla Bicskei, junior English major. Everyone is encouraged to take full advantage of the Colonel Cupboard, but as Bicskei mentioned, giving back to the community through donations at events such as Colonel Cupboard Bingo is also very important. One of the resident assistants who hosted the bingo, Shelby Brazes, senior criminology and psychology major, expressed that she also uses the Colonel Cupboard and loves it. The prizes included baskets such as a fall basket, a movie night basket, a self-care basket, a Wilkes basket and a sports basket. Throughout the bingo games there were also rounds of food, nutrition and food pantry related trivia. Each student who answered a trivia question correctly, won another bingo board to play with and increase their chances. “I’m passionate about bingo, everyone should come, it's awesome,” said Bicskei. Students attended hoping to win prizes and to have fun playing bingo with friends. The evening was eventful, full of laughs and suspenseful “sudden death” rounds. It was a fun night spent with friends, and students also were able to learn information about nutrition and how they can donate to their community. Veronica Codjoe, sophmore undeclared, and Courtney Charlera, junior nursing, comparing their bingo cards together. Starr Sandt, junior psychology and sports management major, and Nolee Anna Grabowski, junior buisness managament major markerting minor, calling bingo. Photos: The Beacon/Emma Broda From left to right, bingo winners E Alexis, Sydney Allabaugh, Kayla Bicskei, Bri Johnson and Ud Uwawuike holding their respective prizes. �6 The Beacon - October 5, 2023 Dr. Mona Pearl joins Wilkes as assistant professor By Amanda Montgomery News Editor Dr. Mona Pearl joins Wilkes this fall as assistant professor of management in the Sidhu School of Business and Leadership. Her focus is on international business. Pearl received her undergraduate degree from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, Ill. She then received her graduate degree and doctorate degree from DePaul University also in Chicago. She moved to Wilkes-Barre from Chicago, but was born and raised in Romania. “After living in big cities my whole life, I was looking for a smaller place where people are kind of more human,” said Pearl. Pearl’s journey into academia began with a strong foundation in business, earning her doctorate and spending the majority of her early career in the corporate world. As she delved into teaching as an adjunct professor, she discovered her passion for education. Choosing Wilkes was a deliberate move for Pearl, who sought a smaller community with a focus on international business. “Some of the jobs that I did as a student were translations, cross-cultural training for companies and then I decided there is something in it,” said music and the arts. Pearl. “It’s like the children’s story, Bob the With a rich background in Builder,” said Pearl. “Bob is to the rescue, international business, Pearl shared her so that’s the left side of the brain. On multilingual the other hand, abilities, it’s poetry, it’s s p e a k i n g music, it’s the G e r m a n , arts and culture. F r e n c h , And this is Spanish and something that Romanian. Her people can’t c ro ss - c u ltu r a l grasp that exists experiences and in one person.” skills became Reflecting on evident when her teaching she assisted career, Pearl T-Mobile in expressed entering the satisfaction U.S. market. in witnessing “This is stu d e nt s’ when I started growth over a to realize that semester. She what I take aims to make a Photo courtesy Dr. Pearl for granted, lasting impact some of the on students’ skills, may have more value than I even lives through experiential learning, understand,” said Pearl. fostering collaboration on international Outside the academic realm, Pearl, projects. despite her busy schedule, enjoys hiking Looking ahead, Pearl plans to continue and reading, with a past interest in expanding her experiential learning poetry. Revealing a lesser-known aspect initiatives, engage in research and of her life, Pearl explained the balance contribute to the community through between her analytical left brain, which service. Her commitment to making a drove her corporate success, and her difference and preparing students for a artistic right brain, appreciating poetry, globalized world is evident in her goals for the future. “I’ve traveled the world and worked with some of the largest companies,” said Pearl. “I’ve been to I don’t know how many countries and lived in I don’t know how many countries so I’m kind of looking to stay put.” When asked about her proudest achievement, Pearl acknowledged her journey of building a life and career in the U.S. as a female immigrant. Coming to the country in her 20s, she emphasized the importance of perseverance and not settling for less in life. Pearl offered valuable advice to students, emphasizing the pursuit of happiness, passion and not succumbing to external pressures. “Find out what makes you happy, what you want,” said Pearl. “Follow it. Don’t give up. I know many people say that, but when you get to a certain stage in life, I’m really happy about not giving up on my passions.” Her words resonated with a call for self-determination and not settling for a life that doesn’t align with one’s true aspirations. “Don’t let others determine where you’re going, what you’re doing, because you don’t feel secure,” said Pearl. “You have choices that you can choose. Don’t let someone push you into the corner, and then you’re stuck for the rest of your life.” �The Beacon - October 5, 2023 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Life, Arts & Entertainment Editor: Zara.Lantzman@wilkes.edu Wilkes swim team hosts a duck toss fundraiser By Cassidy Brumagin Contributing Writer The Wilkes University swim team hosted a duck toss fundraising event on Oct. 1. The event took place at the Wyoming Valley Catholic Youth Center (CYC) in Wilkes-Barre. Students and members of the Wilkes community were offered the opportunity to purchase rubber ducks to toss at targets in the pool in hopes of taking home a prize. The fundraising event cost $5 per duck, and participants were able to purchase as many ducks as they pleased. Anyone who purchased a duck was assigned a number that coordinated with a duck that would be thrown into the pool in hopes of hitting the target. Participants were offered the opportunity to attend the event themselves and toss a duck or have their assigned duck thrown for them for a volunteer attending the event. Within the CYC pool were numerous intertubes which served as the targets for the rubber ducks. Once the ducks were thrown, the ones that managed to make it into the targets were then collected, marked down by number and prizes were distributed accordingly. The CYC, located at 36 S. Washington St., hosts the home pool for the Wilkes University swim team. The atmosphere was complete with swimmers, hundreds of rubber ducks, pool toys and candy. Featured in the pool were targets shaped like flowers, sharks and more. After the ducks were all thrown, members of the team put their skills to the test to swim around the pool collecting all of the ducks to clear the lanes for following events. At the conclusion of the event, 19 participants walked away with prizes. The prices varied from gift cards to local restaurants, ShopRite, Sheetz, car wash coupons, tanning salon packages and more. Some of the largest prizes included five $50 gift cards to various businesses and a car wash package for five premium car washes, valued at over $50. The prizes were all donated by businesses wanting to support the university and the swim team. Prize winners ranged from students, to parents, to long-distance relatives to supporters of the swim team. The prizes were distributed to the winners at random. Each duck that made it into the target received a prize; however, the prize assigned to each duck was up to chance. The numbered ducks were thrown at random to give a fair chance to those who wished to participate in the fundraiser but could not make it to the event themselves. Both men’s and women’s swim team members worked to sell as many ducks as possible. In total, more than 200 ducks were sold and thrown at the fundraiser. The ducks came in all sorts of colors and patterns. There were ducks made to look like dogs, pirates, Christmas trees, aliens and unicorns, just to name a few. The duck toss was part of a two-day “Swim-a-Thon” hosted by the team. The event featured relays every hour, games and live updates through Instagram and Facebook. The fundraiser was combined for both men’s and women’s swimming teams. The money raised will go toward paying for the teams’ training trip, end of year banquet and any supplies that may be needed throughout the season. Particularly, the team is hoping to purchase new swim blocks for the pool. This training trip is an annual event. The trip takes place in Florida every January. Members of the swim team are working on fundraising with events such as this to raise money for the team to attend and have the opportunity to swim down South. In addition to the duck toss, the swim team has hosted apparel sales to raise funds. A smaller apparel sale may reopen soon for the team. In addition, an alumni meet will be held in January which will feature basket raffles. Overall, the team has an ongoing donation page set up at reachingourgoal. com with a goal of $10,000. Wilkes Swimming will open its 20232024 season on Saturday, Oct. 14. The first meet will be held at the CYC at 1 p.m. The men and women will face the University of Scranton, Moravian University and Lebanon Valley College. The following meet the team will travel to Messiah University in Grantham, Pa., for a tri-meet with Messiah and Mount Saint Mary College at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21. Members of the swim team will compete in nine swimming events throughout the season. Three home meets are scheduled at the CYC for the Colonels this season prior to the season wrap-up at the Landmark Conference Championships. The Beacon/Cassidy Brumagin The ducks that were numbered and later tossed into the pool to win prizes. �The Beacon - October 5, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 Club of the Week: Chemistry Club By Anthony Cazun Asst. Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor Wilkes University is known for its scientific departments and programs, lauded in many fields. This merit is also reflected within extra curricular activities, as the Chemistry Club gains just as much well deserved praise. The Wilkes Chemistry Club is a multifaceted club that focuses on giving students an authentic and educational - yet fun scientific experience, primarily within chemistry. This includes performing fun and exciting experiments and attending events. “So far this semester, the club has hosted numerous experiments and events including mini-lava lamps, chromatography flowers, an embroidery session and a game night,” said Reagan Weldon Peri, sophomore geology major. All of the listed events have already occurred within the current semester, making chemistry club a certainly active organization. The club will also enjoy more upcoming events that cover a wide range of activities. “We plan to do many more fun events this semester and further in the future, including a trip to Roba’s Family Farm on Oct. 20, a Women In STEM panel, an ice skating trip, a Krispy Kreme donut sale and more,” said Peri. These events not only entertain club members and keep them engaged within the department. It also entices those not initiated into the scientific sphere, allowing for a dichotomy between fun and education that not just chemistry majors enjoy, but any major on campus can too. “A big misconception about our club is that we only cater to STEM majors,” said Peri. “This is not the case. We welcome people of every major, class, etc. to join us. “Do not worry, we will not bore you with any lectures or homework. We want every meeting and event to be enjoyable and lighthearted.” It should be known that the club is easily accessible, harboring a safe and fun atmosphere that anyone can enjoy. “Our goal is to spread the knowledge of chemistry through educational and fun events and increase communication/strengthen relationships between the chemistry department and Wilkes students,” said Peri. The chemistry club hosts general meetings every other Tuesday during club hours. These meetings often involve fun experiments of some kind. However, the larger events hosted Morgan Rich, Editor-in-Chief: Sydney Allabaugh, Opinion Editor: Home To Another One - Madison Beer KEEP IT SOUTHERN - BROCKHAMPTON Amanda Montgomery, News Editor: Blue Copper - Quarters of Change Emma Broda, News Staff Writer: zombie girl - Adrianne Lenker Zara Lantzman, LA&E Editor: that’s how you make a villain - emyln Anthony Cazun, LA&E Asst. Editor: 1,000,000 - Nine Inch Nails Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staff picks their favorite song of the week. Our very own Zara Lantzman has put together a Spotify playlist where you can scan it and listen to the Beacon’s staff by the club typically occur during both club hours and during the night, allowing for greater participation and higher availability. The chemistry club is a club that promotes fun, exploration, education and companionship. Every stride the club takes involves nearly all of those qualities. The club’s mission of allowing all kinds of students to stretch their limbs of curiosity and experimentation is what makes chemistry club so special. “If you like fun experiments, developing yourself professionally, social events, outreach to the community and getting to know professors in the chemistry department, chemistry club is for you.” said Peri. Cally Williams, LA&E Staff Writer: Michael Who Walks by Night - Strawberry Switchblade “Freeze,” Opinion Staff Writer: Zaibastu - Exyz Adam Grundt, Sports Asst. Editor: MY EYES - Travis Scott Lara Mullen, Designer: Unintended - Muse Liz Cherinka, Social Media Manager: Foolish One (Taylor’s Version) - Taylor Swift Graphics/Lara Mullen �The Beacon – October 5, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 Creative writing workshops offered this month By Cally Williams Life, Arts, and Entertainment Staff Writer Creative writing is one of the many programs available to study at Wilkes. This week, a special workshop will be offered on different areas in creative writing. Taught by Shanta Lee, Ross Klavan, Robin McCrary and Barbara J. Taylor, this six-session workshop will cover several topics and offer several options for courses. From a course on screenplay writing to nonfiction creative writing, there is something for every aspiring writer. Registration for this workshop ends on Oct. 5 and costs $120. Some of the classes will be online and others inperson at Wilkes. Lee will teach the course, “Dazed and Seduced: Eroding the Line Between the Monster and Ourselves Across Genres.” Lee’s course will address the theme of monsters in literature, and will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays online starting on Oct. 4 and ending on Nov. 8. In this class, students will discover and explore monsters from different cultures and stories and how they are viewed. Students will be challenged to think about who the real monsters are…the ghastly creatures or the humans that interact with them? Lee is an award winning writer, artist and photographer. She has written several books and collections of poetry and has even written a short film. Her collection of poetry, entitled “G H E T T O C L AU S T R O P H O B IA : Dreamin of Mama While Trying to Speak Woman in Woke Tongues,” won the the 2020 Diode Editions full-length book prize and the 2021 Vermont Book Award. “NOT THIS AGAIN: Getting Your Film Beyond the Usual” is another class offered in the workshop. This course will examine alternative ways to write screenplays, taught by writer, screenwriter and voice actor, Ross Klavan. In the workshop, students will be watching and examining scenes from movies, participating in group discussions and doing writing exercises. “Most film writing courses are very rigid and formulaic,” said Klavan. In his class, students will learn the standard screenwriting formula, then disperse into some different methods and think outside the box. “Teaching is always a strangely moving, terrific, sometimes frustrating experience,” said Klavan. “It is great to see people learn. Teaching about film, you’re not only offering an education in writing but in a way to see things.” Klavan has written many screenplays. His most well known screenplay being that for the film “Tigerland” which was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. Klavan currently lives in New York City and his course is online on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The course began on Oct. 3 and ends Nov. 14. For those interested in writing a novel, Barbara J. Taylor is offering a class accurately entitled, “So You Want to Write a Novel.” This class will cover techniques and strategies for writing, organizing ideas and plot, developing characters and more. Taylor was born and raised in North Eastern Pennsylvania. She likes to set her novels in Scranton and is currently working on the final book of her trilogy. It will be released in the Spring of 2024. Some of her Scrantonian characters include “miners, evangelists, vaudevillians, gangsters, seers and a prostitute or two.” Her course will run every Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m., starting on Oct. 5 and ending on Nov. 9. It is in-person at Wilkes. A class on creative nonfiction will also be offered, entitled “Illness, Health, Creative Nonfiction.” This course will be taught by writer and teacher Robin McCrary. This class in the workshop will have students write about illness through many different viewpoints. McCrary’s class will be in two online sessions on Oct. 7 and 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. “There is much to learn from stories themselves, and much to learn about looking deeply into stories,” said McCrary. McCrary decided to teach this course to show how creative nonfiction writing can help writers and readers understand illness and wellness from the viewpoints of patients to healthcare workers. “This privilege of narrative and insight together gives us tools about how we might do things better in our futures, toward those who might benefit from these insights,” said McCrary. McCrary is a public health humanist and author, and he has written several journals and essays. McCrary teaches writing studies and health humanities at Syracuse University and served as low residency faculty at Wilkes. McCrary’s first major was psychology, but he decided to pursue writing after receiving advice from a professor. McCrary has written many pieces, but his favorites are “Two Cities” from his book “Island in the City” or “Seeing Red (Or, The Red Caps are Coming).” Some of his work has been published in various academic journals, including “Assay: A Journal of Nonfiction Studies” and “Essay Daily.” Want to register for one of these creative writing courses? If interested in registering for these non-credit courses, contact Dawn Leas at dawn.leas@wilkes.edu for more information Graphic by Morgan Rich �The Beacon – October 5, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 11 �The Beacon - October 5, 2023 By Adam Grundt and Sam Mullen Assistant Sports Editor and Staff Writer The Colonels recorded their first Landmark Conference victory in a rout of Juniata College on Saturday afternoon, kicking off a weekend of games held on Homecoming Weekend at Schmidt Stadium . The team opened up the game with a nearly three-minute, five-play drive that ended with a two-yard touchdown run by first-year running back JayJay Jordan. The offense then followed that up with a 75-yard touchdown pass by junior quarterback Isaiah Rodriguez to first-year receiver Juju Fears to put the Colonels up by 14 points to end the first quarter. The Colonels then opened up the second quarter with a drive spanning four minutes that ended in a 26-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Devin Higgins to put the team up 21 points. Later in the quarter, Jordan again ran for a 44-yard �13 The Beacon - October 5, 2023 are getting amped up to play Juniata,” said junior Bridget Rosenfeld. “Being new to the Landmark, teams are underestimating us. We will continue to prove why we belong in the Landmark.” touchdown to put the Colonels up by four touchdowns. The first half was finished off by a 70-yard touchdown pass from Rodriguez to sophomore wide receiver Justin Moore, putting the Colonels up 35-0 at the break. currently leads the Landmark Conference in tackles with 51 through four games. Junior defensive lineman Angel Ramos finished the day with two sacks resulting in 31 yards lost by the Juniata offense. The Colonels field hockey team takes on Marywood University on Monday, Oct. 2 in Scranton, Pa. They resume Landmark Conference play on Saturday, Oct. 7 when they host Juniata College at Schmidt Stadium. The team picked up right where they left off in the third quarter after a score by Juniata. JayJay Jordan found the end zone for the third time on the day with an 18-yard touchdown to put the team up 42-7. Even with the win this past weekend, Coach Drach said the players will “continue to be competitive and keep looking forward to the next game.” The football team travels to Williamsport, Pa. on Saturday, Oct. 7 to take on Lycoming College in their second Landmark Conference game of the season. In addition to the Colonel’s football team playing in their first Landmark Conference game, the Wilkes field hockey team hosted a Landmark Conference game of their own at Schmidt Stadium Saturday night. For more information on football, field hockey, and all of the Colonels’ sports teams, please visit gowilkesu.com. Junior Xavier Powell then found the end-zone with a 33-yard touchdown to put the Colonels up 49-7. Juniata answered right back with a touchdown of their own to bring the score to 49-14. Sophomore running back Ben Contella was the next Colonel to find the endzone with 12 minutes left in the game. Contella ran 11 yards to the end zone after being set up by a 55-yard reception by freshman J’Vier Johnson. The Colonels finished their offensive onslaught with a touchdown throw by Powell to first-year wide receiver Trevor Fisch, which brought the score to 63-14. With this victory, the Colonels won their first game in the Landmark Conference. Quarterback Isaiah Rodriguez led the way on offense with 308 yards passing on 13 completions with three touchdowns. JayJay Jordan led the running game with 77 yards on eight carries and three touchdowns of his own. In the game, the team shattered the school record for offensive yards with 725, a record that previously stood at 677 yards. Sophomore linebacker Tallen Murray led the defensive unit with 14 tackles. Murray Despite the team’s valiant effort late in the game, the Colonels fell to Moravian College 4-3 in their third conference game of the season. The offense was led by juniors Lexie Nevel, Morgan Millard, and Olivia Gayoski. All three Colonels scored goals in the match, with Gayoski’s goal coming late to pull the team within 1. The unit ultimately fell short in the match, bringing their Landmark Conference record to 1-2. “The team played really well together, and fought till the end,” said Nevel. “All we need to do now is take that loss as a lesson and keep pushing forward and continue to take the things we learn at practice into the games.” Senior Bridget Rosenfeld after Saturday’s game stated “With every loss [the girls] are gaining more strength and skill and �The Beacon - October 5, 2023 Opinion Editorial Staff 2023-24 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Morgan Rich Social Media Manager - Liz Cherinka Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Amanda Montgomery LA&E - Zara Lantzman Opinion - Sydney Allabaugh ASSISTANT EDITORS LA&E - Anthony Cazun Sports - Adam Grundt & Samantha Mullen DESIGNERS Designer - Lara Mullen SECTION STAFF WRITERS News - Emma Broda LA&E - Cally Williams Opinion - “Freeze” Want to join The Beacon? Several positions are open! Contact : kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or morgan.rich@wilkes.edu 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 Morgan Rich at morgan.rich@ wilkes.edu The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact opinion editor: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu. Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. Is homecoming royalty still a valued tradition? Homecoming is a big tradition, not just here at Wilkes University, but at many colleges and high schools in the United States. While the football game is a big part of it, so is the homecoming dance and homecoming court. This year, Wilkes moved from having a homecoming king, queen, prince and princess to homecoming royalty and junior royalty. This creates an opportunity for students who may not fit within the gender binary to feel included in a tradition. Additionally, it contributes to the dissembling of heteronormativity as it shows that there can be more to a royal pair than just a king and a queen. Seeing the university being more inclusive and shifting from the old traditions of a gender-specific homecoming court is great, but even with having new homecoming royalty, some still don’t like the idea of homecoming court. Having a homecoming court is a great tradition, but it sometimes feels like a popularity contest. It is easy to predict who will make it onto the court, and it always seems to be the more popular students. If someone unpredictable makes it onto the court, it may seem like a joke or that votes were cast out of pity. High school courts can be the same way. The most popular girls and boys make it to the court. Or, sometimes, high schoolers use their vote for the court as a pity vote, typically as a joke, which is cruel within itself. Granted, many Wilkes juniors may not even have had the opportunity to be on a homecoming court in high school due to COVID-19. What if you make it to the court and don’t get picked? What if you are paired up with someone else in class you barely knew? College homecoming royalty is very different from high school. It still has the main court being seniors, but it also allows for other underclassmen to be included with junior royalty. It’s great how we are allowing anyone whether male, female or nonbinary to be included into homecoming court rather than having the typical king and queen. It’s pretty clear that many of the students around campus also agree with this change. In high school, it seems like the main focus is the homecoming dance and who will be named king and queen. But in college, it’s more about alumni coming back to their alma mater and seeing how the university has changed since they left. It is also a great time for former student athletes to play against current players from their respective sport. It’s a fun tradition to be held during the beginning of the school year but should it should just be a high school tradition not a college one. Not only can royalty be seen as a harmful popularity contest, but it also simply seems like an unnecessary part of a college homecoming, as it is not necessarily valued among students. Although the switch from homecoming king and queen to homecoming royalty is a step in the right direction, we have surpassed the need for a homecoming court at Wilkes. We should instead focus on coming together as a campus community. 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: morgan.rich@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 5, 2023 Opinion 15 The Return of The Red Video game spotlight: “Castle Crashers” review Raven: An original story By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer Amidst all of the recent news about Wilkes homecoming, I can only imagine that a great many of you are hoping for something different. Allow me to relay yet another experience for you to immerse yourself. This week, I shine the spotlight on a lesser known title. Let’s take to the castles! Despite its age, “Castle Crashers” remains a beloved game among players. It is a game where “four brave champions” set out to retrieve a stolen magical item and save the King’s daughters. A person can band together with three others in order to progress the campaign and beat up the enemies, which range from the classic thieves to humanoid bears and yellow aliens. Not to mention, there are a variety of items, pets and a special super-sandwich powerup that drive further the comical theme. The first thing to love about this game is the low learning curve. There is almost no skill required to enjoy the game, which is what makes it great for anyone that just wants a good time. The mechanics involve jumping, moving right and left, using light and heavy attacks, casting magic spells and occasionally spamming arrows so your opponents can’t stand up. Any of these mechanics can be sequenced randomly or combined to produce more effective results against the enemy. A person can just mash buttons on their controller and still perform well. This system, which is intentionally simplified, is common in games like “Castle Crashers.” The genre is known as “Beat Em-Ups,” where the objective is, you guessed it, to beat the enemies up. In fact, “Castle Crashers” enables players to beat up one enemy for potentially an infinite amount of time even after their health is depleted. This occurs when you mash aerial combos against the edge of the screen with an opponent in your reach. Nobody quite knows why the developers chose to leave this in the game. Perhaps they enjoyed beating their enemy to a pulp as much as the rest of us. The reason “Castle Crashers” stands out is because of its character and weapon system. There are seven starter knights, as well as unlockables to total thirty-one playable characters. Each character has unique magic, such as fire, lightning, poison and ice (my favorite of course), while the rest of their mechanics are universal. It’s important to note that different types of magic work better with certain weapons. Each weapon has unique stats that pertain to the four main attributes: strength, magic, defense and agility, which can be upgraded as characters progress and earn XP. Each playable character’s progression is unique, so players are inclined to use them equally. There are also pets, called Animal Orbs, that give players support in combat, health, defense, magic and even looting. All of these elements of character building allows players to find their unique touch to the game. A special game mode, “Arena,” adds to the party experience of Castle Crashers. Players and their friends can enter the doors of the arena and battle each other to the death, all while earning gold and XP for use in the campaign. This is a great place to practice new combat skills, and an even better place to destroy your friends. “Castle Crashers” offers the perfect comedic vibe that people look forward to when playing with their friends and family. The gags and small details alone make it a great experience. The soundtrack of this game is highly recognizable and very catchy. Did you know that “Jumper” is not originally from “Geometry Dash?” The song was originally composed by Waterflame for a level in “Castle Crashers.” As mentioned before, “Castle Crashers” is a fairly old game, as it was published in 2008 by small developers under the name “Behemoth.” A remastered edition of the game, which features multiplayer and coop, was released for consoles including Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. This version of the game was essentially the “completed” form of the original title. Even now, this game is a topic of discussion among professionals. The current world record speedrun of this game was achieved only two months ago by a player named Cream, who dethroned a four-year record by just under one minute. By Leah Smith Contributing Writer PART 4. A horn screeched behind Rick, which snapped him back to the driver’s seat of his car and his view of the road. Rick drove forward past a greenlight as his mind finally processed where he was. He was only two right turns away from the police station and got there without further interruption. He parked his car across the street, grabbed the box of VHS tapes and locked the doors. He carefully walked across the street, his eyes criss-crossing the road and the box. A young and lanky officer held the door for Rick and gave him a pleasant greeting. “Detective Greenblatt told me you’d be here. My dad was a big fan of yours.” “Well, that’s really kind. How is your father now?” Rick couldn’t help but ask. The lanky officer led Rick inside of the station, stopping in front of the main desk where Isabelle told him to meet him. “My dad’s alright, for a retired dementiaridden old fart I guess,” the officer answered. “That’s rough, I’m sorry to hear about that. Do you think he would want an autograph?” Rick asked. “I’m not sure if he’ll remember you, but as a conversation starter for the next time I see him, sure,” the officer answered honestly. The officer handed Rick a small notepad and pen from his blue pants pocket. Rick started to write down an iconic quote from “The Red Raven” but realized he didn’t catch a name. The officer realized that when Rick raised his head. “Just put ‘To Edgar and Nathan.’ He would appreciate you adding my name too.” “You’re Nathan I assume?” Rick asked. “My dad isn’t that cruel to name me Edgar,” Nathan smiled. Isabelle walked down from the hallway and crossed her arms when she caught up to the two of them. “Just couldn’t help yourself, could you?” Isabelle shook her head. “Don’t take it that way, detective. It’s for me and my dad,” Nathan defended Rick, who was speechless but understanding in Isabelle’s comment. “I understand, but I don’t want him to be tempted to start his own Red Raven Convention in the station just because he has someone who remembers the show that isn’t in retirement. We are here for serious reasons and I won’t let him or anyone else involved in this case get distracted.” Nathan and Rick didn’t say anything in response. Isabelle took their silence as an agreement and led them up to the hallway she came from. The hallway was a dense corridor full of doors crowding up the small space. They reached the end of the hallway at a door that was located on the right side. Isabelle unlocked the door with a key from her pocket and held it open for Rick and Nathan. The would-be interrogation room was small and painted with dark green walls. There was a table with a small, square, black television and VHS player on top. Rick placed the box on top of the table and handed Isabelle the first tape, which contained the first episode of “The Red Raven,” which was titled “The Alphabet Murders.” Isabelle took the tape from Rick’s hand and pushed it through the VHS slot. Nathan turned the lights off as all three of them took their seats in front of the screen. As the episode played, Rick looked over to Isabelle and smiled at her. He wanted to remind her of the days he remembered when she was a little girl. The days when she watched the show repeatedly and always told him how much she admired him as a superhero. She didn’t look back at him once. When the episode concluded, Isabelle took out the tape and placed it back into the box. “Did you two get anything from that?” “The murderer used alphabet blocks as weapons and went through letters A, B, and C until he was discovered by the Red Raven. Rudy Jenkins was the killer and was arrested,” Nathan summarized. “Right, and if the murderer were to strike again and murder someone with a wooden block with the letter ‘B’ then, we would have reason to suspect that they have taken inspiration from the show,” Isabelle concluded. “So, there is a connection.” Rick said. “Not exactly, and until there is, your assistance is no longer needed,” Isabelle affirmed. Rick stood up and asked, “Why don’t I stay with you?” To be continued... �The Beacon - October 5, 2023 Opinion 16 The outrage over Senate dress code regulations is silly By Sydney Allabaugh Opinion Editor After more than a week of heated debates over a potential change in the Senate dress code, the Senate came to an agreement: Suit jackets and slacks are here to stay, but is it for the best? On Sept. 18, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that the Senate would no longer be enforcing a dress code on the floor. This decision was likely inspired by Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman as he frequently had to vote from doorways as his clothing decisions, like wearing shorts, prevented him from being on the Senate floor. This relaxed dress code decision outraged Democratic and Republican senators alike, with many arguing that dressing casual is disrespectful to constituents. Their concerns were addressed on Sept. 27, when the Senate passed a resolution that requires business attire to be worn on the floor, which, according to the resolution document, means men must wear a coat, tie and slacks. Although senators believe that they owe their constituents formality, is it even something that citizens value? As a culture, we have been straying away from dress codes and embracing more casual wear in our daily lives. In K-12 schools, students are less likely to be given uniforms or forced to wear polos and slacks. At work, it has been more common to wear jeans and leggings instead of a dress or a suit. In universities, students have been going so far with casual dress that they wear slippers and pajama pants to class. We are not only just embracing casual wear, but we are taking it one step further by actively opposing restrictive dress codes. Many argue that dress codes are outdated. Others believe dress codes are discriminatory in some way as they may not be equally enforced, commonly with women’s appearances being overly policed. Although this likely not the case in the Senate considering there were not even specific attire regulations for women mentioned in the resolution document, the point remains: many people do not like being told what to wear. If, as a culture, we are slowly embracing more casual dress - even in the workplace and other formal settings - and are beginning to oppose attire regulations, it seems silly to be so concerned about the Senate dress code, especially if senators would likely continue to wear business professional attire regardless of whether there was a rule in place. This is not to say that I do not believe that politicians owe constituents respect and consideration. It is quite the opposite. I just do not see appearance as all that important in determining whether someone may be an effective and considerate representative. In the case of Fetterman, as someone who is his constituent, his appearance and casual clothing choices have always been a nonissue to me. If anything, I think it is refreshing to see a politician not only act as if he is an average citizen but to look like one, too. Further, I thought it would be interesting to see how senators would present themselves if there were no boundaries. Potentially, they could wear something to make a political statement. Maybe there would be changes in our perceptions of what a senator can look like. Or, the most likely option, senators would continue to dress in business attire anyways and all the outrage would be over nothing. All the energy that has gone into deciding whether senators should have a dress code could have been better directed elsewhere. If they are anything like me, U.S. citizens have bigger concerns they want to be addressed by the Senate than whether they should have a dress code. Time spent on something so trivial is time wasted. Graphic by Lara Mullen �The Beacon - October 5, 2023 Opinion 17 How politics have ushered in the collapse of the nation By Bryce Greco Contributing Writer As the Republican debates continue and the nation prepares for the upcoming presidential election next year, something is worrying me and many other Americans. With every year, it appears that the country has become more heavily divided. At this point, I believe the U.S. is beyond a state of repair. The American Empire may collapse just as many empires have before, and our generation may be the ones to witness it Anyone who studies history knows what kills empires: divisive politics, economic failures, fallen culture. In modern day America, politics have become a wedge between everyone in society. What once was a matter of opinion now defines one’s entire life. If you are a Republican, you socialize with Republican friends, watch Republican news, follow Republican leaders. If you are a Democrat, you socialize with Democrat friends, watch Democrat news and follow Democrat leaders. The states of America is no longer a united front. Rather, it seems to be caught up in a civil war of sorts. But this time, there is no Mason-Dixon Line to draw battle lines. Neighbors turn against neighbors. Family dinners turn into vile screaming matches over whatever topic the two parties have decided to recently fight over. Friendships crumble. Relationships end. Politics are only the beginning of America’s troubles. The economy is in shambles. Institutions such as healthcare and education are failing the populous. What it means to be “American,” what once defined our culture, is now lost to the tides of political war. America’s time as an empire is through. This is, in my opinion, not a fixable condition. Politicians on both sides of the spectrum have become so massively corrupt. A former president is being charged as a criminal. Insider trading leaves the politicians rich and the people poor. The “swamp” of Washington D.C. is deeper and murkier than ever imagined, filled with Republicans and Democrats together. There is no miracle candidate, no saving grace. No one can save us. Our generation shall likely be the one to witness this fall. Our generation is, according to many reports, very progovernment, but what we fail to see is how the government is failing us. While billions of tax dollars are funneled into America’s tyrannical military industrial complex to destroy societies overseas, we are left with a dysfunctional healthcare system in our homeland. While politicians find new ways to make the rich richer (and make themselves richer in the process), we are left to beg for financial aid. Gen Z has placed trust into a dystopian, tyrannical government that has proven time and time again to be a failure. With no one to stand against the horrors of politics, America’s empire will continue to grow until it caves in upon itself. Our generation may very well be the one to witness the collapse. If the empire is nearing its end, what are we to do in the interim? I believe the greatest weapon we have at our disposal is an unlikely one: books. There have been countless initiatives, whether through schools or the government itself, to ban books of a certain dystopian genre. The best way to learn about our fallen society is to read about similar societies. Authors have long predicted America’s end, and their predictions may become reality, which is exactly why our leaders want to ensure you will never be able to read them. George Orwell, Phillip K. Dick, William Gibson, Ray Bradbury all have excellent works that will open your eyes and mind to the dystopia that we live in. The American Empire has fallen. We are witnessing it every day. So, take a stand against the powers that be, those who have kept us all in the gutter to see themselves rise. Stray away from modern politics. Stop participating in a system that is continuing to fail you. The government, the politicians, the rulers of this nation care for only themselves. No one is coming to save you. All that is left is to save yourself, before America joins the many other empires that have already succumbed to their fates. Graphic by Lara Mullen Campus Suggestions: Why you should attend campus events By Samara Carey Contributing Writer Welcome back to “Campus Suggestions,” a column in which I tell you my thoughts and feelings about things on campus... and I try to convince you to feel the same way that I do. Today, I will be discussing the reason why you (and your friends) should be going to school events and joining different clubs on campus. Now, this may just be the e-mentor in me coming out, but I truly think that there are many amazing organizations located right in the middle of campus and they are not getting the love that they deserve. With that being said, I am determined to get everyone reading this article to join and or attend at least one different event held on campus this semester! For starters, despite what some people say, sporting events on campus are fun and a great way to show school spirit. Ignore the fact that the football team has only won one dame this season. The other fall sports teams are killing it when it comes to winning their games. That being said, attendance is still very low and we should be supporting our fellow classmates. Up next, as cliché as this may sound, you have the potential to meet new people and also have the ability to create new opportunities for yourself every time you join a new club or wander into a school-held event. Following that, even if you don’t want to join a club, chances are they are giving out free stuff at their events (shout out to Programming Board), and who doesn’t like free stuff ? I know for myself, I have met so many amazing people from joining various clubs on campus, and chances are I wouldn’t have been able to have that chance if I didn’t step out of my comfort zone and join. Another reason that I stand very firmly behind this is the fact that even if you hate the event or hate the club that you joined, you can always leave it and never turn back. After all, it is college and this is the perfect time in your life to experience new things and to learn and differentiate yourself from your old interests. To help support my claim regarding how amazing all the different clubs on campus are, there are well over 50 clubs that you can choose from. Even I will admit, there may be too many clubs available on campus. This is because of the fact that I never even heard of some of them. For example, what is the fly fishing club? Well, now you can find out for yourself and witness whatever it is that they do outside of campus. Our recent homecoming brought so many events to campus, including a pep rally, football game, dance and various giveaways. This was the perfect opportunity to show school spirit and support the teams and clubs that represent our school. To make you feel less pressured and to feel comfortable about stepping out of your comfort zone, you can always reach out to friends or family and see if they will join you for a night out. Besides that, not to mention the e-mentor program again (that you should all totally join by the way), but ask your mentor to join you if you’re a first-year student. Chances are your mentor would love to and would love helping you reach out to different things in our community. While I understand that it’s hard to sometimes get into the school spirit due to the stress and weight of the classes, it is still important to try and think positively and make the most out of your college experience. �The Beacon - October 5, 2023 Opinion 18 The end of the WGA strike is a win for art as a whole By Shawn Carey Contributing Writer After an almost five-month-long protest, the Leaders of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) have authorized its members to return to work following a preliminary agreement between the union and Hollywood executives. The 2023 WGA strike is officially over. While there is much more to be discussed regarding the deal, this is still a massive win. It was also recently announced that the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) met with studio heads for negotiations on Monday, Oct. 2. While nothing was officially said, it is believed that the WGA helped set up this meeting in some way. With the Hollywood shutdown being almost over, it seems like it won’t be long until shows and movies will be able to start production again. “The Batman: Part II,” “Community: The Movie,” “Abbott Elementary,” “Thunderbolts” and “The Tonight Show” are just some of the projects that were put on hold. While it’s exciting to see these projects picked back up, we shouldn’t forget why they were stopped in the first place. Screenwriting has always been a somewhat difficult profession. Not only is there the actual writing aspect of it, but an additional list of complications to worry about. Writers have to keep in mind the project’s budget, available filming locations, run time, the scripts of other writers and much more. As you can imagine, this is no easy feat. With that being said, it seems like studio executives have a hard time understanding this. It’s sadly not uncommon to hear stories about scripts being rushed out due to unreasonable deadlines and work days lasting more than eight hours. Work overload happens all the time in Hollywood; however, writers tend to be the ones who experience it the most. Sadly, this isn’t anything new and has been going on for decades. Poor wages and benefits also tend to be an issue. More often than not, writers don’t tend to have a set salary. Payment tends to be based around the type of script being written, project size and budget and position. Additionally, there seems to be two different ways of payment depending on the project. While weekly is the most common, a “Writers Guild Strike.” On Jan. 16, 1960, the WGA called a “two-pronged” strike against both film and television production. The president at the time attributed his main reason behind calling the strike to only receiving residuals for the first six reruns of a show. We may be used to seeing reruns now, but at the time they were a pretty new concept. Starting in 1955 the show “I Love Lucy” became the first television commission based payment plan is also used. Using a recent example, during the 2019-2020 television season, “Variety” reported that the average story editor makes around $7,000 a week. If we use the commission payment method, writer-producers earn a minimum of $42,000 for each 60-minute script, or $28,000 for each 30-minute script. As great as this sounds, most Hollywood writers aren’t at the story editor or producer level. They are instead staff writers, the lowest rank. Keeping all of this in mind, it should come as no surprise that the WGA has a history of striking. There have been a total of eight strikes in the past, all happening for a number of different reasons. While the problems I previously mentioned played a factor in them, there tends to be a larger eraspecific issue behind the strikes. Let's take a look at the very first series to replay old episodes regularly. This proved to be a very popular decision as many network programs would follow in the show’s footsteps soon after. After a 148-day strike, a deal was reached. Five percent of the total earnings from pre-1960 reruns of a show would go to pensions, healthcare and other funds that helped writers. 63 years later, this rule is still in place to this very day. The 2007-08 Writers Guild of American strike provides a somewhat more recent example of era-specific problems. The strike primarily sought increased residual rates for DVD sales and jurisdiction over and residuals from new releases of older media. The strike that took place in 1985 happened for a pretty similar reason, except it was over VHS and LaserDisc sales. If this sounds familiar, that is because one of the key reasons behind the most recent strike happens to be wanting an increase in residuals from streaming. In this age of nonstop media consumption, it only makes sense for writers to want to earn more. The rise of AI also played a role in the strike. Writers feared that with AI getting more and more advanced that it would start writing show scripts for them, eventually taking their jobs. It should be noted that the WGA isn’t entirely against the use of artificial intelligence. They believe AI should only be used as a tool for research and script development. As you have probably noticed these strikes tend to start up whenever an advancement in home media technology happens. While I only mentioned four of the strikes, rest assured that the same goes for the other half. Whenever there’s a change in the status quo things tend to be a little rough at first. This is especially true for the world of entertainment. Hollywood is constantly looking for new and easy ways to earn revenue. Oftentimes they don’t tend to think about the people that help them fill their pockets. Once again, this isn’t anything new. Since the start of cinema there has been a certain level of greed associated with the art form. This greed doesn’t originate from the filmmakers. However, it comes from the people selling the art. This goes for all types of creative work. Picture this. You spend your entire life putting your entire heart and soul into creating something meaningful, something you can be truly proud of, only for some big shot businessman to slap a price tag on it. If your line of work requires even an ounce of creativity, you can be sure that this will happen. It’s pretty difficult for most artists to fight against this greed, which is why I believe the writers' strike was fantastic. It shows that it is possible to fight for your passion, no matter what you’re up against. The strike ending on the writers’ terms is not only a win for them, but for every person willing to fight for their art. Graphic by Lara Mullen �Sports The Beacon - October 5, 2023 Athlete of the Week 23 Hannah Landis Senior Women's Soccer Goalkeeper The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Landis recorded two shutouts to help the Colonels to one win and one tie. She made five saves in a 1-0 victory at Albright College, and recorded five more saves in a 0-0 tie against Susquehanna. Landis totaled 10 saves for the week and had a perfect 1.000 save percentage. Major: Nursing Hometown: Red Hill, Pa. High School: Upper Perkiomen What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? Beating FDU-Florham in overtime to earn us a spot in the MAC semi-finals. If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Volleyball or lacrosse. What has been your favorite sports memory overall? My senior night in high school. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? What is your favorite post-game meal? What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? Philadelphia Eagles. Spend time with my friends and family. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? Wawa. I feel very honored for the opportunity and I am excited to see what is in store for the rest of the season. My favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes is that you get to make lifelong friends and memories all while pursuing a degree. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? "Miracle." Compiled by Adam Grundt, Asst.Sports Editor The Beacon//Sam Mullen Editor’s note: Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor ts staff each week. At the end of the academic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw it ter @WilkesB eacon to crow n an “Athlete of the Year." �The Beacon - October 5, 2023 Interested in writing for sports? CONTACT Adam Grundt adam.grundt@ wilkes.edu Does your team have a milestone to celebrate? Does a team member have something to celebratate? 24 STUDENT HOUSING 2024-2025 for OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2023 from 12 - 2 PM Scan this QR code to sign up for the Open House! COME GET A TOUR OF OUR UPSCALE, CLEAN, ALL-INCLUSIVE MANSIONS! Sign-up for housing as singles, doubles, triples or quads. We offer the best in affordable offcampus housing, and are only steps away from your classes! Tour begins at 281 South River Street. feature... multi-bedroom, shared mansion-living 3.5 bathrooms fully-furnished all-inclusive rent (all utilities, WIFI) fully stocked kitchen with appliances, pots and pans, dishware, etc. living room dining room full laundry facilities secure entrances Let our sports team know. You may be featured in the next Beacon! Contact us: 570-592-3113 | znpropertiesllc@gmail.com � 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 <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 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>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> 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. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre 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 Wilkes Beacon, 2023 October 5 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wilkes University retains copyright of this publication. https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/a443afef18d753bac7aaae84fb3f1a05.pdf 0b6d6378b71a6d9c928f7785b3f6639d PDF Text Text The Beacon - September 28, 2023 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 76, Issue 4 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” WEBS and Title IX: Paving way for gender equity in STEM By Amanda Montgomery 1 News Editor In recent developments, the Women Empowered By Science (WEBS) program has found itself at the intersection of Title IX compliance and the pursuit of inclusivity. Title IX, a statute designed to protect students in educational institutions from discrimination based on sex has prompted the program to undergo significant changes. An email was sent out to Elizabeth Leo, university counsel and Title IX coordinator, as well as to President Cant from a professor emeritus for the University of Michigan. This professor learned of the Wilkes WEBS program, and let the university know that he filed a complaint with the office of civil rights who will do an investigation on the matter. This professor has made over 850 Title IX complaints from more than 2,000 civil rights violations at more than 750 colleges. “He’s kind of been very prolific in his quest to eradicate programs that benefit one gender, and I believe they’re all those that have programs designed for girls or women to go into traditionally male-dominated fields,” said Leo. In his email, the professor contacted the office of civil rights (OCR), the agency that oversees Title IX violations. To be proactive in compliance, Wilkes determined to remove all gender-related information from the program and from the website to make it compliant with Title IX. If the OCR did do an investigation, they would examine the policies and practices, interview the individuals affiliated and ask for documentation. The investigation could vary from asking for a position paper, to conducting an on-site investigation. WEBS, in compliance with Title IX, invites everyone to participate, regardless of their gender and identity, to join in their existing mission of empowering women in science. While they never directly excluded individuals from participating with the program, they are involving a more diverse population than they had previously done. “We’re inviting everyone regardless of gender and identity to join us in that mission of empowering women and helping them maintain their interest in science, but then also cultivate their interest through being armed elbow to elbow with other professionals from the community and also on campus,” said Debra Chapman, faculty of practice for the biology department. Over the summer, the WEBS program held a summer camp which took place at the university. It provided young science enthusiasts with an exciting opportunity to explore various scientific fields through hands-on laboratories and activities. “This summer I saw males in the program and a week ago I saw two young boys doing a WEBS project with one of the WEBS coordinators, so we never excluded other genders or other folks that identified in other ways, just that it was always predominantly girls,” said Leo. The program started 21 years ago, and the focus of the camp was to involve young women who had an interest in science. “The reality is that women will work with other people of all kinds of genders and identities when they are even here at Wilkes, but then certainly when they join the workforce,” said Chapman. Title IX is an umbrella term that ensures there is comity between the benefits and opportunities that men and women have in colleges. “The university is committed to complying with Title IX in all of the aspects of Title IX,” said Leo. Division of Global Cultures Celebrates Dr. Kuiken’s book publication, page 3 WUPB’s cooking demonstration at the casino, page 7 Analyzing fandoms: the pros and cons of fan culture, page 18 Celtics championship favorites as season approaches, page 19 �The Beacon - September 28, 2023 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Amanda Montgomery: Amanda.Montgomery1@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: Sept. 20 weekly meeting By Zach Paraway Contributing Writer Student Government held its fourth meeting for the semester on Sept. 20. SG currently has $48,277.84 in their account. The first order of business was the Alumni Office in a fund request for Homecoming weekend. The presentation was given by Bree Freeman of the office and Brooke Coleman, a junior student intern. This was week two of two for the request. The request was for $500 to cover 50 student tickets for the weekend's events. The motion was passed and allotted for the full amount. The next order of business was a fund request from Kappa Psi, a pharmaceutical fraternity on campus under the chapter Delta Omicron. Presenting was regent Phil Davis, a P4 student. This was week two of two for their request. They requested $2,226 in order to attend two conferences over the fall semester. The conferences provide networking opportunities and allow for voting on changes that affect all chapters. Locations include Buffalo, New York and Boston. The motion was passed for the partial amount of $1,726 in order to fund the trip to the NEP conference in Boston. The next order of business was the Pre-Law Society coming in for club recognition. The presentation was given by Sean Greco, a junior political science student. This was week two of two for the club. The club has been in operation for two semesters without full SG recognition and has a full e-board and general board of over 20 members. The group holds events to help others understand law and helps members in the seeking of higher education. The vote was passed for the club to be fully recognized. The next order of business was a fund request from the Wilkes Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA). GSA serves the campus community in the promotion of conversation and of the rights for all people that may identify outside of hetrosexual. The presentation was given by Morgan Steiner, junior political science student. The request is for GSA and its guests to be able to attend the Mid-Atlantic LGBTQ+ conference being held Nov. 3-5 in Bloomsburg, Pa. The conference would help students send work for the conference in the form of papers, projects and workshops. It also gives many of the members a chance in order to present formally and gain that experience. This was the first week of their proposal and will be voted on next week. The final order of business was an internal presentation given by Michael Nowak, senior electrical engineering student and vice president of SG. This was for a fall event getaway for Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Beacon News Staff Scholarship Opportunity for Students of Polish Descent The Polish Room Committee Scholarship ($3,000 top award) welcomes applications from Luzerne County residents. To be considered, applicants must write a brief description of their Polish heritage and what that heritage means to them. This letter must be submitted, along with the applicant’s name, WIN and contact information to Allison Naumann, Alumni House. Applications can be emailed to allison. naumann@wilkes.edu with the subject line “Polish Heritage Scholarships.” Deadline for applications is Oct. 13 at 4:30 p.m. Volunteer with ChalkFest The Riverfront Parks Committee hosts their annual ChalkFest event on Saturday, Oct. 7 starting at 9:30 a.m. This is a great opportunity for students to volunteer and serve their community. Please email john@riverfrontparks.org with the following information: name, phone number and email address. If you have any questions, contact John Maday at john@riverfrontparks. orgor call 570-825-5763. Sam’s Club Membership Drive University Staff Advisory Committee (USAC) invites all students to visit the representative of Sam’s Club on Oct. 2 to sign up for a discounted membership, valid through the 2024 year. The event will take place on the first floor of the Student Union Building (SUB) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The offer is only available until Oct. 14. Contact Corey Moore at corey. moore@wilkes.edu with any questions. BACCHUS Alcohol Awareness Walk The Alcohol Awareness Walk will take place on Oct. 24 from 11a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Fenner Quad. Food will be provided. Sign up before Oct. 3 to receive a shirt using this link: https://docs. g o o g l e . c o m / f o r m s / d / e / 1 FA I p Q L S dNyDEgn46xXBHJOoHf lOZxA Vn 8 6 x T B J 4 P h e z o R 0 S 6 x r 0 E R e A / viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0. members of the student community. The trip would see them travel to Roba’s farms, the Taste of Autumn and a scavenger hunt. This would occur over fall break from Oct. 13-16 and give many students a chance to have an activity for those who would not be able to go home during the shortened break. The cost and fund request for the trip was $3,600. This was week one of two and will be voted on next week SG will meet again on Wednesday, Sept. 27. Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Upcoming Events: October 5 - Hoedown Throwdown 8 - Statue of Liberty Boat Tour NYC 12-15 - Fall Break 19 - Couch Potato 23-27 - Freak Week 28 - Dorney Haunted Park November 2 - Silent Disco 9 - Giveaway Want your event featured in the calendar? Email: Amanda.Montgomery1@ wilkes.edu �The Beacon - September 28, 2022 3 Division of Global Cultures celebrates Dr. Kuiken’s book By Emma Broda News Staff Writer Students, faculty and friends all gathered in Kirby Hall recently to support Dr. Jonathan Kuiken’s newly published book. Kuiken, associate professor of history and the director of the Honors Program, had his first book published, “Oil for Britain: The United Kingdom and the Remaking of the International Oil Industry, 1957-1988.” The book was published earlier this year. The book covers the United Kingdom’s involvement in the international oil industry during the late 20th century. Writing a historical book requires considerable research and work, and this was no different for Kuiken. “Writing a book is difficult in the best of circumstances,” said Kuiken. “Monographs focusing on history require you to do a lot of secondary source reading and a significant amount of primary source research in libraries, archives, etc.” The book had been a long time in the making for Kuiken with many other responsibilities taking up his time. “The biggest challenge, however, is finding both the time and the energy to do serious research and writing,” said Kuiken. “At Wilkes we have a pretty heavy teaching and advising load on top of our other responsibilities such as serving on committees. Obviously teaching is an amazing privilege, but it also takes a lot of time and, even more, a lot of energy.” The hard work put into the book was celebrated with a party with refreshments and a speech from Kuiken. Many of those in attendance were aware of the time and effort Kuiken put into this achievement. “I know he was stressed so I could imagine he was relieved,” said Megan Novak, junior environmental science major. “I felt proud to see it finished.” There was a definite sense of pride and excitement from all attending the party, and there were even some tears shed during his speech. “It was wonderful recognizing Dr Kuiken’s big achievement,” said Dr. Chelsea Chamberlain, professor of history and colleague of Kuiken. Mia Decker, junior history major, said Dr. Kuiken poses with his new book, “Oil for Britain: The United Kingdom and the Remaking of the International Oil Industry, 1957-1988.” that attending the event put a smile on her face. “Dr. Kuiken is one of my favorite professors, and every class I’ve had with him has been lovely and I wanted to support his achievement,” said Decker. Even during his speech Kuiken expressed he does not necessarily enjoy things where he is the center of attention, especially a party like this one. He shared that this one, however, was different. “Researching and writing can be a pretty lonely experience so the importance of having the support of friends, family, colleagues, and students - many of whom were at the book party - is hard to overstate,” said Kuiken. “It’s easy to doubt yourself, and hard to fight the temptation to give up, so having people there to cheer you on is really appreciated.” One particularly memorable moment from the party and his speech was his thanks to his children, Madeline and Thomas, whom the book was dedicated to. During his speech he also shared that the two were part of the reason why the book took so long to finish. However, he shared why he decided to dedicate it to them. “But in all seriousness, having children is one of the greatest motivations to be the best person you can be,” said Kuiken. “They are a tremendous source of joy in my life, and their ability to help me put the importance of my work into proper perspective made my dedicating the book to them an obvious choice.” It was clear from the party just how well respected and loved Kuiken is at Wilkes. “If you had one conversation with Dr. Kuiken, you would remember him forever,” said Kamea Paresa, sophomore math and secondary education major. “He holds the kind of character that inspires you and encourages you. He is an incredibly talented and intelligent professor who has done so many great things. “He’s just such a humble and wellrounded individual. My experience at Wilkes wouldn’t be the same without him. He gives great advice and is also very personable. He’s just an overall great person.” Photos: The Beacon/Emma Broda Copies of Kuiken’s book were displayed at the event. The book features United Kingdom’s involvement in the international oil industry. �The Beacon - September 28, 2023 News 4 The College of Business and Engineering hosts career fair By Amanda Montgomery News Editor The annual College of Business and Engineering Career and Internship Fair recently took place in the McHale Athletic Center. More than 50 companies and organizations participated in the event. The fair was open to all students interested in working in the business, engineering and technology fields. Students had the opportunity to meet with prospective employers and internship sites for those interested. The Center for Career Development and Internships helped prepare students by conducting mock interviews, reviewing resumes and preparing students for interviews and networking skills. The Colonel Clothes Closet also provided students with the opportunity to find professional wear for the event free of charge. For first-year students in business, engineering and technology fields, the Career Development Center conducted a first year career bingo which consisted of questions students can ask employers, as well as questions related to their interests. Once the students spoke with employers, they received a sticker which they placed on the appropriate section of the card. When students “won” bingo, they handed their card to the registration table and were entered in various gift card giveaways. Some of the different companies and organizations in attendance included Target, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Proctor and Gamble, Mountain Productions, Hershey Entertainment and Resorts and Kearney and Company. Each organization offered a variety of opportunities for students, including internships, jobs and graduate school opportunities. For those who missed the fall semester career and internship fair, there will be another held during the spring semester. Photos: The Beacon/Amanda Montgomery One of the prizes available for first year students who participated in the first year career bingo. In addition, there are various gift card giveaways that the bingo particpants can win. The career fair displayed an archway made from blue and gold balloons before entering the variety of employer tables. Business, engineering and technology students networking and learning more about the different opportunities available to them. There wre over 50 employers that students could meet and interact with. �The Beacon - September 28, 2023 News What is... the Wilkes University Programming Board By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer Thursday nights at Wilkes are dedicated to the Programming Board. Many students are familiar with Thursday night bingo events, which always have a theme. There is always a “back to school” bingo which starts the fall semester off, and a “techno” bingo which rounds out the spring semester. While bingo is only once a month, the Programming Board hosts events for the entire campus community to enjoy every Thursday night of the school year. “[Programming Board is] one of the mega councils on campus and we host an event every Thursday night,” said Kim Wheeler, junior p1 pharmacy student and president of the Programming Board. “Along with our monthly bingos, annual concert and giveaways, we also host an array of events to engage the campus community. All of our events are planned with the help of our executive and general board.” Programming Board is very flexible with general board members, and encourages them to attend general board meetings even if they’re not on the executive board. “I wish students knew that they could get involved with Programming Board at any point during the school year,” said Addie Hazlet, the activities coordinator for student development and advisor for programming board. “We would not be successful if it were not for our gen board participation so I encourage students to get involved with our club.” Kylie Jayne, junior nursing major, started off her first semester as a general board member for Programming Board, and is now the analytical chair. “I got involved with the Programming Board last year because my roommate told me that it was fun and I should join," said Jayne. "I enjoyed the events and thought it would be fun to spend time with her this way." Other members of the executive board also got their start in Programming Board during their freshman year. “I got involved with Programming Board my freshman year during club day," said Wheeler. "None of my friends wanted to sign up for the club so I took a leap of faith and decided to join by myself." While Programming Board is known for bingo nights, they also host a variety of different events, including their fall 2022 “Wild Wild West Night.” The night consisted of Mission BBQ, games and a mechanical bull. “Programming Board is awesome to be a part of but like anything it comes with its challenges," said Jayne. "Thursdays tend to be busy days when we are trying to set things up. The most challenging thing would have to be the last minute changes we need to make when someone goes wrong or does not show up in time. We all work as a team and it gets done together." Posters of their fall semester event schedule can be found around campus, and on their Instagram @wilkesupub. To become part of the general board, students can email wupb@wilkes.edu or kimberly.wheeler@wilkes.edu. 5 Members of the 2023 executive and general board with Trevor Wallace, an American comedian, writer and actor, after his comedy show last spring. WUPB executive board, fall 2022; back row L-R: Addie Hazlet (advisor), Brynn Marlow (junior), Jessica Kunkle (junior), Nicole Middleton (p3) and Kaelin Hughes (senior). Front row L-R: Shelby Brazes (senior), Kimberly Wheeler (junior/p1), Rebecca Ax (junior) and Lauren Beaver (junior). Graphic: The Beacon/Amanda Montgomery Photos Courtesy of Kim Wheeler �6 The Beacon - September 28, 2023 Dr. Monique Woodard returns to Wilkes as assistant professor By Zach Paraway Contributing Writer Dr. Monique Woodard recently joined Wilkes as assistant professor of game and emergent technology. Woodard is a Wilkes graduate, and explained that the time was right to return. “I felt as if it was time to move from my past job to a new one, and the fact that Eric (Ruggiero) had been reaching out to me a couple of times to apply for this position. So, I was like alright, this is it,” she said. Woodard graduated from Wilkes in 2015 with degrees in integrative media and theater. She then received a masters in digital media, and later a doctorate in education with a STEM concentration from Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pa. in both 2018 and 2023, respectively. Black girls get “I was a involved in the student here world of STEM from 2011through coding. 2015,” said While Woodard Woodard. “My was completing time here was her graduate pretty fun to be degree at Drexel honest with you. University, as I do not have part of her job any complaints as research outside of the a s s i s t a n t usual ones. I like she went my professors on to create and I made really good Black Girls friends here STEAMing through Dance. in the IMAD “As a part of department and Photo courtesy Dr. Woodard my degree, my also with my other major of theater when I was here.” research was in supporting black girls’ Over the past three years, Woodard creativity as they learn to code in virtual has been working on a project to help environments,” said Woodard. “I ended up teaching around 17 girls through the concepts of coding beginning in block coding and then transitioning them over to Python in order to have full understanding of the functions.” Woodard wanted the program to help prepare them for high school and college with coding skills. She hoped the opportunity would not to just help them survive in coding, but thrive in coding. As part of her job, Woodard teaches three classes this semester along with an independent study. She also has three students working closely with her for a research project. While Woodard settles into her new job, returning to Wilkes after eight years, she hopes to inspire students to want to code and go into the path of media development. She also hopes to bring a program for black girls to Wilkes as she had at Drexel. Dr. Joshua Harper joins Wilkes as assistant professor By Amanda Montgomery News Editor Dr. Joshua Harper joined Wilkes this fall as an assistant professor of choral music and applied voice. He is also the director of choirs. Harper received a bachelor of arts in vocal performance and a bachelor of arts in music composition and theory at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn. He then received a masters in choral conducting at University of Massachusetts Amherst in Amherst, Mass. He later received a doctorate in choral conducting at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington, Ind. Harper is from Huntsville, Ala., and now lives in Dunmore, Pa,. with his wife. They moved from Arizona when she was offered a position at the University of Scranton. “I had to get rid of my accent because choral music has a lot to do with vowels, and so I had a teacher tell me that if I wanted to be successful in my career, I would need to get rid of my southern accent,” said Harper. H a r p e r but ultimately started his being able undergraduate to teach and degree as a conduct music finance major is really what I with a music love to do,” said minor. Harper. “I’ve sung and Harper currently played piano teaches choir, for most of my voice lesions and life, but when music theory. He it came time to likes the fact that come to college, most professors at I didn’t think Wilkes do not just that I could teach one class, as make a career a lot of his past by singing,” said professors have. Harper. “There’s so Photo courtesy Dr. Harper much After taking culture. various business and music classes, he There is, in my opinion, great weather decided that music was his passion, and and full four seasons, and just a lot so he changed his business major to one of opportunities professionally as a in music. conductor and musician,” said Harper. “[I] learned a few years later that Harper is excited to share his music conducting voices was what really with the community, both the university brought me the most amount of joy, and and town of Wilkes-Barre. figured out that I enjoyed working with “Wilkes has a history of a really other people with students, and so I’m successful choral program, and there’s a fast-forwarding through a lot of years, lot of wonderful alumni I’ve already met in the area, both because of COVID and how it affected everyone, just because of some other things that happened over the past couple of years, this program has a lot of room for growth, and I’m really excited to hopefully bring the choral music program in particular back to the reputation that it had for so many years,” said Harper. In his free time, Harper enjoys English Premier League football, which is a fantasy sports league. He explained that there are about 10 million people who play in the world, and last year he came in 47,000. One piece of advice Harper advises students is from an old professor of his. He explained that you don’t know who you are until you’re 30 years old so quit trying so hard to figure it out until then. “I tell my students is also about becoming a better person and part of that is learning a little bit more about yourself and that may mean changing your finance major to a vocal performance major but that also could end up really being who you are and defining the rest of your life in your career as it has for mine,” said Harper. �The Beacon - September 28, 2023 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Life, Arts & Entertainment Editor: Zara.Lantzman@wilkes.edu WUPB’s cooking demonstration at the casino By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer Programming Board’s events always draw a large crowd, but this week, seating was limited in the Chef ’s Kitchen at Rustic Kitchen. In a new twist on the Thursday night tradition, this week’s event, a Cooking Class, had students stepping off campus and into the kitchen to take a cooking class with a professional chef. This trip brought students to a cooking class at the Rustic Kitchen in Mohegan Sun Casino. Normally, a class like this would cost upwards of $80. Through Programming Board, the trip was only $5, transportation included. “Programming board wants to add something different for people who didn’t have events geared to their interests before.” said Shelby Brazes, a senior criminology and psychology major, and treasurer of the programming board Others shared their experiences at the event. “It was like being in the live studio audience of one of those cooking shows.” said Ellie Freiss, a senior mechanical engineering major. “The chef was really interactive and provided great cooking tips and entertaining commentary.” The three course meal included a salad, entree and dessert. “The ribs were very good and fell off the bone,” said Freiss. Brazes said her favorite was the mixedberry parfait they had for dessert and other students raved about the jalapenocheddar cornbread. “I would definitely recommend it and go to an event like this again,” said Freiss. Brazes added that the club expresses interest in doing it again because of how much of a hit the event seemed to be. Programming board hosts fun, engaging events every Thursday even each fall and spring semester. Chef Kim Demonstrates in background with a stack of ribs and jalapeno-cheddar cornbread. A cup that was filled with a delicious mixed-berry parfait. The large center kitchenwas surrounded and occupied by audience participants. Photos Courtesy of Ellie Freiss �The Beacon - September 28, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 Club of the Week: NAMI By Anthony Cazun Asst. Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor Wilkes University houses a plethora of clubs for sports, art and media. Others, help those in need,. This is the ultimate goal of National Alliance on Mental Illness. National Alliance on Mental Illness, also known as NAMI, is a club and advocate group on campus that is an extension of the overall nationwide NAMI organization. The organization, and club by proxy, has the mission to bring attention to and educate about mental illness, fight for the rights of people struggling with mental illnesses and provide assistance to people that need it. “We are trying to get rid of the stigma around mental health, and provide resources for those that need it,” said Ashley Gangaware, senior nursing major. “We spend a lot of time doing that.” Part of this destigmatization includes creating a discussion around the issue and allowing those that are struggling with easily accessible resources. That is why The Bandana Project was initiated. This project includes training students for certain emergencies and providing them with several resources in order for the student to effectively assist someone in need. These students sport a green bandana on their person, which signifies that the wearer can be approached about mental health related issues and provide resources to help anyone that requires it. Green bandana wearers are approachable, understanding and wish nothing more than to assist in improving the wellbeing of others, so do not be afraid to tap one on the shoulder. Anybody can be a green bandana wearer with the proper guidance, as well as a NAMI member, regardless of major. NAMI welcomes everyone across Wilkes University, from arts to business and everything in between. “We want it to be a campus wide thing.” said Gangaware. “Any major is welcome to join, because everyone deals with mental health issues, not just people within psychological or medical fields.” NAMI is also very accessible, as while it is encouraged, members are not required to attend every meeting, so it is very flexible for those with busy schedules. “NAMI is not one of those clubs where it’s mandatory to come to all meetings,” said Gangaware. “If you want to get all the information about stuff we are promoting off campus, you can still be a member but you do not have to come to every single meeting.” Those aforementioned promotions include various events where self help is encouraged and advocated for. NAMI attends many events where it can spread Morgan Rich, Editor-in-Chief: Sydney Allabaugh, Opinion Editor: cowboy ike me - Taylor Swift Take It Off - Kesha Amanda Montgomery, News Editor: “Freeze,” Opinion Staff Writer: Clay Pigeons - Michael Cera The Ninja in the Night - Lind Erebros Emma Broda, News Staff Writer: Adam Grundt, Sports Asst. Editor: I’m Your Man - Mitski Nostalgia - Rod Wave, Wet Zara Lantzman, LA&E Editor: that’s how you make a villain - emyln Anthony Cazun, LA&E Asst. Editor: Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staff picks their favorite song of the week. Our very own Zara Lantzman has put together a Spotify playlist where you can scan it and listen to the Beacon’s staff awareness about mental illness and both help those in need and recruit people into the cause. “There are important mental health events that we do, we have done suicide awareness walks and attended other events where we can spread the word,” said Ashley Tommassacci, sophomore neuroscience and psychology major. NAMI often collaborates with other organizations, event organizers and other schools in order to more efficiently build a defense against mental illness. Whether it be apparent or not, people are always in need and not everyone has the ability or the push to make themselves feel comfortable within their own skin. The goal of NAMI is to help people reach that point of comfortabilibty. Whirring - The Joy Formidable Cally Williams, LA&E Staff Writer: Sofia- Clairo Lara Mullen, Designer: The Narcissist - Blur Liz Cherinka, Social Media Manager: Peppers - Lana Del Rey, Tommy Genesis Graphics/Lara Mullen �The Beacon – September 28, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 9 The Dorothy Dickson Darte Center fall preview By Cassidy Brumagin Contributing Writer The Wilkes University theatre department’s fall season is underway. This semester, the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts will be putting on two productions. The first performance will be Noël Coward’s “Blithe Spirit.” The second will be Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical “Carousel.” “Blithe Spirit” is a comic play centered on novelist Charles Condomine. Searching for material for his next book, Charles invites a local medium into his house. When the seance goes awry, the plan backfires as chaos and the supernatural ensue. Playwright Coward describes the play as a farce, entailing dramatic comedy scenes that are improbable, exaggerated and absurd for the audience. The cast list for the production includes Caleb Flannery as Charles, Kasey Karoll as Ruth, Bella Ruiz as Elvira, Rachel Kern as Madame Arcati, Cally Williams as Edith, Kaiden Harris as Dr. Bradman and Olivia Scarborough as Mrs. Bradman. The show will have performances at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 5; Friday Oct. 6; and Saturday Oct. 7 . A matinee performance will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 8. Next up for the fall season will be the musical “Carousel.” The story of “Carousel” focuses on the love story of carousel barker Billy Bigelow and quiet mill worker Julie Jordan. After falling in love, the relationship between the two has its ups and downs. Ultimately, Billy is given a chance to mend relationships after his time on earth from beyond the grave. The musical falls into the categories of drama and romance and features musical numbers including “June is Busting Out All Over,” “If I Loved You” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” The principal cast will feature Raven Whitefawn as Julie Jordan, Jahel Duran-Diaz as Billy Bigelow, Rachel Kern as Carrie Pipperidge, Olivia Scarborough as Nettie Fowler, Caleb Flannery as Enoch Snow and Jack Flynn as Jigger Craigan/Carnival Boy. Performances are 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 16; Friday, Nov. 17; and Saturday, Nov. 18. There is also a 2 p.m. show on Sunday, Nov. 19. The remainder of the 2023-2024 season includes productions of the musical “Fun Home” and the Harry Potter-based parody, “Puffs.” Dates for these productions are to be determined. All shows will take place in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center. Admission for Wilkes students and faculty is free with ID. General admission for the performances is $20 for musicals and $25 for non-musical productions. Seniors and non-Wilkes student pricing is $15 for musicals and $10 for non-musical productions. Graphic/Morgan Rich Want your events featured in the Life, Arts, and Entertainment section of the Beacon? Contact Zara Lantzman, Life, Arts, and Entertainment Editor at zara. lantzman@wilkes.edu �The Beacon – September 28, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 Weekends at Wilkes: Basics of illustration with Kevin O’Neill Find out what is going on in your campus community By Cally Williams Life, Arts, and Entertainment Staff Writer Once classes end on Friday, it is time for the weekend. Although classes do not start up again until Monday, that does not mean that nothing is happeningon campus. Many students go home for the weekend, but there is always something going on at the university, even on the weekend. On Sept. 23, Wilkes hosted an event that stressed community and the importance of art. The event going on that past weekend took place at Wilkes’ own Sordoni Art Gallery. The Sordoni Art Gallery is located in Karambelas Media and Communication Center and the exhibits in the gallery are always changing. Currently, the Sordoni Art Gallery is featuring the work of 20th century illustrator Rose O’Neill, who is most known for her creation of the Kewpie Doll. The exhibit, titled “The One Rose,” opened for the public and university community on Aug. 25 and will end on Oct. 8. On Sept. 23, the art gallery hosted a special event taking inspiration from Rose O’Neill by teaching children ages seven through 10 the basics of illustration. The event offered local children in the community a free opportunity to explore their artistic skills. Kevin O’Neill, a local artist, writer and graphic designer led the event and created a dinosaur mural with the children. O’Neill is a staff artist for the Scranton Times-Tribune as well as a writer for the paper. Along with illustration, Children worked outside of the Sordoni Art Gallery and learned about the basics of illustration before trying some of the techniques themselves. O’Neill has worked with graphic design, watercolor and acrylic wood carving and does courtroom graphics. He attended a vocational-technical school to study graphic design and illustration, Rochester Institute of Technology for medical illustration and has a master in graphic design from Marywood University. “I have been drawing for as long as he can remember,” said O’Neill, “I was always picked to create backdrops for plays.” O’Neill also enjoys attending paint and sip events and woodcarving. Many children, like the ones who attended the workshop, have an interest in art and illustration, but often are not encouraged to pursue artistic careers. “Draw what you are passionate about,” said O’Neill. “If you are invested in it, the end result is going to be much better.” He also talked about finding an audience for your art. “If you try and please a whole market, the work will not be as special,” said O’Neill. Throughout the workshop, he also stressed the importance of enjoying art for the self, and not solely to please others. The weekends at Wilkes not only serve as time for rest for students, but as time to reach out to the community. The Sordoni Art Gallery is free to visit and open to the public. It adds a special artistic touch to not only the university, but to the surrounding Wilkes-Barre community. Photos: The Beacon/Cally Williams Participants showed off the finished project that they created in the workshop. �The Beacon - September 28, 2023 11 Life, Arts & Entertainment Wilkes Sodoku ��������������������������������������������������������� SUB Challenge your brain with some sudoku! How to play: Fill in the missing words. Each row should have 6 different words, no repeats. Each column should have 6 different words, no repeats. Each 2x2 quadrant should have 6 words, no repeats. B+F Dr. Cant Darte SUB SUB Dr. Colonel SUB Cant Wilkes Darte Farley Dr. Cant WUPB Farley Wilkes Farley WUPB Beacon Farley Darte Wilkes Darte Answer Key: SUB Dr. Cant Beacon Farley Darte WUPB WUPB Colonel Dr. Cant SUB Credit for these puzzles goes to: www.edu-games.org Compiled by Morgan Rich, Editor In Chief �The Beacon - September 28, 2023 Featuring Photos Courtesy of: Reapers Revenge By Cally Williams Staff Writer NEPA HAUNTS With Halloween coming up next month, what better way to celebrate the spooky holiday than attending a Haunted House? NEPA is home to several fantastically scary attractions including: Reaper’s Revenge, Gravestone Manor and Horror Hall. Here are some Haunted Houses to check out this October. �The Beacon - September 28, 2023 HAUNTED ATTRACTION OPENINGS AND SCEDULES HORROR HALL OPENS SEPT. 30TH FRIDAY & SATURDAY 6 PM - 11 PM SUNDAY 6 PM - 10 PM REAPER’S REVENGE 11 E. POPLAR ST., NANTICOKE, PA 18634 TICKETS ONLINE OR AT THE DOOR FRIDAY & SATURDAY 5:30 PM - 10:30 PM SUNDAY 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM GRAVESTONE MANOR OPEN NOW 460 GREEN GROVE RD., BLAKELY, PA 18447 TICKETS REAPERSREVENGE.COM OPENS SEPT. 29TH FRIDAY & SATURDAY 7 PM - 10 PM SUNDAY 7 PM - 10 PM 1095 PA-315, WILKES-BARRE, PA 18702 Page Design: Lara Mullen TICKETS GRAVESTONE MANOR.COM �The Beacon - September 28, 2023 Opinion Editorial Staff 2023-24 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Morgan Rich Social Media Manager - Liz Cherinka Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Amanda Montgomery LA&E - Zara Lantzman Opinion - Sydney Allabaugh ASSISTANT EDITORS LA&E - Anthony Cazun Sports - Adam Grundt DESIGNERS Designer - Lara Mullen SECTION STAFF WRITERS News - Emma Broda LA&E - Cally Williams Opinion - “Freeze” Want to join The Beacon? Several positions are open! Contact : kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or morgan.rich@wilkes.edu 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 Morgan Rich at morgan.rich@ wilkes.edu The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact opinion editor: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu. Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. The career fair should include all majors In a world that thrives on interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation, it’s essential that educational institutions, like ours, foster an environment of inclusivity and opportunity for students from all academic backgrounds. The annual college of business and engineering career and internship fair, while undoubtedly beneficial to business and engineering students, has the potential to be so much more if we extend its reach to encompass all majors. The fair predominantly features employers and opportunities that align with the fields of business and engineering. Tables and representatives from renowned companies in these sectors are abundant, and the fair often hosts companies that are tailored to the interests of business and engineering students. While this tailored approach benefits those students, it inadvertently sidelines others who don’t fall into these categories. Students from majors such as liberal arts, social sciences, natural sciences and the arts are often left feeling like outsiders at the event. While the fair may have a few representatives from non-business and nonengineering sectors, the overall atmosphere and focus remain predominantly centered around these two areas. This imbalance can lead to students from other majors feeling excluded from a crucial aspect of their career and professional development. Traditionally, career fairs tend to be centered around specific schools or colleges within an institution. While this approach can be beneficial to those in their respective fields, it can limit opportunities for students who don’t belong to those particular facilities. In addition, students in different majors and fields may not have the same level of support and preparation for the professional world. This disparity is particularly evident when we consider programs like the personal and professional development (PPD) program, which cater specifically to business students. This program equips business students with a range of essential skills and tools that prepare them for success beyond the classroom. Students in this program receive guidance on crafting effective resumes, optimizing LinkedIn profiles, creating professional business cards, honing their interviewing skills and mastering the art of networking. However, this situation isn’t as focused upon for students pursuing other fields of study. Unless they happen to encounter specific professors or extracurricular activities that offer similar training, they may not receive the same level of preparation for their future careers. This inequity not only hinders their professional growth and development, but also perpetuates the idea that certain majors are more “employable” than others. To promote inclusivity and fairness, it’s essential that our college extends the benefits of programs like PPD to students across all majors. While it might not be practical to create identical programs for every discipline, we can work towards a more equitable solution. With the number of employers increasing each year, the idea of including other majors, or possibly creating new career fairs for other majors and departments, should be considered. Expanding the career fair to include a broader range of majors makes sense when there is an increase in employer participation. Looking ahead, it’s our hope that our university takes significant steps towards fostering greater inclusivity in our career fair initiatives. Whether by expanding the existing career fair to include students from all majors or by creating new specialized career fairs for the other academic departments, there’s 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: morgan.rich@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 28, 2023 Opinion 15 The Return of The Red Raven: An original story By Leah Smith Contributing Writer ����� ��� ����� ������� ���� ������ ���� ��������� ������ ������� � � ���� � ������� �� ��������� �� ����������������������� ��� ���������� ��� ���������������� ����� �������� ��������� ����� ��� ���� ������� ������� � ������� �������������� � ������ ������ ���� ������������ ������ ����� � ��� ��� ���� ����� � ��� ���� ����� �� ����������������� ����� ���� � ����� �� �� ���������������������� ��� �� � ���� � ��� �� ����� ��� � ����� ��� � �� �������������������� ����� ������� ��� ��������� � ���� ��� ��� �� ������� ���� � ����������� ������������� ��� �������� ���� � ­€‚� ����� ��� ����� ������������ �� ����� � � ��� � ������ �� �����  ������� �� � ����� ����� ������� ƒ����� � ���� „� �� ������� ���� �� �� �� �� � � ���� ������ � ��� ������������� �������� �� ������� …����††�������� � �����������‡ˆ�  ������� ������� ��� � ��� ���� ‰����� � �� ���������…Š� ��ˆ� ƒ����� � �� ��� ����� ��� �� � ��� �� ��������� ������ ��� � �� ��� ������� � ��� ������������� ������ �������������‹��‹ ���������� ��� ��� �������� ������ �������� ���� �� �� �� � ��� ���� �� �� ���� �� � � � � � ��� ���� �� � ��� ���� ��� �� ��� ������ ������ � �� �� �� ��Œ������ ��Ž��� ������ ���� �������� ������� �� …‘���� ���� ��††�‡ˆ����� �������  ������� �’ ����� � �� ������ ��� ����� ���� ���� �…“�� �������� � ������� ���� � ���� ���ˆ� …�� �� ���������� ��� ����� ��� ����� ����ˆ�ƒ����� ������� ��� ������� ��� � � � ������ �� ����� � �� ����� ������������������� ��������� ����������� ������ ��Ž��� …����� �� ��� �� � ���� ����� ����� ����� ��� �‡� ������� ��� ���������������� �ˆ� Ž��� ������ �� � � ��� ��� � � ����� ������ �������� ����������ƒ����� � ����������� ��� �� ����� �� � ���� � � ���� ���� � �� ���� ƒ����� �� �� ����������������� �������� …‘���� � ��� �� �� ��‡ˆ� ����� � ���� ������� ��� ��  ������� �� ������ ����� �� ���� ���� ���� � …Ž�� �� ��� � ��� ���� � ����� ��� �� ��� ���� � �������ˆ� …‘������������� ���������‡ˆ������������ ������ �� ������� ����� ��� ����� �� …Ž������� ������������� �� ��”���� � � � ��� �� ����� ��� �� �������������� ������� �� ��� ������ �������� �����������…��� �  ������� ������� ��� �� ��������…•� –�� �� ������������ �������— ������� ��ƒ���� �� �� ������������ ������ ���������� ��������� �� �� ���������� ��� � ������–ˆ�� �� ����� � ����������������Ž�� �������� � ������ ������� ����� �� ����� ��„� �������� ���������� ������� ��� ��� ������� ���� � ����� ��� ��� ��� ���� �� ���� ������� �� ��������ˆ������ ������� ��������������������������� �� � ������� � �� �� �� ����� �� ��� ����� �� ����� ����� ��� …‘����� •��� ������� ���� ��� � ���‡ˆ� …Ž����������� ˆ�� �����������Ž���� � ���� ��� �� ������ �— ������ � �� ����� � ������ ���  �������� ��������������� ���� �� �� ������� ���� ������ ��� �� � ��� ������ �� ������ ����� �� ������������ � �� � …������•���� �������������� �������� � �������� � � ���� ��� ����� ��� ��������� ���� ������������� ����� ����������������������� ������������ ���������� ���������������� ���������� �������� Ž�� � ����� � ���� ��� ��� � � �‹ˆ� �������‡ˆ������� ����� ������������������  ������� ��� ���� � ��� ���� �� � ����� ����� ����� �� ��� �������� � ��� ������� �� ���� �� ��� ���� ��� ���������������� ƒ����� � �������  ������� ��������� …�� � ����� ††��� ‘���� ��� �� ��� � ���� � ��� ������ �� ����� �� � ��� �� ������ �— ������ � �� � � ��� ����� ������������������� ��ˆ�  ������� ������ � ��� ƒ����� � � �������� � � SATURDAY, ����� � ���� ��� � � �� OCTOBER 14, 2023 ������ ������� ������� …�� � ����� ���������� 12 - 2 PM ����� ������ ���� ������� ����������� �������— ������ ��� � ���� ����� � � Scan this QR code � �� ���� �� �� � ��� to sign up for the ������ �� ������ ��‡ˆ� Open House! multi-bedroom, shared mansion-living ������ ����� 3.5 bathrooms  ������� ��˜���� ���� fully-furnished ������ �� ����…‘���‡ˆ� COME GET A TOUR OF OUR UPSCALE, all-inclusive rent (all utilities, WIFI) …•���� ������ � � CLEAN, ALL-INCLUSIVE MANSIONS! fully stocked kitchen with appliances, �� � �������ˆ� ����� Sign-up for housing as singles, doubles, triples pots and pans, dishware, etc. ������� or quads. 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Cooper’s escape from the FBI and how he survived By Bryce Greco Contributing Writer On Nov. 24, 1971, a middle-aged man in a suit, trench coat and sunglasses sits in the back of Northwest Airlines Flight 305 enroute to Seattle, Washington. With him was only a briefcase and a small paper bag. He hands a note to the flight attendant. She drops it into her purse, assuming it’s some lonely businessman’s phone number. The man whispers for her to look at the note, which reads: “Miss – I have a bomb in my briefcase and I want you to sit with me.” After holding the flight crew and passenger’s hostage, the FBI gave into the man’s demands: $200,000 in cash and four parachutes. The passengers were released. None of them knew they were being held hostage. By nighttime, the flight took off again. The man is its only passenger. He wants to fly to Mexico, but the flight needs to stop in Reno, Nevada, for refueling. The crew is to remain locked in the cockpit. Flight 305 lands in Reno. The stairwell on the backside of the plane is opened. The man is gone. Although the name on the man’s ticket was “Dan Cooper,” a miscommunication with the media led to the creation of “D.B. Cooper,” the infamous hijacker who remains missing to this day. The FBI officially closed the D.B. Cooper case in 2016 and suspended all investigations. Most agents claim that he died after his daring jump, and investigators have failed to uncover any clue of Cooper’s motive. However, plenty of armchair detectives, internet sleuths and historians believe Cooper’s story has a different ending. I believe that the D.B. Cooper stunt was all done for the sake of proving it could be. Not only did he survive his jump, but he continued to baffle the FBI for decades after the incident. D.B. Cooper is the world’s most infamous phantom thief, and I believe that he got away with it. Analyzing Cooper’s story in full reveals that this stunt was no easy feat. After threatening the flight attendant, he proceeded to show her the contents of his briefcase, which she believed to be four sticks of dynamite attached to a battery. He issued his demands to her, which she relayed to the pilot, who then relayed them to the FBI. Once the flight landed and the money and parachutes were given to Cooper, the passengers exited the plane. The four parachutes Cooper demanded were for two people, since a parachuter would use both a back and front parachute for additional safety. Cooper likely did this so that the FBI did not sabotage the parachutes, since he may have used the second set to take a hostage. During refueling, the flight attendant asked him why he was doing all this, and he laughed and told her: “It’s not because I have a grudge against your airlines, it’s just because I have a grudge.” After the plane departed for Reno, Cooper asked the flight attendant to instruct him on opening the “aft stairwell,” or the door that opens via the underside of the plane. After she did, he sent her to the cockpit, where she remained for the rest of the flight. This was the last time the crew saw or heard from Cooper. Given the evidence remaining on the plane, it is theorized that Cooper was an inexperienced parachutist. Only one parachute remained on the flight, and it was opened with a knife and had the cords removed. One of the parachutes was a teaching chute which did not open, and this is one of them that Cooper used. The FBI believes that Cooper jumped to his death with an unfunctional chute, but I believe that claim can easily be refuted. I think that Cooper was not only a parachutist, but a parachutist with military training. Out of the parachutes at Cooper’s disposal, the one he cut into was a brand-new civilian chute which would require minimal experience to use. The two Cooper used were old military chutes that would require some degree of military experience to operate. Cooper was an ex-soldier, returning to America with a grudge against the government that sent him to war. He likely used the teaching chute as a bag for the money, which was given to him in a loose bank bag, and then used the cords from the civilian chute to tie all three bags to his body before jumping. There is even more evidence pointing to C o o p e r ’s m i l it ar y background. In 1954, a comic series titled “Dan Cooper,” the same name D.B. Cooper used on his ticket, was published in France, featuring the tales of a daring parachutist. However, this comic was never translated into any other language other than French. I believe this points to D.B. Cooper being a military soldier stationed in Europe or France during the Cold War who held a grudge against the country due to something that happened during his deployment. Cooper is regarded by the FBI as a common thief, but I believe he was much more of a master criminal. The flight attendant was charmed by him, stating how gentlemanly and polite he was to her, and even shared a cigarette with him on the flight. The hijacking may have been Cooper’s first stroke of genius, but it was not his last. The money the FBI used for the ransom had its serial numbers recorded. Any bank or business that processes money with these serial numbers is required to contact the FBI, but no contact was ever made. Cooper never spent the money, as it would be nearly impossible to. Once the serial number was reported, the FBI would have known his approximate location. So, it is likely that Cooper hid the money with the intention to keep it hidden. However, even though Cooper did not use the money, he certainly kept it. In 1980, nearly a decade later, an 8-yearold boy and his father were camping along a river in Vancouver, Wash. The boy discovered three bundles of cash, totaling to be $5,800, buried in the sand. The money was reported to the FBI, and it was revealed that these bundles were in fact three of the same bundles given to Cooper as part of the $200,000 dollar ransom. However, this only led to more questions than answers. The money was found nearly 17 miles away from Cooper’s projected drop zone, meaning it would be impossible for it to have fallen from the sky during his jump. The money was found upstream of the river, which means even if it had fallen, it would have had to float against the current to reach its location. And to top it all off: the rubber bands on the bundles were new. Although this left the FBI stumped, I believe that it is evidence of Cooper’s survival. Cooper returned a decade later and planted this money. With his case starting to get cold, he decided to warm it back up with some new evidence in an ingenious way: purposely placing it in an impossible location. The D.B. Cooper case is a fascinating mystery. The FBI seems to insist that Cooper was a common crook who died during his jump, but I believe that this is only to mask the fact that they failed to solve the case. D.B. Cooper was likely a trained military paratrooper turned mastermind thief, and his successful hijacking was merely a stroke of criminal genius to get back at the country that deployed him. Looking back on the case 52 years later, I believe that the evidence, though rather speculative, is clear: D.B. Cooper pulled off an impossible crime, left the FBI clueless and stole not only the money but the hearts and minds of Americans fascinated by his escapade to this day. Graphic by Lara Mullen �The Beacon - September 28, 2023 Opinion On-campus suggestions By Samara Carey Contributing Writer Welcome to a new column that called “Campus Suggestions.” In this section, we will be discussing and writing about various things on and off campus that can make our lives as students better. Today, I will be talking about everyone’s favorite thing about campus: The food! Unless you live under a rock, you would know that a frequent complaint recently has focused on food. On campus, the Dining options at Wilkes main food sources include: Which Wich, Burgers and Fries (B+F), Greens to Go and the dining hall. Whether you like the food or not, chances are you have firmly established opinions on each one of the locations listed here. As for myself, I feel justified to talk about my feelings on food due to my owning a food Instagram account myself. Which Wich Which Wich is basically like a more expensive Subway. While I will say that the hoagies served are decent, I can genuinely only eat them every once in a while. I can not say for certain that this is something that I will eat on a daily basis. On that note, I can always expect it to be good in times when I am desperately in need of food. Normally, I like to get a buffalo chicken hoagie with lettuce, bell peppers, pickles and mayo. That being said, I have never had any other sub that they serve there. Overall, not the worst on this list. Burgers and Fries (B+F) Burgers and Fries is probably the best thing on this list. While I feel that this may seem controversial to some, I can justify it by saying that their chicken tenders absolutely saved my life during my freshman year here at Wilkes. Howe ver, recently we have stopped receiving the “chicken sauce” that they used to serve with every meal that the students would get. This was shocking to me, especially due to the fact that I have heard multiple people say that one of their favorite things to get is the sauce, both by itself or with different items on the menu. Of course, 17 chicken isn’t the only thing that this restaurant is known for. Besides chicken tenders, they also have cheeseburgers, fries, cheesesteaks, sandwiches and the list goes on. Greens to Go While this is also famously known as “The P.O.D.,” this is the place that I go to the least out of everything listed. My reasoning behind this is that I am fully convinced that our new food ordering system, GrubHub, has messed up how we get our food made. When I did go, I used to get a chicken caesar salad. A few weeks ago, I ordered my usual order, not thinking that I was going to be devastated with the end result. When I opened up my food, I was met with one of the worst salads I have ever had in my life. There was entirely too much chicken, and it tasted like it was sitting out for hours before it was actually touched. While I do want to give them the benefit of the doubt, I do not picture myself going back for some time. The Dining Hall Last but certainly not least, I’ll be review the dining hall. If I am being honest, with every single time that I have eaten in the dining hall, I do not think that I have ever truly enjoyed or felt comfortably full. I’m sure there is nothing truly wrong with it, but I don’t think that I can eat that right now. While it is fun to occasionally make fun of and eat the foods that come in and out of campus, it is important to appreciate and respect those who are working behind the scenes to make sure that our stomachs are filled each and every day. It is important to note that they are not in charge of the food being served to us, and they are simply just there to make and serve the food that we order. This all being said, if you are someone who feels strongly that the food at Wilkes is not where it should be, reach out to the student government. If enough people care about wanting to make a difference in the foods being served, perhaps we can get new ingredients and different meals. �The Beacon - September 28, 2023 Opinion 18 Analyzing fandoms: The pros and cons of fan culture By Shawn Carey Contributing Writer Why do we self-identify as fans? There really isn’t one solid answer to this question. If you were to ask someone why they’re a fan of a certain franchise or person they’ll probably end up giving you multiple responses. Anything from finding a sense of belonging in a larger group, a form of escapism or even just being able to brand yourself as a supporter. There isn’t anything wrong with any of these answers. They’re all valid in their own ways. Being able to find joy and gratification in something is great, and it’s even better if you’re able to express yourself through it. This seems to be the public’s general opinion on fan culture. Fan culture, also known as fandom, has become more widely accepted in recent years. Stuff that was once seen as nerdy and niche is now cool and popular. You can walk around campus right now and see dozens of people wearing graphic tees plastered with comic and anime characters. We even have whole conversations created just to celebrate our beloved franchises. The idea of fandom extends beyond just what is considered nerdy. We can find some of the most devoted fans within the realm of sports. It doesn’t matter the sport. If there’s a team, there will be fans. Football fans are the loudest and proudest of them all. Fans from all around the country adore their teams’ colors and fill stadiums, homes and bars every Sunday to watch their favorite team play. It’s not uncommon to have a room in your house dedicated to a football team, filled with countless pieces of memorabilia. As popular as sports are, I wouldn't even say it’s the media with the biggest fan base. No, that title goes to music. I know just saying “music” is a little too general, but I believe it works. Everything from specific artists, albums and even genres, has diehard fans. While it’s possible to find people who don’t practically care about any franchises or sport teams, you’ll find it much more challenging to find someone who doesn’t have a preference when it comes to music. I generally like to divide fandom into the three categories I just listed: entertainment, sports, and music. It’s not limited to those three classifications; you can be a fan of pretty much anything. However, those three tend to be the most common. With all that being said, fan culture isn’t as innocent and fun as it seems. The deeper and more involved you get into a fan base the more likely you are to find some aggression. There are many forms of hatred you’ll eventually end up encountering. I would say gatekeeping is the most common type of aggression. The act of gatekeeping honestly confuses me a little bit. Pushing people away from something you enjoy just because they don’t “understand” it the same way you do. This seems to mainly happen with fans of music artists. I’ll be using Taylor Swift fans as an example. From what I’ve witnessed, there seems to be some sort of what I can only describe as a civil war going on among them. The conflict first started when tickets for the “Eras Tour” went on sale. This was a dream come true for many fans, old and new. This was a problem. This sparked a debate on who was worthy of seeing Taylor. Being the artist’s biggest concert ever, it came as no surprise that tickets for the show quickly sold out. This made a lot of older fans that were excited to see Taylor perform her classic songs live again angry, especially when they discovered who purchased the tickets: newer fans who didn’t “get” Taylor the same way as they did. A divide formed among Taylor’s fan bases. Instead of supporting the artist as a collective, it became more about just how much and how long they have supported her for. The idea that you must show a certain level of support is common in most fandoms. There isn’t an exact way to measure this through, so at what point do you become a true fan? Is it based on how much money you spent or is it more of a time thing? What exactly is a true fan? Some may argue that being a true fan of something means having it as the only source of enjoyment you consume. Only fake fans would dare to enjoy something else. This way of thinking has caused many ultimatums among fans of franchises. Marvel or DC? Sonic or Mario? Pokemon or Digimon? The list goes on. Being able to say your favorite franchise is the best of its kind is a good feeling. You’re on the right side of history, supporting what you believe to be the objectively best option. In reality, you’re just missing out. This is something I feel we all must have participated in at one point or another. I sure know I have. I would often partake in the infamous Marvel vs. DC debate. I grew up on Marvel media, so I naturally took the side of the “House of Ideas.” I made all the classic arguments. “DC is so dark and edgy” and “Marvel has better movies” were my go-to. That all changed one day when I decided to actually sit down and read a DC comic. It didn’t take me long to realize that I made a mistake. I spent years missing out on great stories and characters for the sake of being able to say that what I liked was better than something else. Showing your undying gratitude to your fandom is common among hard core fans, and sports fans illustrate this perfectly. Once again, football fans serve as the underlining example. Football fans are known for their enthusiasm. They always show up and give their team their all. It’s almost as if they are a member of the team themselves, which some fans genuinely believe. If you’ve ever talked to someone about football, you probably noticed that the word “we” is thrown around a lot. For example, if you asked about how the season is going, they’ll possibly respond with, “We’re doing pretty good.” This may seem like something minor but it’s part of a bigger picture. Many fans act like they’re a physical member of their team, getting as mad as the players do when they lose. It’s perfectly normal to be passionate about something you like but there is a certain level you should probably keep things at. It’s not weird to see fights break out during sporting events. Rival fans could do something as simple as looking at each other in a funny way and all hell breaks loose. There’s a sort of mentality based around defending your fandom from those who dare go against it. There’s a sort of mindset that comes with being a fan, a mindset I can only describe as knightly. You stand vigorously, ready to defend your source of enjoyment from anyone who would dare harm it, all while looking for an opportunity to get in close and attack any enemies. I always believed that parasocial relationships were to blame for this ideology. People grow attached to their fandom, extremely attached. They see it as something bigger than themselves and find a sense of comfort in it. It’s nearly impossible to avoid deeply devoted fans once you get into something. No matter what it is. Fandom will never truly be a peaceful place, but even all that I believe there is still plenty of good to be found in it. While it’s not perfect, it is still a fantastic way to celebrate something you love, something you feel proud being a fan of. Graphic by Lara Mullen �The Beacon - September 28, 2023 Sports Sports 19 Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: Adam.grundt@wilkes.edu Celtics championship favorites as season approaches Celtics favorites to win Eastern Conference and make first finals appearance since 2022, defending champions favorites to win Western Conference By Adam Grundt Asst. Sports Editor The new NBA season is right around the corner, and the favorite to win the title before the season opener is a team that has not won a championship since 2008. For the second consecutive season, the Boston Celtics are the league’s favorite to raise the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy at the end of the season. This comes after the Celtics locked up star player Jaylen Brown for the next five seasons. Brown’s five-year, $303.7 million super-max contract extension remains the richest contract in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His teammate, Jayson Tatum, is slated to eclipse that contract next season when he becomes eligible. Brown’s contract, paired with the Celtics signing talented forward Kristaps Porzingis, gives the Celtics the best chance at the trophy on paper. The defending champions and team who defeated the Celtics last June, the Denver Nuggets, are coming off of their first championship in franchise history led by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Jokic, coming off his second consecutive Most Valuable Player award, is slated to lead the Nuggets into another deep playoff run this upcoming season. After the Cleveland Cavaliers were eliminated in last season’s playoffs by the New York Knicks in four games, center Jarrett Allen had a rather surprising quote to describe his team’s performance. “Even for me, the lights were brighter than (we) expected,” explained Allen. The Cavaliers are looking to get used to those bright lights as one of the league’s most promising teams in the 2023-24 season. Following an offseason in which they acquired depth pieces Max Strus and Georges Niang, the Cavaliers are looking to contend in their second season with Donovan Mitchell. After recording 51 wins in 202223, they are certainly a team worth keeping an eye on in the competitive Eastern Conference. On the other hand, a team that could end up surprisingly disappointing this year is the Philadelphia 76ers. During the offseason, star guard James Harden called 76ers the President of Basketball Operations, Daryl Morey, a liar on two separate occasions. Harden, after requesting a trade during the offseason, is still questionable as to if he will report to the team upon the season’s beginning. 76ers owner Josh Harris commented on Harden’s actions. “Listen, we’re hard at work,” Harris explained. “I respect James. I want to, obviously, accommodate what he wants. At the same time, I have to think about a championship-contending team, what we can get back. I’d love to convince him to stay. I understand that is not what he wants to do right now.” The success of the 76ers organization will depend on if Tyrese Maxey will take on that bigger role if Harden is to eventually get traded. The 76ers certainly have enough talent to win a championship, but with Philadelphia, it is a matter of putting the pieces together. This was evident during the 202223 season when Ben Simmons chose not to report to the team after requesting a trade. Eventually, he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets, and the 76ers made an Eastern Conference semifinal appearance led by star center Joel Embiid and Harden. Meanwhile in the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat are coming off a very successful season that ended in an NBA Finals appearance after clinching the playoffs through the play-in tournament. Jimmy Butler is in the prime of his career, and seems to have found a home with the Heat. Butler and center Bam Adebayo are the backbone of this team, and the Heat remain one of the leading contenders to acquire Portland Trailblazers guard Damian Lillard. Lillard requested a trade following a disappointing few years with the Trailblazers. If the Heat are to acquire Lillard, that will undoubtedly boost their championship odds significantly, making them a powerhouse team in the Eastern Conference and a force to be reckoned with. Graphic/Morgan Rich �The Beacon - September 28, 2023 Sports 20 Wilkes women’s volleyball off to a strong start By Samantha Mullen Contributing Writer With the volleyball season underway, the Colonels are already making a good name for themselves. The season started with the team by taking consecutive wins over Keystone College, Penn State Hazelton, and Delaware Valley University. The team was also able to take a win over Penn State Harrisburg. On the offensive front, the Colonels have been nothing short of spectacular. Collectively, there has been a total of 318 kills with an average of 8.6 per set. Junior Alexis Reedy currently leads with 88 kills with senior Hope Ousey close behind with 78 kills. The team has a total of 289 assists averaging 7.8 per set. Junior Alexa Cassel currently leads with 227 assists. The Colonels have been able to display incredible defensive skills in just the first 10 games. As a team, they collectively have 499 digs, averaging 13.5 per set. Senior Ali Yordy currently has 138 digs and Alexis Reedy is in second with 83 digs. Coach Joseph Czopek is excited to see what the rest of the season has in store. The team has been “preparing hard in practice to be competitive” especially with moving to the Landmark Conference from the MAC. They’ve already faced both former MAC competition Delaware Valley University, which they won 3-0, and Misericordia University, which they lost to 3-1. Junior Alexis Reedy is off to a great start this season. With 88 kills on the season so far which makes her averaging nearly 3 a set. Reedy also has 83 digs, averaging at 2 per set. When asked about how she feels about the season, Reedy replied “[they] play every game like it is [their] last time out on the court together” since many of the current starters on the team are seniors.” Senior Hope Ousey is off to a great start for her last season. Ousey currently has 95 kills and 59 digs. Even though the team has hit a bit of a rough patch, Ousey still feels confident in the team to get back to having a winning record. According to Ousey, “(The) team connection is the strongest it’s been in my time at Wilkes and that has led to a very strong support system.” Having a good mentality and positive attitude for games and practices will definitely help the Colonel’s chance for success. �The Beacon - September 28, 2023 Sports 21 Eagles and Cowboys enter week three unbeaten By Adam Grundt Asst. Sports Editor Week 2 of the National Football League (NFL) season has come and gone. Although it may be too early to tell, some teams are looking like Super Bowl contenders, and others are not. The Philadelphia Eagles are 2-0 after a strong win on Thursday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings, who fell to 0-2. Quarterback Jalen Hurts’ play has been worth every penny of the $228 million extension he signed with the Eagles through 2028. “I think we just came out and played very efficiently,” Hurts told the media following the Eagles 34-28 victory over Minnesota. “You know, last week I talked about the inconsistencies and the urgency of communication, and it starts with me. We operated at a high level at the beginning of the game, and that’s something we have to be able to sustain throughout the whole entire game.” The Dallas Cowboys are arguably off to the best start of anyone in the NFL so far. Through week two, the Cowboys defense was the third highest fantasy point scorer in the entire NFL, only behind San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey and Los Angeles Rams’ Puka Nacua. It is almost unheard of to have a defense put up such astounding numbers this early in the season, and do it consistently for two weeks in a row. The Cowboys were able to shut out the New York Giants 40-0 during week 1. However, Cowboys star cornerback Trevon Diggs tore his ACL in practice leading up to week three. It will be interesting to see if the Cowboys could keep up their high-caliber production without one of their shining stars in Diggs. Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills are off to a slower start than expected following a Monday Night Football loss to the New York Jets in week 1. They bounced back in week 2 with a rout of the Las Vegas Raiders, defeating them 38-10. They hope to take this win and form it into a streak when they travel to Washington, D.C. to face the Commanders in Week 3. Recently extended franchise quarterback, Joe Burrow, and his Cincinnati Bengals could certainly be considered the most disappointing team so far this season. After being completely shut down by the Cleveland Browns in week 1, 27-3, the Bengals lost a heartbreaker against the Baltimore Ravens in week 2. Burrow is dealing with a calf issue, and he remains questionable for their week 3 Monday Night Football matchup with the Los Angeles Rams. “My job is to go out and play,” Burrow told reporters. “That’s what I’m preparing to do. You have to practice one day. Maybe not full, but you’ve got to be running around throwing the ball. You just have to feel confident in your ability to go out and do your job.” Graphic/Morgan Rich The Beacon is looking for sports writers for the Fall 2023 semester If you are interested in sports writing, editing, photography or graphics contact Adam Grundt at adam.grundt@wilkes.edu �The Beacon September 28, 2023 Sports 22 Athlete of the Week Nick Kinzler Graduate Student, Men’s Soccer The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week Kinzler was chosen as our athlete of the week after nearly posting two shutouts. Kinzler made five saves against Keystone College and stopped seven shots in a 1-1 tie with Rutgers-Camden on Saturday. He made 12 total saves and posted a goals-againstaverage of 0.50. Coach Carter What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? Basketball. Saving a penalty kick against a nationally ranked opponent (#3 Stevens) last season. It was one of my favorite moments because the stands were filled, my family was in attendance, we were playing a big conference opponent, and it happened to be against a school that I was looking at attending before choosing to come to Wilkes. What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Committing to further my academic and athletic career at Wilkes because it showed that all of my hard work from when I started playing sports until that decision finally paid off. What is your favorite post-game meal? It’s tough to go against my mom’s home cooking, so I will have to say homemade chicken cutlets and rice. What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? Spending quality time with my family and friends or listen to music. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? 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." If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? Manchester United The Beacon/Anna Beckham for movie night? Major: 4+1 (Master’s of Business Administration Hometown: Jackson, N.J. High School: Jackson Memorial Being able to wear the Wilkes “W” on my chest and represent the school, community, and environment that I call home is a feeling that is second to none. What sports movie is your go-to Being selected as Athlete of the Week is something that I am extremely proud of and extremely thankful for because I know that I couldn’t have done this without my teammates, coaches, family, and friends. Compiled by Adam Grundt, Asst. Sports Editor �Sports The Beacon - September 28, 2023 Athlete of the Week 23 Carly Eidle Senior Field Hockey Goalie The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Eidle led the Colonels to a week in which they finished 2-1 and recorded their first Landmark Conference victory. Eidle made two saves in a 2-0 victory at Goucher College and made one save in a 2-1 victory at Neumann University. She also made seven saves in a 1-0 loss at Misericordia. Eidle finished the week with a .833 save percentage and a 0.65 goals-against-average. Major: Pharmacy Hometown: East Greenville, Pa. High School: Upper Perkiomen What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? Winning against DeSales on Senior Night my sophomore year. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? Philadelphia Eagles. What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Spend times with friends and family or go on walks. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? The support from the athletic and pharmacy departments to continue to play. If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Gymnastics. What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Senior year of high school. winning the conference championship with my team. What is your favorite postgame meal? Wawa mac-and-cheese How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? I am so excited to be selected as Athlete of the Week because I think it says a lot not only about my success but also the team's success so far this season. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? Remember the Titans The Beacon/Anna Beckham Compiled by Adam Grundt, Assistant Sports Editor Editor’s note: Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor ts staff each week. At the end of the academic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw it ter @WilkesB eacon to crow n an “Athlete of the Year." �The Beacon - September 28, 2023 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 <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 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>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> 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. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre 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 Wilkes Beacon, 2023 September 28 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wilkes University retains copyright of this publication. https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/aa0883704b79dd9d7b717758691399b4.pdf 6b86c19e0485525255a927146c0b8a27 PDF Text Text The Beacon - September 21, 2023 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 76, Issue 3 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” Wilkes hosts first blood drive of the fall semester The Beacon/Amanda Montgomery American Red Cross volunteers taking blood donations in the Jean and Paul Adams Commons ballroom on the second floor of the SUB. The blood drive took place Sept. 12 and was held from 9:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Students celebrate national chocolate milkshake day, page 5 The American Red Cross placed a poster at the sign-in table which cautioned donors to be wary of certain factors before donating their blood. Some things to consider included weight, height, age and current and past health histories. E-mentors host bowling event for firstyear students, page 7 A reflection on comedy show “Jon, John and Pete,” page 16 �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Amanda Montgomery: Amanda.Montgomery1@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: Sept. 13 weekly meeting By Zach Paraway Contributing Writer Student Government had its third meeting for the semester on Sept. 13. It also marked the first meeting with all the new members. These new members include three from the senior class and one from the sophomore class. It was also the first meeting for the newly-elected members of the first-year class. SG currently has $70,628.65 in its account. The first order of business was the an Alumni Office fund request for homecoming weekend. The presentation was given by Bree Freeman of the office and Brooke Coleman, a junior student intern. They spoke on the importance of the weekend from an alumni perspective and how it helps renew past memories with colleagues and former students. It can also provide networking opportunities for current students from former graduates within their desired field. Helping this weekend come together is a team of student leaders who help make the weekend possible for both students and alumni. The request for $500 would cover 20 tickets that would be given to the team for their hard work. The tickets would provide access to all activities over the weekend that require payment and come up to a value of $10 per ticket. This was the first week of their proposal and will be voted on next week. The next order of business was a fund request from Kappa Psi, a pharmaceutical fraternity on campus under the chapter Delta Omicron. Presenting was their regent Phil Davis, a p4 student. They came to request funding in order to attend two conferences over the first semester. These conferences are to provide networking opportunities and to vote on changes that affect all chapters within their area. The locations for these are in Buffalo, N.Y. and Boston, Ma. The money would be used to cover hotels and registration for both p1 and p2 students. The amount requested was for $2,226. This was the first week of their proposal and will be voted next week. The next presentation and last order of new business was the pre-law society coming in for club recognition. The presentation was given by Sean and Bryce Greco, both juniors majoring in political science. The club has been in operation over the two semesters without full SG recognition and has a full e-board and general board of over 20 members. They hold events in order to help others understand a bonding through the understanding of law and help their members in the seeking of higher education. This was the first week of their proposal and will be voted on next week. The final presentation was week two of the homecoming fund request for students. The presentation was given by Marytere Quintana-Avila, a junior political science major and a member Tuesday, Sept. 26 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This fair is open to all students interested in working in the business, engineering and technology fields. Over 30 companies have already registered with more anticipated to come. Register to attend on Handshake. Contact Carol Bosack for more information or questions at carol.bosack@wilkes.edu. House. Applications can be emailed to allison. naumann@wilkes.edu with the subject line “Polish Heritage Scholarships.” Deadline for applications is Oct. 13 at 4:30 p.m. Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Beacon News Staff Volunteer with ChalkFest The Riverfront Parks Committee hosts their annual ChalkFest event on Saturday, Oct. 7 starting at 9:30 a.m. This is a great opportunity for students to volunteer and serve their community. Please email john@riverfrontparks.org with the following information: name, phone number and email address. Contact John Maday with questions. College of Business and Engineering Career and Internship Fair The College of Business and Engineering is hosting a career and internship fair on Scholarship Opportunity for Students of Polish Descent The Polish Room Committee Scholarship ($3,000 top award) welcomes applications from Luzerne County residents. To be considered, applicants must write a brief description of their Polish heritage and what that heritage means to them. This letter must be submitted, along with the applicant’s name, WIN and contact information to Allison Naumann, Alumni Leadership Collegiate This six-week, virtual course consists of online modules that provide current college students who are aspiring leaders with an innovative and flexible online learning experience. Participants work on weekly course content at their own pace. The deadline for applications is Friday, Sept. 22. Use this link to apply: https:// w w w. l e a d e r s h i p l a c k a w a n n a . c o m / leadership-collegiate-1. of SG. The presentation was the request for final ideas toward the homecoming pep rally, events during the game and the homecoming dance. Major ideas include the theme which is Starry Night, the changing from a homecoming king and queen to homecoming royalty and will no longer be split between men and women, and finally the introduction of free student tickets for the homecoming dance. The request came out to be for $22,350.81 and was approved for the full amount. SG will meet again Wednesday Sept. 20. Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Upcoming Events: September 24 - Paintball at Skirmish 28 - Programming Board giveaway October 5 - Hoedown Throwdown 8 - Statue of Liberty Boat Tour NYC 12-15 - Fall Break 19 - Couch Potato 23-27 - Freak Week 28 - Dorney Haunted Park---Want your event featured in the calendar? Email: Amanda.Montgomery1@ wilkes.edu �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 News Wilkes-Barre's Multicultural Parade unites community By Emma Broda News Staff Writer Wilkes-Barre celebrated its sixth annual Multicultural Parade and Festival earlier this month. It was highlighted as one of the events to attend during Wilkes’ Family Day, which was also on the same day. Students and residents of Wilkes-Barre lined South Main Street and watched the parade put together by multiple groups from throughout the area. The parade was a huge display of the many different cultures that make up the city. Some of the countries represented included Mexico, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Ireland, India, Ecuador and Jamaica. The parade also featured a range of music from each group’s respective culture and extravagant and colorful costumes representative of different cultures. Each group representing a different country or region walked the parade while also performing with their culture’s dances, and of course throwing candy to those watching. It was a much admired celebration of the different cultures that make Wilkes-Barre what it is. "It was cool to see a bunch of the different cultures represented," said Gabriella Amaya, sophomore nursing major. "It was a really great atmosphere downtown and everyone was having a good time.” The high-spirited mood of the parade continued on during the festivities that followed. More than 30 different vendors from the area set up on the Public Square A diverse array of stands and vendors at the Wilkes-Barre Multicultural Parade and Festival. The Public Square had over 30 vendors. to continue the celebration. Vendors included, Sammy’s Caribbean Grill, Los Antojitos, Tacos don Kiko, Greek Stones Handcrafted Jewelry, Awa’s Arts and Crafts, Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream and Wilkes University's Sordoni Art Gallery. There was an abundance of food to enjoy from pupusas to potato pancakes. Along with the food and vendors, there were also things like face painting for kids who attended the festival. Throughout the festival there was a mix of live music and dances from the different cultures who participated in the parade and festival. Organizations like North Eastern Pennsylvania (NEPA) Inclusive and Action Together NEPA had booths set up to highlight the importance of a diverse community and how to protect it. For example, Action Together 3 encouraged those in attendance to take action and vote. King’s College and Luzerne County Community College also participated in the parade and shared their own students’ cultures. Did you know that Wilkes University's own Erica Acosta, director of diversity initiatives, was the grand marshal of the 2021 Multicultural Parade? Photos: The Beacon/Emma Broda Los Antojitos, a vendor at the Wilkes-Barre Multicultural Parade, offered a wide selection of international cuisine, adding a flavorful touch to the event. �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 Club of the Week: Ultimate Frisbee By Anthony Cazun Asst. Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor There are many sports and athletic opportunities oncampus, but there are few that exemplify the speed, precision and adrenaline that goes into athletic activity than that of ultimate frisbee. Ultimate frisbee packs a lot more punch and excitement than one may initially think. The game consists of two teams of seven that compete against each other in scoring goals by throwing and receiving a disc. It may sound simple, but there is a lot more under the surface, and the competitive nature of the sport and its players allows for very intense and nail-biting matches. “Most people may look at ultimate frisbee as something out of the ordinary that people might not gravitate towards,” said Myles Timmons, ultimate frisbee captain and sophmore year physics major, “But when going to tournaments and scrimmaging other teams, the atmosphere the people and sport bring are unmatched in the world of sports.” Players will engage in matches and practice against not just each other, but also other teams in intense seven on seven tournaments. These tournaments include weeks of preparation, as teams will practice their synergy, gameplans and techniques in between large events. While the ultimate frisbee players are certainly competitive, they also harbor a very welcoming environment, encouraging new players to not only join the club, but also bring friends and family along to enjoy the sport. “Every semester our goal is to go to at least four tournaments, and also while competing in those we have team socials, where we encourage team members to bring their friends that might be interested,” said Timmons. “This also allows us to build a family-like culture around the team and on campus.” While ultimate frisbee takes skill in both speed and precision, the club is very keen on helping both newcomers and seasoned players sharpen their skills. “This club is extremely beginnerfriendly,” said Timmons, “Aside from me, I have Zara Lantzman, Esther Orlando, Brennan Reiner, Alex Lopez, Alex Schweiter, Stephen Youkoski and Olivia McInnis, who all act as supplemental teachers while we are playing and practicing.” Anyone with an interest in engaging in a high energy sport with a friendly and supportive environment, The Ultimate Frisbee team will welcome with open arms. The team prioritizes giving a voice and proper attention to everyone that joins. Morgan Rich, Editor-in-Chief: Sydney Allabaugh, Opinion Editor: the ballad of a homeschooled girl - Olivia Nails for Breakfast, Tacks for Snacks - Rodrigo Panic! At the Disco Amanda Montgomery, News Editor: “Freeze,” Opinion Staff Writer: Wait by the River - Lord Huron Senso - Grillabeats Emma Broda, News Staff Writer: Adam Grundt, Sports Asst. Editor: Boyish - Japanese Breakfast Slime You Out (feat. SZA) - Drake Zara Lantzman, LA&E Editor: get him back! - Olivia Rodrigo Anthony Cazun, LA&E Asst. Editor: Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staff picks their favorite song of the week. Our very own Zara Lantzman has put together a Spotify playlist where you can scan it and listen to the Beacon’s staff weekly picks! “Our goal for this year is to establish a family-centric winning culture,” said Timmons. “We want people to come that are hungry to win something while also giving them somewhere they feel accepted without judgment.” Ultimate frisbee exemplifies the skill, adrenaline, precision, cooperation and sportsmanship that is so important within sports. There may never be a dull moment, but that just makes the energy that much more palpable. “We want people to come that are hungry to win something while also giving them somewhere they feel accepted without judgment,” said Timmons. To join the team, simply email myles.timmons@wilkes.edu, or alternatively, ultimate@wilkes.edu to learn more. Tick Tick Boom - The Hives Cally Williams, LA&E Staff Writer: Twilight - Boa Lara Mullen, Designer: Say Yes - Ellliott Smith Liz Cherinka, Social Media Manager: Nothing Works - Declan McKenna Graphics/Lara Mullen �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 News 5 Students celebrate national chocolate milkshake day By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer Residence Hall Council partnered with Aramark to sponsor a milkshake giveaway on Sept. 12. Students who stopped by the Student Union Building during club hours had the choice of vanilla or chocolate milkshakes to celebrate national chocolate milkshake day. The first 100 students were given a RHC-branded reusable straw to promote sustainability measures. In addition, Aramark gave out Wilkes T-shirts. “[RHC was created to] support resident assistants (RAs) and the residents in the Wilkes community,” said Natalie Hernandez, junior accounting major and president of RHC. While RHC specializes in residential issues, commuter students, as well as those who live off-campus, are welcome to attend their events. “I knew them before from orientation,” said Junia Lawton, first-year history major. “It was cool to know they do more events on campus. It was nice to get to know them and see who runs it.” RHC strategically plans these events in advance, while also creating the impression of random, unexpected events. “I believe pop-up events work so well because it’s unexpected, and create the feeling of a surprise, especially in a location where there is a lot of foot traffic,” said Hernandez “It’s a once-ina-blue-moon type of event that students would rather enjoy in the present than not participate and possibly regret later.” Students who attended the event echoed this sentiment. “Giveaways are fun!” said Lawton. “It went by fast, it was relatively quick and easy. It’s always nice to have a free milkshake.” RHC will be hosting more events throughout the semester. To find out more, follow their Instagram @wilkes_ rhc. Photo Courtesy Melissa Ooi Left to Right: sophomores John Buonano and Victoria Corbo were happy to help out at the event Photo: The Beacon/Morgan Steiner Students lined up on the first floor of the SUB before club hours to get their milkshakes. Photo: The Beacon/Morgan Steiner Nicole Norton, Aramark’s General Manager, posing with the T-shirts that were given out during the event. �6 The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Dr. Kaitlyn Langendoerfer joins Wilkes as assistant professor By Amanda Montgomery News Editor Dr. Kaitlyn Langendoerfer joined the university this fall as an assistant professor in the Sociology Department. Langendoerfer received a bachelor of pre-medical science in sociology from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. She also received her doctorate in sociology from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. “I’ve always been interested and I love research and what I do in terms of my research, but what I really want to go into academia for is teaching,” said Langendoerfer. “At Wilkes, it’s a very teaching-oriented college [and] it’s smaller, so you really get to know the students.” Langendoerfer planned to pursue a career in dentistry before considering one in sociology. When writing an essay for why she wanted to be a dentist, her committee told her that she might make that believed a good dentist, in her research but that she and encouraged sounds like a her to pursue sociologist. a career in She explained sociology. She that sociology understands is important if a that not every student is going student who into nursing or comes into another career her office or in the science is in her class field. will become a “You still sociologist, but need to know how your she hopes that p e r s o n a l in some way, she is helping problems or to shape them maybe your Photo courtesy Dr. Langendoerfer and mentor p a t i e n t s’ them. p e r s o n a l In her free time, Langendoerfer likes problems are related to public issues and societal issues and how that may be to spend time outside with her three playing a role in either your own life or children. They are currently raising your patients’ life,” said Langendoerfer. monarch caterpillars that will soon Throughout her academic career, she become butterflies. “It’s really a good way to see has had various influential professors sociology,” said Langendoerfer. “I’m seeing their socialization as they go to school and I’m seeing how my parenting is impacting them and I’m seeing all these things I’m studying.” Langendoerfer currently lives in Honesdale, Pa., with her husband, three children, two horses and donkey. In five years, Langendoerfer plans to be an associate professor, and to be in her group with students who are akin to her and are interested in her classes. “I am a medical sociologist and I study aging, so I’m hoping to bring those specializations into the department that has mainly focused on criminology and family,” said Langendoerfer. “I’m hoping to bridge those and bring in medical and life course issues and to the curriculum.” One piece of advice Langendoerfer has for students is to meet with their professors. She explained that most students don’t attend their professor’s office hours, unless there is an assignment or project. Dr. Kyung Park joins Wilkes as assistant professor By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer Dr. Kyung Park joined Wilkes as an assistant professor of math, physics and computer science this fall. Park received a bachelor of science from Seoul National University in Seoul, South Korea. She later also earned a master of science in computer science. Later, she received a doctorate of science in information technology from Towson University in Towson, Maryland. “I am most proud of my balanced experience and thinking,” said Park. “I established a startup company and experienced various tasks necessary for doing business.” She explained that kind of real-world experience can be valuable for students looking to create their own startups and brand into multidisciplinary fields. “I thought the computer science program is very strong and competitive, department covering both welcomed me the most basic very kindly and subjects as well explained the as the latest school and the t e c h n o l o g i e s ,” life at Wilkes said Park. well,.” Park also Park enjoys o b s e r v e d teaching, but also the Wilkes recognizes the c om mu n it y, importance of which aided in connecting with her decision to her students. join the computer “I want to help science program. students gain “When I knowledge and first saw the experience that advertisement, will serve as a the city of fundamental Wilkes-Barre source in stimulated my overcoming the curiosity and I Photo courtesy Dr. Park challenges they face loved the photos of the students and campus,” said Park. “During the campus when they go out into the real world,” interview, almost all the professors in said Park. “I also want to conduct fruitful the math, physics and computer science research with outstanding students and colleagues. Additionally, based on my experience at a large metropolitan school and a small liberal arts college, I will teach and advise students to suit each student’s background and experience.” Park is eager for this fall semester, not only for teaching students what she has learned through her education and experience, but also to learn from her students and to enjoy new experiences. Park is very active in learning and putting new applications and innovations in technology into her practice. In her free time, she enjoys walking on hiking trails and golfing. Park offers some advice to students regarding overcoming obstacles. “When you run into difficulties, I encourage you to think back to when we first learned a programming language and go back to the basics. Then you will see the path to follow,” said Park. �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Life, Arts & Entertainment Editor: Zara.lantzman@wilkes.edu E-mentors host bowling event for first-year students By Kelsie Klein Contributing Writer The WIlkes e-mentors hosted a bowling night at Chacko’s Bowling for all first-year students to have a night to unwind and hangout with friends. Upon arrival, students were greeted by their e-mentors, were able to get their shoes, and then broke out into groups for the event. It was a great opportunity for first-year students to get to know fellow students, as well as have fun, relax and unwind after classes. “My experience with bowling is so far a very positive one,” said Kara Beerly, a senior psychology major. “It’s a great experience. It was 8:46 p.m. and students were still trickling in. “I witnessed students needing to join lanes that were already open, which was an amazing opportunity for students to talk to fellow students and get to know everyone by having to join other lanes.” While there, everyone was given a ticket for a chance to win cool prizes. Some of the prizes included a Chacko’s gift card and a lot of university merch. The university merchandise was from the bookstore and if students received the wrong size, they had the opportunity to exchange the item for the correct one. Items were drawn throughout the night and it was an equal opportunity to end the night with a win for everyone who showed up. “There was an amazing turnout this year,” said Leah Kubasek, a junior chemistry major and e-mentor coordinator. “There were a lot of people here this year having fun and really enjoying themselves, which I am very grateful for.” An e-mentor’s main job at the university is to help guide first-year students and ensure that their mentees are having a smooth transition into college. E-mentors are required to host individual events for their specific groups of mentees for extra one-on-one time. “I love being an e-mentor and truly enoying being an event coordinator,” said Kubasek. “It is a lot of work, but it’s worth all the time and dedication I put into it. It is a very rewarding position, and one that I truly value.” “I was able to spend time with my friends, bowl and, of course, win an amazing hat,” said Shauna McAndrew, a first-year nursing major. “The highlight of my night was definitely winning the hat because I never had the chance to win anything before.” The bowling night was a success for all first year students and gave first-year students the opportunity to connect with other first-year students in a relaxing environment. The e-mentor program is an opportunity that the university provides for first-year students to make things easier and provides them with someone in their community that they are able to talk to. “I love being an e-mentor because I get to meet all of the first-year students and bring them together,” said Beerly. “I love giving them an opportunity to get to know one another and bring together a community. “I really love being in a mentor role and encourage and support my mentees and hopefully encourage one of them to become an e-mentor themselves.” Kara Beerly, left, and Leah Kubasek, right, pose for a picture before they bowl. Photos Courtesy of Kelsie Klein Shauna McAndrew poses after winning a hat from the university’s bookstore. �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 Club of the Week: Ultimate Frisbee By Anthony Cazun Asst. Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor There are many sports and athletic opportunities oncampus, but there are few that exemplify the speed, precision and adrenaline that goes into athletic activity than that of ultimate frisbee. Ultimate frisbee packs a lot more punch and excitement than one may initially think. The game consists of two teams of seven that compete against each other in scoring goals by throwing and receiving a disc. It may sound simple, but there is a lot more under the surface, and the competitive nature of the sport and its players allows for very intense and nail-biting matches. “Most people may look at ultimate frisbee as something out of the ordinary that people might not gravitate towards,” said Myles Timmons, ultimate frisbee captain and sophmore year physics major, “But when going to tournaments and scrimmaging other teams, the atmosphere the people and sport bring are unmatched in the world of sports.” Players will engage in matches and practice against not just each other, but also other teams in intense seven on seven tournaments. These tournaments include weeks of preparation, as teams will practice their synergy, gameplans and techniques in between large events. While the ultimate frisbee players are certainly competitive, they also harbor a very welcoming environment, encouraging new players to not only join the club, but also bring friends and family along to enjoy the sport. “Every semester our goal is to go to at least four tournaments, and also while competing in those we have team socials, where we encourage team members to bring their friends that might be interested,” said Timmons. “This also allows us to build a family-like culture around the team and on campus.” While ultimate frisbee takes skill in both speed and precision, the club is very keen on helping both newcomers and seasoned players sharpen their skills. “This club is extremely beginnerfriendly,” said Timmons, “Aside from me, I have Zara Lantzman, Esther Orlando, Brennan Reiner, Alex Lopez, Alex Schweiter, Stephen Youkoski and Olivia McInnis, who all act as supplemental teachers while we are playing and practicing.” Anyone with an interest in engaging in a high energy sport with a friendly and supportive environment, The Ultimate Frisbee team will welcome with open arms. The team prioritizes giving a voice and proper attention to everyone that joins. Morgan Rich, Editor-in-Chief: Sydney Allabaugh, Opinion Editor: the ballad of a homeschooled girl - Olivia Nails for Breakfast, Tacks for Snacks - Rodrigo Panic! At the Disco Amanda Montgomery, News Editor: “Freeze,” Opinion Staff Writer: Wait by the River - Lord Huron Senso - Grillabeats Emma Broda, News Staff Writer: Adam Grundt, Sports Asst. Editor: Boyish - Japanese Breakfast Slime You Out (feat. SZA) - Drake Zara Lantzman, LA&E Editor: get him back! - Olivia Rodrigo Anthony Cazun, LA&E Asst. Editor: Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staff picks their favorite song of the week. Our very own Zara Lantzman has put together a Spotify playlist where you can scan it and listen to the Beacon’s staff weekly picks! “Our goal for this year is to establish a family-centric winning culture,” said Timmons. “We want people to come that are hungry to win something while also giving them somewhere they feel accepted without judgment.” Ultimate frisbee exemplifies the skill, adrenaline, precision, cooperation and sportsmanship that is so important within sports. There may never be a dull moment, but that just makes the energy that much more palpable. “We want people to come that are hungry to win something while also giving them somewhere they feel accepted without judgment,” said Timmons. To join the team, simply email myles.timmons@wilkes.edu, or alternatively, ultimate@wilkes.edu to learn more. Tick Tick Boom - The Hives Cally Williams, LA&E Staff Writer: Twilight - Boa Lara Mullen, Designer: Say Yes - Ellliott Smith Liz Cherinka, Social Media Manager: Nothing Works - Declan McKenna Graphics/Lara Mullen �The Beacon – September 21, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 9 The rise of Artifical Intelligence and its place in art By Anthony Cazun Asst. Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor As the world grows older, technology advances and humanity yearn to create new and innovative ways to perform tasks, both basic and complex. This strive for innovation and streamlined systems have led to the development of artificial intelligence, the possible backbone of the future within industry and art, for better or worse. Artificial Intelligence, or A.I., has a long history, extending back to the 1950s. Initially, A.I.’s purpose was increasing the functionality of machines, allowing for more proficiency in data storage to increase performance optimization. While A.I.’s potential was well known, computers were not yet at the computing ability to explore A.I. ‘s true capabilities. As computer speeds, memory and computing capabilities continued to grow, artificial intelligence became more intelligent and versatile in its skillset. A.I. became able to mimic human actions, emotions, sort, store, organize, problem solve and more. Toward the end of the 20th century, A.I. began to enter the wider net of popular culture. Books, films and media such as “Westworld,” “Metropolis,” “The Terminator,” “Robocop,” “Cyberpunk 2020,” “The Matrix,” “Blade Runner,” “Ghost in the Shell,” “Star Wars,” ”Tron,” “Transformers,” “2001: A Space Odyssey,” etc. all became wildly popular, often perpetuating the idea of rogue A.I.’s taking over humanity, or adopting human-like qualities. Artificial intelligence quickly became a cornerstone of popular culture. Stories rife with warnings of machine autonomy, deception and philosophical explorations of the human condition, these stories are some of the most well known and successful pieces of media within the last handful of decades. These pieces of media were not meant to be predictions or expectations of A.I., but simply pieces to create an intriguing narrative. However, some of these stories have been more accurate in their view of artificial intelligence than previously thought possible. Previously, while artificial intelligence was a recurring theme and presence within many pieces of art and media, it would not be until recently that A.I. was not just within the art, but instead the conductor of it. While there had been rare instances of A.I. assisting in the creation of art throughout the decades, the mid 2010’s would revolutionize the usage of A.I. generative art. 2015 was the true catalyst year of A.I. art, with programs being launched by Google, however they were still in the learning phase. A.I. art truly took off to the public in 2021 with the release of machine learning models by OpenAI such as ChatGPT and Dalle-E. More A.I. art generators such as Midjourney and Stable Diffusion have also been launched into the stratosphere within the last few years. These programs make it easier than ever to generate art. Simply type in a prompt and watch a machine attempt to replicate the artistry of a human. Replicate being the keyword, as A.I. is unable to truly think for itself or innovate, as it is simply a machine learning tool, not an artist. The simple fact of A.I. arts nature has stirred up much controversy surrounding the new generated art methodology. A.I. artists have more in common with programmers than they do artists. The user will type a detailed description of what they want visualized, occasionally modify various settings, possibly even train the A.I. to a specific art style, and then send the command to the bot. The A.I. will scrub the internet for art made by artists and mimic their style to their best ability. A.I. generated art does not stop at simply illustrations and paintings, but also accurately mimicking voices, writing styles and animation styles etc. A.I. generated voices are becoming particularly popular across the internet, as social media users create parodies with voices of famous characters and celebrities. Many voice actors have expressed their dismay at these A.I. voice models, as while the models continue to progress, they become more indistinguishable from the real voice. Naturally, there are many plagiarism and ethical concerns surrounding this system of art generation. Many say that since the A.I. is unable to truly innovate and can only mimic living artists, the artists that are being mimicked, without their permission, are being unrightfully copied and having their style and work butchered by machine learning algorithms. Not only is this seen as unethical for its own merit of plagiarism, but also because it can usher in an era of out of work artists due to art generation being faster and considerably less argumentative in their vision. This is an especially large concern in the world of media, as studios and corporations such as The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Discovery, Take Two Interactive, Sony Corporation, etc. have already shown their knack of being exceedingly anti-human in their approach to artistic creation, mistreating, crunching and underpaying thousands of artists of all kinds. This has been the primary catalyst of the many active creative strikes, most notably being the current SAG-AFTRA strike. The current treatment of artists as well as the adoption of A.I. generated artwork has instilled fear and frustration in artists across the globe. Despite these concerns, there are also many in support of A.I. art generation, citing that with these simple tools, complex and difficult forms of art will be able to be created by anybody with an idea, creating art pieces while skipping the long and arduous creative process. This idea of generating art for the sake of haste and convenience has also seeped its way into creative programs and tools such as those found in the Adobe Creative Suite. Just recently, Adobe software such as Photoshop have introduced generative fill, a tool that allows users to simply highlight an area, type in a prompt, and have artificial intelligence generate the prompt. This can be used to remove a blemish, replace an entire structure or being and create all new items within the editor. As artificial intelligence continues to develop and be adopted by the public and various industries, it remains a contentious topic. Many believe it’s the next step in innovation and efficiency, while many others believe it is stripping away every ounce of humanity from everything it touches. The trajectory of artificial intelligence is unpredictable, but one to keep a watchful eye on. Graphic by Morgan Rich �The Beacon – September 21, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 Rodrigo releases critically-acclaimed sophomore album “GUTS” By Cassidy Brumagin Contributing Writer On Sept. 8, Olivia Rodrigo released her sophomore album “GUTS.” The album spans across various genres including rock, pop, punk and indie. The tracklist features 12 songs including “vampire,” the lead single that made its debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The release of this album follows the massive success of Rodrigo’s debut album “SOUR”, which earned the singer three Grammys in 2022. “For me, this album is about growing pains and trying to figure out who I am at this point in my life,” Rodrigo wrote about the album announcement. The tracks touch upon topics of hooking up with an ex, toxic people in her life, and the overall awkwardness and pains of growing up and out of her teenage years. The day after her sophomore album’s release, Rodrigo took to Instagram to post about the album, writing, “Making this album was so fun and scary and thrilling and fulfilling and I’m so happy it is yours!” Within a week of its release, the album reached the number one slot for albums on iTunes, filled 11 of the slots of Spotify’s Top 50 Global songs and occupied two slots on Billboard’s Hot 100. Joining “vampire” on Billboard’s Hot 100 is “bad idea right?,” which peaked at number 10 thus far. In addition to success on the charts, Rodrigo’s album has made a presence on TikTok with thousands of users using sound clips from various songs off the album. At the time of writing, the leader of the album is “bad idea right?” with over 157.5 thousand uses. Many users have taken to the sound to share their own similar stories of getting with an ex, as the song describes. “I think that she is bringing back the female rage we saw in the 90s and early 2000s in the most amazing way possible,” said Maddie Carpenter, senior pharmacy major. When prompted further, Carpenter explained that the opinion comes primarily from a track on the album titled “all-american bitch”. The track is the album’s lead off and begins with a soft melody, leading into a beat drop complete with electric guitar, drums and Rodrigo raising her voice to a near scream style of singing. “The song resembles something from an artist like Avril Lavigne,” said Carpenter “We have not seen that sort of rage and just letting loose from many artists of the newer generations.” In comparison to “SOUR”, many fans are citing maturity as the most notable change to Rodrigo’s style on this album. “ W h e n comparing ‘SOUR’ to ‘GUTS’, I feel ‘GUTS’ is definitely more mature,” said Jocelyn Cussatt, senior biology major. “I love ‘SOUR,’ but I feel that looking back some of the lyrics are definitely, not to be brutal, juvenile. Her lyrics and feelings definitely matured as she grew up.” Rodrigo was 18-years-old when “SOUR” was released and is 20-years-old now. Mirroring the time pass and change for Rodrigo between the two albums, many users have gone to TikTok to post photos of themselves at the time of each album release as well. The trend puts the photos over an audio clip from “ballad of a homeschooled girl.” Critics have also taken to the album in an overall positive manner. The Los Angeles Times dubbed the album a “bubble-gum rock masterpiece,” while the Rolling Stone describes it as “another instant classic”. Common themes amongst music critics include praising the poppunk undertones, relatable lyrics and scope of the album from slow ballads to upbeat music and lyrics. Taking the opposing side, The Telegraph (UK) calls “GUTS” a “simple continuation of “SOUR,” stating “there is little musical growth or thematic change.” The review from them, however, is the only mixed critic review out of 18 on Metacritic, with the rest being positive. The 18 total reviews earned “GUTS” a Metascore of 91. With the release of “SOUR” earning Rodrigo seven Grammy nominations, many critics are wondering what is to come following the commercial success of “GUTS.” Graphic by Lara Mullen comedian Fanny Brice and her journey to stardom as a Vaudeville entertainer. Barbara Sreisand originated the role of Fanny Brice in 1964. The current 2022 revival of “Funny Girl” starred “Glee” actress Lea Michele in Streisand’s iconic role. Michele debuted on Broadway as young Cosette in “Les Miserables” at the age of 8, and performed the role of Wendla in the original Broadway production of “Spring Awakening.” However, she is most often known for her role as Rachel Berry in the television show “Glee.” Michele started her run as Fanny Brice in April 2022 and closed it on Sept. 3. In “Glee,” Michel’s character Rachel is cast as Fanny Brice in the Broadway revival of Funny Girl. Now, years later Michele actually played the role herself. Just like her “Glee” character, Michele looked up to Barbara Streisand, making this role very significant for her. Jane Lynch, who played the tough cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester, also appeared in “Funny Girl.” Lynch played Brice’s mother in the revival of the musical but left the show right before Michele’s run. She insisted that her exit had nothing to do with Michele, stating that they were on good terms. During her final performance on Sept. 3, Michele paid homage to Streisand, adding in a song that the original “Funny Girl” star sang on her closing night. Michele sang the cut song,“My Man” just as Streisand did, to mark her final performance as Fanny Brice in 1966. The song was in the 1968 movie, but never in the actual musical. “Funny Girl” marked Michele’s first Broadway performance in 15 years. Michelle took a break from performing after the birth of her son. Michelle Beanie Feldstein was playing Fanny, but left the cast early. Michele then stepped in for Feldstein, ending her Broadway hiatus. Along with Michele, Julie Benko has been playing Fanny Brice when Michele was unavailable. Benko has recently gained notoriety for her successful portrayal of the lead role. The New York Sun called Benko “The Fanny Brice of our time.” Benko has performed in several Broadway productions, including the national tour of “Spring Awakening,” “Les Miserables” and “Fiddler on the Roof.” Benko was named “2022 Breakout Star for Theatre” by The New York Times. The North American tour of “Funny Girl” started in Rhode Island on Sept. 9. It will tour all throughout North America, ending in August 2024, in Houston, Texas. Broadway shows, including “Funny Girl,” set to close curtains By Cally Wlliams Life, Arts and Entertainment Staff Writer Broadway has been a staple of American culture since the 18th century. People from all over the world bond over their enjoyment of spectacular music, shining lights and a good tap number. Many shows that have run on Broadway stand the test of time, but still can not fight that final closed curtain. Some Broadway shows that will be closing this fall include “The Cottage,” “The Shark is Broken” and “Melissa Etheridge: My Window.” “The Cottage” is set to close on Oct. 29, and the latter two will close on Nov. 19. While these current Broadway shows are set to close in a couple of months, the revival of the hit musical “Funny Girl” just gave its final bow on Sept. 3. Funny Girl tells the story of Jewish �Name: Class: Date: Word Sudoku The Beacon - September 21, 2023 11 Life, Arts & Entertainment Fall Season Sodoku The words or names that are used in the puzzle: flowers dandelion rain april ivy sunshine bumblebee orchid chicks ����������������������������������������������� �� ivy Challenge your brain with some sudoku! How to play: Fill in the missing words. Each row should have 6 different words, no repeats. Each column should have 6 different words, no repeats. Each 2x2 quadrant should have 6 words, no repeats. chicks flowers rain orchid dandelion orchid april flowers flowers bumblebee chicks april chicks rain bumblebee flowers sunshine bumblebee chicks sunshine sunshine april Answer Key: dandelion ivy bumblebee bumblebee rain chicks rain april orchid bumblebee flowers orchid april Credit for these puzzles goes to: www.edu-games.org Compiled by Morgan Rich, Editor In Chief ���The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Opinion Editorial Staff 2023-24 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Morgan Rich Social Media Manager - Liz Cherinka Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Amanda Montgomery LA&E - Zara Lantzman Opinion - Sydney Allabaugh ASSISTANT EDITORS LA&E - Anthony Cazun Sports - Adam Grundt DESIGNERS Designer - Lara Mullen Section Staff Writers News - Emma Broda LA&E - Cally Williams Opinion - “Freeze” Want to join The Beacon? Several positions are open! Contact : kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or morgan.rich@wilkes.edu 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 Morgan Rich at morgan.rich@ wilkes.edu The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact opinion editor: sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu. Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. The switch to GrubHub has been a nuisance Before the start of the fall semester, students were notified that there would be a transition in the campus food ordering and pick-up platform. Dining Sidekick would be replaced by GrubHub. Although we were initially promised that this change would improve our dining experience, it has actually created more troubles. One issue with this transition is that both students and campus dining employees are being forced to switch from a platform they were familiar with to a platform that is unfamiliar. Students and staff alike have had to learn and get accustomed to an allnew user interface. For some students, becoming accustomed to a new platform has created a damper on their dining experience. Learning how to order on an app that is unfamiliar creates setbacks in the ordering process. For others, uncertainty about how to use the app has discouraged them from ordering food on campus whatsoever. Dining staff also had to overcome obstacles and uncertainties that come with the changes to a new dining platform. For the on-campus Starbucks, for example, this change meant they now had to become accustomed to simultaneously serving in- person customers while also attending to the orders that come through the GrubHub app when they previously only had to take in-person orders. Outside of the hurdles that come with learning how to use a new platform, there have been promises that have been left unfulfilled. In the initial email regarding this change, students were promised that GrubHub would offer a seamless ordering process, real-time order tracking, and reliable services. These statements have not been entirely true thus far. The ordering process has not been seamless for all students. Some students have reported that the user-interface is less visually appealing and more complex than Dining Sidekick, making ordering more complicated in some instances. Sometimes, students are unable to order what they want, such as a venti drink from Starbucks, for example, as it is not listed as an option on the app. A reportedly inconvenient and less-intuitive ordering system may also make it more difficult for first-year students to become accustomed to ordering and picking up food on campus. Regarding real-time order tracking, students have stated that the estimated order times have not been accurate. On Dining Sidekick, students would receive a notification when their order was ready. When they received this notification, their order was, in fact, ready. On GrubHub, some have stated that they no longer receive pop-up notifications when their order was ready, or in other instances, they would receive a notification when their order may not actually be ready yet. We were also promised that GrubHub would be a reliable, hassle-free service, however, this too has not entirely been the case. Within the first week of school, students had issues ordering from oncampus dining locations such as Burgers + Fries and Greens to Go. Although these issues have since been addressed, they still caused an inconvenience during a time students already had other things to adapt to, such as class schedules and living situations. Going forward, hopefully GrubHub becomes commonplace as Dining Sidekick had been, but that has yet to become a reality for some students. Ordering and picking up food should not be an inconvenience. 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: morgan.rich@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 21, 2023 Opinion 15 The hidden power of the The Return of The Red indie video game genre Raven: an original story By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer In the modern world of media, mostly everyone engages with movies, shows, music, books and games that are considered “mainstream.” This is media that skyrockets with attention and captivates the public by the millions. However, that is precisely why the mainstream genre is actually terrible. Not only does gaining traction discourage creativity and brand new elements, but it also starts to develop into a lazy formula for entertainment. Meanwhile, there are lesser known projects, which are referred to as indie titles, that employ fresh strategies and introduce new techniques that really enhance the experience. Of course, I will discuss the superiority of the indie genre in the context that I know best: video games. If you read last week’s issue of The Beacon newspaper, you would know that I am not a big fan of online video games. There are a variety of reasons that the online setting is problematic, but the main point is that all of the games in this category are exactly the same. These games have only one goal: make as much money as possible. For example, Epic Games’s Fortnite has been nothing but a strategy to hypnotize children into spending all of their parents’ money on cosmetic items. The worst part is that this strategy has infected other games, such as Rocket League, FIFA and even the mobile hit Clash Royale. In short, the developers of these games don’t have any regard for gameplay or their user-experience. On the other hand, the indie genre is simply beautiful. In order to really demonstrate how great these games are, it is important to understand three big categories: cost, gameplay and development and the community interaction. Cost. Although indie games can cost as much as a mainstream title, they are much cheaper on average. More importantly, the money that is spent on indie titles is happily spent by players in order to gain ownership of the game. For indie games, the cost is not a fee in order to have access, but it is a salutation to the developer and a confirmation that the player themself wants to own a personal copy of the title. It is common for players to even go so far as to provide funding for a game that is in development. Finally, unlike mainstream and online content, these games do not rely on microtransactions. Developers sacrifice a lot of time and money on a title only to release it for a discountable price. Thus, the cost of indie games are very affordable and worthwhile. Gameplay and Development. Needless to say, the actual content of a game is what makes it worthy. Many indie players will say that the smaller projects are not just games, but they are experiences. Indie games are often described as a unique display of new mechanics, such as Hollow Knight, fresh art-styles, like in Cuphead, and killer soundtracks like in Undertale. These games have completely original content created by small, talented developers and artists who band together to bring their vision to reality. Community Interaction. Interaction within a video game community could greatly change how someone may enjoy playing the game. A community for an indie game is usually very unified and civilized. First, the developers constantly ask for feedback and respond to the community. Players also enjoy treating an indie title like a shared experience, so they will freely give tips and tricks out of respect for other players and the game itself. Finally, the community in an indie is not demanding of the developers. If anything, most players fear the day that an indie game skyrockets and follows the dark path of mainstream status. Even so, developers often respond to their community with expansions for their titles, known as downloadable content (DLC). One important thing to note is that indie developers are just a few people working with their own funds. At the end of the day, there is nothing that can stop you from playing whatever games you enjoy. However, the indie genre is a goldmine that offers spectacular types of games, which may be something you never knew you liked until you tried it. The top list of indie games would certainly be a great place to start. By Leah Smith Contributing Writer PART 2 Rick froze as he read the description of Teddy Flowers’s death one last time. “Teddy Flowers was bludgeoned to death with a wooden square block with the letter “A” painted on it.” He couldn’t breathe. He repeated in his head that this was just a coincidence. That perhaps a sick serial killer was out murdering people with wooden toy blocks. It couldn’t have anything to do with his show. It couldn’t, it shouldn’t, it can’t. Rick didn’t realize that he was becoming light-headed by walking around his blue sofa in circles with the paper in his hand. He felt the need to call someone. He thought of Cameron first, but assumed that he would call him crazy and be more upset with him. He could maybe call the police and tell them that he knows something, but they would call him crazy too. He had only one person left he could call, and his gut twisted just thinking about it. He reached for his cell phone and dialed her number. His thumb hovered over the button to call her. He hasn’t talked to her in years ever since the incident they had where she stormed off and swore that she would never talk to him again. He had no other choice or else he was lost. He took a deep breath and pressed the button. He waited for almost a minute until the beeping from the other end ceased. A woman with a tired and dry voice answered, “Hello?” Rick couldn’t recognize her voice. “Can I speak to Isabelle, please?” “This is Isabelle,” she replied. Rick answered as confidently as he could, “Hey Izzy, it’s your dad.” There was a long, silent pause as Rick was already regretting his decision, but then a deep sigh followed after what felt like an eternity. “What do you want?” she demanded in a cold tone. “Did you hear about Teddy Flowers’s death?” Rick asked. “Yeah. What does this have to do with me?” Isabelle said. “How he died was like how Mr. Jenkins died in the pilot of “The Red Raven.” I want your help in looking deeper into this case, and you’re the only person I have that is in the force that can do this for me,” Rick explained. “So you find out that one of your co-stars passed away and your first thought is that it matches how a character died in a TV show?” Isabelle said in disbelief. “Izzy, please, I don’t mean it like that. I want to try and see if there’s any correlation. I want to try and help,” Rick pleaded, heartbroken that she was still bitter towards him. “Look dad, we are on the case and still trying to uncover everything that we can, but you are in no shape to help. You always thought you were the Red Raven even off the screen. It’s so sad to see you still think that,” Isabelle said. “I don’t want to be the Red Raven. I just want to know because maybe I can help.” Rick defended. “When you called you said that I should do this for you. That’s what it’s always been about. Rick Greenblatt always had to be the star in every moment, even in his own child’s life. I took up being a detective because I knew that I could help people and not just play pretend in a red cape. I can’t help you because it won’t feel worth it because you’ll make it all about yourself,” Isabelle addressed. Rick tried one last time. “Please, you are all that I have left, and I wouldn’t be calling you if I didn’t care for your help and if I didn’t care about the impact you had on my life. I just need this one favor, just this once.” He begged her, tears streaming down his face. Another long silent pause, with the exception of Rick’s sobs, was brought upon the two again. After a few minutes, Isabelle made her decision. “Do you have those old VHS tapes of the show still in the basement?” Isabelle asked. “Yes, I do,” Rick nodded, clearing his voice. “Bring them down to the station.” Isabelle said. The call ended there. Rick wore an awkward smile as he walked to the door that was standing diagonally from the sofa. He opened the door and ran downstairs and grabbed the boxes labeled “Red Raven Collection.” To be continued... �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Opinion 16 “La La Land” can teach us about long-distance relationships Are long-distance relationships worth it? By Bryce Greco Contributing Writer There exists over a thousand surviving letters between John and Abigail Adams, perhaps the most notable long-distance couple in American history. Perhaps you have heard stories from your grandparents about going long distance during times of war. Or maybe your parents were high-school sweethearts who had to be apart once they went away to college. If there is anything history tells us, it’s that long-distance relationships are not easy. But modern technology makes keeping up with your partner much more convenient. Gone are the days of letters and expensive long-distance phone calls. With a cell phone in your pocket, you and your partner can be virtually together anytime and anywhere. However, this doesn’t make long-distance relationships necessarily easy. So, are they worth it? Hollywood likes to romanticize long-distance relationships as something that oftentimes winds up working out in the end. But that is far from realistic. Take a look at Damien Chazelle’s 2016 masterpiece “La La Land.” The film follows the journey of two artists, the actress and playwright Mia and the musician Sebastian, as they pursue their dreams at the expense of their love. During a segment of the film where the couple goes long distance for a few months, we watch the lovers we’ve spent the past hour routing for fall apart. Sebastian is on tour with a band he hates trying to make enough money to open a jazz club, and he fails to make it to the opening performance of Mia’s play. Things only get worse when Mia’s big break in the movie world requires her to move away to Paris for filming. While it’s abundantly clear that Mia and Sebastian deeply love and care about each other, the places their careers are taking them cause their relationship to end. The film concludes after a five-year time-skip, where Mia and her new husband are out on a date at a jazz club. We see the club’s owner and main performer Sebastian greeting guests from the stage. M i a on his tour, she would have never become a famous actress. If Sebastian accompanied Mia to Paris, he would have never opened his club. Their story, while tragic and sad, is rather bittersweet. Both artists achieve their dreams, but at the cost of their life together. I believe this to be the reality of many longdistance a n d Sebastian share a glance from afar with tears in their eyes. The film ends with the couple exchanging a smile one last time. “La La Land” is a perfect example of the reality of long-distance relationships. No matter how much Mia and Sebastian love each other, they could never pursue their dreams as a couple. If Mia followed Sebastian relationships, especially in college. High school relationships, while fundamental and at times perfect, are not always the best predictors of the future. College differs from high school, as the things that truly matter in life now enter the forefront of many students’ minds. You’re no longer working to walk across a stage and get a diploma, you’re working to master the topic of your major, find a job to kickstart your career and create a life for yourself worthy of carrying into your future. And the sad truth is, that sometimes, your long-distance high school relationship can stand in the way of that. Much like with Mia and Sebastian, sometimes you need to sacrifice a life with someone you truly love for the sake of your career and future, and that’s okay. The way I see it, long-distance relationships in college are well worth the struggle if your partner does not stand in the way of what you truly want out of life. If your partner is your best friend and someone you cannot see yourself living without, then the pain of a long-distance relationship will most likely pay off in the end. When you encourage each other to follow each of your dreams while never sacrificing your own desires for life, your time long distance, while certainly not the best, can be necessary to reaching an ideal adult relationship. Giving up on your best friend for an on-demand relationship will boil down to selfishness. If there is anything history has taught us over the years, it is that going the distance is far from an impossible feat. When phone calls replace date nights, remember that modern technology is a blessing your ancestors did not have. Stand by each other’s side during long distance, and I believe that your relationship will be stronger in the end once your time apart is over. Are long distance relationships worth it? When two best friends spend time apart but continue to stand in each other’s corner and aid each other to pursue their dreams and aspirations as one, I believe they are. However, a shared past, while memorable, formative or even perfect, means nothing if it leads to an unwound future. Graphic by Lara Mullen �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Opinion 17 A reflection on comedy show “Jon, John and Pete” By Samara Carey Contributing Writer In a world full of hate and injustice, it is important that we have something in our lives to make us laugh. Regardless of your sense of humor, everybody has a guilty pleasure for something that makes them crack a smile. In my case, my favorite comedians are John Mulaney and Pete Davidson. From as far back as I can remember, I have been watching Mulaney specials. I became obsessed with memorizing the punchlines and watching his sketches that date as far back to his “Saturday Night Live,” days where he was a writer. During that time, I also discovered the elusive Pete Davidson. There was something about Davidson that I was instantly drawn to. Whether it was his self-deprecating humor or the way he over-exaggerated his punchlines, I always loved being able to sit back and watch his sketches whenever I was feeling down about something going on in my life. In 2019, Mulaney and Davidson ended up going on tour together for a small comedy run to present and test out new sketches. When this tour was originally announced, I remember running up to my mom as a first-year student in high school begging to see my two favorite comedians in real life. My mom, being the wonderful lady that is she and concerned for my 14-year-old wellbeing, unfortunately said no due to the fear that there would be crude humor not safe for my prepubescent ears. Hearing this absolutely tore me apart and made me feel like my life was never going to be the same again, but I quickly got over it when Mulaney decided to announce his “From Scratch” tour back in early 2022. Luckily, I was able to attend this tour with one of my friends and had an amazing time. Mulaney launched this tour just after recovering from rehab and wanted to retell his stories from his time away. It was, of course, hilarious and I dreamed about seeing him again during one of his next comedy runs. Then, my entire world stopped. In August, Mulaney announced a brand new, limited time comedy run with none other than Pete Davidson and Jon Stewart. As you can imagine, my heart skipped a beat a little. Yes, I had absolutely no idea who Jon Stewart was (more on that later), but Mulaney and Davidson? Oh, my heart can only take so much. My mom, again being the lovely woman that she is, ended up buying me tickets as a gift so we could go together. Maybe this was her way of redeeming herself from betraying me all those years ago, but I digress. The day of the show finally came around, and I was ecstatic. I wore my John Mulaney T-shirt, and I was ready to go. Once we got to the venue, they had us lock our phone in a Yondr punch, which is normal for a comedy show to this high of a standard. Yes, it sucked not being able to go on my phone while I was waiting for the show to start, but I quickly got over it once I realized that this meant more shows were around the corner for this trio. After an opener that I do not care enough to speak about, Davidson officially opened the show. This show was different from past shows for Pete, especially since he recently got out of rehab and was still in active recovery. Nonetheless, he was still incredible and truly encapsulated the audience for the entirety of his set. Some of the notable pieces of his set were when he talked about missing his stalker, how he wants his mom to date someone and the time he fell in love with Leonardo Dicaprio. It was nice to see Davidson in a positive and supportive light, especially since he was torn apart in the media last year. Photo courtesy of Samara Carey Sophomore Samara Carey stands beside her parents Shawn and Sue Carey as a “Jon, John and Pete” graphic is displayed on a television behind them. Davidson’s act was enjoyable; however, I do wish it was longer. He was open and honest about his addiction, which I found quite admirable and was proud of him for doing so. After Davidson’s act, he announced Mulaney on stage next. Mulaney was a natural on stage and made it seem like this was his own headlining show. Some of his most notable pieces included: How an adult failed at kidnapping him, his new adventures with his two-year-old son, and how he believes dinosaurs are not real. It was honestly super refreshing to see Mulaney healthy and happy, especially since his last special contained a lot of heavy material and focused on a darker time in his life. Like I said previously, this was my second time seeing Mulaney, and if you ask me, he just is getting better and better with each act that he performs. Like all things though, it must end. After Mulaney’s set, he announced the last and main act, Jon Stewart. Now, before heading to this show, I had absolutely no idea who this man was, and to be honest, I did not care. I figured if he was staring with stars such as Davidson and Mulaney, he was bound to be just as funny as they are. Oh, boy was I wrong. Before I go any further, I want to say I respect Stewart and his work as a whole, but it is simply not for me. To be blunt, I did not laugh a single time he was on stage. His entire act was about how old he is, how he hates both political parties and then went on to weirdly compare Christianity and Judaism for half the act. Now, I am not sure if this is something that interests you, but I did not necessarily enjoy his set. If you want my honest opinion, the show would have been better without him in it. Overall, I had a fun time at the show, but being transparent, I wish I left after Mulaney’s act. Now I know for next time to completely avoid Stewart, or to leave whenever I see his name. I will be seeing Mulaney and Davidson in the future though. �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Opinion 18 "PUNK TACTICS:" an album overshadowed upon release A song-by-song review of "PUNKTACTICS" by Joey Valence & Brae By Shawn Carey Contributing Writer We live in an age of constant media. One of the most highly anticipated albums of the year, “GUTS” by Olivia Rodrigo, was released on Sept. 8. Following the breakout success of her first studio album “SOUR” in 2021, “GUTS” had much to live up to. This album is the young artist’s chance to prove that she’s not just a one hit wonder. I, however, will not be talking about any of that in this article. As much as I would like to add on to the discussion surrounding “GUTS,” I would rather highlight an album that was released on the same day but only received a fraction of the same attention. An album that I believe more people should be listening to. The album I am talking about is “PUNK TACTICS” by Joey Valence and Brae. “PUNK TACTICS” is hip-hop duo Joey Valence and Brae’s first major album. Being recorded entirely in Joey’s bedroom, the 24-year-olds aimed to recreate the punk-rap style of the ‘80s and ‘90s in this record, which I believe they were able to do with flying colors. Before I go into detail about the songs on the album, I would first like to get rid of the elephant in the room. Yes, I know, they sound a lot like the Beastie Boys. When talking about the album, or any of their songs for the matter, it’s hard to not make the comparison, which is completely valid. The duo takes huge inspiration from the New York-based band for much of their discography. They don’t just try to recreate what worked in the past; however, they really make the songs their own with their unique gimmicks and flair. This can be heard in the album’s title track. “PUNK TACTICS” starts with what can only be described as a blast of excitement. It’s very loud and in your face, leaving you with no room to breathe in the best way possible, a common characteristic that all the songs on the album share. This serves as a fantastic start that tells you what the album is all about. There’s also a good chance that you heard the song before, or at least the chorus. Joey and Brae released it as a single in the spring of last year. Due to the song’s general fun and energetic vibe it unsurprisingly started to trend on TikTok. It was used in everything from edits of users’ favorite characters to short animated music videos. The songs “DROP!!” and “WATCH YO STEP” follow in the footsteps of “PUNK TACTICS” as fast-paced power anthems that makes you want to get up and start putting on your own music video, the latter even referencing the opening of Next up we have “DELINQUENT (TEEN TITAN),” which as you probably tell by the name, highlights the duo’s love of samples and references related to pop culture. It’s not uncommon to hear them make the occasional anime reference, with one of my personal favorite examples being, “...we ain’t got a label, you don’t get a quarter. Now we going platinum, ora, ora, ora.” I can see how some may be turned off by the constant name drops, but I believe they tend to work on their own without having to have knowledge of the properties. “INTERMISSION” marks the halfway mark of the album. It’s a nice short break from what we’ve been used to hearing, “PUNK TACTICS.” One thing that stood out to me was the instrumentals of these songs. They start out as slow electric beats until their respective chorus, in which they explode out, turning into something that sounds more like traditional hip-hop. “STARTAFIGHT” plays next, and I would say this is the song that sounds the most similar to what you would hear on a Beastie Boys album, mainly due to the constant repeating of the song’s name, something the group was well known for. It’s also around this point that you’ll probably start to notice that none of the tracks on the album are that long. Most of the songs end up lasting only a mere two minutes, with the entire album being a modest half hour. I see this as working out in the artist’s favor with none of the songs outstaying their welcome, making the album an easy listen. with it even sounding like elevator music. From here on out through, we get much more experimental tracks from Joey and Brae, with the following song immediately letting you know that things are about to change. “GUMDROP” is a minute-long hyper pop song that sounds nothing like what came before it. As someone who isn’t really a fan of the genre, I tend to find myself skipping this one upon plays of the album, but I can appreciate the duo trying something different. Taking a complete 180, we now have “DANCE NOW.” The song’s name is very fitting as it will make you do as it says. It's a very groovy song that has a unique jazz feel to it. This was originally released as a single and had me convinced that it would be my favorite on the album. That was until I heard the next song. Simply titled “RN” the track serves as a fun track that will certainly hype you up. While the song tends to repeat itself in a similar way to “STARTAFIGHT,” the vocal work and instrumental more than makes up for it. The song “HOOLIGANG” does pretty much the same thing but to what I feel like is a lesser degree. “TANAKA 2” is what I believe to be the objectively best song on the album. For the first minute it just sounds like a typical song by them, that’s until Logic comes in and does his verse. You heard that right, this album has a Logic feature. I’m not going to act like I really care about Logic or his music, but his verse on this song does a lot to separate “TANAKA 2” from the duo’s other works. Speaking of separating their songs we now have “STREET PIZZA,” which is just a straight-up punk song. The song features Joey and Brae shouting about making street pizza over heavy instruments. While that may not be the most punk thing to sing about, it certainly has that energy to it. I would like to note that on Spotify they have the artist “Bonjour Señor” listed as a feature. I tried to find more out related to this individual, but the only proof of his existence is this one song. The final song on the album is “CLUB SANDWICH,” a song that returns the duo to their normal style of music. This works as a great track on its own, but I recommend playing the entire album before giving it a listen. It serves also as a celebration of “PUNK TACTICS,” referencing almost all the songs that came before it. “PUNK TACTICS” is an album that takes you for a short yet fun ride. Once you start getting used to its unique style, it does something new and different. If you’re a fan of the Beastie Boys, Cypress Hill or Joey Bada$$ this is worth a listen. Joey and Brea really have something special going on, and I can’t wait to see what they do next. Graphic by Lara Mullen �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Sports 19 Sports Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Asst. Editor: Adam.grundt@wilkes.edu Wilkes field hockey off to hot start under new coach Ashley Irwin, King's College alum, now a proud Colonel By Adam Grundt Sports Assistant Editor The Colonels’ field hockey team is off to a hot start under new head coach Ashley Irwin. Irwin, a native of Douglasville, Pa., attended King’s College and graduated in 2011. For the past nine years, she was at Keystone College coaching the women’s lacrosse team from 20152020 and leading the field hockey program from 2014-2022. “This will be my 10th season coaching at the Division III level,” Irwin explained. “I feel that my time at Keystone has done a great job in providing me the work habits to go the extra mile, and do the extra work. "Truthfully, at Keystone, it was very, very hard. Our facilities and resources were nowhere compared to what we have at Wilkes, and I think it made me humbled and grateful to be the next coach here at Wilkes. "Now, with the work habits and resources that we have, the sky is the limit.” Irwin played at King's from 20062009. During her career there, she played in 67 games with 47 starts and won back-to-back MAC Freedom championships and made NCAA Tournament appearances in 2006 and 2007, according to her profile on the Wilkes Athletics website. She graduated in 2011 with a B.A. in Elementary Education and a minor in Special Education. Irwin also served as coach for both women’s lacrosse and field hockey at Meyers and Coughlin high schools in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. She was the Meyers field hockey assistant coach and JV head coach from 2011 to 2014. From 2012 to 2015, she worked with Coughlin's girl's lacrosse team “Over the course of my years in the ‘valley’ I have grown to make a name for myself,” Irwin explained. “After my time at King’s I coached locally for both Meyers and Coughlin High School, before making my way up to Irwin Keystone. I then have had the pleasure of mentoring 15 former players that are head coaches of some sort of collegiate field hockey, collegiate lacrosse, high school field hockey, or high school lacrosse. "It helps to make friends along the way”. In her first season at Wilkes, Irwin commends the atmosphere at the university. “When you came to Wilkes it was always a battle,” Irwin said. “They were tough, they hit hard, and when you saw their name on the schedule you kind of feared them. The atmosphere is one of winning and wanting to win. "I think when you finally experience it as both a student-athlete and a coach, it’s electric. Best decision I ever made, I am simply humbled to be here and work with great people”. The Colonels opened up their season with an overtime victory at Oswego State, and are coming off of back-toback wins against Wells College and Neumann University. They are one win away from matching their season total in wins from a year ago. “They are definitely off to a solid start for sure,” Irwin said. “They are learning what it takes to battle and we couldn’t be prouder. It is definitely a process, and a new one at that. There is a lot of learning and learning quickly. "This week, for example, is unheard of. No team in collegiate field hockey plays four games in one week. But we are; it’s a schedule I inherited and we’re making the most of it. "For the NCAA, field hockey is given 18-19 games to play, depending on scrimmages. It is really hard to fit those games into a two-month schedule. "They are off to a strong start and proving themselves game-by-game”. The Colonels begin conference play on Sept. 16 when they travel to Baltimore, Md. to take on Goucher College. Irwin believes this will be the first real test of the season. “Conference opens this Saturday for us down at Goucher College,” Irwin explained. “It will be the first test for sure, and it is definitely a game that we have already set in our minds that we need to win to set out on the course we are on. It is a bold move, but we want to be the number five or number 6 seed in playoffs. "The Landmark is a tough conference, and one that we know we need to do the work in if we want to survive and make it to that spot. There are a lot of big opponents ahead, but the first one is Goucher and we need that ‘w’.” After a non-conference match against Misericordia University on Sept. 14, the Colonels will travel to Baltimore to take on Goucher College in their first Landmark Conference game of the season. They return home on Sept. 19 to take on rival and Coach Irwin’s alma mater, King’s College, at Schmidt Stadium. At the game, faculty and staff will be recognized as a part of Faculty/ Staff Appreciation Night. For more information, visit gowilkesu.com. Catch the Colonels at Susquehanna Saturday at 1 p.m. �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Sports 20 Will the Waterdogs secure a second championship? By Samantha Mullen Contributing Writer The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) is gearing up for a much anticipated championship game against the Waterdogs Lacrosse Club and Archers Lacrosse Club. As the best of the best prepare to face off, lets take a closer look at what could be expected when it comes to game time in Philadelphia on Sept. 24. It was to no surprise that the Waterdogs were able to secure a trip to the championship this year as they are the current reigning champs. Led by head coach Andy Copelan and a roster filled with talented players like Kieran McArdle and Michael Sowers, they were able to overcome struggles in the beginning of the season. Waterdogs finished the regular season with a 7-3 record putting them as the 3rd seed. Just from the stats, the team showcased resilience and determination in every game. As already mentioned, players to look at during the championship on the offensive side is Kieran McArdle and Michael Sowers. McArdle led the team in points, have 34, and in 1 point goals, 20. Sowers was close behind with 30 points total with 15 1 point goals and 15 assists, leding the team for most assists. Defensively, they have the Canadian Dillion Ward who came back late in the season but ended with a 61 save percentage. On the other side, the Archers are coached by Chris Bates. The Waterdogs could potentially have some trouble stopping Archers offensive powerhouses like Tom Schreiber, who won league MVP, and Connor Fields. By the end of the regular season, the Archers placed as first seed with a record of 8-2. As mentioned before, Tom Schreiber dominates everytime with he is on the field. He finished the regular season with 16 1 point goals and 2 2 point goals. Another key offensive player is Connor Fields who, in the regular season, led the team in points, 39, and 1 point goals, 28. Defensively, they have the long stick defender Graeme Hossack, who had 8 caused turnovers and 35 groundballs during the regular season. Hossack also showed off his offensive skills with an assist and two 2-point shots. In net, they have second year, Brett Dobson had a save percentage of 60 in the regular season and 78 in post season play. It’ll be a tough fight between Dobson and Ward to see who’s save percentage is better. Though some fans may focus heavily on the defense and offense players, the game starts with the faceoff which is going to be a battle. The rookie Mike Sisselberger has been dominating this season with having a 68 percent for faceoff wins. With the new shot clock rule of 32 seconds after the faceoff, Sisselberger was able to take advantage of that and got 3 goals after gaining possession of the ball. On the Waterdogs, they have two rookies, James Reilly and Zac Tucci, listed as their faceoff guys, but have opted for midfielder Zach Currier to be taking it as of late. Currier currently has a 59 percent for faceoff wins. Seeing him and Sisselberger go head to head at the faceoff will definitely be something exciting to watch. Both teams have had an incredible season which is why they are in the championship. They both have solid offense and defenses. It’s just who is more hungry and determined to get the trophy on Sunday. Will the Waterdogs stay the reigning champs or will the Archers take the crown and win for the first time in program history? Tune in on Sunday Sept. 24 at 3 p.m. on ESPN. �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Sports 21 MLB wild card races heat up as playoffs approach By Adam Grandt Sports Assistant Editor Wild Card and divisional races in both leagues are heating up as the Major League Baseball Season enters its home stretch. The Baltimore Orioles sit in first place in the American League East Division with reinforcements on the way as the Tampa Bay Rays sit three games behind them. The Orioles are expected to promote top prospect Jackson Holliday to their major league roster in order to solidify that top spot in their competitive division. Baltimore selected Holliday with the number one overall selection in 2022’s first-year player’s draft. While the Rays remain in striking distance for the division title, they have all but guaranteed themselves a spot in the playoffs as they sit in the first wild card spot. Baltimore’s all-star closer, Félix Bautista, recently suffered a partial tear in his UCL but is hopeful return for their playoff push. “It’s probably best characterized as an acute-on-chronic injury to his ligament”, Orioles general manager Mike Elias told the media. Elias also added that doctors don’t see a risk if Bautista were to continue throwing this season. The remaining two places for the American League Wild Card spots are currently occupied by Tampa Bay and Baltimore’s division rival, the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Texas Rangers. The Rangers find themselves in a similar situation as the Rays, as they sit two games behind the leader of the American League West division, the Houston Astros. The Minnesota Twins are running away with the American League Central as they sit seven and a half games ahead of the Cleveland Guardians in what many believe to be the division in baseball with the least strength. According to ESPN analytics, Minnesota has upwards of a 99% chance of clinching their division. As it stands, the Seattle Mariners sit half of a game out of the final wild card spot in the American League. The Blue Jays, Rangers, and Mariners are all separated by a small window of one game. According to ESPN analytics, the Mariners have a 51% chance to lock up that final Wild Card spot. Seattle is coming off the best month of their franchise’s history in August, one where they accumulated 21 wins. “Twenty-one wins in a month and there was a really special team here that won 116 games in one year and they didn’t even do that,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said, referencing the 2001 Mariners team that finished the season with only 46 losses. The race to keep an eye on toward the end of this season, however, is undoubtedly the one for the final National League Wild Card spot. It is currently a heated race between six separate teams. The Philadelphia Phillies currently occupy the first Wild Card spot, and the Chicago Cubs sit a game and a half behind them in the second. The third Wild Card spot, currently occupied by the Arizona Diamondbacks, is up for grabs. The Miami Marlins and San Francisco Giants both sit a game and a half behind Arizona, and the Cincinnati Reds are chasing the Diamondbacks by two games. The Chicago Cubs have been as hot as any team as of late, and have a valid chance at capturing the National League Central division crown. They currently sit three games behind the leader of their division, the Milwaukee Brewers. That remains the only division in the National League that is still up for grabs in the National League, as the Atlanta Braves have locked up the National League East and the Los Angeles Dodgers have done the same in the West. For baseball fans, this point of the season remains very exciting due to the annual number of tight races for division crowns and Wild Card spots. With October baseball nearly here, a better idea of who will be contending for the league pennants and a World Series championship will come to fruition. The Beacon is looking for sports writers for the Fall 2023 semester If you are interested in sports writing, editing, photography or graphics contact Adam Grundt at adam.grundt@wilkes.edu �The Beacon September 21, 2023 Sports 22 Athlete of the Week Trevor DuBoff Senior Golf Player The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week DuBoff was chosen as our athlete of the week after shooting a career low of 74 to help Wilkes defeat cross-town rival King’s College on Wednesday, Sept. 6 at Huntsville Golf Club. Major: Sports Management Hometown: Stony Point, NY High School: North Rockland What has been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? Shooting 2 over at Huntsville and leading my team to a win over King’s. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? New York Mets. What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Going to the gym. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? Being able to compete with and against talented and motivated athletes. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? Happy Gilmore Photo Courtesy of Anna Beckham 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." 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? Hitting a hole in one on hole 5 at Huntsville. What is your favorite post-game meal? Chipotle How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? It’s an honor even to be considered amongst all the great athletes at Wilkes. I’m grateful for all the support I’ve received from my coaches and teamates - both on the wrestling and the golf team - as well as my friends and family. �Sports The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Athlete of the Week 23 Alexis Reedy Junior Volleyball Outside Hitter The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Reedy was chosen as our athlete of the week after a strong performance with 15 digs in the Colonels' victory against Penn State Hazelton. Reedy also surmounted 15 kills in a 3-0 victory against Delaware Valley in the team's first game of the tri-match on Sept. 4. She then compiled another 12 kills and 15 digs against Penn State Altoona in the final game of the tri-match and she finished with a total of 36 kills, 37 digs, 8 aces and 2 blocks. Major: Nursing Hometown: Palmyra, Pa. High School: Palmyra What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? Team bonding, this year we went white water rafting which was a lot of fun. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? Philadelphia Eagles. What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Hanging out with my friends and going to the beach. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? Meeting other athletes and the support from other sports teams. Also being involved in the community. If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Soccer. What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Winning states my junior year of high school. What is your favorite post-game meal? Mozzarella sticks. How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? I feel very honored to be selected. It is reassuring to have gotten this recognition for the hard work I have been putting in. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? Remember the Titans. Compiled by Adam Grundt, Asst. Sports Editor Photo Courtesy of Anna Beckham Editor’s note: Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor ts staff each week. At the end of the academic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw it ter @WilkesB eacon to crow n an “Athlete of the Year." �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 24 �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 76, Issue 3 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” Wilkes hosts first blood drive of the fall semester The Beacon/Amanda Montgomery American Red Cross volunteers taking blood donations in the Jean and Paul Adams Commons ballroom on the second floor of the SUB. The blood drive took place Sept. 12 and was held from 9:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Students celebrate national chocolate milkshake day, page 5 The American Red Cross placed a poster at the sign-in table which cautioned donors to be wary of certain factors before donating their blood. Some things to consider included weight, height, age and current and past health histories. E-mentors host bowling event for firstyear students, page 7 A reflection on comedy show “Jon, John and Pete,” page 16 �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Amanda Montgomery: Amanda.Montgomery1@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: Sept. 13 weekly meeting By Zach Paraway Contributing Writer Student Government had its third meeting for the semester on Sept. 13. It also marked the first meeting with all the new members. These new members include three from the senior class and one from the sophomore class. It was also the first meeting for the newly-elected members of the first-year class. SG currently has $70,628.65 in its account. The first order of business was the an Alumni Office fund request for homecoming weekend. The presentation was given by Bree Freeman of the office and Brooke Coleman, a junior student intern. They spoke on the importance of the weekend from an alumni perspective and how it helps renew past memories with colleagues and former students. It can also provide networking opportunities for current students from former graduates within their desired field. Helping this weekend come together is a team of student leaders who help make the weekend possible for both students and alumni. The request for $500 would cover 20 tickets that would be given to the team for their hard work. The tickets would provide access to all activities over the weekend that require payment and come up to a value of $10 per ticket. This was the first week of their proposal and will be voted on next week. The next order of business was a fund request from Kappa Psi, a pharmaceutical fraternity on campus under the chapter Delta Omicron. Presenting was their regent Phil Davis, a p4 student. They came to request funding in order to attend two conferences over the first semester. These conferences are to provide networking opportunities and to vote on changes that affect all chapters within their area. The locations for these are in Buffalo, N.Y. and Boston, Ma. The money would be used to cover hotels and registration for both p1 and p2 students. The amount requested was for $2,226. This was the first week of their proposal and will be voted next week. The next presentation and last order of new business was the pre-law society coming in for club recognition. The presentation was given by Sean and Bryce Greco, both juniors majoring in political science. The club has been in operation over the two semesters without full SG recognition and has a full e-board and general board of over 20 members. They hold events in order to help others understand a bonding through the understanding of law and help their members in the seeking of higher education. This was the first week of their proposal and will be voted on next week. The final presentation was week two of the homecoming fund request for students. The presentation was given by Marytere Quintana-Avila, a junior political science major and a member Tuesday, Sept. 26 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This fair is open to all students interested in working in the business, engineering and technology fields. Over 30 companies have already registered with more anticipated to come. Register to attend on Handshake. Contact Carol Bosack for more information or questions at carol.bosack@wilkes.edu. House. Applications can be emailed to allison. naumann@wilkes.edu with the subject line “Polish Heritage Scholarships.” Deadline for applications is Oct. 13 at 4:30 p.m. Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Beacon News Staff Volunteer with ChalkFest The Riverfront Parks Committee hosts their annual ChalkFest event on Saturday, Oct. 7 starting at 9:30 a.m. This is a great opportunity for students to volunteer and serve their community. Please email john@riverfrontparks.org with the following information: name, phone number and email address. Contact John Maday with questions. College of Business and Engineering Career and Internship Fair The College of Business and Engineering is hosting a career and internship fair on Scholarship Opportunity for Students of Polish Descent The Polish Room Committee Scholarship ($3,000 top award) welcomes applications from Luzerne County residents. To be considered, applicants must write a brief description of their Polish heritage and what that heritage means to them. This letter must be submitted, along with the applicant’s name, WIN and contact information to Allison Naumann, Alumni Leadership Collegiate This six-week, virtual course consists of online modules that provide current college students who are aspiring leaders with an innovative and flexible online learning experience. Participants work on weekly course content at their own pace. The deadline for applications is Friday, Sept. 22. Use this link to apply: https:// w w w. l e a d e r s h i p l a c k a w a n n a . c o m / leadership-collegiate-1. of SG. The presentation was the request for final ideas toward the homecoming pep rally, events during the game and the homecoming dance. Major ideas include the theme which is Starry Night, the changing from a homecoming king and queen to homecoming royalty and will no longer be split between men and women, and finally the introduction of free student tickets for the homecoming dance. The request came out to be for $22,350.81 and was approved for the full amount. SG will meet again Wednesday Sept. 20. Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Upcoming Events: September 24 - Paintball at Skirmish 28 - Programming Board giveaway October 5 - Hoedown Throwdown 8 - Statue of Liberty Boat Tour NYC 12-15 - Fall Break 19 - Couch Potato 23-27 - Freak Week 28 - Dorney Haunted Park---Want your event featured in the calendar? Email: Amanda.Montgomery1@ wilkes.edu �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 News Wilkes-Barre's Multicultural Parade unites community By Emma Broda News Staff Writer Wilkes-Barre celebrated its sixth annual Multicultural Parade and Festival earlier this month. It was highlighted as one of the events to attend during Wilkes’ Family Day, which was also on the same day. Students and residents of Wilkes-Barre lined South Main Street and watched the parade put together by multiple groups from throughout the area. The parade was a huge display of the many different cultures that make up the city. Some of the countries represented included Mexico, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Ireland, India, Ecuador and Jamaica. The parade also featured a range of music from each group’s respective culture and extravagant and colorful costumes representative of different cultures. Each group representing a different country or region walked the parade while also performing with their culture’s dances, and of course throwing candy to those watching. It was a much admired celebration of the different cultures that make Wilkes-Barre what it is. "It was cool to see a bunch of the different cultures represented," said Gabriella Amaya, sophomore nursing major. "It was a really great atmosphere downtown and everyone was having a good time.” The high-spirited mood of the parade continued on during the festivities that followed. More than 30 different vendors from the area set up on the Public Square A diverse array of stands and vendors at the Wilkes-Barre Multicultural Parade and Festival. The Public Square had over 30 vendors. to continue the celebration. Vendors included, Sammy’s Caribbean Grill, Los Antojitos, Tacos don Kiko, Greek Stones Handcrafted Jewelry, Awa’s Arts and Crafts, Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream and Wilkes University's Sordoni Art Gallery. There was an abundance of food to enjoy from pupusas to potato pancakes. Along with the food and vendors, there were also things like face painting for kids who attended the festival. Throughout the festival there was a mix of live music and dances from the different cultures who participated in the parade and festival. Organizations like North Eastern Pennsylvania (NEPA) Inclusive and Action Together NEPA had booths set up to highlight the importance of a diverse community and how to protect it. For example, Action Together 3 encouraged those in attendance to take action and vote. King’s College and Luzerne County Community College also participated in the parade and shared their own students’ cultures. Did you know that Wilkes University's own Erica Acosta, director of diversity initiatives, was the grand marshal of the 2021 Multicultural Parade? Photos: The Beacon/Emma Broda Los Antojitos, a vendor at the Wilkes-Barre Multicultural Parade, offered a wide selection of international cuisine, adding a flavorful touch to the event. �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 Club of the Week: Ultimate Frisbee By Anthony Cazun Asst. Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor There are many sports and athletic opportunities oncampus, but there are few that exemplify the speed, precision and adrenaline that goes into athletic activity than that of ultimate frisbee. Ultimate frisbee packs a lot more punch and excitement than one may initially think. The game consists of two teams of seven that compete against each other in scoring goals by throwing and receiving a disc. It may sound simple, but there is a lot more under the surface, and the competitive nature of the sport and its players allows for very intense and nail-biting matches. “Most people may look at ultimate frisbee as something out of the ordinary that people might not gravitate towards,” said Myles Timmons, ultimate frisbee captain and sophmore year physics major, “But when going to tournaments and scrimmaging other teams, the atmosphere the people and sport bring are unmatched in the world of sports.” Players will engage in matches and practice against not just each other, but also other teams in intense seven on seven tournaments. These tournaments include weeks of preparation, as teams will practice their synergy, gameplans and techniques in between large events. While the ultimate frisbee players are certainly competitive, they also harbor a very welcoming environment, encouraging new players to not only join the club, but also bring friends and family along to enjoy the sport. “Every semester our goal is to go to at least four tournaments, and also while competing in those we have team socials, where we encourage team members to bring their friends that might be interested,” said Timmons. “This also allows us to build a family-like culture around the team and on campus.” While ultimate frisbee takes skill in both speed and precision, the club is very keen on helping both newcomers and seasoned players sharpen their skills. “This club is extremely beginnerfriendly,” said Timmons, “Aside from me, I have Zara Lantzman, Esther Orlando, Brennan Reiner, Alex Lopez, Alex Schweiter, Stephen Youkoski and Olivia McInnis, who all act as supplemental teachers while we are playing and practicing.” Anyone with an interest in engaging in a high energy sport with a friendly and supportive environment, The Ultimate Frisbee team will welcome with open arms. The team prioritizes giving a voice and proper attention to everyone that joins. Morgan Rich, Editor-in-Chief: Sydney Allabaugh, Opinion Editor: the ballad of a homeschooled girl - Olivia Nails for Breakfast, Tacks for Snacks - Rodrigo Panic! At the Disco Amanda Montgomery, News Editor: “Freeze,” Opinion Staff Writer: Wait by the River - Lord Huron Senso - Grillabeats Emma Broda, News Staff Writer: Adam Grundt, Sports Asst. Editor: Boyish - Japanese Breakfast Slime You Out (feat. SZA) - Drake Zara Lantzman, LA&E Editor: get him back! - Olivia Rodrigo Anthony Cazun, LA&E Asst. Editor: Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staff picks their favorite song of the week. Our very own Zara Lantzman has put together a Spotify playlist where you can scan it and listen to the Beacon’s staff weekly picks! “Our goal for this year is to establish a family-centric winning culture,” said Timmons. “We want people to come that are hungry to win something while also giving them somewhere they feel accepted without judgment.” Ultimate frisbee exemplifies the skill, adrenaline, precision, cooperation and sportsmanship that is so important within sports. There may never be a dull moment, but that just makes the energy that much more palpable. “We want people to come that are hungry to win something while also giving them somewhere they feel accepted without judgment,” said Timmons. To join the team, simply email myles.timmons@wilkes.edu, or alternatively, ultimate@wilkes.edu to learn more. Tick Tick Boom - The Hives Cally Williams, LA&E Staff Writer: Twilight - Boa Lara Mullen, Designer: Say Yes - Ellliott Smith Liz Cherinka, Social Media Manager: Nothing Works - Declan McKenna Graphics/Lara Mullen �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 News 5 Students celebrate national chocolate milkshake day By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer Residence Hall Council partnered with Aramark to sponsor a milkshake giveaway on Sept. 12. Students who stopped by the Student Union Building during club hours had the choice of vanilla or chocolate milkshakes to celebrate national chocolate milkshake day. The first 100 students were given a RHC-branded reusable straw to promote sustainability measures. In addition, Aramark gave out Wilkes T-shirts. “[RHC was created to] support resident assistants (RAs) and the residents in the Wilkes community,” said Natalie Hernandez, junior accounting major and president of RHC. While RHC specializes in residential issues, commuter students, as well as those who live off-campus, are welcome to attend their events. “I knew them before from orientation,” said Junia Lawton, first-year history major. “It was cool to know they do more events on campus. It was nice to get to know them and see who runs it.” RHC strategically plans these events in advance, while also creating the impression of random, unexpected events. “I believe pop-up events work so well because it’s unexpected, and create the feeling of a surprise, especially in a location where there is a lot of foot traffic,” said Hernandez “It’s a once-ina-blue-moon type of event that students would rather enjoy in the present than not participate and possibly regret later.” Students who attended the event echoed this sentiment. “Giveaways are fun!” said Lawton. “It went by fast, it was relatively quick and easy. It’s always nice to have a free milkshake.” RHC will be hosting more events throughout the semester. To find out more, follow their Instagram @wilkes_ rhc. Photo Courtesy Melissa Ooi Left to Right: sophomores John Buonano and Victoria Corbo were happy to help out at the event Photo: The Beacon/Morgan Steiner Students lined up on the first floor of the SUB before club hours to get their milkshakes. Photo: The Beacon/Morgan Steiner Nicole Norton, Aramark’s General Manager, posing with the T-shirts that were given out during the event. �6 The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Dr. Kaitlyn Langendoerfer joins Wilkes as assistant professor By Amanda Montgomery News Editor Dr. Kaitlyn Langendoerfer joined the university this fall as an assistant professor in the Sociology Department. Langendoerfer received a bachelor of pre-medical science in sociology from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. She also received her doctorate in sociology from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. “I’ve always been interested and I love research and what I do in terms of my research, but what I really want to go into academia for is teaching,” said Langendoerfer. “At Wilkes, it’s a very teaching-oriented college [and] it’s smaller, so you really get to know the students.” Langendoerfer planned to pursue a career in dentistry before considering one in sociology. When writing an essay for why she wanted to be a dentist, her committee told her that she might make that believed a good dentist, in her research but that she and encouraged sounds like a her to pursue sociologist. a career in She explained sociology. She that sociology understands is important if a that not every student is going student who into nursing or comes into another career her office or in the science is in her class field. will become a “You still sociologist, but need to know how your she hopes that p e r s o n a l in some way, she is helping problems or to shape them maybe your Photo courtesy Dr. Langendoerfer and mentor p a t i e n t s’ them. p e r s o n a l In her free time, Langendoerfer likes problems are related to public issues and societal issues and how that may be to spend time outside with her three playing a role in either your own life or children. They are currently raising your patients’ life,” said Langendoerfer. monarch caterpillars that will soon Throughout her academic career, she become butterflies. “It’s really a good way to see has had various influential professors sociology,” said Langendoerfer. “I’m seeing their socialization as they go to school and I’m seeing how my parenting is impacting them and I’m seeing all these things I’m studying.” Langendoerfer currently lives in Honesdale, Pa., with her husband, three children, two horses and donkey. In five years, Langendoerfer plans to be an associate professor, and to be in her group with students who are akin to her and are interested in her classes. “I am a medical sociologist and I study aging, so I’m hoping to bring those specializations into the department that has mainly focused on criminology and family,” said Langendoerfer. “I’m hoping to bridge those and bring in medical and life course issues and to the curriculum.” One piece of advice Langendoerfer has for students is to meet with their professors. She explained that most students don’t attend their professor’s office hours, unless there is an assignment or project. Dr. Kyung Park joins Wilkes as assistant professor By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer Dr. Kyung Park joined Wilkes as an assistant professor of math, physics and computer science this fall. Park received a bachelor of science from Seoul National University in Seoul, South Korea. She later also earned a master of science in computer science. Later, she received a doctorate of science in information technology from Towson University in Towson, Maryland. “I am most proud of my balanced experience and thinking,” said Park. “I established a startup company and experienced various tasks necessary for doing business.” She explained that kind of real-world experience can be valuable for students looking to create their own startups and brand into multidisciplinary fields. “I thought the computer science program is very strong and competitive, department covering both welcomed me the most basic very kindly and subjects as well explained the as the latest school and the t e c h n o l o g i e s ,” life at Wilkes said Park. well,.” Park also Park enjoys o b s e r v e d teaching, but also the Wilkes recognizes the c om mu n it y, importance of which aided in connecting with her decision to her students. join the computer “I want to help science program. students gain “When I knowledge and first saw the experience that advertisement, will serve as a the city of fundamental Wilkes-Barre source in stimulated my overcoming the curiosity and I Photo courtesy Dr. Park challenges they face loved the photos of the students and campus,” said Park. “During the campus when they go out into the real world,” interview, almost all the professors in said Park. “I also want to conduct fruitful the math, physics and computer science research with outstanding students and colleagues. Additionally, based on my experience at a large metropolitan school and a small liberal arts college, I will teach and advise students to suit each student’s background and experience.” Park is eager for this fall semester, not only for teaching students what she has learned through her education and experience, but also to learn from her students and to enjoy new experiences. Park is very active in learning and putting new applications and innovations in technology into her practice. In her free time, she enjoys walking on hiking trails and golfing. Park offers some advice to students regarding overcoming obstacles. “When you run into difficulties, I encourage you to think back to when we first learned a programming language and go back to the basics. Then you will see the path to follow,” said Park. �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Life, Arts & Entertainment Editor: Zara.lantzman@wilkes.edu E-mentors host bowling event for first-year students By Kelsie Klein Contributing Writer The WIlkes e-mentors hosted a bowling night at Chacko’s Bowling for all first-year students to have a night to unwind and hangout with friends. Upon arrival, students were greeted by their e-mentors, were able to get their shoes, and then broke out into groups for the event. It was a great opportunity for first-year students to get to know fellow students, as well as have fun, relax and unwind after classes. “My experience with bowling is so far a very positive one,” said Kara Beerly, a senior psychology major. “It’s a great experience. It was 8:46 p.m. and students were still trickling in. “I witnessed students needing to join lanes that were already open, which was an amazing opportunity for students to talk to fellow students and get to know everyone by having to join other lanes.” While there, everyone was given a ticket for a chance to win cool prizes. Some of the prizes included a Chacko’s gift card and a lot of university merch. The university merchandise was from the bookstore and if students received the wrong size, they had the opportunity to exchange the item for the correct one. Items were drawn throughout the night and it was an equal opportunity to end the night with a win for everyone who showed up. “There was an amazing turnout this year,” said Leah Kubasek, a junior chemistry major and e-mentor coordinator. “There were a lot of people here this year having fun and really enjoying themselves, which I am very grateful for.” An e-mentor’s main job at the university is to help guide first-year students and ensure that their mentees are having a smooth transition into college. E-mentors are required to host individual events for their specific groups of mentees for extra one-on-one time. “I love being an e-mentor and truly enoying being an event coordinator,” said Kubasek. “It is a lot of work, but it’s worth all the time and dedication I put into it. It is a very rewarding position, and one that I truly value.” “I was able to spend time with my friends, bowl and, of course, win an amazing hat,” said Shauna McAndrew, a first-year nursing major. “The highlight of my night was definitely winning the hat because I never had the chance to win anything before.” The bowling night was a success for all first year students and gave first-year students the opportunity to connect with other first-year students in a relaxing environment. The e-mentor program is an opportunity that the university provides for first-year students to make things easier and provides them with someone in their community that they are able to talk to. “I love being an e-mentor because I get to meet all of the first-year students and bring them together,” said Beerly. “I love giving them an opportunity to get to know one another and bring together a community. “I really love being in a mentor role and encourage and support my mentees and hopefully encourage one of them to become an e-mentor themselves.” Kara Beerly, left, and Leah Kubasek, right, pose for a picture before they bowl. Photos Courtesy of Kelsie Klein Shauna McAndrew poses after winning a hat from the university’s bookstore. �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 Club of the Week: Ultimate Frisbee By Anthony Cazun Asst. Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor There are many sports and athletic opportunities oncampus, but there are few that exemplify the speed, precision and adrenaline that goes into athletic activity than that of ultimate frisbee. Ultimate frisbee packs a lot more punch and excitement than one may initially think. The game consists of two teams of seven that compete against each other in scoring goals by throwing and receiving a disc. It may sound simple, but there is a lot more under the surface, and the competitive nature of the sport and its players allows for very intense and nail-biting matches. “Most people may look at ultimate frisbee as something out of the ordinary that people might not gravitate towards,” said Myles Timmons, ultimate frisbee captain and sophmore year physics major, “But when going to tournaments and scrimmaging other teams, the atmosphere the people and sport bring are unmatched in the world of sports.” Players will engage in matches and practice against not just each other, but also other teams in intense seven on seven tournaments. These tournaments include weeks of preparation, as teams will practice their synergy, gameplans and techniques in between large events. While the ultimate frisbee players are certainly competitive, they also harbor a very welcoming environment, encouraging new players to not only join the club, but also bring friends and family along to enjoy the sport. “Every semester our goal is to go to at least four tournaments, and also while competing in those we have team socials, where we encourage team members to bring their friends that might be interested,” said Timmons. “This also allows us to build a family-like culture around the team and on campus.” While ultimate frisbee takes skill in both speed and precision, the club is very keen on helping both newcomers and seasoned players sharpen their skills. “This club is extremely beginnerfriendly,” said Timmons, “Aside from me, I have Zara Lantzman, Esther Orlando, Brennan Reiner, Alex Lopez, Alex Schweiter, Stephen Youkoski and Olivia McInnis, who all act as supplemental teachers while we are playing and practicing.” Anyone with an interest in engaging in a high energy sport with a friendly and supportive environment, The Ultimate Frisbee team will welcome with open arms. The team prioritizes giving a voice and proper attention to everyone that joins. Morgan Rich, Editor-in-Chief: Sydney Allabaugh, Opinion Editor: the ballad of a homeschooled girl - Olivia Nails for Breakfast, Tacks for Snacks - Rodrigo Panic! At the Disco Amanda Montgomery, News Editor: “Freeze,” Opinion Staff Writer: Wait by the River - Lord Huron Senso - Grillabeats Emma Broda, News Staff Writer: Adam Grundt, Sports Asst. Editor: Boyish - Japanese Breakfast Slime You Out (feat. SZA) - Drake Zara Lantzman, LA&E Editor: get him back! - Olivia Rodrigo Anthony Cazun, LA&E Asst. Editor: Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staff picks their favorite song of the week. Our very own Zara Lantzman has put together a Spotify playlist where you can scan it and listen to the Beacon’s staff weekly picks! “Our goal for this year is to establish a family-centric winning culture,” said Timmons. “We want people to come that are hungry to win something while also giving them somewhere they feel accepted without judgment.” Ultimate frisbee exemplifies the skill, adrenaline, precision, cooperation and sportsmanship that is so important within sports. There may never be a dull moment, but that just makes the energy that much more palpable. “We want people to come that are hungry to win something while also giving them somewhere they feel accepted without judgment,” said Timmons. To join the team, simply email myles.timmons@wilkes.edu, or alternatively, ultimate@wilkes.edu to learn more. Tick Tick Boom - The Hives Cally Williams, LA&E Staff Writer: Twilight - Boa Lara Mullen, Designer: Say Yes - Ellliott Smith Liz Cherinka, Social Media Manager: Nothing Works - Declan McKenna Graphics/Lara Mullen �The Beacon – September 21, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 9 The rise of Artifical Intelligence and its place in art By Anthony Cazun Asst. Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor As the world grows older, technology advances and humanity yearn to create new and innovative ways to perform tasks, both basic and complex. This strive for innovation and streamlined systems have led to the development of artificial intelligence, the possible backbone of the future within industry and art, for better or worse. Artificial Intelligence, or A.I., has a long history, extending back to the 1950s. Initially, A.I.’s purpose was increasing the functionality of machines, allowing for more proficiency in data storage to increase performance optimization. While A.I.’s potential was well known, computers were not yet at the computing ability to explore A.I. ‘s true capabilities. As computer speeds, memory and computing capabilities continued to grow, artificial intelligence became more intelligent and versatile in its skillset. A.I. became able to mimic human actions, emotions, sort, store, organize, problem solve and more. Toward the end of the 20th century, A.I. began to enter the wider net of popular culture. Books, films and media such as “Westworld,” “Metropolis,” “The Terminator,” “Robocop,” “Cyberpunk 2020,” “The Matrix,” “Blade Runner,” “Ghost in the Shell,” “Star Wars,” ”Tron,” “Transformers,” “2001: A Space Odyssey,” etc. all became wildly popular, often perpetuating the idea of rogue A.I.’s taking over humanity, or adopting human-like qualities. Artificial intelligence quickly became a cornerstone of popular culture. Stories rife with warnings of machine autonomy, deception and philosophical explorations of the human condition, these stories are some of the most well known and successful pieces of media within the last handful of decades. These pieces of media were not meant to be predictions or expectations of A.I., but simply pieces to create an intriguing narrative. However, some of these stories have been more accurate in their view of artificial intelligence than previously thought possible. Previously, while artificial intelligence was a recurring theme and presence within many pieces of art and media, it would not be until recently that A.I. was not just within the art, but instead the conductor of it. While there had been rare instances of A.I. assisting in the creation of art throughout the decades, the mid 2010’s would revolutionize the usage of A.I. generative art. 2015 was the true catalyst year of A.I. art, with programs being launched by Google, however they were still in the learning phase. A.I. art truly took off to the public in 2021 with the release of machine learning models by OpenAI such as ChatGPT and Dalle-E. More A.I. art generators such as Midjourney and Stable Diffusion have also been launched into the stratosphere within the last few years. These programs make it easier than ever to generate art. Simply type in a prompt and watch a machine attempt to replicate the artistry of a human. Replicate being the keyword, as A.I. is unable to truly think for itself or innovate, as it is simply a machine learning tool, not an artist. The simple fact of A.I. arts nature has stirred up much controversy surrounding the new generated art methodology. A.I. artists have more in common with programmers than they do artists. The user will type a detailed description of what they want visualized, occasionally modify various settings, possibly even train the A.I. to a specific art style, and then send the command to the bot. The A.I. will scrub the internet for art made by artists and mimic their style to their best ability. A.I. generated art does not stop at simply illustrations and paintings, but also accurately mimicking voices, writing styles and animation styles etc. A.I. generated voices are becoming particularly popular across the internet, as social media users create parodies with voices of famous characters and celebrities. Many voice actors have expressed their dismay at these A.I. voice models, as while the models continue to progress, they become more indistinguishable from the real voice. Naturally, there are many plagiarism and ethical concerns surrounding this system of art generation. Many say that since the A.I. is unable to truly innovate and can only mimic living artists, the artists that are being mimicked, without their permission, are being unrightfully copied and having their style and work butchered by machine learning algorithms. Not only is this seen as unethical for its own merit of plagiarism, but also because it can usher in an era of out of work artists due to art generation being faster and considerably less argumentative in their vision. This is an especially large concern in the world of media, as studios and corporations such as The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Discovery, Take Two Interactive, Sony Corporation, etc. have already shown their knack of being exceedingly anti-human in their approach to artistic creation, mistreating, crunching and underpaying thousands of artists of all kinds. This has been the primary catalyst of the many active creative strikes, most notably being the current SAG-AFTRA strike. The current treatment of artists as well as the adoption of A.I. generated artwork has instilled fear and frustration in artists across the globe. Despite these concerns, there are also many in support of A.I. art generation, citing that with these simple tools, complex and difficult forms of art will be able to be created by anybody with an idea, creating art pieces while skipping the long and arduous creative process. This idea of generating art for the sake of haste and convenience has also seeped its way into creative programs and tools such as those found in the Adobe Creative Suite. Just recently, Adobe software such as Photoshop have introduced generative fill, a tool that allows users to simply highlight an area, type in a prompt, and have artificial intelligence generate the prompt. This can be used to remove a blemish, replace an entire structure or being and create all new items within the editor. As artificial intelligence continues to develop and be adopted by the public and various industries, it remains a contentious topic. Many believe it’s the next step in innovation and efficiency, while many others believe it is stripping away every ounce of humanity from everything it touches. The trajectory of artificial intelligence is unpredictable, but one to keep a watchful eye on. Graphic by Morgan Rich �The Beacon – September 21, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 Rodrigo releases critically-acclaimed sophomore album “GUTS” By Cassidy Brumagin Contributing Writer On Sept. 8, Olivia Rodrigo released her sophomore album “GUTS.” The album spans across various genres including rock, pop, punk and indie. The tracklist features 12 songs including “vampire,” the lead single that made its debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The release of this album follows the massive success of Rodrigo’s debut album “SOUR”, which earned the singer three Grammys in 2022. “For me, this album is about growing pains and trying to figure out who I am at this point in my life,” Rodrigo wrote about the album announcement. The tracks touch upon topics of hooking up with an ex, toxic people in her life, and the overall awkwardness and pains of growing up and out of her teenage years. The day after her sophomore album’s release, Rodrigo took to Instagram to post about the album, writing, “Making this album was so fun and scary and thrilling and fulfilling and I’m so happy it is yours!” Within a week of its release, the album reached the number one slot for albums on iTunes, filled 11 of the slots of Spotify’s Top 50 Global songs and occupied two slots on Billboard’s Hot 100. Joining “vampire” on Billboard’s Hot 100 is “bad idea right?,” which peaked at number 10 thus far. In addition to success on the charts, Rodrigo’s album has made a presence on TikTok with thousands of users using sound clips from various songs off the album. At the time of writing, the leader of the album is “bad idea right?” with over 157.5 thousand uses. Many users have taken to the sound to share their own similar stories of getting with an ex, as the song describes. “I think that she is bringing back the female rage we saw in the 90s and early 2000s in the most amazing way possible,” said Maddie Carpenter, senior pharmacy major. When prompted further, Carpenter explained that the opinion comes primarily from a track on the album titled “all-american bitch”. The track is the album’s lead off and begins with a soft melody, leading into a beat drop complete with electric guitar, drums and Rodrigo raising her voice to a near scream style of singing. “The song resembles something from an artist like Avril Lavigne,” said Carpenter “We have not seen that sort of rage and just letting loose from many artists of the newer generations.” In comparison to “SOUR”, many fans are citing maturity as the most notable change to Rodrigo’s style on this album. “ W h e n comparing ‘SOUR’ to ‘GUTS’, I feel ‘GUTS’ is definitely more mature,” said Jocelyn Cussatt, senior biology major. “I love ‘SOUR,’ but I feel that looking back some of the lyrics are definitely, not to be brutal, juvenile. Her lyrics and feelings definitely matured as she grew up.” Rodrigo was 18-years-old when “SOUR” was released and is 20-years-old now. Mirroring the time pass and change for Rodrigo between the two albums, many users have gone to TikTok to post photos of themselves at the time of each album release as well. The trend puts the photos over an audio clip from “ballad of a homeschooled girl.” Critics have also taken to the album in an overall positive manner. The Los Angeles Times dubbed the album a “bubble-gum rock masterpiece,” while the Rolling Stone describes it as “another instant classic”. Common themes amongst music critics include praising the poppunk undertones, relatable lyrics and scope of the album from slow ballads to upbeat music and lyrics. Taking the opposing side, The Telegraph (UK) calls “GUTS” a “simple continuation of “SOUR,” stating “there is little musical growth or thematic change.” The review from them, however, is the only mixed critic review out of 18 on Metacritic, with the rest being positive. The 18 total reviews earned “GUTS” a Metascore of 91. With the release of “SOUR” earning Rodrigo seven Grammy nominations, many critics are wondering what is to come following the commercial success of “GUTS.” Graphic by Lara Mullen comedian Fanny Brice and her journey to stardom as a Vaudeville entertainer. Barbara Sreisand originated the role of Fanny Brice in 1964. The current 2022 revival of “Funny Girl” starred “Glee” actress Lea Michele in Streisand’s iconic role. Michele debuted on Broadway as young Cosette in “Les Miserables” at the age of 8, and performed the role of Wendla in the original Broadway production of “Spring Awakening.” However, she is most often known for her role as Rachel Berry in the television show “Glee.” Michele started her run as Fanny Brice in April 2022 and closed it on Sept. 3. In “Glee,” Michel’s character Rachel is cast as Fanny Brice in the Broadway revival of Funny Girl. Now, years later Michele actually played the role herself. Just like her “Glee” character, Michele looked up to Barbara Streisand, making this role very significant for her. Jane Lynch, who played the tough cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester, also appeared in “Funny Girl.” Lynch played Brice’s mother in the revival of the musical but left the show right before Michele’s run. She insisted that her exit had nothing to do with Michele, stating that they were on good terms. During her final performance on Sept. 3, Michele paid homage to Streisand, adding in a song that the original “Funny Girl” star sang on her closing night. Michele sang the cut song,“My Man” just as Streisand did, to mark her final performance as Fanny Brice in 1966. The song was in the 1968 movie, but never in the actual musical. “Funny Girl” marked Michele’s first Broadway performance in 15 years. Michelle took a break from performing after the birth of her son. Michelle Beanie Feldstein was playing Fanny, but left the cast early. Michele then stepped in for Feldstein, ending her Broadway hiatus. Along with Michele, Julie Benko has been playing Fanny Brice when Michele was unavailable. Benko has recently gained notoriety for her successful portrayal of the lead role. The New York Sun called Benko “The Fanny Brice of our time.” Benko has performed in several Broadway productions, including the national tour of “Spring Awakening,” “Les Miserables” and “Fiddler on the Roof.” Benko was named “2022 Breakout Star for Theatre” by The New York Times. The North American tour of “Funny Girl” started in Rhode Island on Sept. 9. It will tour all throughout North America, ending in August 2024, in Houston, Texas. Broadway shows, including “Funny Girl,” set to close curtains By Cally Wlliams Life, Arts and Entertainment Staff Writer Broadway has been a staple of American culture since the 18th century. People from all over the world bond over their enjoyment of spectacular music, shining lights and a good tap number. Many shows that have run on Broadway stand the test of time, but still can not fight that final closed curtain. Some Broadway shows that will be closing this fall include “The Cottage,” “The Shark is Broken” and “Melissa Etheridge: My Window.” “The Cottage” is set to close on Oct. 29, and the latter two will close on Nov. 19. While these current Broadway shows are set to close in a couple of months, the revival of the hit musical “Funny Girl” just gave its final bow on Sept. 3. Funny Girl tells the story of Jewish �Name: Class: Date: Word Sudoku The Beacon - September 21, 2023 11 Life, Arts & Entertainment Fall Season Sodoku The words or names that are used in the puzzle: flowers dandelion rain april ivy sunshine bumblebee orchid chicks ����������������������������������������������� �� ivy Challenge your brain with some sudoku! How to play: Fill in the missing words. Each row should have 6 different words, no repeats. Each column should have 6 different words, no repeats. Each 2x2 quadrant should have 6 words, no repeats. chicks flowers rain orchid dandelion orchid april flowers flowers bumblebee chicks april chicks rain bumblebee flowers sunshine bumblebee chicks sunshine sunshine april Answer Key: dandelion ivy bumblebee bumblebee rain chicks rain april orchid bumblebee flowers orchid april Credit for these puzzles goes to: www.edu-games.org Compiled by Morgan Rich, Editor In Chief ���The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Opinion 15 The hidden power of the The Return of The Red indie video game genre Raven: an original story By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer In the modern world of media, mostly everyone engages with movies, shows, music, books and games that are considered “mainstream.” This is media that skyrockets with attention and captivates the public by the millions. However, that is precisely why the mainstream genre is actually terrible. Not only does gaining traction discourage creativity and brand new elements, but it also starts to develop into a lazy formula for entertainment. Meanwhile, there are lesser known projects, which are referred to as indie titles, that employ fresh strategies and introduce new techniques that really enhance the experience. Of course, I will discuss the superiority of the indie genre in the context that I know best: video games. If you read last week’s issue of The Beacon newspaper, you would know that I am not a big fan of online video games. There are a variety of reasons that the online setting is problematic, but the main point is that all of the games in this category are exactly the same. These games have only one goal: make as much money as possible. For example, Epic Games’s Fortnite has been nothing but a strategy to hypnotize children into spending all of their parents’ money on cosmetic items. The worst part is that this strategy has infected other games, such as Rocket League, FIFA and even the mobile hit Clash Royale. In short, the developers of these games don’t have any regard for gameplay or their user-experience. On the other hand, the indie genre is simply beautiful. In order to really demonstrate how great these games are, it is important to understand three big categories: cost, gameplay and development and the community interaction. Cost. Although indie games can cost as much as a mainstream title, they are much cheaper on average. More importantly, the money that is spent on indie titles is happily spent by players in order to gain ownership of the game. For indie games, the cost is not a fee in order to have access, but it is a salutation to the developer and a confirmation that the player themself wants to own a personal copy of the title. It is common for players to even go so far as to provide funding for a game that is in development. Finally, unlike mainstream and online content, these games do not rely on microtransactions. Developers sacrifice a lot of time and money on a title only to release it for a discountable price. Thus, the cost of indie games are very affordable and worthwhile. Gameplay and Development. Needless to say, the actual content of a game is what makes it worthy. Many indie players will say that the smaller projects are not just games, but they are experiences. Indie games are often described as a unique display of new mechanics, such as Hollow Knight, fresh art-styles, like in Cuphead, and killer soundtracks like in Undertale. These games have completely original content created by small, talented developers and artists who band together to bring their vision to reality. Community Interaction. Interaction within a video game community could greatly change how someone may enjoy playing the game. A community for an indie game is usually very unified and civilized. First, the developers constantly ask for feedback and respond to the community. Players also enjoy treating an indie title like a shared experience, so they will freely give tips and tricks out of respect for other players and the game itself. Finally, the community in an indie is not demanding of the developers. If anything, most players fear the day that an indie game skyrockets and follows the dark path of mainstream status. Even so, developers often respond to their community with expansions for their titles, known as downloadable content (DLC). One important thing to note is that indie developers are just a few people working with their own funds. At the end of the day, there is nothing that can stop you from playing whatever games you enjoy. However, the indie genre is a goldmine that offers spectacular types of games, which may be something you never knew you liked until you tried it. The top list of indie games would certainly be a great place to start. By Leah Smith Contributing Writer PART 2 Rick froze as he read the description of Teddy Flowers’s death one last time. “Teddy Flowers was bludgeoned to death with a wooden square block with the letter “A” painted on it.” He couldn’t breathe. He repeated in his head that this was just a coincidence. That perhaps a sick serial killer was out murdering people with wooden toy blocks. It couldn’t have anything to do with his show. It couldn’t, it shouldn’t, it can’t. Rick didn’t realize that he was becoming light-headed by walking around his blue sofa in circles with the paper in his hand. He felt the need to call someone. He thought of Cameron first, but assumed that he would call him crazy and be more upset with him. He could maybe call the police and tell them that he knows something, but they would call him crazy too. He had only one person left he could call, and his gut twisted just thinking about it. He reached for his cell phone and dialed her number. His thumb hovered over the button to call her. He hasn’t talked to her in years ever since the incident they had where she stormed off and swore that she would never talk to him again. He had no other choice or else he was lost. He took a deep breath and pressed the button. He waited for almost a minute until the beeping from the other end ceased. A woman with a tired and dry voice answered, “Hello?” Rick couldn’t recognize her voice. “Can I speak to Isabelle, please?” “This is Isabelle,” she replied. Rick answered as confidently as he could, “Hey Izzy, it’s your dad.” There was a long, silent pause as Rick was already regretting his decision, but then a deep sigh followed after what felt like an eternity. “What do you want?” she demanded in a cold tone. “Did you hear about Teddy Flowers’s death?” Rick asked. “Yeah. What does this have to do with me?” Isabelle said. “How he died was like how Mr. Jenkins died in the pilot of “The Red Raven.” I want your help in looking deeper into this case, and you’re the only person I have that is in the force that can do this for me,” Rick explained. “So you find out that one of your co-stars passed away and your first thought is that it matches how a character died in a TV show?” Isabelle said in disbelief. “Izzy, please, I don’t mean it like that. I want to try and see if there’s any correlation. I want to try and help,” Rick pleaded, heartbroken that she was still bitter towards him. “Look dad, we are on the case and still trying to uncover everything that we can, but you are in no shape to help. You always thought you were the Red Raven even off the screen. It’s so sad to see you still think that,” Isabelle said. “I don’t want to be the Red Raven. I just want to know because maybe I can help.” Rick defended. “When you called you said that I should do this for you. That’s what it’s always been about. Rick Greenblatt always had to be the star in every moment, even in his own child’s life. I took up being a detective because I knew that I could help people and not just play pretend in a red cape. I can’t help you because it won’t feel worth it because you’ll make it all about yourself,” Isabelle addressed. Rick tried one last time. “Please, you are all that I have left, and I wouldn’t be calling you if I didn’t care for your help and if I didn’t care about the impact you had on my life. I just need this one favor, just this once.” He begged her, tears streaming down his face. Another long silent pause, with the exception of Rick’s sobs, was brought upon the two again. After a few minutes, Isabelle made her decision. “Do you have those old VHS tapes of the show still in the basement?” Isabelle asked. “Yes, I do,” Rick nodded, clearing his voice. “Bring them down to the station.” Isabelle said. The call ended there. Rick wore an awkward smile as he walked to the door that was standing diagonally from the sofa. He opened the door and ran downstairs and grabbed the boxes labeled “Red Raven Collection.” To be continued... �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Opinion 16 “La La Land” can teach us about long-distance relationships Are long-distance relationships worth it? By Bryce Greco Contributing Writer There exists over a thousand surviving letters between John and Abigail Adams, perhaps the most notable long-distance couple in American history. Perhaps you have heard stories from your grandparents about going long distance during times of war. Or maybe your parents were high-school sweethearts who had to be apart once they went away to college. If there is anything history tells us, it’s that long-distance relationships are not easy. But modern technology makes keeping up with your partner much more convenient. Gone are the days of letters and expensive long-distance phone calls. With a cell phone in your pocket, you and your partner can be virtually together anytime and anywhere. However, this doesn’t make long-distance relationships necessarily easy. So, are they worth it? Hollywood likes to romanticize long-distance relationships as something that oftentimes winds up working out in the end. But that is far from realistic. Take a look at Damien Chazelle’s 2016 masterpiece “La La Land.” The film follows the journey of two artists, the actress and playwright Mia and the musician Sebastian, as they pursue their dreams at the expense of their love. During a segment of the film where the couple goes long distance for a few months, we watch the lovers we’ve spent the past hour routing for fall apart. Sebastian is on tour with a band he hates trying to make enough money to open a jazz club, and he fails to make it to the opening performance of Mia’s play. Things only get worse when Mia’s big break in the movie world requires her to move away to Paris for filming. While it’s abundantly clear that Mia and Sebastian deeply love and care about each other, the places their careers are taking them cause their relationship to end. The film concludes after a five-year time-skip, where Mia and her new husband are out on a date at a jazz club. We see the club’s owner and main performer Sebastian greeting guests from the stage. M i a on his tour, she would have never become a famous actress. If Sebastian accompanied Mia to Paris, he would have never opened his club. Their story, while tragic and sad, is rather bittersweet. Both artists achieve their dreams, but at the cost of their life together. I believe this to be the reality of many longdistance a n d Sebastian share a glance from afar with tears in their eyes. The film ends with the couple exchanging a smile one last time. “La La Land” is a perfect example of the reality of long-distance relationships. No matter how much Mia and Sebastian love each other, they could never pursue their dreams as a couple. If Mia followed Sebastian relationships, especially in college. High school relationships, while fundamental and at times perfect, are not always the best predictors of the future. College differs from high school, as the things that truly matter in life now enter the forefront of many students’ minds. You’re no longer working to walk across a stage and get a diploma, you’re working to master the topic of your major, find a job to kickstart your career and create a life for yourself worthy of carrying into your future. And the sad truth is, that sometimes, your long-distance high school relationship can stand in the way of that. Much like with Mia and Sebastian, sometimes you need to sacrifice a life with someone you truly love for the sake of your career and future, and that’s okay. The way I see it, long-distance relationships in college are well worth the struggle if your partner does not stand in the way of what you truly want out of life. If your partner is your best friend and someone you cannot see yourself living without, then the pain of a long-distance relationship will most likely pay off in the end. When you encourage each other to follow each of your dreams while never sacrificing your own desires for life, your time long distance, while certainly not the best, can be necessary to reaching an ideal adult relationship. Giving up on your best friend for an on-demand relationship will boil down to selfishness. If there is anything history has taught us over the years, it is that going the distance is far from an impossible feat. When phone calls replace date nights, remember that modern technology is a blessing your ancestors did not have. Stand by each other’s side during long distance, and I believe that your relationship will be stronger in the end once your time apart is over. Are long distance relationships worth it? When two best friends spend time apart but continue to stand in each other’s corner and aid each other to pursue their dreams and aspirations as one, I believe they are. However, a shared past, while memorable, formative or even perfect, means nothing if it leads to an unwound future. Graphic by Lara Mullen �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Opinion 17 A reflection on comedy show “Jon, John and Pete” By Samara Carey Contributing Writer In a world full of hate and injustice, it is important that we have something in our lives to make us laugh. Regardless of your sense of humor, everybody has a guilty pleasure for something that makes them crack a smile. In my case, my favorite comedians are John Mulaney and Pete Davidson. From as far back as I can remember, I have been watching Mulaney specials. I became obsessed with memorizing the punchlines and watching his sketches that date as far back to his “Saturday Night Live,” days where he was a writer. During that time, I also discovered the elusive Pete Davidson. There was something about Davidson that I was instantly drawn to. Whether it was his self-deprecating humor or the way he over-exaggerated his punchlines, I always loved being able to sit back and watch his sketches whenever I was feeling down about something going on in my life. In 2019, Mulaney and Davidson ended up going on tour together for a small comedy run to present and test out new sketches. When this tour was originally announced, I remember running up to my mom as a first-year student in high school begging to see my two favorite comedians in real life. My mom, being the wonderful lady that is she and concerned for my 14-year-old wellbeing, unfortunately said no due to the fear that there would be crude humor not safe for my prepubescent ears. Hearing this absolutely tore me apart and made me feel like my life was never going to be the same again, but I quickly got over it when Mulaney decided to announce his “From Scratch” tour back in early 2022. Luckily, I was able to attend this tour with one of my friends and had an amazing time. Mulaney launched this tour just after recovering from rehab and wanted to retell his stories from his time away. It was, of course, hilarious and I dreamed about seeing him again during one of his next comedy runs. Then, my entire world stopped. In August, Mulaney announced a brand new, limited time comedy run with none other than Pete Davidson and Jon Stewart. As you can imagine, my heart skipped a beat a little. Yes, I had absolutely no idea who Jon Stewart was (more on that later), but Mulaney and Davidson? Oh, my heart can only take so much. My mom, again being the lovely woman that she is, ended up buying me tickets as a gift so we could go together. Maybe this was her way of redeeming herself from betraying me all those years ago, but I digress. The day of the show finally came around, and I was ecstatic. I wore my John Mulaney T-shirt, and I was ready to go. Once we got to the venue, they had us lock our phone in a Yondr punch, which is normal for a comedy show to this high of a standard. Yes, it sucked not being able to go on my phone while I was waiting for the show to start, but I quickly got over it once I realized that this meant more shows were around the corner for this trio. After an opener that I do not care enough to speak about, Davidson officially opened the show. This show was different from past shows for Pete, especially since he recently got out of rehab and was still in active recovery. Nonetheless, he was still incredible and truly encapsulated the audience for the entirety of his set. Some of the notable pieces of his set were when he talked about missing his stalker, how he wants his mom to date someone and the time he fell in love with Leonardo Dicaprio. It was nice to see Davidson in a positive and supportive light, especially since he was torn apart in the media last year. Photo courtesy of Samara Carey Sophomore Samara Carey stands beside her parents Shawn and Sue Carey as a “Jon, John and Pete” graphic is displayed on a television behind them. Davidson’s act was enjoyable; however, I do wish it was longer. He was open and honest about his addiction, which I found quite admirable and was proud of him for doing so. After Davidson’s act, he announced Mulaney on stage next. Mulaney was a natural on stage and made it seem like this was his own headlining show. Some of his most notable pieces included: How an adult failed at kidnapping him, his new adventures with his two-year-old son, and how he believes dinosaurs are not real. It was honestly super refreshing to see Mulaney healthy and happy, especially since his last special contained a lot of heavy material and focused on a darker time in his life. Like I said previously, this was my second time seeing Mulaney, and if you ask me, he just is getting better and better with each act that he performs. Like all things though, it must end. After Mulaney’s set, he announced the last and main act, Jon Stewart. Now, before heading to this show, I had absolutely no idea who this man was, and to be honest, I did not care. I figured if he was staring with stars such as Davidson and Mulaney, he was bound to be just as funny as they are. Oh, boy was I wrong. Before I go any further, I want to say I respect Stewart and his work as a whole, but it is simply not for me. To be blunt, I did not laugh a single time he was on stage. His entire act was about how old he is, how he hates both political parties and then went on to weirdly compare Christianity and Judaism for half the act. Now, I am not sure if this is something that interests you, but I did not necessarily enjoy his set. If you want my honest opinion, the show would have been better without him in it. Overall, I had a fun time at the show, but being transparent, I wish I left after Mulaney’s act. Now I know for next time to completely avoid Stewart, or to leave whenever I see his name. I will be seeing Mulaney and Davidson in the future though. �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Opinion 18 "PUNK TACTICS:" an album overshadowed upon release A song-by-song review of "PUNKTACTICS" by Joey Valence & Brae By Shawn Carey Contributing Writer We live in an age of constant media. One of the most highly anticipated albums of the year, “GUTS” by Olivia Rodrigo, was released on Sept. 8. Following the breakout success of her first studio album “SOUR” in 2021, “GUTS” had much to live up to. This album is the young artist’s chance to prove that she’s not just a one hit wonder. I, however, will not be talking about any of that in this article. As much as I would like to add on to the discussion surrounding “GUTS,” I would rather highlight an album that was released on the same day but only received a fraction of the same attention. An album that I believe more people should be listening to. The album I am talking about is “PUNK TACTICS” by Joey Valence and Brae. “PUNK TACTICS” is hip-hop duo Joey Valence and Brae’s first major album. Being recorded entirely in Joey’s bedroom, the 24-year-olds aimed to recreate the punk-rap style of the ‘80s and ‘90s in this record, which I believe they were able to do with flying colors. Before I go into detail about the songs on the album, I would first like to get rid of the elephant in the room. Yes, I know, they sound a lot like the Beastie Boys. When talking about the album, or any of their songs for the matter, it’s hard to not make the comparison, which is completely valid. The duo takes huge inspiration from the New York-based band for much of their discography. They don’t just try to recreate what worked in the past; however, they really make the songs their own with their unique gimmicks and flair. This can be heard in the album’s title track. “PUNK TACTICS” starts with what can only be described as a blast of excitement. It’s very loud and in your face, leaving you with no room to breathe in the best way possible, a common characteristic that all the songs on the album share. This serves as a fantastic start that tells you what the album is all about. There’s also a good chance that you heard the song before, or at least the chorus. Joey and Brae released it as a single in the spring of last year. Due to the song’s general fun and energetic vibe it unsurprisingly started to trend on TikTok. It was used in everything from edits of users’ favorite characters to short animated music videos. The songs “DROP!!” and “WATCH YO STEP” follow in the footsteps of “PUNK TACTICS” as fast-paced power anthems that makes you want to get up and start putting on your own music video, the latter even referencing the opening of Next up we have “DELINQUENT (TEEN TITAN),” which as you probably tell by the name, highlights the duo’s love of samples and references related to pop culture. It’s not uncommon to hear them make the occasional anime reference, with one of my personal favorite examples being, “...we ain’t got a label, you don’t get a quarter. Now we going platinum, ora, ora, ora.” I can see how some may be turned off by the constant name drops, but I believe they tend to work on their own without having to have knowledge of the properties. “INTERMISSION” marks the halfway mark of the album. It’s a nice short break from what we’ve been used to hearing, “PUNK TACTICS.” One thing that stood out to me was the instrumentals of these songs. They start out as slow electric beats until their respective chorus, in which they explode out, turning into something that sounds more like traditional hip-hop. “STARTAFIGHT” plays next, and I would say this is the song that sounds the most similar to what you would hear on a Beastie Boys album, mainly due to the constant repeating of the song’s name, something the group was well known for. It’s also around this point that you’ll probably start to notice that none of the tracks on the album are that long. Most of the songs end up lasting only a mere two minutes, with the entire album being a modest half hour. I see this as working out in the artist’s favor with none of the songs outstaying their welcome, making the album an easy listen. with it even sounding like elevator music. From here on out through, we get much more experimental tracks from Joey and Brae, with the following song immediately letting you know that things are about to change. “GUMDROP” is a minute-long hyper pop song that sounds nothing like what came before it. As someone who isn’t really a fan of the genre, I tend to find myself skipping this one upon plays of the album, but I can appreciate the duo trying something different. Taking a complete 180, we now have “DANCE NOW.” The song’s name is very fitting as it will make you do as it says. It's a very groovy song that has a unique jazz feel to it. This was originally released as a single and had me convinced that it would be my favorite on the album. That was until I heard the next song. Simply titled “RN” the track serves as a fun track that will certainly hype you up. While the song tends to repeat itself in a similar way to “STARTAFIGHT,” the vocal work and instrumental more than makes up for it. The song “HOOLIGANG” does pretty much the same thing but to what I feel like is a lesser degree. “TANAKA 2” is what I believe to be the objectively best song on the album. For the first minute it just sounds like a typical song by them, that’s until Logic comes in and does his verse. You heard that right, this album has a Logic feature. I’m not going to act like I really care about Logic or his music, but his verse on this song does a lot to separate “TANAKA 2” from the duo’s other works. Speaking of separating their songs we now have “STREET PIZZA,” which is just a straight-up punk song. The song features Joey and Brae shouting about making street pizza over heavy instruments. While that may not be the most punk thing to sing about, it certainly has that energy to it. I would like to note that on Spotify they have the artist “Bonjour Señor” listed as a feature. I tried to find more out related to this individual, but the only proof of his existence is this one song. The final song on the album is “CLUB SANDWICH,” a song that returns the duo to their normal style of music. This works as a great track on its own, but I recommend playing the entire album before giving it a listen. It serves also as a celebration of “PUNK TACTICS,” referencing almost all the songs that came before it. “PUNK TACTICS” is an album that takes you for a short yet fun ride. Once you start getting used to its unique style, it does something new and different. If you’re a fan of the Beastie Boys, Cypress Hill or Joey Bada$$ this is worth a listen. Joey and Brea really have something special going on, and I can’t wait to see what they do next. Graphic by Lara Mullen �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Sports 19 Sports Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Asst. Editor: Adam.grundt@wilkes.edu Wilkes field hockey off to hot start under new coach Ashley Irwin, King's College alum, now a proud Colonel By Adam Grundt Sports Assistant Editor The Colonels’ field hockey team is off to a hot start under new head coach Ashley Irwin. Irwin, a native of Douglasville, Pa., attended King’s College and graduated in 2011. For the past nine years, she was at Keystone College coaching the women’s lacrosse team from 20152020 and leading the field hockey program from 2014-2022. “This will be my 10th season coaching at the Division III level,” Irwin explained. “I feel that my time at Keystone has done a great job in providing me the work habits to go the extra mile, and do the extra work. "Truthfully, at Keystone, it was very, very hard. Our facilities and resources were nowhere compared to what we have at Wilkes, and I think it made me humbled and grateful to be the next coach here at Wilkes. "Now, with the work habits and resources that we have, the sky is the limit.” Irwin played at King's from 20062009. During her career there, she played in 67 games with 47 starts and won back-to-back MAC Freedom championships and made NCAA Tournament appearances in 2006 and 2007, according to her profile on the Wilkes Athletics website. She graduated in 2011 with a B.A. in Elementary Education and a minor in Special Education. Irwin also served as coach for both women’s lacrosse and field hockey at Meyers and Coughlin high schools in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. She was the Meyers field hockey assistant coach and JV head coach from 2011 to 2014. From 2012 to 2015, she worked with Coughlin's girl's lacrosse team “Over the course of my years in the ‘valley’ I have grown to make a name for myself,” Irwin explained. “After my time at King’s I coached locally for both Meyers and Coughlin High School, before making my way up to Irwin Keystone. I then have had the pleasure of mentoring 15 former players that are head coaches of some sort of collegiate field hockey, collegiate lacrosse, high school field hockey, or high school lacrosse. "It helps to make friends along the way”. In her first season at Wilkes, Irwin commends the atmosphere at the university. “When you came to Wilkes it was always a battle,” Irwin said. “They were tough, they hit hard, and when you saw their name on the schedule you kind of feared them. The atmosphere is one of winning and wanting to win. "I think when you finally experience it as both a student-athlete and a coach, it’s electric. Best decision I ever made, I am simply humbled to be here and work with great people”. The Colonels opened up their season with an overtime victory at Oswego State, and are coming off of back-toback wins against Wells College and Neumann University. They are one win away from matching their season total in wins from a year ago. “They are definitely off to a solid start for sure,” Irwin said. “They are learning what it takes to battle and we couldn’t be prouder. It is definitely a process, and a new one at that. There is a lot of learning and learning quickly. "This week, for example, is unheard of. No team in collegiate field hockey plays four games in one week. But we are; it’s a schedule I inherited and we’re making the most of it. "For the NCAA, field hockey is given 18-19 games to play, depending on scrimmages. It is really hard to fit those games into a two-month schedule. "They are off to a strong start and proving themselves game-by-game”. The Colonels begin conference play on Sept. 16 when they travel to Baltimore, Md. to take on Goucher College. Irwin believes this will be the first real test of the season. “Conference opens this Saturday for us down at Goucher College,” Irwin explained. “It will be the first test for sure, and it is definitely a game that we have already set in our minds that we need to win to set out on the course we are on. It is a bold move, but we want to be the number five or number 6 seed in playoffs. "The Landmark is a tough conference, and one that we know we need to do the work in if we want to survive and make it to that spot. There are a lot of big opponents ahead, but the first one is Goucher and we need that ‘w’.” After a non-conference match against Misericordia University on Sept. 14, the Colonels will travel to Baltimore to take on Goucher College in their first Landmark Conference game of the season. They return home on Sept. 19 to take on rival and Coach Irwin’s alma mater, King’s College, at Schmidt Stadium. At the game, faculty and staff will be recognized as a part of Faculty/ Staff Appreciation Night. For more information, visit gowilkesu.com. Catch the Colonels at Susquehanna Saturday at 1 p.m. �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Sports 20 Will the Waterdogs secure a second championship? By Samantha Mullen Contributing Writer The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) is gearing up for a much anticipated championship game against the Waterdogs Lacrosse Club and Archers Lacrosse Club. As the best of the best prepare to face off, lets take a closer look at what could be expected when it comes to game time in Philadelphia on Sept. 24. It was to no surprise that the Waterdogs were able to secure a trip to the championship this year as they are the current reigning champs. Led by head coach Andy Copelan and a roster filled with talented players like Kieran McArdle and Michael Sowers, they were able to overcome struggles in the beginning of the season. Waterdogs finished the regular season with a 7-3 record putting them as the 3rd seed. Just from the stats, the team showcased resilience and determination in every game. As already mentioned, players to look at during the championship on the offensive side is Kieran McArdle and Michael Sowers. McArdle led the team in points, have 34, and in 1 point goals, 20. Sowers was close behind with 30 points total with 15 1 point goals and 15 assists, leding the team for most assists. Defensively, they have the Canadian Dillion Ward who came back late in the season but ended with a 61 save percentage. On the other side, the Archers are coached by Chris Bates. The Waterdogs could potentially have some trouble stopping Archers offensive powerhouses like Tom Schreiber, who won league MVP, and Connor Fields. By the end of the regular season, the Archers placed as first seed with a record of 8-2. As mentioned before, Tom Schreiber dominates everytime with he is on the field. He finished the regular season with 16 1 point goals and 2 2 point goals. Another key offensive player is Connor Fields who, in the regular season, led the team in points, 39, and 1 point goals, 28. Defensively, they have the long stick defender Graeme Hossack, who had 8 caused turnovers and 35 groundballs during the regular season. Hossack also showed off his offensive skills with an assist and two 2-point shots. In net, they have second year, Brett Dobson had a save percentage of 60 in the regular season and 78 in post season play. It’ll be a tough fight between Dobson and Ward to see who’s save percentage is better. Though some fans may focus heavily on the defense and offense players, the game starts with the faceoff which is going to be a battle. The rookie Mike Sisselberger has been dominating this season with having a 68 percent for faceoff wins. With the new shot clock rule of 32 seconds after the faceoff, Sisselberger was able to take advantage of that and got 3 goals after gaining possession of the ball. On the Waterdogs, they have two rookies, James Reilly and Zac Tucci, listed as their faceoff guys, but have opted for midfielder Zach Currier to be taking it as of late. Currier currently has a 59 percent for faceoff wins. Seeing him and Sisselberger go head to head at the faceoff will definitely be something exciting to watch. Both teams have had an incredible season which is why they are in the championship. They both have solid offense and defenses. It’s just who is more hungry and determined to get the trophy on Sunday. Will the Waterdogs stay the reigning champs or will the Archers take the crown and win for the first time in program history? Tune in on Sunday Sept. 24 at 3 p.m. on ESPN. �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Sports 21 MLB wild card races heat up as playoffs approach By Adam Grandt Sports Assistant Editor Wild Card and divisional races in both leagues are heating up as the Major League Baseball Season enters its home stretch. The Baltimore Orioles sit in first place in the American League East Division with reinforcements on the way as the Tampa Bay Rays sit three games behind them. The Orioles are expected to promote top prospect Jackson Holliday to their major league roster in order to solidify that top spot in their competitive division. Baltimore selected Holliday with the number one overall selection in 2022’s first-year player’s draft. While the Rays remain in striking distance for the division title, they have all but guaranteed themselves a spot in the playoffs as they sit in the first wild card spot. Baltimore’s all-star closer, Félix Bautista, recently suffered a partial tear in his UCL but is hopeful return for their playoff push. “It’s probably best characterized as an acute-on-chronic injury to his ligament”, Orioles general manager Mike Elias told the media. Elias also added that doctors don’t see a risk if Bautista were to continue throwing this season. The remaining two places for the American League Wild Card spots are currently occupied by Tampa Bay and Baltimore’s division rival, the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Texas Rangers. The Rangers find themselves in a similar situation as the Rays, as they sit two games behind the leader of the American League West division, the Houston Astros. The Minnesota Twins are running away with the American League Central as they sit seven and a half games ahead of the Cleveland Guardians in what many believe to be the division in baseball with the least strength. According to ESPN analytics, Minnesota has upwards of a 99% chance of clinching their division. As it stands, the Seattle Mariners sit half of a game out of the final wild card spot in the American League. The Blue Jays, Rangers, and Mariners are all separated by a small window of one game. According to ESPN analytics, the Mariners have a 51% chance to lock up that final Wild Card spot. Seattle is coming off the best month of their franchise’s history in August, one where they accumulated 21 wins. “Twenty-one wins in a month and there was a really special team here that won 116 games in one year and they didn’t even do that,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said, referencing the 2001 Mariners team that finished the season with only 46 losses. The race to keep an eye on toward the end of this season, however, is undoubtedly the one for the final National League Wild Card spot. It is currently a heated race between six separate teams. The Philadelphia Phillies currently occupy the first Wild Card spot, and the Chicago Cubs sit a game and a half behind them in the second. The third Wild Card spot, currently occupied by the Arizona Diamondbacks, is up for grabs. The Miami Marlins and San Francisco Giants both sit a game and a half behind Arizona, and the Cincinnati Reds are chasing the Diamondbacks by two games. The Chicago Cubs have been as hot as any team as of late, and have a valid chance at capturing the National League Central division crown. They currently sit three games behind the leader of their division, the Milwaukee Brewers. That remains the only division in the National League that is still up for grabs in the National League, as the Atlanta Braves have locked up the National League East and the Los Angeles Dodgers have done the same in the West. For baseball fans, this point of the season remains very exciting due to the annual number of tight races for division crowns and Wild Card spots. With October baseball nearly here, a better idea of who will be contending for the league pennants and a World Series championship will come to fruition. The Beacon is looking for sports writers for the Fall 2023 semester If you are interested in sports writing, editing, photography or graphics contact Adam Grundt at adam.grundt@wilkes.edu �The Beacon September 21, 2023 Sports 22 Athlete of the Week Trevor DuBoff Senior Golf Player The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week DuBoff was chosen as our athlete of the week after shooting a career low of 74 to help Wilkes defeat cross-town rival King’s College on Wednesday, Sept. 6 at Huntsville Golf Club. Major: Sports Management Hometown: Stony Point, NY High School: North Rockland What has been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? Shooting 2 over at Huntsville and leading my team to a win over King’s. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? New York Mets. What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Going to the gym. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? Being able to compete with and against talented and motivated athletes. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? Happy Gilmore Photo Courtesy of Anna Beckham 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." 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? Hitting a hole in one on hole 5 at Huntsville. What is your favorite post-game meal? Chipotle How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? It’s an honor even to be considered amongst all the great athletes at Wilkes. I’m grateful for all the support I’ve received from my coaches and teamates - both on the wrestling and the golf team - as well as my friends and family. �Sports The Beacon - September 21, 2023 Athlete of the Week 23 Alexis Reedy Junior Volleyball Outside Hitter The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Reedy was chosen as our athlete of the week after a strong performance with 15 digs in the Colonels' victory against Penn State Hazelton. Reedy also surmounted 15 kills in a 3-0 victory against Delaware Valley in the team's first game of the tri-match on Sept. 4. She then compiled another 12 kills and 15 digs against Penn State Altoona in the final game of the tri-match and she finished with a total of 36 kills, 37 digs, 8 aces and 2 blocks. Major: Nursing Hometown: Palmyra, Pa. High School: Palmyra What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? Team bonding, this year we went white water rafting which was a lot of fun. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? Philadelphia Eagles. What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Hanging out with my friends and going to the beach. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? Meeting other athletes and the support from other sports teams. Also being involved in the community. If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Soccer. What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Winning states my junior year of high school. What is your favorite post-game meal? Mozzarella sticks. How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? I feel very honored to be selected. It is reassuring to have gotten this recognition for the hard work I have been putting in. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? Remember the Titans. Compiled by Adam Grundt, Asst. Sports Editor Photo Courtesy of Anna Beckham Editor’s note: Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor ts staff each week. At the end of the academic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw it ter @WilkesB eacon to crow n an “Athlete of the Year." �The Beacon - September 21, 2023 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 <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 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>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> 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. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre 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 Wilkes Beacon, 2023 September 21 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wilkes University retains copyright of this publication. https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/2bb4aa1aa97766e0d047d390f3eb68b5.pdf 74b8a8d8339c9d65f3e2a5748fb04912 PDF Text Text The Beacon - September 13, 2023 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 76, Issue 2 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” Former Wilkes professor arraigned on felony charges, including criminal attempt-unlawful contact with minor By Amanda Montgomery A former Wilkes-University psychology professor was arraigned earlier this month on multiple felony charges, including criminal attempt – unlawful contact with minor, according to arrest papers. Edward John Schicatano, 59, of Plains Township, was involved in a sex sting on Aug. 7, by Musa Harris. Harris calls himself the Luzerne County Predator Catcher. Harris posted video to social media of his alleged confrontation with Schicatano. According to the criminal complaint: Harris posed online as a 15-year-old girl and received a message from “Lora Smith.” Smith was ultimately identified as Schicatano. Schicatano asked for the girl’s age and was told “almost 16 years old.” He then replied, “I’m sorry. Too young”. The online conversation continued, and police say that Schicatano sent the girl a photo of two men engaged in a sexual act. He also repeatedly expressed concern over the girl’s age and whether the FBI was involved. He eventually wanted to meet the girl. Police said Harris provided them with video of his alleged confrontation, and they were able to identify the man in the video as Schicatano. Wilkes University President Greg Cant issued an email on Aug. 21 about “very serious accusations … against a longtime member” of the university’s faculty. Cant did not specifically name Schicatano. According to the email, the university was made aware of the allegations on Aug. 19, and initiated its review process. As of Aug. 21, “the faculty member in question (was) no longer employed by the university, an outcome achieved in accordance with the steps outlined in the Faculty Handbook.” Contacted this week, Cant’s office would not discuss the matter further, stating it does not comment on personnel decisions. A representative from Cant’s office did confirm that Schicatano is not currently employed by the university. Dr. Paul Riggs, dean of arts and sciences, also declined to comment. “He was the best professor I ever had...,” said a student who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “It feels like something was taken away from me.” According to Beacon files, Schicatano received his Bachelor’s Degree from Bloomsburg University, his PhD from Wake Forest University, and did postdoctoral research at SUNY Stony Brook in the field of neurobiology. In a 2015 profile, Schicatano told The Beacon that he decided to pursue a teaching career at Wilkes because of the benefits of teaching in a small, personable community. Schicatano said that if he were to teach on a large and more populated campus, he would not have the same rapport with students. Schicatano is charged with criminal attempt - unlawful contact with minor - obscene and other sexual materials Cupboards, Closets and Care: On-campus resources, page 5 An inside look into the Conservatory at Wilkes University, page 9 Exploring the disheartening decline of local newspapers, page 16 News Editor Beacon file photo and performances; criminal attempt - dissemination of explicit sexual material to a minor; and criminal use of a communication facility, according to arrest papers. He was arraigned by District Justice James Haggerty and released on $50,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled at 9 a.m. on Sept. 20 with Luzerne County Central Court. Marts Center gymnasium gets a new look over summer break, page 19 �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Amanda Montgomery: Amanda.Montgomery1@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: Sept. 6 weekly meeting By Zach Paraway Contributing Writer Aug. 30 marked the first student government meeting for the 2023-2024 school year. They opened with a student government fund of $71,528.74. The first piece of business for the school year was from William LePore, who provided an update for the alumni festivities of homecoming weekend. Activities have been planned for each day, starting Sept. 29, with the welcoming table and flashback event. The event is to welcome the alumni back to campus. Other events planned for the weekend include giveaways, a tent during Saturday’s football game and a Saturday “fun day”. The African Cultural Association sought reactivation as a club. The presentation was given by junior business major, Kobina Otoo. The Wilkes African Cultural Association was established in 2017, but had disbanded due to COVID. The club mission is to promote African culture in an enjoyable and entertaining manner. They continued to explain what ideas and events they would present as a club with ideas such as African takeover day, bake sales and more ideas to promote the education of African culture to the public. This would be week one of two and will be back next week to receive an official vote The third and final order of new business was a new club recognition. The Chess Club has been operating for a year now on its own but would like to be fully recognized as a student club. The club plans to use the money received for a new chess set and to help fundraising efforts. They also e x p l a i n e d community service ideas including teaching high school students the game, holding tournaments and participating in school events such as Big Event. The last piece of business was internal and was an update to the constitution for members of SG. Updated items include new service hours, a change in academic requirements and a change in the chain of command in case of an absence. SG will meet again on Sept. 13. internship fair on Tuesday, Sept. 26 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This fair is open to all students interested in working in the business, engineering and technology fields. Over 30 companies have already registered with more anticipated to come. Register to attend on Handshake. Contact Carol Bosack for more information or questions at carol. bosack@wilkes.edu. be submitted, along with the applicant’s name, WIN and contact information to Allison Naumann, Alumni House. Applications can be emailed to allison. naumann@wilkes.edu with the subject line “Polish Heritage Scholarships.” Deadline for applications is Oct. 13 at 4:30 p.m. Leadership Collegiate Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Beacon News Staff Family Day 2023 Family Day will take place on Saturday, Sept. 16. To find the schedule of events and to register visit https://www.wilkes. edu/familyday. Online registration will close until Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 12 p.m. If you have any questions or would like to register by phone/email, please call (570) 408-4645 or email familyday@ wilkes.edu. College of Business and Engineering Career and Internship Fair The College of Business and Engineering is hosting a career and Scholarship Opportunity for Students of Polish Descent The Polish Room Committee Scholarship ($3,000 top award) welcomes applications from Luzerne County residents. To be considered, applicants must write a brief description of their Polish heritage and what that heritage means to them. This letter must This six-week, virtual course consists of online modules that provide current college students who are aspiring leaders with an innovative and flexible online learning experience. Participants work on weekly course content at their own pace. The deadline for applications is Friday, Sept. 22. Use this link to apply: https://www.leadershiplackawanna. com/leadership-collegiate-1. Upcoming Events: 2023 Fall Semester September 14 - Minute to Win it 21 - Cooking Class 24 - Paintball at Skirmish 28 - Programming Board giveaway October 5 - Hoedown Throwdown 8 - Statue of Liberty Boat Tour NYC 12-15 - Fall Break 19 - Couch Potato 23-27 - Freak Week 28 - Dorney Haunted Park---�������������������������������� ���������� ������ ����� ������������ ������ ��� �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 News 3 Eugene S. Farley Library unveils its renovated Alden Learning Commons & Commuter Lounge By Amanda Montgomery News Editor The Eugene S. Farley Library received renovations to its Alden Learning Commons, also referred to as the lower level, 24/7 floor. The extensive makeover to the Learning Commons includes new carpeting, furniture, paintwork and computer facilities. Additional rennovations include news tables and chairs to the student study rooms on the lower level, 24/7 floor, an increase in space with new tables in the study cubbies on the 24/7 floor and an update in all computers within the library. The library administration thanked Student Government and the campus Facilities for their pivotal role in this renovation. In addition to the enhancements, the university also introduced the newly established Commuter Lounge on the lower level floor. The lounge had previously been on the second floor of the Student Union Building (SUB). The space offers a convenient space for commuter students to study and relax. Commuter students can swipe their student ID to access the space. The library encourages all members of the campus community to take advantage of the recent developments, which were designed to foster an enriched learning environment and sense of belonging. The library is open from 8 a.m. to midnight from Monday through Thursday; and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays. On weekends, the library is open on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, from 3 to 11 p.m. The library’s basement is accessible after hours from the South Street WIN card entrance and from the main entrance during regular library open hours. More photos, Page 4 (above) The Eugene S. Farley Library welcomes students to the newly rennovated basement. Photos: The Beacon/Amanda Montgomery (above) The tables and chairs in the private computer cubby sections have been upgraded to provide greater comfort in the Alden Learning Commons. (at right) Students can request up to two hours in the renovated private study rooms; sign up at the front desk. �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 News 4 ...continued from Page 3 The commuter lounge has relocated from the second floor of the Sub to the basement of the library. Students can swipe their student ID to gain access. The couches in the study cubbies were upgraded, along with the addition of new tables and an increase in space. �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 News 5 Cupboards, closets and care: On-campus resources By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer There are some on-campus resources that virtually everyone knows about. For example, most students know that Passan Hall houses the counseling and health centers. However, there are plenty of resources on campus that even seniors may not know about. Two of these resources are tucked away in the back of the Career Center and are known as the Colonel Closet and the Colonel Cupboard. Catie Becker, the director of civic engagement, explains that the Colonel Cupboard is “...an on-campus food pantry that offers grocery items, refrigerated and frozen items and grab and go snacks.” The food comes from the CEO Food Bank in Pittston. The produce pop ups that appear several times a semester in the Student Union Building (SUB) concourse are supplied and hosted by the Colonel Cupboard. Ada Soriano, a P1 pharmacy student and Bonner Leader, explained, “the produce pop-up is a Bonner Leader project hosted by the Colonel's Cupboard…Bonner Leaders assist in handing out the produce.” Located near the Cupboard is the Colonel Closet. The director of career services, Carol Bosack, explained that “the Colonel Career Closet provides business casual and business professional clothes that students may take and keep, as needed, for interviews, career fairs or dressing business casual for an internship or job.” Students can find blazers, slacks, button-ups and anything they might need for a job interview or their first internship. “It allows students to get groceries for free and not have to worry about when they can have another meal or whether or not they can go to this interview because of their clothing,” said Edweana Alexis, junior political science and communication studies major. The cupboard and the closet provide a bridge and lessen the stress on a student that is struggling.” Students' academic performance may be hindered when they are preoccupied with concerns about their next meal. Based on a 2021 survey, it is projected that food insecurity will impact one out of every three college students in Pennsylvania during their undergraduate studies. The ability to buy new, businessprofessional attire is not financially feasible for all students. For those lacking transportation options, visiting the Salvation Army or a thrift store can be unattainable. The convenience of having these essentials readily available outside the SUB is a notable advantage. “I have utilized both services," said Soriano. "Although many people know about the produce pop-up, many do not know that there is an option at the cupboard to order online and have your food order dropped off at the post office. It is very convenient when you do not have the time to stop by and look for what you need in person." Students do not have to meet any requirements to utilize these services. They are free and available for all students, regardless of financial aid status or meal plans. “Many students are full-time college students, and full-time college students do not have a job,” said Alexis.“With them not having a job comes the aspect of money and groceries are expensive. I believe things like the Cupboard or the Closet are important because groceries are expensive and college kids do not have a lot of money to purchase $200 or $300 worth of groceries every two weeks.” The Colonel Cupboard and Closet are housed in the Career Center, outside the Henry Student Center. Students can enter through the main doors and walk to the back, or enter through the door located along the sidewalk adjacent to the parking lot. Both are on the first floor, so there are no accessibility concerns. All students need is their student ID and a bag to carry their food. “My school offered something small like this, primarily for dry goods and snacks," said Becker. "The treats once in a while were nice but it would have been awesome to have something more reliable, especially for those times between paychecks." There is a Google form students fill out to order their groceries from the Cupboard. The Colonel Closet is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and the Colonel Cupboard is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Produce popups will be held regularly throughout the semester, on Sept. 13, Oct. 18 and Nov. 29 during club hours in the first floor of the SUB. TOP: The Colonel's Closet ofers a wide variety of business and business-casual items, including suits, shoes, and even jewelry. The inside of the Colonel's Cupboard, where each drawer and shelf are filled and labeled with free food and supplies. Photos Courtesy of Morgan Steiner �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 6 �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Life, Arts & Entertainment Editor: Zara.lantzman@wilkes.edu “The One Rose:” Sordoni Art Gallery’s Latest Exhibit By Anthony Cazun Asst. Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor “The One Rose: The Life and Legacy of Rose O’Neill” is the latest edition to the Sordoni Art Gallery, functioning as a celebration of the work created by the multi-talented illustrator and writer, Rose O’Neill. While famously the creator of the iconic kewpie characters, which would become so popular they would grow a life of their own, O’Neill had a much broader array of work, stylings and messages. During the celebration of the Sordoni Art Gallery’s 50th anniversary, the latest exhibit seeks to show off O’Neill’s iconic art, but also display her diverse and more unknown body of work. Hailing from Wilkes-Barre, O’Neill was born in the summer of 1874 and had an interest in various forms of art from early childhood. She began creating illustrations for various newspapers and magazines in her teens, then moved to New York to expand her professional career. In New York she joined a publication titled “Truth,” it is there that she created the first comic strip to be published by a woman. “She could do things that at the time women could not,” said senior digital design and media Arts major Erika Tomes. “She carved her own path in a world made by and for men. Even in the modern world it’s incredible to think about how she was able to do that. The idea of breaking through that barrier, doing what you think you could not do.” O’Neill was an avid proponent of fighting inequality and advocating for women’s rights, becoming a key figure in breaking women into the art scene. She actively promoted the artwork of other women, often worked with women, notably her The Beacon/Anthony Cazun An example of O’Neill’s kewpies currently on display at the Sordoni Art Gallery. sister Callista O’Neill, and often weaved women’s suffrage and discrimination messages into her work. Once she garnered more popularity and prestige, she began to work more independently. In 1909, O’Neill would debut her newest and most well known creation, “The Kewpie.” Kewpies are almost angel-like illustrations of rosy-cheeked children that became very popular in the early 1900’s, appearing in comic strips, posters and most famously, as dolls. The name “Kewpie” is derived from Cupid, the Roman god of love and desire. Kewpie’s are genderless and share a similar physiology to common interpretations of the Roman god. O’Neill famously claimed that the design for kewpie’s came to her in a dream. O’Neill explained that the main idea of “The Kewpies” is to be cute beings from Kewpieville that do good deeds in a silly way. “I think they’re adorable little creatures,” said McKenna Dolan, senior digital design and media arts major. “They bring so much light and smiles to our visitors’ faces. They always get a kick out of them.” The gallery displays many of O’Neill’s Kewpie illustrations, as well as the iconic dolls and merchandise that accompany them. However that does not mean the gallery is lacking her other work, as the gallery aims to also present the true versatility of O’Neill’s talent. “She’s most well known for her Kewpies but her work is so much more complex and deeper,” said Melissa Carestia, assistant director at the Sordoni Art Gallery. “She was a multifaceted person and you can see that in her work. Especially her sweet monsters work, which deserve much more praise than they get. The way that she sculpts with her line, you can see that she really models the figure and it has so much weight to it. She was working on it at the same time as the kewpies and it’s so deep and complex by comparison.” While O’Neill’s is highly regarded for her illustrations, her work as an author is also very important to understanding her as a person. Her novel “The Loves of Edwy” and the illustrations that accompany it are on display as well. O’Neill’s novel is more dramatic and almost semi-biographical, as she wrote several of the characters to have many of her own qualities and experiences. “I really love her later work that’s more androgynous and is a complete 180 from “The Kewpies,” it just shows how prolific of an artist she was and how much range she had throughout her career,” said Dolan. Not only is O’Neill a prominent figure in Pennsylvania’s art history, but also emblematic of a shift in women’s rights and the rights of marginalized communities within both the artistic medium and the world at large. While her kewpies have taken on a life of their own, they would be nothing without the tenacity of their creator. “I think it is interesting any time the art surpasses or outlives the artists,” said Carestia. “There are people in all kinds of subcultures getting kewpie tattoos, making unique little kewpie dolls. I think that’s the importance of art, how much it touches humanity. Of course something that is adorable and goofy is gonna resonate with people long after they disappear.” “The One Rose: The Life and Legacy of Rose O’Neill” exhibit in the Sordoni Art Gallery will be on display until Oct. 8. The Sordoni Art gallery will also be hosting various other events such as the Cartooning Workshop with Kevin O’Neill event and the “Whether We are Rich or Poor, We Can Love Each Other The Same” Art in Context Lecture. The gallery’s doors are open 10 a.m to 5 p.m Tuesday through Friday and noon through 5 p.m on Saturdays. �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 Club of the Week: Studio 20 By Anthony Cazun Asst. Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor a B n o um c Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staff picks their favorite song of the week. Check out this week’s bumps to the right! Our very own Zara Lantzman has put togetheraSpotifyplaylistwhereyoucan scan it and listen to the Beacon’s staff weekly picks! ps Be As Wilkes University’s annual club day came and went, many clubs were vying for the attention of students both new and old. However, there was one club that may have stood out to those that seek an outlet for their artistic side. Studio 20 is a student run production club that particularly focuses on design, collaboration and provides real life experience to students of every major and skill level. Studio 20’s focus is primarily digital. The club seeks to provide graphics, logos, layouts, social media advertising and more to various clients, clubs and events. The club focuses on expanding student’s portfolios and gives students all kinds of experience in the realm of design and the more diplomatic aspect of it. “Studio 20 is a student-run production club that does creative work for both on and off-campus clients at no charge,” said assistant professor of digital design and media art, Lisa Reynolds. “In recent years, student teams have completed branding projects for area businesses and nonprofits, photo shoots, website designs and social media content. “It is for people who appreciate and celebrate design in any medium.” The studio has a strong focus on collaboration, both internally and externally. Internally, Studio 20 designers may help each other with a task or ask each other for pointers, opinions, edits, a different perspective and more. “Even if someone is not experienced enough to work on a design job, there are a ton of roles associated with the club that students can work on as they grow their skill set,” said Reynolds. Externally, collaborations also come in the form of working with ad agencies, marketing departments, galleries and other clubs or event organizers. A group may be seeking out a graphic or poster for an upcoming event they are aiming to promote, and they will work closely with designers to make that idea come to life. There is especially a lot of crossover between clubs within the digital design and media arts umbrella, meaning those with interest in working on projects for something video game related or even some light photography will be encouraged to create. “There is game design, so esports just started this year and I know that we plan on doing collabs with them,” said Kyra Britzky, digital design and media arts junior and Studio 20 historian. “It would be great to get both of our names out there by working with them and growing together.” Studio 20 encourages those of all ability levels to join, no matter how experienced or inexperienced with programs or specific techniques they may be. All it takes is some interest and the willingness to learn. Art and design is not fixed, there is always something new to explore, and an ability to sharpen. Designers want to learn, teach and create. “A lot of people think they need to be in the digital design and media arts Morgan Rich, Editor-in-Chief: I think you should - Jess Fellerman Amanda Montgomery, News Editor: major or have big art skills, but no, we have opened it to everyone,” said Studio 20 president and senior digital design and media arts major Maggie McHenry. “We will teach you how to use the programs and different techniques, so anyone is welcome to join.” Studio 20 welcomes students of every major. Students that are not specifically within the digital design and media arts major will expand the accessibility and allow for various types of perspectives and talents. “The club used to be solely DDMA majors, but I feel like opening up the club to people interested in it that aren’t majoring would be a good opportunity to have new people,” said Britzky. “We are doing the workshops, too, which would make new people want to come in more.” Studio 20 meets twice a week in Breiseth 020. Tuesday’s are primarily for members working on design projects, while Thursday’s are for all club members. Graphic/Lara Mullen Sydney Allabaugh, Opinion Editor: NO HEY LEY- Kali Uches “Freeze,” Opinion Staff Writer: Cool About It - boygenius Emma Broda, News Staff Writer: Carnage- prodby668 Brando - Lucy Dacus Adam Grundt, Sports Asst. Editor: Zara Lantzman, LA&E Editor: Dial Drunk - Noah Kahan, Post Malone Come Back...Be Here - Taylor Swift Lara Mullen, Designer: Anthony Cazun, LA&E Asst. Editor: Lessen The Damage - Poppy Cally Williams, LA&E Staff Writer: Lovers Rock - TV Girl Kimdracula - Deftones Liz Cherinka, Social Media Manager: Rollercoaster - Bleachers �The Beacon – Septme 13, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 9 An Inside Look into the Conservatory at Wilkes University By Cally Williams Life, Arts and Entertainment Staff The Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts at Wilkes works to nourish and encourage performing arts of all kinds. The Conservatory is one of the programs located in the Darte. The Conservatory consists of the Degnan Ballet Center, Indian Classical Dance, and instrumental and vocal music lessons. Music instruction includes private lessons in voice, piano, guitar, violin, viola, flute, percussion, trombone, tuba, harp, french horn, clarinet and music theory. The Degnan Ballet Center focuses on classical ballet, with its main focus being technique. There are seven levels of ballet classes varying in difficulty along with a pre-ballet class for younger aspiring dancers. In addition to ballet, Indian classical dance is another facet of the Conservatory. It is taught by Sujata Nair Mulloth and has been a part of the Conservatory for 20 years. There are beginner, intermediate and advanced classes offered in the fall and spring sessions. At its founding, the Conservatory was more focused on music and musical theater rather than dance. Now, the Conservatory provides instruction in music, classical Indian dance and classical ballet, but still has the common goal of sharing the joy of performing arts with the community. The Conservatory was established in 1988 by Jean Anastasia and Jim Harrington, while the Degnan Ballet Center was founded in 1983 by Kristin Degnan-Boonin and her late husband Peter Degnan. DegnanBoonin and Degnan established university classes for Wilkes students,and the ballet center was later added to the Conservatory. “It belongs here,” said Degnan-Boonin. “It felt right for the Degnan Ballet Center to be a part of the Wilkes University Conservatory,” as she and her husband had already started the university’s dance program. She quoted renowned choreographer George Balanchine, “First a school,” when explaining why she wanted her ballet center to be a part of the university. She wanted it to be a part of the nurturing learning environment of the university. Degnan-Boonin has been a part of the Conservatory and the Degnan Ballet Center since its inception. When talking about the Conservatory, she referred to it as “The jewel of the valley.” “It is an environment where artists of all different genres come together and collaborate. It makes us truly unique.” She also explained how the Conservatory presents ballet in its authentic form. The art is passed down through generations, from one teacher to another, so the technique and choreography that current students are learning is the same as what dancers from hundreds of years ago studied. “It is the one place in the valley where you can find it all. Seeing other performing artists, even just passing by in the hall, is truly inspiring,” said Degnan-Boonin. “It keeps the creative juices flowing.” The Conservatory puts on several performances a year. These performances include an annual performance of “The Nutcracker” in December, a ballet recital in June, an Indian classical show in May and music recitals in the spring and fall. “The Nutcracker” is an annual festive staple of the Conservatory. While many studios perform abridged versions of the famous Tchaicovsky ballet, the Conservatory at Wilkes performs the full length “Nutcracker.” Auditions for this year’s production of “The Nutcracker” will take place on Sept. 24th in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center. Along with the “Nutcracker” on Dec. 16 and 17, the Conservatory also performs a full length ballet in June. In the summer of 2023, they staged a ballet version of the famous fairytale, “Cinderella.” The Conservatory also hosts a summer dance intensive that is open to dancers from all over the area. This intensive program is open to any serious dancer age 11 and up. It lasts for two weeks in July and offers classes in ballet technique, jazz, yoga/pilates, pointe and pre-pointe, classical variations and modern dance. The Conservatory is a proud aspect of Wilkes University. “It is the feather in the university’s cap,” stated Conservatory coordinator Lauren Gentilesco. The Conservatory serves not only the university but the whole Wyoming Valley community. By sharing the gift of performing arts with students, the Conservatory is From left, Sarah Polansky, Amelia Smicherko and Morgan Rich perform as Spanish princess in the June ballet, continuing to grow the ballet tradition. As Degnan-Boonin stated before, dance is passed down through generations. “It is evolutionary.” “We give students as professional a setting as possible,” stated ballet instructor Karla Kovatch. “The fact that students are prepared enough to get accepted into prestigious schools is a huge accomplishment.” This September marks the 40th anniversary of the Degnan Ballet Center. The university commemorates the profound impact that the Conservatory has had on its students and the whole Wilkes community. Degnan-Boonin added, “There are many fine schools, but this one is a true gem.” From left, Morgan Rich, Amanda Merrick-Tompkins and Amelia Smicherko pose for a picture backstage as princesses in the June ballet, “Cinderella.” Photos: The Beacon/Morgan Rich �The Beacon – Septme 13, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 Writers Guild of American West stands up for its rights By Jean Bonn Contributing Writer On May 1, the Writers Guild of American West, or the WGA, tweeted that their board of directors, along with the council of the Writers Guild of America East, voted unanimously to call a strike beginning May 2 at 12:01 a.m. The strike came after contract negotiations between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, or the AMPTP, went nowhere. Most of the WGA’s complaints stem from issues regarding streaming series and films. Production companies have hired less writers with even less time to write scripts, and compensation for streaming series and shows are not standardized. On top of this, the increase in artificial intelligence has the potential to decrease jobs for writers, since production companies can use the technology to write scripts as opposed to hiring writers. The WGA wanted these complaints to be corrected, but the AMPTP said that they could not fulfill their requests. In July, the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, often referred to as SAGAFTRA, joined the WGA and went on strike for better pay and job security. “I think it is really sad that thousands of creative and hardworking people have to fight for months just to negotiate for fair payment and treatment,” said Emma Klusmeyer, a sophomore environmental science major. “The studios are earning billions on the writers’ work and they are not getting much in return.” According to their website, the Writers Guild of America West is a labor union for writers located in the western United States. The writers in their union are responsible for the scripts and production of a variety of content fans across the country view on a daily basis. Television shows, documentaries, animation, films and even videogames. Their primary function is to ensure that the writers in the guild are provided with fair working conditions by production companies. Some of their standards for such conditions include proper pension, health benefits and basic compensation for their work. The SAG-AFTRA also strives to ensure fair working rights for artists, however they also represent those who are in front of the camera or behind the microphone such as dancers, dj’s, singers, actors and puppeteers. Although it may seem like the strikes will only impact those in Hollywood, they have already had large impacts on programming schedules in a variety of channels. Most channels and streamers have had content saved, but viewers will most likely begin to see the strikes’ impacts as we get closer to fall. Late night shows such as The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Saturday Night Live have already been placed on hiatus. Most channels have started filling their schedules with reality television shows and reruns. Shows that are currently in production have had their release dates delayed by at least two months. Movies, on the other hand, have at least a year until the impacts become noticeable to audiences. “Even though it is disappointing that many shows are being delayed, I do think it is for a good cause,” said Madi Hudak, a sophomore environmental science major. “Many people that write and act in shows and movies make little to no profit from having their shows on streaming services like on Netflix, and that is unfair.” The most impacted people during this strike are not the fans of television and film. Rather, they are the guild members who are currently out of work in order to make their point to production companies. As expected with any strike, the WGA has a long list of forbidden activities for their members. Some notable items on the list include writing, editing, and film festival promotion. It should be noted that writers can technically still write scripts, just not sell them or develop them further. This means that over 11,500 writers are currently out of a job and source of income. However, California bill SB799 would potentially provide unemployment benefits to workers who have been striking for more than two weeks. “I support the writers strike and believe it is a necessary step to ensure a better future for all writers,” said Casey McNally, a sophomore pharmacy major. Celebrities have been vigilant to promote the strike of social media, garnering the support of fans like Casey. Photos and videos of celebrities, such as Olivia Wilde, Darren Criss, and Elliot Page protesting have gone viral, increasing the public’s awareness of the strike. Seeing their favorite actors and actresses on the picket line has also reminded audiences that the content they consume on television and streaming platforms was created in part by writers, providing some encouragement to support the WGA and SAG-AFTRA. However, not all celebrities are fully in support of the strikes. In fact, many have been called out online for posting that they support the strike yet continuing to work on projects. Some have even candidly said that they were against the strikes as a whole. Bill Maher in particular has said that he feels that writers are not owed a living while on the “Club Random” podcast. A letter of opposition has also circulated the internet regarding the SAG-AFTRA’s strike in particular. The letter was signed by George Clooney, Morgan Freeman, Tom Hanks and more than 130 other Hollywood actors and actresses. There is no indication that the strike will end anytime soon, since the WGA and SAG-AFTRA are still negotiating with the AMPTP. The last time that the WGA had a strike was 15 years ago, which lasted 100 days. However, today’s strikers have made one thing clear: they would not be stopping until their demands have been met. Graphic/Lara Mullen �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 11 Life, Arts & Entertainment Zany Day Trips with Zara: Jim Thorpe By Zara Lantzman Life, Arts & Entertainment Editor When you think of Wilkes University, do you ever stop to think about what fun things there are to do around the area. Consider Jim Thorpe, a place and a person. Now we obviously cannot go see Jim Thorpe, the person, as he died in March 1953. What you can see, however, is a quaint, active and beautiful town that shares his name. Jim Thorpe is located in Carbon County, Pa. It is a 43 minute drive from Wilkes-Barre. Forty-three minutes and you can enjoy a whole day of fun. If you are a spiritual person, then Jim Thorpe is right for you. In the middle of the town, there is a store called, The Emporium of Curious Goods. They have all kinds of metaphysical and religious things, along with a lot of Wiccan items. For all you “Harry Potter” fans, Muggle’s Mug is not your normal coffee shop. When you walk in you are greeted by the “Harry Potter” movies playing and decorations from the series everywhere. Even better, all their food and drink items are Harry Potter-related. A piece of advice: Wait more than 30 minutes if you are going to get their tea, as I learned the hard way. For fans of the wild waters, there is whitewater rafting along the Lehigh River and I highly recommend it. It was my first time rafting and it definitely was not my last. There are all kinds of different tour groups that take you on the river. Regardless of what group or company you pick, it is a whirl of fun. Directly next to the river is the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway. This train ride lasts 77 minutes and starts right by the parking lot in Jim Thorpe. Tickets are $24 for adults and $10 for children. The train follows the Lehigh River, and goes over bridges into Glen Onoko and Lehigh Gorge State Park. On the route, you can see wildlife, mountain scenery and high-rise cliffs. Packer Mansion. The house was previously owned by Asa Packer, and in 1956, it was opened to the public. Packer was the owner of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and founded Lehigh University. History buffs, this is for you. Jim Thorpe was previously called Mauch Chunk, and there is the Mauch Chunk Museum that Across the railway is an old jail, previously known as Carbon County Jail, and active from 1870-1995. The jail holds tours where you can see everything from the warden’s headquarters to solitary confinement. There is rich history at this jail as many people were hanged. There is also a rumor that you can see a handprint on the wall to this day during from one of the hangings. On top of all of that, in the fall, the jail holds ghost tours at night. If you are a fan of looking at mansions on Zillow, then you will love this next option. On the edge of town sits one of the most beautiful homes to see: Asa contains the history of Jim Thorpe/ Mauch Chunk. It even contains history about Jim Thorpe the person and what makes him legendary. After learning all about the history of Jim Thorpe, head on down to the Number 9 Coal Mine and Museum. Operating as the world’s longest running coal mine from 1855-1972, tourists can explore the cave and even go in a mine car to learn what it was like to work underground. The Harry Packer Mansion is a must see if you are a big fan of The Walt Disney World Resort. The mansion is directly next to the Asa Packer Mansion, as Harry was his son. Tourists are not allowed in for tours but they can book rooms, as it is now a bed and breakfast. It is still worth seeing the outside architecture, as the popular ride, The Haunted Mansion, at Walt Disney World Resort is based off of the Harry Packer Mansion. For people of age, Jim Thorpe is home to many wineries. Big Creek Vineyard and Wild Elder Wine and Co are only some of the wineries in the area. Wild Elder Wine and Co. is directly across the street from Muggle’s Mug on Broadway Street. The winery makes ciders, wines and even non-alcoholic beverages. They make all their wine with elderberries, hence the name. On top of all of that, they have wine tasting and even sell charcuterie boards and sandwiches. Jim Thorpe is home to many gift shops and has unique gifts that you cannot find elsewhere. After your adrenaline pumped day, there are many food places to pick from that make you wanting more, especially the desserts. Jim Thorpe is the perfect place to visit in the fall and I highly recommend it and would give this day trip a rating of 9/10. Graphics/Lara Mullen �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Center 12 By Emma Broda News Staff Writer During the time of the year, when classes get more and more intense, something that gets overlooked is self-care. It can become easy to fall into a habit of spending too much time on jobs and schoolwork, and students may overlook their own well-being. On Sept. 7, Programming Board offered a night for students to focus on themselves with a selfcare night. Students gathered in the Henry Student Center to enjoy different self-care themed activities and food. The event was a hit with students being drawn to the promise of a stress relieving night. Abby Malin, first-year psychology major, shared that the event seemed like a fun night to unwind and spend time with her friends. The night of relaxation included a yoga session, painting succulent plant pots, friendship bracelet making, do-it-yourself body scrubs and a raffle for a massage gift card. Making Body Scrubs Page Design By Lara Mullen �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Center 13 “My goal this year is to take more time for myself, and this seemed like the perfect thing,” said Molly Blaskiewicz, a junior marketing major. In addition to the self-care activities, Programming Board also provided students with charcuterie boards and mocktails adorned with tiny umbrellas. Students were also able to enjoy the snacks provided and the skincare headbands that were given to them. Zoë Morley, a sophomore biology major, said, “I think the body scrubs were a cool idea.” Yoga Session For students who try to prioritize self-care, school can be exhausting and attending events like selfcare night is a perfect way to alleviate stress. Some students found that although they regularly take time to themselves, events with a focus on self-care can still be beneficial. Logan Colonna, a sophomore marketing major, said that he considers self-care a way to better himself, and personally enjoyed the mocktails, specifically the strawberry daiquiris. The night ended with students going home with the crafts they made, a multitude of skincare products and more so that they could be relaxed to continue on with the semester. Event Photo Plant Pot Painting �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Opinion Editorial Staff 2023-24 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Morgan Rich Social Media Manager - Liz Cherinka Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Amanda Montgomery LA&E - Zara Lantzman Opinion - Sydney Allabaugh ASSISTANT EDITORS LA&E - Anthony Cazun Sports - Adam Grundt DESIGNERS Designer - Lara Mullen Section Staff Writers News - Emma Broda LA&E - Cally Williams Opinion - “Freeze” Want to join The Beacon? Several positions are open! Contact : kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or morgan.rich@wilkes.edu 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 Morgan Rich at morgan.rich@ wilkes.edu The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact opinion editor: Sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu. Our Voice Each week, The Beacon’s editorial board will take a stance on a current issue. Stop making remakes of original movies Has the movie industry fallen into the ravenous hands of Hollywood’s moneyhungry directors and producers? Movie remakes within Hollywood have seemingly turned the corner from being possible blockbusters to falling into a black hole of unoriginality. The United States’ film industry has been incredibly successful and has thrived rapidly since the 1900s. However, with theaters being filled with remakes, reboots, and sequels, are we beginning to see the industry’s downfall and lack of creativity? According to tjToday, movies depend on a new evolution of ideas, and techniques, however, when the same ideas are utilized over and over again, it can cause this change to stand still. When directors and producers remake and reboot different past stories, the outcome will generally be a more generic counterpart and will rarely bring anything new to the table. A huge problem with movie remakes is that the directors attempt to recreate the same emotions and feelings that the original creator had in mind and created within their audience. The truth of the matter is that a remake will never be able to evoke the same emotions and feelings the audience felt the first time around. This is particularly true when it comes to recreations of classic movies, especially when the original creator of the movie may no longer be alive to collaborate on the remake. Casumo, a betting website, conducted a study with the search engine optimization firm Verve Search in which they standardized IMDb and Metacritic stores to compare different ratings and profits of recent movie remakes. The results ended up being not-so-great for remakes with 91 percent scoring lower with audiences than the originals. The Washington Post also pointed out during this study that only 21 percent of these movies were more profitable. Most of the time, there is no point in remaking movies because of the fact that some originals were not made all that long ago. For example, The Walt Disney Company released their animated hit film, “Moana,” in 2016 and has already announced that they are in the process of producing a live-action remake of the film. A bad remake or reboot of a movie can have a negative lasting legacy, as well. If a movie is remade unsuccessfully or lacks creativity, this can cause a negative view of the original film and affect how people view the original. However, if people hate these remakes so much, why on earth is Hollywood still producing them at an outstanding rate? According to Vice, remakes of movies still pay off even if they do not beat the original because “there is profit and pleasure to be had in the familiar.” Nostalgia might make people believe that the original is better, however, that is the factor that makes them see the remake anyway. Nostalgia is what drives the views. It feels as if Hollywood is creating these remakes and reboots to earn a quick buck instead of paying attention to its audience and creating a quality film. It feels as if the original films they created are being exploited for money instead of being recreated for enjoyment. The Internet Movie Database states that Hollywood consistently investing in these remakes, reboots and sequels will eventually lead to their decline. If remakes of movies do not stop, these films will destroy Hollywood’s creativity and creative processes, which will lead to the film industry’s eventual downfall. 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: morgan.rich@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 13, 2023 Opinion 15 The reason you need to The Return of The Red play single-player games Raven: An original story By “Freeze” Opinion Staff Writer Do you feel that video games are not for you? Or maybe you play them, but you do not find them interesting? Or worse, you have enjoyed games in the past, and you cannot put down the controller despite it being boring? Not to worry, this is a common phenomenon known as “Gamer’s Block” and it plagues society by the thousands everyday. However, it is not a disease that is incurable. In fact, the solution to this problem is simple. Most players enjoy gaming with their friends and that is usually how it starts. A player will enjoy a game enough to play on their own, but soon they face major drawbacks which are caused by queuing into a game’s online player base. This is an atmosphere that is cruel and destructive towards gamers because it involves unfiltered internet toxicity and imbalance in skill between players. There are players who spend their entire lives playing a single game, such as “League of Legends” and “CS:GO,” and the large skill disparity between players ruins the experience. These issues are the tip of the iceberg. The fact is, playing a competitive game inperson is usually a much healthier experience than playing online. For example, “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” is greatly enhanced when you can be face-to-face with your opponent on the same console without relying on the quality of your connection. The real problem with your block is that you are playing the wrong type of game in the first place. Competitive and online-based games are causing the troubles. People no longer enjoy playing because other people are better than they are at “Street Fighter” and do not give them a chance to show off the new combo that they learned or to test out a new skin or gun that they unlocked in “Valorant.” Therefore, the solution to the problem is to drop these games altogether. “What? How can I drop every game I play? What do I play then?” Exactly. Try picking up a game that features a story mode or campaign for single players. You will soon learn the value in gaming is to appreciate the game and not hate on the players. Not only are single-player games very engaging, but players can rely on learning and skill rather than the amount of time they spend playing the game. These types of games allow players the flexibility to be creative and play how they want. One of the most revolutionary singleplayer games in the modern day is “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,” which has created a very wholesome community of highly skilled, artistic players and allowed them to unleash their creativity in an open-world setting with unique mechanics for building and fighting. Players in fan bases such as “Tears of the Kingdom” get together to celebrate a common game that they all enjoy, rather than destroying each other’s ego with unnecessary disrespect. Of course, the single-player genre includes games for everyone. FromSoftware is a famous company known for featuring its highly strategic form of combat in games such as “Elden Ring” and “Sekiro.” These games also include boss fights that allow players to test out various strategies and become skilled with patterns and techniques. Some players prefer to be the boss themselves, such as in “Doom,” the actionpacked shooter where the main character is a demon-slaughtering machine. There are also loads of Indie titles that all feature intriguing stories and mechanics. My personal favorites are “Hollow Knight,” “Castle Crashers,” “N++” and “Superliminal.” The lesson here is that single-player games, despite what gamers might try to convince you, are much more diverse, immersive and simply playable. The effort that goes into these games is much greater than the cookie cutter competitive games. Nobody can judge or insult you for how you play, and instead of spending a fortune on peripherals, you can direct those funds to buying more high-quality video games. Most importantly, these games offer the spark of creativity and enjoyment that you, a bored, helpless player, are probably looking for. By Leah Smith Contributing Writer Murder! Mystery! Action! Justice! Those were the four words that lived in Rick Greenblatt’s head even after 37 years of hearing them blared out onto television screens around the world. Those were the days where he thought he was above it all. Once, a wild young actor who starred in the biggest superhero mystery show of the 80s. Now, an old department store cashier. “Does this lamp work with my coupon?” a man with a blond receding hairline asked. Rick grabbed the coupon from the man’s pale hand and held it up closely to his face. He adjusted his glasses and read the coupon carefully. It was a 20 percent off home decor and appliance coupon. “Yes, sir. It works,” Rick answered in a bored voice. “Can you apply that to my order?” the customer asked. Rick grumbled, “Yeah.” He scanned the lamp and cereal boxes that were laid out on the checkout counter. The man took out his card and swiped to pay the $32.64 that flashed on the small blue screen. The man grabbed his bag and shouted, “Have a nice day, sir!” Rick rolled his eyes and weakly waved at him. He rested one fist against his face and snagged his phone from his jean pocket with the other. He noticed that he had five minutes left of his nine hour shift. His eyes lit up and nearly tripped as he was exiting the checkout area. He grabbed his car keys from his pocket and started going through the clock-out process on his phone. He pressed the red clock button to clock out of his shift and walked swiftly to the parking lot. He drove off in his black Subaru Impreza and arrived at his small brown house that resided 15 minutes away from his job. He turned off the ignition, walked out of the car and opened the front door. Cameron, his husband, stood right in front of Rick which caught him off guard. “Jeez! You nearly gave me a heart attack!” Rick yelled. Cameron folded his arms and frowned, “You didn’t see the message I sent you?” Rick turned his phone on and did not even notice that Cameron sent him a message two hours ago. Cameron shook his head in disbelief as he walked past the entrance and into the kitchen. “I was swamped at work,” Rick said as he passed a giant poster of himself in a red hat, mask and cape. “I understand that, but what about on your break? You couldn’t say anything about one of your old friends passing away?” Cameron asked. “Honestly, me and Teddy weren’t really that close. He was kind of annoying on set and acted like a brat,” Rick stated. “I guess he got it from you,” Cameron said without thinking. Rick stared at him blankly, “What?” “All you ever care about is your time as ‘The Red Raven’ and how great it was to be the leading man, but news flash, that show has been over for decades! You’re a more than 50-year-old man who works a dull day job and is a part of the people. I thought that you were going to change.” “That you would wake up in reality and realize that maybe being a part of the people can be a good thing. But now I see that you never left the spotlight,” Cameron explained. He began walking out the front door but Rick chased after him. “Where are you going?” Rick asked, helplessly, gripping onto his arm. “I just need some time in reality, Rick. Something that you should do more often,” Cameron answered. Rick let go of Cameron, and the door slammed right in his face. Tears began rolling down his face as he stood at the door, hoping he would come back. Five minutes later, Rick retreated to the living room and grabbed the newspaper from his couch. The headline was in red and said, “Murder! Mystery! Action! Justice? Teddy Flowers, TV star, dies horrifically!” Those words began to haunt Rick’s mind once again as his eyes glossed through the story. He stopped in the middle of the description. Teddy was bludgeoned with a wooden square block with the letter “A” painted on it. This was how a character died in “The Red Raven.” Could it just be a coincidence? To be continued... �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Opinion 16 Exploring the disheartening decline of local newspapers Why small newspapers cannot be replaced By Sydney Allabaugh Opinion Editor The days of newspapers as we have known them may be limited as more and more people ditch print and rely on digital platforms for news. Although television news and social media are useful, they cannot fill the void local newspapers are starting to leave behind. Newspapers have been struggling to compete with digital and TV news for quite some time. According to a Pew Research Center survey, only 5 percent of Americans prefer to get their news from newspapers compared to the 52 percent who prefer digital platforms and the 35 percent who prefer TV news. One reason for this is that digital news sources may be more convenient and cost-effective as many online publications and social media sources offer free articles, whereas newspapers charge a subscription fee for print copies. People are less willing to pay for a service they can find elsewhere more conveniently and for free. Since bigger audiences are more interested in getting their news from digital platforms and TV, advertisers are more interested in purchasing online and TV ads instead of newspaper advertisements. Newspapers are losing both advertising and subscription revenue, causing a decline in the newspaper industry. This decline in revenue has led to small local newspapers cutting staff, consolidating or shutting down entirely. According to Pew Research Center, employment in local newspapers has dramatically declined from 74,410 employees in 2006 to 30,820 in 2020. Just in the past three years, 360 newspapers have shut down in the United States, most of which were small dailies. Other small independent papers within a certain region are being bought out by large media companies and merged into a regional paper. When local newspapers are closing and consolidating and the number of newspaper employees is dwindling, we miss out on the unique, localized coverage local newspapers have provided throughout the years. When local newspapers were in their prime, they were able to provide the local community a service through investigative journalism on a small scale. Years ago, there were enough journalists to act as watchdogs and cover all local government meetings to ensure that corruption was exposed. Now with limited staff covering vast areas, many are forced to pick and choose which meetings they can attend, which leads to constituents remaining less informed about the integrity of their politicians. L o c a l i n v e s t i g a t i v e journalists were also given the time and opportunity to investigate suspicious cases and bring the truth to the light. In some cases, journalists brought down criminals before police could. Within our community, former Citizens’ Voice reporter, Carol Crane, continued to investigate the murder of Robert Curley when law enforcement seemed to give up on the case and assisted in finding the killer who was his wife, Joann Curley. Former PatriotNews reporter Sara Ganim also broke the story involving Jerry Sandusky’s sexual abuse of young boys. Another investigative journalist, Julie K. Brown, assisted in creating major developments in the Jeffrey Epstein case by exposing secret plea deals and platforming accusers in daily paper the Miami Herald. “A lot of other local journalists aren’t given the luxury of the time I had with this, even though they are the last line of defense against corruption, against taxpayer money being wasted,” Brown said in an interview with The New York Times. “This has helped the public see we’re not the enemy of the people.” As Brown mentioned, having an opportunity to investigate and create meaningful pieces on politicians, criminals and issues that matter is something many journalists do not have anymore. A future in which a small number of remaining professional journalists only have time to cover a select few major stories increases the possibility that corruption and wrongdoings may never be brought to light. Investigative journalism, like Brown mentioned, aids in creating a trusting relationship between the media and the people. Rebuilding these relationships is much needed currently as roughly twothirds of Americans have little to no trust or confidence in newspapers, TV and radio, according to a Gallup poll. Besides investigative work and watchdog journalism, local newspapers also provide important information about small towns and the residents that live within them. In small town dailies, it’s common to see articles about the high school sports teams, obituaries of local residents and stories about local businesses. If newspapers continue to lay off staff, close their doors and consolidate into regional papers, we will see small town residents less and less to make room for the major stories within the region. This prevents us from remaining informed of and connected with the fellow people within our community. Although some may argue that this type of content can easily be replicated online, I would argue that in-depth coverage of these local topics is unique to newspaper journalists. TV and online news commonly do not go into the same amount of depth as newspapers and cover regional or even statewide and national stories instead of local ones. Luckily, we have yet to see local news disappear in our community. WilkesBarre is one of the last small cities with two independent newspapers: The Times Leader and The Citizens’ Voice. Recently, however, The Citizens’ Voice, along with other papers within our region including The Times-Tribune, the Republican Herald and The StandardSpeaker, have been purchased by one of the largest media groups in the country MediaNews Group, according to WVIA. Since this purchase is still recent, we do not know how new ownership will change news coverage within our local community, but hopefully, our local papers will still be able to produce localized content. As time goes on, it will be interesting to see the fate of small town newspapers. Trends show that they will continue to close their doors and dwindle in staff numbers, making them limited in what they can cover. This is a shame as local newspapers offer unique services, whether it be local coverage or investigative journalism, that ensure our local communities remain informed. Graphic/Lara Mullen �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Opinion 17 Why “The Eras Tour: Concert Film” is the moment By Samara Carey Contributing Writer Anybody who is anybody knows how huge and in-the-moment Taylor Swift is right now. Even if you are not a fan of her, I can almost guarantee that you can name at least a dozen songs, whether they were released in 2006 more in the present day. This summer, Swift took North America by storm with her debut of “The Eras Tour,” a three-hour-long concert that uniquely displays each of her 10 albums and plays her biggest hits from each era. That said, it is no surprise that many Gen Z and millennials took this idea and ran with it. It blew up so much that tickets sold out even prior to the general sale being announced. As a result of this, tickets became impossible to get and scammers and resellers were in full swing to make a quick buck off a “Swiftie” who was desperate to see their favorite singer live in concert. To make light of a very disheartening situation, Swifties across the country decided to take matters into their own hands and make various activities to help those who were not able to get tickets. One fan on X, formerly known as Twitter, decided to make their own version of fantasy football and called it Swiftball. Swiftball was used during each show in which fans would try to predict Swift’s outfits, her surprise songs, special guests and different mishaps that would happen during each night. Another tradition that started this summer were the nightly live streamsproduced by fans inside the stadium for those watching from the outside. Lastly, fans who were not able to purchase tickets for their hometown shows started an event labeled “Taylorgating,” a spin on tailgating, in which they would trade friendship bracelets, buy tour merch and listen to the concert outside the stadium despite not being able to fully experience the actual show. As the North American leg of the tour ends, Swift recently announced an “Eras Tour” movie, in which fans can watch a recording of the full show, in an AMC theater of their choice. Swift has always released live recordings of each of her tours, except for “The Red Tour” due to it having a problematic director, but this has proven to be different than others. In years past, Swift’s tour documentaries have been released on either iTunes or Apple Music to later be released on YouTube after a few months thus far, I would like to share that I have been known as “The Taylor Swift Girl,” since my early adolescence. I have seen Taylor twice on her past tours, and I have participated in every activity listed above, as I fell victim to becoming one of the people who were unfortunate enough to not see Swift on her recent tour. I have adored Taylor for years and will always defend her and her of it being released. The last tour, “The Reputation Stadium Tour,” was released on Netflix and it can be watched if you have a subscription. Many will argue that this is simply a cash grab by Swift and her management to help promote the latest re-recording of her fifth studio album, “1989.” I would like to disagree and comment on the fact that this is definitely one of the smartest moves that she could have made now. Before I continue, if you are wondering why I feel qualified enough to discuss Taylor Swift and her career Graphic/Sydney Allabaugh business decisions. Especially now, as I better understand the ins and outs of marketing and why her team has her doing the promotions she has been doing. One thing about Swift that you absolutely cannot argue with me about is how calculated she is. She has been in the music industry since she was 16-years-old and has been criticized since the first time she stepped on stage. One example of this is when she almost got her career completely ripped from her hands by Kayne West and Kim Kardashian back in 2016. Due to claims Swift lied about West’s character, she was viewed as a “snake” and was forced to go into hiding for three years. After the Kayne West fiasco, Swift has stated multiple times that she felt like her career was over and that she feared no one would pay attention to her in a few years, so she was holding onto her career as close as possible. That was until the pandemic hit and Swift released her eighth studio album, “folklore.” After this release, Swift’s career blew up faster than we were able to blink. Her songs, old and new, were trending on TikTok, and everyone became obsessed with loving Taylor Swift. What Swift did next was quite possibly the best move she would ever make in her career. In 2021, Swift started rerecording and releasing her first six albums. Of course, she had no choice in doing so since she had her masters stolen from her, but this fortunately brought a new and fresh crowd to her music. Since she had her own versions of her album, people were patiently waiting to see her next move, especially since she had announced her tenth studio album, “Midnights.” Hence, her announcement of her long-awaited Eras Tour. Since the hype around it was so heavily anticipated, Swift’s career was at an alltime high, even after she predicted her slow decline in the music industry. So, Swift did what any reasonable business person would do, and held on to every ounce of fame she was receiving. This was proven true after “The Eras Tour” movie was announced and box offices had the highest number of sales they have seen since “Spiderman, No Way Home.” This proves that Taylor Swift’s fame will forever be growing, and she will forever be in the music industry and has subsequently changed it for the better. “The Eras Tour” movie comes out on Oct. 13, and thousands of people have already bought their tickets a month in advance. I will be there. Will I see you? �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Opinion 18 The rise and fall of streaming services The frustrating ways streaming has changed media consumption started to produce their own shows, many of which went on to be critically Contributing Writer praised. Other services, such as Hulu We live in an age of constant media and Amazon Prime Video, tried to consumption. compete with the giant, but they were According to a recent Nielsen report, only able to gain a fraction of the same Americans spend over 11 hours, or success. nearly half of their day, interacting with They were not failures, however. digital media. This includes everything Both still provided services that their from television, movies, games, books, competitor did not have, such as nextpodcasts and music. More often than day streaming of new episodes, leading not, these pieces of entertainment are to many subscribing to all three. enjoyed through Streaming services s t r e a m i n g continued to be a services. convenience for "If you wanted to get the basic I am sure it is general audiences hard for a lot of plan for all of them (Disney until 2020, which us to imagine is the year I believe Plus, Max, Paramount Plus, a time before they started to do Peacock, AMC Plus and Apple streaming. Being more harm than able to watch our TV), you would have to pay $61 good. favorite shows As we all know, a month or $732 a year." and movies at the 2020 was a rough click of a button year for pretty is not really much everything, something we stop and think about. especially the entertainment industry. Nowadays, it is just a natural part of The pandemic shut down much of what everyday life. kept Hollywood going; theaters were However, this was not always the case. closed, TV and film sets were shut down Before the turn of the millennium, and productions were suddenly halted. it took quite a bit of effort to do what This caused large profit losses for many we now see as a simple task, such as studios. watching a specific episode of a show. The same cannot be said for Instead of being able to search for it streaming, though. I was actually at on your phone, you really had to hunt an all-time high during this period. it down, whether that was by looking Studio executives took note of this, and through a TV guide and catching it as a shared idea appeared in their minds. a rerun or renting a physical tape from This was the start of the streaming wars. a video store. Instead of producing anything new, Unless you knew exactly where to they instead found a way to sell older look, you were in for a journey. products. Disney Plus, Max, Paramount When Netflix first released their Plus, Peacock, AMC Plus and Apple online service in 2007, it came as no TV were just some of the services born surprise that they were able to quickly from this idea. build up a large subscriber base. For Now, let us get the first problem out only $6.99 a month, subscribers gained of the way. access to what seemed like an infinite I just listed six streaming services. amount of content, no quest required. If we add on the ones I named earlier, Over the next few years, Netflix grew we now have a total of nine. That is far into an entertainment juggernaut. too many. If you wanted to get the basic Not only did their streaming library plan for all of them, you would have to continue to expand, but they even pay $61 a month or $732 a year. By Shawn Carey Now if we do the premium plans for able to watch the movie an ungodly all of them, that would be $117 a month, amount of times all thanks to Netflix, which is an astonishing $1,404 a year. so picture my surprise when I found out If we add on the average cost of basic the movie was going to be leaving the cable, which is an additional $132, the platform and there were no plans for it bill is going to be $239 a month. While to appear anywhere else. This destroyed it is not necessary to own every available me. This forced me to pick up a blu-ray streaming service, this highlights just how quickly the cost of all of them can of the movie, which I complained about at first but quickly discovered it was for add up. Also, at this point, owning multiple the best. I now own the movie forever is kind of needed if you want a diverse and I do not have to worry about it library of content. Instead of everything disappearing one day. Not every piece of media has the being on Netflix, it is now spread all luxury of getting a physical release, over the place. Let us say you wanted to watch the however. As of recently, many streaming newest Marvel Cinematic Universe or streaming original content projects movie, you have to go to Disney Plus. funded by their respective platforms Do you not have Disney Plus? That is have been getting deleted. This happened recently with the okay, you can just watch the newest "South Park" special instead; you have shows “Willow,” “Black Beauty” and “Y: been really meaning to check that The Last Man” all being removed from out anyway. You go to Max, the self- Disney Plus due to them being labeled proclaimed home of the series, and you as tax write offs. These three shows never got a physical release meaning do not see it. Confused as ever, you do a quick it is now impossible to support them Google search to see what the problem legally. I can only imagine how the people is, only to discover that there is nothing wrong. The special is just on Paramount who worked on these projects feel, seeing something Plus, a service they worked so you do not own. hard on being You once again erased without a have to go on an "The lack of respect for the second thought. adventure just to creatives that work for these The lack of respect find an episode. for the creatives Now you might media giants is sickening to that work for say to yourself, "It see." these media giants still beats having is sickening to see. to get a physical So what does copy." I strongly the future of disagree with this streaming look notion because at this point, it may be better to just own like? It is honestly hard to say. It is not going away anytime soon, but I do not one. Shows and movies are constantly think it will ever reach the same level bouncing around from one place to of public approval that it once held. another. This is mainly due to copyright It still serves its original purpose as a simple way of letting people enjoy their issues and exclusive deals. As annoying as this is, it does get favorite pieces of media, it is just not as worse. For the longest time my favorite easy or convenient as it once was. Watching a simple show should not movie, “Spider-man: Enter the Spiderverse” was available on Netflix. I was be this hard. �Sports The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Sports 19 Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Asst. Editor: Adam.grundt@wilkes.edu Marts Center gymnasium gets a new look over break By Zach Paraway Contributing Writer Wilkes Athletics had a busy summer, and the results are easy to see in the Arnaud C. Marts Center. Since the end of the 2022-2023 school year, Wilkes joined a new conference, leaving the Middle Atlantic Conference after almost 70 years. It joined the Landmark Conference for all sports except men's and women’s ice hockey. It also updated two of its main athletic facilities on campus. Both Schmidt Stadium and the Henry Gymnasium received new renovations. Schmidt received new turf while the gymnasium had a complete renovation. The Henry Gymnasium was named after Frank Henry, who is also the namesake for the student union building just a block away from the gym. The building had not been changed since its construction and the new update has been appreciated. It included a new floor which has the university's' updated logo and the new conference affiliation on it. Also changed was the lighting system, now supporting LEDs for a much brighter and fuller room. The last things updated were the scoreboard and bleachers. The scoreboard now sports a fully electronic look and the bleachers have been updated from wood to full on retractable plastic with metal rails. The renovations total nearly $1.2 million. The mens and womens volleyball team, basketball teams and the wrestling team are among the sports that play in the renovated space.. Photos Courtesty of Liz Keller TOP: The Henry Gymnasium is named after Frank Henry, who is also the namesake for the Student Union Building on campus BOTTOM: New bleachers have been installed as part of the gymnasium's complete renovation. The Wilkes 'W' sits at center-court of the newly-renovated gymnasium. �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Sports 20 NFL: New and old faces to keep and eye on this season By Adam Grundt Asst. Sports. Editor As many viewers see the start of the National Football League season as the unofficial start of the fall, there are many exciting storylines to keep an eye on as the season gets underway. The defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs kicked off the season against the Detroit Lions to start Thursday Night Football on Sept.7. The Philadelphia Eagles are looking to repeat last season that ended in a Super Bowl appearance led by quarterback, Jalen Hurts. After signing a large contract in the offseason, Hurts is one of the favorites to win the league’s most valuable player award. They opened their season against the New England Patriots in Foxborough, Mass. on Sept. 10. Eagles’ defensive back, Brandon Graham, reflected on last year’s successes “We could almost taste it,” said Graham. “It was right there. I’ll never forget this team. We worked our butt off. We will be back”. With the departure of former Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the National Football Conference (NFC) North is the division to watch this season. Many believe the Minnesota Vikings will have an easy path to the division title. However, the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears are on the come-up, and will certainly give a challenge to the Vikings when competing for the division crown. Bears quarterback Justin Fields, is poised to have a break-out season after the team had the worst record in the NFL last season, and offseason acquisitions, such as D.J. Moore and Yannick Ngakoue, give the Bears a true shot at competing for the division crown. Because of this, the Bears were challenged right out of the gate when they opened their season at home against their biggest rival, the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 10. Chicago Bears general manager, Ryan Poles, commented on the expectations of their star quarterback. “Just continue to improve,” Poles said. “(We) want those sack numbers to come down, interceptions to come down, make good reads, protect himself, just see him take that next step.” Another division to keep an eye on will be the NFC South. The Jacksonville Jaguars are looking to appear in the playoffs while being led by quarterback Trevor Lawrence, while two new franchise faces are looking to make an impression on the league in their first seasons with their teams. C.J. Stroud is looking to take the reigns as the leader of the offense for the Houston Texans, while Anthony Richardson is looking to do the same in Indianapolis with the Colts. The first Sunday Night Football game on Sept. 10, was a heated NFC East division rivalry matchup between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys. Giants quarterback, Daniel Jones, is looking to jump into the category of elite quarterbacks in the league this season while Cowboys quarterback, Dak Prescott, looks to have a fully healthy season in 2023, which has been a struggle for him throughout his career. “I don’t desire to be the number one offense in the league, I want to be the number one team in the league with the number of wins and the championship,” said Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy when asked about the team’s expectations for the upcoming season. “If we have to give up some production and take care of the ball better to get that, then that’s what we’ll do.” Monday Night Football kicked off on Sept. 11 when the Buffalo Bills took on the New York Jets in a clash of two superstar quarterbacks. Future hall-of-fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers looked to make a memorable first impression in his inaugural game with his new team after an already storied career with the Green Bay Packers. Bills quarterback Josh Allen looked to lead his team to a more promising season in 2023, as their season ended last year with a loss in the NFC Divisional round against the Cincinnati Bengals. The 2023 season, as always, will be filled with excitement with many storylines to be built off as the year progresses. Many new faces in the league, as well as some familiar ones, will be worth keeping an eye on throughout the year. �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Sports 21 Fall Sports: The start of the volleyball and soccer season By Samantha Mullen Contributing Writer With Fall sports already underway, many student athletes are excited about how their seasons will go. This year the university is gearing up for a new journey in the Landmark Conference. The shift to a different conference has brought fresh energy into the athletic department with teams facing new competition when it comes to conference play. Having some new competition has many athletes and coaches excited to see what this first year in the conference has to offer. Men’s soccer is off with a 1-2 start but Coach Michael Piranian is excited to compete in the Landmark this season. Coach Piranian hopes the team will “come in with the right mindset and determination to prove [they] are going to be a tough program to compete with on a yearly basis.” The team's upcoming game this week is home against Rutgers-Camden at 1 p.m. on Sept. 16. Women’s Volleyball is already off with a great start of wins against Keystone College and Penn State Hazleton. Coach Joseph Czopek feels very confident in his players this year and stated that the team “is preparing hard in practice to be competitive in the new conference.” Additionally, many of the teams within the Landmark Conference have gone into the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament so the competition will be very strong. Coach Czopek also expressed how the team will be doing overnight stays which the team has not done since before the pandemic. To end the week, the team will travel to New Jersey on Sept. 17 to play Penn State Harrisburg, 2 p.m. and RutgersCamden, 4 p.m. Entering a new conference can be a bit nerve racking for many of the athletes. Luckily, there is still some familiarity before conference play starts as many of the teams will be playing teams from within the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom conference such as Delaware Valley College, Misericordia University and King's College. Graphic/Morgan Rich The Beacon is looking for sports writers for the Fall 2023 semester If you are interested in sports writing, editing, photography or graphics contact Adam Grundt at adam.grundt@wilkes.edu �The Beacon September 13, 2023 Sports 22 Athlete of the Week Xavier Guerreiro Junior Soccer Center Midfield The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week Guerreiro was chosen as our Athlete of the Week (AOTW) after his perfomance during the soccer team’s season opener at Penn State Berks. Gurreiro scored two crucial goals on Sept. 1 to help lead the Colonels over Penn State Berks 6-0 Major: Computer science Hometown: Newtown, Pa. High School: Council Rock North High School What has been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? My favorite sports memory from my time as a Colonel was beating Lycoming 4-1 at home my firstyear. It was one of the most exciting games of my whole career. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? My favorite professional sports team is Manchester United. What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? My favorite thing to do outside of sports is hang out with my friends or be in nature. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? My favorite part of being an athelete here at Wilkes is having a brotherhood with my teammates. The Beacon/Jess Fellerman 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 go-to sports movie is “Remember The Titans.” If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? I would have wanted to play basketball. What has been your favorite sports memory overall? My favorite sports memory is winning Nationals with my club team, Princeton FC, in 2018. What is your favorite postgame meal? My favorite post-game meal is steak and potatoes. How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? I am grateful to be selected as the Athlete of the Week because my team helped me achieve this honor. �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 23 �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Door’s open! ���������������������������������������� ����������� ���� ��� ��������� ��������������� ����������� ������� ��������������� �������� �������������� ���������������������� ������������ Contact: ���������������� �� ����� �������� ������ � ������ �� � �� �� ������������ ������ 24 �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 76, Issue 2 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” Former Wilkes professor arraigned on felony charges, including criminal attempt-unlawful contact with minor A former Wilkes-University psychology professor was arraigned earlier this month on multiple felony charges, including criminal attempt – unlawful contact with minor, according to arrest papers. Edward John Schicatano, 59, of Plains Township, was involved in a sex sting on Aug. 7, by Musa Harris. Harris calls himself the Luzerne County Predator Catcher. Harris posted video to social media of his alleged confrontation with Schicatano. According to the criminal complaint: Harris posed online as a 15-year-old girl and received a message from “Lora Smith.” Smith was ultimately identified as Schicatano. Schicatano asked for the girl’s age and was told “almost 16 years old.” He then replied, “I’m sorry. Too young”. The online conversation continued, and police say that Schicatano sent the girl a photo of two men engaged in a sexual act. He also repeatedly expressed concern over the girl’s age and whether the FBI was involved. He eventually wanted to meet the girl. Police said Harris provided them with video of his alleged confrontation, and they were able to identify the man in the video as Schicatano. Wilkes University President Greg Cant issued an email on Aug. 21 about “very serious accusations … against a longtime member” of the university’s faculty. Cant did not specifically name Schicatano. According to the email, the university was made aware of the allegations on Aug. 19, and initiated its review process. As of Aug. 21, “the faculty member in question (was) no longer employed by the university, an outcome achieved in accordance with the steps outlined in the Faculty Handbook.” Contacted this week, Cant’s office would not discuss the matter further, stating it does not comment on personnel decisions. A representative from Cant’s office did confirm that Schicatano is not currently employed by the university. Dr. Paul Riggs, dean of arts and sciences, also declined to comment. “He was the best professor I ever had...,” said a student who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “It feels like something was taken away from me.” According to Beacon files, Schicatano received his Bachelor’s Degree from Bloomsburg University, his PhD from Wake Forest University, and did postdoctoral research at SUNY Stony Brook in the field of neurobiology. In a 2015 profile, Schicatano told The Beacon that he decided to pursue a teaching career at Wilkes because of the benefits of teaching in a small, personable community. Schicatano said that if he were to teach on a large and more populated campus, he would not have the same rapport with students. Schicatano is charged with criminal attempt - unlawful contact with minor - obscene and other sexual materials Cupboards, Closets and Care: On-campus resources, page 5 An inside look into the Conservatory at Wilkes University, page 9 Exploring the disheartening decline of local newspapers, page 16 By Amanda Montgomery News Editor and performances; criminal attempt - dissemination of explicit sexual material to a minor; and criminal use of a communication facility, according to arrest papers. He was arraigned by District Justice James Haggerty and released on $50,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled at 9 a.m. on Sept. 20 with Luzerne County Central Court. Marts Center gymnasium gets a new look over summer break, page 19 �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Amanda Montgomery: Amanda.Montgomery1@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: Sept. 6 weekly meeting By Zach Paraway Contributing Writer Aug. 30 marked the first student government meeting for the 2023-2024 school year. They opened with a student government fund of $71,528.74. The first piece of business for the school year was from William LePore, who provided an update for the alumni festivities of homecoming weekend. Activities have been planned for each day, starting Sept. 29, with the welcoming table and flashback event. The event is to welcome the alumni back to campus. Other events planned for the weekend include giveaways, a tent during Saturday’s football game and a Saturday “fun day”. The African Cultural Association sought reactivation as a club. The presentation was given by junior business major, Kobina Otoo. The Wilkes African Cultural Association was established in 2017, but had disbanded due to COVID. The club mission is to promote African culture in an enjoyable and entertaining manner. They continued to explain what ideas and events they would present as a club with ideas such as African takeover day, bake sales and more ideas to promote the education of African culture to the public. This would be week one of two and will be back next week to receive an official vote The third and final order of new business was a new club recognition. The Chess Club has been operating for a year now on its own but would like to be fully recognized as a student club. The club plans to use the money received for a new chess set and to help fundraising efforts. They also e x p l a i n e d community service ideas including teaching high school students the game, holding tournaments and participating in school events such as Big Event. The last piece of business was internal and was an update to the constitution for members of SG. Updated items include new service hours, a change in academic requirements and a change in the chain of command in case of an absence. SG will meet again on Sept. 13. internship fair on Tuesday, Sept. 26 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This fair is open to all students interested in working in the business, engineering and technology fields. Over 30 companies have already registered with more anticipated to come. Register to attend on Handshake. Contact Carol Bosack for more information or questions at carol. bosack@wilkes.edu. be submitted, along with the applicant’s name, WIN and contact information to Allison Naumann, Alumni House. Applications can be emailed to allison. naumann@wilkes.edu with the subject line “Polish Heritage Scholarships.” Deadline for applications is Oct. 13 at 4:30 p.m. Leadership Collegiate Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Beacon News Staff Family Day 2023 Family Day will take place on Saturday, Sept. 16. To find the schedule of events and to register visit https://www.wilkes. edu/familyday. Online registration will close until Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 12 p.m. If you have any questions or would like to register by phone/email, please call (570) 408-4645 or email familyday@ wilkes.edu. College of Business and Engineering Career and Internship Fair The College of Business and Engineering is hosting a career and Scholarship Opportunity for Students of Polish Descent The Polish Room Committee Scholarship ($3,000 top award) welcomes applications from Luzerne County residents. To be considered, applicants must write a brief description of their Polish heritage and what that heritage means to them. This letter must This six-week, virtual course consists of online modules that provide current college students who are aspiring leaders with an innovative and flexible online learning experience. Participants work on weekly course content at their own pace. The deadline for applications is Friday, Sept. 22. Use this link to apply: https://www.leadershiplackawanna. com/leadership-collegiate-1. Upcoming Events: 2023 Fall Semester September 14 - Minute to Win it 21 - Cooking Class 24 - Paintball at Skirmish 28 - Programming Board giveaway October 5 - Hoedown Throwdown 8 - Statue of Liberty Boat Tour NYC 12-15 - Fall Break 19 - Couch Potato 23-27 - Freak Week 28 - Dorney Haunted Park---!"#$%&'()%*+*#$%,*"$()*-%.#%$/*% 0"1*#-")2% 34".15%64"#-"78'#$9'4*)&:; <.1=*>7*-( �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 News 3 Eugene S. Farley Library unveils its renovated Alden Learning Commons & Commuter Lounge By Amanda Montgomery News Editor The Eugene S. Farley Library received renovations to its Alden Learning Commons, also referred to as the lower level, 24/7 floor. The extensive makeover to the Learning Commons includes new carpeting, furniture, paintwork and computer facilities. Additional rennovations include news tables and chairs to the student study rooms on the lower level, 24/7 floor, an increase in space with new tables in the study cubbies on the 24/7 floor and an update in all computers within the library. The library administration thanked Student Government and the campus Facilities for their pivotal role in this renovation. In addition to the enhancements, the university also introduced the newly established Commuter Lounge on the lower level floor. The lounge had previously been on the second floor of the Student Union Building (SUB). The space offers a convenient space for commuter students to study and relax. Commuter students can swipe their student ID to access the space. The library encourages all members of the campus community to take advantage of the recent developments, which were designed to foster an enriched learning environment and sense of belonging. The library is open from 8 a.m. to midnight from Monday through Thursday; and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays. On weekends, the library is open on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, from 3 to 11 p.m. The library’s basement is accessible after hours from the South Street WIN card entrance and from the main entrance during regular library open hours. More photos, Page 4 (above) The Eugene S. Farley Library welcomes students to the newly rennovated basement. Photos: The Beacon/Amanda Montgomery (above) The tables and chairs in the private computer cubby sections have been upgraded to provide greater comfort in the Alden Learning Commons. (at right) Students can request up to two hours in the renovated private study rooms; sign up at the front desk. �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 News 4 ...continued from Page 3 The couches in the study cubbies were upgraded, along with the addition of new tables and an increase in space. �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 News 5 Cupboards, closets and care: On-campus resources By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer There are some on-campus resources that virtually everyone knows about. For example, most students know that Passan Hall houses the counseling and health centers. However, there are plenty of resources on campus that even seniors may not know about. Two of these resources are tucked away in the back of the Career Center and are known as the Colonel Closet and the Colonel Cupboard. Catie Becker, the director of civic engagement, explains that the Colonel Cupboard is “...an on-campus food pantry that offers grocery items, refrigerated and frozen items and grab and go snacks.” The food comes from the CEO Food Bank in Pittston. The produce pop ups that appear several times a semester in the Student Union Building (SUB) concourse are supplied and hosted by the Colonel Cupboard. Ada Soriano, a P1 pharmacy student and Bonner Leader, explained, “the produce pop-up is a Bonner Leader project hosted by the Colonel's Cupboard…Bonner Leaders assist in handing out the produce.” Located near the Cupboard is the Colonel Closet. The director of career services, Carol Bosack, explained that “the Colonel Career Closet provides business casual and business professional clothes that students may take and keep, as needed, for interviews, career fairs or dressing business casual for an internship or job.” Students can find blazers, slacks, button-ups and anything they might need for a job interview or their first internship. “It allows students to get groceries for free and not have to worry about when they can have another meal or whether or not they can go to this interview because of their clothing,” said Edweana Alexis, junior political science and communication studies major. The cupboard and the closet provide a bridge and lessen the stress on a student that is struggling.” Students' academic performance may be hindered when they are preoccupied with concerns about their next meal. Based on a 2021 survey, it is projected that food insecurity will impact one out of every three college students in Pennsylvania during their undergraduate studies. The ability to buy new, businessprofessional attire is not financially feasible for all students. For those lacking transportation options, visiting the Salvation Army or a thrift store can be unattainable. The convenience of having these essentials readily available outside the SUB is a notable advantage. “I have utilized both services," said Soriano. "Although many people know about the produce pop-up, many do not know that there is an option at the cupboard to order online and have your food order dropped off at the post office. It is very convenient when you do not have the time to stop by and look for what you need in person." Students do not have to meet any requirements to utilize these services. They are free and available for all students, regardless of financial aid status or meal plans. “Many students are full-time college students, and full-time college students do not have a job,” said Alexis.“With them not having a job comes the aspect of money and groceries are expensive. I believe things like the Cupboard or the Closet are important because groceries are expensive and college kids do not have a lot of money to purchase $200 or $300 worth of groceries every two weeks.” The Colonel Cupboard and Closet are housed in the Career Center, outside the Henry Student Center. Students can enter through the main doors and walk to the back, or enter through the door located along the sidewalk adjacent to the parking lot. Both are on the first floor, so there are no accessibility concerns. All students need is their student ID and a bag to carry their food. “My school offered something small like this, primarily for dry goods and snacks," said Becker. "The treats once in a while were nice but it would have been awesome to have something more reliable, especially for those times between paychecks." There is a Google form students fill out to order their groceries from the Cupboard. The Colonel Closet is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and the Colonel Cupboard is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Produce popups will be held regularly throughout the semester, on Sept. 13, Oct. 18 and Nov. 29 during club hours in the first floor of the SUB. TOP: The Colonel's Closet ofers a wide variety of business and business-casual items, including suits, shoes, and even jewelry. labeled with free food and supplies. Photos Courtesy of Morgan Steiner �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 6 �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Life, Arts & Entertainment Editor: Zara.lantzman@wilkes.edu “The One Rose:” Sordoni Art Gallery’s Latest Exhibit By Anthony Cazun Asst. Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor “The One Rose: The Life and Legacy of Rose O’Neill” is the latest edition to the Sordoni Art Gallery, functioning as a celebration of the work created by the multi-talented illustrator and writer, Rose O’Neill. While famously the creator of the iconic kewpie characters, which would become so popular they would grow a life of their own, O’Neill had a much broader array of work, stylings and messages. During the celebration of the Sordoni Art Gallery’s 50th anniversary, the latest exhibit seeks to show off O’Neill’s iconic art, but also display her diverse and more unknown body of work. Hailing from Wilkes-Barre, O’Neill was born in the summer of 1874 and had an interest in various forms of art from early childhood. She began creating illustrations for various newspapers and magazines in her teens, then moved to New York to expand her professional career. In New York she joined a publication titled “Truth,” it is there that she created the first comic strip to be published by a woman. “She could do things that at the time women could not,” said senior digital design and media Arts major Erika Tomes. “She carved her own path in a world made by and for men. Even in the modern world it’s incredible to think about how she was able to do that. The idea of breaking through that barrier, doing what you think you could not do.” O’Neill was an avid proponent of fighting inequality and advocating for women’s rights, becoming a key figure in breaking women into the art scene. She actively promoted the artwork of other women, often worked with women, notably her The Beacon/Anthony Cazun An example of O’Neill’s kewpies currently on display at the Sordoni Art Gallery. sister Callista O’Neill, and often weaved women’s suffrage and discrimination messages into her work. Once she garnered more popularity and prestige, she began to work more independently. In 1909, O’Neill would debut her newest and most well known creation, “The Kewpie.” Kewpies are almost angel-like illustrations of rosy-cheeked children that became very popular in the early 1900’s, appearing in comic strips, posters and most famously, as dolls. The name “Kewpie” is derived from Cupid, the Roman god of love and desire. Kewpie’s are genderless and share a similar physiology to common interpretations of the Roman god. O’Neill famously claimed that the design for kewpie’s came to her in a dream. O’Neill explained that the main idea of “The Kewpies” is to be cute beings from Kewpieville that do good deeds in a silly way. “I think they’re adorable little creatures,” said McKenna Dolan, senior digital design and media arts major. “They bring so much light and smiles to our visitors’ faces. They always get a kick out of them.” The gallery displays many of O’Neill’s Kewpie illustrations, as well as the iconic dolls and merchandise that accompany them. However that does not mean the gallery is lacking her other work, as the gallery aims to also present the true versatility of O’Neill’s talent. “She’s most well known for her Kewpies but her work is so much more complex and deeper,” said Melissa Carestia, assistant director at the Sordoni Art Gallery. “She was a multifaceted person and you can see that in her work. Especially her sweet monsters work, which deserve much more praise than they get. The way that she sculpts with her line, you can see that she really models the figure and it has so much weight to it. She was working on it at the same time as the kewpies and it’s so deep and complex by comparison.” While O’Neill’s is highly regarded for her illustrations, her work as an author is also very important to understanding her as a person. Her novel “The Loves of Edwy” and the illustrations that accompany it are on display as well. O’Neill’s novel is more dramatic and almost semi-biographical, as she wrote several of the characters to have many of her own qualities and experiences. “I really love her later work that’s more androgynous and is a complete 180 from “The Kewpies,” it just shows how prolific of an artist she was and how much range she had throughout her career,” said Dolan. Not only is O’Neill a prominent figure in Pennsylvania’s art history, but also emblematic of a shift in women’s rights and the rights of marginalized communities within both the artistic medium and the world at large. While her kewpies have taken on a life of their own, they would be nothing without the tenacity of their creator. “I think it is interesting any time the art surpasses or outlives the artists,” said Carestia. “There are people in all kinds of subcultures getting kewpie tattoos, making unique little kewpie dolls. I think that’s the importance of art, how much it touches humanity. Of course something that is adorable and goofy is gonna resonate with people long after they disappear.” “The One Rose: The Life and Legacy of Rose O’Neill” exhibit in the Sordoni Art Gallery will be on display until Oct. 8. The Sordoni Art gallery will also be hosting various other events such as the Cartooning Workshop with Kevin O’Neill event and the “Whether We are Rich or Poor, We Can Love Each Other The Same” Art in Context Lecture. The gallery’s doors are open 10 a.m to 5 p.m Tuesday through Friday and noon through 5 p.m on Saturdays. �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 Club of the Week: Studio 20 By Anthony Cazun Asst. Life, Arts and Entertainment Editor a B n o um c Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staff picks their favorite song of the week. Check out this week’s bumps to the right! Our very own Zara Lantzman has put togetheraSpotifyplaylistwhereyoucan scan it and listen to the Beacon’s staff weekly picks! ps Be As Wilkes University’s annual club day came and went, many clubs were vying for the attention of students both new and old. However, there was one club that may have stood out to those that seek an outlet for their artistic side. Studio 20 is a student run production club that particularly focuses on design, collaboration and provides real life experience to students of every major and skill level. Studio 20’s focus is primarily digital. The club seeks to provide graphics, logos, layouts, social media advertising and more to various clients, clubs and events. The club focuses on expanding student’s portfolios and gives students all kinds of experience in the realm of design and the more diplomatic aspect of it. “Studio 20 is a student-run production club that does creative work for both on and off-campus clients at no charge,” said assistant professor of digital design and media art, Lisa Reynolds. “In recent years, student teams have completed branding projects for area businesses and nonprofits, photo shoots, website designs and social media content. “It is for people who appreciate and celebrate design in any medium.” The studio has a strong focus on collaboration, both internally and externally. Internally, Studio 20 designers may help each other with a task or ask each other for pointers, opinions, edits, a different perspective and more. “Even if someone is not experienced enough to work on a design job, there are a ton of roles associated with the club that students can work on as they grow their skill set,” said Reynolds. Externally, collaborations also come in the form of working with ad agencies, marketing departments, galleries and other clubs or event organizers. A group may be seeking out a graphic or poster for an upcoming event they are aiming to promote, and they will work closely with designers to make that idea come to life. There is especially a lot of crossover between clubs within the digital design and media arts umbrella, meaning those with interest in working on projects for something video game related or even some light photography will be encouraged to create. “There is game design, so esports just started this year and I know that we plan on doing collabs with them,” said Kyra Britzky, digital design and media arts junior and Studio 20 historian. “It would be great to get both of our names out there by working with them and growing together.” Studio 20 encourages those of all ability levels to join, no matter how experienced or inexperienced with programs or specific techniques they may be. All it takes is some interest and the willingness to learn. Art and design is not fixed, there is always something new to explore, and an ability to sharpen. Designers want to learn, teach and create. “A lot of people think they need to be in the digital design and media arts Morgan Rich, Editor-in-Chief: I think you should - Jess Fellerman Amanda Montgomery, News Editor: major or have big art skills, but no, we have opened it to everyone,” said Studio 20 president and senior digital design and media arts major Maggie McHenry. “We will teach you how to use the programs and different techniques, so anyone is welcome to join.” Studio 20 welcomes students of every major. Students that are not specifically within the digital design and media arts major will expand the accessibility and allow for various types of perspectives and talents. “The club used to be solely DDMA majors, but I feel like opening up the club to people interested in it that aren’t majoring would be a good opportunity to have new people,” said Britzky. “We are doing the workshops, too, which would make new people want to come in more.” Studio 20 meets twice a week in Breiseth 020. Tuesday’s are primarily for members working on design projects, while Thursday’s are for all club members. Graphic/Lara Mullen Sydney Allabaugh, Opinion Editor: NO HEY LEY- Kali Uches “Freeze,” Opinion Staff Writer: Cool About It - boygenius Emma Broda, News Staff Writer: Carnage- prodby668 Brando - Lucy Dacus Adam Grundt, Sports Asst. Editor: Zara Lantzman, LA&E Editor: Dial Drunk - Noah Kahan, Post Malone Come Back...Be Here - Taylor Swift Lara Mullen, Designer: Anthony Cazun, LA&E Asst. Editor: Lessen The Damage - Poppy Cally Williams, LA&E Staff Writer: Lovers Rock - TV Girl Kimdracula - Deftones Liz Cherinka, Social Media Manager: Rollercoaster - Bleachers �The Beacon – Septme 13, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 9 An Inside Look into the Conservatory at Wilkes University By Cally Williams Life, Arts and Entertainment Staff The Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts at Wilkes works to nourish and encourage performing arts of all kinds. The Conservatory is one of the programs located in the Darte. The Conservatory consists of the Degnan Ballet Center, Indian Classical Dance, and instrumental and vocal music lessons. Music instruction includes private lessons in voice, piano, guitar, violin, viola, flute, percussion, trombone, tuba, harp, french horn, clarinet and music theory. The Degnan Ballet Center focuses on classical ballet, with its main focus being technique. There are seven levels of ballet classes varying in difficulty along with a pre-ballet class for younger aspiring dancers. In addition to ballet, Indian classical dance is another facet of the Conservatory. It is taught by Sujata Nair Mulloth and has been a part of the Conservatory for 20 years. There are beginner, intermediate and advanced classes offered in the fall and spring sessions. At its founding, the Conservatory was more focused on music and musical theater rather than dance. Now, the Conservatory provides instruction in music, classical Indian dance and classical ballet, but still has the common goal of sharing the joy of performing arts with the community. The Conservatory was established in 1988 by Jean Anastasia and Jim Harrington, while the Degnan Ballet Center was founded in 1983 by Kristin Degnan-Boonin and her late husband Peter Degnan. DegnanBoonin and Degnan established university classes for Wilkes students,and the ballet center was later added to the Conservatory. “It belongs here,” said Degnan-Boonin. “It felt right for the Degnan Ballet Center to be a part of the Wilkes University Conservatory,” as she and her husband had already started the university’s dance program. She quoted renowned choreographer George Balanchine, “First a school,” when explaining why she wanted her ballet center to be a part of the university. She wanted it to be a part of the nurturing learning environment of the university. Degnan-Boonin has been a part of the Conservatory and the Degnan Ballet Center since its inception. When talking about the Conservatory, she referred to it as “The jewel of the valley.” “It is an environment where artists of all different genres come together and collaborate. It makes us truly unique.” She also explained how the Conservatory presents ballet in its authentic form. The art is passed down through generations, from one teacher to another, so the technique and choreography that current students are learning is the same as what dancers from hundreds of years ago studied. “It is the one place in the valley where you can find it all. Seeing other performing artists, even just passing by in the hall, is truly inspiring,” said Degnan-Boonin. “It keeps the creative juices flowing.” The Conservatory puts on several performances a year. These performances include an annual performance of “The Nutcracker” in December, a ballet recital in June, an Indian classical show in May and music recitals in the spring and fall. “The Nutcracker” is an annual festive staple of the Conservatory. While many studios perform abridged versions of the famous Tchaicovsky ballet, the Conservatory at Wilkes performs the full length “Nutcracker.” Auditions for this year’s production of “The Nutcracker” will take place on Sept. 24th in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center. Along with the “Nutcracker” on Dec. 16 and 17, the Conservatory also performs a full length ballet in June. In the summer of 2023, they staged a ballet version of the famous fairytale, “Cinderella.” The Conservatory also hosts a summer dance intensive that is open to dancers from all over the area. This intensive program is open to any serious dancer age 11 and up. It lasts for two weeks in July and offers classes in ballet technique, jazz, yoga/pilates, pointe and pre-pointe, classical variations and modern dance. The Conservatory is a proud aspect of Wilkes University. “It is the feather in the university’s cap,” stated Conservatory coordinator Lauren Gentilesco. The Conservatory serves not only the university but the whole Wyoming Valley community. By sharing the gift of performing arts with students, the Conservatory is From left, Sarah Polansky, Amelia Smicherko and Morgan Rich perform as Spanish princess in the June ballet, continuing to grow the ballet tradition. As Degnan-Boonin stated before, dance is passed down through generations. “It is evolutionary.” “We give students as professional a setting as possible,” stated ballet instructor Karla Kovatch. “The fact that students are prepared enough to get accepted into prestigious schools is a huge accomplishment.” This September marks the 40th anniversary of the Degnan Ballet Center. The university commemorates the profound impact that the Conservatory has had on its students and the whole Wilkes community. Degnan-Boonin added, “There are many fine schools, but this one is a true gem.” From left, Morgan Rich, Amanda Merrick-Tompkins and Amelia Smicherko pose for a picture backstage as princesses in the June ballet, “Cinderella.” Photos: The Beacon/Morgan Rich �The Beacon – Septme 13, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 Writers Guild of American West stands up for its rights By Jean Bonn Contributing Writer On May 1, the Writers Guild of American West, or the WGA, tweeted that their board of directors, along with the council of the Writers Guild of America East, voted unanimously to call a strike beginning May 2 at 12:01 a.m. The strike came after contract negotiations between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, or the AMPTP, went nowhere. Most of the WGA’s complaints stem from issues regarding streaming series and films. Production companies have hired less writers with even less time to write scripts, and compensation for streaming series and shows are not standardized. On top of this, the increase in artificial intelligence has the potential to decrease jobs for writers, since production companies can use the technology to write scripts as opposed to hiring writers. The WGA wanted these complaints to be corrected, but the AMPTP said that they could not fulfill their requests. In July, the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, often referred to as SAGAFTRA, joined the WGA and went on strike for better pay and job security. “I think it is really sad that thousands of creative and hardworking people have to fight for months just to negotiate for fair payment and treatment,” said Emma Klusmeyer, a sophomore environmental science major. “The studios are earning billions on the writers’ work and they are not getting much in return.” According to their website, the Writers Guild of America West is a labor union for writers located in the western United States. The writers in their union are responsible for the scripts and production of a variety of content fans across the country view on a daily basis. Television shows, documentaries, animation, films and even videogames. Their primary function is to ensure that the writers in the guild are provided with fair working conditions by production companies. Some of their standards for such conditions include proper pension, health benefits and basic compensation for their work. The SAG-AFTRA also strives to ensure fair working rights for artists, however they also represent those who are in front of the camera or behind the microphone such as dancers, dj’s, singers, actors and puppeteers. Although it may seem like the strikes will only impact those in Hollywood, they have already had large impacts on programming schedules in a variety of channels. Most channels and streamers have had content saved, but viewers will most likely begin to see the strikes’ impacts as we get closer to fall. Late night shows such as The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Saturday Night Live have already been placed on hiatus. Most channels have started filling their schedules with reality television shows and reruns. Shows that are currently in production have had their release dates delayed by at least two months. Movies, on the other hand, have at least a year until the impacts become noticeable to audiences. “Even though it is disappointing that many shows are being delayed, I do think it is for a good cause,” said Madi Hudak, a sophomore environmental science major. “Many people that write and act in shows and movies make little to no profit from having their shows on streaming services like on Netflix, and that is unfair.” The most impacted people during this strike are not the fans of television and film. Rather, they are the guild members who are currently out of work in order to make their point to production companies. As expected with any strike, the WGA has a long list of forbidden activities for their members. Some notable items on the list include writing, editing, and film festival promotion. It should be noted that writers can technically still write scripts, just not sell them or develop them further. This means that over 11,500 writers are currently out of a job and source of income. However, California bill SB799 would potentially provide unemployment benefits to workers who have been striking for more than two weeks. “I support the writers strike and believe it is a necessary step to ensure a better future for all writers,” said Casey McNally, a sophomore pharmacy major. Celebrities have been vigilant to promote the strike of social media, garnering the support of fans like Casey. Photos and videos of celebrities, such as Olivia Wilde, Darren Criss, and Elliot Page protesting have gone viral, increasing the public’s awareness of the strike. Seeing their favorite actors and actresses on the picket line has also reminded audiences that the content they consume on television and streaming platforms was created in part by writers, providing some encouragement to support the WGA and SAG-AFTRA. However, not all celebrities are fully in support of the strikes. In fact, many have been called out online for posting that they support the strike yet continuing to work on projects. Some have even candidly said that they were against the strikes as a whole. Bill Maher in particular has said that he feels that writers are not owed a living while on the “Club Random” podcast. A letter of opposition has also circulated the internet regarding the SAG-AFTRA’s strike in particular. The letter was signed by George Clooney, Morgan Freeman, Tom Hanks and more than 130 other Hollywood actors and actresses. There is no indication that the strike will end anytime soon, since the WGA and SAG-AFTRA are still negotiating with the AMPTP. The last time that the WGA had a strike was 15 years ago, which lasted 100 days. However, today’s strikers have made one thing clear: they would not be stopping until their demands have been met. Graphic/Lara Mullen �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 11 Life, Arts & Entertainment Zany Day Trips with Zara: Jim Thorpe By Zara Lantzman Life, Arts & Entertainment Editor When you think of Wilkes University, do you ever stop to think about what fun things there are to do around the area. Consider Jim Thorpe, a place and a person. Now we obviously cannot go see Jim Thorpe, the person, as he died in March 1953. What you can see, however, is a quaint, active and beautiful town that shares his name. Jim Thorpe is located in Carbon County, Pa. It is a 43 minute drive from Wilkes-Barre. Forty-three minutes and you can enjoy a whole day of fun. If you are a spiritual person, then Jim Thorpe is right for you. In the middle of the town, there is a store called, The Emporium of Curious Goods. They have all kinds of metaphysical and religious things, along with a lot of Wiccan items. For all you “Harry Potter” fans, Muggle’s Mug is not your normal coffee shop. When you walk in you are greeted by the “Harry Potter” movies playing and decorations from the series everywhere. Even better, all their food and drink items are Harry Potter-related. A piece of advice: Wait more than 30 minutes if you are going to get their tea, as I learned the hard way. For fans of the wild waters, there is whitewater rafting along the Lehigh River and I highly recommend it. It was my first time rafting and it definitely was not my last. There are all kinds of different tour groups that take you on the river. Regardless of what group or company you pick, it is a whirl of fun. Directly next to the river is the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway. This train ride lasts 77 minutes and starts right by the parking lot in Jim Thorpe. Tickets are $24 for adults and $10 for children. The train follows the Lehigh River, and goes over bridges into Glen Onoko and Lehigh Gorge State Park. On the route, you can see wildlife, mountain scenery and high-rise cliffs. Packer Mansion. The house was previously owned by Asa Packer, and in 1956, it was opened to the public. Packer was the owner of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and founded Lehigh University. History buffs, this is for you. Jim Thorpe was previously called Mauch Chunk, and there is the Mauch Chunk Museum that Across the railway is an old jail, previously known as Carbon County Jail, and active from 1870-1995. The jail holds tours where you can see everything from the warden’s headquarters to solitary confinement. There is rich history at this jail as many people were hanged. There is also a rumor that you can see a handprint on the wall to this day during from one of the hangings. On top of all of that, in the fall, the jail holds ghost tours at night. If you are a fan of looking at mansions on Zillow, then you will love this next option. On the edge of town sits one of the most beautiful homes to see: Asa contains the history of Jim Thorpe/ Mauch Chunk. It even contains history about Jim Thorpe the person and what makes him legendary. After learning all about the history of Jim Thorpe, head on down to the Number 9 Coal Mine and Museum. Operating as the world’s longest running coal mine from 1855-1972, tourists can explore the cave and even go in a mine car to learn what it was like to work underground. The Harry Packer Mansion is a must see if you are a big fan of The Walt Disney World Resort. The mansion is directly next to the Asa Packer Mansion, as Harry was his son. Tourists are not allowed in for tours but they can book rooms, as it is now a bed and breakfast. It is still worth seeing the outside architecture, as the popular ride, The Haunted Mansion, at Walt Disney World Resort is based off of the Harry Packer Mansion. For people of age, Jim Thorpe is home to many wineries. Big Creek Vineyard and Wild Elder Wine and Co are only some of the wineries in the area. Wild Elder Wine and Co. is directly across the street from Muggle’s Mug on Broadway Street. The winery makes ciders, wines and even non-alcoholic beverages. They make all their wine with elderberries, hence the name. On top of all of that, they have wine tasting and even sell charcuterie boards and sandwiches. Jim Thorpe is home to many gift shops and has unique gifts that you cannot find elsewhere. After your adrenaline pumped day, there are many food places to pick from that make you wanting more, especially the desserts. Jim Thorpe is the perfect place to visit in the fall and I highly recommend it and would give this day trip a rating of 9/10. Graphics/Lara Mullen �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Center 12 By Emma Broda News Staff Writer During the time of the year, when classes get more and more intense, something that gets overlooked is self-care. It can become easy to fall into a habit of spending too much time on jobs and schoolwork, and students may overlook their own well-being. On Sept. 7, Programming Board offered a night for students to focus on themselves with a selfcare night. Students gathered in the Henry Student Center to enjoy different self-care themed activities and food. The event was a hit with students being drawn to the promise of a stress relieving night. Abby Malin, first-year psychology major, shared that the event seemed like a fun night to unwind and spend time with her friends. The night of relaxation included a yoga session, painting succulent plant pots, friendship bracelet making, do-it-yourself body scrubs and a raffle for a massage gift card. Making Body Scrubs Page Design By Lara Mullen �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Center 13 “My goal this year is to take more time for myself, and this seemed like the perfect thing,” said Molly Blaskiewicz, a junior marketing major. In addition to the self-care activities, Programming Board also provided students with charcuterie boards and mocktails adorned with tiny umbrellas. Students were also able to enjoy the snacks provided and the skincare headbands that were given to them. Zoë Morley, a sophomore biology major, said, “I think the body scrubs were a cool idea.” Yoga Session For students who try to prioritize self-care, school can be exhausting and attending events like selfcare night is a perfect way to alleviate stress. Some students found that although they regularly take time to themselves, events with a focus on self-care can still be beneficial. Logan Colonna, a sophomore marketing major, said that he considers self-care a way to better himself, and personally enjoyed the mocktails, specifically the strawberry daiquiris. The night ended with students going home with the crafts they made, a multitude of skincare products and more so that they could be relaxed to continue on with the semester. Event Photo Plant Pot Painting �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 !"#$#%$ Opinion Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact opinion editor: Sydney.allabaugh@wilkes.edu. Editorial Staff 2023-24 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Morgan Rich Social Media Manager - Liz Cherinka Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Amanda Montgomery LA&E - Zara Lantzman Opinion - Sydney Allabaugh ASSISTANT EDITORS LA&E - Anthony Cazun Sports - Adam Grundt DESIGNERS Designer - Lara Mullen Section Staff Writers News - Emma Broda LA&E - Cally Williams Opinion - “Freeze” Want to join The Beacon? Several positions are open! Contact : kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu or morgan.rich@wilkes.edu 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 Morgan Rich at morgan.rich@ wilkes.edu The Beacon Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member 14 !&'()%#*+ !"#$%&''()%*$'%+'"#,-./%'012,31"4%5,"30%&144%2"('%"%/2"-#'%,-%"%#633'-2%1//6'7 Stop making remakes of original movies Has the movie industry fallen into the ravenous hands of Hollywood’s moneyhungry directors and producers? Movie remakes within Hollywood have seemingly turned the corner from being possible blockbusters to falling into a black hole of unoriginality. The United States’ film industry has been incredibly successful and has thrived rapidly since the 1900s. However, with theaters being filled with remakes, reboots, and sequels, are we beginning to see the industry’s downfall and lack of creativity? According to tjToday, movies depend on a new evolution of ideas, and techniques, however, when the same ideas are utilized over and over again, it can cause this change to stand still. When directors and producers remake and reboot different past stories, the outcome will generally be a more generic counterpart and will rarely bring anything new to the table. A huge problem with movie remakes is that the directors attempt to recreate the same emotions and feelings that the original creator had in mind and created within their audience. The truth of the matter is that a remake will never be able to evoke the same emotions and feelings the audience felt the first time around. This is particularly true when it comes to recreations of classic movies, especially when the original creator of the movie may no longer be alive to collaborate on the remake. Casumo, a betting website, conducted a study with the search engine optimization firm Verve Search in which they standardized IMDb and Metacritic stores to compare different ratings and profits of recent movie remakes. The results ended up being not-so-great for remakes with 91 percent scoring lower with audiences than the originals. The Washington Post also pointed out during this study that only 21 percent of these movies were more profitable. Most of the time, there is no point in remaking movies because of the fact that some originals were not made all that long ago. For example, The Walt Disney Company released their animated hit film, “Moana,” in 2016 and has already announced that they are in the process of producing a live-action remake of the film. A bad remake or reboot of a movie can have a negative lasting legacy, as well. If a movie is remade unsuccessfully or lacks creativity, this can cause a negative view of the original film and affect how people view the original. However, if people hate these remakes so much, why on earth is Hollywood still producing them at an outstanding rate? According to Vice, remakes of movies still pay off even if they do not beat the original because “there is profit and pleasure to be had in the familiar.” Nostalgia might make people believe that the original is better, however, that is the factor that makes them see the remake anyway. Nostalgia is what drives the views. It feels as if Hollywood is creating these remakes and reboots to earn a quick buck instead of paying attention to its audience and creating a quality film. It feels as if the original films they created are being exploited for money instead of being recreated for enjoyment. The Internet Movie Database states that Hollywood consistently investing in these remakes, reboots and sequels will eventually lead to their decline. If remakes of movies do not stop, these films will destroy Hollywood’s creativity and creative processes, which will lead to the film industry’s eventual downfall. 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: morgan.rich@wilkes.edu Phone: (570) 408-5903 (Voicemail: 30 seconds or less, please.) 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`%1)-<'4#J'..$#Q(":'218#JU# 1)+28# .-'1# *"22-9<+(($_C# J*"1'# :"2.1# 6'/+3# )"#*+%3)#]-<>A1#0-3.#"3<'#+/+-3#+1#*-1#'$'1# /("11'.#)*2"%/*#)*'#1)"2$D#E'#1)"77'.#-3#)*'# 0-..('#"&#)*'#.'1<2-7)-"3D# J'..$# :+1# 6(%./'"3'.# :-)*# +# :"".'3# 1I%+2'#6("<>#:-)*#)*'#('))'2#?HC#7+-3)'.#"3#-)D# J*-1#:+1#*":#+#<*+2+<)'2#.-'.#-3#?J*'#]'.# ]+,'3DC#M"%(.#-)#;%1)#6'#+#<"-3<-.'3<'4 !"#$%#&"'()'*%+,,, �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Opinion 16 Exploring the disheartening decline of local newspapers Why small newspapers cannot be replaced By Sydney Allabaugh Opinion Editor The days of newspapers as we have known them may be limited as more and more people ditch print and rely on digital platforms for news. Although television news and social media are useful, they cannot fill the void local newspapers are starting to leave behind. Newspapers have been struggling to compete with digital and TV news for quite some time. According to a Pew Research Center survey, only 5 percent of Americans prefer to get their news from newspapers compared to the 52 percent who prefer digital platforms and the 35 percent who prefer TV news. One reason for this is that digital news sources may be more convenient and cost-effective as many online publications and social media sources offer free articles, whereas newspapers charge a subscription fee for print copies. People are less willing to pay for a service they can find elsewhere more conveniently and for free. Since bigger audiences are more interested in getting their news from digital platforms and TV, advertisers are more interested in purchasing online and TV ads instead of newspaper advertisements. Newspapers are losing both advertising and subscription revenue, causing a decline in the newspaper industry. This decline in revenue has led to small local newspapers cutting staff, consolidating or shutting down entirely. According to Pew Research Center, employment in local newspapers has dramatically declined from 74,410 employees in 2006 to 30,820 in 2020. Just in the past three years, 360 newspapers have shut down in the United States, most of which were small dailies. Other small independent papers within a certain region are being bought out by large media companies and merged into a regional paper. When local newspapers are closing and consolidating and the number of newspaper employees is dwindling, we miss out on the unique, localized coverage local newspapers have provided throughout the years. When local newspapers were in their prime, they were able to provide the local community a service through investigative journalism on a small scale. Years ago, there were enough journalists to act as watchdogs and cover all local government meetings to ensure that corruption was exposed. Now with limited staff covering vast areas, many are forced to pick and choose which meetings they can attend, which leads to constituents remaining less informed about the integrity of their politicians. L o c a l i n v e s t i g a t i v e journalists were also given the time and opportunity to investigate suspicious cases and bring the truth to the light. In some cases, journalists brought down criminals before police could. Within our community, former Citizens’ Voice reporter, Carol Crane, continued to investigate the murder of Robert Curley when law enforcement seemed to give up on the case and assisted in finding the killer who was his wife, Joann Curley. Former PatriotNews reporter Sara Ganim also broke the story involving Jerry Sandusky’s sexual abuse of young boys. Another investigative journalist, Julie K. Brown, assisted in creating major developments in the Jeffrey Epstein case by exposing secret plea deals and platforming accusers in daily paper the Miami Herald. “A lot of other local journalists aren’t given the luxury of the time I had with this, even though they are the last line of defense against corruption, against taxpayer money being wasted,” Brown said in an interview with The New York Times. “This has helped the public see we’re not the enemy of the people.” As Brown mentioned, having an opportunity to investigate and create meaningful pieces on politicians, criminals and issues that matter is something many journalists do not have anymore. A future in which a small number of remaining professional journalists only have time to cover a select few major stories increases the possibility that corruption and wrongdoings may never be brought to light. Investigative journalism, like Brown mentioned, aids in creating a trusting relationship between the media and the people. Rebuilding these relationships is much needed currently as roughly twothirds of Americans have little to no trust or confidence in newspapers, TV and radio, according to a Gallup poll. Besides investigative work and watchdog journalism, local newspapers also provide important information about small towns and the residents that live within them. In small town dailies, it’s common to see articles about the high school sports teams, obituaries of local residents and stories about local businesses. If newspapers continue to lay off staff, close their doors and consolidate into regional papers, we will see small town residents less and less to make room for the major stories within the region. This prevents us from remaining informed of and connected with the fellow people within our community. Although some may argue that this type of content can easily be replicated online, I would argue that in-depth coverage of these local topics is unique to newspaper journalists. TV and online news commonly do not go into the same amount of depth as newspapers and cover regional or even statewide and national stories instead of local ones. Luckily, we have yet to see local news disappear in our community. WilkesBarre is one of the last small cities with two independent newspapers: The Times Leader and The Citizens’ Voice. Recently, however, The Citizens’ Voice, along with other papers within our region including The Times-Tribune, the Republican Herald and The StandardSpeaker, have been purchased by one of the largest media groups in the country MediaNews Group, according to WVIA. Since this purchase is still recent, we do not know how new ownership will change news coverage within our local community, but hopefully, our local papers will still be able to produce localized content. As time goes on, it will be interesting to see the fate of small town newspapers. Trends show that they will continue to close their doors and dwindle in staff numbers, making them limited in what they can cover. This is a shame as local newspapers offer unique services, whether it be local coverage or investigative journalism, that ensure our local communities remain informed. Graphic/Lara Mullen �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Opinion 17 Why “The Eras Tour: Concert Film” is the moment By Samara Carey Contributing Writer Anybody who is anybody knows how huge and in-the-moment Taylor Swift is right now. Even if you are not a fan of her, I can almost guarantee that you can name at least a dozen songs, whether they were released in 2006 more in the present day. This summer, Swift took North America by storm with her debut of “The Eras Tour,” a three-hour-long concert that uniquely displays each of her 10 albums and plays her biggest hits from each era. That said, it is no surprise that many Gen Z and millennials took this idea and ran with it. It blew up so much that tickets sold out even prior to the general sale being announced. As a result of this, tickets became impossible to get and scammers and resellers were in full swing to make a quick buck off a “Swiftie” who was desperate to see their favorite singer live in concert. To make light of a very disheartening situation, Swifties across the country decided to take matters into their own hands and make various activities to help those who were not able to get tickets. One fan on X, formerly known as Twitter, decided to make their own version of fantasy football and called it Swiftball. Swiftball was used during each show in which fans would try to predict Swift’s outfits, her surprise songs, special guests and different mishaps that would happen during each night. Another tradition that started this summer were the nightly live streamsproduced by fans inside the stadium for those watching from the outside. Lastly, fans who were not able to purchase tickets for their hometown shows started an event labeled “Taylorgating,” a spin on tailgating, in which they would trade friendship bracelets, buy tour merch and listen to the concert outside the stadium despite not being able to fully experience the actual show. As the North American leg of the tour ends, Swift recently announced an “Eras Tour” movie, in which fans can watch a recording of the full show, in an AMC theater of their choice. Swift has always released live recordings of each of her tours, except for “The Red Tour” due to it having a problematic director, but this has proven to be different than others. In years past, Swift’s tour documentaries have been released on either iTunes or Apple Music to later be released on YouTube after a few months thus far, I would like to share that I have been known as “The Taylor Swift Girl,” since my early adolescence. I have seen Taylor twice on her past tours, and I have participated in every activity listed above, as I fell victim to becoming one of the people who were unfortunate enough to not see Swift on her recent tour. I have adored Taylor for years and will always defend her and her of it being released. The last tour, “The Reputation Stadium Tour,” was released on Netflix and it can be watched if you have a subscription. Many will argue that this is simply a cash grab by Swift and her management to help promote the latest re-recording of her fifth studio album, “1989.” I would like to disagree and comment on the fact that this is definitely one of the smartest moves that she could have made now. Before I continue, if you are wondering why I feel qualified enough to discuss Taylor Swift and her career Graphic/Sydney Allabaugh business decisions. Especially now, as I better understand the ins and outs of marketing and why her team has her doing the promotions she has been doing. One thing about Swift that you absolutely cannot argue with me about is how calculated she is. She has been in the music industry since she was 16-years-old and has been criticized since the first time she stepped on stage. One example of this is when she almost got her career completely ripped from her hands by Kayne West and Kim Kardashian back in 2016. Due to claims Swift lied about West’s character, she was viewed as a “snake” and was forced to go into hiding for three years. After the Kayne West fiasco, Swift has stated multiple times that she felt like her career was over and that she feared no one would pay attention to her in a few years, so she was holding onto her career as close as possible. That was until the pandemic hit and Swift released her eighth studio album, “folklore.” After this release, Swift’s career blew up faster than we were able to blink. Her songs, old and new, were trending on TikTok, and everyone became obsessed with loving Taylor Swift. What Swift did next was quite possibly the best move she would ever make in her career. In 2021, Swift started rerecording and releasing her first six albums. Of course, she had no choice in doing so since she had her masters stolen from her, but this fortunately brought a new and fresh crowd to her music. Since she had her own versions of her album, people were patiently waiting to see her next move, especially since she had announced her tenth studio album, “Midnights.” Hence, her announcement of her long-awaited Eras Tour. Since the hype around it was so heavily anticipated, Swift’s career was at an alltime high, even after she predicted her slow decline in the music industry. So, Swift did what any reasonable business person would do, and held on to every ounce of fame she was receiving. This was proven true after “The Eras Tour” movie was announced and box offices had the highest number of sales they have seen since “Spiderman, No Way Home.” This proves that Taylor Swift’s fame will forever be growing, and she will forever be in the music industry and has subsequently changed it for the better. “The Eras Tour” movie comes out on Oct. 13, and thousands of people have already bought their tickets a month in advance. I will be there. Will I see you? �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Opinion 18 The rise and fall of streaming services The frustrating ways streaming has changed media consumption started to produce their own shows, many of which went on to be critically Contributing Writer praised. Other services, such as Hulu We live in an age of constant media and Amazon Prime Video, tried to consumption. compete with the giant, but they were According to a recent Nielsen report, only able to gain a fraction of the same Americans spend over 11 hours, or success. nearly half of their day, interacting with They were not failures, however. digital media. This includes everything Both still provided services that their from television, movies, games, books, competitor did not have, such as nextpodcasts and music. More often than day streaming of new episodes, leading not, these pieces of entertainment are to many subscribing to all three. enjoyed through Streaming services s t r e a m i n g continued to be a services. convenience for "If you wanted to get the basic I am sure it is general audiences hard for a lot of plan for all of them (Disney until 2020, which us to imagine is the year I believe Plus, Max, Paramount Plus, a time before they started to do Peacock, AMC Plus and Apple streaming. Being more harm than able to watch our TV), you would have to pay $61 good. favorite shows As we all know, a month or $732 a year." and movies at the 2020 was a rough click of a button year for pretty is not really much everything, something we stop and think about. especially the entertainment industry. Nowadays, it is just a natural part of The pandemic shut down much of what everyday life. kept Hollywood going; theaters were However, this was not always the case. closed, TV and film sets were shut down Before the turn of the millennium, and productions were suddenly halted. it took quite a bit of effort to do what This caused large profit losses for many we now see as a simple task, such as studios. watching a specific episode of a show. The same cannot be said for Instead of being able to search for it streaming, though. I was actually at on your phone, you really had to hunt an all-time high during this period. it down, whether that was by looking Studio executives took note of this, and through a TV guide and catching it as a shared idea appeared in their minds. a rerun or renting a physical tape from This was the start of the streaming wars. a video store. Instead of producing anything new, Unless you knew exactly where to they instead found a way to sell older look, you were in for a journey. products. Disney Plus, Max, Paramount When Netflix first released their Plus, Peacock, AMC Plus and Apple online service in 2007, it came as no TV were just some of the services born surprise that they were able to quickly from this idea. build up a large subscriber base. For Now, let us get the first problem out only $6.99 a month, subscribers gained of the way. access to what seemed like an infinite I just listed six streaming services. amount of content, no quest required. If we add on the ones I named earlier, Over the next few years, Netflix grew we now have a total of nine. That is far into an entertainment juggernaut. too many. If you wanted to get the basic Not only did their streaming library plan for all of them, you would have to continue to expand, but they even pay $61 a month or $732 a year. By Shawn Carey Now if we do the premium plans for able to watch the movie an ungodly all of them, that would be $117 a month, amount of times all thanks to Netflix, which is an astonishing $1,404 a year. so picture my surprise when I found out If we add on the average cost of basic the movie was going to be leaving the cable, which is an additional $132, the platform and there were no plans for it bill is going to be $239 a month. While to appear anywhere else. This destroyed it is not necessary to own every available me. streaming service, this highlights just This forced me to pick up a blu-ray how quickly the cost of all of them can of the movie, which I complained about add up. at first but quickly discovered it was for Also, at this point, owning multiple the best. I now own the movie forever is kind of needed if you want a diverse and I do not have to worry about it library of content. Instead of everything disappearing one day. being on Netflix, it is now spread all Not every piece of media has the over the place. luxury of getting a physical release, Let us say you wanted to watch the however. As of recently, many streaming newest Marvel Cinematic Universe or streaming original content projects movie, you have to go to Disney Plus. funded by their respective platforms Do you not have Disney Plus? That is have been getting deleted. okay, you can just watch the newest This happened recently with the "South Park" special instead; you have shows “Willow,” “Black Beauty” and “Y: been really meaning to check that The Last Man” all being removed from out anyway. You go to Max, the self- Disney Plus due to them being labeled proclaimed home of the series, and you as tax write offs. These three shows do not see it. never got a physical release meaning Confused as ever, you do a quick it is now impossible to support them Google search to see what the problem legally. is, only to discover that there is nothing I can only imagine how the people wrong. The special is just on Paramount who worked on these projects feel, Plus, a service seeing something you do not own. they worked so You once again hard on being have to go on an erased without a "The lack of respect for the adventure just to second thought. creatives that work for these find an episode. The lack of respect Now you might for the creatives media giants is sickening to say to yourself, "It that work for see." still beats having these media giants to get a physical is sickening to see. copy." I strongly So what does disagree with this the future of notion because at streaming look this point, it may be better to just own like? It is honestly hard to say. It is not one. going away anytime soon, but I do not Shows and movies are constantly think it will ever reach the same level bouncing around from one place to of public approval that it once held. another. This is mainly due to copyright It still serves its original purpose as a issues and exclusive deals. simple way of letting people enjoy their As annoying as this is, it does get favorite pieces of media, it is just not as worse. For the longest time my favorite easy or convenient as it once was. movie, “Spider-man: Enter the SpiderWatching a simple show should not verse” was available on Netflix. I was be this hard. �Sports The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Sports 19 Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Asst. Editor: Adam.grundt@wilkes.edu Marts Center gymnasium gets a new look over break By Zach Paraway Contributing Writer Wilkes Athletics had a busy summer, and the results are easy to see in the Arnaud C. Marts Center. Since the end of the 2022-2023 school year, Wilkes joined a new conference, leaving the Middle Atlantic Conference after almost 70 years. It joined the Landmark Conference for all sports except men's and women’s ice hockey. It also updated two of its main athletic facilities on campus. Both Schmidt Stadium and the Henry Gymnasium received new renovations. Schmidt received new turf while the gymnasium had a complete renovation. The Henry Gymnasium was named after Frank Henry, who is also the namesake for the student union building just a block away from the gym. The building had not been changed since its construction and the new update has been appreciated. It included a new floor which has the university's' updated logo and the new conference affiliation on it. Also changed was the lighting system, now supporting LEDs for a much brighter and fuller room. The last things updated were the scoreboard and bleachers. The scoreboard now sports a fully electronic look and the bleachers have been updated from wood to full on retractable plastic with metal rails. The renovations total nearly $1.2 million. The mens and womens volleyball team, basketball teams and the wrestling team are among the sports that play in the renovated space.. Photos Courtesty of Liz Keller TOP: The Henry Gymnasium is named after Frank Henry, who is also the namesake for the Student Union Building on campus BOTTOM: New bleachers have been installed as part of the gymnasium's complete renovation. The Wilkes 'W' sits at center-court of the newly-renovated gymnasium. �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Sports 20 NFL: New and old faces to keep and eye on this season By Adam Grundt Asst. Sports. Editor As many viewers see the start of the National Football League season as the unofficial start of the fall, there are many exciting storylines to keep an eye on as the season gets underway. The defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs kicked off the season against the Detroit Lions to start Thursday Night Football on Sept.7. The Philadelphia Eagles are looking to repeat last season that ended in a Super Bowl appearance led by quarterback, Jalen Hurts. After signing a large contract in the offseason, Hurts is one of the favorites to win the league’s most valuable player award. They opened their season against the New England Patriots in Foxborough, Mass. on Sept. 10. Eagles’ defensive back, Brandon Graham, reflected on last year’s successes “We could almost taste it,” said Graham. “It was right there. I’ll never forget this team. We worked our butt off. We will be back”. With the departure of former Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the National Football Conference (NFC) North is the division to watch this season. Many believe the Minnesota Vikings will have an easy path to the division title. However, the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears are on the come-up, and will certainly give a challenge to the Vikings when competing for the division crown. Bears quarterback Justin Fields, is poised to have a break-out season after the team had the worst record in the NFL last season, and offseason acquisitions, such as D.J. Moore and Yannick Ngakoue, give the Bears a true shot at competing for the division crown. Because of this, the Bears were challenged right out of the gate when they opened their season at home against their biggest rival, the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 10. Chicago Bears general manager, Ryan Poles, commented on the expectations of their star quarterback. “Just continue to improve,” Poles said. “(We) want those sack numbers to come down, interceptions to come down, make good reads, protect himself, just see him take that next step.” Another division to keep an eye on will be the NFC South. The Jacksonville Jaguars are looking to appear in the playoffs while being led by quarterback Trevor Lawrence, while two new franchise faces are looking to make an impression on the league in their first seasons with their teams. C.J. Stroud is looking to take the reigns as the leader of the offense for the Houston Texans, while Anthony Richardson is looking to do the same in Indianapolis with the Colts. The first Sunday Night Football game on Sept. 10, was a heated NFC East division rivalry matchup between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys. Giants quarterback, Daniel Jones, is looking to jump into the category of elite quarterbacks in the league this season while Cowboys quarterback, Dak Prescott, looks to have a fully healthy season in 2023, which has been a struggle for him throughout his career. “I don’t desire to be the number one offense in the league, I want to be the number one team in the league with the number of wins and the championship,” said Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy when asked about the team’s expectations for the upcoming season. “If we have to give up some production and take care of the ball better to get that, then that’s what we’ll do.” Monday Night Football kicked off on Sept. 11 when the Buffalo Bills took on the New York Jets in a clash of two superstar quarterbacks. Future hall-of-fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers looked to make a memorable first impression in his inaugural game with his new team after an already storied career with the Green Bay Packers. Bills quarterback Josh Allen looked to lead his team to a more promising season in 2023, as their season ended last year with a loss in the NFC Divisional round against the Cincinnati Bengals. The 2023 season, as always, will be filled with excitement with many storylines to be built off as the year progresses. Many new faces in the league, as well as some familiar ones, will be worth keeping an eye on throughout the year. �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Sports 21 Fall Sports: The start of the volleyball and soccer season By Samantha Mullen Contributing Writer With Fall sports already underway, many student athletes are excited about how their seasons will go. This year the university is gearing up for a new journey in the Landmark Conference. The shift to a different conference has brought fresh energy into the athletic department with teams facing new competition when it comes to conference play. Having some new competition has many athletes and coaches excited to see what this first year in the conference has to offer. Men’s soccer is off with a 1-2 start but Coach Michael Piranian is excited to compete in the Landmark this season. Coach Piranian hopes the team will “come in with the right mindset and determination to prove [they] are going to be a tough program to compete with on a yearly basis.” The team's upcoming game this week is home against Rutgers-Camden at 1 p.m. on Sept. 16. Women’s Volleyball is already off with a great start of wins against Keystone College and Penn State Hazleton. Coach Joseph Czopek feels very confident in his players this year and stated that the team “is preparing hard in practice to be competitive in the new conference.” Additionally, many of the teams within the Landmark Conference have gone into the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament so the competition will be very strong. Coach Czopek also expressed how the team will be doing overnight stays which the team has not done since before the pandemic. To end the week, the team will travel to New Jersey on Sept. 17 to play Penn State Harrisburg, 2 p.m. and RutgersCamden, 4 p.m. Entering a new conference can be a bit nerve racking for many of the athletes. Luckily, there is still some familiarity before conference play starts as many of the teams will be playing teams from within the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom conference such as Delaware Valley College, Misericordia University and King's College. Graphic/Morgan Rich The Beacon is looking for sports writers for the Fall 2023 semester If you are interested in sports writing, editing, photography or graphics contact Adam Grundt at adam.grundt@wilkes.edu �The Beacon September 13, 2023 Sports 22 Athlete of the Week Xavier Guerreiro The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week Guerreiro was chosen as our Athlete of the Week (AOTW) after his perfomance during the soccer team’s season opener at Penn State Berks. Gurreiro scored two crucial goals on Sept. 1 to help lead the Colonels over Penn State Berks 6-0 Major: Computer science Hometown: Newtown, Pa. High School: Council Rock North High School What has been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? My favorite sports memory from my time as a Colonel was beating Lycoming 4-1 at home my firstyear. It was one of the most exciting games of my whole career. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? My favorite professional sports team is Manchester United. What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? My favorite thing to do outside of sports is hang out with my friends or be in nature. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? My favorite part of being an athelete here at Wilkes is having a brotherhood with my teammates. The Beacon/Jess Fellerman Editor’s note : Athlete of the Week s elec tion s are deter mined by the spor ts staff each week . At the e nd of the acade mic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw it te r @ WilkesB eacon to c row n an “Athlete of the Year." What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? My go-to sports movie is “Remember The Titans.” If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? I would have wanted to play basketball. What has been your favorite sports memory overall? My favorite sports memory is winning Nationals with my club team, Princeton FC, in 2018. What is your favorite postgame meal? My favorite post-game meal is steak and potatoes. How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? I am grateful to be selected as the Athlete of the Week because my team helped me achieve this honor. �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 23 �The Beacon - September 13, 2023 Door’s open! !"#$%#&'()$*+$&,-&.+$-#,'(/*)0$)#-$+1&2$ 3$4#$&5#$,((6*)0$7(58 !"#$%&'$( !")*+&+,$-.*'$( !"/'(%,0'$( !"1+2%-3"4'5%-"4-0-,'$( !"/%(&$%67&%+0"4-0-,'$(" !"859'$&%(%0,"4-0-,'$( !!!"#$%&'()* Contact: !"#$%&'()*+,-./0 :-3'0;<*7$2*'$=>%3?'(;'57" 1*,&2/3,4356,.70( @+$,-0;A%2*=>%3?'(;'57 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 <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 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>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> 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. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre 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 Wilkes Beacon, 2023 September 13 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wilkes University retains copyright of this publication. https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/86342e50bc0d409b2445f0faf75725be.pdf 9090eec981841700cfd39847df62e0b0 PDF Text Text The Beacon - April 26, 2023 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 75, Issue 16 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” Former Wilkes student surrenders to authorities days after campus tightens security on campus By Emily Cherkauskas Former Wilkes University student Max August Liebetrau turned himself in to authorities on April 23, several days after a warrant was issued for his arrest, according to university officials and published reports. Following an incident on March 30, Liebetrau was charged by university police with making terroristic threats. He was also arrested in a separate off-campus incident, according to documents. Though he was initially denied bail, Liebetrau was released on $100,000 unsecured bail following an April 12 preliminary hearing. The bail was revoked after it was determined that Liebetrau had violated the conditions of his bail. During this time, Liebetrau’s whereabouts became unknown. According to the criminal docket, a bail revocation hearing was held on April 19. However, Liebetrau was a noshow, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Campus officials implemented security measures, including requiring all buildings to be only accessible through swipe access. As of Sunday, Liebetrau was held at Monroe County Prison. Court papers indicate that as of April 25, he was being held at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility. A dispositional hearing is scheduled for June 15, 2023. Though Liebetrau is in custody, Wilkes officials have stated the university will maintain added security measures until May 31. University officials declined to comment beyond released statements and encouraged the campus community to follow the direction of public statements that were released in emails for the most up-to-date information. The three most recent emails, all sent by President Greg Cant to the campus community, were sent on April 17, 19 and 23. Anyone struggling with mental health is encouraged to contact Wilkes Programming Board hosts “Carnival” on Greenway, page 4 University establishes, welcomes esports team, page 7 Editor-in-Chief All information is up to date since Sunday, April 23. 1 Wilkes’s counseling services at 570408-4100. Anyone wishing to report a crime should contact Wilkes’ police department, or call 911. Performing arts department affected by cancellation On April 17, President Greg Cant issued two emails to the university—the first to the performing arts department, and the second to the entire university. In the correspondence, he announced that the first of the many safety procedures would be undertaken. This included limited access to the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center and the cancellation of the department’s production of “The Lord of the Flies.” It is not clear if “The Lord of the Flies” will return in the foreseeable future. Officials declined to comment or were unable to be reached. The cancellation of “The Lord of the Flies” received some backlash from performing arts students and the campus community. ATHLETE OF THE YEAR VOTING IS NOW OPEN! For the first time since 2020, the Athlete of the Year title will be awarded to one men’s and one women’s athlete. All Wilkes students are invited to submit their votes on who they think exemplified the values and skills of a Colonel this past year. Nominations include 15 men’s athletes and 12 women’s athletes across the fall, winter and spring sports teams. See pages 21-22 for the full list of nominated athletes, and the QR code that will bring you to both voting polls. Results will be posted on May 8. Join The Beacon in sending off our seniors! Our final centerspread highlights the graduating members of the editorial staff as they reflect upon their time at The Beacon. See pages 12-13. SECURITY , page 3 Artifical intelligence in the music industry: Friend or foe?, page 16 IIHF: USA Wins the World Women’s Hockey Championship, page 21 �The Beacon - April 26, 2023 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Maddy Kinard: Madelynn.Kinard@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: April 19 weekly meeting By Kellie Scott Staff Writer This week there were 21 items on the agenda, so Student Government started its meeting earlier at 5:30. The items on the agenda this week were a conversation with President Dr. Cant, fund requests, club reports and internal business. First, Cant spoke to the student government about an ongoing process of changing and implementing a new mission statement and values for Wilkes University. It is still in the process of being finalized. Next, the Gold Bar club presented a week 2 of 2 fund request. The group asked for $300 to help find the 752 annual military ball. This money would help cover costs of tickets. Student Government allocated the full amount. FBLA, or Future Business Leaders of America, also presented a week 2 of 2 fund request. The club asked for $4,714.15 to help fund a trip to the national conference after placing high in the state conference. The money would help cover registration, hotel and travel expenses. Student Government allocated the full amount. For week 2 of 2, Capital Projects requested funds for the basement library, Capital projects asked for $96,490.46 to remodel and renovate the library. The Student Government allocated the full amount. Moving to week 1 of 2 requests, the Air and Waste Management Association or AWMA, asked for $1,500 to help cover conference expenses. This is an annual conference and helps bring many professionals from this industry together. It helps improve environmental challenges and professional development. Student Government will vote on the fund request in next week's meeting. WEBS, or Women Empowered by Science, hosts an annual summer camp for girls grades 7 to 12. This camp is run by the club and it allows girls to explore science on the Wilkes campus. The group asked for $2,500 to help fund scholarships for any incoming girls. Next for week 1 of 2 was the ASM Microbe fund request. For this request, two students asked for help funding their trip to a conference. This is the largest microbiology conference in North America and they are attending after doing extensive research in the field of e-coli. They asked for $1,500 to help fund the expenses for the two of them to travel. Commuter Council then presented Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Beacon News Staff Summer 2023 Internship: Register for Credits Students participating in a Summer 2023 internship need to register manually and fill out the etrieve form. In addition, three documents must be filled out: the Data Form, Academic Project Form, and Internship Agreement Form. Contact Anna Bateman at anna. bateman@wilkes.edu with any questions or concerns. Use this link to access the forms. https://w w w.wilkes.edu/academics/ career-development-and-internships/ cooperative-education-internships/ application-process.aspx. Summer Registration Now Open Wilkes offers summer classes starting May 22 and continuing through Aug. 18. There are a variety of sessions, including presession from May 22 to June 9, full session from May 22 to Aug. 18, first session from June 12 to July 14, nine-week session from June 12 to Aug. 15, and second session from July 17 to Aug 18. Both in-person classes and online options are available. Make an appointment with your advisor to register now. Use this link to find out which courses are being offered: https://www.wilkes. edu/summer. Submit Your Fall 2023 Parking Application Commuter and resident parking permit applications for the fall 2023 semester are available online now. The deadline for the applications is 4 p.m. on Friday, June 30. Any application received after 4 p.m. on Friday, June 30, will not be submitted for review and the applications will not re-open again once they are closed. All students must apply during this time. Questions? Contact parking from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at 570-408-7275. Donations for Swipe Buy Back Event AMCP is hosting a swipe buy back event with Which Wich. If you have extra swipes that are going to run out at the end of the semester, or if you would like to contribute to a good cause, donate a sandwich to those in need. Donation swipes will be collected on the first floor of the SUB on April 25, 26, 27 and May 1 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. a Capital Projects fund request. The Commuter Council asked for $1,800 to help renovate the inside of the commuter lounge. They are looking to get a new microwave, a bigger refrigerator and some other smaller items. Next was Traverses Capital projects fund request week 1 of 2. The traverses are asking for $2,000 to get E-Z passes on the inside of the Wilkes University campus cars, along with detailing and seat covers. Student Government will have its final meeting of the semester next week. Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Upcoming Events: 2023 Spring Semester April 26 - GSA Drag Show 28 - College of Business and Engineering Symposium May 2 - Last day of classes, follow TR schedule 4 - Final exams start 11 - Final exams end 20 - Commencement ceremony Want your event featured in the calendar? �The Beacon - April 26, 2023 SAFETY, from front A performing arts student, who asked to remain anonymous, confirmed that the show’s set was torn down, much to the dismay of the students who were a part of the show. A change.org petition posted last week called for the reinstatement of the show, which was entirely produced by faculty members and students. For some students, it was meant to be their final show before they graduated university. “I believe the show still has the opportunity to return,” said the student. “The set has been torn down and was done quite quickly in preparation of events and dance classes being held on the stage this week. Although there is no set right now, I would volunteer to build it back again. “I also wouldn’t mind recording the show without most of the set, but that is all my opinion. The truth is the set is gone and it was designed with great talent. It had this unique patchwork design made up of earth tones.” The petition also negotiated potential alternatives or other measures to still host the show. Some examples included having public safety or Wilkes-Barre police posted at the theater, limited entrances and exits, delayed opening times or even privately-announced times. For some students in the performing arts, it was meant to be their last show before graduation. The cancellation of the show, in addition to the limited access of the Darte Center in the earlier developments of the case, have left an impact on the students. “I’m definitely struggling through the last few weeks of this semester as it is, but losing the show and watching my peers struggle with a threat has made an impact on my education as well,” said the student. “Everyone in their major has something to look forward to I’m sure, and having that experience taken away from you as you’re crossing the finish line hits hard.” The petition received over 100 signatures. News Student Government’s annual “Big Event” Compiled by Maddy Kinard News Editor 3 Photos courtesy of Morgan Steiner, Danielle Morris and Megan Makovsky Big Event is a school wide day of community service, where 300-400 student volunteers travel to different sites in the community to lend a helping hand. Student volunteers are split into teams, featuring sports, clubs, etc. The Student Government team is shown above. Some volunteers had the opportunity to clean and organize supplies at local institutions. Brynn Gilbert and Megan Makovsky shelving books at Kistler Elementary School where they were asked to help reorganize the library for student use. Keeping the community clean: the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, Neuroscience Club and the National Alliance on Mental Illness volunteered at Dana Elementary where they collected 20 bags of trash and leaves. �The Beacon - April 26, 2023 News 4 Wilkes Programming Board hosts "Carnival" on Greenway By Morgan Steiner Staff Writer The Wilkes Programming Board recently hosted a "Carnival Night" event on the campus Greenway. “The event was on a much bigger scale than most Wilkes events and had a good variety of different things to do," said sophomore Eric Walsh. The event featured a 120-foot blow-up obstacle course, a photobooth, two food trucks, axe-throwing and a variety of games and activities. “Most of us have a good picture in our minds when we think of a carnival so it was easier to get ideas flowing for this event than some others,” said Shelby Brazes, a programming board officer. One of the concerns on everyone’s mind about Carnival had to do with a former Wilkes student allegedly making threats toward a current student. Some students, including Walsh, expressed concern about the level of security, but ultimately, they felt Nick Kinzler, Vincent Ippolito, Owen Breisch, Will Wagstaff and Andrew Slusser enjoy some of the treats provided at Carnival. comfortable at the event. “Tensions have been incredibly high, and while I did see a police presence at the event, which did ease my worries a little with how recently everything has happened, I think it was impossible to feel fully alright. Especially at an event where so many people were out in an open space,” said Walsh. Despite reservations from some attendees, "Carnival" was a success. At some points, the line to enter wrapped around the block and students waited in front of Breiseth Hall. “It was a great event with much to do and gave me something fun to do while enjoying the weather with some of my best friends. Also, the uniqueness of the event compared to the events usually held at Wilkes gave it a special charm that made it extremely enjoyable,” said Walsh. For Brazes, it was worthwhile seeing the fun everyone had with friends and seeing the way the programming board events brings the community together. Photos courtesy Megan Makovsky John Hannaway won one of the prize baksets at the event. Attendees won tickets from carinval games that they could put toward prizes. WANT TO GET MORE INVOLVED ON CAMPUS? WATCH OUT FOR PROGRAMMING BOARD EVENTS THAT HAPPEN EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT �The Beacon - April 26, 2023 News 5 GSA LGBTQ+ workplace roundtable with professionals By Maddy Kinard News Editor The Wilkes Gender Sexuality Alliance hosted an LGBTQ+ workplace roundtable featuring four guest speakers who recounted their personal experiences coming out and challenges, and achievements, they have faced in their work and personal lives. Dr. Helen Davis, associate professor of English and the faculty advisor for GSA, mediated the discussion. The conversation started by highlighting some of the experiences they’ve had in their professional lives, touching on several overlapping themes regarding confidence, boundaries and activism. “You belong in every room you walk into, whether you think it or not,” said Justin M. Correll, recounting the words of a faculty member at his alma mater that has stuck with him ever since. They also spoke on the responsibility individuals have to be confident in themselves, to be visible and present in the community—to be the leader for those who don’t feel seen or included. Career-wise, Correll touched on personal responsibility, that just because someone can do something, doesn’t mean they have to. “Don’t lose yourself in what you do,” said Correll. Panel members included Justin M. Correll, who is the Mayor of Laurel Run Borough, principal at Solomon Plains Elementary School, chair of the Rainbow Alliance and co-founder of NEPA Pride Project. The second was Michele Kessler, secretary treasurer of UFCW Local 1776, chair of UFCW OUTreach and two other union LGBTQ+ groups, twoterm member of governor Tom Wolf ’s PA commission on LGBTQ+ affairs, member of Governor Josh Shapiro’s inauguration committee, and number three on City and State’s Pride and Power 100 for 2022. Kira Kinsman, the third panelist, is principal architect at Williams Kinsman Lewis Architecture, board member of the Rainbow Alliance, co-chair at William Way LGBTQ+ Community Center, Philadelphia and board member on the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Business and Industry; Carl Halker, the fourth panelist, is the owner/president at Hawk Enterprises and Canada Dry/Royal Crown of Scranton, wonder of Philly Pretzel Factory in Scranton and former Rainbow Alliance chair. Heather M. Hulse was unable to attend but extended her contact information to students. She is the senior partner at McAndrews, Mehalick, Connolly, Hulse and Ryan P.C and is a special education law specialist. Photos: The Beacon/Maddy Kinard GSA provided pizza and refreshments, including a “mocktail bar” for students to create their own mixed beverages. Michele Kessler, brought LGBTQ+ and union pride sticker for attendees. She describes her experience working for a union as "making a contribution in the world" Attendees, GSA members and speakers gathered at the end of the two hour long discussion for a group photo. Kira Kinsman closed the event by encouraging others through the words of Joseph Campbell: “find your bliss”. Carl Halker, Michele Kessler, Kira Kinsman, Justin M. Correll, all shared their experiences as LGBTQ+ successful business people and provided advice for students regarding activism in the community, responsibility, handling homophobic/transphobic individuals, and more. �The Beacon - April 26, 2023 Prof. Profile: Dr. Rubi Mahato, Nesbitt School of Pharmacy By Amanda Montgomery Asst. News Editor Dr. Rubi Mahato has joined the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy as an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Mahato is from Nepal, and came to the United States in 2006 as a visiting research scholar at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, Tenn. She earned a bachelors of pharmacy from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences in India, a doctor of philosophy degree in pharmaceutical sciences from University of MissouriKansas City and an executive master of business administration degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Mahato previously served as a lecturer in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Binghamton University, a medical writer at Pharma Health Labs and an assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences at Fairleigh Dickinson University. “Interacting with students and my colleagues are the best part of my job. Knowing that I can make a difference in someone’s life (my students), and receiving g e n u i n e appreciation from students (for what we Dr. Rubi Mahato do for them) brings the biggest satisfaction to me, I feel that it’s my reward at the end of the day,” said Mahato. Mahato chose Wilkes because of the school environment and university as a whole. She also noticed that the licensing exam for pharmacy students had a high passing rate which demonstrated that Wilkes and the pharmacy program had high quality students. “My department chair was so caring throughout the process of my interview, hiring and moving to a new place. She even helped me find a daycare for my toddler son. It made me feel very comfortable and at home,” said Mahato. Business and Engineering symposium to be held April 28 By Emily Cherkauskas Editor-in-Chief The College of Business and Engineering will hold its annual research symposium on April 28, inside the McHale Athletic Center. The theme is “Research for Advancing Sustainability and Ethics for a Better Future.” The day will begin at 9:30 a.m. with opening remarks from Dr. Adel Adekola, dean of the Sidhu School of Business and Leadership. The first session afterward includes the student oral presentations from 9:45 to 11 a.m. At 11 a.m., the symposium will be addressed by Wayne Lonstein, keynote speaker and CEO of VFT Solutions. A break for lunch will follow at 11:45 a.m. Student poster presentations, the second group of presenters, will be held from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Upon the conclusion of student presentations, awards will be presented from 1:30 through 2 p.m. Afterwards, faculty research presentations will occur in SIMMS 231 from 2 to 3 p.m. The final session is the teaching symposium from 3 to 4 p.m, the topic being “Working with Students who are Underprepared in the Quantitative Areas and New Teaching Techniques.” Dr. Edward Bednarz will discuss “Engaging Students in Math,” followed by faculty discussion on helping underprepared students in research and will then conclude with Dr. Kedir Tessema’s topic of “Discussion on Emerging Pedagogical Issues.” Anyone interested in attending the symposium is encouraged to register with the business school. Registration is free for the day. Mahato sees herself becoming a true expert and master at her role, having well established research and publishing at least five articles in the next few years. She also sees herself as being a key person for teaching and research in the pharmaceutical science department. “I want to be able to extend my expertise and offer help to other departments, including clinical practice, community pharmacy or health outcomes using my skills and knowledge gained from my role. Also, I would like to contribute in school and university services as much as possible,” said Mahato. In her spare time, Mahato likes to spend time with her two-year-old son and on different occasions she likes to do photoshoots with him. She enjoys learning new things and also enjoys reading articles both related and unrelated to pharmacy. In addition, she also enjoys painting but hasn’t had the chance to do that since her son was born. “I am always interested in learning something new,” said Mahato. She has various interests in arts and crafts, painting, photography, scriptures, 6 religion, finance, in addition to pharmacy. “I am very friendly, easy to work with and a good listener.” Some of her notable achievements include publishing articles, starting a research project, completing her master of business administration degree and getting her permanent resident card. Currently, she is working on her articles to be submitted for publication within the next few months. “My recent notable achievements are, single-handedly managing the entire pharmaceutics curriculum which includes two semesters of course works and labs, and pharmaceutical calculations,” said Mahato. One piece of advice Mahato offers students seek out help when needed, as your professors are here to help you. “Be sincere, and do not wait for the last moment to prepare for your exams,” said Mahato. Want to nominate a professor for a feature? Contact our Assistant News Editor! Amanda.Montgomery1@wilkes.edu PLACE YOUR AD HERE! Do you own a business? Have an upcoming event? Advertise with The Beacon and reach up to thousands of readers per week! Sizes range from 1/8 of a page up to a full page Advertisements are in full color Can be run in one issue up to an entire semester For more information, please contact: Kalen.Churcher@wilkes.edu or Morgan.Rich@wilkes.edu �The Beacon - April 26, 2023 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Life, Arts & Entertainment Editor: Jordan Daniel: Jordan.Daniel@wilkes.edu WILKES ESPORTS University establishes, welcomes esports team By Anthony Cazun Contributing Writer A new competition is coming to campus and it is all in the digital arena. On April 17, a special event titled “An Evening of Esports with EStars” was held within the McHale Athletics Center that celebrated the launch of the university’s competitive esports program, along with housing two special guests from the gaming world. Electronic sports, or esports, is a relatively recent form of sport, in which the athletes engage in video game competition rather than a traditional physical sport. Wilkes is aiming to take gaming to the next level by offering competitive esports positions for games such as “League of Legends,” “Overwatch,” ”Rocket League” and “Super Smash Bros.” This initiative was created in an effort to create a wider gaming culture on campus and give opportunities for talented gamers to enter the wider esports industry. “We’re launching something that for many of you is part of who you are,” said President Greg Cant. “It’s what you do. But remember, you’re helping people like me and others to think ‘what is gaming gonna mean to us as the Wilkes community.’ We’re beta testing how we can have active gaming that gives opportunities.” In an effort to enhance the gaming capabilities of students, there will be several gaming terminals peppered all across campus, including Evans Hall, Roth Hall and University Towers. As the presence of esports grows all around the world many instituions and universities are forming teams, with Wilkes being one of the latest to do so. The more widespread esports becomes, the more profitable it becomes. Advertising is a large component of the esports industry. Companies such The Beacon/Anthony Cazun (Left to Right) President Greg Cant, Maggie Jordan and David Lee on stage during the “An Evening of Esports with Estars” event. Cant formally addressed the attendants and gamers upon the creation of the team. as “Estars Studios” were created with the specific goal of helping professional esports companies advertise and organize their gaming leagues. The co-founder and CEO of Estars Studios David Lee, attended the launch event and gave lots of insight into the behind-the-scenes of esports and esports advertising. Before he was the CEO of one of the largest esports promotion companies on earth, he himself was an esports competitor trying to make a living. “I made [esports] into a career when I was in college,” said Lee. “I was a professional ‘Warcraft 3’ player. I was writing contracts for teams and then I realized I think I could do this better if I ran it myself so I started my own team. In order to promote my team, I started producing content around my team. YouTube channels, Twitch streams, created multiple leagues to support them and create an ecosystem for them to play in. I eventually tried to sell my content to ESL and ESL hired me. That’s how I went from gamer to gaming as a career.” Lee channeled his experience and ground floor knowledge in order to co-create Estars Studios, the leading independent production company for esports events, as well as promotion. Lee was not the only guest attendant, however, as Maggie Jordan, a doctorate in business administration and intermittent “Warcraft” player, discussed women in gaming spaces. “I realized that there was a real need for some underserved populations for what I refer to as ‘women plus’ so the women gaming community as well as anyone who identifies as a woman,” said Jordan. “There’s a lot of need there and a lot of discussion around the need for us in the space so I’ve been focusing a lot of my efforts on how to connect us within the community. It’s been proven that when compared, men and women gain on equal ground, equal skills. However, there are circumstances that surround gaming that causes groups to react and learn in different ways.” There were also discussions about the future of virtual reality and the possibility of a competitive scene growing within it. “I think VR has such a huge opportunity,” said Jordan. “This concept of metaverse and especially AR/VR and how it integrates with the metaverse. I’m a big fan of ‘Ready Player One’ and just being able to see what worlds are created and beyond what we see in the world. I think that opportunity is massive.” Lee’s outlook was not as optimistic about virtual reality, stating that he believes that although there are certainly applications and uses for its existence, it is not within the gaming space. “It’s not the norm, right? Because I’m a service provider within the industry, we follow what the norms are within the industry,” said Lee. “If the norm is that everybody is gaming on VR then I would be more active on it but right now there are very limited interactions in the VR space.” The university’s Esports program goes into full effect during the fall 2023 semester. For the meantime the university staff will keep close attention on the feedback given by gamers in order to mold this program into something that is made by Wilkes students, for Wilkes students. Until then, anyone interested in taking their gaming to the next level can begin dusting off their controllers and find more information on the university’s website under the esport program’s page. �The Beacon - April 26, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 f Cocktail of the Week:Vodka pineapple, perfect for spring By Haley Katona Contributing Writer Ingredients: • 2 ounces any kind of vanilla vodka • 3 ounces pineapple juice, for better flavor muddle fresh pineapple chunks and strain juice into a glass • 1 ounce lime juice, for best result use a freshly squeezed lime • ½ tablespoon of sugar dissolved in water • Use freshly cut pineapple as an optional garnish Directions: For best results, chill all ingredients first. Pour all of the ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake thoroughly with a shaker. Strain into a chilled glass filled with or without ice, depending on your preference. Enjoy! The Beacon reminds everyone to drink responsibility… and that the legal drinking age is 21 a B n o um c Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staff picks their favorite song of the week. Check out this week’s bumps to the right! ps Be The Beacon/Haley Katona This delicious and refreshing cocktail will surely become your new favorite drink. Emily Cherkauskas, Editor-in-Chief: Zara Lantzman, Opinion Asst. Editor: Ptolemaea - Ethel Cain Alone - Kim Petras, Nicki Minaj Morgan Rich, Managing Editor: The Great War - Taylor Swift Baylee Guedes, Sports Editor: Maddy Kinard, News Editor: Reggae Show - Elephants Dancing Billie Toppy - Men I Trust David Marks, Designer: Amanda Montgomery, News Asst. Editor: TSLAMP - MGMT Old Money - Lana Del Rey Maggie Murphy, Designer: Jordan Daniel, LA&E Editor: Daylight - David Kushner doomsday - Lizzy McAlpine Laury Angeles, LA&E Photographer & Staff Writer: Tempo - EXO Sydney Allabaugh, Opinion Asst. Editor: HARP + PONY - Frost Children Lara Mullen, Designer: Jackie Down The Line - Fontaines D.C. Elizabeth Cherinka, Social Media Manager/Staff Writer British Bombs - Declan McKenna �The Beacon – April 26, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 9 Sordoni Art Gallery hosts two relaxing sound bath sessions By Bailey DeJesus Contributing Writer The Sordoni Art Gallery recently held two sound baths led by Michelle Smith and Lorraine Elick. Sound baths have gained popularity over the years, especially as yoga, pilates and meditation practices have grown. Those that find meditation and yoga appealing to enjoyed this event as it is a perfect way to spend an afternoon. The Sound Bath fit with the theme of the current exhibition, artist John Paul Caponigro’s “Landscapes Within Landscapes.” So, what is a sound bath? The practice of the sound bath has its roots in East Asian cultural rituals, but has been changed and brought to the masses attention by this recent turn to holistic medication and living. A sound bath is a time where one can meditate or do yoga while listening to a loud, monotonous, soothing tone that is often played out of singing bowls. A sound bath has been found to potentially treat medical conditions and greatly relieve stress. According to Medical News Today, a sound bath can be described as a “full body meditative experience where people lie down and listen to resonant sounds.” Relaxing practices like sound baths are even shown to help the practitioners with processing their emotions, lowering their heart rate, reducing negative moods and even lowering anxiety. When one becomes involved in a sound bath, normally a yoga mat and comfortable attire is needed. Singing bowls are used so that calming tones can help one achieve peace and self reflection. Different areas and cultures have their own twists on this practice. It can vary in the sounds they use, the tools or even what one does during the bath. Through Western and New Age spiritualism, a widespread practice is now being formed. With the school year quickly coming to a close, stress levels are higher than ever before. All that anxiety, stress and negativity will be able to be treated at this event where students and faculty can take part in a relaxing end of year activity. Plus, the gallery’s current exhibition showcases gorgeous photos of the natural world from glaciers to landscapes with the artist’s own manipulations then added to the pictures. People tend to find peace by looking at Caponigro’s works. “Landscapes exhibition was the perfect setting for something like a sound bath,” said Melissa Carestia, assistant director of Sordoni Art Gallery. “Viewing the art while listening to the singing bowls is a very interesting experience and I highly recommend it.” Moreover, “The Art of Om” is actually a series that the gallery is looking to bring back around, having started it before COVID-19. “[This was] an offering we began pre-pandemic at the gallery for people to practice yoga within our gallery space surrounded by art,” said Heather Sincavage, director of Sordoni Art Gallery. “We intend to do more events like this and build on the series.” With the first two Sound Baths being such a success, it is certain the campus community is looking forward to another fun and successful meditation experience. “The vibrational energy was unlike anything I have ever experienced before,” said McKenna Dolan, senior digital design and media arts major. “The sound bath was transformative for me. I loved how the bowls connected to my body physically, yet spiritually.” Note: Until further notice, all visits to the Sordoni Art Gallery are appointment only. Photos courtesy of McKenna Dolan Michelle Smith guided attendants through yoga poses and breathing practices. Singing bowls were used during the sound bath, offering soothing rhythm. �The Beacon - April 26, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 Meet the Majors This week’s major: Communication Studies Every week, The Beacon will offer a chance for majors to be placed in the spotlight. Each student who is chosen will have a few words Jordan Daniel to express why they chose the major and how they feel it will benefit Life, Arts & Entertainment them in the future. Interviews and photos by Editor Zach Paraway Senior Erin Kowalski Junior “My favorite class so far has been Advanced PR with Dr. Churcher. It was my favorite because the class allowed us to go out and find a nonprofit that we wanted to work with and help them with any PR needs throughout the semester. I was able to run social media and plan a fundraising event with Making Music Matter for Kids in Clarks Summit, and it was such an amazing opportunity and I learned so much from the experience.” “My favorite aspect has to be the hands-on experience. I am someone who has done a little in almost every co-curricular and I always enjoy gaining experience and learning from people that are going through the same path as me. I chose this major on a whim to be honest. When I first chose Wilkes I wanted to be an engineer. As I looked more into the school, I saw the comm department and how lively it was. I had to join and see how it was and the decision has been great.” The Beacon/Jordan Daniel Stephen Youkoski Sophomore “My favorite aspect of the major is the vast amount of opportunities it presents. The co-curriculars add a lot to my overall experience in the department. This upcoming year, I am looking forward to taking on new roles in my co-curriculars. I will be the sports director for WCLH and the assistant director for Zebra Communications.” Caroline Nolen Junior “This year I am mainly looking forward to my summer internship at WBRE where I will work as a television production intern. This will allow me to expand my skill set I have built thus far in communication studies. After I graduate I hope to join the film industry and help create the magic we see on the screen.” �The Beacon - April 26, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment End of Semester Sudoku ���������������������������������� ����������� �� Challenge your brain with some sudoku! How to play: Fill in the missing words. Each row should have 6 different words, no repeats. Each column should have 6 different words, no repeats. Each 2x2 quadrant should have 6 words, no repeats. Answer Key: Credit for these puzzles goes to: www.edu-games.org Compiled by Morgan Rich, Managing Editor 11 �Senior Sendoff Communication Studies & English Minor in Workplace Writing “After the kind words from (the editor-inchief at the time) and the other senior staff members I knew this is where I am meant to be.” I will always cherish my time at The Beacon fondly. Looking back at the timid and shy first-year student I was, I never thought I would be editor-in-chief of The Beacon for two years. When I showed up to the first meeting back when I had just started my college student life, I was welcomed to learn and grow my journalistic skills. Regardless of my position and where I bounced around and up the paper, it was the people around me—fellow staff, professors, friends and family—who grew my confidence and skills with their encouragement. Thank you to everyone who trained and taught me along the way—without you all, I would not be the person I am today. Writing and communication are two of the most important skills to learn, regardless of your major or future career path. Being a member of The Beacon has allowed me to not just enhance those skills, but I also had the opportunity to just be creative and open my horizons to so many potential fields! Whatever your interests are, I encourage you all to join The Beacon! The work pays off. I’ve been on The Beacon staff ever since I was a little first-year student and I’ve loved it ever since. I’ll never forget when the editor-in-chief at the time gave me a shout out at one of my first meetings about my Shakespeare on the River story. I was so nervous to cover this because it was an off-campus event, which typically did not get covered so it was especially rare for a first-year to do so. After the kind words from her and the other senior staff members I knew this is where I am meant to be. Then, as I became a section editor I tried to make my writers feel the way I felt in that moment four years ago. I wanted to encourage them and make them believe they’re talented enough to do anything. So with that being said, if you’re thinking of joining The Beacon don’t hesitate, just try it out and always have fun with it! �Senior Sendoff I have been on staff for three years now and I can not believe it has come to an end. The Beacon has become a very important part of my life. It has been something that I have been able to enjoy and pursue all of my creative abilities in. I have gotten to finetune my writing, editing, photography, graphic design and interviewing skills throughout the years with a great team around me. While there were bumps along the way, we always figured out a way to produce content for the Wilkes community. The sports section will always be dear to my heart as I put my all into it. I will very much so miss being the Sports Editor, but I can not wait to see where life takes me and how I can apply what I have learned at the Beacon in my future career. “The Beacon has been an important part of my undergraduate career...” I have been a part of The Beacon since freshman year when my wonderful e-Mentor, Sarah Matarella, encouraged all of her mentees to join. I started writing LA&E and I’ll never forget one of the first events I covered, a visiting poet, which encouraged me to pick up my second major, English, and get more involved on campus. The Beacon has been an important part of my undergraduate career, as it has helped me further develop an objective, journalistic tone, and has brought me out of my comfort zone (I used to be petrified to conduct interviews and ask attendees for quotes at events…). Furthermore, I’ve been surrounded by a lot of great people who have taught me everything I know about news (shoutout to Genny Frederick!) and I’m thankful this paper brought us together even for a short period of time. News has become a second part of me over the past two years and as sad as I am to let it go, I’m excited to see the ways it will continue to transform in years to come. Write for news! Centerspread design by Lara Mullen Digital Design and Media Arts Minors in Marketing and Studio Art “...I joined a group of amazing, creative people.” I have been a part of The Beacon since the beginning of last semester and even though it was short, I love that I joined a group of amazing, creative people. I was able to utilize my graphic design skills to help contribute to Wilkes University. Which developed my skill set more for my major while having fun with it at the same time. My favorite article was probably the Taylor Swift article because it was a very popular topic. I do not have a concrete “adult life plan” but I will either take a deserved break or apply for jobs in the area. The one thing I would say is get out of your comfort zone and try new things, this is the next chapter of your life, make the most of it. You might find your best friends and make the best memories while doing something you have an interest in. �The Beacon - April 26, 2023 Opinion Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact the assistant opinion editors: Sydney.Allabaugh@wilkes.edu or Zara.Lantzman@wilkes.edu Editorial Staff 2022-23 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Emily Cherkauskas Managing Editor - Morgan Rich Social Media Manager - Liz Cherinka Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Maddy Kinard LA&E - Jordan Daniel Opinion - OPEN Sports - Baylee Guedes Assistant Editors News - Amanda Montgomery Opinion - Sydney Allabaugh Opinion - Zara Lantzman DESIGNERS Desiger - David Marks Designer - Maggie Murphy Designer - Lara Mullen Photographer - Laury Angeles Section Staff Writers Sports - Adam Grundt Want to join The Beacon? Several positions are open! Contact : Kalen.Churcher@wilkes.edu 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 Churchert at kalen.churcher@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. Spring is an underrated and beautiful season Springtime is one of the most beautiful times of the year and often underappreciated. There are many nice things to see and to do during this season, so here are some reasons as to why everyone should appreciate it more. First, spring marks the end of winter, when nature becomes alive again. As people begin to defrost from the frigid winter temperatures, birds are back to singing in the morning, tiny critters are roaming around in the grass and flowers are in full bloom. Although the spring brings about allergies for some people, it usually lasts a short while, especially if they take their allergy medications. However, “spring fever” is real and can last for the whole season. The best remedy for such a fever is to just relax and ride it out. Also, since spring allows for more sunny days in comparison to winter and its harsh conditions, feeling the sun on our faces not only feels good physically but has many health benefits. The sun helps people produce vitamin D in their bodies, improves sleep patterns and produces serotonin in the brain, which boosts people’s emotional well-being. Enjoy the sun, but never forget to wear sunscreen. During the spring season there is so much that people can get back to doing and specifically outside due to the warm weather. People can go for long walks, bike around their neighborhood, go for a picnic with friends or get back to tending their yards and gardens. Even though springtime is a time for rebirth in nature, people can do a little bit of rebirth and refreshing in their homes with some spring cleaning. This has become an annual ritual for some people in their households and typically involves cleaning out closets, donating unwanted items and cleaning and organizing the entire home. Most people always talk about how they cannot wait for the summer when they are bearing the brutal winter season, despite the fact that spring comes directly after winter. Thus, some argue that summer is superior to spring, whereas others argue spring is superior to summer. Spring can be seen as being a better season than the summer because of the big difference in temperatures between both seasons. While spring begins to warm up the outside, summer heats it up. Like the phrase goes “April showers bring May flowers.” Rain might occur frequently during springtime, allowing for more temperate days, whereas in the summer, it is blazing hot and constantly dry, making an average person break out in a sweat while doing simple tasks. Lastly, spring is so great because of an important day a majority of the world celebrates annually on April 22, which is Earth Day. According to National Geographic, “Earth Day is an annual celebration that honors the achievements of the environmental movement and raises awareness of the need to protect Earth’s natural resources for future generations.” Not only is this season a great reminder of how beautiful our planet is with all the trees, plants and flowers blossoming into full bloom and the animals returning to their normal activities post-hibernation, but it is also a reminder that all of us humans need to do our part in protecting what is left of our beautiful planet earth. Spring is a pretty season that only occurs for a short couple of months during the year. Therefore, we should not take it for granted and instead show this beautiful season more love than most of us do now. 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: Emily.Cherkauskas@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 26, 2023 Opinion Football, lacrosse, field hockey, and… Rocket League? 15 Thoughts on Wilkes’ upcoming esports team By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer ��������� ������ ������� �������� ��� �� ��� ��������������������� ������� ������������� ��������� ���� �� ������� ��� �� ���� ��� ��� ������� �� ������� ���� ��������������������������� ��������� ��� �� ��������� ������ � ����� ��� �������� ��� ��� ��� ��� ��� ��� ��� � ����������� ��� �������� �� �������� ����� � ��� ������� ���� ������� �� ��� ��� ������ �������� �� ��������� ��� �������� � ��� ��� ��� ��� �� ��� ��������� ������  ��� � ���­������� �� �� € ��� ������������������ ��������������� ������������� ����‚� ����� ������� �‚�����������ƒ ��� ���„��� ���� ��� �� ������� ������� ����������� ���� ��� � ��� ��� ����� ���� �� �������� � ��� ���������������������� ������ …���� � �� � �� ��� ����� ���� ����� �� �� �������� ��� ������ �� ��������� ������� ����� ������ � ����� �� ����� � ���� ����������������� �������� ��� �� � �� ���� �������� ���� �������� �� � ��� ������������� �� ����� ���� ����� � ����� ��� ��� �����‚�� ��� ������ �������������� ������� ������������ ���� ���� ��������� �������� �� ��� � � �� �������� ����� � ������� ���� ��� ������� �� �� ������ ��� � �� ��� ����� ������������ �� ������� ��� � ����� ����†������‡� �������� �� �� ‡� ��� ��� ‡������� ��� ����� � � � ���� ��� � �� ˆ���������� �� …������� � ���� ������� ��� �� ������ � ��� ��� � � �� �� ������  � ���� ������ �������� ����� � ��� � �� ������� �� ��� � ���� ���� �� ����� � ��� �� �� ��� � �� ���� � ������ �������� ����� ������ ����������������� ��� ����� ‰� �� ������� Š��������� � � � ‹� ��� �� ��� ��� ‹�� ­����� ����� � �� � ��� ��� �������� ��������� �� ��� � �� ������ ���� ��� � �� � ��� ��� ������ ��� ���� ��� �� � ���� ��� ��� ��� �� ��� �������� � �� ����� ����� �� ��� �������� �� �� ��� ������ ������ ��� �� ������� ��� ������ ��� ��� ���� ��� �� ��� �� „��� ���� Œ…������� ��� � …������Ž� ������ ��� � �� „�‰ ��� �� ������ ������� ���������� ��� � �� �������� �������� � ���� ��� ������ ��� �� ‘’� ��� � � ��… � ���������������ˆ��������� � ‡������ ��� ��� „���� � ���� ��� ������� � ���‚���� � �� �� ��� ��� ���� �� ����� �� � �� ������������������������������ ���������� �� �� …������ ���� � �� � �‚ ��������� �� ����� ����� � ���� ��� � ��� �� ���‚��� ���� ����� ����� ���������� ������������� ����� ‚ ���� ­�� � �� ����� ����� �� �� �� ��� � �� ����� ������� ����� �� ����� ���� � �� ����� �� € �� ƒ ��� ��� „��� � �� ����� ���� ������� ��������� ��� � � �� ��� ����� ��� � �� �������� �� � ���� ��� � ���� �� ��� ��� ���� ““���� ��� ���� �� ��� ������ � ��� �� �������� �������� ����� � ���� ����� ����������� ˆ���������� � ���� � ��� ����� ��� � ��� ���� ��� ������������� ���  ���� ��� � ��� �� ���� �������� ��� Photo Courtesy of Morgan Steiner � �������� ������ ����� ����� ������ � �� � ��� �� ������ ”��� ��� ��� Sophomore Ayden Clisham practices his Overwatch skills at the Evening � �������� ��� ����� ��������� with Esports Event. The end of the semester horrors: finals, papers and stress By Zara Lantzman Asst. Opinion Editor ��������� �������� ���� ���� € �� ���� ��� � �� �� ������� ���������� …��������� …�� ������ Š�� ���� ­ ������ ­������ ������� € �� ��� ���� ����� ���”����� € �� ��� ��� � ����� ��� � �� � ��� � �������� ����������������������������� ��� � �� �����‚��� ����� ���� ����������� � ������� ��� ��� ���� ����� � �� ����� ��� � ��� ��� ���� € ����������� �� ������ ������������� ��� ����� ��� ��������� ���� �������������� ����� ��� ����� ������ ��� �� ������� ��� �� ���������� � ������������ �������� ��� �������� � ���� ��� ��‚������ �� ���������� ��� �� � ���� ����� �������� ��� � ����� ��� � �� � ��� � ����� � ��� ��� ��� � � � � �� ��� ������ ������ ���� � ����� ��� ��� � �� ����� ����� ����� ���� ��� ���� �� ��� ��� ���� �������� ���� ����������� ���� �� �� ����� ������� ������ �� ����� �� �������������� ���� ��� ��� � �� ��������� �������� ��� ���� ����������� ������� € �� ����������� ����� ��� ����� � ������ � ��������������� ������� ��� ��������� � ���� �������€ ���������������� �� ����� � ����� ������ ���� ������� ����������� � �� ��� � �� ��� ��������� ����� ����� � ������ ��� ���� ���ˆ������� �� �� ���� ����������������� �� � ��� ���� �� ��� ����� ������� �� ������ ��� �� ��� ���� � ����� ��� ��� ��� ������ ‹•�� € �� ����������� � �� ���� �� ��� ��� ��� � � � � �� ��� ��� ���� ������� ��������� ��� ��� ���� „��� �� � �� � ���� � ���� � ��� ����� ��� � � �� ����� �� � �� ���� ��� � �� �� ������� ��� ����� ��� ����� �� ��� €�� ��� � ��� �� ���� � �� ���� ��� ���� �� ������ �� ������ ��� ��� ��� �� �� ��� �� ��������� �� ��� “���� ���� ����� ��� ���� �� ����������� ��� ����������� ��� � ��� ���� ������ �� ����� ����� ��� �� ������� � ��� �� ��� � �� �� ��� �� ����� �� ���������� ������ �� ”��� ���� ��� ������� � ����� �� ���� �� ��� ��� ”��� �� ���� Š���� ���� �� �� � ���������� � ���� �������� � ���  ������� �� ���� �������� ������� �� ����� � ���� ��� �� �� � ����� ��� � �� ��� ��� ��� ������������ ��� ����� € ��� � ��� �� � �� � �� ��� �� � ���� ���������� ��������� � �� ���� �� �� ��� ������ �� ����� ������� ������� ���� ��� � ������ ��� ��� ����� � ����� � �� ��� ������ ���� � �� � ����� �� ���� ‡�� �� � � ����� ��� � ��� ����� ����� ��� ���� ���� € �� � �� ��� � �� ����� ��� ���� �� �� �� ���� ‡������ ��� �� �� ���� ���� ���� � �� ����� � � � ��� ������ ����� ��� �������� ������� �� ���� „���� ����� ��� ��� ��� ��� ���� ��� � ��� � �� ����� �������� ��� ��� � ��� �� ����� ������ �� ��� ��� � ���� ��� ��� ��� � �� ������  ��� ��� ��� � ��� ��� ������� �� ��� ��� ����� � �� �� �� ���� ���� � �� � �� ��� ����� ��� ��� ��� ����� �� � �� ���� ��� � �� �� ������� � ���� ����� �� � � ������ ��� � ��  �� ����� �� � �� ���� ��� � �� �� ������� �� � ���� ��� ��� ��� ����� � ���� ����� � ��� ��� �� ����� € �� �� � ��� ��� ��������� � ����€����� ������������������� �� � ���� �������� ���� �� € ����� ������ ��������� ���� ��� ���� � ��� � �� ���� ��� � ���� �������� ���������������� ������ � ����”��� ������������� ��� € �� ���� ��� � �� �� ������ ��� �� ���� ��� ��� ��� ���� �� ��� ���� ���� ��� �� �� ��� �� ������ �The Beacon - April 26, 2023 Opinion 16 Artifical intelligence in the music industry: Friend or foe? Exploring the implications of “Heart on My Sleeve” By Sydney Allabaugh Asst. Opinion Editor On first listen, the new viral song “Heart on My Sleeve” sounds like a collaboration between artists Drake and The Weeknd. However, artist Ghostwriter actually created the vocals with AI. Ghostwriter claims that he was a ghost writer for years but hardly made any profits under unfair labels. Using Drake’s voice allowed his writing and production to get the recognition he feels he deserves. When fans mistakenly believed the song was Drake’s, one may question how AI will impact the future of music. Although some feel AI poses a threat to artistry as we know it, I see AI as a tool to help artists rather than to replace them. I understand why some are worried. This song is similar enough to Drake’s authentic work to provoke the fear in artists and labels that they can be easily replaced and emulated. Some even speculated that Drake and The Weeknd created the song and used this narrative as an advertising stunt. This seems to not be the case, however. Within a few days of this song circulating the Internet and attracting millions of listeners, record label Universal Music Group has demanded the song be pulled from streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and even TikTok. Some speculate UMC will take legal action. In a statement to Fox News Digital, UMG said “Heart on My Sleeve” was “infringing content created with generative AI.” Some Drake fans, however, claim this song is overhyped and not comparable to his authentic music. Others argue that The Weeknd’s feature on this track is not as accurate sounding as compared to Drake’s. Still, however, this song’s ability to create enough fear and concern within UMC means it is imposing threats to and shaking up the industry. When this song had already been streamed more than 18 million times across Twitter and TikTok within 48 hours and 600,000 times on Spotify throughout the mere few days it was on the app, it became obvious that many fans of Drake’s music are more loyal to his sound than to him as an artist. Some listeners on TikTok are even claiming, “We don’t need celebrities anymore.” Although I initially felt nervous that this implies a future of human-less music, I believe that most are giving AI more credit than it necessarily deserves. Current AI is nothing without human input. In this circumstance, the only thing that makes this song an “AI song” is that AI was used to make the vocals sound like Drake and The Weeknd. Ghostwriter likely wrote, produced and recorded the track. For this reason, I feel that AI is a tool rather than a threat. AI cannot yet create original music and art with such precision in the way a human can. It can, however, make tedious tasks easier or elevate the piece in a way that is not possible without it. In animation, it can help automate the creative process. In writing, it can help authors develop story ideas. In traditional art, it can provide references and help with colorization. In music, it can allow artists to use instruments they may not know how to play, or in Ghostwriter’s case, use a voice that he does not have. Further, AI software allowed Ghostwriter to make an artistic statement about how the music industry has been unfair to him and so many other smaller, underpaid artists, and whether he intended this or not, he made a statement about how inauthentic and profit-driven the modern music industry has become. Ghostwriter was able to accurately create a song that sounds like it was created by one of the most popular artists in the industry simply by using a basic piano loop over 808s and throwing the lackluster vocals he recorded into an AI. The fact that this formula is so easy to replicate and reproduce suggests that perhaps AI is not the monster making music superficial, but rather, humans are the ones already doing so. Going forward, I think there is no denying that AI will become an integral part of the industry, no matter how much labels, consumers, or even artists try to reject it. According to Fox News Digital, UMC claims they are beginning to use AI to assist in music creation. Although I think a future of music creation using AI is inevitable and revolutionary, it is important to consider the ethics of AI use in music. I do not necessarily believe that an unknown artist like Ghostwriter ripping off an artist as rich and established as Drake is unethical. However, I do worry that AI can potentially allow for larger artists and labels to more easily rip off smaller less established artists. Further, I fear that AI will be used to continue to profit off dead musicians. Labels already profit from dead artists like XXXTentacion and Juice WRLD by releasing music from their vaults. With AI, they may potentially have unlimited content to post and unlimited money to make by exploiting their names and legacies. Although there are potential ethical issues using AI softwares to create music, I still believe it to be a positive tool rather than a threat. “Heart on My Sleeve” would be nothing without the human input and vision from Ghostwriter. Throughout the years, the music industry has learned to embrace new technology as it arises, which has allowed for innovative and unique music creation. AI will be no different. Eventually, we will learn to use it to our advantage. AI has already disrupted the industry and will Graphic by Sydney Allabaugh �The Beacon - April 26, 2023 Opinion 17 Community college is important and life-changing By Lauren Gardner Contributing Writer Why people look negatively upon community college is something that I will never understand. Yes, school is essential, but it is also essential to understand that not everyone takes the same path in life and that each student’s academic career is different and does not always look the same. From personal experience, my journey was much different than everyone else’s. I started at Luzerne County Community College (LCCC) and it was by far, the best decision I ever made in my life. After I graduated high school, I was unsure of what I wanted to do with my life. I felt lost, alone and confused because a lot of my classmates and friends were off to big four-year universities, and I was admittedly embarrassed because I was enrolled at the local community college instead. I was reluctant to tell people where I went to school at first because I did not want them to think differently of me. I did not want people to think I wasn’t smart or capable of handling a traditional four-year university, but looking back now, I am very happy I enrolled at community college instead. I met so many new people from all walks of life and of all ages and made some amazing memories and lifelong friends along the way. In my English composition class, I befriended a girl named Niashia. We always shared laughs throughout the class and got along well with each other. For our class, we had to write about a personal experience that shaped who we are and some shared with the class. My friend shared hers. She wrote about how her best friend was murdered in high school and left a young daughter behind. I honestly cannot even recall what I wrote because I was so moved by how she wrote about her experience. From that point, I knew that not everyone had the same experiences in life, and that experience changed how I looked at others and made me gain empathy and understanding for everyone I met because you never know what is weighing on someone’s mind. After the first year at LCCC and changing my major, I found my calling: communications. Community college allowed me to choose so many different options, which were surprising to me because I was not aware that LCCC had so many different career options. This Assistant Opinion Editors: Sydney Allabaugh and Zara Lantzman led me to the Advanced Technology Center where communication, digital design, audio production and automotive technology classes were held. In my communication classes, the students all shared a sense of comradery, and the professors were all on a first name basis and taught me so many valuable life skills not just relating to communication. After graduating with my associate’s degree and transferred to Wilkes, it was extremely challenging. I wondered if I had made a mistake coming here as it was such a difficult adjustment to life here. The classes at Wilkes are high in quality but I will admit, the course load was much heavier than I expected. How did I go from knowing everyone at school to knowing no one? I again felt really isolated and confused. I was wondering if I made the wrong decision coming here. I will admit, I got lost on my first day and could not find the entrance to the library where my first class, principles of communications, was held. I was not assigned an e-mentor so I was (still) confused about how things exactly worked here. The communication studies classes were much more different than the ones that I was used to. I felt like my world was suddenly flipped over. But once I made friends and found my group of people, I really started to feel like myself again. In fact, I used the valuable life skills and advice my former professors gave to me. Once I began my communication classes here, I started to feel slightly less uncomfortable. I then learned that a lot of the classes I took at LCCC were ones that my friends still had to take. I even learned some things that were not a requirement for the communication studies curriculum here but I felt really personally improved my academic career. As my final semester comes to a close, I am proud to say that community college prepared me for Wilkes, and I would not be who I am today if I did not take the route and listened to everyone else who told me to go to a big university right out of high school. My advice to everyone is this: don’t listen to everyone else’s opinion with what you do because it may hinder unknown opportunities and potential memories. I am proud to say that I am a Luzerne County Community College graduate, and I cannot wait until I say that I am a proud Wilkes University graduate. �The Beacon - April 26, 2023 SUMMER is a great time to lighten your course load for next year or catch up on missed classes. And with start dates in May, June or July, classes conveniently fit your summer plans. 18 THREE-WEEK PRESESSION May 22 to June 9 FULL SESSION May 22 to Aug. 18 FIRST SESSION June 12 to July 14 NINE-WEEK SESSION June 12 to Aug. 15 Make an appointment with your advisor and visit wilkes.edu/summer. SECOND SESSION July 17 to Aug. 18 Wilkes University is an equal opportunity institution. For information on the University’s Policy on Non-Discrimination, visit www.wilkes.edu/nondiscrimination. �The Beacon - April 26, 2023 Sports Sports 19 Spring semester athletics regular-season coming to a close By Baylee Guedes Sports Editor The Spring 2023 athletics regularseason gameplay is ending this week. The Colonels will host two home matchups and have five away events: Baseball will host FDU-Florham for their senior day festivities at Bruggeworth Field in Edwardsville at 3:30 p.m. on Friday. The senior class consists of AJ Brosious, Aiden Velez, Max Alessi, Alexis Velez, Peyton Schuck, Jonathan Martens, Darren Kerdesky, Sawyer Kemp, Jason Spezzaferra and Jack Gordon. Tony Molitoris will be in his last regular season home game of his graduate student season. They will finish their season out on Saturday at FDU. Women's lacrosse will host King's College at Schmidt Stadium for senior day at 1 p.m. in Edwardsville on Saturday. The senior class includes Bianka Melendez, Devon Donley, Brooklyn Pedana and Abby Miller. Men's lacrosse will play at King's starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday. This game will be the final game of the season for the Colonels as their record did not grant them entrance into the post-season. Softball looks to pick up another set of wins heading into their last doubleheader of the season at Stevens University on Saturday. The Colonels’ post-season ranking and game times will be announced soon. Rounding out the spring semester, the women's golf will compete in the twoday MAC Golf Championships event on Saturday and Sunday. The Colonels will travel to the Golden Oaks Golf Club in Berks County in hopes to pick up some accolades. It was also announced that the women's tennis team clinched a MAC Freedom Women's Tennis Tournament berth. Be sure to check www.GoWilkesU.com for post-season game times and locations. Graphic/Baylee Guedes Graphic by Baylee Guedes �The Beacon - April 26, 2023 Sports 20 MLB: Phillies dawdle following National League Pennant By Adam Grundt Sports Writer The Philadelphia Phillies have started their season with a record of 8-11 after coming off one of their greatest seasons in franchise history in 2022. The Phillies reached the World Series last season after beating the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, and San Diego Padres, giving them their first National League pennant since 2009. They were defeated in six games by the Houston Astros in the World Series. In the offseason, the Phillies made a few key additions to their team with splashes in free agency. They signed shortstop Trea Turner to an 11-year - $300 million contract. In addition to this major signing, the Phillies also signed pitchers Taijuan Walker and Craig Kimbrel to help boost their already stellar bullpen and rotation. The Phillies fell victim to a few injuries in the offseason and during Spring Training. Superstar outfielder, Bryce Harper, had Tommy John Surgery, which repaired the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow. In addition to this massive blow, first baseman and fan-favorite, Rhys Hoskins, tore his ACL during a spring training game, an injury that requires season-ending surgery. In the last year of his current contract, he could potentially never suit up for the Phillies again. Harper, however, is hoping to speed up his recovery time by learning the position of first base, replacing Hoskins. The Phillies return the majority of their National League Championship-winning team from last year. Their rotation is anchored by Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler and their bullpen remains stellar because of players like Jose Alvarado and Seranthony Dominguez. Their infield remains young but promising with Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott, Turner and Darick Hall rounding it out. The outfield is where the power hitters on the team play: Kyle Schwarber, who led the National League in home runs last season is aligned with Brandon Marsh and Nick Castellanos, who are also capable of hitting the ball out of the yard. Phillies fans worldwide are very optimistic about this year’s team despite the rough start. Putting some elite-level players in an already scary lineup makes the Phillies a dangerous team in the National League East division. The team certainly has a chance to repeat as National League champions in 2023. Graphic/Baylee Guedes Philadelphia Phillies Road to the World Series The Beacon is looking for sports writers for the Fall 2023 semester If you are interested in sports writing, editing, photography or graphics contact Dr. Kalen Churcher at kalen.churcher@wilkes.edu Multiple positions are open! �The Beacon - April 26, 2023 Sports 21 NHL: Hughes brothers careers are intertwined once again By Julia Mazur Contributing writer The Hughes brothers are one of the latest recognizable and talented sets of brothers in the National Hockey League (NHL). The brothers, Quinn, Jack and Luke, each have a generational amount of talent. The Hughes grew up constantly playing against one another, pushing each other to be the best they could be. The brothers played for the National Team Development Program (NTDP) as Under 17 and Under 18 players at different times. Each Hughes brother also played in the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Under 17 and Under 18 World Junior Championships. Quinn was drafted to the NHL in 2018 as the 7th overall pick, Jack followed in his brother’s footsteps as he was drafted in 2019, but as the 1st overall pick. Finally, in 2021, Luke was drafted 4th overall. Quinn was drafted to the Vancouver Canucks while both Jack and Luke were drafted to the New Jersey Devils in their respective draft years. After being drafted, Quinn went on to play at Michigan University for the NCAA D1 Wolverines. As the first overall pick, Jack skipped college and went straight to the show. Luke, however, decided to take the same approach as Quinn and play college hockey at Michigan. In Jack’s NHL debut (2019), he finally scored his first NHL goal in the Devil’s eighth game of the season. The goal came on the power-play in the first period and was the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win. Coincidentally, the game was played against the Canucks, the first game in which Jack and older brother Quinn would play against each other at the National level. With the Michigan season coming to an end at the Frozen 4 in Tampa Bay, the youngest Hughes brother set out to join his brother Jack in New Jersey. Devils fans had been on the edge of their seats since Luke was drafted in anticipation of the day the two brothers would be reunited. Luke made his NHL debut in the Devils’ last regular-season home game 6-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres. In the same game, Jack broke the Devils franchise record for most points scored in a season with 99 points in 82 regularseason games. The Devils played their last regularseason game against the Washington Capitals. The game was a close battle and went into overtime tied 4-4. In overtime, Jack and Luke ended up out on the same shift which led to magic straight out of a movie. In just his second NHL game, Luke scored the season finale game-winning overtime goal which just happened to get an assist from his older brother Jack. With that win, the Devils also set a franchise record of 52 wins, the most they have ever had in a season. The Hughes have all had their careers intertwined throughout their entire lives which has brought them all to the biggest stage you can play hockey in. With Luke just starting his career, it is an exciting time to be a hockey fan and have the privilege to watch the Hughes brothers in the NHL. Fans of the Hughes brothers eagerly await the 2023-24 season schedule to find out when all three brothers will play in the same NHL game together. There is no doubt each of these players will be record breakers in their respective careers, wherever it may take them. Graphic/Baylee Guedes IIHF: USA Wins the World Women’s Hockey Championship By Julia Mazur Contributing writer The 2023 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Women’s World Hockey Championship (WWHC) was won by Team United States of America 6-3 over Team Canada. The tournament was held this year at the CAA Centre in Brampton, Ontario, Canada with gameplay beginning on April 5 and concluding on April 23 with the gold medal championship game. Team USA reigned victorious in the tournament this year, yet again led by team captain Hillary Knight, who was named as the gold medal game MVP. Knight scored three goals in the victory over team Canada with her 100th point as the go-ahead goal. Her second and third goals of the game were scored less than 30 seconds apart from each other. Knight was also the first player in Women’s Worlds History to have 100 points, an achievement sure to help break glass ceilings for younger up-and-coming players. The Championship game was certainly nothing less than exciting. It was anyone’s game with a 3-3 tie going into the third period. Team USA was able to come out with a vengeance in the third period, scoring three goals to break the tie early on in the third. Team USA only had one loss in this tournament which was an overtime loss, ironically to Team Canada in the preliminary round. Team Canada won gold in the past two tournaments in both 2021 and 2022. Team USA had won the previous tournament in 2019. The tournament was canceled in 2020 due to the global COVID pandemic. To put in perspective just how much Team USA has dominated this tournament throughout the years, the team has made it to the gold medal final every year the tournament was held, a total of 22 gold medal games. They have won a gold medal 10 total times including this year. Team Canada has also placed in a medal position at all 22 of the IIHF WWHC tournaments that have been held and have faced Team USA in the gold medal game in every tournament, with the exception of 2019. One of the biggest statistics to look at from Team USA is their all-time record of 98 wins, eight losses in overtime, 10 total losses, and two tie games in a total of 118 games. Team USA has also outscored their opponents 761-175 all-time. Team USA has been an unbelievable force to be reckoned with through the existence of the tournament thanks to the unbelievable talent of women’s hockey that the USA has. This team proves to many young girls that anything is possible and there is a bright future for women in hockey. Graphic/Baylee Guedes �The Beacon - April 26, 2023 Sports 22 �The Beacon - April 26, 2023 Sports 23 �The Beacon - April 26, 2023 Door’s open! ���������������������������������������� � ���������� ���� ��� ��������� ��������� ����������� �������������������� ������������ ����������� ��������� ����� �������� ���� ��������� ������� ������������ ������������������� �� ��������� ������ ������ �������� ���������� Contact: ���������������� �������� �������������� � ���� �� ��������� ������������������� 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 <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 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>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> 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. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre 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 Wilkes Beacon, 2023 April 26 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wilkes University retains copyright of this publication. https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/d5a6094b5da85169f96101755208fdca.pdf 51cb9f904b004c152ccdd09fa7973ff9 PDF Text Text The Beacon - March 29, 2023 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 75, Issue 15 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” Residential Life hosts an educational sex bingo On March 21, Residential Assistance came together to host its first Res Life Sex Bingo. This Bingo consisted of educating the greater campus about sexual education and safety. The resident assistants taught students about vital safe sex education, consent, protection, health issues and diseases, reproductive care and safety measures when dating. There were around 180 students in attendance and five students walked away that night with prizes. For the full story, see pages 12-13. The Beacon/Kellie Scott Participants learned about sex-related issues through the use of Bingo. Explore Spain during global coffee hour with Ian Dewar, page 5 Brand new exhibition opens at Sordoni Art Gallery, page 7 1 Why drag cannot “Sashay Away” from the United States, page 16 FH: Ashley Irwin making strides as new field hockey coach, page 19 �The Beacon - March 29, 2023 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Maddy Kinard: Madelynn.Kinard@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: March 22 weekly meeting By Kellie Scott Staff Writer Student Government held another weekly meeting, consisting of club reports, conversations regarding campus and fund requests. Capital Projects presented week 1 of 2 fund request for new volleyball nets in the MAC. The current nets in the MAC are old, falling apart and are difficult to use. The nets get used about three times a week by students and clubs. Capital projects is asking for $2,066.95 to replace the current net for a new one. Next, SG had two special guests, Dr. David Ward and Vice President Dr. Mark Allen. Both Ward and Allen spoke to SG to hear their thoughts on how they can help change the campus community, as well as ways to bring both the student life and academics together. Their goal is to improve student success and to make student life better, both academically and socially. The Kappa Psi fraternity then returned for their week 2 of 2 fund request. They are asking for $3,061.74 to help fund a trip to attend two different p h a r m a c y conferences. This funding would help pay for tickets and hotel rooms for members. SG allocated the full amount. Next, the Pre-Pharmacy club presented their week 1 of 2 fund request. The PrePharmacy club is asking for $2,280.00 to help fund a trip to Philadelphia. During this trip, they would be visiting many different m u s e u m s where they would be able to see different exhibits such as human development, d i f f e r e n t diseases and even one looking at skin development. SG will vote on the funds at next week's meeting. Next for week 2 of 2 was the fund request for the Big Event. The Big event is a campus-wide community service event that happens annually at Wilkes. Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Beacon News Staff Diploma Order Submission Reminder for May 2023 Graduates ����������������������������������������� ������ ������� ����� � ����� ����� ���� ������ ������ ���� ���� ����������� ����� ���� ���� ����� ����������� ��� ����� ���� ��� ������� ���� ����� ���� ����� ������������ ��� �  ������� ��������� ���������������������   ­������� ���� ������ ��� ������ ���� ������������� ���������� ���� ���� ��������� ����������� ������������������� Summer 2023 Internship: Register for Credits ­�������� ������ ������ ��� �� ­������ �������������� ��������������������������� ����€�������������������������������������� ������ ���������� ����� ��� €������ ���� ���� ����‚��������������ƒ��„����‚��������� ���� ����� ������������ ���� ���������� ��������� ���������������� ���—�� ���� ������ �������� ��� ������������ �����€������ ������������������������������������������ ������������‰��������������� Summer Registration Now ˜���������� ����� ������� Open �����“�����– �����“���“�������������� ‰������������������������������������ �������“����������������“����������� ���� ��� ���� ����������� �������� ���� �������������“�������  � Š‹� Œ����� ���� �� �������� ��� ���������� ���������� ���������� ����� ���� ��� ��� Wilkes University Integration Ž����‘���������������������������������� Bee Œ��� ‚����� ������� ‰����� ���������� Š‹�� ������ �������� ����� Ž���� Š�� ��� Ž���� Š’�� ����“��� �������� ����� Ž���� Š�� ��� ������������†��������������������­�������� ���� Š”�� ���� ������� �������� ����� Ž���� � ���� Š”�� ����� ��� Š�� ��� ��� ���� ����� Š•� ��� ���� Š‹� †���� ��“ ������ �������� …������ ��� ��� � ��� ��� ���� �������������� ���� ������� � ������ ���� ���������� ���� ������������������������������������� ��� � ��������� ���� ����� �������� ��� ���� ������������ ������ˆ���� �������� ��� ����������������Œ™�ŠŠ����������ˆ��������� ����������� š������������ ����Š� …������� ��­�����…�� ������������� Multicultural Award �������� ���������‡�������� ���� Nominations Œ��� – ����� ��� ��������� �—������ ��� ����ˆ�������� ��������� �����������‚���� …������� ����� †������� ��� ���� �������‡�������� ���� ���� ˆ��������� ����������� The committee is asking for $9,900.00 to help cover the cost of buses, food and equipment. The council allocated the full amount. Finally, week 1 of 2 covered the Block Party fund request. The Block party is another yearly event that SG hosts. This year's theme is carnival and will have many carnival themed T-shirts, food and events. Block Party will also be collaborating with WCLH, the campus radio station. They requested $9,000 to cover the cost of everything, which will be voted in next week's meeting. Student Government will meet again on Wednesday, March 29. Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Upcoming Events: 2023 Spring Semester March 30 - GSA Trans Day of Visibility Ball 31 - GSA Trans Day of Visibility Flag Raising April 4 - GSA LGBTQ Professional Roundtable 14 - GSA/Games & Media Club Mario Movie Night 26 - GSA Drag Show �������������������������������� ���������� ������ ������� ������������� ��� �The Beacon - March 29, 2023 News Honors students take on the challenge of ice skating Compiled by Morgan Rich Managing Editor 3 Editor's note: Morgan Rich and Kellie Scott are Beacon staff members. Dr. Jonathan Kuiken (left) and Emma Broda (right) help Morgan Rich (middle) ice skate for the first time. Kamea Paresa (left) and Melissa Ooi (right) skate together and pose for a picture on the ice. Kellie Scott (left) and Kayla Burleson (right) pose for a picture together on the ice. Jordan Chepalonis (right), who has ice skated in the past, glides Zoe Morley (left) along the ice to help her feel more comfortable. Photos by Morgan Rich and courtesy of the Honors Program FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Professor Jennifer McLaughlin, Morgan Rich, Sydney Ahrberg and Melissa Ooi take a break from skating to pose for a photo. �The Beacon - March 29, 2023 News 4 Honors program to host first clothing swap April 16 By Maddy Kinard News Editor On April 16 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the McHale Athletic Center, the honors program will host a clothing swap where students can purchase donated clothing items. All proceeds from the event will be donated to Candy’s Place, a cancer resource center in FortyFort. Donations are open to all students, staff and faculty and can vary from casual wear, business casual or business professional clothing. Clothes can be taken to Stark Learning Center 262, the honors office on April 4 from 2 to 3:30 p.m.; and April 13 from 2 to 3 p.m. Those that donate will receive a voucher that can be used as cash at the time of the event. “We just would like the clothing to be pre-washed, undamaged, and nonripped,” said Ada Soriano, director of community service for the honors program student committee. “No shoes, socks, or underwear. Basically we would like everyone to donate clothing that they themselves would buy. I hope that students can relate this experience to a thrift-shopping experience, an activity that has been quite popular in these recent years.” Clothing will also be accepted at the time of the event, but the program requests to have the majority of clothing donated early to allow for time to sort. This event is the first of its kind for HPSC and is open to all Wilkes students. "It's important for the campus community to consider coming to this event and/or contributing because while a blazer that no longer fits one person might be thrown away as it becomes 'useless' to the owner, another person might find that blazer to be the difference between getting an internship or not,” said Jen McLaughlin, assistant director of the Honors & Scholars Program. “In a world where we are worried about climate and accountability, we owe it to one another and future generations to reuse, recycle and rethink possibilities. I hope to see you all there, sharing and exploring the options we will be offering." Honors students will also have the opportunity to help with the event and earn a participation point in the process. More information on ways to help will be released closer to the event. Graphic by Maddy Kinard HONORS PROGRAM SCHEDULE: • 4/4 and 4/13 - Clothing swap drive! • 4/12 - Pizza Plus, history of ableism • 4/16 - SIX in Philly (12 tickets) • 4/17 - Interiew workshop • 4/20 - Pizza Plus, study abroad • 4/21 to 23 - Rita's fundraiser • 4/22 - Big Event • 4/29 - Indraloka • 5/ 2 - Movie night • 5/17 - Honors commencement MSC to showcase student talent and creativity on April 14 By Maddy Kinard News Editor On April 14, the Multicultural Student Coalition will hold its second annual talent show post-shutdown in the ballroom. The MSC talent show is open to all student performances. Performances will be judged by roughly five unbiased individuals, consisting of different campus faculty and staff. “The judges will use a rubric to score each performance and the highest scores will be the winners,” said Starr Sandt, MSC secretary and public relations officer. “Each performer will have the opportunity to review the rubric prior to the event in order to be aware of exactly what the judging entails.” The top three performers selected by the judges will win cash prizes. For those looking to perform in the talent show, students can access the link to the Google Form in MSC’s Instagram bio (@wilkes_msc) or scan the QR code on the many posters that are hanging up around campus. While the talent show was one of the club's annual events, due to COVID-19, it was halted until last year. Past performances typically included singers, dancers and poetry readings. This year, members of MSC are hoping to have more student participation and to see a broader range of talent. “Students should perform in order to show off their talent to their community,” said Sandt. “Performing in the show also opens up the opportunity to increase connections with other students, performers and community members that attend the event. Students should attend this event to see all of the wonderful talents that we will be showcasing and can support their peers here on campus. Students can hear some good entertainment while meeting new people and spending time with their friends." Erica Acosta, director of diversity initiative, feels similarly, stating that the talent show performances are a form of expression and that it is always beautiful to see students on stage. More information will be released closer to the event. For any questions or concerns, reach out to Sandt at starr. sandt@wilkes.edu or Acosta at erica. acosta@wilkes.edu. �The Beacon - March 29, 2023 News 5 Exploring a bit of Spain during global coffee hour By Maddy Kinard News Editor On March 22, Global Coffee Hour invited students to “explore Spain” with a presentation on Las Fallas de Valencia by Ian Dewar, senior hospitality leadership major. Dewar spoke about the festival and his childhood in Valencia. Dewar was born in Valencia, Spain. His father is from Texas and met his mother in Spain. He moved to the Williamsport in Pennsylvania, when he was 12, and has resided in the United States ever since. Las Fallas de Valencia is a festival that occurs only in the city of Valencia from March 1 until the 19 at 1 a.m. The festival features large paper mache sculptures (fallas) which are created by neighborhood artists. On March 15 and 16, the plantá takes place where all fallas are positioned for judging and viewing the following day. On March 19, all are burned (cremá) at 10 p.m. except for one that is voted to be saved for the following year. During this time attendees throw fireworks to help with the burning. The City Hall fallas is the last to burn which signals the end of the festival. From the March 17 to 18, “L'Ofrena de flors” occurs where casal fallers walk through the city with fireworks, candy and flowers which are then offered to a large statue of the Virgin Mary. Dewar also mentioned that this year, the fallas had political themes, which some did not like. However, for the most part, the fallas are meant to showcase art rather than any specific theme. The festival features many types of foods (like churros, buñuelos and paella); every community has its own delicacy. Dewar's hometown specializes in horchata, a very sweet white drink, which is made out of chufa. Valencian men and women also wear traditional valencian clothing during the event, including ball-like gowns, guayabera shirts and corduroy trousers. Dewar describes Valencian fireworks as small amounts of TNT, as they are simply meant to blow up, rattle the ground and be loud rather than “pretty” or flashy like traditional western ideas of fireworks. “You go there just to hear noises,” said Dewar. “They’re not there just to look; it’s more to hear it and feel it." The nearly month-long festival features many separate events or elements that occur during March, one such being la Despterá, or “wake your neighbor”, where young children set off fireworks at 8 a.m. every day for the entirety of the festival. “It’s the most loved and hated,” said Dewar. “Las Fallas is one of the things I miss most about Spain,” he continued. “I miss throwing the fireworks and just the chaos of Fallas.” Senior Ian Dewar made tortilla de patata, a Spanish omelet traditionally made of eggs and potatoes, but can have anything else added to it. It can be served cold or warm. Dewar explains how Fallas had not occurred for two years during COVID-19, so in 2022, Fallas was held in Sept. for the first time and again in March of 2023. Photos: The Beacon/Maddy Kinard Abner Yanguez (left) and Marielis Pinto (right) make Spanish inspired fans, or “abanico.” They are used throughout Spain and particularly in clubs, Dewar said. Photo courtesy of Ian Dewar During Fallas, schools close down to host events. Each grade performs their own dance or song. Dewar (right) can be seen wearing traditional Valencian dress. �The Beacon - March 29, 2023 6 News Prof. Profile: Dr. Mikayla Lacey, college of arts and science By Amanda Montgomery Asst. News Editor Dr. Mikayla Lacey has joined the College of Arts and Sciences as an assistant professor in the division of behavioral and social sciences. Lacey earned both a doctor of philosophy in experimental psychology and master of arts in psychology from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala. and a bachelor of arts in psychology from Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn. Lacey grew up in western Mich., but has also lived in Tennessee and Alabama. She recently moved to Wilkes-Barre from Birmingham, Ala. Prior to joining Wilkes, Lacey was an instructor at the University of Alabama. “I chose Wilkes because it seemed like it would be a good fit for me,” said Lacey. She knew she wanted to be at an institution that primarily focused on teaching, but allowed her to continue her research. She also wanted to be a part of “Anyone who has seen a learning environment my whiteboard drawings where making connections in class will be surprised to between different classes learn that I am a published was encouraged, and illustrator,” said Lacey. enjoyed the liberal arts She had a picture environment. published in a book of Her favorite thing about children’s poetry when her job is hearing students she was in elementary make connections between school. In addition, something from her class and something that they Lacey has authored have learned in another Lacey aims for collaboration various publications and and open-mindedness. class before. presentations related to “It’s exciting to me to social psychology and hear about ways students are integrating psychophysiology. Lacey is proudest about her doctorate concepts across disciplines, or even across different subfields in psychology,” said as she was a first-generation student. After her first year, she almost dropped out of Lacey. In five years from now, Lacey hopes to her undergraduate program, but was able still be teaching at Wilkes, and to have her to preserve and find ways to continue in EEG lab on campus up and running. She her education. “Pursuing my degree has brought me also hopes to have more teaching tools in her tool belt and to have established many opportunities to grow both as an some collaborative relationships with academic and as a person. It also put me in a position to be able to find a job I love, researchers in the area. being a faculty member here at Wilkes,” said Lacey. In her spare time, Lacey enjoys knitting. She always has a few knitting projects going on at once, but her favorite items to make are sweaters. “I learned from my grandmother when I was a kid, and picked it back up in graduate school to help me relax,” said Lacey. Lacey offers a piece of advice to students, suggesting that they treat their education like a job. She recommends that students block out time during the day to study the material in their classes, regardless if they have a major project or exam coming up. This helps students learn the material better and will help them feel less overwhelmed when the larger assignments and exams come around. “I also would encourage you to seek out help when you need it. Wilkes has many great resources for students—take advantage of them,” said Lacey. Photo Courtesy of Dr. Mikayla Lacey *ELEVATE YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE!!!* AVAILABLE NOW FOR 2023-2024! TWO FOUR BEDROOM APARTMENTS WITH ALL INCLUSIVE BUDGET PRICING! clean spacious ZNPROPERTIESLLC@GMAIL.COM 570-592-3113 great location LUXURY STUDENT HOUSING ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED! SCHEDULE YOUR TOUR TODAY! furnished 165-167 W. RIVER STREET �The Beacon - March 29, 2023 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Life, Arts & Entertainment Editor: Jordan Daniel: Jordan.Daniel@wilkes.edu Brand new exhibition opens at Sordoni Art Gallery By Anthony Cazun Contributing Writer Eye-catching landscapes filled to the brim with electric imagery showcasing the most beautiful images nature has to offer and more...This is the experience one can immerse themselves in while visiting the Sordoni Art Gallery’s newest exhibition, titled: “John Paul Caponigro: Landscapes Within Landscapes.” The exhibition’s artist, John Paul Caponigro, is not only an established and well-respected environmental art photographer, but he has a large presence in the digital media scene as well, giving direct artistic guidance to many of the largest technology companies such as Adobe, Apple and Kodak so that they steer their focus in favor of the individual artist. “It was perfect timing because there are new developments in his own practice that he was eager to share so we put together something we feel is very special,” said Heather Sincavage, director of the Sordoni Art Gallery and associate professor. The gallery’s walls are lined with piece after piece of landscapes from Caponigro’s countless travels all around the earth. Caponigro’s environmental photography captures the essence of nature, even if it is not all what it seems on the surface. Using various forms of photo manipulation, Caponigro is able to capture not the exact reality of the earth, but the perception of it. Turning day into a night sky, entangling different sprawling landscapes into each other and shifting the eye’s perspective to morph reality into his own is what Caponigro is an expert at achieving in his pieces. “His dreamlike landscapes forge connections between humanity and the world around us—reflecting on ideas of human tradition, environmentalism, sustainability and reconnecting to the earth,” said Melissa Carestia, assistant director at the Sordoni Art Gallery. “He believes that ‘we live within the land and the land lives within us. We are not apart from nature, but a part of nature.’” Caponigro’s goal is not just to awe the viewer with incredible vistas and imagery but also make one contemplate about nature, one’s place in it and how to treat the environment, as well as each other, during a time of both social and environmental turmoil. “Not only does it encourage a deeper connection with our Earth, it encourages a better understanding of ourselves,” said Sincavage. “The better we care for ourselves will create an empathy for others and furthermore the globe. It is important to Caponigro that we understand that we are not separate; we are interdependent and therefore care for one self is care for our collective future.” Pieces, such as “Correspondence Nocturne XII,” explore the beauty of the silent void that is the ocean during midnight, while pieces like “Inhalation XXIX” and “Global Warning I” showcase the drab and dreary effect that humans have inflicted upon the environment and how those decisions have led to a gray world soon to be devoid of life if left unchecked. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Devyn Cammarota, senior digital design and media arts major and student design fellow at Sordoni Art Gallery. “The way he can blend two or more landscapes together and his creation process is so unique and different and they really give the show such personality. My favorite piece is ‘Alignment XXXVI.’ When you walk past the title wall all you see is this giant red piece that just stands out and is beautiful. When I got a first look at the pieces that were going to be in the show I saw that one and immediately knew that one was my favorite.” Journeying to the back of the gallery welcomes one with a mini exhibition, one titled “Process”. This exhibition focuses on Caponigro’s creative process, how he perceives the world and how he is able to allow the viewer to see it the way he does. Despite being a photographer and photo editor, Caponigro is no stranger to drawing, in fact he embraces it. Caponigro uses drawings in order to blueprint and strategize his pieces so the end result is meticulous and precise. If done correctly, a simple tiny drawing of a moon upon a canvas can be the first step of a jaw dropping scenery. Caponigro is an artist of many talents, incredible forethought and incredible vision. He has given many respectable contributions to the art community at large and will likely continue to do so for the foreseeable future. The John Paul Caponigro: Landscapes Within Landscapes and Process exhibitions will be available to experience at the Sordoni Art Gallery until May 13. “I really love that John Paul, who is a leader in his field, is so willing to share his creative process and is able to do it so succinctly and logically,” said Carestia. The Beacon/Anthony Cazun “Landscapes Within Landscapes” offers interactive pieces for gallery goers. �The Beacon - March 29, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 f Cocktail of the Week: The unique and pretty aqua velva By Haley Katona Contributing Writer The aqua velva is a classic dive into some of the older cocktails that have lost their popularity over time. Its neon color and refreshingly tart yet sweet flavor combination makes it the drink to try when traditional usuals have lost their spark. a Voila! The Beacon reminds everyone to drink responsibility… and that the legal drinking age is 21 B n o um c Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staff picks their favorite song of the week. Check out this week’s bumps to the right! ps Be Ingredients: • 1 ounce any kind of vodka • 1 ounce any kind of gin • 3/4 ounce blue curaçao • 1 ounce simple syrup • 1 ounce lemon juice (for best result, use a freshly squeezed lemom) • 2 ounces soda water • Maraschino cherries or 1/2 a lemon slice as a garnish Directions: Pour all of the ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake thoroughly with a shaker. Strain into a chilled glass filled with or without ice, depending on your preference. Garnish with whichever choice you prefer. The Beacon/Haley Katona Try this recipe the next time you want to shake up your usual choice of drink. Emily Cherkauskas, Editor-in-Chief: Zara Lantzman, Opinion Asst. Editor: Cirice - Ghost All Of The Girls You Loved Before - Morgan Rich, Managing Editor: All Of The Girls You Loved Before - Taylor Swift Taylor Swift Baylee Guedes, Sports Editor: Maddy Kinard, News Editor: Same Old Love - Selena Gomez Happy House - Sioxsie and the Banshees David Marks, Designer: Amanda Montgomery, News Asst. Strange Overtones - David Byrne Editor: Maggie Murphy, Designer: Will you cry? - Gracie Abrams The Great War - Taylor Swift Jordan Daniel, LA&E Editor: ALL MINE - Brent Faiyaz Lara Mullen, Designer: Laury Angeles, LA&E Photographer Paper Bag - Fiona Apple & Staff Writer: Elizabeth Cherinka, Social Media brutal - Olivia Rodrigo Sydney Allabaugh, Opinion Asst. Manager/Staff Writer Editor: The Kids Don’t Wanna Come Home - Billy Knows Jamie - 100 gecs Declan McKenna �The Beacon - March 29, 2023 9 Life, Arts & Entertainment The Self-Help Saga ............................... ���������������������������������������������� � By Morgan Rich Managing Editor I am sure that you have been there: You take a class and suddenly your entire worldview changes. Suddenly, you find yourself scrolling through job listings and descriptions, unsure if you majored in the right thing. This is a huge commonality throughout college. After all, a majority of college students do not end up with the same major that they started college out with and the truth of the matter? Nobody should feel bad about changing their mind. Here is what to do when your career path feels entirely uncertain. Explore opportunities on campus: I am going to pose the question that everyone wants to ask: Who on earth said it would be a good idea to have a 17-yearold high school student determine what future career path they want for the rest of their life? During my senior year of high school, I was set on becoming a biology major with a concentration in genetics. Now, here I am writing this article as a communication studies major with three different minors. The truth about college is that it is supposed to expose us to different opportunities we otherwise would never receive out in the world, especially at a liberal arts college. Our education is meant to be well-rounded and immerse us in different cultures, traditions and interests. When you feel defeated and unsure about what your future plans are, the perfect thing to do is explore different opportunities on campus. Exploring different work-study opportunities on campus is one of the absolute best ways to discover what interests you and what you like. Currently, I am working in the writing center and the archives, which helped me discover my love for editing and archive work. Plus, you get paid! So even if you end up not liking the work-study, you will have been paid while trying to figure out what is best for you. The best thing about work studies is that you are able to make your own schedule and choose your own hours. Plus, if you learn that a particular work-study is not your kind of thing, you are not required to continue it for the rest of your college life. You can stop doing it whenever you want to. Work studies provide incredible opportunities and allow you to build up your resume. Look into studying abroad: The biggest misconception about studying abroad is the fact that you have to do it for a whole semester to learn something from it. That could not be further from the truth. Wilkes University offers tremendous amounts of study abroad opportunities for both an extended and non-extended amount of time. I recently went on a study abroad trip to Ireland over spring break with Dr. Jonathan Kuiken and Dr. Benjamin Toll for my HST 398 class. During this class, we learned about the Troubles in Ireland and went on a spring break trip to both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to physically see what we learned about in class. Plenty of clubs and programs on campus offer study abroad opportunities for both a full semester and week-long trips over breaks. The honors program, for example, is aiming to have one week-long study abroad trips every summer from now on; the first one taking place this summer in Scotland and England, which I am helping lead. Study abroad trips help you learn so much about yourself. For one, they force you to explore a culture that is outside of your own and make you go out of your comfort zone. After all, traveling without family members or close friends can be super scary but you learn so much from it. Some people learn that they can live abroad for one week with only a carryon while others learn that they can fly overseas alone. These opportunities force you to grow as an individual and make you look at the world from new perspectives. They do not shield you and provide comfort like a vacation with your family would. Stepping outside of your comfort zone is meant to cause uneasiness but it gives you an entirely new perspective of life and can open your eyes as to what you want. See what types of internships are out there: I am sure that you are tired of your emails and professors trying to throw internships at you. However, internships are extremely beneficial when it comes to figuring out where you want your life to go after college. Last semester, I did an internship with the Walt Disney World Company working merchandise at the Boardwalk Inn and Villas Resort with the Disney College Program. Truthfully? It taught me so much about myself. It was scary and at first, I was unsure if I made the right decision. After my internship was over after four months, I realized I had learned so much and gained an incredible amount of knowledge and independence. As annoying as it may seem to constantly look at internships, they are entirely worth it. Internships allow you to gain experience working with a company while completing school. They are resume builders that, like work studies, can teach you what you may like and do not like. Talk with your professors and see what type of connections they may have regarding internships. Weekly book and song recommendations: Whenever I find myself overwhelmed by the idea of what I want my future career to be, I always tend to revert back to reading books that I enjoyed when I was younger. My book recommendation for this week is, “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief ” by Rick Riordan. This book is the first book in the “Percy Jackson’’ series and is a novel that is based on Greek mythology. “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief ” is about a 12-year-old boy named Percy Jackson who, with the help of the daughter of Athena and a satyr, takes a journey across the United States in order to find the thief of one of Zeus’ bolts. My song recommendation for this week is the song, “Treacherous (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift. This song, rerecorded by Taylor Swift, originally came out in 2012 and normally reminds me of simpler times. Instantly, I am transported back to my fourth grade Arizona trip when I consistently listened to this song on a tour bus. I hope that you listen to this song and hopefully feel that same type of childhood nostalgia. �The Beacon - March 29, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 Meet the Majors This week’s major: Environmental Science Every week, The Beacon will offer a chance for majors to be placed in the spotlight. Each student who is chosen will have a few words Jordan Daniel to express why they chose the major and how they feel it will benefit Life, Arts & Entertainment them in the future. Interviews and photos by Editor Colleen McDonald Senior Courtney Novak Senior “My favorite aspect of the major are the research opportunities provided to students by faculty. It provides a plethora of hands-on experience. I chose this major because I am passionate about protecting the environment and keeping it clean, healthy and safe for all living things on Earth. Understanding the science and systems of the environment is one of the most efficient ways to go about doing that.” “My favorite aspect of this major is the interaction between students and faculty. All my environmental science professors have been so helpful and involved in my education throughout my time here and I’ve also been lucky to get first-hand experience assisting with research at the Wilkes Institute for Environmental Sciences and Sustainability. This year I am looking forward to graduating and finding a job in my field to apply the concepts I’ve learned here.” The Beacon/Jordan Daniel Anneke Bouma First-Year “I was originally a biology major but switched because the environment is a very important subject in today’s world. Learning about the systems, material and science are important for everyone. I hope to use this major to get a degree in environmental science. I then plan to use the knowledge that I’ve gained and work at a national park and protect the land and wildlife it surrounds.” Lucas Scott Junior “My favorite class in my major has been geomorphology with Dr Finkenbinder. It’s a class that I started this semester and I just enjoy how it explains how our landforms like mountains and rivers form and change. I chose this major because I wanted to work outside and make a difference in the world. Upon graduating, I hope to get a job as an environmental consultant somewhere here in Pennsylvania.” �Name: Class: Date: Word Sudoku The Beacon - March 29, 2023 11 Life, Arts & Entertainment The words or names that are used in the puzzle: Spring Soduku flowers dandelion rain april ivy sunshine bumblebee orchid chicks Brain breaks to get you through the week ivy Challenge your brain with some sudoku! chicks How to play: Fill in the missing words. Each row should have 9 different words, no repeats. Each column should have 9 different words, no repeats. Each 3x3 quadrant should have 9 words, no repeats. flowers rain dandelion orchid flowers bumblebee chicks april chicks rain bumblebee flowers word-sudoku www.edu-games.org orchid dandelion bumblebee flowers april ivy sunshine april chicks dandelion flowers rain chicks flowers rain sunshine sunshine dandelion orchid ivy bumblebee chicks orchid april dandelion rain sunshine flowers ivy bumblebee bumblebee april ivy bumblebee april orchid chicks flowers rain rain dandelion sunshine chicks orchid ivy orchid rain dandelion ivy flowers bumblebee sunshine april dandelion bumblebee ivy orchid ivy rain dandelion rain ivy sunshine sunshine chicks flowers orchid chicks bumblebee sunshine dandelion chicks flowers april rain rain flowers april sunshine bumblebee april chicks orchid word-sudoku chicks sunshine sunshine april sunshine bumblebee dandelion ivy bumblebee april flowers Answer Key: orchid bumblebee rain chicks rain april orchid bumblebee flowers orchid april Credit for these puzzles goes to: www.edu-games.org Compiled by Morgan Rich, Managing Editor www.edu-games.org orchid chicks ivy dandelion �The Beacon - March 29, 2023 News SEX BINGO Other prizes included oil, condoms and gift cards. The Sex Bingo event was organized by ResLife, and made up of the several residential assistants of the campus dorms. Prizes also related to the theme of the event. One basket was called the “birds and the bees basket,” and included a stuffed goose, and a birds and the bees book. Photos: Kellie Scott Page Design: Lara Mullen There were a total of 180 students in attendance—the largest number of students ever to attend a Res-life event. Jaci Bickel, first-year political science, and Adam Butterwick, first-year engineering, were two of the many students who stopped by to play some bingo. Residential assistants made and mocktails for attendants, which included Shirley temples, piña coladas and mimosas. �The Beacon - March 29, 2023 Leading up to Wilkes ResLife’s Sex Bingo, students had various—and sometimes adverse— reactions to the idea. Although talking about sex is something that can be uncomfortable for some, events like these are necessary to work to overcome the issues that come with a lack of open communication and sex education. A vast majority of students receive sex education before they turn 18, according to the CDC. However, this education is likely to be inadequate in some way. Most are taught about STIs and how to say no to sex, yet a significantly smaller portion of the youth population is taught about methods of birth control. Instead of teaching about birth control, it is common for schools across the United States to heavily encourage abstinence as a primary—or sometimes the sole—birth control method. There are more states that stress abstinence than states that require educators to teach about birth control, according to Planned Parenthood. Although it is believed that withholding information about sex or deliberately teaching people not to have sex will lead to less people having sex and experiencing sex-related issues, it has shown not to be the case. Young people aged 15 to 24 still make up half of the 20 million new cases of STIs in the U.S. every year, according to the CDC. Young people will continue to have sex, just in an unsafe manner without birth control due to inadequate education. Additionally, restricting education and enforcing abstinence further creates a stigma surrounding sex and communication about sex. Framing sex as something that is considered shameful makes many young people feel uncomfortable or unsafe talking about it, which can make them at risk for becoming pregnant, contracting STDS or even becoming victims of sexual assault. In a Planned Parenthood survey, men and women were persistently confused on what constitutes both consent and sexual assault. Many have not received education on how to ask for consent and what behaviors are considered consent. Others are uncomfortable to even ask for sex or talk about their sexual boundaries. This leads to unintended sexual misconduct that could have been prevented if people were more educated and felt more comfortable talking about what they wanted out of a sexual encounter. A small number of states require education about birth control and safe sex practices, but an even smaller number of states require discussion of LGBTQ+ identities and relationships to be inclusive and affirming, according to Planned Parenthood. Many queer students across the nation remain disproportionately underinformed. A few states have even prohibited educators from discussing LGBTQ+ topics or require them to frame queerness as a negative thing, according to Planned Parenthood. When our high schools are censoring LGBTQ issues and sex topics in general, it is more important than ever to create a safe environment in higher education and elsewhere in which young people can comfortably learn and talk about sex. Events like ResLife’s sex bingo break the ice and create an opportunity for a healthy discussion and cultural change. Not only is this openness essential for health and safety, but it can also strengthen our sexual relationships and deconstruct harmful sex narratives. The conversations we do have about sex are generally focused on these health and safety issues, but talking about sex openly and honestly also simply leads to better sex. When many are uncomfortable talking about surfacelevel sex topics like birth control, most are not taught how to have sex and remain uncomfortable talking about sexual desires, even with a romantic partner. This is especially true for women. In a study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior in 2019, 55 percent of women surveyed reported that they chose not to talk about sex with their intimate partner, despite wanting to. When asked why, they commonly cite that they did not feel comfortable going into details and did not know how to ask for what they wanted sexually. According to the NIH, more than 90 percent of men usually experience orgasms in their intercourse, but this proportion is only around 50 percent among women. This pleasure gap illustrates how harmful stigmas and closedness about sex can lead to poorer sexual experiences. When women feel as though they cannot talk about sex, it further enforces the narrative that sex is an act performed on women, rather than something that women can actively enjoy and participate in. Further, women voicing their sexual needs and boundaries can assist in deconstructing some harmful societal problems like the idea that women are sexual objects and the tendency for women to be disproportionately sexually assaulted. Our adverse attitudes towards sexual discussion can further enforce and contribute to the current harmful ideas about sexuality in the U.S. When we are more open about these issues, it opens the door for solutions and change. Although communication cannot solve everything, it can certainly lead to a better future. �The Beacon - March 29, 2023 Opinion Opinion 14 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact the assistant opinion editors: Sydney.Allabaugh@wilkes.edu or Zara.Lantzman@wilkes.edu Editorial Staff 2022-23 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Emily Cherkauskas Managing Editor - Morgan Rich Social Media Manager - Liz Cherinka Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Maddy Kinard LA&E - Jordan Daniel Opinion - OPEN Sports - Baylee Guedes Assistant Editors News - Amanda Montgomery Opinion - Sydney Allabaugh Opinion - Zara Lantzman DESIGNERS Desiger - David Marks Designer - Maggie Murphy Designer - Lara Mullen Photographer - Laury Angeles Section Staff Writers Sports - Adam Grundt Want to join The Beacon? Several positions are open! Contact : Kalen.Churcher@wilkes.edu 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 Churchert at kalen.churcher@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 scariest part about college? Group projects Upon the start of a new semester, all college students are excited to explore new classes and find new friends—then, there it is. The dreaded familiar phrase on the syllabus: group project. Suddenly, there is the urge to click the “drop class” button and wallow in self-pity. The truth of the matter is that a majority of students loathe group work. Yadu Baznath, an associate professor at Chapman Learning Commons, performed a study and asked university students their opinions on group work. After reviewing their opinions, he concluded that there were certain reasons university students disliked group work: group members do not contribute equally or do not take the time to show up to meetings, everyone has different schedules, and working in a group exacerbates confusion. Working in groups more often than not is way harder than working individually. Even though professors preach that working in groups increases social skills, makes students venture outside of their comfort zones and helps them learn from their peers, it normally has the complete opposite effect. To start, students in group projects never do work equally. There is always someone doing more work than the rest of the members in the group. Some students do not even show up on the day of presentations. However, because it’s a group project, everyone gets the same grade. In the cases mentioned above, it’s as if the students doing the most work are getting punished. At Murdoch University of Law, a study was conducted where the university assigned a group project to 120 students. At the end of the study, each student was sent a survey to provide feedback on their group mates work ethic and then they were asked whether or not the group work caused them to receive higher grades than an individual project. Around 75 percent of students said they either disagreed or strongly disagreed. Randomized group projects are also a recipe for disaster. When students from different majors are randomized in a group together, this results in people with entirely different skill sets and levels of experience being paired up. If you are working with students who are not humanities majors, good luck trying to communicate with them. Professors also tend to neglect the fact that introverts and extroverts often do not work well together in group projects. When placed in a group setting, introverts would rather keep the conversation over text and work on their part of the project themselves. Extroverts, on the other hand, normally prefer collaborating with the entire group in order to finish the project. For introverts, this can cause largescale anxiety/panic attacks due to social anxiety; while for extroverts, this can cause frustration. It is normally difficult to find a solution that works for both of these groups of people, which can make tension levels rise within the group. Combined with the fact that extroverts normally have a much easier time presenting in front of peers than introverts, which is unfair. We do have to address the irony of being a collaborative newspaper ranting about group projects. Group work succeeds for us due to the unity of interests and skills pertaining to writing, editing and designing. Also, because this is our literal job, we get a routine schedule where we can all work and talk together, compared to classes with strict deadlines that don’t offer that same opportunity. Group work causes nothing more than anxiety-filled dread amongst college students every year. 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: Emily.Cherkauskas@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 29, 2023 Opinion 15 100 Gecs continues to break the mold on the new album By Sydney Allabaugh Asst. Opinion Editor Music duo 100 Gecs recently released their highly anticipated album “10,000 Gecs.” This album follows the duo’s first album “1000 Gecs,” which received widespread attention and praise for its unique and absurd sound. Some credit 100 Gecs with popularizing hyperpop, an eclectic genre that combines EDM and pop elements. Many artists, including mainstream artists, experimented with this genre over the past few years. On “10,000 Gecs” Laura Les and Dylan Brady stray from their signature hyperpop sound and embrace a variety of different genres and styles, showing critics that they are more than a fad band, but instead seasoned artists with much to prove. I was pleasantly surprised to hear a prevalent rock influence in many of the tracks. The album begins with “Dumbest Girl Alive,” a song with roaring guitars and pounding drums combined with electronic sound effects and auto tune, but not pitched vocals. This rock influence can be seen throughout the rest of the album on tracks like “Hollywood Baby,” a track that embraces the sound of a teenage pop rock anthem, similar to “Teenage Dirtbag” from Wheatus with an electronic twist. On “Billy Knows Jamie,” 100 Gecs fully commits to a nu metal track with distorted guitars and angry, direct lyrics. The song concludes with their traditional electronic and distorted breakdown of screams, blown-out bass and sound effects. As someone who grew up listening to mostly rock and its subgenres, and now listens to mostly hip hop and EDM, it is interesting and enjoyable to hear 100 Gecs combine these two realms of music in their songs. Although 100 Gecs is experimenting with new sounds, they maintained their absurdity on “10,000 Gecs.” I am drawn to artists who implement a shock factor through unconventional production methods and wacky, comedic concepts in their music. 100 Gecs is known for this and excels at it. On “One Million Dollars,” all the vocals are voiced by text-to-speech robots. The phrase “One Million Dollars” is repeated over and over again on a noisy EDM beat with electric guitars. Although this song is silly and the lyrics do not have much substance, the production is phenomenal, and the use of the text-tospeech vocals makes the song addicting. It is one of my favorites on the album. “Frog On The Floor,” a track characterized by a cheerful beat, lyrics and repeated frog ribbits, is another rather odd track. It almost sounds cinematic in nature, as it could be a theme song for a cartoon about a frog. It is a cute song with a cute concept. Although I love the absurdity of these two tracks, “Doritos & Fritos” feels as though it is silly just for the sake of being silly. I love the structure and beat of the song. The eclectic beat during the verses and the pop pre-chorus complement each other in a pleasing way. However, the lyrics are overly stupid to the point it makes the song unlistenable. Taking creative risks is still always worth it though and is something that could be seen frequently throughout this album. It would have been easy for them to further embrace the genre that led to their fame, but they continued to try unique, experimental concepts and genres. One track that is particularly interesting conceptually is “The Most Wanted Person In The United States,” which puts a comedic and ironic twist to being a murderer and criminal. The muted vocals over a beat that features the “Sleng Teng” riddim creates an eerie vibe, but the boing sound effects make the song light and silly. “I Got My Tooth Removed” immediately follows this track and provides an entirely different vibe. It starts with a slow, emosounding sentiment about someone who was mean, then suddenly transforms into the cartoony sounding chorus in which Dylan Brady repeats “I got my tooth removed.” The duo’s use of a silly concept to describe something more serious, like the cessation of a relationship, is cool to hear. Overall, I think this album proves that Laura Les and Dylan Brady of 100 Gecs do not take themselves too seriously, but their art is still deserving of appreciation. The duo embraces absurdity, while continuing to produce a worthwhile and high-quality product. The elevated and refined yet extravagant nature of “10,000 Gecs” surprised me, and I cannot wait to see what they do next. zero breaks in her three-hour show. All costumes were absolutely stunning, and these were not simple costumes that take a second to put on. There were bodysuits, dresses, ball gowns, T-shirts, suits, corsets and a skirt with a top. I do not understand how she changed into half of these costumes at the speed she did. My favorite costume change moment was when Swift dove under the stage like a swimmer and emerged in a new costume playing “Midnight Rain.” Of the 44 songs on night one, Swift played one song from her self-titled album, “Taylor Swift,” one song from “Speak Now,” three songs from “Fearless (Taylor’s Version),” four songs from “Red (Taylor’s Version),” five songs from “1989,” four songs from “Reputation,” six songs from “Lover,” seven songs from “Folklore,” five songs from “Evermore” and six songs from “Midnights.” The surprise song on night one was “Mirrorball” from “Folklore,” and the surprise song on night two was “This is Me Trying” from “Folklore” and “State of Grace” from “Red (Taylor’s Version).” The main shock was “State of Grace,” as it replaced the only song from “Taylor Swift” with “Tim McGraw.” Because I am going to “The Eras Tour” on May 12, at Lincoln Financial Field in Pennsylvania, I had to watch “The Eras Tour” through videos on TikTok and live streams on TikTok. The performance that sent chills down my spine was when Swift performed “Illicit Affairs” from “Folklore.” The vocals from this performance make the insane cost of the concert worth it on their own. Regardless of what Swift did or played, fans were going to have the time of their lives. Fans showed up hours early to trade friendship bracelets with each other and wore the craziest costumes. One fan even dressed up as a willow tree because of her song “Willow” on “Evermore.” There are no bad seats at a Taylor Swift concert and that is known. Whether you have a floor seat, lower bowl, upper bowl, nosebleeds or an obstructed view, it is still an amazing seat. When fans entered the stadium, they were given a light-up bracelet. During the performances of “Lover” and “You Need To Calm Down,” the bracelets were seen in full effect. When she played “Lover,” the bracelets lit up to form a heart together, which was seen in the upper part of the stands. When she played “You Need To Calm Down,” all of the bracelets formed a rainbow pattern as the song is about the “Don’t Say Gay” bill from Florida. It’s no wonder more people showed up for Taylor Swift and “The Eras Tour” than the Super Bowl. Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” overexceeding expectations By Zara Lantzman Asst. Opinion Editor It’s been a long time coming. Superstar singer Taylor Swift kicked off “The Eras Tour’’ on March 17 and March 18 in Swift City, AZ with the song “Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince.” This came out of left field as I did not expect this to be the opening song, and I am sure I am in the majority when I say that. I did not even expect “Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince” to be on the setlist to begin with. Swift did something no artist has ever done and performed a total of 44 songs for three hours and 13 minutes, with one of the songs being 10 minutes long. That is unheard of as most artists do half of that. There is also one surprise song that will be different for each show. Swift had 16 costume changes with �The Beacon - March 29, 2023 Opinion 16 Why drag cannot “Sashay Away” from the United States By Morgan Steiner Contributing Writer As I close out my second year here at Wilkes, it’s hard to imagine our campus without the Welcome Weekend Drag Bingo, which has been a staple for the last few years. It feels like drag is a part of the larger Wilkes-Barre community. Heat, a local gay bar and nightclub, is splashed across billboards and frequently hosts events and shows, featuring queens we’ve become familiar with, like Memphis Divine and Estella Sweet. But college drag shows aren’t just a staple here in NEPA. Appalachian State University in North Carolina hosted Jujubee for their Welcome Weekend and West Chester University welcomed Shuga Cain for a Drag Show just last month. In many places across the country, Wilkes events like Programming Board’s Rainbow Bingo and the gender and sexuality alliance’s Drag Show could be considered illegal. The first anti-drag bill was passed earlier this month in Tennessee. The bill does not specifically reference “drag,” though it does heavily restrict “adult cabaret performances” in public or other places around children. This legislation expanded the definition of an “adultoriented performance” to include “male of female impersonators.” Not only does this restrict the performances people all over the country enjoy, but it also introduces an insane level of governmental regulation over our own bodies. How do you classify a male or female impersonator? To what level does it extend? Unclear wording like this stands to potentially threaten transgender individuals. Under this law, transgender and nongender conforming individuals may not be able to wear what is most comfortable for them in public spaces. In addition, this bill automatically assumes drag is pornographic in nature. Drag artists don’t necessarily have to be sexy: they can be funny, beautiful, fashionable, talented or anything in between. These laws don’t just impact drag artists, but also the theater world. “Drag” has been used in theater for centuries. In Shakespeare’s day, every role was played by a man. Kabuki theater, a traditional Japanese style of performance, is only practiced by men, including the female roles. Under these laws, a Kabuki artist would not be allowed to perform. These restrictions carry over to Broadway, with shows like The Lion King, Hairspray, 1776, Kinky Boots, My Fair Lady, Cabaret, Chicago, South Pacific, and even more either depicting drag queens, trans individuals, or brief references of “cross-dressing.” Drag is a quintessential part of LGBTQ+ history and culture. Drag shows were a major part of the Vaudeville style of performance and later, the Harlem Renaissance. At some point in the 20th century, the art form became popular at gay bars and continues to delight audiences. You may be familiar with Divine, a prolific Drag Queen from the ‘70s and ‘80s. Not only did Divine amass countless film credits over her brief career, but she also influenced the character Ursula in The Little Mermaid. The two share mannerisms and physical looks. Lady Bunny, another prolific queen, is the founder of Wigstock, a drag festival that began in 1984. Though this annual event went on a 12-year hiatus, it was revived in 2018 by Lady Bunny and Neil Patrick Harris. Any discussion about drag would be incomplete without the mention of RuPaul Charles. She is arguably one of the most successful drag queens in history, acting in films, lending her voice to animated projects, recording best-selling albums, and hosting the show that, without a doubt, made drag so accessible to the American public: “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Of course, it is essential to mention that RuPaul is not without her faults, as she has been known to make transphobic comments and is very much a “gatekeeper” when it comes to the art of drag. Even more drag queens are also transgender women, including Coccinelle, Slyvia Rivera, Marsha P. Johnson, and many of the queens you’ll find performing at Heat. Drag is a form of self-expression. For some, it is freeing to play a sport, write a story, sing a song, or act in a show. That same incredible feeling you get from your passions and hobbies is what Drag Queens get from donning makeup and eight-inch heels and stepping onto the runway. Pretending to be somebody you’re not can be exhilarating. It is a break from the societal pressures and expectations placed upon you. With drag, you can create a character who embodies all the parts of you that you can’t show on a daily basis. Any TV show that does a “drag queen” story references these empowering terms. In 2007, the adult-animated “King of the Hill” aired an episode that dealt with one of the main characters, a suburban housewife, is mistaken to be a drag queen by another drag queen. At first, she is deeply hurt that her close friend is a drag queen and offended that she was mistaken for a man. Towards the end of the episode, a club full of queens explains that the women they choose to represent, either through a fictional character or by imitating an existing artist, are powerful. They want to embody that power and confidence that women like Cher bring to the world. This sentiment was echoed 11 years later by The Simpsons, in an episode where Marge adopts a drag persona to better sell tupperware. The idea is the same: The drag character has all the power, confidence and sexuality that the individual wishes they could better represent. Drag doesn’t exist to corrupt. It’s an art form with roots that go back centuries. It is a form of empowerment. Often, those of us in the LGBTQ+ community are marginalized. Drag is just one way we are able to take back our power in a way that also allows us to express ourselves through song, dance, comedy or art. Tennessee’s bill restricting LGBTQ+ art, culture, and history officially goes into effect on July 1. Other states have passed similar laws and more are still in the works. I recommend writing to your congresspeople, regardless of whether you are a Pennsylvania resident, and tell them you want drag to stay. If you’re truly passionate about drag and LGBTQ+ rights, check the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Human Rights Campaign (HRC) for updates and information. If our elected officials want to politicize drag, then let’s show a united front and say: Drag is here to stay. Graphic by Sydney Allabaugh �The Beacon - March 29, 2023 SUMMER is a great time to lighten your course load for next year or catch up on missed classes. And with start dates in May, June or July, classes conveniently fit your summer plans. Opinion THREE-WEEK PRESESSION May 22 to June 9 FULL SESSION May 22 to Aug. 18 FIRST SESSION June 12 to July 14 NINE-WEEK SESSION June 12 to Aug. 15 Make an appointment with your advisor and visit wilkes.edu/summer. SECOND SESSION July 17 to Aug. 18 Wilkes University is an equal opportunity institution. For information on the University’s Policy on Non-Discrimination, visit www.wilkes.edu/nondiscrimination. 17 �The Beacon - March 29, 2023 Opinion Roving Reporter: Colonels discuss their favorite music What is your favorite music genre and which artist? Compiled by Lauren Gardner - Contributing Writer Alivia Foster Courtney Negra Favorite Genre: Country Favorite Artist: Luke Combs First-year - Undeclared Jess Kunkle Sophomore - Psychology and Criminology Favorite Genre: R&B and Pop Favorite Artist: Taylor Swift and Kehlani (I can't pick, don't make me!) Faith Sekol Sophomore - Special Education First-year - Middle Level Education Favorite Genre: Country Favorite Artist: Morgan Wallen Favorite Genre: Pop Favorite Artist: Morgan Wallen Kim Wheeler Rebecca Ax Favorite Genre: Pop Favorite Artist: Harry Styles Favorite Genre: Country Favorite Artist: Garth Brooks Sophomore - Pharmacy Sophomore - Nursing 18 �The Beacon - March 29, 2023 Sports Sports 19 Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: Baylee.Guedes@wilkes.edu FH: Ashley Irwin making strides as new field hockey coach By Baylee Guedes Sports Editor Ashley Irwin is striving toward making a name for not only herself, but also for the roster of the Colonel’s field hockey team. Irwin was hired to turn the field hockey team around after the previous two-season head coach Charlotte MacDonald only brought eight wins to the program. Growing up as an only child, Irwin was very involved in athletics to occupy her time. She started playing field hockey in eighth grade after her basketball coach pushed her to try out for the sport. “He (basketball coach) thought I would be good at field hockey, turns out he was a pretty good coach and had an eye for talent,” said Irwin. “It turned out to be the sport that would change my life.” She went on to play in high school at Daniel Boone Area and had multiple college opportunities. Her love for the sport led her to King’s College where she played in 67 games, started in 47 games and was a part of the back-to-back Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom championships. She was also on the Monarchs field hockey team during their NCAA Tournament appearances in 2006 and 2007. Irwin graduated in 2011 with a bachelor's in elementary education and a minor in special education, as it was her dream to teach. “Once I experienced playing at the college level, that dream quickly changed,” said Irwin. “I still wanted to teach, but I wanted to teach the game, be a mentor, and make a change.” Irwin started her coaching career as the assistant coach and head junior varsity coach for Meyers High School field hockey team during the years of 2011-2014. She was also a girl's lacrosse assistant coach for Coughlin High School during 2012-2015. After coaching for the high schools, Irwin then coached the Keystone College field hockey team from 2014-2022 as well as coaching the women's lacrosse team from 2016-2020. She went 28-28 overall and earned the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) Coach of the Year award in 2019 for the lacrosse team. Irwin was also the assistant athletics director, the compliance coordinator and the senior woman administrator. “The neat thing about college coaching is that we're the last ones with the opportunity of making an influence or change in your life before you hit the real world,” said Irwin. After nine successful seasons as the head coach of the field hockey program at Keystone, going 68-75 overall, making many playoff runs and being named the CSAC Coach of the Year in 2022, Irwin made the change to Be Colonel. Irwin starts her coaching career at Wilkes with spring season field hockey practices and scrimmages. Her goal is to build a culture for this team and build a sense of direction for the program. She wants to change what field hockey means at Wilkes. “I want to own our name,” said Irwin. “To me, the name Wilkes, has power. We live in NEPA, the hot bed for field hockey. We want to be a name, a program that people will nod their head and respect. I want to be a program, where when you say our name or see us coming up on your schedule, you know that it is going to be a tough game, a game you'll need to do your homework for.” Irwin hopes to be involved, be an asset and be a supporter of all of the teams at Wilkes as being a family is a major part of her coaching philosophy. The team views her leadership style in a positive manner. “Coach Irwin has done an excellent job so far as she's well respected by our team and displays great leadership,” said junior Bridget Rosenfeld. “She has already motivated us to push our team to be better on and off the field. Irwin is going to strengthen our program so much and help create a bright future for our team.” After a week of practices with Irwin, the team is in agreement that she is what Wilkes field hockey needs to succeed. “I think she is a great fit for the team and the program,” said senior Jordan Pugh. “She comes from years of experience and is ready to rebuild our program. She has a strong and confident personality which will help us grow individually and as a team. The first week back was fun and I am looking forward to the rest of spring season.” The Colonels will practice and scrimmage throughout their short spring season in preparation for next fall. Recruiting and team building will continue over the summer as they anticipate gameplay in the Middle Atlantic Landmark Conference. TOP: Irwin cheers on her team, sharing wisdom before starting a drill. BOTTOM: Irwin leads junior Kellie Scott through a shooting drill at practice. Photos: The Beacon/Baylee Guedes �The Beacon - March 29, 2023 Sports 20 BASE: Wilkes sweeps weekend games with King’s College By Julia Mazur & Baylee Guedes Contributing Writer & Sports Editor Baseball is in full swing and the Colonels took on rival King’s College this past weekend—a matchup that did not disappoint. Wilkes hosted the Monarchs on Friday, coming out with a 16-15 win in 11 innings. On Sunday, Wilkes went to King’s for a doubleheader with a 15-1 win and a 0-0 win. “King’s versus Wilkes has been a historic rivalry in all sports for a long time,” said head coach Kevin Gryboski. “It was a great team win and we showed a lot of heart.” It was no surprise that the rivalry between the Monarch’s and Colonels continued in hard fought games as it has been going on for generations, no matter the sport. GAME ONE: The 11 inning win was nothing less than exciting. Wilkes was behind from the start and had to work hard to build momentum. The team was able to tie it up in the eighth inning at 14-14 to force extra innings. The extra innings were scoreless for both teams until the final inning. The game seemed to be leaning in favor of King’s as they scored one run, but Wilkes persisted and changed the momentum in their favor. The Colonels managed to come through by scoring two runs and ended up winning 16-15. Mike Show singled to left-center, scoring two for the walk-off win. “It was a great team win for us,” said Show. “We had to battle all day and it was great to come out on the right side of this one. For the walk-off, I was just trying to stay in the approach we’ve all been preaching as a team and just happy to come through for us there.” Show also recorded the win on the mound for Wilkes as he pitched the last three innings of the game with four strikeouts and only allowing one hit and one run. Scoring statistics: Show was 3-5 with three doubles and five runs-batted-in (RBI) and Connor Morgan went 4-7 with three RBI’s and three runs (R). Darren Kerdeksy (3-7, 1 R), Todd Kolbicka (2-6, 3 R), Zack Luksic (2-5, 2 R, 2 RBI’s), AJ Brosious (2-2, 2 R) and Devin Markert (2-4, 1 R, 2 RBI’s). Jason Spezzaferra (1-5), Chase Vrabel (06, 1 RBI), Jake Cambria (1-1, 1 R), Peyton Shuck (1 R), Max Alessi (1-1, 1 RBI) and Ryan Johnston (1-3). Pitching statistics: Tony Molitoris (2.1 innings pitched ‘IP’, 7 hits ‘H’, 8 R, 1 strikeout ‘SO’), Ryan Sanderson (2.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 3 SO, 1 walk ‘BB’), Tyler Hoedl (1.0 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 2 SO, 4 BB), Sawyer Kemp (2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 SO, 1 BB) and Show (Win - 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 4 SO, 1 BB). GAME TWO: During the 15-1 win, Aiden Murphy only allowed 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB and recorded 15 SO in 7.0 IP. Six Colonels recorded two hits each: Kolbicka (2-5, 2 R, 2 RBI’s), Connor (2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI’s), Show (2-4, 1 R, 3 RBI’s), Alessi (2-5, 2 R), Vrabel (2-4, 2 R, 1 RBI’s) and Spezzaferra (2-2, 2 R, 4 RBI’s). Kerdesky (1-2, 2 R, 2 RBI’s), Brosious (1-4, 1 R, 2 RBI’s) and Cambria (2 R) also contributed at the plate. Wilkes scored one run in the first inning, The Beacon/Amber DeJonge M.Show diving hard into second-base as his Monarch opponent awaited him. 10 in the second and four in the fourth on 14 hits. King’s scored their solo run in the sixth inning. GAME THREE: Three innings of scoring led to the 8-5 win for Wilkes. The Colonels rotated five different pitchers to secure the win on the mound. Kemp got the win on the mound with 1.2 IP, 2 SO, allowing 2 H and 1 R. Hoedl recorded the save with 1.0 IP, 1 SO and 1 BB. Wilkes started the scoring in the game with a run in the third. Kolbicka singled to center field and scored Spezzaferra. King’s answered with two runs but the Colonels came right back in the fourth by scoring five. With bases loaded, Vrabel hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Kerdesky. Cambria then doubled, scoring Brosious and Show. A Kolbicka single brought in Cambria and then Kolbicka scored on a single from Morgan. The Monarchs scored one run in the bottom of the fourth and one in the bottom of the fifth, making the score 6-4 Wilkes. In the top of the sixth, Morgan’s sacrifice fly brought in Cambria for another Colonel run. With bases loaded again for Wilkes, Show took a nice walk to first base, scoring Kolbicka. In the bottom of the sixth, King’s hit a solo homerun to make the score 8-5. A scoreless seventh inning rewarded Wilkes with the win. Five Colonels recorded RBI’s: Kolbicka (2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI’s), Cambria (2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI’s), Morgan (1-3, 2 RBI’s), Show (03, 1 R, 1 RBI) and Vrabel (0-2, 1 RBI). Brosious (2-4, 1 R), Kerdesky (1-3, 1 R) and Spezzaferra (1-3, 1 R) also contributed to scoring. Luksick walked twice. The Colonels look to turn around their record and make a strong run for the rest of the season. They will host Misericordia University this Friday and then play a doubleheader on Saturday at Misericordia. The Beacon/Baylee Guedes J. Spezzaferra (23) getting ready for his at-bat after AJ Brosious (2) scored off of a double by Devin Markert in the third inning. �The Beacon - March 29, 2023 Sports 21 SOFT: Four up-four down as Colonels win out at home games By Baylee Guedes Sports Editor The Colonels went 4-0 this week, making their overall record 11-4 on the season. Wilkes won out their doubleheader with Keystone College. Against Delaware Valley University, the Colonels dominated in the doubleheader. “We were extremely proud of how the players handled each inning and really kept fighting,” said head coach Jackie Klahold. “It’s a great sign of the strength of the team and I know it will continue to grow throughout the season.” GAME ONE: Wilkes took down the Giants in a close 2-1 win. Sophomore Bella Peters was in the pitching circle for the Colonels, only allowing seven hits, one run (in the second inning) and recording two strikeouts. Scoring included first-year Hanna Cross, who got on base with a walk, making her way to third on a sacrifice bunt by junior Hannah Boyd. Cross then scored on a sacrifice fly by first-year Olivia Dougher. In the fourth inning, junior Megan Marshall, who came in as a pinch runner for sophomore Allison Radicchi, made it home on an error off of junior Taylor Douple’s at bat. GAME TWO: The 7-2 win featured junior Sami Hendershott on the rubber, only allowing five hits, two runs, one walk and striking out four. Runs included junior Nicole Howell hitting a double that brought in Dougher and junior Haylee Calaman bringing in Howell on an error and advancement in the first inning. Hay Calaman hit a sacrifice fly bringing in Dougher in the third. Keystone tried to come back in the fifth inning by scoring two runs, but Wilkes came right back in the sixth inning with three more runs. Dougher singled to left-field, advancing Boyd and scoring Cross. Howell tripled to right field, scoring Boyd and Dougher, bringing the score to 6-2. The final run was scored by Howell who was brought in by Hay Calaman who doubled to rightfield. Leaders at the plate during the doubleheader were Howell who ended the day by going 4-7 with two runs and three runs-batted-in (RBI), Boyd who went 3-6 with one run and Dougher who was 3-6 with three runs and 2 RBI’s. GAME THREE: Wilkes won 2-1 in this conference matchup with senior Hope Mullins in the circle. She allowed two hits, one run, five walks and struck out four. Boyd went 1-3 at the plate with one RBI with both runs in the game scored by Cross. The first run was scored in the first inning off of Boyd’s double, scoring Cross and the second run was in the third as Cross scored on a throwing error on Boyd’s bunt. Del Val scored in the top of the seventh after a few walks at the plate, but Mullins put that to an end by generating two popup outs for her defense to catch to end the game. “Overall it was a close game,” said Mullins. “But thanks to my defense we were able to come out on top.” GAME FOUR: During the final game of the week and fourth conference game of the year, the Colonels run-ruled the Aggies 12-0 in five innings. First-year Lauren DeMarco struck out eight batters and only walked one on the rubber. Wilkes scored three runs in the first inning and nine in the third, only allowing the game to go into the fifth inning with an automatic win. Howell went 2-3 with three runs, Cross went 2-3 with two runs and one RBI and Boyd went 1-2 with two runs and two RBI’s. Hay Calaman and Hayden Calaman went 1-2 with one run and one RBI each. First-year Salma Lampack-Heverly went 0-3 at the plate but scored one of the runs. Seniors AJ Bryfogle and Carly Endres both scored after being walked during their atbats. Sophomore Kayla Burleson and junior Marissa Pick each went 1-1. “It felt great to sweep them this year especially after splitting with them last year,” said Boyd. “Being able to contribute to the win was awesome.” Leaders at the plate during the two games with Del Val were Boyd who went 2-5 with four RBI’s and two runs, Howell who went 2-5 with three runs and Cross who went 2-4 with four runs and one RBI. “I believe that we don’t have one single biggest strength, we have a bunch of strengths that come together as one,” said Howell. “We are a true team with so much push, support and leadership.” TOP: Endres (7) making a diving play as Calaman (18) comes to back her up. BOTTOM: Boyd sliding safely into third base after making it there on a bunt. Photos: The Beacon/Baylee Guedes Mullins (12) pitches for Wilkes. All pictures are from game one with the Aggies. �The Beacon - March 29, 2023 Sports 22 Athlete of the Week Joseph Marino Junior Lacrosse Goalie The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week Marino was chosen as our Athlete of the Week (AOTW) after his perfomance during the 11-9 win over Manhattanville College. He had 12 saves and only allowed nine goals on 35 shots in the game. Marino also received the MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career. Major: Mechanical Engineering Hometown: Swedesboro, N.J. High School: Kingsway Regional What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? Setting a career high 26 saves against Neumann while holding them to 10 goals. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? Philadelphia Phillies. What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Play video games. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? Being able to have a way to get your mind off school and stress, and playing with a great group of guys who like to compete. If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Baseball as that’s the sport that I started out with. What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Making 2 hard saves in overtime in high school that lead to us upsetting a team we haven’t beat in years. What is your favorite postgame meal? Chipotle. How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? I am excited about being selected, it shows my hard work has been paying off. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? “Remember the Titans” or “Happy Gilmore.” The Beacon/Baylee Guedes 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 Baylee Guedes, Sports Editor �Sports The Beacon - March 29, 2023 Athlete of the Week 23 Breanne Fulling Junior Lacrosse Midfielder The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Fulling was chosen as our Athlete of the Week (AOTW) after her performance during the 13-10 non-conference victory over North Carolina Wesleyan College. Fulling scored a career-high five goals to lead the Colonels to a win. Fulling also broke the school record for single-game draw controls with 16. Major: Nursing Hometown: Binghamton, N.Y. High School: Chenango Valley What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? It would have to be the excitement of my whole team when I scored my first goal freshman year. I was so happy to be a part of this team. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? The women’s national soccer team. These women are great examples for young women and athletes everywhere. What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Rewatching Brooklyn 99 or New Girl, or reading a Colleen Hoover book. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? It has given me the opportunity to meet my best friends and I am eternally grateful for that. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? "The Blind Side." It’s so emotional and inspiring, it gets me every time. If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? I would love to play volleyball. What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Our first conference game freshman year. We had not won a conference game in a couple years and the feeling of knowing that I was part of the team that changed history and broke our previously unlucky streak was amazing to me. What is your favorite postgame meal? Broccoli poppers or an Italian sub with no cheese—definitely paired with a Glacier Freeze Gatorade. How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? I feel so incredibly honored, excited, and grateful. I feel more motivated than ever to keep pushing and working hard for my team and motivate them to keep pushing so they may have the same opportunity. Compiled by Baylee Guedes, Sports Editor The Beacon/Baylee Guedes Editor’s note: Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor ts staff each week. At the end of the academic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw it ter @WilkesB eacon to crow n an “Athlete of the Year." �The Beacon - March 29, 2023 Sports 24 By Baylee Guedes Sports Editor Spring sports are underway in Colonel nation. All statistics are as of March 26. MEN’S GOLF Wilkes started their season on Sunday with a matchup with Misericordia University. They will play again tomorrow at King’s College, Sunday hosting Marywood and Monday hosting King’s and the University of Scranton. WOMEN’S GOLF Wilkes will start their season on April 2 against King’s and Scranton. MEN’S LACROSSE The Colonels sit at 2-6 with just half of their season left. They will host Arcadia University tonight at 7 P.M. and then play at Delaware Valley University on Saturday. WOMEN’S LACROSSE The 3-6 Colonels will play at Arcadia tonight and host Delaware Valley on Saturday as they head into the second half of their season. MEN’S TENNIS Wilkes started their season yesterday at Lebanon Valley College. They will travel to Dickinson College on Friday and then host Stevens University on Saturday. WOMEN’S TENNIS The Colonels began matches Saturday at Pratt Institute with a 7-2 win and then faced Lebanon Valley yesterday. They will travel to Dickinson on Friday and then host Stevens on Saturday. BASEBALL An 10-11 record pushes Wilkes to the heavy part of the season. Friday the Colonels will host Misericordia and then have a doubleheader on Saturday at Misericordia. SOFTBALL Sitting at 11-4, Wilkes will host Penn State Hazleton for a doubleheader tonight at 4 and 6 P.M. On Saturday, the Colonels will host Albright College for a doubleheader. MEN’S VOLLEYBALL With two games remaining in their regular season, Wilkes is looking to improve their 16-10 record. Tomorrow, the Colonels will travel to Drew University and then wrap up with a senior night celebration hosting Eastern University on April 5. Blake Billingsley making a strong drive on March 18. Ryan Sanderson on the mound VS. King’s on March 24. Bridget Rosenfeld in pursuit of her opponent from Neumann University in the women’s lacrosse game on March 15. The Colonels coming together after scoring on March 1. Olivia Dougher making a play at third on March 26. Photos: The Beacon/Baylee Guedes � 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 <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 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>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> 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. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre 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 Wilkes Beacon, 2023 March 29 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wilkes University retains copyright of this publication. https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/368295c97349223dabc155a76ab2c1ef.pdf 3865616f97fee989b883c5902c8ff085 PDF Text Text The Beacon - March 22, 2023 THE BEACON Est. 1936 Pa. Newspaper Association Member Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Volume 75, Issue 14 1 “The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow.” Dr. Gina Morrison speaks on research abroad in Malaysia By Maddy Kinard News Editor On March 16, the American Pharmacist Association and Student National Pharmaceutical Association hosted “International Night”, where Dr. Gina Zanolini Morrison, professor and Fulbright Program advisor within the Division of Global Cultures, presented on her research abroad opportunities, experiences and relationships in Southeast Asia. Morrison began her presentation expressing her favorite traits of the cultures in the areas she studied that are not as commonly seen and experienced in the individualistic-oriented United States. Collectivism, was discussed as a main topic, where the individuals are culturally obligated to look out for a collective group and make decisions based on what is good for the group, and respect for elders, where they are “seen valued and asked for advice and guidance,” as described by Morrison. “I’m hoping talking about this will open a door of knowledge for you,” said Morrison. “And that you might consider pursuing knowledge that has been introduced to you.” In 1982, Morrison started her first teaching job abroad where she taught GSA and Programming Board host rainbow bingo event, page 5 Photo Courtesy of Dr. Gina Morrison Dr. Gina Morrison’s students petting and feeding the elephants at the Elephant Reserve in Pahang, Malaysia, about an out or so ride from the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. students from all over the world. There she learned a lot from everybody but particularly from Southeast Asian students. When they got sick they had two choices: eastern medicine and western medicine. She remembered three forms of eastern medicine the most: coining, cupping and massaging. Despite their longstanding importance in these treatments, there is still controversy in their methods. “There have been many cases of child abuse charges against loving, caring Faculty, students celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day at Global Coffee Hour, page 7 It is Taylor Swift’s world and we are all living in it, page 16 southeast Asian parents in this country who are simply trying to help their children get better the eastern way before going to the western doctor,” said Morrison. “Their sick children were taken from them till the charges could be dismissed.” Two years after returning to the states, and two years before coming to Wilkes, Morrison met her husband, William, who was born and raised in Malaysia, in a coffee shop in Kingston. He had said she was the only one in the area who knew anything about Malaysia. Following their marriage and a trip to Southeast Asia, she began her “29 love affair with Malaysia.” After Morrison thought about how much she loved the country and her frequent visits, she chose to complete her sabbatical in Malaysia, and she was accompanied by her husband and daughter. There, she worked for a government university in Kuala Lumpur from 2010 to 2011. At the international school her daughter attended, the president reached out to Morrison and offered to pay all expenses for Morrison to come back every year for three years and bring along student teachers where they completed their practicum for free. RESEARCH, page 3 MIH: Five awarded in post-season ALL-MAC honors listing, page 21 �The Beacon - March 22, 2023 News News 2 Have a breaking story or a press release to send? Contact the news editor Maddy Kinard: Madelynn.Kinard@wilkes.edu Student Government notes: March 15 weekly meeting By Kellie Scott Staff Writer This week Student Government had its weekly meeting on March 15, and reviewed the likes of fund requests and club reports. First, for week 2 of 2, the Office of Advancement funds requests for $1,000 towards a prize for students on Giving Day. Giving Day took place on March 17 and is an all-day event where students, alumni and donors can give money to the school to help improve or expand the Wilkes campus. Students on the day of the event will have the chance to enter a raffle where they can win a prize of up to $1,000. The fund request for $1,000 was approved. Next, the neuroscience club presented its spring club report. The neuroscience club held events such as publishing a "Brainwaves Newsletter" and a destressing event for finals week, and plans to be involved in the Big Event happening later this semester. Next, Kappa PSI presented week 1 of 2 for a fund request. Kappa PSI is a pharmacy fraternity on campus, with a mission and passion to serve the community and create lifelong professional connections. The request is for $3,061.74 to help them attend two conferences later this semester. Attending these conferences helps the members create valuable connections, get awards and it is a great opportunity for the juniors and seniors for future employment. Student Government will vote on the fund request at next week's meeting. The Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) club, was brought to present their spring club report next. The GSA club is a club for LGBTQ+ students or allies. It is not only a safe place but also a club that works toward educating the campus community on queer issues. Residence Hall Council then gave their spring report. The goal of RHC is to help improve the residence hall, and residents' experience. This semester RHC helped fund Residence Assistance programs, continued the free movie channel for students, was involved in SAAC truck or treat, deck the halls and is helping with future events this semester such as sex bingo and glow run. Finally, there was a week 1 of 2 fund request for Big Event. The Big Event is an event held every year in the spring and is a community service event helping different areas in the Wilkes-Barre area. The Big Event is being held on April 22, Earth day, and will be an all-day event. The Big Event committee is asking for $9,700.00 Beacon Briefs: Upcoming campus events Compiled by Beacon News Staff Diploma Order Submission Reminder for May 2023 Graduates If you have not already done so, seniors please submit your Diploma Order and Degree Audit via the electronic form for May 2023 Graduation. Use this link to access the form and more information: https://w w w.wilkes.edu /academics/ registrar/graduation.aspx Seniors are urged to follow all instructions carefully and are reminded to order caps and gowns as well. Senior Portraits Senior portraits will take place March 27 to 30 in the Henry Student Center Miller Room. Business attire is required and a cap and gown will be provided for you. To schedule an appointment, go to www.ouryear.com and enter the school code 222. This is the only time pictures will be taken on-campus. Apply for Alumni Scholarship The Alumni Scholarship is awarded annually to a current Wilkes undergraduate student (freshman, sophomore or junior) who has a parent or grandparent graduate from Wilkes, has at least a 3.0 GPA and has a FAFSA on file for the 2023-2024 academic year. The deadline to apply is Sunday, March 26. Apply for the scholarship: https:// securelb.imodules.com /s/344/m21/ interior.aspx?sid=344&gid=1&pgid=581 &cid=1279. MultiCultural Student Coalition Talent Show Auditions The Multicultural Student Coalitiion’s annual talent show will be held on Friday April 14, 2023 at 7 p.m. in the ballroom. Sign up for auditions using the link. https:// forms.gle/ch4iSAg3ZbopWYWU7. Summer 2023 Internship: Register for Credits Students participating in a Summer 2023 internship need to register manually and fill out the etrieve form. In addition, three documents must be filled out: the Data Form, Academic Project Form, and Internship Agreement Form. Contact Anna Bateman at anna. bateman@wilkes.edu with any questions or concerns. Use this link to access the forms. https://w w w.wilkes.edu /academics/ career-development-and-internships/ cooperative-education-internships/ application-process.aspx. for T-shirts, water bottles, food and equipment. This is a great opportunity for students to get involved with the WilkesBarre community and give back. The fund request will be voted on in next week's meeting. Student Government will hold its next meeting on March 22 at 6 p.m. in the ballroom. Table of Contents News..................2 Life, A&E............7 Opinion............14 Sports................19 Upcoming Events: 2023 Spring Semester March 22 - Games & Media Club Trivia Night 30 - GSA Trans Day of Visibility Ball 31 - GSA Trans Day of Visibility Flag Raising April 4 - GSA LGBTQ+ Professional Roundtable 14 - GSA/Games & Media Club Mario Movie Night 26 - GSA Drag Show �The Beacon - March 22, 2023 News 3 RESEARCH, from front “They experienced a real multicultural place and it was a real edge for them when they went to get teaching jobs,” said Morrison. Four of those students returned to Malaysia to teach post graduation, and two went on to marry Malaysians. Approaching 2016, Morrison was getting to learn Malaysian culture well enough that she supposed others started to see her as “one of them” and were opening up about subjects that they never had before, like their spiritual practices and beliefs. This sparked her interest in examining the ways in which modernity takes shape. “I realized, because I have lived in this futuristic city of Kuala Lumpur, and then in areas that are not as developed also, I knew that a country doesn’t have to look like America to be a modern society,” said Morrison. “The researcher in me thought: these countries are still very modern but they base their values more on the values of the very ancient, indigenous peoples of the region. They respected the land and they incorporated that into their everyday life and into the modern world.” Meanwhile, in the United States, Morrison believes that we have almost completely forgotten about indigenous knowledge. She then started to conduct empirical research as to how spiritual beliefs and practices exist with modernity because it does not exist here in the same way. That is not to say that one is better than the other, but rather that they are different. To obtain this knowledge, Morrison started talking to Southeast Asian women because she saw these working women keeping one foot in the modern world and then going home and maintain traditional values in the family. Over three years, Morrison conducted three studies on the question: What are your spiritual beliefs and practices? She had conversations with roughly 70 women who were all forthcoming about their experiences. She began her pilot study in Malaysia and then, with the help of a Fulbright specialist project, she returned in 2018 to conduct the rest of the study. “They told me their stories about Photo Courtesy of Dr. Gina Morrison One of the chalets where students and Morrisson stayed during the study abroad trip for Malaysia’s Modernity. They spent time in the oldest primary rainforest in the world, Taman Negara, which is over 130 million years old, untouched by any ice age. It’s in the middle of peninsular Malaysia. For students interested in conducting spirituality, rituals, dreams, visions, locals were constantly connecting her trances and spiritual phenomena just with specialists and were willing to go similar research as Morrison or traveling like we were talking about the weather,” out of their way to help her, some even abroad to teach English in another country through Fulbright, reach out said Morrison. “There was no shame, no becoming co-authors of her papers. “It was a great event to help plan and to Morrison at Gina.Morrison@wilkes. whispering, no drama–this was their hear about Dr. Morison’s experiences,” edu, as she will advise and assist students life.” Morrison noticed that it didn’t matter said Alexa Ruzicka, P2 pharmacy major. through their Fulbright application what religion they were, Christian, “I enjoyed learning about western process. Pagan, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or medicine and healing techniques.” Pagan–many of them did the exact same practices and thought the same way. “They all felt that we are living on this earth now but we are living with the spirits of ancestors who lived before Do you own a business? and we need to be respectful to those ancestors,” said Morrison. Have an upcoming event? Constructs of healing were brought Advertise with The Beacon and reach up to thousands of up in all of her studies and she went on readers per week! to share a few: aloe, tiger’s footprint and sweet flag, the latter of which is used for Sizes range from 1/8 of a page up to a full page many remedies and is often sewn into the clothes of Southeast Asian children and Advertisements are in full color found in homes for its healing properties. Can be run in one issue up to an entire semester Overall, from Morrison’s travels and research, she found that the Southeast For more information, please contact: Asian people make a “space” for you. Kalen.Churcher@wilkes.edu In several instances in which she had felt as though things were slipping or through the cracks or was worried Emily.Cherkauskas@wilkes.edu about finding contacts she needed, PLACE YOUR AD HERE! �The Beacon - March 22, 2023 News 4 GSA hands on mental health provides space to destress By Maddy Kinard News Editor On March 14, the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on Campus clubs collaborated for a “Hands on Mental Health” event, featuring destressing activities to offer students a break from their regular schedules. “Mental health isn’t talked about enough,” said Eza Chaudhry, junior business administration management major. “I think it’s so important because you never know what someone is going through. There’s so much stigma around college, and many students here are first generation college students, so there’s a lot of pressure and it can be difficult to deal with it alone. Having places to destress like this event are important and I think we need to be doing more than that.” To encourage students, faculty and staff alike to destress, focus on their health and relax, the clubs were handing out various relaxation items. These featured a variety of facemasks with different ingredients, like collagen and vitamins, snacks and 24k gold eye masks. Some frequently find these self-care initiatives, like face masks, beneficial to their mental health as it is an easy way to do something for no other purpose besides personal betterment. “I live in a world of stress,” said Morgan Steiner, GSA president. “So I love reading, relaxing and rewatching my favorite shows.” The event also featured a stress hand making station, which has been a staple to many’s mental health care. As outlined in an article from the American Institute of Stress, due to stress creating tension within the body that needs to be released, squeezing a stress ball allows for a release of some of that energy. It also has benefits in strengthening the muscles in the hand and relieving arthritis pain. NAMI is a national nonprofit seeking to end the stigma surrounding mental FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Ashley Gangaware, Jacob Siek, Aster Rowland and Morgan Steiner making stress toys. health while also providing avenues to help those in crisis, or to prevent a crisis from occurring. They frequently host events, similar to “Hands on Mental Health” to further connect with students who may be struggling. GSA is a club on campus driving diversity, acceptance and support initiatives on campus. They have held a variety of recent events such as a Title IX discussion and Rainbow Bingo hosted by drag queens. Events still yet to be held include the Starlight Ball in celebration of Transgender Day of Visibility on March 30 at 7 p.m. in the Ballroom, followed by a Transgender flag raising day, March 31 at 1 p.m. on the Greenway. For more information, take to their instagram page, @gsawilkes or reach out to Dr. Helen Davis at Helen.Davis@ wilkes.edu or Morgan Steiner at Morgan. Steiner@wilkes.edu You are not alone! Need someone to talk to or vent to? NAMI has a helpline Mon. through Fri. 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. that those in need of support can contact at 800-9506264. For crisis, call or text 988, or call 911. Photos: The Beacon/ Maddy Kinard Emma Michaud (left) and Cassie Dipippa (right) from admissions fill out the "what makes you stressed" card. �The Beacon - March 22, 2023 News 5 GSA and Programming Board host Rainbow Bingo Educating students about the LGBTQ community By Kellie Scott & Laury Angeles Staff Writer & LA&E Staff Writer/ Photographer On March 15, the Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) club partnered with Programming Board to host Rainbow Bingo. Not only did Rainbow Bingo include a variety of rainbow themed prizes but there were special guests. The two clubs welcomed Teakillya Divine, Memphis Divine and Cookie-Doe, three drag queens from Heat, a local Wilkes-Barre area nightclub. All have had numerous years of experience performing, with their speciality in lip-syncing. The show started out with the queens' performance, featuring songs from Miley Cyrus to Cary Rae Jepson. After the show, the event turned to bingo while the queens continued to provide comedic commentary, often causing the crowd to erupt in laughter. “The hosts were very charismatic,” said Ancel Santana, first-year civil engineering major. “They were also very welcoming and the show they put on was phenomenal." Many of the prizes available to winners of bingo were new prizes that Programming Board had not given away before at past events. These included travel luggage, a speaker, snack items and more. “I thought this was really special,” said Nevin Rauch, a junior mechanical engineering major. “It brought the LGBTQ community along with many allies within campus to have a fun night. I really enjoyed seeing everyone come together and my first drag show.” A dance battle also occurred between the students, with first-year mechanical engineering major, Ryan Piekanski, winning the battle. “I think the main thing that helped me win the dance competition was when I hit the ‘Luddy,’” said Piekanski. “It's a goofy move inspired by Ludwig Ahgren. "Overall, the whole thing was totally tubular.” This bingo was inspiring for many as it brought together many different people with different identities on campus. The Beacon/Kellie Scott FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Teakillya Divine, Memphis Divine and Cookie-Doe. The drag queens began the event with a show featuring lip-synching before leading the crowd through several rounds of bingo. It allowed attendants to learn about important queer culture, in addition to being made aware about many of the bans and new laws that go against the LGBTQ community. Nicole Middleton, P2 pharmacy major and member of the programing board, felt similarly. She felt it added an extra layer to the usual Programming Board bingos and liked that they had the chance to collaborate with another club on campus to further spread awareness. GSA had held an event in the past featuring drag queens, and Middleton expressed the campus's excitement about their returning for bingo. “In many states, an event like this would be considered illegal,"vsaid Morgan Steiner, sophomore history, political science and international relations major and the president of the GSA. "Drag is an important part of LGBTQ culture and history. Not only that, it’s a form of art. "This is something that brings the whole campus community out, regardless of their identity. It’s a way to support local performers, have fun, and enjoy an aspect of queer culture that not everyone is familiar with.” The GSA will host more entertainment and educational events later this month and in April. More information can be found on their official Instagram page, @gsawilkes, or by reaching out to Morgan Steiner at morgan.steiner@ wilkes.edu for further questions. Programming Board's next themed event, “Board Game Madness,” is scheduled for Thursday, March 23. “I love these events,” said Aster Rowland, sophomore criminology major. “I typically don’t win, but my friends work hard to pull them off.” �6 The Beacon - March 22, 2023 Dr. Ann E. Wallace second author in spring writers series By Maddy Kinard News Editor During the week of March 12, memoirist and poet laureate of Jersey City, Dr. Ann Wallace visited Wilkes as the second author in the Allen Hamilton Dickson Spring Writers series. Wallace hosted three events: a visit to Eng 336: Studies in Victorian Literature, a reading, book signing and poetry workshop. Wilkes undergraduate English major and minor attendees also received “Counting By Seven,” Wallace’s collection English students, faculty and friends attended a Bank and Vine dinner with visiting author Dr. Ann E. Wallace. of published poetry. Dr. Helen Davis described Wallace as a “warrior”. She has survived ovarian cancer in her 20s, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis before turning 40, and turned 50 with her first severe case of COVID-19, which she is still grappling with and continues to write about in her work. The series allows for students to get hands-on workshop experience with established published authors. Photos: The Beacon/Maddy Kinard and courtesy of Dr. Mischelle Anthony Wallace began her reading with a poem she and students created in Dr. Helen Davis’ Victorian Literature class. Wilkes UNICEF Club and All Belgium host fundraiser By Amanda Montgomery Asst. News Writer News Editor: Madelynn.Kinard@wilkes.edu The Beacon/Amanda Montgomery Mason Vonk (left) freshman mechanical engineering student and John Barett (right) junior marketing student ordering waffles from the All Belgium truck. The All Belgium truck was located on the Greenway between the E.S. Farley Library and the Allan P. Kirby Center from noon to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15, where they sold their specialty waffles in collaboration with Wilkes UNICEF Club. The All Belgium food truck agreed to donate a percentage of their sales made to UNICEF’s Global Child Protection Program through Wilkes UNICEF Club. �The Beacon - March 22, 2023 7 Life, Arts & Entertainment Life, Arts & Entertainment Have any events or artists to be shared? Contact Life, Arts & Entertainment Editor: Jordan Daniel: Jordan.Daniel@wilkes.edu Celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day at Global Coffee Hour By Anthony Cazun Contributing Writer The Global Coffee Hour recently hosted a St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the Savitz Lounge of the Henry Student Center. Hosted by the Office of Global Engagements, students were invited to venture into a small piece of Irish culture right here on campus. Every year on March 17 people around the globe unite to celebrate the accomplishments of Ireland’s most well-respected, well-known and most influential saint, the great Saint Patrick. From the United States to Ireland itself, Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations, notably parades, light up several nations with shamrocks, gold coin pots and the color green. Initially beginning as a way to celebrate Saint Patrick, a patron saint of Ireland that introduced the Irish people to Christianity, the celebration has blossomed into an event to secularly celebrate the entirety of Irish culture. This became especially popular as the Irish people immigrated to the United States and introduced some of their own culture and traditions to Americans. “My great grandparents on my grandmother’s side came from County Cork Ireland,” said Mary-Ellen McLean, administrative coordinator at the Office of Global Engagement. “My grandfather’s side hails from the Isle of Mull, Scotland. My family has always celebrated its Irish and Scottish heritage, especially through music and dance.” Along those from many western European countries, the Irish are also known for their affinity for tea; however, they do not shy away from partaking in a hot mug of reinvigorating coffee with a slice of soda bread as well. “The events tend to go very well and have a very positive atmosphere,” said Starr Sandt, sophomore psychology major. “With the music, snacks, and activities available, people often enjoyed themselves at Coffee Hour because it gave them a chance to relax in the midst of a busy schedule.” Irish flags and various shamrock decorations were laden all throughout the Savitz Lounge, creating a potent atmosphere fitting for the celebration. During the Global Coffee Hour, students enjoyed various treats, many of which being notable within Irish culture. Irish soda bread along with Irish tea and Irish butter. Snacks such as chips and cookies were also available at the event. Authentic Irish music soothed the ears as students enjoyed their tasty treats. Many games were played at the celebration as well. Irish trivia, Kahoot and bingo were all enjoyable ways to bring people together and immerse them within the St. Patrick’s day celebration. Students were enlightened by dozens of Irish words, phrases and terminology that were peppered all throughout St. Patrick’s Day themed crossword puzzles and bingo boards. “The students enjoyed a taste of Irish soda bread and playing Irish kahoot, which combined fun questions with historical information,” said McLean. “They seemed to also enjoy doing a challenging St. Patrick’s Day themed word search.” Various Irish-themed trinkets and knick knacks were available at the event to observe and take back home. Pins, necklaces, shamrock charms and cards were available to anyone present. “The most important goal of this event is to present different cultures to the Wilkes community,” said McLean. “In the St. Patrick’s Day event, the goal was to celebrate while teaching a little bit about the country of Ireland.” Despite it being an Irish holiday, during St. Patrick celebrations, all types of people are welcome to dawn a silly green hat, not just those of Irish heritage. “I think that St. Patrick’s Day, when properly celebrated, includes people of all backgrounds,” said Jonathan Kuiken, associate professor of history and director of the Honors and Scholars Programs. “I know it’s a bit of a cliche but the idea that ‘Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day’ hearkens to a deep ideal of the American immigrant experience.” �The Beacon - March 22, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 8 f Cocktail of the Week:Your new favorite drink, the vodka sour By Haley Katona Contributing Writer Ingredients: 2 ounces any kind of vodka 3/4 ounce lemon juice, for best result use a freshly squeezed lemon • ¾ teaspoon simple syrup, amount can vary depending on how sweet you prefer the drink • Maraschino cherries for an optional garnish • Or you can add 1/2 of a lemon slice as a garnish instead • • Shake thoroughly with a shaker. Strain into a chilled glass filled with or without ice, depending on your preference. Garnish with whichever choice you prefer. Enjoy! The Beacon reminds everyone to drink responsibility… and that the legal drinking age is 21 a The Beacon/Haley Katona This drink is perfect to let go of the winter and welcome in the spring season. B n o um c Each week, the Wilkes Beacon staff picks their favorite song of the week. Check out this week’s bumps to the right! ps Be Directions: Pour the vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup into a shaker with ice. Emily Cherkauskas, Editor-in-Chief: Ancient Dream In A Modern Land MARINA Morgan Rich, Managing Editor: Sleep On The Floor - The Lumineers Maddy Kinard, News Editor: Holly - Anna Shoemaker Amanda Montgomery, News Asst. Editor: Novacane - Frank Ocean Jordan Daniel, LA&E Editor: Jaded - Miley Cyrus Laury Angeles, LA&E Photographer & Staff Writer: Everybody Dies - Billie Eilish Sydney Allabaugh, Opinion Asst. Editor: Lean Beef Patty - JPEGMAFIA, Danny Brown Zara Lantzman, Opinion Asst. Editor: I know it won’t work - Gracie Abrams Baylee Guedes, Sports Editor: Tiki Time - Elephants Dancing David Marks, Designer: A Heart Like Hers - Mac DeMarco Maggie Murphy, Designer: Poor Connection - EASHA Lara Mullen, Designer: Pine - Basement Elizabeth Cherinka, Social Media Manager/Staff Writer Movies- Circa Waves �The Beacon – March 22, 2023 SUMMER is a great time to lighten your course load for next year or catch up on missed classes. And with start dates in May, June or July, classes conveniently fit your summer plans. Life, Arts & Entertainment THREE-WEEK PRESESSION May 22 to June 9 FULL SESSION May 22 to Aug. 18 FIRST SESSION June 12 to July 14 NINE-WEEK SESSION June 12 to Aug. 15 Make an appointment with your advisor and visit wilkes.edu/summer. SECOND SESSION July 17 to Aug. 18 Wilkes University is an equal opportunity institution. For information on the University’s Policy on Non-Discrimination, visit www.wilkes.edu/nondiscrimination. 9 �The Beacon - March 22, 2023 Life, Arts & Entertainment 10 Meet the Majors This week’s major: Financial Investments Every week, The Beacon will offer a chance for majors to be placed in the spotlight. Each student who is chosen will have a few words to Jordan Daniel express why they chose their major and how they feel it will benefit Life, Arts & Entertainment them in the future. Interviews and photos by Editor Kaleb Mushock Senior Jeremie Hernandez Junior “This year I’m looking forward to applying my knowledge to my personal endeavors by starting my own business. I chose this major because where I am from we do not learn about how money works and how to make money work for us. By studying financial investments, I can go back to my city and spread the knowledge on financial literacy. With this major I plan to become a financial advisor for musicians and athletes.” “My favorite aspect of the major is that the professors are very welcoming and will push students to be the best student they can possibly be. I chose to be a double-major in financial investments and corporate finance because I have always been interested in the finance world and the stock market. Throughout high school, I managed my parents investments, which helped me learn a whole lot in the field before coming to Wilkes and expanding my knowledge.” Photos: The Beacon/Jordan Daniel Kate Mattern Junior “My favorite financial class that I have taken is Financial Analysis with Dr. Wang because I enjoyed learning the different stages of stocks and when to buy or sell. I feel that the information learned in this class will be applicable for my future career and for also managing my own money. With this major I hope that it helps me achieve becoming a financial advisor.” Jackson Shafer Junior “My favorite financial investment class I have taken so far is Investments and Portfolio Management because we were able to get hands-on experience with building and analyzing our own hedge funds. I originally chose this major because I have always been good at dealing with other people’s finances and had a knack for numbers while growing up.” �The Beacon - March 22, 2023 11 Life, Arts & Entertainment The Self-Help Saga ............................... By Morgan Rich ������������������������������������� Managing Editor Most of our thumbs put on a sweatband and act as if they are preparing to get ready for the school pacer test. Hours pass and there is a persistent ache in your thumb, a reminder of how long you have been scrolling. The truth of the matter is that thumbs are not meant to scroll on social media all day. Most of us want to put down our phone but feel stuck in the normality of being glued to our phones. Here is how to beat that debilitating cell phone addiction. How to set limits on apps: Now, I know what you are thinking: “Why on earth would I set limits on my apps? Is that not for children?” The simple answer is no. The main reason that parents set limits on their children’s apps is because they do not want them to become addicted to their phone. I am not going to be the one to say that it is super easy to combat a scrolling addiction because the truth of the matter is that it is not. Society today is dependent on their phones, on social media, on electronics in general; do not blame yourself if you have a phone addiction, as it is society’s “new normal.” Going into your phone’s settings and creating a simple one-hour time limit on apps is a way to stop scrolling when you are simply bored. Setting limits makes you more aware of how much time you truly spend on each app and how much time is wasted glued to your phone. Setting limits is the perfect solution to time management on your phone. When we set time limits, we are essentially creating a physical goal of only going on certain apps for a certain amount of time. Think of it as a goal, not a limitation. That way, it will allow you to feel far more accomplished. How to stop using your phone at night: It has been proven that if you use your phone right before bed, it can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. I have fallen victim to this. The other night, I watched TikTok before bed, tried to go to bed and then could not because I could feel my mind racing with the thoughts of what I saw on TikTok. I woke up every hour, my thoughts still racing and feeling as if my brain was running laps. I then went to class exhausted and could not focus. I am sure that this story is not foreign to you and many have experienced something similar, if not this exact situation. One hour before you go to bed, set your alarm and then put your phone across the room. This is efficient in more ways than one. To start, it would force you to get up and walk across the room if you have any sort of inkling to go on or check your phone. Secondly, it allows your mind to decompress one hour before bed. Lastly, when you wake up in the morning it combats the easiness of just reaching over and clicking the snooze button. Besides, there are many more things that could be done in that hour to wind down before bed. Pick up a book that you have been meaning to read, draw a picture, think about your schedule and the upcoming days ahead or maybe stretch or do some type of yoga to wind down before bedtime. Use that hour before bed to get more in tune with yourself, your mind and your body. How to stop notifications: Will you be drawn to going on social media apps if you do not get any notifications for them? Do you really need to know the exact moment your favorite celebrity posts? Do you really need to know who exactly liked your Instagram post? The simple answer here is no. There are many different ways to stop your notifications. What I do for my phone is head into my settings and turn off notifications for everything except for messages and phone calls. Since doing this I realized that I am not as inclined to go on any form of social media. Granted, I will be the first to admit that this is not the “end all be all” solution to breaking the phone addiction, however, it certainly helps. Social media, after all, is what makes our phones more interesting to us and what causes that addiction. Turning off those notifications makes you less prone to constantly checking your lockscreen. Another way to turn off notifications without having it feel super permanent is to set your phone to “do not disturb.” When you set your phone to this setting you are the one to determine what kind of notifications you can get. This setting can also be turned on and off with a simple click of a button, which is a way to feel as if you are more “in control” of turning these notifications on or off. Weekly book and song recommendations to stop the phone addiction: Reading is my favorite thing to do whenever I want a break from my phone. Plus, whenever I read I always feel more accomplished because I know I pursued an activity that strengthens my brain. This week my book recommendation is one of my all time favorites, “The Hunger Games.” This book is the first book of the dystopian science-fiction series. Within this book, the protagonist Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take the place of her sister in the annual Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is a televised competition where a male and female tribute from each of the twelve districts fight to the death until only one victor remains. If you would like a song that goes along with the book, my best suggestion for the song of the week is “Safe and Sound (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift. Swift made this song for the first movie’s soundtrack when it was released and she just recently re-recorded the song in preparation for her tour. It fits the book perfectly and makes you feel as if you are immersed into the world of Panem itself. �The Beacon - March 22, 2023 Below, right: The group also visited the Kilmainham Gaol, a prison in Dublin, and even got to step inside one of the prison cells. Left to Right: Broda, Berlin, Dr. Jonathan Kuiken, Rich, Schwartz, Protsko, Scott and Toll. Fit for royalty: the students and professors also stopped at centuries-old Dublin Castle. Left to Right: Scott, Schwartz, Decker Berlin, Broda, Rich and Toll Above, left: Students in the history, political science and honors programs had the opportunity to visit Ireland during spring break. One wanderlust-inspiring place they visited included the National Trust Carrick-a-Rede bridge in Northern Ireland. Left to Right: Morgan Rich (junior, communication studies), Mia Decker (sophomore, history), Emma Broda (firstyear, history) Emilie Protsko (junior, political science and criminology), Julie Schwartz (junior, English) Lucas Scott (senior, environmental engineering) Dr. Benjamin Toll and Garrett Berlin (sophomore, history). �The Beacon - March 22, 2023 The softball team took the extra spring break time to practice. Left to Right: Carly Endres (senior, nursing) AJ Bryfogle, (senior, early childhood education), and Nicole O’Rourke, (junior, biology). Outside of practice, the team got to unwind with a trip to the beach. The softball team also took the time to visit Melt Ice Cream, a local business operating in New Jersey. Photos courtesy of the softball team. Below, left: The honors program took the opportunity to visit the Carolina Tiger Rescue, a nonprofit wildcat sanctuary in Pittsboro, N. C., which houses the likes of rescued tigers, lions, cougars, leopards, caracals, servals, and bobcats. From left to right: Alyssa Allen-Fields (2024, Psychology), Morgan Andretta (2025, Pharmacy), Jen McLaughlin (Honors & Scholars Assistant Director), Zoe Morley (2026, Bio), Jordan Cheaplonis (2026, Math), Megan Boone (Civic Engagement Coordinator), Dawson Tallant (2024, Psychology) Tallant, Allen-Fields and Cheaplonis were hands on with their volunteer service, examining the fences of the sanctuary. �The Beacon - March 22, 2023 Opinion Opinion 8 Have an opinion or want to write a guest column? Contact the assistant opinion editors: Sydney.Allabaugh@wilkes.edu or Zara.Lantzman@wilkes.edu Editorial Staff 2022-23 MANAGERIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief - Emily Cherkauskas Managing Editor - Morgan Rich Social Media Manager - Liz Cherinka Adviser - Dr. Kalen Churcher SECTION EDITORS News - Maddy Kinard LA&E - Jordan Daniel Opinion - OPEN Sports - Baylee Guedes Assistant Editors News - Amanda Montgomery Opinion - Sydney Allabaugh Opinion - Zara Lantzman DESIGNERS Desiger - David Marks Designer - Maggie Murphy Designer - Lara Mullen Photographer - Laury Angeles Section Staff Writers Sports - Adam Grundt Want to join The Beacon? Several positions are open! Contact : Kalen.Churcher@wilkes.edu 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 Churchert at kalen.churcher@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. Hypocritical morality in anti-LGBTQ rhetoric Over the past few weeks, many states across the country have been pushing anti-drag legislation. In Tennessee, a bill successfully passed a bill that restricts “adult cabaret performances” in public or in front of children. Many Tennessee legislators fear that drag performances are inappropriate and dangerous for children. Since then, it has come out that two politicians who supported anti-drag legislation have participated in draglike performances in their youth. In Tennessee, Gov. Bill Lee, who signed the law to ban drag in public, is allegedly dressed in drag in a high school yearbook photo, according to the Associated Press. Similarly, Texas Rep. Nate Schatzline wrote an anti-drag bill to be implemented in Texas. According to ABC, videos of Schatzline resurfaced of allegedly wearing a dress in public. In their responses to hypocrisy accusations, Lee and Schatzline seem to feel as though it is silly to compare their actions to self-identified drag performers. “What a ridiculous question that is,” Lee said in response to an activist while taking questions about the bill. “Conflating something like that to sexualized entertainment in front of children, which is a very serious question.” However, one may argue that the broadness of the legislation would make these acts illegal as the definition of cabaret entertainment in the bill is extended to “male or female impersonators.” Further, it is an act of hypocrisy to engage in an act of impersonation or crossdressing in public but create laws that state that it is illegal for others to do it. Sometimes the morals broken are more serious than just hypocrisy. Charles Sutherland, an elementary school librarian, was arrested for spray painting the word “groomer” on two libraries during Pride last year. According to Insider and other published reports, he has recently been charged with several counts of alleged possession of child pornography. Why is it that those who contribute to the rhetoric that the LGBT+ community is predatory towards children, are some of those who are quite literally being accused of being predatory towards children? It is frustrating to see that those who contribute to the harmful stigmas surrounding the queer community project their own immoral faults on an easy target. Another example of this hypocritical projection can be seen within religious institutions. Several Catholic priests, who commonly preach that having a queer identity is immoral or harmful to children, are being exposed of child sexual abuse. Why is there so much emphasis on sheltering children from drag, when according to NBC, almost 1,700 priests and clergy accused of sex abuse are unsupervised and are now allowed to become teachers and coaches and live near playgrounds? It should not be the case that those who are hateful or discriminatory on the basis of morality or religion are those who are committing the actual immoral acts. The LGBTQ community should not be a constant target to project morals onto, especially when those figures of authorities are questionable themselves. 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: Emily.Cherkauskas@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 22, 2023 Opinion 15 Navigating the complex free agency frenzy in the NFL By Brady Melovitz Contributing Writer Free agency has kicked off with a bang as many teams who were looking for holes to fill found the plug to put into place. Many teams’ first choice of signing was to go for the quarterbacks, whether it be as a starter or a backup. Free agency of course started out with the signing of former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback, now turned Saints quarterback, being signed to a 4-year $160 million contract. The Raiders, in response to releasing Derek Carr, decided to target Jimmy Garoppolo formerly of the San Francisco 49ers. He signed for a three-year contract worth approximately $67.5 million. With Garoppolo leaving the 49ers, the 49ers signed quarterback Sam Darnold of the Carolina Panthers to a one-year deal. The 49ers also signed defensive tackle Javon Hargrave from the Super Bowl runner-up Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles also seemingly lost corner Darious Slay, only to have the star corner sign an extension for two years. Philadelphia also lost running back Miles Sanders, who had his best season in the NFL. The Carolina Panthers signed Miles Sanders, filling in the whole that was left from the Christian Mccaffery trade with the 49ers last season. The Panthers also made a huge trade for the number one overall pick from the Chicago Bears. Speaking of the Bears, they made more moves than just trading the number one overall pick. In that trade, they got Justin Fields, the number one receiver he needed. They also bolstered up their defense by offering contracts to linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards. Another winner of free agency this offseason so far has been the Atlanta Falcons. After an underwhelming season, they spent a lot of money during free agency. They signed Chris Lindstrom to a massive extension for the next five years with the contract being worth over $100 million. They also traded for Jonnu Smith from the Patriots. David Onyemata also signed with the Atlanta Falcons to the tune of $35 million. However, probably their biggest splash was that of the star safety of the Bengals, Jessie Bates. The Bengals also made a move that Joe Burrow is sure to be happy about. When the Chiefs decided to let go of Orlando Brown, the Bengals said, “thank you very much” and signed him to a 4-year contract worth $64 million. However, probably their biggest splash was that of the star safety of the Bengals, Jessie Bates. The Bengals also made a move that Joe Burrow is sure to be happy about. When the Chiefs decided to let go of Orlando Brown, The Bengals said thank you very much and signed him to a 4-year contract worth $64 million dollars. The Bengals division rival however still has a major problem on their hands. The Ravens have yet to sign Lamar Jackson to a contract, and it does not seem like they are going to anytime soon. They placed the non-exclusive tag on Jackson, meaning that in theory, any team can sign Lamar to a contract as long as the Raven do not match. If the Ravens do not match the offer, they would get two first-round picks in compensation. No teams have come forward in the Lamar Jackson sweepstakes as of now, but it should only be a matter of time before a team decides to. Another quarterback who will be moving homes sooner rather than later is Aaron Rodgers. Unlike the Lamar Jackson situation, there is one team who has made it very clear from the start they want him, the New York Jets. The Jets had a pretty amazing season compared to what was expected of them. They believe they are one quarterback away from making a playoff run, and they might be right. The Jets already signed wide receiver Allen Lazard, who has been linked to Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay for years. It’s rumored that the Jets will be targeting more former Packers to lure Aaron Rodgers to their team even more. There are still plenty of top free agents left and we are still trying to figure out where they will land next. �The Beacon - March 22, 2023 Opinion 16 It is Taylor Swift’s world and we are all just living in it The worthwhile chaos of being a Swiftie By Zara Lantzman Asst. Opinion Editor Welcome to New York—wait no, I mean Glendale—wait, I am still wrong—I mean Swift City. On March 13, Mayor Jerry P. Weiers announced that Glendale, Ariz. would be changing its name to Swift City temporarily on March 17 and March 18 for the opening night of Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour.” “The Eras Tour” is Taylor Swift’s sixth tour and the biggest ever United Statestour of her career. Her tour initially consisted of 35 shows, but she realized the extreme high demand and added 17 more shows which brings the number of shows to 52. This widely outnumbers her latest tour, “Reputation Stadium Tour,” as it only had 38 shows. Swift announced ‘The Eras Tour’’ on Nov. 1, 12 days after she released her 10th studio album, ‘Midnights.’ She also released “Midnights (3 a.m. Edition)” at 3 a.m., which consisted of seven new songs. “Midnights” broke records all around the world as she became the first person to ever claim all top 10 spots in Billboard’s Top 100. I will gladly take some credit for these songs in the top 10 as “Midnights” is my favorite Taylor Swift album. When Swift announced the tour, she gave fans an opportunity to join Ticketmaster’s verified fan program, which gave fans a chance to be selected for a Nov. 15 presale. I unfortunately got waitlisted, but my friend got selected for presale and a boost in the line. The presale went downhill very fast, as fans all over the U.S. were reporting crashes and extremely long wait times on Ticketmaster’s website. The first hour went relatively smooth, but no one expected the crashes to happen, even Ticketmaster. I personally dealt with this as we had the tickets in our cart and it would not let us checkout and pay. We then got sent back into the queue, at the back of the line, and saw the dreadful 2000+. The worst was yet to come, as Ticketmaster announced the cancellation of the general sale on Nov. 17, which sent fans into a spiral. “The site was supposed to be opened up for 1.5 million verified Taylor Swift fans,” said Ticketmaster. “We had 14 million people hit the site—including bots, another story, which are not supposed to be there—and despite all the challenges and the breakdowns, we did sell over 2 million tickets that day.” The math is not adding up. How do 14 million people enter the site, when only 1.5 million people were supposed to have access? Ticketmaster really fumbled the bag on this one. With fans upset all over the world, they took to StubHub to see what the resell prices would be, but the numbers were absurd, with a range of $5000$100,000. Hope seemed glim for Taylor Swift fans, including myself. Closer to the opening tour in Swift City, fans were starting to get tickets for a much more reasonable price, as StubHub sellers were panicking and dropped the price drastically. There is so much media and hype to “The Eras Tour” and rightfully so. It was a long time coming to finally reach this point, and after all the stress that fans faced, the time is finally here. The impact that Swift has on the world is astronomical, as Stanford University added a class that completely breaks down Swift’s song, “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version).” The song is 10 minutes of pure genius, and it definitely warrants a whole course that will break down the whole song. New York University also has a class about Taylor Swift, as it dives into her life, her inspiration, her songwriting and so much more. Granted, Swift received a Doctorate of Fine Arts, honoris causa from NYU so it makes sense to have this course. Now Swift’s fans, or “Swifties” as they are called, are absolutely nuts, but there is a level to being a crazy ‘Swifties’ or not, although it is a thin line. Swift’s lucky number is 13, and yes, this actually matters. Leading up to ‘The Eras Tour’ swifties took to TikTok, Instagram and Twitter with some of the wildest theories, though believable. When Swift dropped the ‘Bejeweled’ music video, ‘Swifties’ ran to Twitter to see all the Easter eggs and clues for the future, Swift knew exactly what she was doing. ‘Swifties’ came up with the theory that “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” was next, and all the clues pointed to that being right. Swift was in the elevator in the music video, on each button shown were the colors of every album she has released, but there was the color purple on the button for 13, which meant that “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” was next. I fully gave into the theory and I still believe that it is the next album being released. Leading up to March 3, I was fully convinced that Swift was dropping “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version),” or at least something. There were so many signs that just made the most sense that Swift was dropping March 3. On Swift’s birthday, she posted an image of herself in the studio holding three fingers on each hand. This was most definitely because she just turned 33, but Swifties had other ideas. The community ran to Twitter to say something is coming on March 3, because of the logic that this date adds up to 13, 3 + 3 + 2 + 2 + 3 = 13. This then translates into March 3, 2023. They also thought that it was coming on March 3 because, in the picture that she posted for her birthday, fans were saying the guitar she was holding looked like the guitar she used in the song “Mean,” which is in the original “Speak Now” album. The theories seemed so plausible, but, oh boy, were we wrong. There was one more theory that she was dropping or announcing something on March 13 because of the date being 13 and the fact that Lana Del Rey moved her album release date to March 24, instead of the original date of March 17. Swifites were right about one thing, something was coming before the start of ‘The Eras Tour.’ On March 16, Swift announced that she will be releasing four songs at midnight, “Eyes Open (Taylor’s Version),” “Safe and Sound (Taylor’s Version),” “If This Was A Movie (Taylor’s Version)” and “All The Girls You Loved Before.” The most shocking was “All The Girls You Loved Before” because this was originally an unreleased song and a week prior, the whole song was leaked and fans loved it, which could have been the reason she released it to the public. The songs were so random because the original, “Eyes Open” and “Safe and Sound” was on “The Hunger Games” soundtrack. At midnight, when these four songs came out, fans were surpised by the fact that “If This Was A Movie (Taylor’s Version)” was moved from the albums “Speak Now” to “Fearless (Taylor’s Version).” An even bigger shock to fans was the fact that “Eyes Open (Taylor’s Version)” and “Safe and Sound (Taylor’s Version)” were actually part of the album, “Red (Taylor’s Version).” Fans are now speculating all over TikTok that Swift will release an assortment of songs each week that she will be able to play on tour, as she is unable to play songs prior to 2019 due to the fact that she no longer owns them. Only songs after 2019 or that have (Taylor’s Version) on it, can be played at “The Eras Tour.” The wait is finally over for Swifties as the “The Eras Tour” has officially kicked off in Swift City, with openers, GAYLE and Paramore. The last day of “The Eras Tour” is Aug. 9, which will end in Inglewood, CA. Graphic by Maggie Murphy �The Beacon - March 22, 2023 Opinion 17 The strangely normal 95th Annual Academy Awards By Rudy Urenovich Contributing Writer On March 12, the 95th Academy Awards were held, or the Oscars, as they is more widely known. I must admit, I am not someone who puts much stock into award shows like the Oscars. They do not affect my life at all. Granted, there are moments that become cemented in pop culture, like when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock. When this year’s awards rolled around, that little “incident” shall we call, was remembered and brought back again. Additionally, many times the nominees are household names that most people know and recognize, so there is that bit of anticipation to see if they’re going to win or not. Of course, like almost everything in life, there is potential backlash and controversy, which I feel that even if people are like me, and are not into the award show itself, a memorable moment or dramatic exchange piques their interest. By result, they become more informed on other aspects of the event. The big winner this year was “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” I myself have not seen it, and most I have heard about it and seen it promoted was this past week following the Oscars. It won numerous awards, with Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis winning “Best Actress” and “Best Supporting Actress” respectively. I do consider myself to be a fan of either actress, at least in the sense that I have seen viral videos and entertaining moments from both of them on social media, and I found them likable and relatable, yet glamorous and charismatic, like Hollywood Stars are known to be. In particular, Jamie Lee Curtis has had a long career, and I believe that up until this point she never won an Academy Award. I can’t explain it but she is a celebrity I have always liked. There is something rather endearing, powerful and real about a celebrity who not only gives award worthy performances, but also promotes something as simply as yogurt. Like, that is so iconic. However, Jamie Lee Curtis’ win has me conflicted. Angela Bassett was a strong contender, and some might say more worthy. She has been a Hollywood icon for years, and gave us a powerful performance in “Wakanda Forever.” No shade to Curtis, and I do not want to start the whole “nepo baby” debate, but I do have more respect for someone like Angela Bassett who made it in the industry without familial connections or advantages. But I digress, I love them both at the end of the day. As for best actor, I am very glad Brendan Fraser won and is making waves in Hollywood once again, and rightfully so, after having such a terrible ordeal. Perhaps his most notable contender was Austin Butler and his viral performance in “Elvis.” I must say that was entertaining, but I believe there was integrity and power behind Fraser’s performance and impact on the movie industry. I must say when it came to the big wins this year I was overall pleased. I feel all the Assistant Opinion Editors: Sydney Allabaugh and Zara Lantzman winners were deserving, and all likable, humble people, which are rare gems in Hollywood. Grounding the contest, we had Jimmy Kimmel hosting. I think this was a decent choice. I consider him to be one of the better talk show hosts, so he was a safe, normal choice. Now on to perhaps two of the most important moments of the night. We had Rihanna perform. She is back and performing again, and I love to see it. As much as I enjoyed Rihanna, I think Lady Gaga’s performance was incomparable. Once again another controversial moment, as she performed simply standing on the stage, fresh-faced, in a jeans and T-shirt. I personally adored this, as it even out all the fantastical, unrelatable glitz and glam. I think the show as a whole was very real and enjoyable. It was not dramatic, with draw-dropping, blood-boiling moments. It was a well run event with decent people being highlighted. A rarity in the industry these days. �The Beacon - March 22, 2023 Opinion Roving Reporter: Womens' History Month 18 Who has been the most influential woman in your life? Compiled by Sydney Allabaugh - Asst. Opinion Editor Amelia O'Connor Ijahnae Giddings DJ Johnson “Other than my mom, I would have to say my aunt because my uncle died recently and she is raising three kids on her own. I think she is doing a banging job at it.” “My stepmom. She calls me her bonus daughter. She just makes me feel like family, even before she was a part of the family. She just includes me in everything and makes me feel amazing. She never lets me forget that.” “I would probably say Momma Dukes. She got the most respect out of me, talked to me every time I needed it, pushed me to my goals and got me to where I’m at right now.” Najhae Johnson Jake Middleton “My mother. She always lets me know to keep going and to never give up no matter what.” “My influential woman is my sister because she is a PA, and she got good grades in college. That’s who I aspire to be.” Sophomore - Nursing Landon Rubenstein First-year - Biology “My grandmother because she’s been through a lot, and I’m just trying to make her proud.” First-year - Early Childhood Education First-year - Sports Management First-year - Sociology First-year - Biochemistry �The Beacon - March 22, 2023 Sports Sports 19 Want your sport covered? Deserve to be Athlete of the Week? Contact the Sports Editor: Baylee.Guedes@wilkes.edu BASE: Bases loaded, MAC playoffs in mind for the Colonels By Baylee Guedes Sports Editor Take me out to the ball game because it is baseball season in Wilkes-Barre. The Colonels are 7-9 to start off the 2023 season with plenty of winning opportunities ahead as they play their final season in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom. Kevin Gryboski entered his fifth season as the head coach for Wilkes along with his assistants Mark Modrovsky, Kevin Miller and Matt Wotherspoon. The coaching staff looks to lead the team to the playoffs and aim for the championship title. “We are about a third of the way through our season and we are starting to play better baseball,” said Gryboski. “We have a nice mix of younger guys and seasoned veterans who have meshed well so far this season. They have really come together as a team and I'm looking forward to getting into the heart of the MAC conference competition and making a postseason run.” The Colonels returned 15 upperclass students with graduate-student Tony Molitoris, seniors Jack Gordon, Jason Spezzaferra, Sawyer Kemp, Darren Kerdesky, Jonathan Martens, Peyton Schuck, Alexis Velez, Max Alessi, Aiden Velez and AJ Brosious. The juniors include Ruben Ortiz Montemayor, Ryan Sanderson, Loch Williams and Justin Stefanowicz. The sophomores consist of Adam Grundt, Colby Butczynski, Zack Luksic, Tegan Shortlidge, Chase Vrabel, Tyler Hoedl, Aiden Murphy, Todd Kolbicka, Mike Show, Connor Morgan and Jimmy Brazofsky. The first-year class is comprised of Devin Markert, Braydon Wuestner, Griffin Coyne, Ryan Johnston, Ethan Fuller, Evan Melberger, Jake Cambria and Hunter Lawall. This season the team is focused on the process and seniors are looking to leave The Beacon/Baylee Guedes Vrabel attempting to catch the runner at first. Game day pictures on page 20. their marks on the program. “I trust every single guy in our roster and every decision our coach makes,” said Brosious. “I want to be able to help all the younger guys around me and leave a mark that will benefit them for the years they have remaining here.” The Colonels started off their season with a split against SUNY Cobleskill and then headed to Fort Pierce Florida for seven spring break games. In Florida, Wilkes went 4-3 with big wins over Houghton University, Wheaton College (Ill.), Thiel College and Norwich University. The Colonels’ 16-10 win over Houghton included Spezzaferra leading Wilkes at the plate by moving runners, going 3-4 with three runs-batted-in (RBI) and one run. Sanderson got the win with two strikeouts. The 11-7 win over Wheaton consisted of Vrabel going 3-4 at the plate with two RBI’s and two runs. Murphy took the win on the mound with five strikeouts. (In the 6-5 loss to Wheaton, Molitoris surpassed the 100 career strikeout mark as he recorded eight in that single game.) Thiel took the 8-7 loss to the Colonels as they tried to play the catchup game, which proved unsuccessful. Shortlidge took the win on the mound and Show got his first career save pitching. Multiple Colonels had their day in the batter’s box: Show (25, two runs), Schuck (2-3, two walks, one run), Kerdesky (2-4, two RBI's, two runs, one walk), Brosious (2-3, two RBI's one run) and Kolbicka (2-4, two RBI's). To wrap up the spring break gameplay, Wilkes beat Norwich 3-1 in eight innings. The Colonels scored one run in the third inning and Norwich tied it up in the seventh, leading to an eighth inning. Show hit a double in the top of the eighth and Morgan got to first as Norwich made an error on his bunt attempt. Show was able to score on the error, leading Morgan to third. Brosious ended the scoring with a sacrifice fly, bringing in Morgan, making the score 3-1. Show came in for the save on the mound with two strikeouts. After completing spring break gameplay, the Colonels came back to Wilkes-Barre to host DeSales University. Game one left Wilkes with a 0-6 loss and a 4-7 loss in game two, but Hoedl who pitched in game two with three strikeouts noted that it is more than the wins and losses sometimes. “One thing many people forget is that we're playing a game—a game that is meant to be fun,” said Hoedl. “I believe if a team isn't having fun together on the field, they aren't a close team. Luckily myself and the rest of the guys have a blast day in and day out.” Last Wednesday, the Colonels hosted New Jersey City University where the Navy and Gold came out on top with a 4-2 win. Shortlidge has a career-high of seven strikeouts to secure the win on the mound, only allowing one run, three hits, and two walks in six innings. Melberger scored two runs off of two hits, Show added one run off of one hit and contributed to one RBI and Brosious added an RBI off of a hit also. On Thursday, Wilkes crushed DeSales in a 13-6 win off of 15 hits. Alessi scored three runs on three hits and had two RBI’s. Kolbicka added three hits for two runs and Show produced two RBI’s off of three hits. Vrabel (2-5, one run, two RBI’s) Melberger (two runs), Kerdesky (one hit, two runs, one RBI), Luksic (two runs), Johnston (11, one run) and Markert (one hit, one RBI) all contributed to the win. Lawall took the win on the mound with seven strikeouts in six innings, allowing five hits, one run and added three walks. “(That) was our first conference win and we put up double digit hits, runs and had a clean game in the field with no errors,” said Spezzaferra. “We need to use those games as building blocks if we want to be in the playoffs and reach our goals as a team.” The Colonels finished out the week's gameplay with three games against Arcadia University on Saturday and Sunday. “Arcadia is a very good team and we lost every single game to them by one run last year,” said Brosious. “We need to retain leads this year and hold them because that was our biggest downfall last year. I expect to be in the playoffs as does our entire team and coaching staff.” Game one added a loss to the Colonel column as they fell 1-0 in nine innings. The tough back-and-forth game ended with an Arcadia run on a Wilkes throwing error and the Colonels could not come back in the bottom of the inning. Game two resulted in another loss for Wilkes, 7-4. Runs were scored by Schuck (1-3, one run, one RBI), Kerdesky (2-3, one run, two RBI’s), Johnston (2-3, one run) and Markert (one run after getting on by error). Game three on Sunday resulted in a 10-5 loss for the Colonels. Seven recorded hits in the loss: Kolbicka, Brosious, Morgaon, Show, Johnston, Kerdesky and Alessi. All statistics are as of March 19. �The Beacon - March 22, 2023 Sports 20 BASE: Doubleheader loss to Arcadia University - March 18. TOP LEFT: Tony Molitoris pitching in game one. He recorded three strikeouts. TOP RIGHT: Darren Kerdesky coming in from the outfield in between innings. BOTTOM LEFT: Jason Spezzaferra up at the plate for the Colonels. BOTTOM RIGHT: Zack Luksic giving the infield the signal for top of the order. Wilkes will host Susquehanna University today at 3:30 P.M. at Bruggeworth Field. On Friday, the Colonels will host King’s College at 3:30 P.M. and then play at King’s on Saturday at noon for a doubleheader. Photos: The Beacon/Baylee Guedes SOFT: Early success brings hope for start of conference play By Julia Mazur & Baylee Guedes Contributing Writer & Sports Editor Wilkes began its season with a spring break road trip to Myrtle Beach to compete in the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic. Last season, the Colonels went 14-16 overall in the regular season, hoping to have a better overall record this season and compete in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom Championship. The Colonels played eight games at the Classic and went 6-2 overall with their only losses being to Penn State Harrisburg and Immaculata University. “This trip each year allows the full team to grow together through good times and adversarial times on the field and off the field,” said Head Coach Jacqueline Klahold. “These players get to know each other so much more on a personal level in this week and it really prepares them for the rest of the season and postseason. It is great as a coach to watch them pick each other up, support each other and develop great bonds.” The 11-hour bus ride from Wilkes provided plenty of time for the team to learn new things about one another from seniors to first-years. Last year, the team competed in the Fastpitch Dreams Tournament. Many returning players have experienced the tournament on multiple accounts, noting that is a positive way to begin their season. “I honestly feel like our team’s biggest strength this year is our team chemistry,” said senior Hope Mullins. “We’re all friends on and off the field, which makes us play that much harder for each other.” The team returns with 11 upperclass students with four seniors leading. The seniors include Mullins, AJ Bryfogle, Carly Endres and Nicole O’Rourke. The juniors include Taylor Douple, Sami Hendershott, Hayden Calaman, Haylee Calaman, Hannah Boyd, Megan Marshall and Marissa Pick. The sophomore class is compiled of Kayla Burleson, Evan Sherrick, Bella Peters, Emily Murphy, Allison Radicchi and Nicole Howell. The first-year class contains Olivia Dougher, Lauren DeMarco, Hana Cross and Salma Lampack-Heverly. The regular season began this past Saturday when they played a doubleheader against Arcadia University. Wilkes lost 4-1 in the first game with the only run in game coming from a single from Douple, scoring Marshall who was pinch running for Radicchi’s double. Game two added another loss to the day for the Colonels as they fell 7-0. Boyd, Daughter and Hayden Calaman were the only ones record hits. “The season has been short so far, but this team is so different than some teams in the past,” said Klahold. “They set the standard and continue to fight hard in games, no matter what.” Their busy schedule features many local teams including King’s College, Marywood University, the University of Scranton and Penn State Hazleton. The Colonels will be competing and fighting hard to the end of the season. They will play tonight in a non-conference doubleheader as they host Keystone College. On Saturday, Wilkes will continue conference gameplay as they host Delaware Valley Univeristy. Wilkes will play 30 regular season games in total, which will wrap up on April 29., when they take on Stevens University in a back-to-back double header in Hoboken, N.J. �The Beacon - March 22, 2023 Sports 21 MIH: Five awarded in post-season ALL-MAC honors listing By Baylee Guedes Sports Editor Five Colonels were named to the AllMiddle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Men’s Ice Hockey Conference team after the conclusion of their season. Under head coach Tyler Hynes and new assistant coach Josh Hoff, Wilkes went 1310-3 after graduating most of their starting roster from the previous seasons. This rebuilding season landed the Colonels with a quarterfinals appearance in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) Tournament. The fifth-seeded Colonels fell to the fourth-seeded Manhattanville College 4-1 to end their 2022-23 gameplay. Cole Jungwirth was named to the AllMAC First-Team, while Ben Stefanini, Garrett Nieto, Joe Johnson and Matt Carlson were Second-Team recipients. “All five players had outstanding seasons and it was exciting to see them get recognized,” said Hynes. Sophomore Jungwirth recorded 28 blocks for the Colonels, the most on the team during the season. He also added 15 assists over the season and scored a singlegoal on the year during the 5-3 win over Alvernia University in Dec. Graduate-student Stefanini scored 13 goals, added seven assists, recorded 20 points and had 13 blocks on the year. His season-high of three goals lifted Wilkes over Chatham University 4-2 in Dec. “It’s an honor (to receive the award),” said Stefanini. “We, as a team, battled adversity and worked to get better each day, receiving these honors is a testament to that.” Senior Nieto’s solo-season in goal for the Colonels landed him with a .922 save percentage after recording 436 saves in 17 games. Nieto earned multiple weekly MAC awards as well as an award in the UCHC. “Ben and Garrett stepped up as older players on a young team and led through their play on the ice,” said Hynes. “Their statistics speak for themselves, but I’m particularly proud of how they were always involved in community service and committed in the classroom away from the rink.” Sophomore Johnson recorded 14 blocks, 13 assists, 14 points and one goal during his second season as a Colonel. His gamehigh of three assists lifted Wilkes over Lebanon Valley College 4-3 in Jan. “It’s an honor to receive this recognition,” said Johnson. “Thank you to my teammates and coaches, they make coming to the rink everyday a great experience.” First-year Carlson added 11 goals, 10 assists, 21 points, six blocks and won 196 face-offs during his opening year as a Colonel. His 13 face-off wins, one goal and one assist in their Feb. matchup with King’s College helped lift Wilkes over the Monarchs 3-0. Carlson received the UCHC Co-Rookie of the Week award in Feb. while also receiving a MAC Offensive Player of the Week award in Dec. “These guys have had a lot of success early in their careers but I believe are just scratching the surface of how good they can be,” said Hynes. The Colonels will return next season in hopes to continue having winning seasons and add more players to the post-season award winners list. Photos: courtesy of GoWilkesU Graphic: Baylee Guedes ONLINE SPECIAL: WIH: Three Colonels awarded, including Coach of the Year By Baylee Guedes Sports Editor Three members of the women’s ice hockey team were recognized with awards after their second best season in Wilkes history. The Colonels’ best season was in 201920 as they went 5-17-1. Under new head coach Dave LaBaff, Wilkes went 4-19-2. LaBaff was awarded with the 2022-23 Coach of the Year honor after completing his first season with the Navy and Gold. LaBaff swiftly improved the team after they came off of a 3-19 season in 2021-22 and an 0-9 season in 2020-21.... View the entire article at www.TheWilkesBeacon.com The Beacon/Baylee Guedes LaBaff coaching his team to victory amid a timeout against the Knights. �The Beacon - March 22, 2023 Sports 22 Athlete of the Week Hunter Riley Senior Lacrosse Defender/ Long Stick Midfield The Beacon: Male Athlete of the Week Riley was chosen as our Athlete of the Week (AOTW) after his perfomance during the one-goal loss to Marywood University. Riley recorded his 100th career ground ball and currently has 115, the third most in Wilkes history (as of 3/18). Major: Psychology Hometown: Ballston Lake, N.Y. High School: Shenendehowa Central What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? Playing against Utica my freshman year, where we went three men down and still won the game in the final seconds. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? New England Patriots. What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Fishing. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? Being part of a very close-knit group of guys, who always want to see everyone at their best. If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Football, or swimming as both of these were large parts of my childhood. What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Winning a tournament in Niagara Falls with my club team, Albany Power. What is your favorite postgame meal? Buffalo wings and burritos. How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? I am excited to be selected as the Athlete of the Week.. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? “Mighty Ducks” or “Talladega Nights.” The Beacon/Baylee Guedes 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 Baylee Guedes, Sports Editor �Sports The Beacon - March 22, 2023 Athlete of the Week 23 Hannah Boyd Junior Softball Catcher/Infield The Beacon: Female Athlete of the Week Boyd was chosen as our Athlete of the Week (AOTW) after her performance during the softball team's spring break trip. Boyd went 7-12 at the plate with four runs and two RBIs. She ended the trip with a batting average of .583. Major: Sports Management Hometown: Escalon, Ca. High School: Escalon What had been your favorite sports memory from your time as a Colonel? Getting to play alongside my sister for her senior year at Wilkes. What is your favorite professional sports team (any sport)? New York Yankees. What is your favorite thing to do away from sports? Traveling and hiking. What is your favorite part of being an athlete at Wilkes? Being able to play the sport I love with an amazing group of girls. If you did not play your current sport, what sport would you have wanted to play? Volleyball. What has been your favorite sports memory overall? Winning our 3rd consecutive softball section title for my high school coach's last year of coaching. What is your favorite postgame meal? Chipotle chicken and fajita bowl. How do you feel about being selected as the Athlete of the Week? I feel very honored and thankful to be selected. What sports movie is your go-to for movie night? "Friday Night Lights." Compiled by Baylee Guedes, Sports Editor The Beacon/Baylee Guedes Editor’s note: Athlete of the Week s elec tions are deter mined by the spor ts staff each week. At the end of the academic year, we w ill post a reader poll on Tw it ter @WilkesB eacon to crow n an “Athlete of the Year." �The Beacon - March 22, 2023 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 <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 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>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> 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. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre 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 Wilkes Beacon, 2023 March 22 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wilkes University retains copyright of this publication.