33 15 4132 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/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/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/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/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/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/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/88db4b2f163dbd3b75ed70318bc1da1c.jpg 29e332f8ca1bf63e917de940ada5ffb9 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 Digital exhibits for the Dollhouse 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 Close-up photograph of the miniature portrait painting created by Niccolo Cortigliana, located above the fireplace in the Eighteenth Century Drawing Room in Mrs. Fisher's miniature rooms dollhouse, photo taken June 2024. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource miniature portrait painting created by Niccolo Cortigiliana; photo taken by Suzanna Calev, Archivist, Wilkes University. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource ca. 1940s-1950s; photo taken June 2024. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/954041b4e7b31b2579b927ef32715691.jpg 71323c5ebaa9225b883c8fe3996bc54e 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 Digital exhibits for the Dollhouse 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 Black and White Photograph of the Eighteenth Century Drawing Room in Mrs. Fisher's Miniature Rooms dollhouse, taken ca. late 1940s-early 1950s. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Mrs. Fisher Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource late 1940s-early 1950s Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/e84f9a22e9fb0cb0d1a07a226e978f19.jpeg 091c2e8ab44b78ef9091cedbb5a6e707 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 Digital exhibits for the Dollhouse 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 Current photograph of the Eighteenth Century Drawing Room in Mrs. Fisher's Miniature Rooms dollhouse, taken June 2024 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource [Suzanna Calev, Archivist, Wilkes University] Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Photograph taken June 2024, initially created late 1940s to early 1950s. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/1a60f777aad5368148a2995037f69265.jpg 075e672e76d1d806737b68e6253549b1 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 Digital exhibits for the Dollhouse 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 A Photograph Depicting the Scale and How the Rooms Were Cleaned and Maintained, American Rooms in Miniature, Mrs. James Ward Throne, 1941. Description An account of the resource This photograph was in Mrs. James Ward Thorne’s book, American Rooms in Miniature, published in 1941, page 5 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Mrs. James Ward Thorne [Narcissa Niblack Thorne] Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1941 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/453938c7db5bcbc5592e89cb01425860.png 993d23f26c0660322f1e11055b54d843 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 Digital exhibits for the Dollhouse 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 Excerpt from newspaper clipping on Mrs. Fisher's Eighteenth Century Drawing Room from article titled, "A Hobbyist with a Heart," no date found within Mrs. Fisher's Scrapbook pt.1, p.23 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource [Mrs. Fisher] ;newspaper title unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource no date Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper clipping https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/bebbb9a09debd8c13ba65e3e9f909cac.jpg f798d7c063411ca6226e4e41cf9d8dba 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 Digital exhibits for the Dollhouse 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 A Photograph of a News clipping from Unknown, titled, “Many Persons See Exhibit,” [no date] Description An account of the resource This newsclipping was found in Mrs. Fisher's Dollhouse Scrapbook, part 1 from [no date], page 21. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Mignonette Dick Fisher Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/9c2dfb09b861d1e47a31b780b6035c14.jpg 3d3a2c9d329b3fc7605da3c5d3f8f15c 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 Digital exhibits for the Dollhouse 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 Photograph of Exhibition pamphlet titled, "Mrs. Dwight Fisher's Miniature Rooms," Spring 1954 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Mrs. Dwight Fisher Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring 1954 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Type The nature or genre of the resource Pamphlet https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/f86cf3c0a71038e20a7e0d6ee0cb1eec.jpg f82ca9e586964acc3336171dc7a491e1 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 Digital exhibits for the Dollhouse 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 Photograph of 1959 Life Magazine Article, titled, "“US Craze for Things Past: Worldwide Sampling of Antiques serve as a basic buyer's guide" Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Life Magazine (article), Wilkes University (photograph) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1959 June 29 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph