Lewis & Clark College

The Pioneer Log: Lewis & Clark College’s Student-Run Newspaper

Volume 103, No. 1

Lewis & Clark College Student Newspaper

Pioneer Log Staff

2024-09-20

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Lewis & Clark College: Pioneer Log / Mossy Log

Vol. 103 No. 1 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2024 www.piolog.com
Welcome back!
Your brat summer is over, you have
midterms coming up. Lock in.OPINION
Ethics of unpaid internships
Explore the ethics and finances of
student unpaid internships.
PAGE 4
FEATURES
The evolution of LC trends
Keep an eye out for these hot fashion
trends on campus this autumn!
PAGE 6
ARTS
“Coraline” cats downtown
Celebrating the anniversary of the film
Coraline, an exhibit featuring multiple
cat sculptures bewitches downtown.
PAGE 8
SPORTS
Athletics fosters community
Insider look into Division III athletics and
how community plays a role in creating a
supportive atmosphere.
PAGE 10
New Campus Safety director resigns abruptly
James Eriksen’s sudden departure less than a week into the semester leaves many questions unanswered
By OLIVIA FENDRICH
ON AUG. 26 , Lewis & Clark
announced that former
Multnomah County Deputy
Sheriff James Eriksen had been hired
as the new director of Campus Safety.
Eriksen resigned from the role on
Sept. 2, one day before the start of
the semester.
In a now archived webpage, Eriksen
was introduced as a remarkable
candidate for the job. The position
became available at the end of spring
semester when former Director of
Campus Safety Jay Weitman resigned
after less than a year.
“After an extensive search among
campus safety professionals, James
emerged as an exceptional fit for both our
community and the Campus Safety team,”
Associate Vice President of Student Life
Operations and Strategic Initiatives Bill
Curtis announced in an email introducing
Eriksen. “As a local resident, he is excited
to join us on campus and looks forward
to supporting our community. Please
join me in extending a warm welcome to
James as he begins his time with us.”Eriksen’s background includes nine
years spent as a police sergeant for the
city of Stayton, Oregon, where he served
as a patrol sergeant, detective, school
resource officer, DARE officer and patrol
officer. Then, in 2003, he moved to the
Multnomah County sheriff’s office. He
took on positions including professional
standards inspector, lieutenant of the
training unit, sergeant of the transit police
division and detective, ultimately working
his way up to the position of chief deputy.
“Throughout his career, James has
handled a wide range of responsibilities,
including managing major crime scenes,
conducting investigations, addressing
personnel issues, training deputies, and
serving as an incident commander for
major events,” states Eriksen’s hiring
announcement. “He has a proven
track record in enhancing critical
operations, leading projects focused
on recruitment and retention, wellness
programs, community engagement,
and advancing technology strategies
within the patrol division.”
The role of the director of Campus
Safety involves overseeing the entire
office, which presides over all three LC campuses. Upon Erikson’s resignation,
Curtis assumed the role of interim
director of Campus Safety. The search
for a new, permanent director continues.
“The Director of Campus Safety
is a very important position for all
three of our campuses. While James
Eriksen’s departure was disappointing,
I remain very encouraged that we will
fill this position soon,” Vice President
for Student Life and Dean of Students
Dr. Evette Castillo Clark wrote in a
statement. “While we continue the
search process, safety and security
operations are unaffected. I have all
the confidence in our Campus Safety
team of officers and dispatchers who
will continue to keep our community
safe and respond to community needs.
I thank Bill Curtis for his continued
leadership and commitment to the L&C
community during this transitional
period serving as our Interim Director
of Campus Safety.”
The circumstances surrounding
Eriksen’s resignation remain unclear.
Neither Eriksen nor the college has
provided an official explanation for
his abrupt departure, and Erikson did not respond to requests for comment
regarding his resignation.
Despite the vacancy, Curtis remains
hopeful that Campus Safety will still
function as an established aspect of
campus life, serving the community
as usual.
“We wish him all the best in
his future endeavors and have
quickly refocused on the search for a new Director,” Curtis said in a
statement. “In the meantime, I will
continue serving as Interim Director,
supporting both Campus Safety
operations and the broader campus
community. Our Campus Safety
officers will also remain engaged
through their meet and greets with
students at the Bon and their ongoing
liaison efforts with Campus Living.”
Campus Safety operations continue uniterrupted through the personnel changeover.FABIOLA RIO/THE MOSSY LOG
Manor House closed to students,
updated protest policy in effectFAFSA delays lead to
smaller freshman class
By EMMA CLAIRE
AMBROZIAK
ON WEDNESDAY, Sept. 11,
President Robin Holmes-
Sullivan sent out an essential
communication via email to the entire
LC Community — including students,
parents, staff, faculty and alumni. The
email was titled “Protecting our campus
community”. The communication was
also published on the LC website.
“We recently became aware of plans
by a group of students, and potentially
individuals outside of our community, to
put the campus community at risk and
disrupt our operations,” wrote Holmes-
Sullivan. “The information we have seen
is not a general threat. It is a detailed
roadmap that outlines plans to seize
campus property through aggressive
and, potentially, violent means, to occupy
the Frank Manor House, to intentionally
disrupt campus operations and to
endanger employees and other occupants
of the building by physically removing
them. The plan indicates the group’s
intention to escalate resistance through
multiple and indefinite occupation phases,
and to use violence against those who
attempt to restore campus operations.
Unfortunately, plans like these only
undermine the good intentions of the
majority of our students who want to make
a positive difference in the world.”
Holmes-Sullivan shared that a
team of experts “examined the plan
and deemed the threat credible.” She
also noted that the Manor House is
now closed to all but essential Manor
House staff and that additional security
measures are being implemented.
“In addition, given the group’s stated
intention to occupy an area outside of the Manor House as a prelude to
occupying the Manor House itself, we
will not allow the establishment of any
encampment on College property,”
Holmes-Sullivan wrote.
There was no such rule in May of 2024,
when Students for Justice in Palestine,
Palatine Hill (SJPPH) organized an
encampment during finals week.
Holmes-Sullivan also shared an
updated version of Lewis & Clark’s
Protest and Demonstration Policy,
which was approved by the Executive
Council on Aug. 14 — a few weeks before
the start of the semester. The previous
version had not been updated since Feb.
16, 2022.
Several colleges across the
country have updated their protest
policies in response to the wave of student protests and encampments
in the spring. Protest policies have
been updated to include bans on
encampments, impose restrictions
on the time and place of protests, and
require mandatory administrative
approval prior to engaging in any
form of protest.
LC’s updated policy outlines a
detailed but non-exhaustive list of
disruptive conduct, and highlights the
college’s right to pursue disciplinary
action against students who do not
comply with the new regulations.
Unlike the previous policy, which
addressed students involved in protest,
the updated policy applies to “All members
of the Lewis & Clark community”.
“PRESIDENT’S” continued on page 3.By JESSIE SHAW
IN THE LAST three years, Lewis &
Clark experienced a record high
number of freshmen, resulting in
overcrowded conditions in the dorms as
well as the conversion of some lounges
to dorm rooms. On top of the larger
freshman classes, there were significant
numbers of gap-year students entering
LC due to the COVID-19 pandemic
hindering their initial college decisions.
This year, though, has marked a turn
away from large class sizes, with LC
welcoming a much smaller incoming
class than in the past few years.
Eric Staab, the vice president for
admissions and financial aid, noted that
the smaller incoming freshman class
generated less revenue, forcing LC to
make budgetary adjustments.
“We’ve already made our budgetary
adjustments,” Staab explained. “So
it’s not good. A smaller number of
people coming in, smaller than what’s
budgeted, means less revenue, which
does put some restrictions on what we could do in any given year. So that’s it,
but it’s not crippling, not anything that’s
going to put the college in danger.”
The college managed to avoid more
significant budget cuts due to residual
funding from higher enrollment in
previous years.
“We’ve had some really strong
enrollment years and in earlier years,
and that helped to bring in a strong
amount of cash flow,” Staab explained.
“So we had reserves available to be
able to adjust and accommodate.
That’s one of the factors that the
College was able to pull on in order
to balance out the budget without
forcing us to do any deep cuts that any
student would ever notice.”
Compared to last year’s 553 first-
year students, there are 485 in this fall
semester’s freshman class. According
to Hollie M. Elliott, the Associate Vice
President for Admissions, LC hoped to
enroll 625 first-year students.
“LOW” continued on page 2.President’s recent email alleges student plans to occupy the Frank Manor House.FABIOLA RIO/THE MOSSY LOG
After years of inflated class sizes, LC campus sees fewer new faces this year.FABIOLA RIO/THE MOSSY LOG
EMMA FORD/THE MOSSY LOG
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2024
NEWS 2
Low enrollment creates need for budgetary cuts
Continued from page 1.
Elliot believes that issues with the
Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA) this year may explain
the smaller freshman class.
“There are certain components
we have control of, and we can
manage things like, where do we
go visit high schools? Where do
we offer interviews? What kind of
outreach are we doing, by email, by
text message? Those kinds of things,”
said Elliott. “Every year,
though there’s
things that we
can’t control.
And for this year,
the big thing
that we couldn’t
control was the
FAFSA … It’s
supposed to
open on October
1, and most
years, that’s
when it opens.
And when it
does that, it
allows us to give
them an idea of
what it’s going to cost to attend.”
Last year, the federal government
sought to update the FAFSA,
intending to make it easier for
students to navigate. During the
rollout, it experienced glitches and
failed to share the applicants’ data
with colleges, causing multiple
delays. As a result, many colleges —
including LC — had to postpone the
FAFSA submission deadline.
According to Elliott, LC did
not receive data from the FAFSA
until February, which presented
difficulties. Students did not receive
financial aid awards from FAFSA
until March, which impacted every
college in the country. With financial
aid awards stuck in limbo last spring, Elliott believed that numerous
applicants turned to public colleges
due to LC’s high tuition cost before
financial aid and pressure from
looming admissions deadlines.
“We think a lot of families chose
an option that looked less expensive
by sticker price without waiting
to get all the information,” Elliott
explained. “Because every year we
know there are students at Lewis &
Clark who don’t pay more to go to LC
than they would pay to go to a public
institution.”
Staab agreed that
the issues with the
FAFSA contributed
to the smaller class
size, with many
freshmen turning to
public colleges. Some
were discouraged by
the admission fees
amidst high inflation,
based on a survey
that the admissions
board conducted on
incoming students.
“And since the
inflation rate has been
running a little high in
the past year and a half, it has made
families make different decisions
about their purchasing, certainly for
college as well.”
Despite this year’s smaller
freshman student body, LC’s
undergraduate acceptance rate
was higher than last year’s as
the admission board sought to
accommodate the FAFSA issues.
“We actually admitted more students
last year than we did the year before or
the year before that,” Elliott said. “So
we were anticipating this might be a
challenging year because of financial
aid, and so we did admit at a rate that
we thought would accommodate these
issues, but it didn’t have the effect that
we wanted.”Furthermore, Elliott explained
that despite the FAFSA issues, LC
continues to seek making higher
education as affordable as possible
for incoming students.
“We also feel like we’re doing fairly
generous things with financial aid
right now. We’re doing our best to try
to make this education as affordable
as we can to a broad array of students.
And so it doesn’t feel like that was the
issue, except that we didn’t get to tell
them what their financial aid was until
later,” Elliot said.
While Elliott had wished for a
larger freshman class, she remains
hopeful for what the new students
will accomplish. Still, the situation
for next year remains unknown as the
FAFSA has been delayed again.
“Compared to some of our peer
institutions, I actually think we did
fairly well, and I was really excited
to see that we were still able to enroll
the class that we were able to enroll,
and that the makeup of that class
is right on par with what we hoped
for,” Elliott said. “So in that way,
we did not hit a target, but I also
feel like we still got a good class of
students. We’re excited for the next
cycle. We’re trepidatious because the
FAFSA is once again delayed.”
With another year of the FAFSA
delayed, LC continues facing the
challenge of reaching their goal
number of incoming students.
However, LC is satisfied with
the new students’ high school
accomplishments and is hopeful that
the freshman class will positively
contribute to the school.
Yet, the situation with the FAFSA
remains largely unknown for next
year. The FAFSA for the 2025-2026
school year will be open Dec. 1, two
months later than the usual date
of Oct. 1. Whether or not this will
impact future classes at LC remains
to be seen. Interviews with admissions and financial aid discuss incoming class of 2028, inflation, FAFSA glitches
A smaller incoming class results in less revenue and possible budget adjustments.COURTESY OF LEWIS & CLARK
ENVS relocates offices to Albany,
expresses optimism for new year
By EMMA CLAIRE
AMBROZIAK
THE Environmental Studies
(ENVS) Department moved
locations this fall, and consolidated
its offices in Albany, Suite 104.
Prior to this semester, ENVS faculty
was scattered across multiple academic
buildings, making it difficult for faculty
and students alike to connect. ENVS
Administrator Laura Mundt and
Professor Jim Proctor had offices on
the third floor of J.R. Howard, sharing
the space with the Sociology and
Anthropology, Rhetoric and Media
Studies, Economics, International
Affairs and Political Science
departments. Meanwhile, professors
Jessica Kleiss and Liz Safran had offices
in Olin, neighboring the Chemistry and
Physics departments.
Jessica Kleiss, Associate Professor
of Environmental Studies and Director
of ENVS Program, spoke on behalf of
the department, and pointed to the
difficulties the department has faced in
the past.
“We are so happy to be in this place
together,” she wrote via email. “The
previous arrangement worked out
OK, but we had a lot of email traffic
instead of foot traffic, since students
had to run back and forth to consult
with different professors.”
Kleiss also expressed her
enthusiasm for the new shared spaces,
and the potential they have to build
community and provide study spaces
for ENVS students.
“I am especially excited about the
common areas in our space,” wrote
Kleiss. “There is an outer room that is a
student gathering space — it even has a
couch! We hope that students will come
down to work on their homework, hang
out, and strengthen our community. We also have a central area adjacent to our
offices that is a great meeting space.”
Kleiss encourages students to visit
the new space in Albany, either to study,
connect with the ENVS community or
become involved in last-minute planning
for the upcoming ENVX Symposium.
This year’s theme is “Environment
Across Boundaries” and the events will
being the week of Monday, Sept. 30.
The ENVX Symposium Committee has
allocated Wednesdays from 12:40-1:40
p.m. and Fridays from 4-5 p.m. for
symposium planning time.
“It’s ‘all hands on deck’ to get the
campus fired up to attend our evening
events,” wrote Kleiss. “Students have
been planning this symposium for a year, and it should be quite good. Come
join us in our new space to add your
energy to symposium planning, or come
and see us at the symposium events, and
bring a friend!”
Students hoping to connect with the
ENVS Department are ecouraged to
reach out to jkleiss@lclark.edu or can
head over to Albany, next to the Dovecote,
and explore the new ENVS space.
The ENVS lounge can be accessed
from Albany’s upper levels, by going
down the stairs next to the water
fountain and elevator, or directly
from its lower-level entrance,
across from Olin. For more detailed
video instructions, see the Office of
Communications website.By MAYA MAZOR-HOOFIEN
ON WEDNESDAY, Sept. 18 ,
President Robin Holmes-
Sullivan’s Office sent an email
to the Lewis & Clark community
announcing that the current Pioneer
mascot will be retired and the
selection process for a new mascot
will begin this fall. The email, with
the subject line “Mascot Committee
Recommendation and Next Steps”,
was sent to students, faculty, staff,
parents and alumni.
This decision comes from the
Mascot Steering Committee, which
Holmes-Sullivan appointed last
fall to present a recommendation
for a potential change of mascot.
The Mascot Committee’s Final
Report, submitted in July of this
year, considered a variety of factors
including academic sources and the
Community Dialogues initiative. The
findings most heavily rely on survey
data collected in January.
The survey, which was sent out to
over 29,000 students, faculty, staff
and alumni, garnered over 7,000
responses. The results showed high
disapproval of the Pioneer mascot.
“Most notably, in that survey only
38 percent of respondents agreed
that ‘The “Pioneer’ is an appropriate
mascot for Lewis & Clark College
today,’” the committee’s report
states. “Additionally, it was also
notable to us that overwhelming
majorities of all groups (89 percent
of students, 82 percent of faculty
and staff, and 74 percent of alumni)
believe it is important for the
college to have a mascot that current
students are proud of, yet only 18
percent of current students report
feeling supportive of the Pioneer.”
Student athletes have been of
special interest throughout the decision-making process due to their
unique dual position as students
and team members representing
the mascot both on and off campus.
Athletes were invited to participate
in a Community Dialogues meeting
to share their thoughts last spring,
and were distinguished from other
students in the survey data.
As a group, student athletes
reported a 51% approval rate of
the mascot’s appropriateness, as
compared to the overall student
body’s 18%. Alumni reported a 45%
approval rate, while faculty approval
of the mascot was lower at 28%.
“This is not a decision I take
lightly. As a former student athlete,
I know what it means to wear a team
name, carrying the responsibility of
representing a beloved institution,”
wrote Holmes-Sullivan in her email.
Alongside the survey, the Steering
Committee also reported consulting
academic literature on mascots. The
Committee found that the Pioneer
mascot fails to fulfill the role of
an accepted symbol around which
the entire college can rally. It also
failed to fulfill the role of a mascot as
intrinsically inclusive.
The report also discusses
how a new mascot may be an
opportunity for the college. “A
good mascot creates opportunities
for branding and merchandising,”
the committee’s report states.
“A mascot will be most effective if it
is both distinctive and appealing to
potential and current students, as
well as to alumni and donors.”
A committee led by Vice President
for Student Life Evette Castillo Clark
has been tasked with selecting a new
mascot. Students are encouraged
to check the Mascot Community
Engagement webpage for updates on
this process.College plans to retire,
replace Pioneer mascot
Communal desk in the new Envrionmental Studies offices, located in Albany 104.FABIOLA RIO/THE MOSSY LOG
“The inflation rates
have been causing
families to be skeptical
about their ability to
pay for college,”
- Eric StaabFRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2024
NEWS 3
President’s email raises
questions about activismSocial Change hosts
debate screening, panel
Continued from page 1.
“Lewis & Clark reserves the right
to designate time, manner, and
appropriate areas for protests,” the
communication states. “Any person
engaging in disruptive or disorderly
conduct, failing to comply with the
directions of a Lewis & Clark official,
or otherwise violating College policy is
subject to disciplinary action.”
The current policy includes
an additional sentence in the
“INTERFERING” subsection of the
disruptive conduct section, specifying
that “Protests or demonstrations inside
libraries, academic areas, residence halls,
or administrative or office buildings are
disruptive to College operations and are
therefore impermissible.”
It also expands upon the point in the
disruptive conduct section that prohibits
“IMPEDING a person’s speech or
presentation by heckling or inappropriate
outbursts” and “BLOCKING the ability
of audience members to see or hear a
speaker.” The added sentence states that
“Speakers are entitled to communicate
their message to the audience, and the
audience is entitled to hear the message
and see the speaker.”
The final change to the school’s
updated protest policy is the addition of
a lengthy paragraph clarifying the policy’s
intent, which comes directly after the
outlined examples of disruptive conduct.
“This policy is not meant to
prevent members of the Lewis & Clark
community from effectively expressing
their views,” the policy states. “Every
situation is unique and must be
considered based on the totality of
its circumstances, balancing the
needs of the College, the safety of our
community, and respect for freedom
of expression, the exchange of views,
and the ability to dissent. For instance,
although a dissenter may not interfere
with, block or otherwise impede an invited speaker from communicating
with the audience, a member of the
Lewis & Clark community would
generally be able to engage in orderly
picketing outside an event venue in a
manner that does not impede access to
the venue, distribute literature outside
of a venue, or engage in silent or
symbolic protest during an event (such
as wearing symbolic clothing or turning
one’s back on a speaker). Members
of the Lewis & Clark community with
questions about the interpretation or
application of this policy in a particular
circumstance should contact the
appropriate office mentioned above.”
Holmes-Sullivan clarified in her
email that although the school did
not discipline students involved in
last semester’s protests, students this
semester are expected to comply with
the College’s updated policies.
“We did not discipline students
who participated in protest activities
in Spring 2024. We do not intend to pursue disciplinary actions against
students who participate in peaceful
protest that complies with College policies,
or those that work with us in good faith,
collaboratively, and as a community,”
wrote Holmes-Sullivan. “However,
anyone who violates an institutional
policy or incites campus violence is subject
to disciplinary processes and/or removal
from campus. Breaking and entering,
assault, and the destruction of property
are criminal offenses, as well as violations
of College policies.”
The identity of the group behind
the plan to occupy the Frank Manor
House remains unknown and
unverified. As of Sept. 19, no action
has been taken to occupy the Frank
Manor House or the surrounding area.
This is a developing story. The Mossy
Log will continue to gather information
and publish factual, independently
verified information relating to the
plans described in Holmes-Sullivan’s
communication, and related matters.
Newly developed Israel-Palestine
course offers dialogues, teach-ins
By EMMA CLAIRE
AMBROZIAK
UNDERGRADUATE students this
semester had the opportunity to
sign up for a one-credit course,
MENA 298, entitled “Palestine and Israel:
Contexts, Convictions & Commitments.”
The course consists of eight sessions
total, comprised of moderated dialogues,
teach-ins and and discussions.
An overview of the course describes
its intent to focus on expanding
each student’s understanding of the
diverse ways in which our community
experiences and responds to the ongoing
conflict between Israel and Hamas.
“Welcoming the diverse biographies,
convictions and commitments that
participants bring to this topic, the course
is premised on the values of generous
listening, sincere curiosity, and a desire
to build trust,” reads a MENA flyer posted
around campus. “Our collective work
will be guided by an ethics of justice,
reconciliation, and peace.”
Oren Kosanksy, Associate Professor
of Anthropology, collaborated with
several other faculty and staff members
to bring the idea to fruition. Kosanksy
explained the reasoning behind creating
a course for students to explore this
topic, rather than just continuing to
facilitate community dialogues.
“There are a variety of reasons that
it’s congealed in a course,” he said. “One
is to honor the time and investment that
students would give. If you’re going to
devote yourself to this, we should honor
it, commit to it.”
He also emphasized the importance
of trust-building within the course.
“In issues where people come together
with different points of view, and in
ways where there’s not necessarily an
immediate, intuitive sense of trust,
showing a commitment to doing this kind
of cooperative trust-building work says we’re not going to do it once, we’re going
to do it several times,” Kosanksy said. “It
takes time to build that relationship with
trust. So that’s a big part of why we’re
doing it over an extended period of time.”
“The dialogues and discussions will
be for five to eight students, depending
on how many enroll,” he said. “But we
can build out multiple sections, because
we have multiple faculty who are willing
to be involved. The teach-ins will be
open to the Lewis & Clark community.”
Both teach-ins will consist of a panel
of faculty speakers and a Q&A session at
the end. Trained facilitators will lead all
community dialogues. The remaining
sessions will reflect the structure of
an undergraduate seminar and will
involve reading-based discussions and
dialogues led by faculty.
Kosanksy noted that the course
has limited space, due to limited
staffing and funding, but that he
hopes to accommodate as many
students as possible. Approximately
ten faculty members across several
departments have expressed a
commitment to being involved with
varying components of the course
this semester.
“There’s been a lot of student interest.
We can accommodate five to about 65
students,” he said. “We’re hoping to
accommodate as many as we can.”
Each section will have five to eight
students. The number of sections will
depend on the level of student interest.
Janet Bixby, Director of Community
Dialogues, said her involvement in
this course arose from last semester’s
“Community Dialogues on the Impact of
the Conflict in Gaza and Israel at L&C”.
“My responsibilities are to help
promote dialogue in all kinds of
ways: In classes, to help support
faculty, as well as in student life,
residential life, and then to actually
hold specific community dialogues wherever they may need to arise,”
Bixby said.
She shared that the idea of bringing
more student involvement and interest
to these dialogues solidified when she
met with Oren Kosanksy and Director of
Spiritual Life Hilary Martin Himan over
the summer.
“Oren really took the lead on creating
this idea of having it be a class that
involves community dialogues,” she said.
“We really want to have folks in dialogue
about what’s happening in Palestine and
Israel, and to understand the complexities
of it and how it’s impacting all of us.”
She described the components of
the one-credit course, noting that there
may be more than the seven classes
listed below.
“There will be three community
dialogues, which are the 90-minute
structured opportunities … there will be
two teach-ins, and then there will be two
discussion sections, which will also have
dialogic components to it,” Bixby said.
“There’s a place for debate, there’s a place
for lecture, there’s a place for protest and
there’s a place for dialogue. In this class,
we’re really promoting dialogue.”
Although the class is geared towards
undergraduate students, separate
community dialogues will be held
throughout the semester for those who
cannot register for the class, such as faculty,
staff, graduate students and law students.
Support for the course comes from the
Middle East and North African Studies
program, the Community Dialogues
Program, the Center for Spiritual Life
and the Chamberlin Lectureship.
The first teach-in was held on Sept.
18 with Associate Professor of History
Maureen Healy, Professor of Religious
Studies Paul Powers and Visiting
Assistant Professor of Philosophy Eli
Lichtenstein. The second teach-in
will be held on Oct. 21 with Assistant
Professor of Sociology Sidra Kamra.By ELLA DUNN
ON TUESDAY , Sept. 10, the Center
for Social Change and Community
Involvement (CSCCI) hosted
a debate watch party in the Council
Chambers. Most of the room’s seats
were filled with students overflowing to
the floor in front of the screen, with the
CSCCI counting roughly 240 attendees.
A reporter from local news station KOIN
6, Ariel Iacobazzi, was present at the
screening, interviewing students before
and after watching.
The debate-watching event was part
of the “Lewis & Clark College Civic and
Democratic Engagement Action Plan
2024,” an initiative for getting students
to vote and become more politically
engaged. Their long-term goal is to have
an 80% voter turnout of LC students.
CSCCI is planning on hosting more
events throughout the current election
season. More information can be
found at “Voter and Civic Engagement
Information” on the LC website.
The event opened with a land
acknowledgment and an invitation for
students to join an online chatroom
hosted by the RHMS department to
discuss the debate in real-time.
The debate started with its first
issue: the cost of living in America.
Vice President Harris started off,
emphasizing her plan to “lift up
the middle class” and create an
“opportunity economy” through tax
cuts for young families and small,
startup businesses.
“I believe in the ambition, the
aspirations, the dreams of the
American people,” said Harris. “We
know that we have a shortage of homes
and housing, and the cost of housing is
too expensive for far too many people.
We know that young families need
support to raise their children. And I
intend on extending a tax cut for those
families of $6,000, which is the largest
child tax credit that we have given in a
long time.”
She also claimed that under former
President Trump’s economic plan,
additional tariffs would amount to
what Harris described as a “national
sales tax,” which would fall primarily
on the shoulders of the middle class.
Trump rebutted this point, claiming
that he would be gathering tariffs from
China and other countries and not from
the people of the United States.
“We’re doing tariffs on other
countries. Other countries are going to
finally, after 75 years, pay us back for all
that we’ve done for the world,” Trump
said. “And the tariff will be substantial
... I took in billions and billions of
dollars, as you know, from China.”
Harris proceeded to mention
the economic policies listed in
Project 2025, a Heritage Foundation
initiative outlining potential
conservative policy plans to be
enacted should a Conservative take
office in January. Trump denied any
involvement in the creation of Project
2025, attempting to distance himself
from the plan and remain outwardly
indifferent to the policies.
“I have nothing to do with Project
2025. That’s out there. I haven’t read
it. I don’t want to read it, purposely. I’m
not going to read it,” Trump said. “This
was a group of people that got together,
they came up with some ideas. I guess
some good, some bad.”
Both candidates exchanged jabs
at one another. “Look at his tweet,”
Harris said, in regard to Trump’s
tweet thanking Chinese President
Xi Jinping for how he handled the
COVID-19 pandemic.
“Everybody knows she’s a Marxist,”
Trump said in regards to Harris’
political and economic philosophy,
claiming that “she has no policy.”
The third issue, abortion rights,
got the LC students’ attention,
eliciting groans among the crowd at
its announcement. Trump started off,
exclaiming that “they have abortion
in the ninth month,” then claiming
that the former Virginian Governor
Ralph Northam had said, “the baby
will be born and … we’ll execute
the baby.” NBC has debunked this
claim, giving a completely different context to Northam’s words — he was
referring to the resuscitation of babies
with severe birth defects. After this
claim, the moderators stepped in to
clarify that “there is no state in the
country where it is legal to kill a baby.”
The Council Chambers were filled
with laughter. Harris continued the
debate by emphasizing her pro-choice
stance on abortion.
“A survivor of a crime, a violation
to their body, does not have the right to
make a decision about what happens
to their body next. That is immoral,”
said Harris. “The government, and
Donald Trump certainly, should not
be telling a woman what to do with
her body.”
Students could be heard sighing
and even laughing out loud at times
throughout the debate. The fourth issue
discussed was immigration, where
Trump said in reference to a conspiracy
theory regarding Haitian immigrants
in Ohio: “They’re eating the cats.”
Trump was again fact-checked by the
moderators on this, informing him that
there have been no reports of harmed
pets in Springfield.
LC students were particularly
interested in the candidates’ thoughts
on the conflict between Israel and
Palestine. Harris started off by
defending Israel’s right to self-defense,
citing the Hamas attack of Oct. 7.
“On October 7, Hamas, a terrorist
organization, slaughtered 1,200
Israelis. Many of them young people
who were simply attending a concert,”
Harris said. “Women were horribly
raped. And so absolutely, I said then,
I say now, Israel has a right to defend
itself … And how it does so matters.
Because it is also true that far too many
innocent Palestinians have been killed.”
Her stance afterward stayed relatively
neutral, emphasizing the need for peace
for Israelis and Palestinians alike.
“What we know is that this war
must end. It must end immediately,
and the way it will end is we need
a cease-fire deal and we need the
hostages out … We must chart a course
for a two-state solution,” Harris said.
Trump’s argument revolved
mainly around hypothetical “If I were
President” statements, essentially
claiming that the conflict would never
have occurred in the first place, quickly
pivoting to the war between Ukraine
and Russia.
“If I were president, it would have
never started. If I were president,
Russia would have never, ever — I
know Putin very well,” Trump said.
“He would have never … gone into
Ukraine and killed millions of people
when you add it up.”
Harris’ closing statement summarized
her previously-mentioned points.
“So I think you’ve heard tonight two
very different visions for our country.
One that is focused on the future and
the other that is focused on the past,”
said Harris. “I will be a president that
will protect our fundamental rights
and freedoms including the right of a
woman to make decisions about her
own body and not have her government
tell her what to do.”
Trump’s statement made the point
that Harris has not made the changes
that she is promising to make, despite
her opportunities over the last four
years. He also re-emphasized his
fears regarding the presence of illegal
immigrants in America.
“She’s been there for 3 1/2 years.
They’ve had 3 1/2 years to fix the
border. They’ve had 3 1/2 years to
create jobs and all the things we talked
about. Why hasn’t she done it?” said
Trump. “We’re a failing nation. We’re
a nation that’s in serious decline.
We’re being laughed at all over the
world. What these people have done
to our country, and maybe toughest
of all is allowing millions of people to
come into our country, many of them
are criminals, and they’re destroying
our country.”
The event in the Council
Chambers ended with a panel
of RHMS professors explaining
candidate tactics and performance,
and answering questions from the
students in attendance.The Frank Manor House hosts several administrative offices, including the president’s.FABIOLA RIO/THE MOSSY LOG
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2024
OPINION 4
By OLIVIA FENDRICH
LIKE MANY Lewis & Clark
students, I firmly believe in the
value of a liberal arts education.
A well-rounded general curriculum
better prepares students to face real
world challenges and applications than
traditional universities that emphasize
specialization. A liberal arts approach
to academics tends to prioritize
learning for the sake of learning, which
I have realized is something I value
tremendously. The interdisciplinary
options at LC are also a significant
point of interest for students who
feel confined by rigid departmental
boundaries. The ability to freely
explore various fields and tailor your
academic experience to your interests
is a key factor in attracting students to
liberal arts schools.
However, despite my staunch support
for academic exploration, the notion of
taking a class outside of my intended
major and minor was daunting to my
freshman-year self. I largely avoided
this by focusing on the requirements
for my intended political science major
and English minor during my first year,
especially English courses.
I have known that I wanted to study
the humanities since I was a kid, which
is relatively common among the people
I have met in my English classes. Some
scientific evidence (Tracey & Robbins,
2006) suggests that interests and activities
pursued in young adult life often align
with childhood passions. However, in my
English classes, few people expressed
interest in exploring other fields. Many
would take classes that fell within the
humanities, but interest tended to stop
there. I was often the only person in my
classes who expressed interest in being
a social science major.
I found it both surprising and a
little disappointing that my peers did not share my enthusiasm for exploring
other fields of study. Perhaps the
classes I took just happened to be
populated by people pursuing a
major in English, but the consensus
was that we were all there because
we were nerds for 20th century
Bildungsromans (if you know, you
know). That all changed when I started
my courses this semester.
Aside from my 300-level political
theory class that truly only attracted
political science majors and minors,
most of my classes featured people from
a wide variety of academic and personal
backgrounds. My research methods
class introduced me to some eager
environmental studies and psychology
majors, and my nonfiction creative
writing class encourages people to
engage with a myriad of interests (I am
incorporating psychology, personal
interviews and philosophy into my
current project). However, the class
that features the widest variety of
students is my physics class.
If you told 16-year-old me that
I would be taking a physics class
in college, I probably would have
withdrawn my college applications
and resigned to making my living
through surrogacy (all love). I had
always considered myself someone
who could not succeed in STEM
because I struggled with math
growing up. I am still afraid of all
science, technology, engineering and,
of course, math outside of statistics,
which I actually enjoy for my political
science coursework.
However, I decided I needed to
bite the bullet and fulfill my natural
sciences requirement. Though we
are only three weeks into the course,
I immensely enjoy the class. My
professor is understanding and
interested in helping students grasp
foundational concepts. The content of the class is interesting and does not
feel overly challenging. But my favorite
part of the class is the diversity of its
students. I feel solidarity with my fellow
mathematically-challenged divas and
supported by the students who have
taken physics classes before. I enjoy
looking around the room and seeing a
wide range of students, from those who
are highly engaged and enthusiastic
about physics to those who show less
interest and involvement.
Aside from being fun to brag about,
taking physics has made me reassess
my relationship with STEM. The rigor
of my International Baccalaureate
science classes in high school forced me
to grow, but the pace was not conducive
to my learning style. However, the
openness of my physics professor to the
notion that not every student has the
same experience or commitment to the
subject makes the class environment
feel safe enough to ask questions and
collaborative enough to ensure that
everyone can succeed. Frankly, it
is liberating to enjoy this subject so
much after a decade of aversion to
math-intensive studies. And I know
with certainty that I would not have
had the same experience being forced
to confront my STEM phobia — at a
traditional university.
Embracing all aspects of a liberal
arts education has allowed me to
break free from the constraints of
traditional academic boundaries
and explore fields of study that I
previously wanted nothing to do with.
Taking a physics class has not only
broadened my perspectives on STEM
but also challenged my preconceived
limitations. I have rediscovered my
love for learning. Through this journey,
I have gained a deeper appreciation
for the value of interdisciplinary
exploration and the liberating nature of
a well-rounded education.I look forward to continuing to
embrace new academic challenges
with enthusiasm and an open
mind. For students confined to one
discipline, I encourage you to take a
class in a different department. There
are plenty of introductory courses
designed for non-majors that are
incredibly interesting and accessible. Additionally, classes with a wide range
of students, like my physics class,
help broaden your mind and enrich
your academic experience. Exploring
beyond your major can bring
unexpected growth and excitement.
We all can benefit from switching it
up now and then. And now I get to call
myself a STEM baddie.Interdisciplinary learning opens paths for new interests, exploration beyond major requirementsLiberal arts diversify academic experience
Unless otherwise stated, the views expressed in the Opinion section are NOT those of The Mossy Log and are held by the authors.ROSE BIALK/THE MOSSY LOG
Unpaid internships create financial strain for students
Job market’s unfair compensation calls into question labor ethics, inclusivity in professional sphere
By LILAH BANDOUVERIS
THE “STRUGGLING intern”
trope has been displayed in
many movies. Some say those
representations are accurate, and
others disagree. After reaching out
to many students (with and without
internship experience) and the career
center, I hope to clarify the question of
“to be or not to be” an intern.
Unpaid internships are known for
taking people in who have little-to-no
job experience, and, in return, giving
the intern the chance to bulk up their
resume. Often, these internships can be
costly to attend, as the expenses of gas,
parking spots, bus fare, housing and
professional attire build up. The lack of
compensation coupled with the added
expenses creates barriers for those
hoping to break into the job market.
Unpaid internships are unfair
because they naturally are not suitable
for people who need financial support.
Building a resume is crucial and can be
very beneficial for career advancement.
However, if a working student cannot
afford to take time out of their week
because they do not have an affluent
background, they are at a disadvantage.
Unpaid internships typically claim to
help students who lack references on
resumes by pointing to the valuable
work experience. If companies
truly cared about the financial and
mental well-being of their interns, no
internships would go unpaid.
As the summer internship season
finally concludes, now is the perfect
time to hear what the students of
Lewis & Clark have to say. I stopped
by the Career Center and spoke with
Sophia Korsmo ’25, who shared their
opinion on unpaid internships from a
more professional view. Korsmo has
been working in the Career Center
for about a year and a half. They
expressed that they personally did
not agree with unpaid internships. “If you are putting in that labor I
believe you should be compensated
fairly for it,” they said.
The Career Center finds internship
opportunities that compensate students
with either a stipend or class credits
while catering to a student’s intended
major. They are currently hosting
a raffle where students can join Handshake for the chance to win a gift
card and frequent updates on open
major-specific positions.
I heard a variety of opinions from
students on the experience of unpaid
internships. Some shared that they
were unhappy with the outcome of
their internship. They believed they
took on too much responsibility for an unpaid position, where regular
employees were getting paid for a
similar amount of work, not making
the time spent attractive enough to
return the following summer.
However, that is not to say all unpaid
internships are cruel. Some people
find great value in unpaid internship
experiences. Seeing this as less of a job and more of a learning experience opens
up horizons to exploration.
The unpaid internship market
is not evil. If a position works for
someone, they should take the
opportunity and run with it. However,
unpaid internships as a concept are
not sustainable for people with less
affluent backgrounds.
Interns from low-income, underprivileged backgrounds are negatively impacted by the limited, poorly compensated resume-building opportunities available to them.LILAH BANDOUVERIS /THE MOSSY LOG
By CHARLES ANDERSON
DO DEBATES matter ? I know, I
know, a preposterous question
to be sure. The presidential
debate has long stood at the forefront
of American politics. This has been
the case going back to the days of the
famed Lincoln-Douglas debates, when
a lowly Illinois congressman named
Abraham Lincoln intellectually dueled
Illinois Sen. Stephen Douglas in the
lead-up to the state’s 1858 Senate
election. The two men hosted a series
of five debates over two months,
with up to 50,000 people attending
in total. They sparred over the hot
topics of the time: tariffs, Western
expansion and slavery. The Lincoln-
Douglas debates were the first formal
political debates in American history,
and created an expectation of what
these debates were meant to be. In the
American consciousness, a debate was
meant to be a genuine and spirited
conversation on the issues — but is
that what they are today?
In 1960, presidential candidates
Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy
faced off in the first presidential debate
that was available to both television
and radio audiences. And what
were the results? Well, it is widely
understood that those who listened on
the radio thought Nixon was victorious.
However, when millions of television
viewers saw Nixon — who came off as
short and sweaty — juxtaposed with
the handsome glow of Kennedy, they
regarded Kennedy as the victor. The
people who simply listened to the
candidates were able to make clear
sense of the positions, while those who
watched were blinded by debonair.
Because what is the presidential debate
really, if not good TV?
This theme of charm over content,
presented in the very first televised
debate, has been a constant ever
since. In 1980, no one wanted to
listen to Jimmy Carter weigh the
pros and cons of national health
care; they wanted to stare at the
pearly grin of Ronald Reagan, the
movie star. In 1992, no one wanted
to listen to George H.W. Bush talk
about free trade; they wanted to hear
the smooth, sax-playing Bill Clinton
(known colloquially as Slick Willy), who they had seen on “The Arsenio Hall
Show.” In 2016, no one cared about
Hillary Clinton’s decades in public
service; they cared about the reality
T.V. star who was in “Home Alone 2:
Lost in New York.” The presidential
debate is, simply, good TV. And no
one does TV like Americans.
Even as I tuned into the latest
presidential debate this week between
former President Trump and Vice
President Harris, the moments I saw
“doing the rounds” on social media
were of Trump’s laughable comments
on transgenvder operations on illegal
immigrants in prison or pet-eating
residents of Springfield, Ohio. The
online reactions to the debate felt
more like a “101 Funniest Moments”
compilation than an engagement with
the country’s candidates and policies.
These observations on the theater of
American politics are not particularly
unique. In fact, some inspiration for this piece comes from an interview
with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson,
and businessman Patrick Bet-David.
In the interview with Bet-David, Tyson
asserted that usually, the perceived
winner of a debate is whoever has
more charisma.
“If it’s a pure matter of opinion,
then a person should just simply
have their opinion. If it’s a matter
of objective truths, there should
be no debate,” said Tyson. While I
personally see nothing wrong with
discussion or argument on matters of
opinion, Tyson’s point still resonated
with me. If it is all about charisma or
stage presence, and not the facts, then
why do these debates matter in the
first place?
Leah Gilbert, Associate Professor of
Political Science and Department Chair,
weighed in on the issue.
“They have an impact,” Gilbert
wrote via email. “Measuring how much of an impact can be difficult. This is
because it can be challenging to isolate
the impact of the debate from other
factors that can influence people’s vote
like partisanship or other features of
the campaign.”
This inability to measure their
importance gets to the heart of my issue
with debates.
While it is undeniable that debate
performances impact the polls, so do
many things. It is common for candidates
to receive an immediate bump in polls
following their party’s conventions.
Even so, polls almost always narrow
heading into November. The inability
to measure the direct impact of these
debates begs the question: Are debate
results just another bump on the road
to the election?
The real reason debates continue
to be held is people believe that
we ought to be able to talk to one
another; that we as Americans need to be able to communicate through our
differences. This harkens to a simpler
day when debates were respectful,
where Nixon and Kennedy could
say they respected each other. This
is not the political reality of today.
That being said, as long as this idea of
talking to one another permeates the
American conscience, the debate will
remain a fixture of politics. But even
now, debates mean less than they did
in the past; they are weaker. If this
were not the case, Trump could not
so easily refuse to attend a follow-up
debate with Harris.
As I conclude this piece, I find
myself drawn to a headline I read
in the morning, before this week’s
presidential debate. The headline,
from The Hill, asks, “Will the
Debate Matter?” Before ultimately
concluding with the matter-of-fact
response that I too have come to:
“Probably Not!”FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2024
OPINION 5
KAI GODSEY/THE MOSSY LOG
Unless otherwise stated, the views expressed in the Opinion section are NOT those of The Mossy Log and are held by the authors.Modern presidential debates lack significance
Tirades about imaginary pet-eating prompt reflection on purpose, history of opponent stand-offs
Sophomore shares advice for successful freshman year
By KAI MERMIS-CAVA
CONGRATULATIONS , you have
been accepted to Lewis & Clark
College! You have amazing
grades, and you are fully ready to
start all of your classes. You have
paid quite a bit to purchase your
books and have finished moving all
of your things into your dorm room.
Your parents have left for the year,
and you are all
alone. Now what?
First, your dorm
room. As always,
there are the things
you think you will
need, and the things
you think you will
not. On my list of
essentials are a first
aid kit and a tool
kit. You might not
need either of them that often, but
when you do, they will be invaluable.
A personal mini fridge is more
useful than one might think. Yes, there
is a communal fridge in every kitchen,
which you can find in almost every
dorm hall. However, space in these
communal fridges is taken quickly,
and you risk food theft. Luckily, this
does not happen all too often at LC,
but keeping cold food in your room is
more important than you realize.
Do not underestimate the
importance of wall decor either.
LED lights, posters, postcards and anything that one can use to decorate
their walls should be put up. Trust
me, it will help keep you sane.
Otherwise, the cold white walls of
your dorm room are simply a bit too
reminiscent of a psychiatric hospital.
Putting decorations up contributes
a surprising amount to making your
dorm room feel like your room.
No matter how much your dorm
room feels like a safe place, do not
stay in it all the
time! Making
friends may seem
daunting, but it is
a very important
part of college life.
There is nothing
wrong with eating
dinner alone, but
it is nice to have a
group to sit with
once in a while.
Try to pay attention to the
posters put up around campus. They
often advertise events you can attend
and make friends at, or at the very
least, acquaintances. It might feel
daunting to show up at a random
event, but the organizers will be
delighted to have you there. Many of
these events are hosted by LC clubs!
Joining a club is a great step towards
meeting people who have similar
interests, and building a community.
You may not make any immediate
friends from club meetings, but they
might be the people you can sit next to in a class, even if you do not know
them that well.
As for classes, remember to
allocate enough time to get your
homework done. Spending time with
new people is fun, but you still need
to keep up with classwork. Spending
all evening with your friends and then
staying up until 2 a.m. to finish that
essay is not a good long-term solution.
Once in a while, you may need to pull an all-nighter, however try to avoid
making it a habit; sleep is important.
If you are struggling with
coursework, go to your professor’s
office hours. They will appreciate
getting to know you better and they can
offer a lot of help with the work they
have assigned. Their job is to help you
understand what they are teaching,
and there is nothing wrong with not
understanding the material.Finally, do not forget to reach out
to your friends and family from home.
You are officially an adult now — you
have moved out and you are living your
own life. That does not mean you need
to completely distance yourself from
your family. It can be very comforting to
phone home now and then, as can it be to
hear some parental advice, as annoying
as it may be. Do not forget to tell your
parents you love them. They miss you!
TANVI SHUKLA/THE MOSSY LOG
First years should invest in dormitory essentials, engage with campus groups, attend office hours, call home
“It might feel daunting
to show up at a random
event, but the organizers
will be delighted to have
you there.”FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2024
FEATURES 6
Students cultivate unique fashion culture
By CHARLES ANDERSON
“THE DREAM of the ’90s
is alive in Portland,” at
least according to Carrie
Brownstein and Fred Armisen of
“Portlandia” fame. While I will not
pretend to have lived in Portland long
enough to assert the validity of this
claim, it is certainly true on campus.
With baggy jeans, cargo pants, jorts,
and Birkenstocks, the campus is full
of, as my father would say, “blasts
from the past.”
As people have bustled about
in the first few weeks back at Lewis
& Clark, the student body emits a
distinct sense of style — perhaps even
too much so.
A conversation with Megan
Ziegele ’28, highlighted the student
body’s expression.
“I felt so underdressed (at
orientation),” she said. “I showed up in
a hoodie and jeans, and everyone else
looked so good!”
Indeed, on a campus where
everyone is obsessed with out-thrifting
one another, looking good every day
can seem daunting.
For footwear, there seem to be
three staples around campus. More
and more, Birkenstocks appear to
be a mainstay in every LC student’s
wardrobe. Most commonly, this is in
the form of Birkenstock’s Arizona and
Boston models. The Bostons, a clog,
are commonly worn in a taupe, suede-
leather variant. These clogs also come
with occasional appearances from the
black or mink variants.
When asked why they enjoy these
clogs, Claire Hurty ’28 could only
sing their praises.
“They provide simplicity and
comfort,” said Hurty.
It seems the neutral, earthy
colorways of these shoes allow wearers to mix and match with a wide
array of clothing options.
For a more sporty look while staying
with a relaxed feel, the Adidas Sambas
seem to be taking over the world. Once
derided as a “bowling shoe,” the Samba’s
slim look is now a fixture at LC. Most
commonly seen in a classic dark blue
and white colorway, or the even more
classic white and black, the Sambas add
a sleekness to everyday outfits. Once
again, the shoe’s versatility seems to be
a draw. Anna English ’28 described the
shoe as a closet staple.
“They make an outfit. For me, I feel
like they’ve been going with everything,”
said English.
The final LC footwear staple is the
omnipresent Dr. Martens. The Docs’
homeland of gloomy England makes
them a natural accessory for the Portland
climate. The sturdiness and timeless
style of Docs make them an easy go-to
for any weather. Whether it be boots,
loafers or Mary Janes, these shoes will
always be a go-to in Portland.
Bottoms — no, not the 2023 film
starring Ayo Edebiri — are commonly
seen in three variations here at LC.
Jorts, once seen as a blight on fashion,
seem to be a wardrobe staple of many
fashionistas on campus. That being
said, as the weather begins to cool,
this option will likely become less
commonly worn. Of course, jorts’ older
brother — baggy jeans — are just as, if
not more, popular. Jeans seem to be in
a constant cycle between the intense
bagginess of the ’90s and the skin-tight
look of the 2010s. For now, the overly
baggy jeans of today seem here to stay.
Both jorts and baggy jeans fit into this
relaxed, chill, laid-back look that has
been especially popular in the 2020s.
While perhaps worn less as the seasons
change, this comfortable, easy aesthetic
that jorts provide does not seem to be
going anywhere.Similar to the “ugly” or “campy”
Gen X perception of jorts, the once-
reviled cargo pants are seen on every
corner of downtown Portland. Cargos
flourish in a rainbow of colors, from
black to green to tan and everything in
between. I asked a few cargo-wearing
members of the student body about
the pants.
“They’re comfortable, they feel
easy,” said English, in that relaxed
tone that all cargo wearers seem to
magically obtain.
Imogen Hutchman ‘28 agreed
regarding their convenience.
“They’re just a practical alternative
to jeans,” said Hutchman.
Once again, the theme of this fall’s
fashion seems to be comfort
and practicality.
For tops, we can expect to see
much of the usual. As the leaves
begin to turn, sweaters seem poised
to take over campus. Cardigans, a
fall staple, do seem to be shifting
slightly from the V-neck look to a
more crew-neck collar vibe. Cable-
knit patterns also seem to be gaining
more and more popularity.
I asked Clare Murray ’28 (who
happened to be wearing a cable-knit
sweater) what attracted her to the
pattern.
“It’s just so Rory Gilmore,”
Murray said.
As the recent heat wave fades,
we should also expect to see more
jackets around campus, especially in
the form of hunting or work jackets.
Even this week, with the weather
in the mere 50s and 60s, the brown
and camo heavier-duty jackets were
beginning to peek out.
In general, relaxed comfort and
versatility seem to be the name of
the game, and this trend will likely
continue as LC heads into fall and
even winter. ROSE BIALK/THE MOSSY LOGFashion experts predict popularity of Doc Martens, cardigans, jorts, cargo pants on campus this fall
PSU Farmer’s Market hosts wide array of vendors
Portland community finds flowers, fruits, gourmet food at this weekly Saturday-morning festivity
By IMOGEN HUTCHMAN
ON AN EARLY October morning
in 1992, thirteen vendors
gathered in the Albert’s Mill
parking lot on NW Naito Parkway.
They stretched their arms, set up
their tables, unloaded their trucks
and waited.
Now, more than 30 years later,
the Portland State University (PSU)
Farmer’s Market is the weekly home to
almost 200 vendors. It is a celebrated
landmark that is a constantly evolving
display of Portland’s bewitching,
vibrant charm.
Unlike Portland’s Saturday Market
on the waterfront every weekend,
the PSU Farmer’s Market boasts a
more intimate, local feel, with more
emphasis on fresh produce and local
food and less on artistry / retail goods.
From the Pio Express stop at
Shattuck Hall, the market is but
a two-minute walk away. When I
arrived on campus a mere two weeks
ago, I did not know that my first off-
campus experience was going to be
one so rich in flavor and culture.
When I returned this Saturday
to inspect my new neighborhood
spot further, I found gems that were
definitely “Portlandia”-worthy. From
colorful produce and organic hot sauce
to flower bouquets that will have you
swooning, here are some spots you
should check out at the historic and
lively PSU Saturday Market.
Merryhill Fruit is a quaint
peach and plum stand owned by
Washington resident Kimiko Atkins.
The family business was established
in 1936, and Atkins has been running
it for the past nine years. Merryhill
regularly sells at five different
farmer’s markets, but she seemed to
find PSU’s location the most fruitful
for her business (pun intended).
“It’s really neat because of the
diversity and the amount of people
that come through,” she said. “I
would actually say it is our favorite. There’s a wide range of vendors,
everything’s amazing quality … It’s a
really great market.”
Clearly, Atkins is a passionate
farmer who — according to Merryhill’s
website — engages in sustainable
practices and focuses largely on
creating the best quality products
while caring for Mother Earth.
After talking with Atkins, I walked
my way around the market some more
until I came across Raynblest Farm — a
stand chock-full of beeswax products,
ranging from intricately-designed
candles to blackberry honey and hand
salve. This stand had it all and at
reasonable prices. Two women stood
behind the booth, one of whom was the
farm’s owner, Barbara Davis.
“(We’ve been selling here) since they
first moved up to the park blocks … I
think it was ’96, ’97,” Davis said.
She told me that they have owned
their farm since 1991. I inquired about
how she got into the beeswax and
honey business.
“When we bought our farm, it had
bees on it,” she explained. “I don’t
know, I’ve been doing it for so long. It’s,
you know, work. It’s just kind of what
I’ve been doing. But, you know, I like
helping people. Making the lotions for
the people that need it, helping them.”
She seemed to light up when I
asked her about the customer base at
the market.
“Oh, the people are really good,
and there’s a lot of disposable income
on this side of Portland,” said Davis.
“(The other vendors) are really great.
This (market) is a good one. I like this
one the best.”
From juicy peaches to beeswax lip
balm, I got to know the PSU Market
relatively well this Saturday.
While there are always new vendors
coming and going, I feel as though the
PSU Market will always be a winner.
There is something for everyone in the
expansive, almost 200-booth market
— and you can never go wrong with
supporting local businesses. Whether it’s a colorful new bouquet or fresh-picked fruit you’re looking for, you can find it at the PSU Farmer’s Market.IMOGEN HUTCHMAN/THE MOSSY LOG
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2024
FEATURES 7
By FABIOLA RIO
AS THE air cools and the leaves
change color and crunch under
your boots, there is no better
time than now for college students
to get their post-worthy pictures and
feel like a character in Gilmore Girls.
One way to enjoy a classic fall activity
is by visiting Oregon Heritage Farms.
Located on 300 sprawling acres
just outside the city, the farm offers
seasonal attractions and yummy
treats. It is an ideal destination for a
day of autumnal amusement in the
Pacific Northwest. I recently visited
the farm on a September morning,
and the experience got me excited for
the upcoming spooky season.
Upon entering the farm store, I was
greeted by a group of friendly women
surrounded by beautiful trinkets
and goodies. Among them was Kim
McLennan, the store manager, who
has been with the farm for 28 years.
I was able to sit down and chat with
McLennan about her knowledge and
passion as a member of the fourth
generation managing the farm. When
I asked McLennan what the most
fulfilling part of the job was, she
expressed gratitude for the people she
interacts with on a daily basis.
“Well, besides my amazing crew,
it’s our amazing customers. They are
awesome,” said McLennan.
I originally discovered Oregon
Heritage Farm through PDX TikTokers like @maynardvillaflores, a Filipino
creator. I can see why, as it is known
for its vast selection of apple products,
including apple cider slushies, apple
cider donuts, pies and caramel apples.
Beyond this, the farm also grows
pumpkin and corn, allowing for various
non-apple treats like pumpkin and
lemon bread. For those seeking unique
gifts for the upcoming holidays, the
farm collaborates with 30 local vendors
who sell handcrafted items, including
the famous banana bread candles that
fill the store with the comforting scent
of fresh-baked banana bread.
However, the farm is much more
than just its apples and pumpkins; it
is a place to relax and connect with
friends and family. Attractions include
a small hay maze, an animal viewing
area, a spider-web rope structure
for kids, rubber ducky races and an
apple bounce house. A highlight is
the pumpkin patch, operated as a
fundraiser by the Hillsboro High
School baseball team, which features
an array of fun activities such as a
snack shack, an apple slingshot and
hay rides. The farm takes pride in its
community involvement, from hosting
school field trips to fundraisers like
the Munada Market, a marketplace
featuring crafts and entertainment
from African and local vendors. This
commitment is evident not only in its
events but also in its staffing, which
includes family members, dedicated
crew members and seasonal staff, all adding to the farm’s welcoming and
familiar atmosphere.
One of the best parts about visiting
The Oregon Heritage Farm is that
there is no entrance fee; therefore, it
is a great option for a college student’s
budget. While many activities are
free, hay rides around the orchard are
available for just $3 on weekends in
October. For a midweek treat, the farm
offers a happy hour from Wednesday
to Friday, 3-5 p.m., where visitors can
enjoy a bag of donuts and a slushie for
just $5. I tried them, and must say, the
slushie and mini donut combo makes
a great snack to share with a friend
under the canopied picnic tables. The
farm operates Wednesday through
Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with
weekdays being the perfect time for
a quieter experience, while weekends
offer a lively and bustling atmosphere.
After spending some time at
Oregon Heritage Farms, I can say that
this is the place to go if you want to
escape, get in the fall mood and feel
like “There She Goes” by The La’s is
playing as you frolic about. You can
swing by and take a break from your
studies while hanging out with friends
and supporting the community.
As McLennan emphasized, the joy
of interacting with customers and
providing a fulfilling experience is at
the heart of everything they do. So,
gather your pals, or yourself grab a
cider slushie and enjoy the cozy vibe
at the farm. By BRADY VINLOVE
WHILE THE Bon might
not be the most gourmet
dining experience, it still
has a variety of options for students,
including expanded offerings this fall.
Now, students can become chefs and
make their own waffles or paninis,
opening up a whole new world of
culinary experiences.
The name “panini press” implies
that sandwiches are the meal of
choice to make with this device, but
my mind first went to quesadillas.
So, I grabbed a humongous tortilla
from the deli station, loaded it with
shredded cheese, added some chicken
and headed to the panini press.
The panini press is always on at a
consistent temperature, so there is no
need to do any set-up — just pop your
food in and wait. However, I quickly
encountered my first problem: it does
not stay open on its own, requiring
users to either use one hand or have
a friend load their food. Despite this,
I was able to slide my quesadilla in
without too much spillage. Then, I
simply just stood next to the press for a
few minutes — after which I had a nicely
cooked quesadilla. Biting into it was so
comforting and the feeling of having
made it myself filled me with pride.
I would not recommend adding too
much cheese, as it will not fully melt,
and eating it with lettuce, tomatoes,
and hot sauce for a filling meal.
Naturally, I had to try making an
actual panini too, which turned out
to be just as delicious. I loaded up
all of my toppings from the deli bar,
making sure to place the cheese on
both slices of bread to ensure a melty
finish. Again, however, I struggled with putting the sandwich in the maker and
lost a tomato along the way. Once cooked,
though, the sandwich was amazing,
and the warm combination of cheese,
ham and vegetables made me feel like I
was eating at an artisan sandwich shop,
not the Bon. It made for the perfect
elevated and filling lunch without too
much extra work. In the future, though,
I would add butter or mayonnaise
to the outside for a crispier finish.
Similarly, the waffle maker was easy to
use and allowed for a chef-like experience
in a short amount of time. The biggest
problem is that you have to correctly
estimate the amount of batter to pour into
the griddle — you can easily end up with
a sad, tiny waffle. However, I have found
that if you cover all of the black parts of
the griddle, you will have a perfect waffle.
While a waffle might not be a
common lunch food, in my experience,
it was still excellent as all of the sweet
breakfast toppings were still available,
and I was able to have a meal different
from what I normally eat. Furthermore,
making a waffle topped with syrup for
lunch fulfilled my childhood dream of
doing whatever I wanted when I was an
adult. As for the taste, the waffle was a
bit chewy, but paired nicely with butter,
syrup and jam, it was reminiscent of a
complimentary hotel breakfast, which
is a very high compliment in my book.
Again, the Bon may not be anyone’s
favorite dining destination, but the new
additions cultivate culinary creativity
and contribute to a sense of home. The
ability to cook your own food allows for a
myriad of possibilities and brings a sense
of satisfaction other options may not.
So, if you are feeling displeased by the
premade options at the Bon or looking
for a source of culinary expression, be
sure to check out its newest additions.Oregon Heritage Farm opens
doors to autumnal festivities
Editor-in-Chief
Emma AmbroziakManaging Editor
Olivia Fendrich
News Editors
Will Trunzo
Fiona EilersOpinion Editors
Tanvi Shukla
Kai McAlpin GodseyFeatures Editors
Ella Dunn
Zoe Dixon
Arts Editors
Paige Anderson
Lillian SmallSports Editors
Siena Flock
Madilyn Palosi The Backdoor Editor
Emma FordVisuals Editor
Fabiola RioCopy Chief
Maya Mazor-Hoofien
Social Media Manager
Leila DiazBusiness Manager
Lauren EvansOutreach Coordinator
Leila DiazWeb Manager
Claire BakkeFaculty Advisor
Molly Robinson
Writers Photographers & Illustrators
Brady Vinlove*
Ava Pisha
Scarlett Robinson
Megan Ziegele
Olivia Miller*
Grace Bischoff*Jessie Shaw*
Lilah Bandouveris
Kai Mermis-Cava*
Charles Anderson
Imogen Hutchman
Isaac Babus*Alex Nash
Rose Bialk
Lilah Bandouveris*Members of staff team
Delicious apple-based snacks fill the farm’s shop, welcoming visitors to enjoy on their day out of take a taste of fall home with them.FABIOLA RIO/THE MOSSY LOG
With new kitchen gadgets in the dining hall, the sky is the limit for creative diners.BRADY VINLOVE/THE MOSSY LOG
Imogen Hutchman
Brady Vinlove
Scarlett Robinson
Ava PishaUpcoming Events
This Weekend
20 - College Outdoors Trip Sign
Ups Open:
Mt. St. Helens Day Hike
Kayak Day Trip
Mushroom Foraging
20 - Shabbat Schmooze
5:30 pm @ Hillel Office
21 - Football vs. Montana Western
1 p.m. @ Griswold Stadium
22 - Women’s Soccer vs. Chemeketa
Community College
5 p.m. @ Griswold StadiumUpcoming
26 - Student Leadership Mixer
4:30 p.m. @ Stamm
Dress Code: Business Casual
30 - ENVX Symposium, through
Oct. 4
Recurring
Thursdays - Open Mic
7 p.m. @ The CoopBon introduces waffle
maker, panini pressFRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2024
ARTS 8
By KAI GODSEY
NESTLED under the elevated
bridge between the Platt
and Howard residence
halls, the Platteau beckons those
seeking relaxation, creativity and
connection. In the last three years,
however, schoolwork has too often
kept me from enjoying the vibes
of this hip little corner of campus.
On Thursday, Sept. 12, I spent my
afternoon in a cozy yellow chair
watching the goings-on, making
art and talking with a few of the
Platteau’s denizens.
The Platteau is a space oriented
toward creatives of all kinds. Swipe
access is free for any interested LC
students, so long as they fill out a
form and agree to be respectful and
clean up after themselves. Inside, a
darkroom, ceramics studio, small
dance studio and sound-proofed
instrument room surround a central
space with large tables and oodles of
free art supplies.
When I arrived in the Platteau
around noon, all was quiet. I took
some time to work on a visual for
this issue’s Backdoor, standing
up every so often to wander into
the ceramics and dance studios.
The amount of free resources,
jewelry bits, paints and even
ceramic glazes, surprised me. Soon
enough, Annika Shinoda ’28, who
lives in the Visual and Performing Arts Living Learning Community
(VAPA), entered the room with a
sketchbook in hand.
“I came in and I checked it out
when I first got here,” Shinoda
said. “This is a nice place for me
to come and work that is not my
dorm room with my tiny desk
that is already overflowing with
stuff and (the Platteau) has free
materials. I thought I would have
to supply my own materials, so
that’s very convenient.”
Shinoda also enjoys the social
aspect of the space and meeting
new people.
“There are usually very nice
people here that will chat with
you,” Shinoda said.
The second Platteau-goer I
chatted with was Carrie Dirks ’28,
another resident of VAPA. That day,
Dirks was there to customize some
clothing at the sewing machine.
Dirks does not take any art classes
and is grateful to be able to use the
Platteau’s resources regardless of
course registration.
“I’m so happy that it’s here
because I love crafting, and I’m
really glad that we have all these
materials,” Dirks remarked.
Next was Danielle Lieberman
’27, who has frequented the
Platteau for the past year.
“I like to come into the dance
studio just to stretch and be
with myself. I like to meditate sometimes,” Lieberman said. “My
friends and I, we’ve come down here
around finals season and brought
different things to do just to chill out
for a second and be creative.”
With good company, time
flew by. Several band members
came in to practice, adding the
faint sound of drums to the artsy
ambiance. When 4 p.m. rolled
around, Luna Beckett ’26, a
Platteau manager, arrived for an
interview. While discussing the
Platteau budget and the future
of the space, Beckett told me the
managers are hoping to start
hosting events soon.
“If there are things that people
feel like are missing from this space that they would like to have
or think would get use, you can
tell a manager,” Beckett said.
Beckett encouraged interested
folks to sign up for swipe access
using the form by the door, and
to follow the Platteau’s official
Instagram account @theplatteau
for event details.
As night fell, the Platteau came
alive with people and projects.
I asked a few of the folks I had
met if they wanted to collaborate
on a doodle. Whether you are an
experienced artist, need some
space from the crushing weight of
your assignments or just want to
meet friendly people, the Platteau
is just a wooden bridge away.The possibilities are endless when one takes full advantage of the art supplies avaliable.KAI GODSEY/THE MOSSY LOG
Platteau’s crafty nook offers cozy,
creative respite from academic stress
Quirky anniversary cat exhibit celebrates
“Coraline”, sculptures decorate downtownMossy
Music
Editorial
recommendations
“Summer’s Over”
By TV Girl, Jordana
This indie-pop song has been on repeat
all summer. TV Girl’s typical groovy
style is beautifully complimented by
Jordana’s soft, melodic voice. Truly a
wonderful collab. The nostalgia of an
ending summer romance is captured
exquisitely, with a twinge of bitterness
of what has been left behind as the
season fades.
“I Can’t Stand the Rain”
By Ann Peebles
The first song on Peebles’ 1974 album
illustrates how she identifies the loss
of a lover with the sound of rain on her
window. The soulful lyrics beautifully
blend as this song explores the extent
of the artists vocal range and presents
a unique beat.
“Inner City Blues”
By Marvin Gaye
Five minutes of grooviness. This is my
favorite track off of this timeless album.
Bus commutes and busy work go by a
lot faster with a killer beat. This is my
favorite track from the album because
no, you don’t have to be over the age
of 50 to listen to Marvin Gaye. Marvin
can’t pay his taxes, but he can throw up
his hands and you might too.
“Get the Hell Outta Dodge”
By Saaneah
Everything you could want out of a
country ballad; lap steel guitar, horn
lines and small-town riffraff. Saaneah’s
voice is divine and will soothe your
worries away with this song. This song
comes off of an album of various artists
collaborating with musician Alice
Randall, highlighting the contributions
of Black women to country music.
By AVA PISHA
LAIKA STUDIOS’ whimsical
stop-motion film “Coraline”
recently returned to theaters in
Remastered 3D, marking the film’s
15th anniversary. To commemorate
the occasion, the Portland-based
film studio launched a mystical
interactive art installation featuring
30 “Cat” statues scattered throughout
the city. Each statue is a peculiar,
colorful and creative variant of “Cat,”
the appropriately named sarcastic
side character from the film. Over
the course of the movie, Cat slinks between the two mirrored realms,
serving as a mystical observer and
aiding Coraline as she attempts
to navigate, and escape, the Other
World. Much like in the movie, this
elusive cat can be found in unlikely
places — all over the city.
If you find yourself wandering
around downtown Portland in the
coming weeks, you will probably
see at least one of the enchanting
sculptures on “Coraline’s Curious
Cat Trail.” Intrigued passersby, cat
lovers and “Coraline” fans alike have
spent the past month pausing to
appreciate the different installations, which have brought some of the
magic of the world of “Coraline” to
the streets of Portland.
LAIKA collaborated with the
Visit Downtown Campaign, Wild in
Art, OHSU Doernbecher Children’s
Hospital and several local artists
to create these quirky statues that
capture the strange beauty of the
Other World. The statues can be
viewed on the “Coraline’s Curious
Cat Trail” website, which also
includes links to the artists’ other
work. From their websites, you can
get a glimpse of what went into
creating these eccentric art pieces,
from captivating timelapses to
behind the scenes pictures of the
artists at work.
Incredibly, “Coraline’s Curious
Cat Trail” is not just an art
installation; after an inaugural
10-week period, the project will
culminate in a grand auction on
Oct. 30, where all of the unique
sculptures will be available to
purchase. The proceeds from
this auction will benefit OHSU’s
Doernbecher Children’s Hospital,
an academic teaching hospital
offering pediatric care in downtown
Portland. This donation will
hopefully aid the hospital in
continuing to provide effective
and supportive care for their
young patients.
Additionally, LAIKA and
the organizers of the project
have hosted two litter-pickup
events along the trail so far
(pun intended), encouraging
fans of “Coraline” and casual
enjoyers alike to give back to their
community through an organized
service project. Over the course
of this creative installation,
LAIKA has shown an admirable effort to make a positive local
impact by supporting Portland
based artists and partnering with
the Visit Downtown Campaign to
help clean up city streets. LAIKA
has a long history of showing their
appreciation for the city of Portland.
“LAIKA promotes the spirit of a
city known for embracing the free
thinking, the counter-cultural and
the adventurous,” says the studio’s
website. “We’re proud of our home,
its history, and its culture. LAIKA
wouldn’t be the same creative,
industry-defining company if it was
born anywhere else.”
After visiting parts of the trail
myself, I would highly encourage
anyone interested in “Coraline”
or the local Portland art scene
to check it out. Additionally,
LAIKA will be holding their third
and final trash pick-up event on
Wednesday, Oct. 9. It is completely
free, all you need to do is sign
up, and the meeting location is
just a quick 15-minute walk from
the Pio Express downtown bus
stop at SW Broadway and Hall.
This is a great opportunity to not
only see the trail and appreciate
the work of some talented local
artists, but also to take part in
giving back to your city. If you
wish to follow the trail yourself, a
map of the cats can be found on
LAIKA website or through their
interactive app, which also allows
you to track how many cats you
have discovered along the way.
The installation will only be up
until Oct. 13, so take advantage
of the fleeting warm weather
this upcoming weekend and use
“Coraline’s Curious Cat Trail” as
an excuse to get out and explore
the city of Portland.
AVA PISHA/ THE MOSSY LOG
This whimsical cat sculpture bewitches passersby with its purple and skeletal visage.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2024
ARTS 9
By ELLA DUNN
IN THE MISSISSIPPI neighborhood
of NE Portland, a small art market
gathers each second Saturday
during the summer and early autumn
months in the parking lot of the
Q-Center, a building/organization that
services Portland’s queer community.
The market is called the Spectrum Art
Market, and houses anywhere between
10-20 vendors at a time. Despite its
smaller size, there is plenty for art
lovers to explore. Whether you are out
to purchase prints, stickers, t-shirts or
bandanas, there is truly something for
everybody at Spectrum Art Market.
I had the pleasure of speaking with
JD Cox, the individual who started
the market. They were there selling
t-shirts, tank tops and neckties with
their printed designs, as well as
stickers and prints of their work. Their
art, according to their Instagram page,
@dancingherondesign, is categorized
as a “modern archaic aesthetic.” “I had dabbled in running events and
being part of events for a long time — I
knew there was a niche for this type of
market,” Cox said. “Coupled with the
pandemic and how it affected myself
and other artists, and our ability to
connect with our community, connect
with each other and our customers,
I decided it was a good time to make
Spectrum Art Market happen.”
They started Spectrum in 2021,
and are about to enter their fourth
year of running the event. They
discussed the emotional significance
the market has to them.
“It’s my way of returning to
everyone who’s supported me in the
past — it’s creating a space for us.
Especially now that a lot of larger
events are so hard to get into,” Cox
said. “I’ve always felt like there’s not a
space for me, so I’m going to make one.”
I also had the chance to speak with
several vendors from the market, who
all expressed their love for the space.
Gray René, a local artist who sells prints, stickers and pins, spoke on
their experience selling at Spectrum.
“I have done a couple of bigger
markets, but this one has always been
a pretty solid one to come back to,”
René said. “I just really like being a
part of the local artist community and
being able to make connections with
people in the area.”
Elle Skinner, another artist at
Spectrum who sells her prints,
stickers, zines and comic books, all
in very vibrant colors and styles, was
enthusiastic to share about her love
for selling art.
“I love talking to people and
connecting over art. There’s
something really human in that,”
Skinner said. “I’ve been selling my art
for about ten years. I love sharing my
little guys.”
Spectrum is a great outlet for
semi-established artists — those who
have some experience selling but
are looking for a local marketplace.
With the market being so small, it
really allows for a spotlight on the
artists who are there. One does not
get overwhelmed like they might in a
large market, with vendors vying and
competing for customer attention.
The environment is very relaxed, and
it is easy to have conversations and
form connections with customers
and other artists. I ended up
purchasing several stickers and pins
from various booths.
Spectrum has one more weekend
scheduled this year, a two-day
market on Oct. 12 and 13, which
coincides with LC’s Fall Break, and
will be posting holiday-season dates
soon. After the new year, they may
move to an indoor location. All of
these updates will be available as the
time grows nearer on their Instagram,
@spectrumartmarket. I encourage
you to check it out before the season
is over.
Open to alumni, staff, students across campus’s, this course bridges generations, breaks down barriersNew film club creates
space for movie lovers
Community Chorale fosters joyous music-making for all
By OLIVIA MILLER
EVERY TUESDAY EVENING
from 7 to 9:30 p.m., the Lewis
& Clark students, faculty,
staff, alumni and friends gather in
Evans Auditorium for the weekly
rehearsal of the Community Chorale
Choir. The Community Chorale
is a symphonic choir open to all
community members within and
outside of LC and performs two on-
campus concerts each semester.
Kathy FitzGibbon, Professor of
Music and the Director of Choral
Activities, has directed the Chorale
Choir for 15 years.
“There was a real need and
excitement among community
members to have a place to sing, and
I love the way that it gives us a chance
to connect across all three campuses
and with and across generations,”
FitzGibbon said. “I think when
you’re a college student, you’re often
hanging out with other students,
your professors and everything, but
the idea that you could actually be
in a choir where you’re singing next
to your Spanish professor, there’s a
way that it evens the playing field and
allows us all to connect as peers in a
way that I think is super cool.”
FitzGibbon herself has been a
motivation for some members as
they have joined and continued to
return to the Chorale Choir, including
Frankie Spurbeck ’23, an LC alum and
current research assistant at Portland
State University in the Homelessness
Research and Action Collaborative,
who decided to return to the Chorale
Choir following their graduation due
to FitzGibbon’s leadership.
“Kathy is fantastic. I probably
would not have come back if Kathy
wasn’t such a kind person and a good
conductor. So I cannot speak too
highly of Kathy,” Spurbeck said. Paulette Bierzychudek, former
LC Professor of Biology, also found
inspiration in FitzGibbon’s leadership
when making the decision to join the
Chorale Choir.
“I had heard really great reports
of what a terrific conductor Kathy
was. I had never sung in a choir
before in my life. I had no musical
background whatsoever. I couldn’t
read a note, but I had always enjoyed
singing in the shower, around a
campfire, and I decided to be brave
and step forward and ask to join,”
Bierzychudek said.
FitzGibbon has also inspired
former LC students who are now also
educators, including alum and current high school music teacher, Emily
Stormer ’23.
“Kathy is a really great conductor.
She’s really great at leading people in
warm-ups, specifically. I’ve taken some
of the warm-ups from her. I’ve asked her
directly, also for advice on teaching. And
I think especially as a young teacher, you
really rely a lot upon what your teachers
in the past have done,” Stormer said.
The positive and uplifting diverse
community that FitzGibbon has built
within the Chorale Choir is evident.
Audrey Martin ’18 also went on to
become a music educator following
her graduation and appreciated
the hospitality she found in the
community ensemble.“I just think it’s a really great
community of people. It’s really fun to
sing with such a big group, such a wide
range of people also. Everyone’s so
positive and inviting and welcoming.
I just never had a negative experience
working with anybody at Community
Chorale,” said Martin.
Caitlin Hansen, a registrar
specialist at the graduate school,
highlighted the positive learning
environment found within the
Chorale Choir.
“I’ve been in a lot of choirs
throughout my life, but this one in
particular is really special,” said Hansen.
“Kathy is such an amazing director and
she makes it such a joyful experience. Her enthusiasm is infectious. She
makes learning really complex music
seem easy and manageable.”
FitzGibbon emphasized the
significance of this LC community
in finding one’s voice to foster both
personal and collective growth.
“There’s something about valuing
what you can contribute to a choir that
is really powerful and can feel a little
vulnerable. By allowing yourself to be
vulnerable and to work on yourself as
an individual in order to contribute to
this larger ensemble, it builds feelings
of trust and community, of course,
and lets people feel that they really
have something that they bring to the
table,” FitzGibbon said.
By SCARLETT ROBINSON
CALLING ALL Letterboxd users! A
new club on campus is bringing
movie-loving students together.
Started by Maia Kesler ’27, Grace Kelley
’26 and Nea Hochman ’27, the club aims
to host community screenings, lessons
on film techniques and guest speaker
events.
Kesler and Kelley have been
interested and involved in film their
whole lives: Kesler ran her high school’s
film festival and Kelley has worked
in film since she was 9 years old.
Coming to Lewis & Clark in 2023, they
were disgruntled with the lack of film
programs easily available to students
on campus, the last film club having
disbanded in 2019 and a film major
not being offered by the school. Both
considered transferring before deciding
they were going to make an effort to
bring film to LC themselves.
“Maybe we can ma ke this more
appealing for us, and we can somehow
incorporate film into school,” Kesler said
in an interview.
The club plans to be very democratic
in deciding what direction it is going
to go, using surveys to determine what
movies to watch and what the members
want to get out of the club. Kesler expects a share of “film-bro movies” to come out
of this recommendation system.
The club has no plans to make their
own films, instead they aim to uplift the
student filmmakers on campus and,
according to Kesler, make a place where
student filmmakers can find people
to collaborate with, providing them
with the necessary resources to start
their own productions. The organizers
anticipate starting with film screenings
and working up to hosting guest speakers
in their second semester.
The opening meeting of this new club
took place the night of Sept. 12 with a
turnout of excited and engaged students.
Members expressed their desires to
explore movies across different genres as
well as different cultures while engaging
in analysis and conversation about the
films.
Paige Wilcox ’28 and Julia Meyers ’28
are new members and movie enthusiasts
who are excited to be a part of the future
of the club.
“I’m so excited to watch awesome
movies and be able to hang out with
other people who enjoy films as much as
we do,” said Wilcox.
The founders and officers of the
club were glad to be met with lots of
enthusiasm from the first meeting’s
attendees. They expressed their
excitement for the future of the Film
Club and the community it has the
potential to create.
“I just want it to be a place where
people can share a common interest,”
said Kesler.
The next event will be a screening
toward the end of September, with the
movie soon-to-be announced. Anyone
interested in becoming involved can
email films@lclark.edu or find them on
Instagram @lclarkfilmclub. Although
they are still in pre-production, this
club has lots of potential to become a
blockbuster! Club founders Kesler and Kelley smile.SCARLETT ROBINSON/THE MOSSY LOG
After 15 years, the ensemble still retains consistent and enthusiastic members. OLIVIA MILLER/THE MOSSY LOG
Kathy FitzGibbon guides choir in warm-up stretches before they begin singing. OLIVIA MILLER/THE MOSSY LOG
Spectrum Market spotlights
creative, queer art vendors
Customers peruse and wander the diverse offerings found at the Q-Center parking lot.ELLA DUNN /THE MOSSY LOG
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2024
SPORTS 10
Procrastinate September’s homework, responsibilities with terrific, trivia-worthy crossword questionsTeam coaches provide
updates on fall sports
Ponder The Mossy Log’s first word game of fall news cycleDivision III athletics helps
build community in college
By MADILYN PALOSI
LAST WEEK, on Sept. 8, the
athletes of Lewis & Clark College
gathered at Griswold Stadium for
the fourth annual Welcome Back Event.
For the past four years, this event has
helped all of the athletes of LC come
together for one day to participate in
activities and competitions.
Participants are split into groups
made up of athletes from different
teams, in an effort to get to know each
other better. The event is supported
by coaches and administrative staff,
but it is mostly organized by a group
of student athletes who make up the
Student Athlete Advisory Committee
(SAAC). These students are in charge
of organizing events around campus to
bring the athletes of LC together. They
do an amazing job of organizing this
event every year, as it is no easy feat.
As a member of the women’s
basketball team here at LC, I notice how
imperative it is that our athletes are a
community. From seeing each other in the weight room or on the field for 7 a.m.
conditioning, to even just saying hello in
the Bon, community matters. Going to
a small liberal arts school where there
are only about 2,200 undergraduate
students, I have come to realize how
much I appreciate support from other
athletes. Unlike schools that have around
40,000 undergraduate students, it is
unique and reassuring to feel as though
we are all a part of a small community.
At the annual SAAC event, we were
informed that this school year, there
are about 775 athletes at LC. That
means we make up about 35% of the
student body. Additionally, 30% of all
incoming first-years are athletes.
Having attended both a big public
school and a small private high school,
I can confidently say being an athlete
at the smaller school was always more
rewarding. I felt more seen and heard,
and I felt the community of student
athletes was so much stronger there. In
college, I’ve noticed my professors are
always interested in getting to know
who I am not only as a student but as an athlete as well. They always want
to hear when our home games are and
how our previous game went, even if
we had to skip their class to head to
the bus.
Attending a smaller school also
allows for more athletic representation.
Students show up to home football
games on Saturdays ready to support
the athletes not only as players but
friends as well. I am more inclined
to go to volleyball games or men’s
basketball games because I have formed
connections with the players and those
connections make me feel more driven
to support everyone. Feeling the support
being reciprocated is incredible as well.
Seeing familiar faces in the stands with
posters adds to this sense of community.
If you are someone who is not an
athlete but who loves watching sports,
come out to our home games! Get your
friends to come with you and bring that
Pio spirit as often as you can. It takes
more than the athletes to build a strong
and supportive community, and we
would love to see you there.
By OLIVIA LARIOS
Across
1. In Ha __, Ice Spice’s way of
conveying temporary thought or feeling
4. The theme of the 2019 Met Gala,
something historically associated
with LGBT+ culture
7. Preposition referring to time or
place
8. Wilson, two-time WNBA MVP
10. Chemical symbol for gold
11. Designer brand alleged to be worn
by the devil according to Meryl Streep
and Anne Hathaway
13. “No__, No__, No__, got a
Maybach but I ain’t got a chauffeur,”
lyrics by Chief Keef
15. Abbr. for restaurant chain known
for serving buffalo chicken pizza at
your local mall or airport
17. Multi-stemmed instruments for
smoking tobacco
18. Abbr. for knowledge process
outsourcing
19. A former measure of length,
equivalent to about six handbreadths,
usually used for textiles
21. Slang for the game of Saka,
Bellingham and Palmer
24. Abbr. for north neighboring state
26. Corporation responsible for
transportation in New York City
27. What might happen if you take
more than the recommended amount
of a substance, usually narcotics,
sometimes resulting in death
28. “The__”, failed television series
starring The Weeknd at his absolute worst
29. One-ups in terms of physical
appearance or attractivenessDown
1. Song by the “The Yeah Yeah Yeahs”
with lyrics “Wait, they don’t love you
like I love you”
2. “__, __, there’s never much love
when we go __” according to Drake
3. To give, en Español
4. Abbr. for Canadian currency
5. Character who says the iconic line
“Don’t make me drink alone”
6. Glee character with a mohawk
9. The top prize in a contest, i.e the
lottery, that is typically a large sum
of money
11. Evidence establishing the truth of
a statement, or Eminem’s mentor
12. Suffering from continuous dull
pain
14. Abbr. for individualized
healthcare plan
16. Abbr. for fall coffee beverage
18. Fruit with a brown exterior and
green interior, or song by Harry
Styles
20. How a Brit might refer to a group
of young group of boys
22. Oh My Lord!
23. Nickname for place of late-night-
snacks for students living in Forest
25. Anno Domini, way of courting
years after the birth of Jesus Christ
27. The Original
Find solutions on piolog.com
By EMMA CLAIRE
AMBROZIAK
ALTHOUGH WE are only a few
weeks into the semester, many
student-athletes have been on
campus since mid-August, preparing
for and heading into the fall season.
Approximately a third of the freshman
class is made up of student-athletes, and
several sports teams have welcomed
new team members and new team
dynamics into the mix over the past few
weeks. A few coaches shared with us
their mid-September updates.
Head Coach Charlotte Copp -
Rowing
“The team has a new energy this year
and as a new coach to LC, but also an LC
alum, I have felt so welcomed by this group
of rowers,” she shared via email. “We are
excited to pursue our competitive goal
of fighting for a Northwest Conference
Championship win, and we can’t do it
without the help of new rowers coming
into the sport. Looking for community?
Maybe something to add more structure
to your day? Come join the rowing team!
We are taking walk-ons throughout the
fall and into the spring semester. No
experience required, we will teach you
everything you need to know! Just email
me, Head Coach Charlotte for more info.
RowPios! charlottecopp@lclark.edu”
Head Coach Joe Bushman - Football
“Football got off to a great start with an opening win vs. Puget Sound
59-21. The Pioneers amassed a
whopping 570 yards on offense and
Devon Guest scored 3 TD’s. Justin
Hope led the defense with 8 tackles
and an interception. Football will host
Montana Western at home on Saturday
Sept 21 at 1 p.m. at Griswold Stadium
where they will be honoring members of
the special needs community.”
Assistant Coach Becca McCullough
Women’s Soccer
“Women’s soccer had a very
successful weekend winning 4-1 and 5-1.
We are looking to use this momentum
as we move into conference play this
Wednesday against Willamette. We
are excited for the group of newcomers
as they have already made a positive
impact on the team and are looking to
our returners to set the tone for a season
of lots of goal scoring.”
Head Coach Ann Dorris - Women’s
Basketball
“As we head into the new season, I
couldn’t be prouder of the commitment
our team has already shown during the
preseason and the strong foundation
they are already setting. I’m excited
to officially begin practices next week
and start building with them. We
have a young, talented group with
tremendous potential.”
Stay tuned in future issues as we
continue to track our student athletes’
accomplishments this season!
COURTESY OF LC ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT
Fall semester’s student-athletes pose together at the SAAC “Welcome Back Event,” in the bleachers of Griswold stadium.COURTESY OF LC ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT
Iris Stutzman ’27 dribbles up the field with teammate Grace Smith in soccer match.FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2024
SPORTS 11
By MAGGIE LUKE
IT IS ABOUT 40 minutes into
the Lewis & Clark men’s soccer
scrimmage. We are down 0-1,
but the ball continues to speed from
one side of the pitch to the next with
little sense of discrimination. There
is only one question, shining down
on players and spectators alike like
rays of the sun, looming in the hot
air of the Sunday afternoon: will
LC score? For a few minutes, as the
wrestle for the ball steers towards
the opponent’s side, the force of the
question only grows.
Zidane Indarta ’27, number seven,
attempts the first shot from about 10
yards out. After being blocked by a
swift kick from the goalie, it is number
17, Trevor Koo ’28 who finally scores.
The crowd cheers triumphantly in
background, and thus, the fall season
continues on.
After two losses in Hawaii against
Division II schools Chaminade
University and Hawaii Pacific University, the goal scored at the
Sept. 8 scrimmage represented the
first of the 2024 season. Although
the game ended in a 1-1 tie, Assistant
Coach Becca McCullough considered
the game a win nonetheless.
The mens soccer team is a
relatively new addition to LC,
established in the fall season of 2022.
This makes the current mens team,
which ranges from first-years to
juniors, trailblazers for the program.
Not only in name is this sentiment
reflected, but also through the
attitude among teammates.
“The guys are really excited,
super eager, with lots of energy,”
McCullough said.
With all this new momentum
built up from the goal on Saturday,
McCullough hopes that the team will
continue to improve.
“Not necessarily with the goal of
winning games, in our conferences,”
she clarified. “But to compete as well
as we can and score some goals,”
said McCullough. With a strong defensive line and
an eager group of freshmen this year,
the team’s chances seem stronger
than ever this season.
McCullough echoed a sentiment
present throughout the athletics
department; namely the need to
foster school spirit throughout the
entire community.
“It would be pretty cool if we could
have some good turnout to some of
these games,” she said. “It’d be fun if
we had some fans to support them in
the stands.”
McCullough’s idealized future
for the games not only stands for
the mens soccer team, but also
throughout LC Athletics.
Meeting up with friends,
attending games and cheering for
points scored by fellow students
can be a great way to relieve stress
from the grind of academics. It also
can help foster greater connection
between the school community and
the individuals that live and study
here themselves.Soccer kicks off fall with opening scrimmage
Football season touches down in high-energy first game
By EMMA FORD
WITH AUTUMN just around
the corner, Fall sports are
kicking into gear with the
first football game of the season
that took place on Sept. 7. The
LC Pioneers faced off against the
University of Puget Sound Loggers
on a hot Saturday afternoon, and
earned their first victory of the
season, 59-21.
Walking into Griswold Stadium at
the start of the game, one could feel the
excitement in the air. A robust crowd
turnout gave the stadium a festive
and excited spirit that was infectious
even to those (namely me) who watch
football fairly infrequently. The
parking lot on the way into Griswold
was full of tailgaters and a taco truck,
and fans dressed in orange, cheering
and clapping as they watched the
Pioneers take to the field.
And yet, I was struck by a sense
of apprehension — not at the idea
the team may not win, as I am both
filled with school spirit and also not
particularly hung up on the outcome
of sporting events. Rather I was
concerned at how well I was going to
follow the events that were about to
unfold on the field before me. After
all, that apathy toward final scores
and conference performances has
had the totally predictable effect of
rendering me fairly clueless about the
basic rules of football.
This basic truth about myself,
unchanged even by the efforts that
multiple members of the LC football
team have made to explain the game
to me, made the two and a half
hours the game would end up taking
daunting. As I sat with my snacks and
a friend, I leaned over to them and
muttered “I’m going to have a lot of
really stupid questions for you.”
To save you, dear reader, from
those questions yourself, I feel it
appropriate at this point in the article
to share the answers I was given.
Football is not as scary as I assumed
it would be to learn — there are 11
players on each team on the field
during play, for a total of 22 players.
Players can be offensive (focused
on scoring) or defensive (focused
on preventing the other team from
scoring) and each individual team
member has a specific role they
play within those two categories
(quarterback, running back, lineman
and linebacker, for example).
Getting the ball down to the
10-yard end zones in order to score is
the main goal of the offensive players.
Each team gets four attempts, or
downs, to move the ball from their starting point to the end zone and
score, with a quarterback handing the
ball off to a receiver or running back in
order to move down the field. Downs
reset each time the team moves more
than ten yards, resulting in another
four downs, but if the team cannot
move far enough down the pitch, the
ball turns over to the other team.
The other team’s defense stands
against the offensive efforts,
attempting to win the ball back.
Defensive players execute preplanned
strategies (communicated through
signals from their coaching staff)
designed to intercept the ball,
prevent movement by the other team,
and generally frustrate the efforts of
their opponents.
I found the strategy of the game
particularly appealing. Forget
whatever stereotype your mind offers
up of a dumb jock — it takes a lot of
mental energy and quick thinking to
get ready for a specific, preplanned
play (of which teams have dozens)
and then adapt that plan to the
actions of another team. Mental
strength is as important here as
physical, and as members of the team
have assured me, each play requires
every athlete to function in tandem
with their fellow players on the field
for it to be successful.
Luckily, the Pioneers enjoyed quite
a bit of that success from the get-go.
They scored their first touchdown
in the first few minutes of the game
(running the ball into the end zone,
which carries a greater point value
than other plays such as a field goal.)
The early score set the tone for what
would be a winning game, galvanizing
the team to play hard for their eventual resounding victory. And
in writerly cliche, as I watched the
crowd go wild, I saw that enthusiasm
reflected back from the field.
It is worth giving a shoutout
here to the Cheer and Step Team, a
student-run club who leads cheers
and performs dances at LC sporting
events. They have an infectious
spirit that got the entire crowd
engaged, even through the heat of the
afternoon. It all fed into the energy of
the day and gave those of us who got
lost with what was happening on the
field something to come back to.
Something one lacking in
knowledge notices is that the crowd
does not just cheer for scores — they
cheer for turnovers, for downs, for
well-executed plays or impressive
tackles. After all, while scoring is
important, it is not all that happens
during a football game. One quickly
comes to recognize the skill of
the athletes on the field and finds
immense amounts of excitement
when plays heat up, even when they
are tens of yards away from actually
scoring. To watch a particularly
thrilling down play out or an opposing
player go down hard, certainly can
be invigorating when sitting in the
stands and hearing the excitement of
the fans.
The Pioneers played hard, and
lived up to the hopes of their home
crowd for their first home game of
the season. Even for this writer, still
a football novice, it was a sight to see.
Anyone wanting to see LC
Football play for themselves can
come out to their Sept. 21 game at 1
p.m. in Griswold Stadium versus the
University of Montana Western.
ELLA RUARK/THE MOSSY LOG
ELLA RUARK/LC ATHLETICSELLA RUARK/LC ATHLETICSCOURTESY OF LC ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT
Zidane Indarta ’27 recently joined LC’s Mens Soccer Team as a freshman.First-year player scores first goal of a hopeful new mens season, coach excited about team growth
EMMA FORD/THE MOSSY LOG
Fans got into the spirit of the game in the stands with clever (and cheeky!) signs LC Cheer and Step spent the match leading chants and dancing to attendee applauseThe Pioneers put their best feet forward against the University of Puget SoundA view from stands as an uninformed observer brings editor fresh perspective on athletic spirit
Downs, formations and strategy add depth and skill for informed observers FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2024
12The Backdoor is back to fuck your bitch!
MONDAY
9:10 - Nap time in
Miller 206
11 - Health Center
Appointment: mono
scare
1:50 - CORE
Class (at tendance
mandatory)
3:00 - Therapy Circle
(Creative Nonfiction I)
7:15 - JR Howard
Movie Night,
interrupted by a
scheduled club meeting
who already reserved
the room
11 - Sob quietly into
pillow so freshman
year roommate does
not hearTUESDAY
10 - Office Hours, beg
for an extension
1:50 - 200 Level
ENVS Class (which
is WAY harder than
AP Environmental
Science, actually)
6 - Group Bon with 14
People
7:30 - Post-Bon Trader
Joe’s run (stuff 7
people in the Zipcar
and be 5 minutes late
back to campus!)
11 - Sob againWEDNESDAY
9:10 - Nap time in
Miller 206
11:30 - Disappointing
Troom with 12 people
1:50 - CORE Class
(attendance suggested)
3:00 - Therapy Circle
(Creative Nonfiction I)
5 - Club Meeting (Sit
on phone, quit next
week!)
8 - Wine Wednesday:
Let 6 Freshmen friends
crowd into a triple and
share a bottle of White
Zinfandel
11:15 - Throw upTHURSDAY
8 - Get woken up by
roommate coming back
from their own Wine
Wednesday
9:30 - Vacuum the
dorm in revenge
12:30 - NSO friend
Coffee Date
1:50 - 200 Level
ENVS Class (which
is WAY harder than
AP Environmental
Science, actually)
5:15 - Tune into KPH
for a friend’s show
for the only time this
semester
9:45 - Go to Writing
Center 15 minutes
before it closes for a
paper due tomorrow
11:30 - Smoke FRIDAY
9:10 - Nap time in
Miller 206
11 - Totally space on an
appointment with your
College Advisor
1:50 - CORE Class
(attendance not
required)
5 - Sit in last rays of
sunshine and play
acoustic guitar by the
Reflecting Pool
9 - Bitch about lack of
parties sitting in a Spruce
Quad common space
10- Smoke with your
situationship in a
bush/outside the
Chapel/with former
Campo director
11:45 - Panic attack :)SATURDAY
11 - Wake up
11:30 - Pio to Sellwood
(forget that it stops
service from
1:30 - 2:30 and get
stuck for an hour)
4 - Existential Dread
6 - See friend and hang
out on Pac Man lawn
7 - Existential Dread
8:15 - Pregame
9 - Arrive too early to a
party you will tell your
high school friends was
a “total rager”
11:15 - Throw upSUNDAY
11:30 - Bon with 9
people (feel weird that
there are fewer than
last time)
3 - Study session (yell
at a table in the quiet
section of Watzek) (but
not the Silent Section!)
6 - Single-word-answer
your way through a call
with your mom
8 - Almost lose
your virginity in an
Odell double before
your situationship’s
roommate comes back8
9
10
11
12
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12Backdoor exclusive: first-semester freshman schedule leakedNot-So Opportune friends:
circumvent cringey chatsAthlete reintegration
program starts strong
By MEGAN ZIEGELE
HAS THE PAST week of New
Student Orientation burnt you
out? Have you stretched yourself
so thin that your social bandwidth closely
resembles the finicky phyllo pastry dough
best enjoyed in the widely appreciated
Persian delicacy of baklava? Are you
searching for ways to effectively scare
off your unfortunate acquaintances? Or,
even better, are you looking to weed out
potential friends, get to the root of it and
identify who is deserving of your time?
If so, thank whatever supreme deity
you worship for this comprehensive
friend-vetting guide, brought to you by
first-rate insights given by three of Lewis &
Clark’s finest experts on all matters social.
Jenna Tolls ’25, a SOAN major,
suggests that a simple game of “Fuck,
Marry, Kill” may do wonders in the pursuit
of weeding out potential friends.
“Sexual gut reactions are very
telling,” Tolls says, pausing to sip
her homemade kombucha. “What a
person finds attractive speaks volumes
about their character. When assigned
the task of deciding the fate of three
hypothetical lives, our innermost desires
are unearthed. At the end of the day, who
we want to fuck defines us, spiritually,
emotionally and holistically.”
If you heed Tolls’ advice, let us
suggest the three candidates to be
LC’s namesake Merriweather Lewis,
your NSO peer mentor and any of the
young versions of currently bangable
politicians. Record your potential
friends’ reactions and act accordingly.
Oliver Owens ’26, a theater major
and a strong-voiced advocate for the
unserious arts, proposes the idea of
forming a group to perform at one of The
Coop’s many open-mic nights. Whether
you read a Notes app slam poem of
dubious quality, deliver a dramatic
rendition of your favorite song written by an “underground” indie artist who also
happens to have over a million monthly
listeners on Spotify or you merely come
along to spectate and snap your fingers
in an only mildly judgy show of support,
getting involved on campus is a surefire
way to determine who is deserving of
your time.
“See who takes themselves too
seriously,” Owens remarks. “Humor is the
spice of life. When we invite the spirit of
comedy to come inside us (so to speak),
our lives are transformed.”
Comedy, of course, is the glue that
binds us. Your friend group has to be the
funniest on campus, so when you cheat
out and project your shit-talking in the
Bon, it echoes through the space and
makes everyone not wearing headphones
fall madly in love with you.
“If no one in your friend group has
never said the words, ‘We should start
a podcast’ at least once, are you even
friends?” asks JorJor Well ’26, an English
and RHMS double major. “Like, our 3
KPH listeners love us.”If you and your NSO acquaintances
have enough flow that you no longer
need to rely on questionable icebreakers
to hold dialogue, congratulations! You
are taking the first steps toward podcast
making. The real key to podcast success
is not finding numerous topics to discuss,
it is in the ability to talk for hours on end,
even if nothing of substance is ever being
uttered. Oftentimes, the best judgment
of compatibility is to analyze how much
conversational chemistry is in the
cocktail of friendship.
“Podcasters are the backbone of
21st century social thought,” Well says.
“There is no other form of entertainment
more worthy of praise. So grab your
friends, snatch some microphones and
buckle up, bitches.”
Remember: YOU are the hot
commodity. If you and your NSO partner
fail to match each other’s freak, cut them
off using the social guillotine! Feel free to
test people’s competence in whichever way
you feel is most appropriate, and do NOT
be afraid to be at least a tad bit unsettling.
KAI GODSEY/THE MOSSY LOG By ELLA DUNN
THIS IS NOT A new occurrence.
Each year, the Athletics department
pulls students from New Student
Orientation for a period of intense
research and study. As an unfortunate
consequence, student-athletes can find
it difficult to acclimate to their fellow
students, likely due to extended periods
of removal from the wilds of campus.
For approximately one to three
weeks, Athletics keeps students in
isolation to study their abilities and
physical health. Athletes are incentivized
with Bon food and branded swag
to complete physical exercises the
department describes as “training”.
Observers from the department who
refer to themselves as “coaching staff”
collect data from the sessions. In order
to avoid confusing athletes during this
period, observers disguise themselves
to resemble creatures from the athletes’
natural habitats, complete with colorful
wigs and magnetic piercings.
Another practice that takes place
during this period is “stat tracking”. The
Athletics department has not released
enough information for us to fully
understand the process, but what we do
know is that each athlete is equipped
with a small chip, inserted under the skin
behind their left ear subdermally.
From then on, Athletics has full
control over their time and their bodies,
as well as comprehensive statistics on
yards dashed or serves delivered into the
net. Athletics students also tend to miss
large portions of classes, depending on
which semester their primary “season”
is in, often seen flinching at “neck” pain
before standing up and abruptly leaving
the classroom and running away in the
direction of Pamplin.
“The baseball guys are already hardly
dateable this year,” Jeremiah Short, a
witness, said about the encounter, “and usually those tight pants save them
from their own personalities.”
Unfortunately, the program has
yet to recognize that removal during
NSO could have serious consequences
for Athletics students. Missing this
natural part of their life cycle, and
therefore missing the short window
to make friends on campus before
everyone retreats to small cliques they
will stay loyal to for the next four years,
interrupts the development of athletes.
The athletes find themselves only able to
socialize with other athletes, who bond
over rigorous training schedules and
having missed essential bonding time
with other classmates. Even though the
effects are similar each year, NSO is still
seen as the prime opportunity to chip
the students, before they can become
socially integrated and form their own
opinions on the matter.
The football boys get hit the worst.
They begin to socially polarize, the largest
effect of this being on their language skills.
“Bro” and “fuck” become fundamental
pieces of their communication. One
can hardly hear them speak a sentence
without inserting one or both of the two.
They wonder why they ended up at such a
weird liberal arts school.
If the Athletics department
continues this harmful cycle, the
Athletes will never find themselves able
to integrate into normal campus life.
They will continue to be an anomaly to
the rest of the student body: beings who
spend all day pumping iron in Pamplin,
besides lunch and dinner hours, where
they drink straight milk and eat plain
chicken breast.
“For protein,” they say.
One day, we may come to
understand these majestic creatures.
Until then, though, we must consign
ourselves to watching from a distance
as their chips blink intermittently
under their neck skin.