The Western Howl

Spotlighting Western artist Tonya Bradley: Vocalist and violinist

Never Retallack | Entertainment Editor

Interested in hearing about a fellow classmate and a choir member here at Western? Look no further than this Q&A to get to know Tonya Bradley, a junior and vocalist at Western.

Q: How long have you been at Western? And what are you studying?

T: I’m a junior, this is my third year. And I’m studying Secondary Education with a concentration in Social Sciences with a focus in Sociology with a minor in French.

Q: And how are you involved in music?

T: Within the Western music department you are allowed to be in any of the ensembles no matter what your major is. I’m in Chamber Singers which you have to audition for either in the spring or in the fall. It’s a lot easier to start in the fall because you have a lot of music to learn.

Q: How long have you been part of the Chamber Singers?

T: I’ve been in Chamber Choir since Spring of my freshman year, and then I was in Concert Choir since Winter Term of that year (first-year).

Q: So you can be in multiple choirs?

T: Yes, there are three choirs and you can be in all three. The Concert Choir is a non-audition group that is mainly classical music, but can sometimes do some pop stuff. Chamber Singers which is mostly classical, and Voices which is mostly Jazz.

Q: What style of music do you usually prefer?

T: I like the classical because you get to learn a lot of different languages, and there’s a lot of different techniques you get to learn and it is kind of the foundation of every other form of music. I also have done classical for my whole life so…

Q: So how long have you been studying music?

T: I started violin in third grade and took it all the way through my senior year in high school, unfortunately I don’t have time to take string ensemble and choir at the same time, so I don’t do both here (Western).

Q: When did you start training when it comes to singing?

T: I started choir my freshman year of high school, and took voice lessons as a sophomore, but I stopped taking them because they take a lot of time and money.

Q: Do you prefer singing over violin?

T: I do, because I feel like I get to be more creative with it and I don’t have to just stick with what’s already written on the page — I get to do more improvisation. And within the choir I am a Soprano 2.

Q: What is your favorite part about being involved with music?

T: You get to meet so many new people, and it’s a creative release for me and I when I am involved in the choir here (at Western) I feel like it improves my mental health and my school performance. It’s really important for me mentally, to keep me sane taking all my other classes.

Q: What is your least favorite part of the music world?

T: Probably just the amount of rehearsals, and the amount of personal practice I have to do to stay at the same level as everyone else, because I have a lot of trouble with rhythm so I have to spend a lot of my own time to practice. This can sometimes take away from my school work.

Q: If there is anyone interested in joining the choir what would you tell them?

T: I would tell them it’s an awesome idea; we got a new professor last fall and he is amazing. I think the choir has improved a lot and we get to do cool performances, like going to the Capitol — it’s a good experience and I think they should talk to him (Dr. James Reddan).

Q: For those interested in listening to the choir what should they look out for?

T: For Chamber Singers and Concert Choir we have a performance Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. in Rice and tickets are available now for anyone who calls the box office.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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Western to participate in Congress to Campus program this February, two students will act as ambassadors

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow | News Editor

On Tuesday, Nov. 10, assistant professor of politics, policy and administration, Earlene Camarillo, sent a campus-wide email advertising an opportunity for students to act as Western’s ambassadors during the Congress to Campus event set to occur from Feb. 11–13.

According to Camarillo, President Rex Fuller and Provost Rob Winningham later collaborated with Dr. Mary Pettenger after discovering the program, stating that it “sounds like a great opportunity for Western, especially in today’s climate of strong partisanship.”

Congress to Campus is an existing government program which provides an “opportunity to interact with former Members of Congress through a program designed to attract young people to public service” and addresses “concerns about the lack of civic literacy among America’s young people and declining participation in politics,” according to its official website at stennis.gov.

Camarillo expanded on the idea of civil literacy, stating that it is “the idea that we engage with one another in conversation,” and that, in a democracy, “theoretically, everyone should feel comfortable expressing their opinions.” The Congress to Campus program supports this by sending one Republican and one Democrat representative to “promote the idea that you have to speak with one another,” said Camarillo.

Camarillo mentioned the media’s role in misinforming the public and framing the government as overly bipartisan, saying that “there is a lack of clarity on how our system actually works,” and citing the statistic that “only 30% of people can name the three branches of our government.”

Throughout the program’s duration on campus, there will be two events held on Feb. 12 that are open to the general student population. One is set to occur at 2 p.m. and will be an alumni panel dedicated to addressing the topic of public service, and the other is set for 7 p.m. and will be a public forum where students and faculty can ask questions of the president and former Congressmen.

Camarillo hopes that this event will promote interest in public service careers and stated, “we really want to encourage people across all disciplines,” to apply and attend the panels, stressing that the information being presented will be “important regardless of what career you’re going into.”

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

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HIVAlliance partners with Abby’s House to combat misinformation about HIV and treatment.

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow | News Editor

HIV has a long history of stigmatization throughout the nation. Partnering with Abby’s House on campus, HIVAlliance came to Western Wednesday, Nov. 20, “to discuss the current status of HIV in Oregon, how HIV is spread and not spread, and ways to prevent HIV, including PrEP,” according to Keith Mathews, a Western Alumni and current PrEP Coordinator for the Northern Region of Oregon.

According to HIVAlliance’s website, hivalliance.org, PrEP stands for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, “a medication taken daily that can be used to reduce the likelihood of HIV infection by preventing the virus from taking hold and spreading throughout the body,” which, “can reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV by more than 90% and can reduce the risk of HIV among people who inject drugs by more than 70%.”

HIVAlliance helps to educate the public about PrEP, as well as helping PrEP users navigate insurance, providers and financial support services. Additionally, HIVAlliance operates under a harm reduction philosophy which “seeks to empower individuals, remove barriers to accessing the support that they need, and offer pragmatic approaches to risk reduction in a non-judgmental/non-coercive way, that is compassionate and accepting of any positive change,” according to hivalliance.org.

Prior to the presentation, Mathews reached out to Abby’s House himself, saying that, “I knew their missions overlapped with our mission at HIVAlliance to educate about HIV and prevention. In my four years at WOU I heard very little about HIV apart from a few events highlighting awareness so I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to start that conversation at WOU.”

He added that, “despite the perception of lessened stigma around HIV, there is still a lot of misinformation around HIV which continues the stigma to this day. The best way to receive correct information is to find medically accurate and correct information on HIV and talk to people, especially sexual partners, about HIV status and testing.”

Currently, there are various organizations which offer STI and HIV testing, including Western’s own Student Health and Counseling Center. Polk County Public Health, Marion County Health and Human Services, HIVAlliance and Planned Parenthood all offer testing within the community.

For more information, visit hivalliance.org.

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

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After an unparalleled 2018 haul, Western’s Toy Drive hopes to maintain that momentum for the 2019 season

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow | News Editor

Following a record-breaking year in donations, the annual WOU Toy Drive is once again setting up collection boxes for the Christmas season.

The campus drive has been operating for the past seven years, and developed “organically” after a foster student named Matthew Burley asked why there wasn’t a holiday program for foster-care and underprivileged students, said Jackson Stalley, a library technician at Western and coordinator for the toy drive.

After finding campus partners, the drive has “become a part of WOU’s holiday culture,” said Stalley, “it became so popular and successful because of the generosity of our campus … people rely on us.”

Western’s Toy Drive operates separately from the Student Veterans of America’s Toys for Tots, and is the primary donor of holiday gifts to local organizations such as the Sable House, DHS and the Liberty House in Salem — organizations that provide services to those in the foster care system and to families experiencing domestic violence, as well.

The first year that they delivered the toys, one of the organizations had about eight presents prior, Stalley recalled. Every year, “it’s stunning how happy (people) are to receive the gifts,” Stalley said.

This year, Stalley hopes to “keep the momentum” from the previous year, and wants to remind students and community members that they’re “more than just toys and gifts.” For some, “the idea that some stranger out there cared was a reminder to be hopeful,” said Stalley.

Students and faculty wanting to donate have until Dec. 9 to do so and can find more information as well as a wishlist through Stalley’s email sent out on Nov. 12 or by contacting him directly at stalleyj@wou.edu.

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

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Dig a little deeper, Women’s Volleyball take home win to conclude their season

Hannah Greene | Sports Editor

Last week, Nov. 19 and 21, the Women’s Volleyball team played in their final games of the season.

The Wolves started by playing against Concordia University — a team that beat them previously in season on Sept. 17.

Western’s only offense depended on their hitting, their percentage one of the best this season. During the first set, the Wolves gained a lead but fell shortly after, and the Cavaliers took the lead and carried it throughout the rest of that set.

Although the Wolves lost, there were multiple pivoting points throughout the match that gave the Cavaliers a run for their money.

The second set saw the Wolves hold the Cavaliers — until the Cavaliers broke out and scored 8 of the 10 points. Western had a hard time scoring due to Concordia’s strong defensive wall that continued to challenge the Wolves throughout the game.

Highlight player for the Wolves was Sianna DeCarli, a junior outside hitter, who had 11 kills — an attack by a player that is not returned by the receiving opponent, which leads directly to a point — the only Wolf that night to get more than four kills.

The second game was a sweet sendoff for the Wolves’ only senior player, Allyson Crisp.

Western took on Montana State University Billings on Nov. 21 for the Wolves’ senior game, and final game of their 2019 season.

Not only did this game end the Wolves’s season with a win, it sent their senior player, Crisp, to the Western Oregon record books.

The first set the Yellowjackets took the win, but not without the Wolves making a great comeback. The second set was a pepper of a match, with the Yellowjackets gaining and then falling to, to end with the Wolves ahead and their first set win.

The rest of the game saw the Wolves winning to have the Yellowjackets follow with a win — but in the end the Wolves dug dipper and pulled through to bring home their fifth win of the season.

An overall rough season for this Women’s Volleyball team that challenged and tested them every game — but a wonderful finish to leave the Wolves howling.

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

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Opinion: In response to “It’s beginning to look a lot like Thanksgiving”

Caity Healy | Managing Editor

I’d like to preface this by saying, yes, I am listening to Christmas music as I write this. But also, I’m looking at the Thanksgiving decorations up around my house, too. Because holiday mixing is a thing, folks. With that, let’s jump into this response.

In Issue 7, my editor-in-chief published an opinion piece titled “It’s beginning to look a lot like Thanksgiving,” where she asserted that we should not jump straight from Halloween to Christmas, bypassing Thanksgiving. Let me say, the author is a wonderful and kind person, and I have the utmost respect for her and her opinions. That said — sorry Cora, I’ve got to disagree. Well, kind of.

Look, I love Thanksgiving. When I think of the holiday, I remember my childhood; I remember the tradition of my dad putting Christmas lights up on Thanksgiving morning so that it would be ready by the time guests arrived for dinner. I remember Christmas music playing through the house as the aroma of my mom’s cooking flooded our home. I remember getting up early to turn on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, watching with twinkling eyes as Santa waved to the crowd in his float.

Thanksgiving is what you make it. To my family, it was never a day completely separate from Christmas. My childhood memories of the two holidays blur together — and I love that. I love the warmth of celebrating both holidays at once; I love letting spirits ring for as long as possible.

Aside from my anecdotal experience, studies show that putting holiday decorations up early can actually make people happier. Psychoanalyst Steve McKeown told Unilad that “In a world full of stress and anxiety, people like to associate two things that make them happy and Christmas decorations evoke those strong feelings of childhood.”

Now, I do have some issues with this — it’s not always the feeling of childhood that people love, and the holiday isn’t always Christmas — but he gets the point. People often associate this time of year with happy memories or feelings, so let them. His statement has been confirmed by other scientists, such as psychologist Deborah Serani.

Overall, I get what Cora’s piece was saying. I just think it should be tweaked a little. My opinion is simply let people celebrate what makes them happy. If you prefer going all out for Thanksgiving, do it. If you prefer treating Thanksgiving as a pregame to the holidays, you do you. In a time when there’s limited opportunities to take time and do what actually makes you happy, I think we should let people take advantage of this opportunity. Let people celebrate holidays in a way that truly makes them happy.

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

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Opinion: The right time to die

Rachel Hetzel | Designer

One of the crucial aspects of science and technology is to extend the human lifespan. Being born in the 1800s meant one could expect to live to a maximum of about 40 years. In the U.S. today, the average lifespan is 90 years and rising. According to the National Institute of Aging, our lifespans are increasing by about three months every year.

Now, living longer may sound great to most people — and don’t get me wrong, I’m glad this is being researched and developed — but I think we need to consider the changes in quality of life, and what this means for elderly generations.

According to the National Council on Aging, 80% of the elderly have at least one age-related disease, and 77% have two or more. Some of the most common ones are Alzheimer’s, arthritis, cancer, dementia, depression and heart disease. Age is the main risk factor for many of these diseases; the older we grow, the higher our chances are of developing one or more of these problems.

So what I’m getting at here is that maybe we shouldn’t be focusing on living longer. Personally, I’d like to die before I’m 80 — I want to die naturally, with my mind and memories intact.

My great grandma suffered from alzhemiers, dementia and other illnesses. We would visit her once a week over the course of several years. Eventually, she stopped remembering the last time we had been over. She would ask how deceased family members were doing, and wouldn’t really know or remember who we were. We would write her letters so she would have something to read and remember us by, but she would need someone else read them to her. I’m very thankful that I got to know my great grandma, but seeing her decline as she aged made me realize that I don’t want to have my life end in that state.

There comes a point when we need to decide if keeping someone alive is more cruel than helpful. And if it is cruel, that person needs to have options available to help them get out. Death with Dignity is an option for those who are terminally ill. It allows the patient to request medication that will safely, and humanely kill them. Currently, the Death with Dignity law states that one must be terminally ill, and expected to die within six months in order to request the medication. I think this should be changed to also be available to people who are 80 or older. Suicide is alarmingly common amoungst seniors. According to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, seniors make up 12% of our population, and 18% of suicides: which does not account for silent suicides, like starvation and overdose.

Now, obviously not all seniors are miserable. Some have loving families, and live happily to the end of their lives. But for those who don’t, there needs to be an option. We should start focusing on improving the quality of life rather than length of life. Society views death as a negative thing or something to be avoided. But reality has shown us that there is indeed a right time for it, and perhaps we should try to embrace that rather than fight it.

Contact the author at rhetzel18@wou.edu

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Spotlighting Western artist Tonya Bradley: Vocalist and violinist

Western to participate in Congress to Campus program this February, two students will act as ambassadors

HIVAlliance partners with Abby’s House to combat misinformation about HIV and treatment.

After an unparalleled 2018 haul, Western’s Toy Drive hopes to maintain that momentum for the 2019 season

Dig a little deeper, Women’s Volleyball take home win to conclude their season

Opinion: In response to “It’s beginning to look a lot like Thanksgiving”

Opinion: The right time to die

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