Mount Hood

“The Motown Throwdown” follow-up

Caity Healy | Editor-in-Chief

On April 26, 2017, The Western Journal published a story titled “The Motown Throwdown,” written by our then Sports Editor, Burke De Boer. The story delved into the tradition that occurred each Spring at Western, then called Oregon College of Education, called the TKB Smoker. Hosted by the self-titled group Tappa Kegga Beer, the TKB Smoker was an annual, student-run boxing tournament that existed throughout the ‘70s. It ended for unknown reasons. But before the tradition could die out, it left one boxer famous for his tenacity in the ring: Lee Reed.

On May 7, I received a phone call from a man named Dave Clarke. He told me that he actually knew Lee Reed — and he had a lot of stories to share with me. So, he was kind enough to tell me all the memories he could recall of Reed, as a fighter and as a friend.

Clarke first heard of Reed through his brother, Robert. Robert attended Western Oregon State College in 1979, and when he came home, he told Clarke all about something called the TKB Smoker.

“He told me about a really “kick ass” guy he’d seen fight in the campus smoker — a guy named Lee Reed. Robert told me that he’d seen Lee knockout a couple of guys in less than a minute,” Clarke said. “My brother also told me that Lee taught a Taekwondo class on campus.”

From then on, Clarke wanted to become a martial arts sensation. He came to Western in 1981, and noticed a flyer posted near Barnum Hall advertising a class taught by Reed. So, he went to the Taekwondo class and met Reed first-hand.

“Class was very difficult, and Lee was demanding but always fair and interested … I just about worshipped him at the time,” Clarke said. “I didn’t get to know Lee better until I was in class for a few months.”

As Clarke began getting to meet Lee outside of his classes, he noted that Lee was a bit of a partier. Lee would host get-togethers at his apartment, where he’d cook for everyone. Clarke recalls the memory of one party.

“One day I was standing in Lee’s kitchen … he asked me to hold still for a second, so I did. He kicked off the flip-flop sandals he usually wore and did a perfect spinning wheel kick to my face. I could feel the bottom of his foot skim the top of my nose. This was in a space that was probably four feet wide — amazing,” Clarke recalled. “After that, he put his sandals back on and smiled at me. He said, ‘I just wanted to see if I could still kick a person as tall as you in the face.’”

When Clarke hosted parties, he felt lucky if he was able to find a few spare moments with Lee to get to know him better. It would be at one of these parties that he really began to understand Lee.

“He told me he was an orphan in Korea, and that he had to learn to fight to survive. He said … the other students would always want to fight him because of his mixed heritage.”

However Lee reached the point he was at now, Clarke only had kind words to share about him.

“Lee was always attentive to me, never once looked down on me , Clarke explained. “I sparred with Lee a few times. One time a backfist I threw touched Lee’s cheek. He paused and said, ‘That’s one of the best backfists I’ve ever seen — you should throw more of those.’”

Unfortunately. Clarke didn’t have any other information about why the TKB Smoker did come to an end, nor information on where Lee ended up. However, he knows that his memories of Lee will not fade.

“He remains in my memory as the most physically talented individual I’ve ever known,” Clarke concluded. “He was a great instructor, and I’ll always be glad to have known him.”

 

Contact the author at howleditor@wou.edu

Photos courtesy of WOU Archives

BillyAnn Stemple: Outstanding Graduate 2019

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

I grew up in Lincoln City, which is on the coast not too far from here. I’ve always known that I wanted to be a teacher, so Western was an easy choice for me because of the ED program. I am going to be a middle school science teacher … I’m super passionate about teaching our adolescents — I think it’s an awesome age. They’re just goofy, and they need all the love in the world. So, I’m excited to just give that to them. And science is just awesome because of the wonder and the ‘Ah-ha’ moments that it gives those kids.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I love visiting my family and my boyfriend … In the summertime and the springtime, I love to barbeque. That’s one of my favorite things to do. Sometimes I watch Netflix.

How do you feel about having been chosen for the Delmer Dewey/Julia McCulloch Smith Award?

Shocked, honored, humbled… I don’t know. I really didn’t expect to win. I knew I was nominated, and I wrote my cover letter and resume just being like ‘What an honor it is to be nominated. I’m so happy for whoever wins.’ But I totally wasn’t thinking it would be me at all. And then, it was. … I feel like I’ve done things that are just enjoyable and fun for me, so it was weird to be recognized for things that just seem like part of my existence and what I would no matter what.

What are some of the ways that you have been involved here at Western?

I started off in hall government as Activities Director … Then I was on the Residence Hall Association for half of my freshman year and all of my sophomore year as a programming coordinator. And then kind of at the same time that I started that position, I got a volunteer position at HART, which stands for Horses Adaptive Riding and Therapy. So, we do work with toddlers all the way through older adults who are experiencing physical or cognitive disabilities, mental health diagnoses, trauma — a variety of reasons why they might come in and ride the horses … And meanwhile, my junior year I got a position in University Housing as the Residential Programming Program Assistant, and that involved planning more social events and fun things for students to do over the weekends. I’ve been an ambassador … I was part of the Faculty Senate Honors Committee… and recently I’ve gotten to be a part of revising the Honors curriculum, which has been a lot of work but also a lot of fun.

Can you tell me a bit about what your experience has been like at Western in general?

My experience at Western has been great. I think they do a really good job of pushing you to try new things that are outside of your comfort zone and opening your mind to the world. I grew up in a pretty small town, so I didn’t have a lot of experiences with the things that I think Western is really good at exposing us to, and so my world just grew because of Western.

What is the thing that you are most proud of during your time at Western?

I think I’m most proud of the relationships I’ve made and the people I’ve surrounded myself with. I feel like after I leave here, I’m just going to have a whole slew of people who are supporting me and cheering for me, and that feels really good. I’ve made connections that drive me to be a more positive person — a person who wants to make positive change in the world — and I definitely think I’m influenced by those people every day.

If you could go back and do one thing differently, what would it be?

There’s lots of things … but I guess I might focus a little harder on classes. I’ve done really well academically, and my grades reflect that, but I might just tell myself to find a little more purpose in the things I’m learning and just hold on to it a little bit more. Now that I’m in the ED program, I’m realizing how applicable a lot of the stuff that they teach us is… and I wish I would have just taken some time to appreciate and absorb that information a little bit more.

What advice do you have for underclassmen at Western?

I would say that you should say yes when the opportunities come around — when someone asks you ‘do you want come to this event on campus?’ or ‘do you want to join this intramural team?’ or ‘do you want to go grab pizza at Yeasty’s?’ — just say yes because those opportunities sometimes lead to really great things and really great relationships. And, had I not said yes to a couple of things, I wouldn’t be here … That’s super cliché, but I think it’s what’s gotten me here.

What are you going to miss most about your time here?

I don’t know. Everything. I guess I’m just going to miss being around all the like-minded, positive people who are here, encouraging everyone to just be themselves and try new things. The world isn’t always like that… but that’s the kind of influence I hope to have on my students in the future. But I’ll definitely miss that culture of acceptance here at Western.

What are your plans for after graduation?

I recently accepted a position at Estacada Middle School teaching science — probably 6th and 7th grade. I’m headed to live in Lake Oswego with my boyfriend, and I’ll be commuting to Estacada for work … it’s about 30 minutes east of Lake Oswego.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of BillyAnn Stemple

Borderless Stories highlight inspirational migration accounts

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

Carrying on a new campus tradition, M.E.Ch.A. and Unidos Club came together and hosted the 2nd Annual Borderless Stories event, an evening designed to share the stories of immigration parents in the Western community and to create a sense of unity among those present. This event was organized for May 20 in the Pacific Room of the Werner University Center.

To start off, the emcees told guests that they could go and serve themselves a free dinner from catering that they could eat and enjoy as they listened to the stories being told. Then, once everyone had gotten the chance to go through the line once, the stories began.

The three speakers for this event shared stories of hope, challenge and perseverance as they journeyed to the United States from Mexico in their youth. While they each had their own motivation that kept them going and unique trials that they encountered along the way, they have all found success and happiness in the United States.

As each speaker shared their story in Spanish, Monica Cerda Ortiz, a junior Spanish Education major and one of the emcees for the event, interpreted their story into English. The other emcee for the event was Xochitl Denisse Carrasco, a junior political science major.

When the first storyteller took the stage, she shared how she first came to the US in 1990 because her husband was already there. And, while she had support in him, she still struggled with things like finding opportunities in an unfamiliar country and adapting to day-to-day differences like those in transportation.

Although it wasn’t easy, she is proud of all that she and her children have accomplished — with three of them having graduated from college.

The second speaker came to the US in 1998 at 19 years old. When his family had tried to come the first time, they were scammed and left with only $3. Then, when he finally was able to come over, he was brought to work on a farm in Hillsboro. While he adapted to this in time, it was challenging for him to be separate from his wife and son who had to stay in Mexico because she didn’t have the necessary paperwork to come with him.

Then, when his son had kidney complications and needed emergency medical treatment, he also experienced the struggle of trying to pay for his medical bills. Because of this, his encouragement to children of immigrants was to get a degree so that they could more easily help their families when they need it.

The final speaker of the event shared how he travelled with his cousin and uncle up through the desert in order to get to the US — a crowded, exhausting trip which involved them getting stopped by soldiers, running out of water and being separated from loved ones. While it was heartbreaking for him to be separated from the only two people he knew there, he eventually made it to his destination and found a job.

After working for seven years in a field, he procured a job in construction — something he is much happier doing. And, much like the second speaker, he urged young people to work hard and, if possible, to continue their education.

To close the event, the emcees shared a letter that President Fuller had written in November of 2016 about Western being a sanctuary campus for all students:

“Western Oregon University is a sanctuary for all of our students and we will remain a place where every student enjoys the sense of belonging to a committed community of students, faculty and staff,” wrote Fuller. He also affirmed that “Western will remain actively engaged in national conversations, including support of national educational associations, regarding DACA and related programs designed to protect students and their pursuit of educational opportunities.”

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo by Bailey Thompson

Identity Theft event structures discussion around identities

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

Although it can be difficult to completely understand how another person feels, one valuable first step is to talk with them. This is something that Triangle Alliance — Western’s LGBTQ+ social club — and Heritage Hall Government orchestrated on May 23 in the Richard Woodcock Education Center.

Their event, Identity Theft, sought to open a conversation with the campus community about the ways that both sexual identities and gender identities can influence a person’s life — and, more specifically, the way that myths about these identities can be harmful to perpetuate.

Six panelists, holding a variety of LGBTQ+ identities, dedicated their time to talk with members of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as their allies, about the unique perspectives that they have gained because of their identities and their other life experiences.

Throughout the course of the panel, a wide range of topics were addressed — from stereotypes about certain identities, to people who are questioning their identities and more.

All in all, the consensus of the group was that these experiences and the discovery of these identities were things that varied from person to person, even if there were a number of common themes running throughout the group.

For instance, when the panelists were asked about when they knew that they identified as something other than heterosexual or cisgender, some of the individuals stated that it was a long process for them to come to this conclusion, some said that they felt confident in their identities from an early age and still more said that they were not sure that the identities that they currently held were the ones they would always identify as.

Related to this, when the panelists discussed their coming out stories, if they had come out to their families at this point in time, their experiences varied, largely depending on how accepting they anticipated their families would be towards them.

The panelists also spent time discussing stereotypes that have impacted them on a day-to-day basis. Among these, panelists shared that it was difficult for them to not fit into the mold that others expected them to — whether this is bisexuals in hetero-passing relationships who feel invalidated in their bisexuality, transgender people who feel the need to dress a certain way in order for people to respect their pronouns or something else along these lines.

On the flip side of this, however, the panelists also shared that there is nothing wrong with enjoying things that may be stereotypical of people in the LGBTQ+ community.

Nearing the end of the panel, when an audience member asked the panel about ways that she can support her sister as someone who has grown up in a religious household, the panelists were clear in their responses: what LGBTQ+ youth need is love and support. While they may not always get the kind of support that they would hope for, having people affirm that they will always care about them can go a long way.

If students at Western would like to attend Triangle Alliance to learn more about this and meet new people, they can visit Triangle Alliance’s Facebook page to determine when they will be meeting during Fall Term.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

BonnaWOU takes the Grove

Caity Healy | Editor-in-Chief

On May 23, the clouds parted as three bands took the stage in the first-ever BonnaWOU festival hosted by SAB. Each band that was involved was local: Jimmy Wolfson, The Ferenjis and Chromatic Colors. Taking place in the Grove from 5 p.m. until about 8 p.m., students and members of the community brought their blankets and made themselves at home on the grass.

Each band performed their set as the sun was shining brightly above the stage that was set up outside. Every band came with their own style, which made it accessible to everyone — there was music that just about everyone could enjoy. All were welcome; some took it as an opportunity to do homework with a show, some just sat and watched and others got up and danced. People came and went all evening as it was a free event, until the music faded that evening with the sunset as a backdrop to a picture-perfect night.

 

Contact the author at howleditor@wou.edu

Photos by Caity Healy

Opinion: The pros of taking a gap year after graduation

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

Europe has a few things we might consider foreign — driving on the other side of the road, calling chips “crisps,” and having (somewhat) open borders. Another difference between many European countries and the United States is that it’s very common to take a gap year, after graduating either high school or college. Gap years generally serve as a breather period between school and more school, or school and full time work.

Despite what others may think, it doesn’t hinder motivation to return to school or pursue a career according to gooverseas.com, and it’s a way for young people to take full advantage of the transition period in their lives in a positive way.

With all the pros to taking a gap year, I find it unfortunate that they are not more encouraged or considered normal in the States as well. Yet, it’s not hard to figure out why: the United States places such high regard on hard work ⏤ which isn’t necessarily a bad thing ⏤ that taking personal time, let alone a full year or semester, is often viewed as lazy or unambitious. It’s not uncommon to hear college students express guilt over something as simple as getting a full night’s sleep. And then, once they graduate with a mountain of debt, it feels like the most imperative thing is to start working it off as quickly as possible.

It can be really hard to loosen the intensity of this mentality, especially after working hard for four or more years towards specific goals. However, a lot of young adults could likely benefit for taking a gap year rather than jumping straight into a consuming time commitment such as a full time job. It would likely not be beneficial financially, which unfortunately is a significant barrier to some, but could be both physically and mentally restorative. Even those that have part time jobs or internships during a gap year typically have more time than they previously did, and likely will ever again, to recover from a hard few years of living off of caffeine, minimal sleep and monthly test anxiety.

Another reason gap years are an important part of some societies, and should be in the United States as well, is that it may be the only time until a person retires that they have the time and energy to have the experiences they’ve always wanted to, such as devoting time to a hobby or traveling the world. Generally, people expect to have the time to do these things when they retire. To wait that long, however, would mean a person would lose the energy they have now. There’s also the fact that no one is guaranteed retirement ⏤ the fact of life is that, unfortunately, not everyone makes it to old age, meaning some would never have the chance to have these experiences. That’s not even accounting for potential disasters like economic crises or a drastically different planet that would rob people of these opportunities.

Not everyone has the means to take a gap year after graduation. However, other countries have proven that it’s not such a weird societal norm. Of course, other systems can’t be directly transferred; it doesn’t exactly work. However, we can still take note of what has and hasn’t worked and take into consideration what could be beneficial to us as well.

 

Contact the author at rmeyers17@wou.edu

Photos by Ashlynn Norton

Why pets are great companions

Karlene Curtin | Staff Writer

When I first met Clover, a short hair tabby cat, it was love at first meow. Taking him home for the first time was exciting and also nerve-wracking. Adopting a cat is a lot of work, much more than what people often anticipate. There’s litter box training, grooming, feeding, vet bills and then trying to teach kitty the rules of the home.

After a year with Clover my stress levels have lowered significantly. He has become a major part of my life. He knew when I was having a rough day or if I was not feeling myself and would bring me one of his toys in hopes that it would make me happier. Then, he’d sit next to me and let me pet him.

Bringing Clover home has impacted how I deal with stress significantly. Playing with him, petting him or simply watching his sassy antics brought me joy. Many other college students, like myself, deal with stress and have expressed their furry companion being major stress reliever in their lives.

Jaclyn Spani, an education major and soon to be graduate from Western Oregon, discussed how her cat, Scout, has helped her cope with stress while attending college.

Upon asking why she wanted to get a cat in the first place, her answer was clear.

“I’ve always had a cat in my life,” Spani explained. “I found Scout because one of my dad’s friends was just going to give her up to the Humane Society since he couldn’t take Scout with him. So I took her instead.”

She also added that she wanted to get a cat because, “they’re also just so smart but independent. I knew I wouldn’t have the time that caring for a dog requires, even though they’re great, so a cat was the perfect way to go.” Since having her cat, Spani explained that it has helped her significantly when it comes to coping with stress.

“My cat has been so helpful when dealing with the stress of college. Even just knowing that she’s at home waiting for me can turn days around,” said Spani. “She is so sensitive to what I need and is always around when I’m not feeling well, (or when I’m feeling) stressed or have headaches. She’ll come up and lay on the bed with me and just purr to try and help me feel better. Knowing that there’s something at home waiting for you to play and love is so relaxing.”

Although adopting a pet is a lot of work, it can be worth it when coming home to a perfect companion.

According to the American Institute of Stress, just about any type of pet has been proven to increase their human companion’s health. Caring for an animal can act as a buffer to social isolation and other stressors that negatively impact mental health. Fortunately, this fact allows mental health professionals to certify pets as Emotional Support Animals that can overcome some housing barriers students face. College isn’t easy, but a furry (or scaly, or feathery) friend can make it a little easier.

 

Contact author at kcurtin14@wou.edu

Photo by Ashlynn Norton

Cocktail Corner with Mikaela: Mango Tango

Mikaela Wong | Staff Writer

When it comes to alcohol, most everyone wants a drink that “tastes good” — but what exactly does that mean? For many, it means having a drink that doesn’t taste overwhelmingly like alcohol, but still enough to know that there’s some there. Similarly, a lot of people prefer fruity, citrus-based drinks that mask the taste of alcohol, but don’t know many drinks that fit that description.

The Mango Tango is a drink specially created at the Main St. Pub & Eatery and is a crowd-pleaser when it comes to strength and taste combination. It’s a great, refreshing drink that is easy to enjoy and has an easy name to remember. This week on Cocktail Corner, we’ll teach you exactly what goes into, and how to make one on your own. Remember — please drink responsibly and only drink alcohol if you are over 21 years old.

 

MANGO TANGO

Servings: 1 drink

Ingredients:

1 lime wedge, muddled

1 lemon wedge, muddled

1 ounce guava rum

1 ounce mango rum

1 ounce triple sec liqueur

2.5 ounces sweet & sour mix

2.5 ounces cranberry juice

Ice to fill one 16 ounce pint glass

Instructions:

Muddle lime and lemon at bottom of pint glass. Fill glass with ice.

Combine guava rum, mango rum, and triple sec liqueur in glass.

Fill the rest of glass with equal parts sweet & sour and cranberry juice

 

Contact the author at mwong16@wou.edu

Photo by Rebecca Meyers

Popular floating spots to cool off this summer

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

It’s a well-known fact to Oregonians that Pacific Northwest residents often complain about the rainy seasons, but as soon as summer starts to get real we look for ways to cool down. One way to do this is to find a nice spot to swim or float down one of the miscellaneous rivers in our state. Here’s just a few places to find such as spot.

 

The Willamette River in Corvallis

True, the Willamette isn’t known to be the cleanest — particularly near Salem. Fortunately, there are a few places that are upstream of the State Capitol. The distance from Willamette Park to Michael’s Landing in Corvallis is a nice 30-45 minute float, and a short drive from one end to the other to make it easier.

 

The Mary’s River in Corvallis

For a small, out of the way spot that the locals love to swim in, the Mary’s River runs right behind Avery Park. One entry point features a rope swing into one of the deep ends of the river. The rest of the river is fairly shallow and easy for the less-confident swimmers to navigate.

 

The McKenzie River in Eugene

For a longer float, and a bit of a longer drive from Western, Eugene is home to, among other things, the McKenzie River. With a starting point of Island Park in Springfield and an endpoint in Alton Baker Park in Eugene, this float route is a few hours long.

 

The Deschutes River

Perfect for a weekend trip in Central Oregon, the Deschutes River in Sunriver is a popular scenic place to float. Start at Harper’s bridge and get off at Benham Butte for a ride of about three and a half hours, or get off at Sunriver Marina for half the time.

 

Contact the author at howlifestyle@wou.edu

Photo by Rebecca Meyers

Molly Mayhead: An interview with a professor

Karlene Curtin | Staff Writer

Going to office hours, getting to know professors and connecting with them is an important aspect of one’s college career. Meet Molly Mayhead, a professor of communication studies at Western Oregon University.

 

What was your original goals as an undergraduate student?  

I wanted to teach high school english and speech classes. From there, I wanted to coach the high school speech and debate teams.

 

Why did you choose to get a PhD?

I had a conversation with one of my advisors and mentors who was also my speech and communications professor. They told me that becoming a communications professor is something I probably would find more interesting and rewarding.  

 

Where did you go to college?

I went to Western Oregon University to receive my bachelors and then went on for my PhD at Penn State University.

 

Favorite class to teach?

Three classes: Argumentation, Freedom of Speech and Rhetoric of the Women’s Movement.

 

What were you like in college?

It is important to mention I was a first generation college student and came to Western on several scholarships. This made me very studious with my studies and also a nerd. I also lived and breathed competing on the speech and debate team.

 

Some fun facts:

Favorite color: Purple

Love: The Seattle Mariners

Favorite Animal: Dogs

Dream vacation: Anything on a beach, with clear blue water and drinks that have umbrellas.

Contact the author at kcurtin14@wou.edu

Photo by Caity Healy

Picnics and prizes: The 51st annual Juried Student Art Exhibition

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

To celebrate the opening of an exhibition featuring student art, a picnic and award ceremony was held on the lawn of Campbell Hall on Monday, May 13. This gallery has occurred every year for 51 years, and is a juried exhibition, meaning that a juror was hired by the Cannon Gallery to review Western student’s submitted artwork and get the final say in what pieces made it in. Every year, a different juror is hired.

The juror this year was Patricia Vazquez, who holds a BA in Graphic Design and Education and a MFA in Social Practices. Vazquez splits her time between Portland, Oregon and Mexico City, Mexico. Due to a prior teaching engagement, Vazquez was unable to attend the event, but she selected two pieces to receive a juror’s choice award, which includes a $100 prize awarded to each artist. Cory Timmins received one of those awards, along with several others, for a video piece titled “House Hunters Multinational.” Timmins is senior pursuing a degree in Art and Design.

“It was validating to just be selected for the show,” Timmins said. “To win awards on top of that felt incredible. It feels like my art career is off to a great start.”

Many other awards were given out, including awards for best digital piece and best non-digital piece, art faculty recognition awards and outstanding art students in upper level division courses awards.

This year’s student exhibition included art pieces from many different mediums, including mixed media, sculpture, graphite sketches, digital art and oil painting, and covered a broad range of themes such as social justice, consumerism and body image.

“Students from the gallery internship class did a ton of work accepting the pieces, in addition to Paula Booth, who runs the gallery,” commented Timmins.

Every year, the gallery sends out an open call for any Western student, no matter their major, to submit their work for critique.

“We could submit up to six pieces and pay a small fee to have our work critiqued,” explained Timmins.

When asked her opinion about the best part of being involved in the exhibition, Timmins responded: “Being surrounded by other amazing work is the best part of being featured in the show. We have so much talent at Western. I’m inspired in my classes by my peers and even more in awe when I’m in the gallery. There’s so much artwork to love.”

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Rita Frey

Salem String Quartet visits Smith Hall

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

According to their website, the Salem String Quartet was named the Quartet in Residence with the Camerata Music Society, the music society of the Mid-Willamette Valley that provides free chamber music events to the public. On May 16, the Salem String Quartet visited the stage of Smith Music Hall.

The quartet’s website reports that the four string players met while performing in Salem in 2008 and naturally came together to form the group. They have been performing in the valley since June 2017.

The Salem String Quartet is made up of violist Brandon Correa, cellist Katherine Perks and violinists Caius and Sigrun Oprea, who are married. The quartet members are from all over the world — Caius Oprea was born in Romania, Sigrun Oprea is native to South Africa, Correa was raised in Honolulu and Katherine Perks grew up in Idaho.

On the night of May 16, the quartet performed three movements of Op. 11 written by American composer Samuel Barber, and No. 2 in G Major, Opus 111 by German composer Johannes Brahms. For the latter song, the group performed as a string quintet, as they were joined by violist George Thomson, the current Director of Orchestras at West Salem High School and Conductor of the Corvallis Youth Symphony.

Salemstringquartet.com describes the group’s performances as “a uniquely satisfying blend of versatility, inspiration, energy, quality and experience.” This explanation also applied to the group’s Smith Hall performance. The show was passionate and lively, as well as one of the most highly attended Smith Hall events this school year.

Similar to most 2018-2019 art performances, the Salem String Quartet’s performance was free for Western students. The quartet will perform one free event every year until 2021 as part of the Camerata Music Society’s concert series, and will participate in other events with the organization.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo by Paul F. Davis

Softball: A 2019 wrap-up

Paul F. Davis | Managing Editor

While most students were in class thinking about what they wanted to do the upcoming weekend instead of listening to their professors, Western Oregon’s Softball team was making history. The Wolves’s Softball team tied Western’s all-time best win/loss record with 33 wins and 18 losses — a record which was set in 2008. This near record-setting performance also earned seven players the title of all-GNAC: 1st team — Ayanna Archeneaux and Ryanne Whitaker; 2nd team — Tyler Creach and Cheyanne Rimmer; Honorable Mention — Kennedy Coy, Hayley Fabian and Maddie Mayer.

This led Western to earn the No. 2, in their seventh consecutive appearance, in the GNAC Championship.

The tournament was double elimination and started on May 2, lasting through May 4. It was located at Porter Park on the campus of Concordia University in Portland.

The Wolves started off by competing against the No. 3 seeded Concordia. On May 2, Concordia put the pedal to the metal, won its first-ever game at the GNAC Championships and beat the wolves with ease, 5-0.

The next make-or-break game was played against No. 4 seeded Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks on May 3. The Wolves were, again, held scoreless, 0-3. Concordia scored two runs in the opening inning and ended any shifts in the score by scoring the final point of the game in the sixth frame.

After two consecutive losses in the GNAC Championship, all Western could do was wait to see if they would be invited to NCAA DII Softball championship. Spoiler alert — Western was selected and was given the No. 4 seed in the Western Region. Two other teams from the GNAC, which marked the first time in conference history three teams had been selected for the tourney, would also to get the chance to be national champions.

Western’s first game of the national tournament was played on May 9 against the San Francisco State Gators located at Eagles Field on the campus of Concordia Irvine. Western then lost, 3-6.
The following day, May 10, Western beat both Concordia Portland, 1-0, and then the San Francisco State Gators, 1-0, at Eagles Field to avoid elimination. This was made possible by first-year Maddie Mayer’s once-in-a-lifetime performance, delivering two showstopping shutouts which allowed Western to sneak into the finals.

Playing against the host team, California Irvine, on May 11, Western was going into its fourth game in three days. In what would be Western’s final game, the three-day-stretch proved to be too much for the historic Wolves. Western lost 0-5. With the season now over, the softball team can come home proud that not only did they help make history, but they proved that they are one of the best of the west.

 

Contact the author at pfdavis14@wou.edu

Photo by Paul F. Davis

Athlete Profile: At the pitcher’s mound with Haley Fabian

Caity Healy | Editor-in-Chief

This spring, Haley Fabian, a senior business major, took her final year at Western as an opportunity to prove herself on the field as a fierce competitor. She earned First Team All-GNAC accolades, and she was a D2CCA All-West Region Second Team member; on top of this, she set a Western all-time career record for most wins this season, and as the season came to a close, she was tied for No. 2 in the GNAC with a 2.55 earned-run average. As an athlete, she was a force to be reckoned with.

“Being the furthest that our softball program has gone… I think that’s a really cool way to end your senior year, Fabian said. “I’m really proud of it, and I feel like I can leave happy.”

Her experience with softball dates all the way back to when she was 8 years old, when she grew up in Wenatchee, Washington. At the time, her sister was playing both softball and basketball, and Fabian knew she wanted to follow in her footsteps. So, she began the sport that she’d eventually excel in.

Living in Wenatchee, a town that she described to be known for its agriculture, Fabian always had something to do.

“I played sports… I would go boating since the Columbia River goes right through it,” said Fabian. “I’d go hiking a lot over there.”

Being known for her immense skill on the softball field as a pitcher, I was intrigued by the fact that she mentioned playing multiple sports, rather than just the one she broke records in this season.

“I played basketball up until the end of my sophomore year of high school, but then I just stuck to softball,” Fabian explained. “I loved softball more than I liked basketball. And softball is kind of like a year-round commitment, so I was doing that year-round… travelling.”

When it came time to begin looking at colleges her junior year of high school, Fabian was attending a camp on Western’s campus when she became enamored by it.

“I did a camp here for softball,” said Fabian. “I kind of heard about the program — I heard about Coach Sarge — so I came to the camp and I loved the campus. I did a tour and I knew I wanted to come here.”

Though she’s been playing softball for the majority of her life, there was never a single point where she considered taking a break or leaving.

“This was the only sport where I was like, ‘this is the one I’m going to stick with forever,’” Fabian said. And by sticking with it, she explained that it had taught her a lot of life skills.

“I feel like it taught me to handle different situations,” she said. “It also taught me to not take life so serious, too. Even though it’s just a game, you create memories and friendships … it taught me to cherish those teammates that I have and the friendships I have with them.”

Now that the season as wrapped up, finding time for herself is something Fabian isn’t entirely used to. But, there are some go-to activities that she enjoys now that she does have some extra time.

“I like to be with my family and my friends — especially my family. I like to travel with them and go visit them wherever they are,” Fabian explained. As for time with her friends, she noted that they often take a day to go to the beach, or explore around Salem or Corvallis when they get the chance.

With her business degree, Fabian hopes to pursue a career that, in some way, involves her love for clothing.

“I like clothes,” said Fabian. “Especially athletic clothing. So if it could be with Nike or Lulu Lemons or Adidas or something like that … creating a product would be really cool.”

Before she was a business major, though, her dream careers looked a little bit different.

“I wanted to be a teacher. I think every kid wanted to be a teacher,” Fabian mentioned. “And then there was a point where I wanted to be a dental hygienist.” But ultimately, she chose business because, as she said, “a lot of schools have it and I feel like there’s a lot I can do with it.”

As for her future, Fabian knows she will be continuing with softball being a part of her life in some way as she moves to Coos Bay, Oregon.

“I have actually talked to the softball coach at (a community college) there and I’m hoping to … be an assistant coach,” she explained. “So we’ll see — I definitely plan on staying with the sport as of right now.”

 

Contact the author at howleditor@wou.edu

Photo by Paul F. Davis

IndyMo Runners creates community, offers way to stay active

Caity Healy | Editor-in-Chief

For those looking to get active with low commitment, to get to know their community or simply wanting something to do two nights a week, the Independence Community Engagement Manager, Ramón Martínez, has the answer. He has spearheaded a group called the IndyMo Runners, a group meant for people in both Independence and Monmouth to come together, socialize and run or walk together.

“It’s a social group,” Martínez said. “It’s not about ‘who can finish the route first?’ It’s something where people can just come out, step out the door and do something fun with the community. It’s a great way to meet folks that you don’t see on a day-to-day basis.”

Originally, the group was titled the Indy Brunch Runs. Martínez, who is also the HEAL coordinator, which stands for Healthy Eating Active Living, established the Indy Brunch Runs when he realized the community was lacking a running club. However, an idea was proposed by someone in the group to also include Monmouth in their activities. So, as a way to bridge the two communities together through running and walking, he decided to change the name and add an additional running spot in. Thus, IndyMo Runners was born.

“I definitely want to emphasize this … all levels are welcome to our group,” Martínez said. “You don’t have to have prior running experience. You can start of walking, or you can do a run-walk combination. And something else I want to emphasize is that no one gets left behind in our group.”

For those that are interested in checking it out, Martínez wanted to make it clear that the group is both very inviting and supportive. Ultimately, the goal is to make those there feel comfortable and welcome.

“If folks have never came out to our group, we want to make sure that they’re very well-versed in the route. And … we want to be able to help them build up to their goals,” he said. “You don’t have to have all the fancy running gear … just come out with some comfy shoes.”

IndyMo Runners meets twice a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m. by Main Street Park in Monmouth, and Saturdays at 10 a.m. by Riverview Park in Independence. To stay updated on what they’re doing, visit meetup.com/IndyMoRunners, or contact IndyMoRunners@gmail.com.

 

Contact the author at howleditor@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ramón Martínez

Western hosts its first ever Out of the Darkness Walk

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

In spite of the rain that threatened to spoil the event, Western’s first Out of the Darkness Walk for suicide prevention was a shining example of what can happen when a group of people come together to support a cause that they believe in.

While Out of the Darkness Walks are not new events in general, this one was special because it was the first one that had ever been hosted in Monmouth. Organized by the WOU Wellness Advocacy Group, spearheaded largely by Tim Glascock and Shaylie Pickrell, this event was held on May 17 at Main Street Park.

When people arrived, a number of booths from Western and other local organizations greeted them, offering both their support and resources to attendees. Amongst these groups were WOU Food Pantry, University Housing, Abby’s House, Student Health and Counseling Center and Lines for Life, which is a crisis call center based in Portland.

Kicking off the event, 15 Miles West — Western’s acapella group — performed a number of hit songs as people mingled, visited booths, got registered and picked up their ceremonial beads.

Next, Ryan Price, Oregon and Idaho Area Director for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, introduced the featured speaker for the event, a Western Oregon University alumnus named Cody Welty who has shared his story even on platforms as big as NBC’s Today Show.

“It’s really good to be back in Oregon and in Monmouth,” said Welty, a current doctoral student at University of Arizona researching strategies to prevent youth deaths by suicide. “Those of you who do know me probably do know me because of my experience at WOU, either as a writing tutor, a psychology student or hopefully just a friendly face of someone you saw on or near campus.”

Welty then expressed his hope in sharing his story at this event.

“It’s a story of sadness, it’s a story of hope and most importantly it’s a story of recovery. And it’s a similar story to what many of us who are here today may have experienced,” said Welty.

Welty then discussed the way that his connection to suicide began: he was a normal, even successful, high school student who spent years masking the depression that he felt inside. Being a 4.0 student and a three-sport athlete with a supportive family and good friends, he felt that the external image he put out into the world did not match the reality of his health.

“I thought, ‘I’m a man. I can’t talk about how I feel or share this with anyone.’ And so, I shoved it away,” said Welty. “I took all those concerns and pressures and pushed them down somewhere where I could never talk about it.”

From this point, Welty remembers being in a health class and realizing how many of the symptoms of depression and anxiety were things that he had experienced — but he continued to push it down. Eventually, though, this came to a head, and Welty attempted suicide.

“At that point I think I hit my lowest. I felt that I was so much of a failure that I couldn’t even kill myself,” said Welty.

After recovering in the hospital, Welty shared with his parents that he had a new goal.

“I remember telling my family that I wanted to do my best to make sure that there were no other kids like me who felt that they were alone and couldn’t talk to anyone,” said Welty. “Depression doesn’t look like it’s a photo in a textbook. It doesn’t look the same for everyone. I knew it was time to put a face to an illness that they knew about.”

At this point, Welty started going to middle and high schools, sharing his story with kids. And the message that he conveyed to them was the same as the one that he shared at the walk.

“We are not hopeless, we are not powerless and we are not weak,” said Welty. He also impressed upon people that “we can all check on a friend or a loved one. We can all ask for help when we need it… And we can all do our best to help end suicide.”

After his speech, the crowd went through the traditional bead ceremony where people shared stories of different people in their lives who have either struggled with suicide or who have been lost to suicide — partners, children, siblings, parents, self, friends or service member/first responder. With each category, participants were asked to different colors of beads to signify the different connections that they had to suicide, aiming to build a community of support in the process.

At the close, attendees all marched from the park, through Western’s campus and back to the park.

“The walk is really a great time to come together, connect and share your story,” said Price.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo by Bailey Thompson and Ashlynn Norton

Dr. Oberst retires from Western after 32 years

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

After 32 years at Western, Dr. Sharon Oberst is within her final month as a dance professor and the dance chair for the university. Looking back on those years, Dr. Oberst reflected on how much her position — and the dance department as a whole — have changed over that time period.

“I came in in 1986-7 as a substitute for a dance teacher who was in the hospital… but the lovely division chair at the time liked me and what I was doing and what I brought to the program, and so he created a position for me,” said Oberst. “My job has changed a lot because when I came in there was just the two of us.”

To compare, the dance department now consists of six faculty members, each of which specialize in different styles of dance.

In the time since she has been here, Oberst noted that her position has transitioned from teaching almost every class to being largely administrative and teaching a few specific classes like ballet, which is her specialty. And, moving to the future, Oberst shared an exciting update regarding the future of her position.

“Tim Cowart is going to take my position,” said Oberst. “I’m actually very excited about being able to hand things over to Tim because I think he’s going to bring a lot of fresh energy and fresh ideas… it’s going to be a whole new direction and a whole new direction.”

Cowart currently lives in Pennsylvania and works at Desales University, but he has also taught and choreographed at Western on a couple of occasions — even as recently as two years ago — so he will have some experience as he goes into his new position at Western.

When asked about her feelings about retirement, Oberst had a simple answer:

“I am delighted. I have really loved being here. It’s been a great place to work and there are no bad feelings, but I’m tired … I’ve pretty much been teaching since I was 14 years old. So, I’m ready. But I hope that I’m going out still being enthusiastic and involved.”

When Oberst retires, she would like to do some travelling with her husband and work on some research that she is hoping to publish. She will continue living in Monmouth, both because she enjoys it and because her children live in Oregon as well.

Finally, when asked about what she will miss from her current position, Oberst wasted no time with her answer.

“The students. That’s why I went into this in the first place is that I love to teach, and I love to choreograph on the students. That’s the joy,” said Oberst.

Oberst’s contract at Western ends on June 15 after commencement.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo by Bailey Thompson

Multicultural Student Union Hosts 28th Annual Nuestra Fiesta Latina

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

With festivities spanning 13 hours, the 28th Annual Nuestra Fiesta Latina was a day filled with celebration of Latin culture. Hosted by Western’s Multicultural Student Union, this event on May 17 had three main phases: the festival, the dinner and entertainment and the baile.

Overall, the goal of the event was simple.

“We strive to promote diversity and cultural awareness throughout the community and campus of Western Oregon University,” said Julissa Chacon Lopez, a sophomore and the freshman advocate for MSU.

To do so, the organization started their event with a festival in the Werner University Center Plaza. This event, which lasted from 11 a.m. -2 p.m., featured a quartet of musicians from Cuba and the United States called Son de Cuba. As this group played music from a variety of Latin genres, students could also enjoy some churros, get an airbrush tattoo, participate in a jalapeño eating contest and more.

Later in the evening, the party moved into the WUC for the next phase of the event: dinner and entertainment. This portion of Nuestra Fiesta Latina was themed for the Mexican state of Michoacán, a region with over four million people on the west coast of Mexico. To celebrate this area, all of the dancers were from Michoacán, monarch butterfly decorations adorned the room and the dinner that they served was also a specialty of Michoacán.

“We wanted to bring in our own culture from Mexico, and we wanted to bring food and music so people can feel a little bit closer to Mexico,” said Chacon Lopez. “So today we had corundas, which is a Michoacán tradition.” Along with this, guests also had the option of a couple of meats, rice and beans.

As guests began eating, they could enjoy live music from Mariachi Los Palmeros. Then, after they had finished, the Mexico en la Piel Dancers performed a number of routines as attendees continued to enjoy the bounty of food.

In between each of these dances, the two coordinators and emcees — Chacon Lopez and Jasmine Sosa, junior and social membership director for MSU — raffled off a number of piñatas and smaller prizes.

When reflecting on what it took to put this event together, Chacon Lopez recalled the many months of work that had gone into hosting such a large-scale program.

“It took since the beginning of the school year when we got an exec board … we separate the whole group into coordinating different events, and this was Jasmine and my event,” said Chacon Lopez. “So, we’ve been planning this since the middle of January.”

The final phase of the event took place an hour after the dinner had ended. The baile, or dance, was an opportunity for community members to let loose, dance and enjoy the musical tastes of DJ Sonido Kora. Back in the Pacific Room, the baile lasted until 1 a.m., a full 13 hours after the festival had begun. After a long day, Nuestra Fiesta Latina had concluded its festivities, but Chacon Lopez hoped that the impact would extend beyond the day.

“There’s a good amount of diversity on our campus, and a lot of them are Latinos and Hispanics,” said Chacon Lopez. “So, we just like to bring the community together as well as others. And it’s just a beautiful thing.”

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photos by Bailey Thompson

Cheesy pick-up lines that DEFINITELY work 100% of the time…maybe.

You ever see a person that you just really want to impress, but the right words can’t seem to form in your brain? If that’s happened to you, you know that as a result, you end up standing there, blank-faced. Or, worse, you ramble an incoherent sentence that makes absolutely no sense. Fear not — your friends at the Western Howl are here to make those awkward encounters a little bit less uncomfortable. Just memorize a few of these cheesy pick-up lines, and you should be good to go.

Note: If something goes wrong while using these, it’s definitely NOT the fault of the Western Howl, or the fault of the pickup line. These lines are absolutely FOOLPROOF and if you get rejected or something then you probably did something wrong.

 

“Do you have an ugly boyfriend? No? Want one?”

“Hey, is that guy bothering you? No? Would you mind if I bothered you then?”

“You’re a 9/10. And I’m the 1 you need.”

“Girl, are you a Taco Bell sauce, cuz you’re pretty mild.”

“Are you a duck? Cuz you quack me up.”

“Are you a beaver? Cuz dam.”

“Are you a wolf? Cuz … cuz… (insert wolf noises).”

“I want to bang you just like how the RWEC’s automatic doors bang me.”

“Are you the main doors to the RWEC? Because you’re refusing to let me in.”

 

Compiled by the Western Howl staff

This week in completely made up horoscopes

[fruitful_tabs type=”accordion” width=”100%” fit=”false”]

[fruitful_tab title=”Aries 3/21-4/19″] Oddly satisfying: the way Gru from “Despicable Me” says “Gorls.” [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Taurus 4/20-5/20″] Four more weeks… [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Gemini 5/21-6/20″] I may have been born in the ‘90s, but my soul is from the Middle Ages (: <3 <3 [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Cancer 6/21-7/22″] When you just ate a carrot and you haven’t lost any weight yet, there is something wrong with the system! [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Leo 7/23-8/22″] Is it okay if I use this as this week’s horoscope? [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Virgo 8/23-9/22″] Oooh, the judge is gonna give you a life-sentence because you have been absolutely KILLING IT this week. [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Libra 9/23-10/22″] The stars think it was totally reasonable of you to be late to class because you stopped to pet the cat. [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Scorpio 10/23-11/21″] You’re wrong about the moon. [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Sagittarius 11/22-12/21″] Life is too short to spend it doubting yourself, Sagittarius. Remember that when you start to question why you’re rewatching “The Office” for the third time this year. [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Capricorn 12/22-1/19″] The stars see three full-size pizzas that will be consumed solely by you in your future. And by your future, we mean within the next week. [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Aquarius 1/20-2/18″] Fruit Loops are in your future, Aquarius. [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Pisces 2/19-3/20″] Best believe that the last time you saw your crush, you had some big old crusty nose gold visible — and boy did they notice! With that in mind, HAVE A GREAT WEEK! [/fruitful_tab]

[/fruitful_tabs]

 

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Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

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