The Western Howl – Page 7 – The Western Howl

Written by: Sierra Porter | Staff Writer

Internships come in a variety of different formats. Regardless of whether it’s on-campus or off, full internship or micro-internship, paid or for class credit, the benefits of an internship are endless. An internship is a short-term opportunity in specific departments, organizations or businesses that allow students to gain experience they may not acquire in a normal classroom setting.

Here at Western, almost every single department has internship opportunities for students to take advantage of: including business, arts, science, education and so much more.

The best place to begin if one is interested in an internship is the Center for Professional Pathways page under internships for students. CPP provides students with information and links to resources within their internship program — allowing students to explore the many options Western offers.

Western’s site encourages students to take internships as, “Internships can truly enhance students’ education and overall college experience by expanding skill sets, connecting with others and exposure to real-world situations. It is no longer a question of whether or not a student should do an internship during their college careers, but rather how many and where.”

Experience comes in all shapes and sizes, and the website offers options for on-campus as well as off-campus internships — working with the community to provide different opportunities for students. Additionally, the site discusses the variety of micro-internships, which are typically short-term and project-based, offering students a new way to gain experience and test their passion in their desired field. No internship opportunity is too big or too small — one just needs to find the internship that is right for them.

The CPP website not only provides a link to search for one’s desired internship, but it also provides steps on preparing for that particular search. These steps include knowing onerself, knowing where one wants to work, getting ready to search and starting to search. All of these steps have information, tips and links provided with them, bringing ease to each one.

Job searching may be overwhelming, so along with that, they provide an internship search checklist and full guide, allowing the student to break up their search into manageable steps.

Why should one intern? Most students, educators and business entrepreneurs receive immense benefits from internships. Completing an internship not only gives a student valuable experience that they can put on their resume, but it also allows them to explore their true passions, interests and who they are as individuals overall. This experience is most often valuable to employers, as nine out of 10 employers say they search for students with internship experience. Not only are they looking for these students, but according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, “Just over 70% of employers end up offering their interns full-time jobs. Almost 80% of students accept these offers.”

Still not sure about taking on an internship? Learn about one of Western’s very own art interns, Tati Ala, fourth-year Communications Major who is utilizing the internship programs here on campus. Ala is currently an art gallery intern with the Art Exhibition Crew and also had an internship with Planned Parenthood of the Columbia Willamette previously this year.

Ala expressed many things she loved about her experience including, “…how hands-on I get to be with the Art Exhibitions. I was directly involved with planning and setting up the Aloha From Maui exhibit that was set up in April, and as someone who was raised in Hawai’i, I was so happy to be able to be there and see what I could do to respect home and make sure it was given its due diligence.”

“Honestly, I’ve learned a lot about myself and how I work and what I would want to go into. With my PPCW internship, I was rotational, so I’d work with different departments and I was able to learn about specific jobs and skill sets that I couldn’t see myself going into, especially along the lines of running numbers and data,” said Ala.

Ala says if one can take on an internship they most definitely should. “I think it’s hard to feel like you’re in college and you’re aiming for this one type of job — but especially as someone who is a first-generation college student, I don’t have a lot of access to connections and people who are working in fields I want to go into, so it’s hard to feel secure in what I’m studying. Which is where internships are helpful.”

She recommends internships to all students as they are “…a great way to explore paths you didn’t think you would’ve taken, but also to test out what you want from your own future. It’s a really great way to be able to catch a glimpse of what you want for yourself, and take the time to see how you can apply that into your own lives and jobs, not to mention having more experience on a resume,” Ala said.

Ala offers some advice for those who choose to take the leap and participate in any internship. “Use Handshake. It’s a lot more helpful and there are so many places that are looking for college students. Keep an eye out for remote positions if you are able to.”

Many students juggle many things from other jobs or classes so if one is stressed about this Ala says, “Take advantage of CPP and all their resources, talk to advisors and professors if you can. CPP runs internships every year from winter to spring term, applications open in the fall — keep an eye out and reach out to any professors to see if they know anything as well.”

Any internship can provide students, teachers and employers with tremendous opportunities and great experiences. Invest in oneself, invest in an internship.

Contact the author at howlstaffwriter@wou.edu

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Advice for newer Art & Design students

Written by: Quinlan Elise | Photo Editor

From a Bachelor of Fine Arts student in her last term, here are the things I wish I did starting my first year at Western. Help out one’s future self, and thank me, and oneself, later.

Photograph pieces — One may not be told this until their final Spring term, but one will need at least one good photo of each finished artwork. Keep a collection of work, and photograph pieces at the end of each term on a flat surface with even lighting. A good camera is ideal, but smartphones do a great job now as well. One should save the photos into albums on one’s phone and have backups on a computer and Google Drive, just in case.

Creating an Instagram account dedicated to art can make it easier to document work, find shows and connect with other artists. It also becomes a fun digital photo album to look back on and see progress and growth over time.

Record pieces — Record piece names, dates finished, dimensions, mediums, brief descriptions, featured shows and current locations in a spreadsheet. This sounds like a lot at first, but it will save one time in the future when applying for shows, residencies and other programs.

Apply to shows — Even if one doesn’t think their work is “professional” enough, it is still worthwhile to put it out for the world to see. Follow local art organizations and galleries, and make a CaFÉ, or Call for Entry, account to keep an eye out for upcoming shows. Submit work to the Northwest Passage, Western’s Art and Literature Magazine, for a chance to be published. Anything one can add to one’s resume is worth the effort.

Make connections — One of the best things about Western is its small class sizes. There are so many opportunities to get to know fellow artists through shared classes and mediums. The professors tend to be wonderful people and happy to help. Don’t be afraid to reach out to them.

After graduating, it will be much harder to find a place where one can meet people who will look at their work with an artistic, knowledgeable eye. A regular meeting of artists to critique and bounce ideas off each other is an incredibly valuable resource. Connections are so important to both personal and professional growth and future endeavors.

Try all of the mediums offered — Even if one has a preferred medium now, there are so many fun classes to try in the Art & Design program and beyond. One may find a new passion, and one’s overall creativity and art practice will improve by learning new things elsewhere.

Additionally, getting familiar with digital elements like Adobe, Procreate, photography, design and editing is very helpful for the art business.

Actually go to classes — Contrary to what people may tell one about other subjects, it is vital to go to classes in person. Studio classes provide beneficial practice time, and one’s art will improve with more time focused on it. One will receive much more valuable feedback and make stronger connections as well.

Take lots of other pictures — One should keep an album in their phone of things that interest them. Having a special folder for references and inspiration is helpful when one feels like they are out of ideas or drained from a heavy workload.

Keep pieces safe — Make portfolios and boxes from cardboard; use plastic bags; find storage solutions. Everyone’s art is important, as is saving progress.

Display one’s art in living spaces. This will create a more personal, inspirational and motivational home.

Use free resources — Check out an iPad, camera and other equipment from Hamersly Library, if interested. Utilize the Copy Center, Writing Center, Student Health and Counseling Center, Food Pantry, Peter Courtney Health and Wellness Center and other programs. Apply to campus art shows; send work to the Northwest Passage; ask friends for help and offer help in return.

Enjoy oneself — Make sure to take a step back from time to time. College is hard, and art classes have heavy workloads, but people and their art grow so much during their time in school. Don’t stress too much about being good at things right away. Trust oneself to get better over time and one will find that they will. Keep an open mind and be open to opportunities for growth. Appreciate one’s surroundings, friends and the fact that one can take art classes in college. By having courage, confidence and humility, one can get far in life.

Contact the author at howlphotoeditor@wou.edu

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An interview with Crystal Ross

Written by: Gretchen Sims | Editor-in-Chief

The first face students see when walking into the Student Health and Counseling Center is often Medical Receptionist, Crystal Ross, always donning an earnest, welcoming smile. Her friendly demeanor fits right in with the center — as if she’s always been there — but what many students don’t realize is that it took a lot to get there.

While Ross is best known for her work at the front desk of Western’s Student Health and Counseling Center, she spent many years working in the field before settling down at Western.

“Well, I met my husband in 1997, and we were both working in the same company in Dallas. The economy was a little unstable and the person who owned the company was selling it and so I told my husband, ‘If we’re both here when this place goes down, or goes under, because I’m pretty sure it’s going to, we’re gonna be in trouble,’” Ross said.

Ross then made the ultimate decision to go to school for Medical Billing and Coding. She went to a trade school for a year — working graveyard shifts at the company with her husband and going to school during the day.

After receiving her certification in Medical Billing and Coding, Ross took her internship, or practicum, at West Salem Family Practice. When a receptionist position opened up, she decided to apply.

“It was like a step, a foot in the door, and within three months, they had an opening in their business office so I ended up getting to go into the business office and use that Medical Billing and Coding knowledge that I had. And, so I was there for nine years, and a friend of mine, who was also a coworker, she had come to Western and was working in the Student Health and Counseling Center and she’s like ‘I think you’d really like it here, they have a receptionist position open; you should apply,’” said Ross.

Ross felt that there was nowhere to go in her job at West Salem; she felt like she couldn’t move up and had no room to grow anymore, so she decided to take the opening at Western.

“I guess the rest is history. They told me when I interviewed there would be potential for me to do some Medical Billing — that they were trying to get that started — and I have done some Medical Billing and Coding here. I used to have an office in the back, here, and then when COVID happened, and we lost some of our employees, I went back up front, and I feel like I really just thrive there,” Ross said.

Ross has come to love her home here at Western.

“My favorite part about (Western) is definitely the students… definitely the students. I love working with the students, I love getting to know them. I try really hard to remember things about students and what they tell me.”

Unlike some larger schools, Western has the unique privilege, in part, due to its size, of fostering strong and consistent communication between departments.

“…I also really like that I can reach out to someone in other departments and know that they’re going to do their best to help me. Whether it’s helping me personally, or helping me help a student, I just think that Western being as small as it is, we really do well at helping each other help the students,” said Ross.

Ross loves animals. At home, she has two rabbits, four cats, three dogs, a lizard, a snake, two horses, six ducks and 12 chickens, so, naturally, she feels passionate about the SHCC’s local squirrel.

“Oh my gosh,” said Ross “I love the squirrel. I love all of the squirrels on campus, I just think they’re such a fun, neat animal and so I’ll see this little guy hop around on the sidewalk in front of our building, you know, of course, in and out of the trash can. I call him Benny… I just thought it was a cute name and… I gave him food one day… ooh I know… I gave him a little peanut. I know, I don’t make a habit of that, because I don’t think they really want you feeding them, but… so yeah, Benny hangs out, I see him every day, running around, in front of the Student Health and Counseling Center — he’s our little mascot,” Ross said.

Working with students is a passion of Ross’s: she loves every one of them here at Western, but oftentimes, at the front desk of the SHCC, Ross sees them at their lowest. Ross is widely regarded for her optimism and friendly and welcoming personality, and while it’s not always easy, Ross always manages to keep a beaming smile on her face.

“I had a pretty traumatic childhood myself, and once I got away from the trauma, and I realized the things this person had said about me were not true — it was my ex-stepdad — I just thought, I need to be a cycle breaker, I need to be someone who cares about other people and shows that I care about other people,” Ross said.

Ross attests to the importance of putting her best foot forward when she walks through the doors of the SHCC each morning.

“My goal when someone walks through our doors is for them to have a positive experience because oftentimes they aren’t feeling well. So, if just smiling and being kind can help them feel better, that is my goal. A friendly face can make all the difference,” said Ross.

“I always tell my kids that, even if I’m having the worst day, none of my students are ever going to know — that I’m having a bad day — because I need to be the person that students can come to and know that they’re going to be taken care of, regardless of how my day is going. I want to be that positive light, I want to show people that I care about them, so I just think that I come to work every day knowing that I am impacting so many people’s lives. That just helps me keep that positive attitude, because I know that everybody has things that they’re going through and sometimes, all you need is one person to be kind to you and that can change your whole entire day — it could change your whole entire mood — and so if I can be the person who is the bright light for that person’s day, then that’s what I want to do,” Ross continued.

Besides simply being a bright light to the students here at Western, “I also have the privilege of helping these young adults learn how to navigate the healthcare system, which can be overwhelming for anyone. A lot of students are far from home and need guidance. I feel honored to be part of helping them grow and learn. I am a mom, so I think about how I would want my children to be treated,” said Ross.

Ross has several tattoos ranging from her first, which is of her favorite Disney character, Eeyore, to a Gemini astrological sign as a memorial to her father.

“Then I have one more, it’s on my chest here, so I was a teenager in the 90s, so 90s grunge and alternative music, that is my jam — that’s my favorite thing. My most favorite band in the world is Soundgarden, which was actually my very first concert when I was 18, and Chris Cornell, who is the lead singer of Soundgarden, completed suicide about almost seven years ago. That was really hard for me because my childhood was… traumatic, and music was my outlet. If I was having a bad day, or just needed to be calmed down, music was always my outlet.”

Ross has had the tattoo since Cornell passed away.

“This, here, is Chris Cornell’s autograph, and then this is the lyric from the song ‘Black Hole Sun’ and it says ‘No one sings like you anymore,’ and I thought that was appropriate because no one will sing like him, and that was a song that he wrote,” Ross said.

Ross loves all of her students — “Yes, I refer to all of you as my students,” — and wants them to feel seen, heard and validated. She aims to make the SHCC as welcoming to students as possible.

With all of that love for students, Ross wanted to leave them with a piece of advice.

“Always believe in yourself because even if you feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders, it will get better. It will get better. There are people out there that care about you and want you to succeed. Sometimes you don’t always know who those people are and they’ll come into your life when it’s the right time,” said Ross.

The SHCC is a fantastic resource for Western students. Whether it is to just stop by for a piece of candy, to get some studying done or to, of course, make a counseling or doctor’s appointment, Ross wants students to feel welcome and encourages them to swing by at any time.

“I know that it’s my job, but it’s also my honor and my privilege to serve the students. I know it’s a job, you get paid for it, but it’s definitely something that I enjoy doing and I love coming to work every day and knowing I am making a difference.”

Contact the author at howleditorinchief@mail.wou.edu

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This week in entirely made up horoscopes

The Signs’ favorite class

Aries: philosophy, so I can say my inner thoughts and still sound smart

Taurus: Lunch hour

Gemini: animal psychology because it’s cooler than regular psychology

Cancer: nap time… like in preschool

Leo: recess!

Virgo: gender studies

Libra: art history…

Scorpio: the one your mom teaches

Sagittarius: Sex Ed

Capricorn: Cliterature

Aquarius: psychology so I can finally understand what’s wrong with me

Pisces: Music

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Schneider suing “Quiet on Set producers

Written by: Taylor Duff | Staff Writer

Content warning: this article contains mentions of sexual assault.

Dan Schneider, former Nickelodeon producer and writer, is suing the producers of “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,” stating that the show implies sexual assault of young actors with whom he routinely worked.

Schneider is suing Warner Bros, Discovery, Maxine Productions and Sony Pictures Television, who worked on the production of the series. The case will be brought before the Los Angeles Superior Court on the grounds of alleged defamation with misleading allegations of sexual abuse against child actors.

Schneider’s lawyers declared that the alleged false statements and implications harmed his reputation and legacy at Nickelodeon. The first four episodes of “Quiet on Set” premiered on March 17 and 18, 2024 while the fifth episode was released on April 7, 2024.

Schneider responded to the docuseries with a YouTube video titled, “Dan Schneider Talks about Quiet on Set” on Schneider’s YouTube channel, “DanWarp.” In the video, Schneider sits with BooG!e, born Bobby Bowman, who plays T-Bo on one of Nickelodeon’s hit shows, iCarly, that Schneider produced.

In this video, BooG!e recounts the docuseries and Schneider addresses allegations raised, such as pressuring female employees to perform massages, constant harassment and making co-writers uncomfortable in the writer’s room.

Concerning the alleged massages, Schneider said, “It was wrong that I ever put anybody in that position… I’d never do it today, I’m embarrassed… I apologize to the people who were walking around Video Village or wherever it happened because there were lots of people there who witnessed it who also may have felt uncomfortable so I owe them an apology as well.” Regarding writers, Schneider stated, “No writer should ever feel uncomfortable in any writer’s room ever, period, the end.”

The docuseries also features two writers, Christy Stratton and Jenny Kilgen, who remember Schneider illegally forcing the women to split their payment “I have nothing to do with paying writers, I never have. I’ve never made a writer’s deal and of all the writers I’ve been in a writer’s room with, I never even knew how much most of them were getting paid… it’s very simple, there’s a common practice in television when hiring… writers for your first job are willing to share a salary, you can both have the job (and) they have the opportunity to say ‘Yes, that sounds good’ or ‘No, no thank you,’” Schnieder said.

Back in 2000, Kilgen filed a lawsuit against Schneider for gender discrimination because of the alleged harassment and illegal payment, prompting an internal investigation. The lawsuit settled for an undisclosed amount.

Schneider states as the lawsuit is served to the producers of “Quiet on Set,” “… I sadly have no choice but to take legal action against the people behind it. In their successful attempt to mislead viewers and increase ratings, they went beyond reporting the truth and falsely implied that I was involved in or facilitated horrific crimes for which actual child predators have been prosecuted and convicted…”

Contact the author at tduff23@mail.wou.edu

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Results of the rugby teams matches’ at nationals

Written by: Jaylin Hardin | Sports Editor

With both men’s and women’s+ rugby in Washington D.C. for the National 7s Tournament Collegiate Rugby Championship, each team faced formidable opponents from all over the country. Though it wasn’t an easy fight, the Western rugby program put on a good show, representing the West Coast and Oregon in the Small College division.

First-round nerves hit both teams, dropping them to lower brackets in the first round. Women’s+ limited experience on the national stage may have manifested as they went scoreless until the third round, where they scored five tries against eighth-ranked team, Sewanee the University of the South.

“It was a bit nerve-wracking because it was our first time going, but we all fought as hard as we could,” said junior Shabryna Herrera. “We all wanted it. It was a great learning experience, not just for me, but for the team.”

This tournament was the second time the men’s team had attended the 7s CRC, and they fared better than their counterparts. Going two and two in their matchups, their results this year were an improvement from last year.

The teams now travel into the offseason, with many members of the men’s team playing for the Oregon Sharks Rugby Academy to hone their skills. Some players include Justice Donahoo, Isaac Bare, James Tiboni and Jacob Smith. Bare was also in a six-way tie for the most tries scored by a single player in the tournament — he scored five tries total — as well as in the top ten for most points scored all weekend — a total of 25. Smith was in the top twenty for conversions — the kick after a team scores a try, similar to a field goal in football, which offers the scoring team the opportunity to add two more points to the board.

“It was really fun to go to a large tournament like this,” Bare said. “I think the tournament was (a) good experience for our team because most of our team is returning next year and that has me already excited.”

Bare also talked about how it was a fun opportunity to compete against players he had met at the Men’s Rugby All-Stars tournament. “In our final we played Denver and one of their players was my roommate at All-Stars and it was fun to have the opportunity to play against them,” he said.

Sophomore Micahel Hager shared similar thoughts on his experience at Nationals. “I didn’t get the chance to travel with the team to the tournament last year, so it was an entirely new experience,” he said. “It was fun. A lot of the guys had never been to (Washington) before. We’re a pretty young team, but we’ll definitely be back next year.”

The men’s team took third place in the Bowl Bracket and eleventh overall, and women’s+ took second place in the Shield Bracket and fourteenth overall. The results of the matchups are below:

Men’s:

First round — versus Christendom College, loss 7 – 31

Second round — versus Howard University, win 29 – 10

Third round — versus Loyola University Maryland, loss 12 – 21

Fourth round — versus Denver University, win 20 – 14

Women’s+:

First round — versus Colby College, loss 0 – 50

Second round — versus Ohio Wesleyan, loss 0 – 34

Third round — versus Sewanee the University of the South, win 25 – 24

Fourth Round —versus Baldwin Wallace University, loss 0 – 34

Both men’s and women’s+ begin practice again in the fall for their 15s seasons.

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

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The 2024 NFL Draft

Written by: Michael Hager | Freelancer

The National Football League’s annual draft was held in Detroit, Michigan, which is home to the Detroit Lions. This year’s draft was in the downtown area at award-winning Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza. The NFL draft started this year on April 25, 2024, and ended April 28.

The NFL draft is comprised of seven rounds, each consisting of 32 picks. Every NFL team has the opportunity to make a selection in each round. The draft order adds an intriguing layer to the process.

To maintain competitiveness and provide struggling teams with fresh talent, the NFL allocates the highest draft picks to teams with the poorest records. This means that the unfortunate silver lining of finishing as the worst team in a season is the privilege of acquiring the Number One Overall Draft Pick in the subsequent year.

Conversely, the reigning Super Bowl champions are relegated to the back of the line and receive the number 32 pick in each round. The remaining teams are positioned based on their regular season records, playoff performance, and, if applicable, other relevant factors.

The underlying principle is straightforward: by granting the most advantageous picks to struggling teams, the NFL aims to facilitate their improvement and sustain competitiveness across the league.

Nothing is set in stone in the intricate world of NFL draft picks. Teams have the flexibility to trade their picks for other selections, players or a combination of both.

The complexity of these exchanges is exemplified by a prime example from the 2024 draft. Last year, the Chicago Bears held the coveted Number One Overall Pick in the 2023 Draft. However, they made a strategic move by trading it to the Carolina Panthers before the draft commenced.

In exchange, they acquired wide receiver DJ Moore and a package of four draft picks spanning multiple drafts. One of these picks included the first-round selection in the 2024 draft.

The gamble paid off handsomely for the Bears. Despite relinquishing the top pick to the Panthers, who selected quarterback Bryce Young, the Bears secured the Number One Overall Pick in the current draft season, thanks to the Panthers finishing with the league’s worst record in the previous season.

Trading draft picks is a dynamic process. It allows some teams to accumulate multiple picks in a single round, while others may have fewer or none at all due to previous trades.

Teams strategically weigh the advantages of current and future drafts, searching for bargains in later rounds to maximize their chances of success. While the process may seem complex, adept maneuvering can yield significant rewards in the NFL draft.

For reference, offensive positions include Quarterback, Wide Receiver, Offensive Tackle, Offensive Guard, Tight End and Center. This is the first time in NFL draft history where there were no defensive players selected in the first fourteen picks — additionally, this is the first time all quarterbacks were selected in the first round.

At the start of the draft, the NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, goes on to the stage and says his famous line, “With the first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft the…”

With the first pick, the Chicago Bears — from Carolina — selected QB Caleb Williams, from the University of Southern California. This year, the Bears have the first pick and it’s been known by the sports world that Williams would become their first choice. Williams has been projected to be the first pick ever since he declared his entry for the draft at the end of the season.

For the second pick, the Washington Commanders selected QB Jayden Daniels, from Louisiana State University — LSU. Daniels was a close second behind Williams for the first pick of the draft. The 2024 Heisman winner will likely bring great talent to the Commanders, but only time will tell.

The New England Patriots had the third pick and selected QB Drake Maye, from the University of North Carolina. The Patriots have been searching for their next Tom Brady — Maye has a shot at being just that.

In the fourth pick, the Arizona Cardinals selected WR Marvin, “Maserati Marv,” Harrison Jr, hailing from Ohio State University. The Cardinals got a true number-one receiver to help out Kyler Murry. Harrison was projected as the best receiver in this draft.

The Los Angeles Chargers, with the fifth pick, selected OT Joe Alt, from the University of Notre Dame. Alt is expected to be a great help to Herbert and the Chargers with the offensive line.

The sixth pick, the New York Giants, selected WR Malik Nabers, from LSU. Surprising the world, the Giants chose not to draft a QB, instead opting to bring in fresh receiving talent. Naber talks a big game and hopes that he can help QB Daniel Jones turn things around in New York.

The seventh pick, the Tennessee Titans, selected OT JC Latham, from the University of Alabama. The Titans shore up their offensive line to help out their young QB, Will Levis.

For the eighth pick, the Atlanta Falcons selected QB Michael Penix Jr., from the University of Washington. The Falcons shocked the world by drafting Penix after they signed Kirk Cousins to a huge deal earlier in the year. Kirk Cousins said to the press, “Honestly, that might be worse than 28-3.”

With the ninth pick, the Chicago Bears selected WR Rome Odunze, from the University of Washington. The Bears get some young help at receiver, hoping to grow with their young offensive players.

The New York Jets swapped places with the Minnesota Vikings and, with the tenth pick, they selected QB J.J. McCarthy, from The University of Michigan. McCarthy, fresh off a National title, was swooped up by the Vikings, in the hopes that Michigan produced another Brady.

The eleventh pick, the Minnesota Vikings, swapped places with the New York Jets and selected OT Olu Fashanu from Pennsylvania State University. The Jets are hoping that this addition will help QB Aaron Rodgers last more than three and a half minutes on the field.

The twelfth pick, the Denver Broncos, selected QB Bo Nix, from the University of Oregon. This was also a surprise to fans because, with Nix becoming the last QB in the draft, they seemed to steal it away from their division rival the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Las Vegas Raiders, with the thirteenth pick, selected TE Brock Bowers, from the University of Georgia. The Raiders were stunned that there were no more QBs left on the board at pick thirteen, taking Bowers who should make a big impact with a lackluster receiving core.

With the fourteenth pick, the New Orleans Saints selected OT Taliese Fuaga, from Oregon State University. Fuanga has the potential to be a great help to the struggling offensive of the Saints.

Finally, the fifteenth pick, the Indianapolis Colts, selected EDGE, Laiatu Latu, from the University of California Los Angeles. The Colts now have a defensive player off the board, making Latu the best defender in the draft. Time will tell if this proves to be the case.

Contact the author at mhager20@wou.edu

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The golden rule

Written by: Claire Phillips | Entertainment Editor

One should know how to treat others with respect once they have begun their college journey. I think this should go without saying, as there are many straightforward rules taught to children before the end of elementary school: wash your hands after going to the bathroom; don’t cheat on tests; practice the golden rule.

If you’ve forgotten, here is the definition of the golden rule: treat others the way you want to be treated. It’s truly that simple.

Let’s get this out of the way first. If a friend, foe, peer, professor or supervisor mistreats you, standing up for yourself is the correct course of action. The following article has nothing to do with these types of situations.

College is difficult. I don’t think a single person has graduated with a bachelor’s degree and said, “Wow, that was a breeze.” Between classes, jobs, relationships and the cost of tuition, daily life can be stressful. So, one thing to keep in mind is to be kind to those around you, and your days will become a little bit softer.

There’s not an easy way to say this — grow up. Not everybody has to agree with your opinions, and you don’t have to agree with theirs — but that absolutely does not mean you have the right to attack anyone. Not one single person is the center of the universe.

If you think you know more than a professor with a PhD, you don’t. Collaboration is an incredible thing, and I encourage every student to make as many connections as they can with faculty, however, one way to weaken a potentially lifelong connection and resource is by trying to tell a professor how to do their job.

Sometimes it’s okay to keep quiet. In my two years in college thus far, I’ve observed many students who want to share every opinion and life anecdote that crosses their minds; I used to be that student. Sometimes you can learn more by listening to others’ voices outside of your own, and often you will find your peers will provide you with the same level of attention and feedback.

It’s important to remember that every major is important and useful, and every student is equal. It doesn’t matter what area of study you choose to pursue, we all ended up at Western for a reason and should be supportive of each other’s ambitions. Our differences make the world go around. Putting a peer down will only hurt you in the long run — the good you do for others will eventually come back around.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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Equity and equality are not the same

Written by: Libby Thoma | Staff Writer

Many consider equity and equality to be the same, if not extremely similar. In reality, equity and equality are different, and it is important to understand that a society with equity is a society that benefits us all.

Equality would be three people of different heights standing on the same amount of boxes to see over the wall. Equity would be giving those who are shorter more boxes to stand on.

Equality is the first step towards a thriving society. If a society can make it so far as to achieve true equality, it may begin to work towards equity.

Equality is important, but many don’t understand that everyone needs different levels of support — everyone has different abilities. For example, making two people walk up a set of stairs, and ensuring they have the same number of steps and railings would be equal.

Would this still be fair if one of these people is fully capable of walking and the other is in a wheelchair? No. Equity would ensure the ability of the person in the wheelchair to have access to an elevator, allowing them to get to the second floor just as well as the person who could climb the stairs.

Equity provides resources for every person to be successful. This is hard to understand for those who need fewer resources than others, as to them, it looks like someone is undeserving and taking the resources that they could have had for themselves — taking advantage of the system.

If this sounds familiar, it is important to understand that many aren’t as privileged as you are. There are many reasons a person may need additional resources, such as those who have mental and physical disabilities or even just a difference in height, weight or strength.

This is why America’s saying of “the land of the free” and claim to equality is problematic. As stated before, a society should work towards equity rather than equality to ensure its residents have the best quality of life possible. The freedom statement leads to the idea that all are free and can achieve “the American dream.” This is not true, due to America not being truly equal — but more importantly, because this train of thought does not work, as there is no equity.

If we, as a society, are going to celebrate diversity, we must acknowledge that equity is necessary and is the most fair way to run a society.

Contact the author at ethoma23@mail.wou.edu

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ASL Club’s 30th birthday

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor

In celebration of Western’s American Sign Language Club’s 30th birthday, an anniversary party will be held in the Richard Woodcock Education Center May 17. Running from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m in room 101, the founder, co-founder and former presidents will be present, with the founders even delivering a speech.

“It’s a huge legacy of 30 years,” said Hearing President of the ASL Club and fourth-year student, Aiden Hare. “It’s pretty amazing that it’s been consecutively running for that entire time and it’s also one of the biggest clubs on campus.”

The club itself functions with both a Hearing President and a Deaf President. Operationally, events are hosted throughout each term such as game nights, intercultural panels, community nights and arts and crafts, all while communicating with the community. This spring term, the ASL club is hosting an LGBTQ+ panel.

“A lot of people know this program exists, and they know that it’s big,” said Hare. “But they haven’t stepped into it, or they live on campus and they’re just not aware, (but this is a way to get involved).”

Although open to the public, the event, like many others, is voice-off, sign-only and no interpreters will be provided.

According to Hare, the event is a good way to get connected with not only Western but the Deaf community as well.

“We have a lot of people coming from all over, which I’m excited about,” said Hare. “We have Washington State School for the Deaf students coming, Oregon State Students coming, teachers from other universities and random community members (that think) this is awesome.”

Visitors can expect a rather competitive match of musical chairs, amongst other games. Free food will be available as well, but RSVPing is highly recommended so a proper head count may be gathered to estimate how much food to order. Anyone with dietary restrictions or other preferences is encouraged to reach out.

“I think it’ll just be really cool to get that many community members there at the same time,” said Hare. “It’s a very impactful event… to be a part of this is pretty amazing.”

The event will also be handing out goodie bags as an incentive for attendance.

Contact the authors at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

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Funding Abby’s House

Written by: Lili Minato | Freelance

On May 1, Abby’s House organized a “Ponyo” themed dinner and movie night. The event offered a ramen bar and a wide range of snacks and drinks, as well as a showing of the critically acclaimed Miyazaki classic of the same name. Fans and newcomers flocked to the fundraiser to enjoy amazing food and a fantastic movie.

Tickets were $15 for general admission, $12 for students and $8 for kids under 10, to help fundraise for the Abby’s House basic needs program.

Adriana Garcia, a senior at Western and the planner of the “Ponyo” event, is the fundraising coordinator for Abby’s House. “My position focuses on fundraising specifically for the basic needs program and what that means is all the profits go towards gas cards, food vouchers, our care cupboards (and more),” Garcia said “We are fundraising in order to serve students in the best way possible.”

The fundraiser was a success, as many students and community members came to show their support for Abby’s House and their basic needs program.

There are more fundraising events for Abby’s House happening in May. Miriam Garland, a senior at Western and the Stitch Closet coordinator, shares information about the upcoming color run event: “The color run is our annual event. It’s supposed to be a fundraiser but it usually just ends up being a fun event.”

The color run will be May 19 and is a 5k run or walk where colored cornstarch powder is used to create a fun athletic experience. There are a plethora of activities for students to participate in as well.

“This year we are going to have vendors… we’re also going to be having tables and clubs or organizations, specifically we’re going to be having a table (focusing on) mental health,” said Garcia.

Garland also explained how Campus Recreation is working hard to make the event inclusive by ensuring that lower-income students can attend for free.

For those interested in donating to Abby’s House but are unable to donate financially, Garcia stated that the best way to help out is to, “Help us spread the word! We want to start fundraising more towards the (Monmouth) community, if (students) could just help us spread the word, that would be wonderful.”

If one is interested in learning about more Abby’s House events, check out their Instagram @abbyshouse_wou. For basic needs and survivor support, look for Abby’s House in the Werner University Center in room 106 or take a look at their website — wou.edu/abbyshouse.

Contact the author at lminato22@mail.wou.edu

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Finding time in a busy college schedule

Written by: Gretchen Sims | Editor-in-Chief

One of the most difficult aspects of being a new college student is learning to work within a set schedule. From elementary school to high school, classes have always been set in stone — 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. for most students. However, come college, doors are opened up for one to set their desired class times — classes at Western are offered from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Often, students will have one to three classes a day and sometimes won’t have a class at all. This opens up endless opportunities throughout the week, but it is a challenging adaptation for some.

While it is handy to have the ability to organize one’s schedule around work, one’s social life and individual interests, it also brings forth its own set of unique challenges. Not having a structured schedule leaves it up to the individual to find time to do assignments, study for exams or do important classwork — not to mention carving out time for practicing hobbies or engaging in self-care.

Thankfully, there are some tips and tricks that I, a graduating senior, have learned along the way that have helped me navigate a jam-packed schedule.

Look at your week/month ahead of time — Something that has helped me is taking a broader look at my schedule. Tackling assignments and work daily can be daunting, but stepping back and seeing everything one has to do that week is crucial. In doing so, one can plan to ensure that assignments are not procrastinated right up to the due date.

Invest in a whiteboard calendar and some sticky notes — I love using my whiteboard calendar because it’s right where I have to see it. I have placed it strategically so that when I walk into my room, I have to address my responsibilities for the day. Additionally, I have my whole week’s assignments planned out on sticky notes so I know exactly when I have carved out time to do them — this helps avoid procrastination.

Make sure you are leaving time for self-care — Between work, school and one’s social life, it can seem impossible to step back and take a few moments for oneself. However, burnout is rampant among college students, so it is crucial to foster a great relationship with oneself. This can even just come in the form of waking up 30 minutes earlier to do a skincare routine.

Start a planner — If one still finds themselves procrastinating or surprised by deadlines, writing due dates in Google Calendar might be helpful. This planning method is useful because Google Calendar sends out text alerts which I have found useful for pulling myself out of doom scrolling.

Contact the author at howleditorinchief@wou.edu

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Sidney Spencer on news reporting

Written by: Liberty Miller | Lifestyle Editor

Content warning: this article contains mentions of homicide and shootings.

Sidney Spencer is a 2021 graduate from the University of Alabama and a current news reporter on CBS Channel 42, based out of Birmingham, Alabama. The Howl was able to get an exclusive interview with Spencer regarding her career, experiences in the field and words of advice she may have for Western students wanting to get into broadcasting and news reporting.

When asked about her upbringing and what brought Spencer into news broadcasting, she answered, “I’m from Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up in the midwest, but my family is from the South so after I graduated high school in 2016, we moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Prior to me attending and graduating from the University of Alabama, I went to Western Kentucky University for a year and a half or so and ended up transferring to the U of A.”

“To describe me, I would say I’m very shy, I’m not the typical reporter, I’m not this overly extroverted person, sometimes I don’t even like to talk which is funny for a reporter. But I’m very shy, very goofy, very fun, and my humor is a little off sometimes — I find anything funny and I tell people that, that’s another characteristic about myself that people find funny because I don’t take anything serious. To some people, that might be bad but I don’t know. I find humor in everything, but still very shy and in person, super soft-spoken, when I’m talking to people they say ‘Huh? What are you saying?’ and that’s something I’m still working on,” said Spencer.

“I work at CBS42, here in Birmingham. This is my second station, so I’m still kind of new to the industry three years in. My first station was in Evansville, Indiana. As soon as I graduated college in 2016 from the University of Alabama, I accepted a job at 44 News in Evansville. I signed a two-year contract — worked hard, and got out –- and now I’m here in Birmingham. My one year here will be June 12,” said Spencer.

Spencer went on to discuss what she experienced growing up and how she became inspired to pursue broadcasting as a career.

“I grew up just watching the news because me and my family are very close-knit, we would just sit at the table or in the living room watching television together. Our family was a family that would just watch the news, so I grew up watching Fox 8 and Channel 19, and I would see them and being super shy, I still thought that it was cool. I would see how they would show their personality, and it was kind of hard for me to show personality so seeing that, it was almost like they were forced to show who they are. I kind of just wanted to see if that would bring it out of me,” Spencer said.

Additionally, she added that she experienced a pivotal moment while watching a reality television series. “I had a moment, I was watching Basketball Wives in middle school, and I can’t remember her name, but she had long brunette hair and she was talking about getting into broadcasting. I was like, what is that? I remember watching the episode, and I went over to the computer in the kitchen and typed broadcasting. It came up as being a reporter and I was thinking ‘Oh, that is what I want to be.’”

Spencer then touched on challenges people can face in her career path. “This industry is very vain, so you may face some adversities when you get into the business. Appearance is a big thing. I’m gonna keep it real — sometimes if you look a certain way you might get up higher and become a favorite. I probably have, I wouldn’t say gained anything, but in a sense, some people might look at me and say she may have gotten a position because of the way she looks or because she’s more poised, or something in that nature, but I will say this career is very vain.” said Spencer.

Spencer’s typical day is busy, with many work-related tasks transcending the hours she clocks in and out. “I work night-side, which is a shift that I’ve pretty much always worked. So I come in at 2 p.m., but I wake up around like 10 p.m. to do my makeup and hair, which is exhausting too sometimes. I usually spend around an hour, and if I don’t already have story ideas from the day before or thought of, or texts from sources or anything, I sit and try to find some stories that I could do. I’ll sometimes watch national stories and see if I can localize it, or look at my phone and look on Facebook. We’re required to at least have two story ideas. Usually, everything needs to be a lead story, but sometimes we can do fluffy pieces or people and enterprise stories. I come into work around 1:50 p.m., sit at my desk and look over what I had written down. I go over to our conference table, we all sit down and have our pitch meeting -– we have two producers, two photographers, a news director, a meteorologist and two anchors. So all of us have to pitch stories.”

At Spencer’s current station, CBS 42, she went into depth about how pitches are chosen at the conference table. “Sometimes, my stories don’t get picked up, because news directors have their own view of what news is, and usually the news director just says ‘no, I don’t want that.’ They’ll usually have their own stories and pitches that they want in mind, and they’ll just assign us to a story — if it’s an event, then I’ll sometimes make calls, and ask if there’s anyone we can talk to. Usually, they say yes and we can get all of that lined up. If it’s a story that they want us to pursue we’ll then have to make calls and just call around to the people that we need to talk to. Whenever we get our stories together, what sticks, we’ll go out, and I have a photographer that I’ll go out with to shoot the interviews. We’re required to at least have two to three interviews within our packages. We come back to the station or stay out in the field, depending on how far we are from the station. We’ll edit and write out scripts, and then before we submit our package, we need to have our scripts in by 9:15 p.m. After scripts, I edit everything, put it together, and it needs to be on the rundown by 9:45 – 9:50 p.m. Our photographers set us up and we do the live shot. Whatever our package is, we have to cut aside a bit of our piece for the morning, and then we also upload it onto our video platform, and we also have to write our web articles. We have a web team that looks over our articles in the morning and makes some tweaks, to make it more professional. I usually don’t finish until 10:50 p.m. –- but it’s nonstop work, a 24-hour thing, even though we don’t really get paid for 24 hours.”

Spencer has covered a vast array of topics as an on-site reporter, working on topics varying from sports to community projects. She also speaks on difficult subjects including homicide investigations, crime and vigils. When asked about how she works with potentially troubling stories, Spencer stated, “Personally, I’m not super religious but I am very spiritual. I’m a Christian, so I pray every day and I pray whenever I’m going into a hard story. I ask God to just help me to make the people that I’m talking to feel better or to help them get through the situation and just put my feelings aside with it. With that though, I will say I’ve done a lot of shootings — I’ve witnessed somebody get murdered at my last station, I’ve been around situations where the police shot at animals right next to me, and I almost got shot. Being in this industry will make you a little bit insensitive at times — so with that comes, at times when you’re in a scary situation or a tough story, it’s not healthy, (you will) mentally just take yourself out of it or just pretend like it’s not happening. When I do hard stories, sometimes it becomes too much at that moment, and I usually tell the photographer that I need a moment. If it doesn’t hit me at the moment, it hits me a few days later. I usually go into it praying, and ask God to help me to not get too emotional, but still be empathetic and understanding of the situation. But with that, also asking for me to be a blessing to the people who are actually living that, and help them out in some way. I’ve done shootings back-to-back, and murders back-to-back, going to vigils back-to-back, and I just think, let me just try to get this done, and try to be a blessing to the people that I’m talking to. Then once the weekend comes around, I think, that was a hard week. I don’t know if I’m coping with it healthily. As news reporters, we’re not directly affected like those in the situation, but we are on the scene, right there with the first responders. As I said, at my last station, I witnessed somebody get shot and killed right in front of my face, and in the moment I had to walk away – it’s not normal. A lot of us journalists and reporters are trying to learn how to cope with the situation. I have coworkers that I talk to and friends in the industry that I talk to all the time. I had a friend who worked at a competitor station to my last job, and she was there too during the shooting situation. We talked about it together and she took it a little harder at the moment, and I don’t think it hit me until a few days later. We just bond — I don’t know if it’s a trauma bond — not just over the tough stories but just the industry in general, and we just talk about the amount of work that we have to do with the pay that we have to deal with sometimes. If we didn’t love it though, we wouldn’t be doing it, because life is way too short to continuously be doing something that you don’t like or you aren’t happy with.”

Spencer also gave advice to Western students who aspire to pursue a career in news and broadcasting.

“I would say work hard, and nowadays, it doesn’t seem like it but hard work pays off. Do your research and don’t let anyone discourage you if you want to get into TV because pretty much anybody can do it. I don’t want to say everybody can do it but if you work hard, and if you really have a passion for wanting to be in broadcasting and journalism you can do it. Every day is not smooth – I hear no at least six times a day and you have to have thick skin with that. If the story works out, that is good but sometimes stories will fall through. I’ve had two or three stories fall through in one day, and it happens. You have to have tough skin to get through that. Don’t let anyone tell you that you have to look a certain way or be a certain way. With that, you have to want to be a voice for people who may not have one. That is ultimately what we are, we work for the community, and we’re not doing this for ourselves. It may come across as reporters just wanting to look pretty on TV, but that is not the case. You have to have a passion for talking to people, for one, because you’re talking to people every day, and then you have to want to tell their stories. You have to learn that you’re not always going to be liked. You’re going to get pushback, especially when you’re telling controversial stories, or you’re telling stories of people that don’t have a voice. You have to be willing to speak up for them because nobody else will.”

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

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Fruit pizza

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor

FRUIT PIZZA

From start to finish: 1 hour

Yields: 13.5” x 18.5” sheet pan

2 1/2 Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough

16 oz Cream cheese

1-2 cup Sugar
½ teaspoon Vanilla (optional)

½ cup Fruit jam/jelly (optional)

3-5 cups Assorted fruit of choice

This recipe may easily be altered to fit different preferred portions by eyeballing ingredients and tweaking instructions to best suit the baker’s needs.

Take Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough and flatten into an oven-safe pan or container until covering the desired area without being too thin or thick. Cook in the oven at 350 degrees until the edges are golden or for 15-20 minutes. Take out and cool.

In one large bowl, add cream cheese while the dough cooks. Additional cream cheese may be added if needed. Optionally, add vanilla to the bowl. Add sugar to taste until cream cheese is on the sweet side and use a mixer on “WHIP” setting until cream cheese is fluffy (Note: cream cheese may be drippy if cream cheese is of the Whipped variety, but will not affect tastiness of the recipe).

Slice fruit of choice into small bite-sized pieces. Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or other small fruits do not need to be sliced. If fruit is ripe and tends to brown quickly, swash lightly in lemon juice, reducing browning over time.

Once dough is cool, smear the sweet cream cheese mixture on top of dough, covering the whole surface except the crust. Cream cheese may be of any thickness on top. Add mixed fruit into dish, gently wiggling fruit into cream cheese mixture. If desired, jelly or jam may be drizzled on top or added on top of cream cheese mixture before the fruit.

Cool dish in the refrigerator until no longer warm. Serve up at a family picnic or have after dinner — this versatile dessert is a delectable spring snack.

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

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This week in totally made up horoscopes

The Signs as cartoon characters

Aries: stewie griffin

Taurus: kenny mccormick

Gemini: the street rat known as Aladdin

Cancer: Edd aka double D

Leo: Simba

Virgo: mordecai regular show

Libra: porky pig

Scorpio: arnold perlstein (look it up)

Sagittarius: bojack horseman

Capricorn: Dipper Pines because we’re so neurotic

Aquarius: oswald the octopus

Pisces: silvermist

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Staffs favorite movies

Written by: Sierra Porter | Staff Writer

“The Western Howl” staff is filled with crazy cool personalities, a variety of talents and a plethora of different hobbies and passions. One thing is for sure: we are all movie fanatics and live vicariously through the characters we love. Here are the staff’s favorite movies and why we continue to enjoy them.

Editor in Chief, Gretchen Sims, expresses her love for the movie “Braveheart.” Sims says, “I actually learned how to play the main theme ‘For the Love of a Princess’ from Braveheart early on in high school. I fell in love with the score and convinced my parents to let me watch it. My mom isn’t one for gore, but I loved the film and it is now one of my all-time favorites!”

Linden Loren, coordinator, advising & virtual engagement, dubbed the “dad” of the Howl, recommends “LinkedIn: The Movie.” All one needs is a LinkedIn account and some salt to snack on — truly inspiring.

The Howl’s Digital Media Manager, Ruth Simonsen’s, favorite movie is “Predestination,” a sci-fi thriller released in 2014. Simonsen says, “This movie made me rethink my life and everything I believed in. It brought to light how frail yet beautiful humanity is, and how one truly needs to make the most of it while one has it. Trust oneself and always grow, but give oneself the grace to recognize that one is a completely different person in every phase of your life, never to be the same person twice.”

Cami Ansley, Copy Editor, deems “Crazy Rich Asians” as her favorite movie. Ansley says, “This movie was really relatable to me as an Asian American and the ending was so perfect and satisfying to watch. It was also nice to see an all Asian cast with actors and actresses that I’d never seen before.”

Head Designer Addie Floyd’s favorite movie is “Tangled,” based on the timeless story of Rapunzel and her long hair. Floyd expressed, “This movie is my comfort movie. It just brings me so much joy. No matter the mood I’m in, Tangled can always cheer me up.”

Our other amazing Designer, Sophie Taylor, says her movie favorite is “Coraline,” released in 2009. Taylor says, “Coraline” is one of the earliest movies I ever remember watching. Ever since I was little, the claymation animation style has always captured my attention. There are so many subtle hints and clues that foreshadow the movie that every time I watch it, I find something new. There have been so many conspiracy theories and rabbit holes to go down. Keep Portland weird.”

Photo Editor Quinlan Elise has a short and sweet response on why she loves “Napoleon Dynamite:” “there is no other choice.”

Hannah Field, the Howl’s News Editor’s favorite movie is “Fox and The Hound.” Field recalls some of her favorite memories with the film, “I can remember watching this movie on VHS tape in the garage while my dad worked on his cars. I would sit on a stool or a tiny chair with my neck craned upward at a 120 degree angle looking at that tiny box TV playing my favorite movie. I think it’s an underrated but beautiful piece of work and hope everyone has the pleasure of watching it one day.”

Claire Phillips, our Entertainment Editor’s movie of choice is “Fried Green Tomatoes,” released in 1991. Phillips says, “This historical classic takes on many heavy topics that are still relevant today. It will make one cry, it will make one laugh and above all, it will make one crave some good Southern food.”

Sports Editor, Jaylin Hardin, says her favorite movie is “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.” Hardin expressed, “I’ve loved the trilogy since I was a kid, but ‘The Two Towers’ was always my favorite because I love the plot. Extended edition just makes it so much better because it adds so many more details from the books.”

Creative Lifestyle Editor, Liberty Miller expresses her love for “The Sorcerers Apprentice,” released in 2010. Miller says, “This movie was one of the more psychologically formative movies of my younger years. Nicholas Cage and Jay Baruchel create a seamless duo performance and take on their roles to the point where they become their character. The storyline was intriguing and the pace of the movie created the perfect elements of suspense — the soundtrack was also incredible, with ‘Secrets’ by OneRepublic still being one of my all-time favorite songs. My favorite scene from the movie included that song being played while the Tesla Coils are run by David Stutler.” Miller also gives a special shout-out to “Crazy Rich Asians” as a close second.

Taylor Duff, one of our great Staff Writers, chose the movie “SuperBad,” released in 2007, as her movie favorite. Duff said, “I love this comedy that explores growing up and learning to just be oneself. Plus I still crack up every time I watch. Viewer discretion is advised.”

Talented Freelancer Lili Minato expresses her love for “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me.” Minato says, “At its release, ‘Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me’ was considered a bad prequel to its beloved predecessor, ‘Twin Peaks.’ Now, it has a cult following of many who enjoy the story of Laura Palmer. It’s a film full of bizarre scenes and a devastating plotline. In true David Lynch fashion, it is weird and wonderful.”

As for myself, my favorite movie is “The Karate Kid,” released in 1984. There are so many reasons why this is my favorite movie but long story short, I love an underdog story. Not to mention the amazing soundtrack.

Contact the author at howlstaffwriter@wou.edu

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The romantic’s diary

Written by: Taylor Duff | Staff Writer

“Dinner & Diatribes” — Hoizer

“Gimme All Your Love” — Alabama Shakes

“I Wanna Be Yours” — Arctic Monkeys

“Freakin’ out on the Interstate” — Briston Maroney

“Tennessee Whiskey” — Chris Stapleton

“Out of My League”— Fitz and The Tantrums

“Gooey” — Glass Animals

“Light My Love” — Greta Van Fleet

“Shut up My Moms Calling” — Hotel Ugly

“Broken” — Lovelytheband

“For the First Time” — Mac DeMarco

“Sweater Weather” — The Neighborhood

“July” — Noah Cyrus & Leon Bridges

“Something in the Orange” — Zach Bryan

“Somebody Else” — The 1975

“Shades of Cool” — Lana Del Rey

“Chemical” — Post Malone

“Cranes in the Sky” — Solange

“Right Person, Wrong Time” — MMC

“Deja vu” — Olivia Rodrigo

“Run” — Joji

“The Less I Know The Better” — Tame Impala

“Body Paint” — Arctic Monkeys

“Wait a Minute” — Willow

Contact the author at tduff23@mail.wou.edu

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Jason Slowey on NFL and Western

Written by: Liberty Miller | Lifestyle Editor

In a recent interview with Jason Slowey, the Howl Sports Network delves into his experience of being one of three Western players in history to be drafted into the National Football League. The exclusive interview was held on April 24, 2024 — the 12-year anniversary of Slowey’s original NFL prospect interview with KOBI-TV on NBC5. The original news story featured a 23-year-old Slowey in his senior year at Western. Slowey is now 35 years old and, among his other accomplishments, secured a position at Sacramento State University in 2023 as their newly minted rush ends coach.

Slowey’s interview with KOBI-TV walked viewers through a regular day in the Western football program. After a short tour of his house and pre-workout routine, the video pans to the weight room beneath the football stadium and a quick clip of the track.

During the filming of Slowey’s power cleans and single-arm dumbbell bench press, he shared that “It’s hard for a lot of people to start something when they’re not good at it, and that’s why people quit things. They start it and they’re bad, then they’re done — but you can get past that.”

He explained that, at the time, Western didn’t have a sports performance coaching staff, so the program coaches were responsible for lift programs. “Coach Ferguson was our weights coach. We didn’t have Cori Metzgar until my senior year — she’s actually a good friend of mine now — so Coach Ferguson was in charge of the weights programs and what we did in the weight room.”

Slowey was recruited straight out of high school in 2007 and spent his first year in the program as a redshirt, meaning that he had little to no game competition and was measured on his performance in the weight room.

“So, the first day we came into weights, and Coach Ferguson did this challenge with the team where we had to bench press 225, as many reps as we could. I only did three reps. I was the weakest player in the program, but I just took that as an opportunity to get better. Me and a few of my friends would go in when no one else was in there, and we would teach ourselves how to lift in our off-time. I wasn’t the strongest or best player coming in from high school, so I just dedicated myself to becoming better in the weight room and on the field.”

Eventually, Slowey would become one of the strongest prospective blockers in the NFL. In an article written by Sports Illustrated reporter Tony Pauline, he described Slowey as “…one of the nastiest blockers in the draft.” Slowey attributes that to his lengthy time in the weight room and dedication to gaining weight and muscle, thinking back to the time when he could bench press 225 only three times before failure.

Slowey was in his senior year at Western when Coach Ferguson pulled him aside and told him he was being considered as an NFL prospect. “We had a bunch of recruiters and teams coming to practice, coming to lift, seeing how I was with the guys and how much weight I moved during my workouts.” Following a successful 2011 season, the following year’s NFL draft was held on April 26-28, 2012.

“I was in my home here at Western, and I had about twenty people at my house for the three days it was being aired. My friends and family were excited, but I was trying to play it cool. By the time we got to the last day, I started getting nervous with the possibility of not getting chosen. On the third day, I got a call from my agent, and they told me I was going to be a sixth-round pick. That’s when I got selected by the 49ers,” said Slowey.

Slowey played with both the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders during his time in the NFL, then he went on to play for the BC Lions, in the Canadian Football League and spent some time playing arena football for the Portland Thunder. Due to Slowey’s lengthy struggle with a back injury, he retired from the sport in 2014.

Slowey stated, “I was dealing with my back injury for a long time, and I ended up retiring. But I’m just like every other athlete that’s had to deal with an injury that caused them to stop playing because I still wanted to be involved in the game somehow, I wanted football to still be in my life. I came back to Western and I asked about a coaching position with the football team, but there wasn’t one at the time, so I took up a job with track and field. I was able to work with both sports at the same time and just worked my way into eventually coaching football.”

Slowey worked at Western until 2022 and was offered a position at Sacramento State University as the rush-ends coach.

“It was a bit weird, the transition from playing offense my whole life to coaching defense. I was an offensive lineman and a center all my career, so to come in and coach defense was interesting for sure, but I’m having a good time. It’s been a journey and I’m grateful for everyone that’s been along for the ride.”

Slowey had some words of advice to players in the Western football program, having come out of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference — GNAC — himself and securing his place as one of three players to represent the Western football program on a national level.

“Trust the coaches, trust your teammates and trust the program. It sounds like a bunch of coaches’ lingo, but it’s true. Trust the process that’s been set in front of you, and put in the work to get to where you want to be.”

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

The Western Howl

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Travel through the stars

Written by: Taylor Duff | Staff Writer

Astrology isn’t just a TikTok joke; it is a complex understanding of how we fit into the universe. Astrology involves evaluating the impact of stars and planets on terrestrial events and human destiny.

Astronomy, the study of all extraterrestrial bodies and their properties, can be seen throughout history. However, it should not be misconstrued with astrology, which can be understood instead as Divination — using the stars to determine the underlying significance of events and forecast the future.

Divination exists in many ancient and contemporary communities, though methods differ. Popular divination methods include horoscopes, palm reading and tarot cards. Astrology originated in Mesopotamia and shifted to India in the third millennium BC, but it took on its Western form in Greek civilization during the Hellenistic period.

Astrology is often considered a private spiritual practice, separate from any particular religion.

Astrology was central in the cultures of Mesopotamian civilizations and ancient Egyptians. Because the heavens were regarded as sacred, priests were able to predict natural and political events — requiring rulers to act according to their predictions and contributing to the creation of a rich library of astral symbols, signs and images representing and safeguarding such traditions. The Greeks later used astrology to understand personal destiny, avoid negative events and predict fortunate times.

Zodiac signs are divided into four elements: fire, earth, air and water. The star positions at birth determine each person’s signs depending on where, when and what time that person came into the world. All 12 zodiac signs correlate with the 12 months of the year — beginning with Aries and ending with Pisces.

The three fire signs are Aries, Leo and Sagittarius; the three earth signs are Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn; the three air signs are Gemini, Libra and Aquarius; and the last element, water, houses the signs Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.

To be more complex, everyone has various additional zodiac signs that make up their personality traits. People usually refer to their “big three:” your sun is your date of birth, your moon is the position in which the moon was when you were born and lastly, your rising sign, is determined by the time of day you were born.

Astrology is a practice, so many look to horoscopes, tarot cards or astrologers for advice or understanding. Horoscopes are a map of signs in a chart — also referred to as an astrological chart. This chart moves just as we do every day around the earth, and our zodiac signs are correlated with different planets. Because of this, depending on where our signs are positioned, a horoscope can help determine predictions in our personal lives. Horoscopes are never concrete but can give bits of insight that can be helpful tools in our day to day.

Tarot cards are a tool that helps us understand our past, present and future feelings. In many ways, using tarot cards is a form of spiritual practice; there are many different tarot decks on the market and many amazing books that help individuals learn how to use them.

TikTok, among other places, has become a popular space for tarot card readings, where content creators pull cards and express their interpretation of the cards drawn. Astrologers, not to be confused with astronomers, are people who have studied astrology and use it to help predict people’s characteristics, life experiences and futures.

Zodiac signs and relationship compatibility can be a controversial subject as many claim those who use astrology are simply bashing signs that have not worked in relationships for them. Signs such as Aries and Cancer “aren’t a good match,” but many Aries and Cancer relationships have come to fruition and have lasted many years. Just because a sign isn’t compatible with another doesn’t mean that relationship won’t work out. Signs are unique, and Astrology guides us in how different traits and compatibility work, but it isn’t the end all be all.

There is also the case when people disagree with astrology and say it is “fake,” but I think Astrology is not trying to be anything. Many individuals don’t like astrology as it isn’t a proven scientific fact that the stars determine our lives. This is valid, but I think it is something that we can look to for guidance, and there’s no harm in simply believing it.

People have a choice to either make astrology their own or dismiss it, but it should be completely their choice. People are made up of many different traits and experiences that affect our worldview; I feel that astrology helps us understand personality, core values, romantic compatibility with others and even what you may look like.

People like astrology because it gives some understanding of our place in the universe. Many practices and followings have people who choose to be a part of them for a variety of reasons, and Astrology is no different. Overall, astrology is interesting and brings people together in such a special way.

Contact the author at tduff23@mail.wou.edu

The Western Howl

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Easy workouts for the gym or at home

Written by: Jaylin Hardin | Sports Editor

Unsure of where to start at the gym? Looking for a new workout routine? Then look no further. The exercises below can be done by anyone of any fitness level at home or the gym. Organized by which part of the body it works, one is sure to find a new exercise to include in a gym routine.

Legs: exercises that isolate quads, glutes and hamstrings

Bulgarian Split Squats — This isolates the quadricep muscle group. Begin by standing a few feet in front of a bench or raised platform, or if one is at home consider using a couch or chair. Rest one foot behind on the raised surface, with the top of the foot facing down. Lower the body into a lunge, keeping the torso upright, until the front thigh is almost parallel to the ground, ensuring the knee doesn’t go past the toes. Push through the front heel to return to the starting position, and repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch legs. If at the gym, try holding dumbbells in both hands.

Hamstring Hip Bridges — Lie on the back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift hips off the ground until the body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. Hold this position briefly, then lower the hips back to the ground. Continue for the desired number of repetitions. At the gym, try doing this exercise with a medicine ball or weight plate resting on the lower abdomen. For added resistance at home, try adding a band just above the knees to provide tension.

Pistol Squat — This works the glutes and quadriceps. Stand on one leg with the other leg extended in front. Lower the body down by bending the standing leg, keeping the extended leg straight in front as you lower. Lower until the thigh is parallel to the ground and push back up to the starting position. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch legs. If at the gym, hold a dumbbell in the hand opposite from the extended leg.

Arms: exercises that isolate triceps, biceps and shoulders

Bicep Curls — This exercise requires equipment. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand or an EZ curl — wavy — barbell, arms straight down by the sides of the body. Keeping upper arms still, bend the elbows to lift the dumbbells or barbell towards the shoulders. Squeeze the biceps at the top of the movement, and slowly lower the dumbbells or bar back to the starting position. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions. If one doesn’t have equipment, try using soup cans or milk cartons.

Pike Push-Ups — Start in a push-up position with hips raised high, this position is the same as the downward dog yoga pose. Lower the body towards the ground by bending the arms at the elbows. Push back up to the starting position. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions. This exercise targets the shoulders, chest and triceps.

Tricep Dips — Sit on the edge of a bench or chair with hands gripping the edge, before sliding off the bench, supporting the weight with arms. Lower the body by bending the elbows until the upper arms are parallel to the ground. Push back up to the starting position, straightening the arms. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Core: exercises that isolate the abdominal muscles

Flare-ups — Lie on the back with legs straight and arms extended overhead. Lift legs and upper body off the ground simultaneously, forming a “V” shape with the body, reaching hands towards the toes. Lower legs and upper body back to the starting position, repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Crunchy Frogs — Sit on the floor with legs bent and feet off the ground, arms extended straight in front. At the same time, extend the legs out wide and bring arms back.

Bring legs and arms back to the starting position, hugging knees to chest.

Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Russian Twists — Sit on the floor with knees bent, heels touching the ground and torso leaning back slightly. Lift feet off the ground, balancing on the tailbone, and hold hands together in front of the chest. Twist the torso to one side, bringing hands towards the floor beside the hip before returning to the center and twisting to the other side. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions. When performing this exercise at the gym, hold a medicine ball or dumbbell when twisting.

These exercises can be performed by anyone of any level of physical fitness and modified if they are too simple or too difficult. Whether one is a beginner or well-versed in the gym world, these exercises are sure to be a hit when it comes to building muscle strength.

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Western Oregon University’s Land Acknowledgement
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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