Mount Hood

Service project commemorates MLK Jr. Day

By: Rachael Jackson
Staff Writer

On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Service Learning & Career Development office went to the Marion-Polk Food Share’s community garden in Salem with staff, children, and students. The rain took a break for the SLCD and community volunteers for a surprisingly warm afternoon of gardening.

While only 14 of the 30 students that signed up for the event showed, they ended up completing a job expected to take three hours in only two.

Student volunteers cleaned up the dried plants and composted the earth, adding a layer of bark dust before heading out.

Adry Snorradottir Clark, the director of SLCD, said that the students see “that even though you have a career, you can still find time to get involved in something you are interested in. A lot of volunteers there had a passion for gardening.”

Having Western students involved in this service for the food share has an even bigger meaning than helping the Marion-Polk community.

“We’re excited to work for that organization because they are the ones that supply our food bank with food,” said Clark. “The students got to meet some of the community volunteers and see that they really care, they got to see that you can make a difference.”

Speaker, singers, and sweet potato pie

By: Megan Clark
Campus Life Editor

Spirits were roused when the Pacific Room’s doors in the WUC opened to the public for the MLK commemorative dinner on Wednesday, Jan. 20.

The guests were greeted with the sight of beautifully laid out tables laden with water, iced tea, and warm cornbread. Tickets cost $3 for students, and it was well worth it.

The buffet dinner included fried chicken, collard greens, black-eyed peas, and macaroni and cheese followed by a dessert of peach crisps, much like cobbler, and small squares of sweet potato pie.

The Portland Interfaith Gospel choir sang two spirited songs to signal the start of the event. Then, President Rex Fuller, introduced Dr. Eddie Moore, presented a beautiful speech on racism and MLK’s dream.

He posed the audience the question, “Are we moving?” While people may think that progress is being made, there are still inequities prevalent in society regarding race and gender.

He said that one thing college students could do to help defeat racism was to rid themselves of personal biases and become more self-aware in how they act and treat others.

After Dr. Moore’s speech, the essay prizewinners were announced. The event closed out with two more songs performed by the gospel choir.

Tinder: where lonely hearts connect

By: Rachael Jackson
Staff Writer

Tinder was released to the world in 2013 as a fast paced dating app. It quickly appealed to those between the ages of 18 and 34 as an easy way to find dates and casual sex. There was an outcry from the media and citizens of the world that Tinder was creating a “hook-up culture” and destroying the establishment of dating.

Along with those citizens, are WOU students who aren’t too keen on the idea of finding dates through Tinder.

“I think it’s kind of dumb and that people should meet in person. Get out of their comfort zone,” said a Western student that wished to remain anonymous.

Many feel that Tinder is shallow. It may feel strange to simply swipe right for those you like and left for those you aren’t digging based solely on a few pictures and a short profile description. There is something to be said for meeting someone in person and seeing if sparks fly, but using Tinder could have its benefits, too.

Tinder sets up an environment in which both parties are on equal footing and have mutual understanding of what the other wants.

Tinder could also be useful for college students because it makes finding people while stuck living on a small campus easy.
College students can meet people both on campus and in nearby cities easily, all it takes is adjusting the desired distance. Going to cities like Salem, Corvallis, and Portland can be difficult and expensive for most students, but meeting people through text first may give the incentive to travel.

Andrea Coffee, a senior education major, found her current boyfriend through Tinder. As of now, they’ve been together almost 6 months.

“I wasn’t expecting to find a relationship,” Coffee said. She continued that it’s a great app “if you’re looking to just ‘hang out.’”

Using Tinder may not be for everybody and safety precautions should be taken when meeting a stranger in person for the first time. However, this app could prove useful for lonely college students looking for more than friendship.

Chinese New Year at WOU

By: Brianna Bonham
Staff Writer

This year, the Chinese New Year falls on Monday, Feb. 8. There are exciting times in store for this New Year, including a presidential election. In 2016, The Fire Monkey makes its first appearance since 1956. The Fire Monkey represents leadership and competition.

In 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt won the presidential election against Herbert Hoover. 1932 also marked the third year of The Great Depression. President Roosevelt won the election again in 1944, another Year of the Monkey.

In 1954, Elvis Presley began performing across the south. In 1968 both Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were both assassinated. In 1980 began the Reagan Revolution and Reaganomics.

In 1992, iconic bands and artists such as Dr. Dre, The Beastie Boys, and REM released albums. 2004 was the last year there were new episodes of Friends aired.

To celebrate the Chinese New Year, the International Club at Western is holding a Chinese New Year celebration on Feb. 8. The cost is $6 for ID holding students.

For more information, keep an eye out for flyers around campus!

Who knew goatskin could sound so good?

By: Rachael Jackson
Staff Writer

Ten Strings And A Goat Skin will perform at the Rice Auditorium in an event free to WOU students, Friday, Jan. 15 at 7:30 p.m.

Hailing from the Prince Edward Island of Canada, this English-French bilingual band bends and fuses the genre of traditional Irish music and Acadian sounds with their interpretations of modern and world rhythms.

The bulk of their songs are played in the style of trad music, which is fast-paced and upbeat – it is something to dance and have fun to. They blend in sounds of bluegrass, traditional Scandinavian music, and other world music in a seamless way that makes the fusion seem natural.

Jesse Périard, guitarist, brothers Rowen Gallant, violinist, and Caleb Gallant, percussionist, come from Acadian heritages themselves, giving them a close understanding of the culture.

Périard and Rowen Gallant comprise the ten-string part of the musical group, while Caleb Gallant is the goatskin, because, traditionally, goatskins are tanned and stretched to cover a drumhead.

Acadia is the Eastern coastal region of Canada that includes the Maritime provinces and part of present-day Quebec. The French settled the region in the seventeenth century until Irish and Scottish immigrants began settling in the Maritime provinces.

With just the three instruments, the band creates a full sound that seems almost textural, as if the music has a physical feeling. This is an attribute that can be hard to achieve even with the most technologically advanced music equipment.

For being so young– all members are under 25– they have an outstanding understanding of their instruments that is sure to entertain audiences of varied backgrounds and tastes.

Take care not to miss this performance. The concert should be a fun and lighthearted entrance into the weekend that will lift spirits and ensure a prolonged good mood.

History and Art at Hamersly

By: Amanda Clarke
Staff Writer

On Wednesday, Jan. 13, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Hamersly Library, there was a reception night for the newest exhibits.

The reception was free and open to the public and gave those attending an opportunity to ask questions to the artists. The exhibits will be available to view between now and March 18.

“The exhibits are selected by topic. Because we are the library that serves all of campus I try to get things that cover a majority of disciplines on campus,” said Jerry Parpart, the Archives and Exhibits Coordinator at Hamersly.

The art exhibit on the second floor is titled “Guilty About Not Being Guilty,” which is a collection of art by Gamira Thakur, an Assistant Professor of Interactive Media and Graphic Design at WOU.

Thakur stated that her art “explores the paradoxes I experienced as a daughter growing up in India.” One of her art pieces, titled, “Don’t Walk Like a Boy,” showcases a pair of bright red high heels on a platform.

Several feet directly above the shoes are two books with the spines facing outwards. The space between the two objects is large enough that one could imagine a girl standing in the shoes, with the books on her head, learning how to walk in a dignified manner.

On the third floor, the exhibit “Paintings” by visiting Chinese artist Chi Wang, an Associate Professor of Art at Changzhou University in China, is displayed. Most are portraits of people, however there are also some landscapes included in his exhibit, and some are so detailed they look almost like photographs.

The other exhibit on the third floor is “American Folklife: a Commonwealth of Cultures,” presented by the Library of Congress Corner. It is a collection of photographs from around the United States with captions explaining each photo.

“We’ve added in the local culture with archival photographs and music,” said Parpart. This exhibit includes a video presentation of Monmouth Folklife, which entails the activities and music of the Western community, including background music from a concert recorded in the 1940’s.

“Misfortune County,” a western produced by student filmmakers, is also sponsored by Hamersly Library and showcased on the second floor at this time. The film screening will be in Hamersly Library room 107 on Jan. 29 at 6:15 p.m.

“Pirates of the Queeribbean”

By: Joleen Braasch 
Staff Writer

With WOU Drag Show auditions just around the corner, drag fever is in the air. In recent years, Triangle Alliance has brought the campus “The Wonderful Wizard of WOU,” “Magic Queendom Academy” (Disney themed), “Out of Pandora’s Box” (Greek themed), and “Around the World in 80 Gays” to the Rice Auditorium stage.

On April 7, the cast of the 20th annual WOU Drag Show will bring “Pirates of the Queeribbean” into the hearts of the WOU community. The WOU community can expect yet another night of fun, filled with loud music, racy dance moves, and equality for all.

Hosted by the Triangle Alliance (a student-run organization on campus that aims to create a safe space for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans*, Queer and Ally (LGBT*Q+) students) the drag show is important to the heart of equality on our campus while also encouraging confidence and self- expression.

Courtney Thomas, a senior biology major, defines drag as “an expression, a part of the soul, a means to release the inner portion of you, however you may be defined or not defined.”
John Goldsmith, a senior English literature major, has been performing in the drag show since his first year. It has allowed him to gain the strength to fully accept himself as a gay man, he said.

To Jenesa Ross, a senior biology major, the show is important because it is rare to find something that allows anyone and everyone to just be themselves; the drag show provides this for her and for all others involved, whether they are dancing or working behind the scenes.

Four seniors known as “the quadforce”– Gabbi Boyle, John Goldsmith, Lindsey Hughes, and Jenesa Ross– are working together to put on yet another amazing student run show.

Gabbi Boyle, a senior interdisciplinary studies major, said that this is a major factor of pride for drag show community, as outside choreographers were brought in until 2014.

Auditions start Friday, Jan. 15 from 6-8pm and continue through Saturday. Jan. 16 and Sunday, Jan. 17 from 1-3pm in HWC 302.

A Time for Change: Revisited

By: Megan Clark
Campus Life Editor

Last week, three WOU students were interviewed about their New Year’s resolutions. This week, they were asked about whether they were keeping up with them or not. Let’s see how they did!

Jocelyn Chavez, a junior anthropology major, had a main goal of being healthier. This included working on her mental health and improving her sleep. Another one of her goals was to go on a Tinder date. Was she successful?

When asked about her resolutions, Chavez responded, “I have been working out more, I’ve been taking niacin a bit more, so I’ve been sleeping really well, actually. As far that first Tinder date, I’ve got one coming up on Sunday.”

Another resolutioner was Mariah Williams, a senior interdisciplinary studies major. Her goals included getting healthier and being happy single.

“I’ve been eating pretty healthy, not eating sugar. That’s going good. And my other resolution for being single is going okay; I haven’t gone on any dates, so that’s good,” Williams said. She also has not given into the temptation of accepting phone calls from men who might be looking for a date.

Health was a primary focus for resolutioners, shown again with Justin Oehler, a senior education major. His goals, which were inspired by a health class he is enrolled in, were to work out more and get in shape.

“I’m going to [try] to follow them as best I can, I have had a hard time getting back in the swing of things but I feel better about this week. Gym three times this week is my goal and eating vegetables,” said Oehler.

While there may be some faltering, overall our resolutioners are successful thus far. This bodes well for the year to come!

Northwest Passage seeking submissions

By: Megan Clark
Campus Life Editor

That Last Hard Mile – Emily Pate

walk.
go out into the sun-carved morning
and let yourself hunger for horizons.

it’s alright to be afraid. hold your hope
deep in your stomach where your fear lives.
let them settle there, together. let them both bloom.
you never know what seeds you swallow
until they spread leaves into all the soft parts of your body.

there are miracles in you because you made them.
this morning is a promise. curl it into
the careful callouses of your hands.
breathe.

This poem by Emily Pate, now a graduate of WOU, and photograph by Salelah Albalawi, a __ major, were published in the Northwest Passage’s fall 2015 issue.

Interested in having some of your own work published by WOU’s wonderful literary mag?

The deadline for the upcoming winter issue is February 12. The Northwest Passage accepts up to five pieces of poetry, as well as fiction, screenplays, and scripts under 2,250 words.

It also accepts art, in the form of photography, paintings, drawings, or otherwise in digital format.

If this tickles your artistic and literary fancy, then submit your work as an attachment to northwestpassage@wou.edu!

Humans of Western

By: Megan Clark
Campus Life Editor

Curtis Yehnert, Professor of English Literature

“When I was getting my doctorate at Ohio State […] I heard this laugh downstairs, a woman’s laugh and…It really did something to me, and it was so strange. It turned out to be my roommate’s new girlfriend, and her name was Heather. I had not been dating for a while, so he, out of pity, started inviting me to go out with them.”

“I became increasingly attracted to Heather and so finally, since I liked him a lot, I said, ‘Mike, you got to stop inviting me out with you and Heather when you go out.’ And he said, ‘Why?’ And I said, ‘Well don’t tell Heather, but I feel really attracted to her.’”

“The next day I was in my office, and there she was. She came up and she had on a strappy little thing and held her shoes in her hand, I remember that. She said, ‘Mike told me what you said.’ She said, ‘I don’t want to go out with him anymore, I want to go out with you.’”

“And that was twenty four years ago, and we’re still together, we’re still very much in love.”

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