Mount Hood

Get to know a major

By: Paige Scofield
Campus Life Editor

Western offers a wide variety of degrees that students can major in, many of which students don’t know are offered, or know next to nothing about. This week, in “Get To Know a Major”: receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theater.

Natalie Doerfler, a sophomore, is working towards receiving a BFA in theater with a focus in acting.

“Originally, I had gotten a scholarship to St. Mary’s, in Minnesota of all places. But, my twin sister, Meghan, wanted to come visit Western, so I tagged along with her,” said Doerfler. “As soon as I got on campus I knew that I wanted to go here. It’s small, and I thought, this is a place I could call home nine months out of 12.”

Once Doerfler learned more about the BFA program from the theater professors, she was ready to start her college years at Western. The Western website describes the program as, “a rigorous and competitive program of study for students interested in pursuing careers in the professional theater. This pre-professional program is designed to combine intensive training with a liberal arts education. All aspects of theater—art, craft, business and education—are examined, with a focus on theatrical production.”

The program offers many classes, from Theater History to Acting for the Camera.

“Some of the classes are more intensive in just acting, and learning and doing and performing. There’s classes like stage combat that you can take, it’s not required, but you can take them. It’s really cool, and I know how to properly fight with a broadsword now,” she said.

When asked what her favorite class was, Doerfler replied, “Movement II, because I got to study an animal, and see how animal movements can influence a character’s movement. You want your character’s movement to be different than how you move. Otherwise it’s not a full performance.”

“The BFA theatre program is almost all acting classes, and it’s less generic things. It’s specifically if you want to be an actor, and want to pursue it as a job,” continued Doerfler. “I’m glad I am able to be a part of it.”

Natalie Doerfler is currently in the Black Box production of “All in the Timing,” which performs on Feb. 9, 10, and 11 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee on the 11th at 2:30 p.m.

Contact the author at journalcampuslife@wou.edu

For better or for verse

By: Jasmine Morrow
Staff Writer

During MLK Celebration Week, Western held many events to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. To finish, the MLK Celebration Week ended with Slam Poetry. The event was held at Café Allegro, so volunteers could perform a poem or short story of their choice.

Slam poetry, which is known for being powerful, meaningful and artistic, brought many students together to honor the late Dr. King. The audience filled café Allegro with support and applause. Some of the pieces performed were originals written by the performers, while others read some of their favorite poems from other authors. Although a handful of people performed, there were two performers who took the microphone more than once.

Nathan Mirles, who has been interested in slam poetry for 11 years, performed two original poems named “Flowerbud” and “TWO GAY DUDES AND THE BEACH.”

“Being able to share with other people is fantastic,” said Mirles, who had been to a few other MLK events earlier that week to become more culturally literate and to be educated and to learn about diversity. Mirles has been to many other slam poetry performances, such as: Voice in New Mexico, Hillsboro High School, here at Western Oregon and frequently at the Insomnia Café.

Another performer, Courtney Briscoe, read poems by her favorite poet, Maya Angelou. Briscoe has been doing slam poetry since high school. This event meant a lot to her because, “It’s a great way for BSU to interact, and it is a safe space to share thoughts and feelings.” When she isn’t performing slam poetry, Briscoe is involved with the drag show here on campus.

The slam poetry event was a slam-bang finish to the end of MLK Celebration Week. There will be more slam poetry events around campus throughout the year so be sure to keep an eye out for them.

Contact author at jmorrow16@mail.wou.edu

The celebration of free speech

By: Shaylie Pickerel
Staff Writer

Free speech, politics and a step back into 1962 pop culture, is what covers the walls of Western’s Hamersly Library. On Jan.18 Hamersly Library held the opening of a new art exhibit including works done by James Masnov. Masnov has curated the exhibit named “Free Speech Culture, Politics and the Art of Expression Then and Now.” It all started with his passion for free speech and the importance of the right Americans have to express differences of opinion.

When asked why free speech is such an important concept, Masnov replied, “Defending someone’s free speech right is not the same as defending their views.” He continued, “I defend people’s free speech right even if it’s a topic I don’t agree with, which is what Ellis Stebbis had done.”

Ellis Stebbis, the interim president at Western in 1962, allowed Gus Hall, the general secretary of the Communist Party of the United States, to speak on campus. Although Stebbis did not agree with what Hall had to say, he believed in his right to freedom of speech and agreed to let him speak if both the democratic and republican parties on campus agreed.

This event inspired Masnov to research what transpired at Western when Hall spoke, and draw creativity from politics, pop culture and modes of expression from 1962.

Masnov’s exhibit has the history of Stebbis and Hall, as well as all the hate mail Stebbis received for his actions. He displays other historically significant events that also deal with the matter of free speech in chronological order. The exhibit also includes displays of art and pop culture events relevant to 1962 to give the viewer an idea of what was going on in society during the event at Western.

This exhibit underlines the importance of free speech and the opportunity for people to advocate for their rights. It also reminds viewers how far we’ve come as a society and how important it is to keep advocating for free speech.

To learn more about this event, more key events in history and everything that 1962 had to offer, find the exhibit on the second floor of Hamersly Library until March 9.

Contact the author at spickrell15@wou.edu

Inclusion on campus

By: Paige Scofield
Campus Life Editor

Western is known for having a wide variety of opportunities for its students’ education, but it also has a wide variety of opportunities for its students’ hobbies and interests. A student club organization fair was held in the Werner University Center on Jan. 19 to showcase some of the clubs that are on campus who are looking for new members. Katherine Macias-Torres, a sophomore nursing major, ran the booth for the Multicultural Student Union.
“I think it’s important to have these fairs, because it helps the students to know what’s available on campus, it helps students to kind of branch out of their comfort zones,” said Macias-Torres. “Clubs like MSU help to promote diversity, but it’s also a safe zone, it’s inclusion.”
If you’re interested in joining a club but aren’t sure what clubs are available on campus, visit Western’s website and click on “Student Life” and then “Clubs and Organizations” to browse what Western has to offer. The clubs listed below are some of the organizations offered:

Multicultural Student Union Student Media
Catholic Campus Ministry Model United Nations
College Republicans Anthropology Club
Black Student Union Men’s Rugby
Rock Climbing Club WOU Student Veterans of America
Green Dot Plus Team
African Students and Friends Association
Lions Club
Dance Team
CRU
KWOU Student Radio
Student Activities Board
Western Compass
Resident Hall Association
Byte Club
Men’s Lacrosse
Art and Design Club

Contact the author at journalcampuslife@wou.edu

You can get paid for the notes you will already be taking

By: Paige Scofield
Campus Life Editor

Looking to help out others and get paid doing it? Then look no further, the Office of Disability Services is always looking for notetakers. You might have gotten an email from ODS telling you that one of your classmates needs someone to take notes for them. Only one notetaker is needed per class/section, so make sure to take the opportunity when you see it.

The ODS email states, “If you are interested in the opportunity to earn a little extra money, have a minimum GPA of 2.5, have legible handwriting and good class attendance, you are qualified to be a notetaker. ODS pays $20 per credit hour, per class-per term for students lecture notes.” That means you can get paid for the notes you will already be taking.

The home page of ODS states, “ODS uses the credits stated in the catalog, not the schedule of classes, for determining payment; i.e., a Biology class is broken down as 3 hours of lecture and 2 hours of lab in the catalog. Generally, we only pay for notes provided for the lecture portion of the class; i.e., $60.”

The email from ODS, that was sent at the beginning of winter term, gives you instructions on how to apply for the position and it’s on a first come first served basis.

Contact the author at journalcampuslife@wou.edu

21 and up

By: Paige Scofield
Campus Life Editor

Once the weather starts to turn colder, nothing is more relaxing than snuggling up with a hot beverage and lots of blankets. For those of you that are 21 and older, a warm alcoholic beverage might just hit the spot. Thanks to Alex Schlientz, a junior theatre major, who found the perfect concoction for the end of a winter day. The recipe is as follows:

What you need:
4 ounces of Evan Williams Honey Reserve Kentucky Liqueur
2 cups of water
2 cups of milk
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
2 chai tea bags

Directions:
In a medium saucepan add water, milk, brown sugar, and chai tea bags. Bring the liquid to a boil, stir occasionally. When the mixture starts boiling, add and stir in the Evan Williams Honey Reserve Kentucky Liqueur. Take mixture off heat and let cool for a bit before serving.

Please drink responsibly and enjoy!

Contact the author at journalcampuslife@wou.edu

Change of seasons

By: Paige Scofield
Campus Life Editor

For some, the start of fall and transition into winter is a beloved time of year. But for others, the change in seasons can cause unwanted symptoms known as seasonal affective disorder.

As stated by American Family Physician, SAD affects 4-6 percent of Americans, and 10-20 percent of Americans can have a mild form of seasonal affective disorder.

According to Mayo Clinic, “Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression that’s related to changes in seasons – SAD begins and ends at about the same times every year. If you’re like most people with SAD, your symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody.”

Symptoms can start out mild but can quickly become more intense and excessive. As stated by Mayo Clinic, symptoms can include: irritability, tiredness or low energy, problems getting along with other people, hypersensitivity to rejection, heavy-leaden feeling in the arms or legs, oversleeping, appetite changes, especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates and weight gain.

Although the cause of seasonal depression is unknown, there has been some speculation of certain factors that might cause some of these symptoms. Those include your biological clock, also known as your circadian rhythm, serotonin levels and melatonin levels.

According to Mayo Clinic, “The reduced level of sunlight in fall and winter may cause winter-onset SAD. This decrease in sunlight may disrupt your body’s internal clock and lead to feelings of depression. A drop in serotonin, a brain chemical or neurotransmitter, that affects mood, might play a role in SAD. Reduced sunlight can cause a drop in serotonin that may trigger depression. The change in season can disrupt the balance of the body’s level of melatonin, which plays a role in sleep patterns and mood.”

Although SAD can affect all, a higher number of women are diagnosed but men may have more severe symptoms. Severity of symptoms are also dependent on the person. Someone who may have a family member with depression is more likely to have SAD. Someone who is diagnosed with depression or bipolar disorder can also have more severe symptoms during fall and winter.

According to American Family Physician, SAD usually affects those who are 20 or older, which is within the age range of students who attend college. If you think you might be suffering from any of these symptoms, Western has a Health and Counseling Center on campus that can help you understand why you have these symptoms and how to cope with them.

Contact the author at journalcampuslife@wou.edu

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