LAWRENTIAN
The Student Newspaper of Lawrence University Since 1884
THE
VOL. CXLI NO. 2
Lawrence students gain free Changes at the DEI Office
bus access through Valley mark the beginning of Eric
Transit partnership
Shirley Xu
Staff Writer
_______________________
Lawrence University and
Valley Transit launched a part-
nership where students can use
their student ID cards as free
bus passes from now until the
end of the school year.
Valley Transit has 18 bus
routes that run across the Fox
Valley Mondays through Sat-
urdays. The earliest bus ride
starts at 6:15 a.m. and the lat-
est goes to 9:45 p.m. Detailed
route maps and service hours
for each route can be found
on the Valley Transit website.
Students can also download
the Valley Transit app to track
buses in real time.
The Valley Transit app
contains detailed information
about all routes in service. It
also shows where the bus is in
real time and the approximate
time before the bus arrives
at a particular stop. Students
should wave at the buses be-
cause drivers do not stop at
empty stations, as stated in
a tutorial video on the Valley
Transit website.
Students from various
offices, including the Student
Welfare Committee (SWC)
and the Center for Community
Engagement (CCE), will take
travel training courses from
Valley Transit. If students do
not know how to ride buses in
WEEK
THIS
Fight Night and UFC
A Valley Transit bus drives past Lawrence Memorial Chapel on College Avenue.
Photo submitted by the Communications Office.
Mayes’ tenure as VP
the Fox Valley, they can meet
with student travel trainers
from the CCE by scheduling
appointments on Handshake,
according to Garret Singer, the
director of CCE.
The idea for this program
To view the Valley
Transit website,
scan the QR code:
stemmed from a student sur-
vey by the CCE in the summer
of 2021. CCE was interested
in knowing students’ methods
of traveling to their service
sites, because far off-campus
volunteer sites have tradition-
ally been a barrier for students,
Singer said. Based on the re-
sponses to the survey, students
were interested in using public
transportation, but they did
not know how to use it, accord-
ing to Singer.
After the survey results
were considered, SWC, CCE,
the Committee on Commu-
nity Service and Engagement
(CCSE) and Valley Transit col-
laborated to establish this part-
nership.
Sports
Edgar & Poe
270
PAGE 3
Appleton, Wisconsin January 21, 2022
Eric Mayes, Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, poses for a photo portrait.
Photo by Danny Damiani.
Senior Mikayla Frank- Nathan Wall and according to him, it was versity, Equity and Inclusion
Martin, Chair of the Student Staff Writer expressed that these two issues an office that responds to stu-
_______________________
Welfare Committee (SWC), need to be addressed urgently. dents’ needs in a timely man-
Changes are coming soon According to Mayes, there ner and can begin to create a
hopes that the program will
to Lawrence’s Office of Diver- is an Interim Title IX coordina- discrimination-free environ-
help those who do not have
sity, Equity and Inclusion. The tor at Lawrence, but she works ment at Lawrence.
cars on campus, since riding
changes were announced in remotely, and he feels that this Although discrimination
the buses provides more flex-
November following the hiring position should be filled by and Title IX were the top issues
ibility than the weekly shop-
ping shuttles. Frank-Martin
of Dr. Eric Mayes as Vice Presi- someone who works on cam- raised by students interviewed,
also sees sustainability as a top
dent for Diversity, Equity and pus, so that students experi- these are not the only changes
Inclusion.
priority, and having the option
It is not clear yet what ev-
encing Title IX violations have coming from Mayes’s office,
to take public transportation is a familiar face to interact with Mayes said. Other changes will
ery change will be, but the of- and trust. be announced in the following
more environmentally friendly
fice is currently working on hir- Students also expressed to weeks, though it has not been
since it encourages carpooling
ing a full time, on-campus Title Mayes that the Bias Response disclosed to the public what
instead of bringing personal
IX coordinator and overhaul- Reporting system at Lawrence they will be.
vehicles to campus.
ing the Bias Response Report- could be more efficient, citing “I look forward to hearing
CCE’s goal is to take ad-
ing system. Before announcing examples such as reports being from the campus community
vantage of the partnership to
these changes, Mayes spoke filed and never responded to. on the ways that the office I
encourage individual or group
with the Faculty Committee Mayes wants to reevaluate the lead can further its mission in
service trips to nonprofit or-
on University Governance, the system and make it more effi- creating a more inclusive, di-
ganizations that are not within
Committee on Diversity Affairs cient and effective. He stressed verse, equitable and antiracist
walking distance of campus,
(CODA), LUCC, Black faculty that both of these changes are community,” Mayes said.
with plans to make infograph-
and staff, and Posse students, about making the Office of Di-
ics of volunteer locations as a
guide. It is also Singer’s hope
that other offices can do similar Do you have questions about any new developments on
things to raise the awareness of
off-campus resources.
campus? Should the Lawrentian be covering any event?
Cleanliness and CO-
VID-19 safety were also taken Let us know!
into consideration in estab-
lishing the partnership. Val- Send any tips to TheLawrentianNews@gmail.com.
ley Transit implements safety
measures to ensure the health
of passengers and drivers. Ac- Join
cording to the Valley Transit THE LAWRENTIAN
website, masks are required on
the buses, all buses are sani-
as a writer, photographer, illustrator or editor!
tized every night, a plastic bar-
rier separates the We want your voice in our publication.
See page 2
If interested, visit lawrentian.com/apply
Variety Features A&E Op-Ed
Elda Emma Anderson: Lawrence University’s
Apply for the job
The Unsung Hero Birthday Recital
PAGE 4 PAGE 6 PAGE 8 PAGE 10
2 NEWS
(ABOVE) Curt Lauderdale participates in CORE training in 2014.
Photo submitted by the Communications Office.
(TOP) Curt Lauderdale watches a presentation during the Activities Fair in 2015.
Photo submitted by the Communications Office.
Curt Lauderdale departs from Lawrence, reflects on his tenure
Kat Girod
Staff Writer
________________________
Former Dean of Students
Curt Lauderdale, who began
his tenure at Lawrence Uni-
versity in 2001, officially left
his position on Jan. 7. Lau-
derdale’s role at the university
shifted throughout the years:
first he was a Residence Hall
Director in 2001, then an As-
sistant Dean of Students in
2008, next an Associate Dean
of Students in 2014, and finally,
he assumed the position as the
Dean of Students in 2015.
Reflecting on his work at
the school, Lauderdale is proud
of helping to shape the projects
for the construction of the Sage
and Colman lofts that priori-
tized varied housing options, as
well as his role in changing the
LUCC election process: shifting
from one that elected students
Valley Transit
partnership, cont.
driver and passengers, and bet-
ter air purification systems were
installed in response to the spread
of COVID-19.
So far, SWC and CCE have
been promoting this partnership
on their social media platforms.
A special promotion program also
uses three $25 gift cards as incen-
tives. To enter, students must post
pictures of themselves riding the
bus and tag CCE and Valley Tran-
sit’s Instagram handles, according
to Singer.
based on their residential ad-
dress to the current class-based
election system. This allowed
LUCC work to commence ear-
lier in the year and for people
involved in campus study pro-
grams to participate in the or-
ganization.
“When I think about my
time here and think about how
it has felt, it’s felt chaotic,” Lau-
derdale said.
Lauderdale attributes
this chaotic feeling to the ev-
er-evolving life on a college
campus. Despite returning to
the Dean of Students position
yearly, the dynamic on cam-
pus shifts and the atmosphere
changes, as a quarter of the
population alters each year. He
explained that in a constantly
changing world, a new class
of students entering the com-
munity can be affected by both
the returning students and
“Back when I was a new student
in a new city and was given a bus
pass, that’s my trust of source—
the university where I am going
to be spending my next four years
of life,” Stephanie Lenz, a travel
training specialist at Valley Tran-
sit, said.
Lawrence will be collecting data
regarding the frequency of bus us-
age through the end of the year to
determine whether they will con-
tinue the partnership.
THE LAWRENTIAN
a mixture of the occurrences
throughout their city, state and
world at large.
An alumnus from the
class of 2001, Lauderdale knew
he wanted to work in the realm
of student affairs due to the im-
pact members of staff from that
division had on his campus life
as a student. Lauderdale said
that, while he did not initially
plan to work at Lawrence, the
opportunity to work as a hall
director with the ability to see
and contribute to the institu-
tion in a different manner than
he could as a student presented
itself. Particularly, Lauder-
dale notes the unique appeal
of working as a hall director in
Residential Life due to the op-
portunity it provided to learn
new things in the position de-
spite no longer being a student.
“This idea of Lawrentians
as lifelong learners, whether we
say that in jest or not -- there’s
some truth to it,” Lauderdale
said.
After four years of gradu-
ate school in Washington, DC,
Lauderdale returned in the
summer of 2008 to work as
the Assistant Dean of Students
when the Campus Life office
was on the cusp of formation.
The idea of being able to return
to an important place to him
and increase engagement with
student activities such as LUCC
and Residential Life was both a
compelling and fulfilling expe-
rience for Lauderdale.
When he became the
Dean of Students in 2015, Lau-
derdale’s goal was to be pres-
ent with whomever he was with
and to ensure each situation
was regarded as a potential
opportunity for change. He
wanted to assure students that
he was willing and available to
COVID-19
ON CAMPUS
Weekly updates on the status of
COVID-19 at Lawrence
TOTAL
CASES
LU:
224
Appleton:
19,166
We are in:
ORANGE LIGHT
Substantial
Risk
Masking required indoors, KN95
or double masking recommended;
continued surveillance testing;
keycard needed for building entry;
in-person curricular activities.
*data reported as of Jan. 19
listen and help them through
obstacles, often by being visible
on campus, eating in the din-
ing hall and attending athletic
events and conservatory per-
formances.
When in non-student
spaces, Lauderdale said it was
his aim to be a student advo-
cate. He wanted to ensure that
the student perspective was be-
ing introduced when in meet-
ings with other faculty, staff
and departments. Moreover,
he noted that while being a stu-
dent advocate did not necessar-
ily translate into the automatic
granting of students’ requests,
it meant acting as their repre-
sentative in spaces where they
were absent.
Concerning his decision
to leave Lawrence, Lauderdale
stressed that the decision was
an immensely difficult one. The
decision to move to the Univer-
January 21, 2022
ACTIVE
CASES:
LU:
85
Appleton:
308
Enhanced
Precautions
sity of Wisconsin-Madison pro-
vides an opportunity to work
in academic advising, student
orientation, career services and
student services in a way that
he has not at Lawrence. The
new position also enables him
to be closer to his two brothers
in Madison and professionally
build out and expand on an-
other part of his portfolio in
case he wants to work in a Vice
President role in the future.
Although Lauderdale
hopes his successor will make
the role their own, he stressed
that the next Dean of Students
should see their job as a chance
to be a chief student advocate
and highlight their experiences
and perspectives in the places
they cannot be physically pres-
ent.
January 21, 2022
Sean McLaughlin
Overview of the January transfer window
Staff Writer
____________________________
So, the January window for
European clubs to make midseason
transfers is only about half over, but
there has been plenty of drama and
surprising moves both touted and
completed in the first two weeks or
so. This week I’d like to take a look
back at some of the moves we’ve seen
thus far and what they could mean for
both player and club moving forward
into the back half of the 21-22 season.
Phillipe Countinho to Aston Villa
(Loan)
We start off with a stonking coup
by Aston Villa, as they have managed
a 6 month loan deal for megastar Phil-
lipe Coutinho from Barcelona. The
Brazilian playmaker has long been an
outcast at the Camp Nou, but this does
not diminish the feat Villa have pulled
off. Coutinho cost Barca 142 million
pounds back in 2018, and rightly so:
he was among the best creative mid-
fielders in the world at that time. But it
Antonio Gonzalez
Staff Writer
_____________________________
After opening the new year just
last week with a spectacular feather-
weight bout between Calvin Kattar
and Giga Chikadze, the UFC draws
in even more crowds for the two title
fights that headline their first Pay-per
view this weekend in Las Vegas. The
lightest and the heaviest weight divi-
sions have their titles on the line.
Recapping last weekend’s amaz-
ing featherweight bout between top
10 contenders Calvin Kattar and Giga
Chikadze, begins with appreciating
Kattar’s ability to remain an extreme-
ly competitive fighter against a wildly
talented Chikadze over 5 rounds after
suffering a 5-round beating to title
contender Max Holloway one year
ago nearly to the day. The fight went
all 5 rounds with both fighters look-
ing lethal across the first few rounds.
As the fight went on, Kattar was able
to defuse Chikadze’s high level strik-
ing in a manner that no other fighter
has been able to do. Kattar was able
Kenneth Peñaherrera Quiroz
Staff Writer
____________________________
This past weekend gifted us
some amazing games. The NFL is
never short of excitement, and unfor-
tunately, some disappointments for
some fanbases. Before looking into
the action that will go down this week-
end, let’s look into some of the teams
that packed their bags this week and
now look forward to the next season.
No America’s Team: A Yearly
Expectancy:
Once again, the Dallas Cowboys
fans see themselves disappointed
after the team failed to beat the San
Francisco 49ers. Dak Prescott sees
his playoff dreams frustrated once
again after being injured last season.
Of course, there was a mix of domi-
nance by the 49ers and a lack of good
coaching by the Cowboys. While the
team was completely star studded, it
was not enough to beat Jimmy G and
his offense. The Cowboys have once
again underachieved and already
never quite worked for him at Barcelo-
na, where he had to play second fiddle
to Lionel Messi for three years, and as
such never justified his transfer fee. In
4 seasons, he managed only 17 goals
for the Blaugrana as he lost confi-
dence and form. But he has been given
a lifeline by Villa, who have ambitions
of pushing for European qualification.
The most likely pulling force is man-
ager Steven Gerrard, a legend with
whom Countinho played several sea-
sons in his younger years at Liverpool.
He grew into the superstar he is under
the tutelage of Reds legend Stevie G,
so perhaps the chance to reunite with
his old mate is what brought him to the
Midlands. Regardless, I think fans in
general are excited to see if Countinho
can rediscover the old magic that lit
up the Premier League for years in the
2010s. A good move for both parties.
Lucas Digne to Aston Villa, 25
million pounds
Villa are having some window, as
shown by the fact they also managed
to bring in one of the best left backs
Fight Night and UFC 270
to use his amazing boxing and de-
fense to keep Chikadze in a range
where he could not use his heavy hit-
ting kicks and quickness. Chikadze
also showed a side of himself unseen
in the UFC with his ability to go into
those championship rounds and still
inflict and take an insane amount of
damage, even eating a spinning elbow
sometime in the 4th round that would
have murdered your average person.
Kattar took the unanimous deci-
sion in a clear win, but both fighters
showed why they belong in the UFC
among the best of the featherweight
division.
The current flyweight champion
Brandon Moreno takes on the for-
mer champion Davidson Figueiredo
in their trilogy fight as the co-main
event this weekend. Moreno, a Ti-
juana native, will defend his belt for
the first time after winning it from
Davidson Figueiredo in their second
bout. The two have only fought each
other in their last three fights. Their
first bout back in 2020 ended in a 5
round draw which was also a fight of
NFL playoffs, week 2
look forward to the next season.
The Caged Cardinal:
After a shameful performance
by Kyler Murry last night, the Car-
dinals have to now sit back and look
at what their season has been. After
being unbeatable, they went on a
loss stretch, that saw superstar QB
Murray, lose his mojo. Gratefully,
he is a young player, and he has way
more left in his tank to show. Hope-
fully he is backed by the fanbase and
the team itself to come back stron-
ger next season, the Cardinals have
been one of the most entertaining
teams this season and they expect
more of the same this upcoming year.
Mayday Mayoch:
After being beaten by the officials
and Joe Burrow this past weekend,
the Raiders had another weekend
full of problems, as has been the case
this unlucky season in Sin City. They
have fired Mike Mayoch, after a sea-
son that could not end worse. Clumsy
decisions by this GM made the fan-
SPORTS
THE LAWRENTIAN
in the Premier League for a relatively
cheap fee in the end. Digne had spent
a few seasons at Everton with great
personal success. He has been a con-
sistent figure in the top 5-10 play-
ers in the league in terms of crosses
and accurate crosses per game, and
is a leading figure in chances created
for the Toffees as well. However, as
Everton’s form has slumped this sea-
son under Rafa Benitez, manager and
player have has a monumental fallout,
leading to Digne’s departure. Villa
were first on the scene, signing the
28-year-old Frenchman up on a per-
manent deal for a 25 million pound
fee. Given he would have gone for
40-50 million a year or two ago and is
still in his prime years, this is a spec-
tacular signing by the Villains. They
look to be capable of doing some dam-
age in the second half of this season.
Chris Wood to Newcastle, 25 mil-
lion pounds
This move I am a little more
skeptical of. The New Zealander has
been a consistent goal threat for for-
the year candidate. Their next fight in
2021 was an amazing display of dom-
inance by Moreno whose improve-
ments from the last fight made sure
the fight ended in the third round by
way of TKO. The top two contend-
ers having fought only each other
for the last three years has made the
flyweight division quite stagnant.
With the competition among the
125-pound division being nothing
to scoff at, quality fighters are wait-
ing for their chance at the belt, mak-
ing the outcome of this fight a much
anticipated one for the continuation
of the division. Promising flyweights
such as Alexandre Pantoja and Askar
Askarov who sit at #2 and #3 in the
flyweight rankings and are on 2-3
fight win streaks.
The main event and long antici-
pated fight of Francis Ngannou ver-
sus Ciryl Gane will finish off the night
and change the face of the heavy-
weight division regardless of the re-
sult. The hardest hitting fighter in the
UFC and current Heavyweight cham-
pion, Ngannou, will be taking on his
base not fond of any of his actions
and they seem to be rather contempt
now that he is gone. Next in their con-
cern agenda, should be the potential
Derek Carr trade. Rumors have sur-
faced that after a rather disappoint-
ing stay with the Raiders, Carr might
have to move on to play for a new
team. Once LV has a new head coach,
it should be known whether Carr will
be gearing up in a different city or
if he will remain put in the Raiders.
The Eagle that did not Fly:
The Philadelphia Eagles have
been eliminated from contention.
After a rather decent season by now
definitive starter Jalen Hurts, the
Eagles should look to rebuild their
squad, and strengthen their weak-
nesses. Next year should be an excit-
ing year in their conference as they
look to be an improved version of the
team, closer to their Super Bowl win-
ning team.
Unfortunately, two of my pre-
dictions were off this past weekend,
with both the Bills and the Rams win-
mer club Burnley for years now, regu-
larly hitting 10+ league goals to keep
the club in the Premier League. But
he has only 3 goals this season so far,
and is now in his 30s. Newcastle des-
perately need goals, yes, but it feels as
if there were better options available.
This signing is a safe bet: Wood will
most likely get 5-10 goals in the second
half of the season, as he tends to come
on strong after the winter period. I be-
lieve at one point last spring he scored
8 in 8 league games. He is also a very
technical finisher. But Newcastle do
not create many chances, and Wood is
not one to make his own goals by any
means, so his return may suffer. He is
also not a particularly long-term op-
tion at 30 years old, and has reached
his ceiling; the chances he ever hits
20+ league goals in a season are min-
ute at best. This is a C+ signing at best,
but if it keeps Newcastle from going
down, then it will surely look much
better come the end of the season.
Krzysttof Piatek to Fiorentina,
loan
former sparring partner and current
interim title holder, Ciryl Gane. The
two fighters represent completely dif-
ferent sides of heavyweight talent in
the UFC with Ngannou representing
sheer power and immovability ex-
pected from a man who cuts weight
to make 265lbs versus a leaner, but
still enormous, fighter in Gane whose
quick feet and technical ability allows
him to carry heavyweight power with
the speed and grace of a welterweight.
Gane has been able to dictate the
pace of every single one of his fights
in the UFC and remains undefeated
through submissions, decisions, and
knockouts while managing to leave
all his fights without any significant
damage. But will this ability be ability
be enough to withstand the durability
and power that an improved Ngan-
nou provides along with the famil-
iarity Ngannou has with Gane’s style
of fighting? Both fighters present
dangerous tools for the other to deal
with. Ngannou has the ever-present
danger of looping and straight strikes
coupled with a near 7-foot wingspan
ning their respective matchups.
This upcoming weekend packs
four games, and here are my takes:
Tennessee Titans vs. Cincinnati
Bengals:
Joey Legend took his first career
playoff W last weekend against the
Raiders, but he might not be having
it easy against the stacked Titans. Be-
sides 6 players placed on IR this past
Monday, the Bengals will have to face
one more problem: Derrick Henry ac-
tivated OFF injury reserve.
PREDICTION: Even though
I root for the Bengals this
weekend, the Titans and King
Henry will take this contest.
San Francisco 49ers vs. Green
Bay Packers:
It is an exciting week in Title-
town, as the cheese heads look to take
on the 49ers. Jimmy G is “slightly”
injured, and Aaron Rodgers comes off
a week where he’s rested, after saying
he is as close to a 100% as he will get
this year. Definitely an understate-
3
Piatek originally came to promi-
nence at Genoa, where he scored 13
goals in 19 matches in half a season.
He has struggled since, however, as
the goals dried up at AC Milan, and
then never returned at Hertha Berlin.
Now back in Italy, this may be Piatek’s
last shot with a big name club if he is
to stay at the top level of European
football. But the signs are good to be-
gin his career in Florence, as he scored
on debut in the Italian Cup this past
week. Fiorentina are a good desti-
nation for him as well. They are still
involved in multiple competitions,
and star man Dusan Vlahovic needs a
backup so he isn’t run into the ground
playing every match and ends up in-
jured. Further, La Viola play a very at-
tractive style of soccer, which creates
plenty of chances for a penalty box
poacher like Piatek to score plenty of
goals. He will get enough minutes to
make an impact, and have plenty of
chances to score and build his confi-
dence. Watch this move as a sleeper
for best signing of the January Trans-
fer Window.
that probably makes his fists feel like
you are getting slapped with a Honda
civic. Gane brings danger with his
whole body, utilizing his Muay Thai
skillset and excellent distance man-
agement to throw strikes and from
any range he wants.
Having cleared his way through
the division unscathed, were Gane to
win this weekend, it would be hard to
find anyone to usurp him. Unfortu-
nately, a win for the champion might
still see him leave the UFC as various
contracts disputes see the champion
looking to boxing for a bigger payday
which would be a big loss for the UFC.
The winner of this fight will likely
have the opportunity to face the for-
mer light-heavyweight champion and
cokehead Jon Jones in a massive su-
per-fight that could potentially draw
McGregor level PPV buys. Either way,
I am excited to see two 240lb+ men
swing bones at each other for how-
ever long this fight manages to last.
ment after we may see A-Rod win his
4th MVP award this year. Scary hours
to come in Green Bay.
PREDICTION: The Bay
Area is shocked by Rodg-
ers and the Packers; they cruise
onto the NFC championship.
Los Angeles Rams vs. Tampa
Bay Buccaneers:
Tom Brady is amazing. Every-
one is well aware. But he may be fac-
ing his biggest challenge this season
thus far as he takes on the Rams,
accompanied by their monstrous de-
fense and a redeemed OBJ against
the Cardinals. This should be an in-
teresting match for Stafford’s squad,
as Brady threw for 400+ yards earlier
this season and still did not come up
with the win for the Bucs.
PREDICTION (The hard take):
The LA Rams are not dominated by
Brady and his offense but are eventu-
ally picked apart by the 44-year-old
star and are beaten.
Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City
See page 10
4 VARIETY January 21, 2022
THE LAWRENTIAN

Song of the Week: In a Black
Out by Hamilton Leithauser
Last November I got chills lying
beneath a lunar eclipse.
At 2:30 a.m. on November 19,
the alarms my roommate and I had
set 3 hours before went off. We knew
the peak time would be at 3 a.m. and
assumed we’d have trouble getting
out of the warmth of our beds to see
it, so we planned for a 30- minute
buffer. When we set them, I wasn’t
sure if I’d want to or even be able
to get up in the middle of the night.
I’ve always been more of an early
bird than a night owl. And yet the
hours that passed leading up to then
were filled with fitful sleep, tossing
and turning like the night before
your birthday or when you have to
catch an early flight. When the alarm
finally went off, I was relieved.
We bundled up like marshmal-
lows for the late-fall/early-winter
night and sent off texts to the small
group we’d planned to wake up with.
They met us outside, behind Warch
and Sage by the top of the stairs
down to the woods -- an area we at
the recess loft affectionately call our
back porch. And there it was. A big,
dully-glowing, mostly-red spot in the
sky. We looked and pointed, giggling
like kids, wishing we could shout to
every person on campus --
“Come outside! Look at the
Goosepimples
By Madeleine Corum
moon!”
There was a brief moment when
we considered heading back inside.
But then someone thought to ask, “I
wonder what it looks like from the
river”, and before we knew it, we
were walking down the stairs and
onto the dirt path through the woods.
We walked to the end, ooh-
ing and aahing at the glints of light
through the empty tree branches.
One of my STEM major friends
explained to us the science of eclips-
es, with some help (or lack thereof)
from those of us who maybe didn’t
know what we were talking about
but were nonetheless excited, and
thought we did.
We came out by the footbridge,
where we found a thin icy coating
covering the planks. Gleefully, we
shoe-skated out onto it, some of us
taking turns pushing and pulling
each other on the ice, and others yell-
ing for them to be careful and not die.
Sure enough, it was something else to
see a lunar eclipse while standing in
the middle of the Fox River. We lie
down together on the bridge in a little
dog pile, looking up at the sky.
“Did you know,” I said quietly
to my friends, “that the reason the
moon turns red during an eclipse, is
because of the light bending around
the earth?”
I looked around at them, snug-
Life Lyrics
gled up against each other, each of
our hands tucked into each other’s
pockets and gloves.
By Grace Reyes
“It’s just like a sunset, when the
sun’s low angle makes the sky turn
pink and orange, except it’s happen-
ing everywhere around the circum-
ference of the earth. So what we’re
seeing is a million tiny sunsets hit-
ting the moon at once.”
And we lay there and watched
a million sunsets, breathing small
plumes of warm air into the night.
Soon after that, someone (or
maybe everyone) got cold, and some-
one else mentioned hot chocolate.
We made quick work of getting back
to the path and back up the stairs
before heading inside for a big batch
of cocoa.
We didn’t stay up much longer
after that. If we did, I hardly remem-
ber it. The image that sticks in my
mind as I think of it now is craning
my neck from my recumbent posi-
tion on the bridge to look around
at my friends. The feeling of their
coats and scarves pressed up against
me, tickling the skin on my face, our
arms interlocked and our toes tucked
beneath each other.
Midnight, where we used to
dance. Underneath the ugly halogen
lamps.

Faërie
By Therese McCoy
Here I offer a rather dramatic
retelling of the ancient tale of The
Rose, which originates in classical
Greek mythology.
The luscious hue of the charm-
ing red rose invokes a rapturous
thrill for many who consider it a
symbol of romantic love. Alas for
me, Aphrodite -- the goddess of love
herself -- it has ever been a symbol
of sorrow and an aching heart. I
possessed the great misfortune of
arousing the love of two utterly dif-
ferent beings. One was the god of
war, Ares, and the other a mortal of
more profound beauty than my eyes
of love had yet witnessed; Adonis
was his name. I found the tempes-
tuous temperament of Ares to be
quite distasteful, even repulsive. The
presence of this god was only made
endurable by the gentle wooing of
my beautiful Adonis whose elegant
stature and lovely golden locks were
most appealing. Thus it was my dis-
mal lot in life to bear the love of two
beings but only return that of one;
the consequence was bitter.
It so happened that I had
unknowingly provoked Ares to mali-
cious resentment by my attraction
to this mortal. In his wrath, he
deemed it necessary for the life of
my beloved Adonis to end before
its time in order that I may sooner
forget his glorious existence. I did
not forget, nor shall I ever lose the
remembrance of that piteous night
still etched hideously in my mem-
ory. Ares impulsively executed his
wretched plan and swiftly descended
from his lofty perch in the heavens
Dragons
By Mara Logan
to assault my devoted love. I caught
a glimpse from afar of my dearest
one as he was mercilessly struck
down by a single wrathful blow from
the god of war. The horrendous view
wrenched the very depths of my
heart and I felt as though a vital part
of my existence had been pitifully
extracted from my being.
Blinded by tears of rage and
sorrow, I lunged forward extending
every effort to approach the site of
my suffering love, that I might pro-
tect him from the unfaltering rage
of his ruthless assailant. In my fury,
I became entangled in the groping
claws of a scornful rose bush. Its
menacing thorns tore at the flesh
of my tender heel and, ripping it
asunder, became drenched in the
red blood which outpoured. Caught
in my vicious trap, I was forced to
watch as the love of my life was grue-
somely murdered before my very
eyes. I was wracked with the excru-
ciating agony of my grief and, as I
sobbed, I saw the pure white rose
transform to a scarlet hue. To this
day, this flower has ever remained
a symbol of the innocent blood spilt
on that dreadful night. Though the
slash which colored it remains but a
simple scar, the wound in my heart
still bleeds and I shall forever con-
sider the shameless beauty of the
rose not a symbol of joyous love but
rather the bane of my existence.
January 21, 2022 VARIETY 5
THE LAWRENTIAN

Weekly Crossword
By Kelly Foy

Edgar & Poe

By Isabella Thompson
6 FEATURES January 21, 2022
THE LAWRENTIAN

Photo Feature by Astra Medeiros

January 21, 2022
Elda Emma Anderson: The unsung hero
Mary Boyle
Staff Writer
_________________________________________________________________
As we celebrate the 175th anniversary of Lawrence University,
we remember, reflect upon and commemorate the people who
pioneered the success of our institution. As we reflect on our
university’s history, it is crucial that we acknowledge the women
of Milwaukee-Downer College -- a women’s college that would
eventually consolidate with Lawrence University in 1964 --and
their contributions to our university and community. One woman
who is so often forgotten is Elda Emma Anderson. She is most
well known for her work on the Manhattan Project, and she also
became the first person to create a pure sample of Uranium-235.
Anderson had a passion for science and teaching, and she used her
talents to not only better the lives around her but make the world
a better place. Despite her outstanding contributions and legacy,
the only memorial to her at Lawrence is the name of one of our
share drives (ELDA)!
Elda Emma Anderson was born on Oct. 5, 1899, in Green
Lake, Wis., to Edwin and Lena Anderson (Wikipedia). Her inter-
est in math and physics sparked at a young age, and her parents
thought she should pursue her interests through teaching.
Before teaching, Anderson earned her B.A. in physics and
mathematics from Ripon College in 1923 and her master’s in
physics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1924. After
earning her master’s degree, she became the Dean of Sciences
at Estherville Junior College in Iowa when she was just 25 years
old, serving from 1924-1927. She also established the physics and
chemistry program there, as there had previously been none.
Then, from 1927-1929, just down the road from Appleton, she
went on to become the principal and head of the science depart-
ment at Menasha High School.
As if her accomplishments weren’t already impressive
enough, Anderson joined the physics department at Milwaukee-
Downer College in 1929 and became the first woman to earn
tenure in physics at Lawrence and Milwaukee-Downer as well
as the first woman to chair the physics department in 1934.
Only two women have earned tenure in physics at Lawrence and
Milwaukee-Downer: Elda Anderson and Associate Professor of
Physics Megan Pickett, who began teaching at Lawrence in 2006.
Anderson was known for her kindness and generosity, espe-
cially towards her students. She helped her students with prob-
lems both inside and outside the classroom, and she was known
to give loans to students who were in great financial need. She
assisted her students during the difficulty and uncertainty of the
Great Depression and World War II and shared a drink with them
in times of trouble (Mummah, 2018). Not only was she devoted
to teaching, but she was devoted to bettering the lives of those
around her.
After completing her Ph.D. in 1941 from the University
Photo Feature: A look into the past, Milwaukee
FEATURES 7
THE LAWRENTIAN
of Wisconsin-Madison (while maintaining her job as Dean of
Physics!), Anderson took a leave of absence from Milwaukee-
Downer to work at Princeton in the war research science division
(Mummah, 2018). In 1943, she went to Los Alamos Scientific
Laboratory where she joined the Manhattan Project, which was the
code name for the research and development of nuclear weapons
during World War II (History.com, 2020). While there, Anderson
became the first person to create a pure sample of Uranium-235;
this fissile isotope was required for the atom bombs that ended
WWII. While many women worked on the Manhattan Project as
librarians, secretaries or nurses, very few worked as engineers
or physicists -- except Anderson, whose contributions are still
prevalent today, for without the discovery of Uranium-235, the
atom bomb would have not been created. While working on the
project, Anderson resided in a dormitory, and since she was older
than most of the residents -- she was 50 at the time --, she was put
in charge of the dorm (Atomic Heritage Foundation, 2018). Even
while working up to 20-hour days, Anderson acted as a mentor
and guide to the younger residents.
After the war, Anderson returned to Milwaukee-Downer
College, but she then left in 1949 to work at Oak Ridge National
Laboratory. At Oak Ridge, she helped establish the Health Physics
Division and devoted the rest of her life to health physics, spe-
cifically the connection between radiological effects and human
health. A woman of many “firsts,” Anderson became the first Chief
of Education and Training for the Health Physics Division (Atomic
Heritage Foundation, 2018). The annual award for health physics,
the Elda E. Anderson Award for Health Physics, was established
in 1962 and is still given in her name. It is given by the. It is
given by the Health Physics Society to a young member of the
society to recognize “excellence in (1) research or development,
(2) discovery or invention, (3) devotion to health physics and/or
(4) significant contributions to the profession of health physics”
(Mummah, 2018).
Her contributions did not end here, though. After returning
from the Manhattan Project, Anderson spoke out about the dan-
gers of nuclear arms and continued to educate people about the
negative effects of radiation on human health. She died in 1961 of
breast cancer and leukemia, most likely because of her work on
the Project. She is buried in Greenville, Wis. Photo provided by Megan Pickett.
Elda Emma Anderson’s legacy, though unknown to many,
continues to live on today. She deserves recognition for spear- I want to thank Professor Megan Pickett for sharing her wide
heading women’s involvement in science and using her love of array of knowledge about Elda Emma Anderson and allowing me
science, research and teaching to better the world around her. to share her story. Professor Pickett seeks to amplify the voices of
To recognize the legacy of Anderson, the Lawrence University the women of Milwaukee-Downer College because they laid the
Society of Physics Students and Lawrence University Women in foundations of Lawrence University and helped shape it into what
Physics are organizing the first annual Elda Anderson Day on Oct. it is today. Professor Pickett allowed me to recognize and learn
5, 2022 -- Anderson’s birthday. While Anderson sought no fame, about the women that pioneered the success of our university and
she should be rightfully honored for her contributions to our com- community, and I hope you do too.
munity and the rest of the world.
Downer College
The Downer College band in 1895 (bottom left, ARC2014-001).
First year physics students in Ellen C. Sabin Science Hall in 1950 (top
left, ARC2007-121).
Milwaukee-Downer alumnae at Reunion in 1988 (top right, ARC2016-
177).
Crew team rowers in the Katie, 1958 (top middle, ARC2013-132).
The last Colors Day at Milwaukee-Downer College before consolidat-
ing with Lawrence University, 1963 (bottom middle, ARC2007-075).
Photos provided by Lawrence University Archives.
8 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
The Book
Club
Mikayla Henry
Columnist
_____________________________
With in-person classes in full
swing, it’s hard for a lot of students
to find the time or motivation to read
anything outside of their assigned
textbooks and articles. And, to be fair,
it’s a rare occurrence to enjoy every
single piece that professors place in
front of you, though for the first-years
reading Angels in America right now,
I would argue that you are genuinely
in for a treat. Granted, it happens
to be my favorite First-Year Studies
work, so I may be a tad biased.
Keeping the workload and pile of
assigned texts in mind, I have decided
to recommend a few “quick reads,”
as I like to call them, so that you
bookworms out there can slowly get
back into the habit of reading for
fun without getting too overwhelmed
right away. Trust me when I say I
know how daunting books can be
when you’re stuck in a burnout state-
of-mind.
The first book I would like to
mention is Stephen King’s Joyland,
the second book in his collection of
“Hard Case Crime” novels, which are
designed to mimic the crime novels
that were released in the 1940s and
1950s. Though King usually drags out
his books to be between 500 and
1,000 pages, Joyland is less than
300 pages in length, making this a
book one could potentially read in
a few days. After a harsh breakup,
our main character, Devin, goes to
work at a small-town amusement
park in order to distract himself, and
slowly becomes intertwined with the
park’s murderous history. And, being
a Stephen King book, there’s a sure-
fire guarantee that there is something
supernatural lingering just below the
surface of the carnival. If you’re a
fan of classic, old-fashioned American
mysteries (picture the rather tame
crime shows from the early 2000s
and 2010s rather than the Sherlock
Holmes novels) with a taste of ghosts,
then Joyland might be right up your
alley.
Sometimes it’s easier to find the
attention span to binge-watch an epi-
sode or two of a new show rather than
to pick up a book, especially when
your brain is fried from trying to ana-
lyze a philosophical text that seems to
be talking in circles. But some people
fail to realize that their favorite Netflix
series are based on books, too, like
the hit show The Witcher. Never fear,
though, I’m not going to persuade you
to try and cram an eight-book series
in-between classes. Well, at least
not yet. Instead, I’m going to point
you folks towards Shirley Jackson’s
The Haunting of Hill House, which
prompted a short ten-episode series
with the same name. As an avid fan of
the show (I’m actually in the middle of
re-watching it, in fact) and the book,
I would argue that both are certainly
worth the time and tell two similar,
yet different stories. Without spoiling
either, I will mention that Jackson’s
short 246-page gothic horror novel
follows a group of people conducting
a science experiment in order to prove
the existence of ghosts. Unexplainable
events start to occur, and the house
slowly but surely starts to consume
one of the members of the group. A
lot of the tale is up for interpretation,
as readers must ultimately try to deci-
pher who, or what, is doing the haunt-
ing. If you enjoy classic ghost stories
with a hint of psychological horror,
such as The Amityville Horror, then
this would be the perfect read for you.
That’s all for this week’s recom-
mendations! Hopefully these shorter
books will help you all get back into
your reading groove as the workloads
start to pile up over the next week or
so. But, until the next edition, I wish
you all happy reading!
THE LAWRENTIAN
College Ave Rewind(s):
Food Movies
Oliva Zimberoff
Columnist
_____________________________
Hey everyone! I cannot believe
it is the third week of school already.
It has been so long since I’ve written
for this column that I couldn’t even
remember its name this morning. I
don’t know about you, but I am not
a big fan of the commons food. Don’t
get me wrong, Warch is definitely
my favorite building on campus, but
sometimes the food just isn’t it. And
for me, that can lead to not wanting to
make the oh so very treacherous and
long walk from Plantz to Warch. I’m
kidding. But in all seriousness, I can’t
always rely on the ever-flowing bags
of goldfish in my room, the 3-Michelin
star-rated hot chocolate from the cafe
or a nice warm cup of soup from
Green Gecko down the street. Most
of the time I just head to Warch, pick
up a plate and move on. So unfortu-
nately, I struggle getting excited to go
to the cafeteria.
As a foodie, or so I think, I watch
a lot of food-centric media and con-
Review: Museum of Fine Arts,
Boston Virtual Tour
Sarah Matthews
Arts & Entertainment Editor
_____________________________
The museum lover in me has felt
more than deprived recently as we
see a continuation of COVID-19 case
surges. As we all know, the beginning
of the pandemic forced many places
to temporarily shut down, museums
being just one category. While most
museums remain open today, the ris-
ing cases of COVID-19 have put a
pause on museum trips for many peo-
ple, myself included. While I love sup-
porting local museums, including our
very own Wriston Art Galleries right
here on campus, I am continuing to
lose hope of me ever traveling again.
This being said, I decided to take on
the task of reviewing virtual tours of
museums I can’t yet travel to. First up
is Google Arts & Culture’s virtual tour
of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
While I one day hope to visit
Boston in person, I decided to virtu-
ally take a tour of the Museum of Fine
Arts because it was one of the larger
tours Google Arts & Culture has to
offer. On the main screen of the tour,
a short background of the museum
is given. Then, viewers are drawn
towards the 18 stories, or “exhibi-
tions” of the museum that are avail-
able. These stories range from topics
like “Radical Geometries,” to “Fashion
Photography at the MFA” and “Latinx
and Latin American Artists at the
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.” I was
pleased to see a somewhat wide vari-
ety of exhibitions, despite there only
being 18 available, which is usually
less than what one would get in an
actual museum setting for a museum
tent. As a result, I can get quite hun-
gry. So, without further ado, here are
some pretty darn good movies about
food that will evoke some hunger
grumbles and make you want to do
nothing more than sprint to the cafe-
teria with your socks on. And no, I am
not going to talk about Ratatouille.
While most of you may agree it is a
fantastic movie, it scared the living
daylights out of me as a kid and it is
safe to say that nothing has changed.
First up, Pig. It is a movie that
gets straight to the point within the
first 15 minutes. The one and only
Nicolas Cage is a truffle hunter living
in the woods when one night his little
shack is broken into, and his pig is
stolen. The subject matter may seem
a little odd, but this recently released
movie was fantastic. Cage’s character
Robin finds a way to the city where
he goes from place to place in search
of his pig. In between we get plenty of
food shots, whether it is in a restau-
rant setting or just Cage making food
for him and his pig. With plenty of
suspense, heartfelt moments and lots
this size.
As viewers choose which story
they want to view, they are walked
through a summary of the exhibition,
similar to an introduction panel, and
then they are able to click through
each artwork under that exhibition.
With each piece comes some identifi-
cation of the object, as well as a short,
one to two sentence interpretation
label. Most of the labels were digest-
ible and interesting to read. However,
as an avid label enthusiast, I wish the
title, artist and year of each artwork
was larger and easier to read on the
screen. In addition, I wish there were
audio or video options for viewers who
prefer receiving their information in
ways other than text. While some
exhibitions had clips of YouTube vid-
eos, they were very sparse and scat-
tered. The actual digital images, I will
say, were high resolution, easy to see
and interesting to flip through.
Along with these stories, viewers
also have the option to look through
a specific medium, such as the textile
collection. This I found to be a unique
experience, as visitors in a museum
usually don’t have the option to “sort”
through exhibitions through specific
categories, such as by artwork medi-
um. This feature might be particularly
helpful for someone doing a detailed
project or research. In addition to
medium categorization, viewers are
also able to see the artworks in the
museum through a dated timeline, or
by color. While this isn’t how I prefer
artworks to be sorted in a physical
museum space, I thought these were
fun features that can make for a new
January 21, 2022
of drama, you might laugh at me, but I
seriously recommend this one.
Next up is Chef. Since its release
in 2014, it remains a favorite food-
focused movie for me. It was also
the first R-rated movie I ever saw in
theaters, so that’s pretty cool. The
movie starts with a man named Carl,
played by Jon Favreau. He is a famous
chef who quits his job after a critic
comes to his restaurant and taunts
him, leading to Carl having a hilarious
meltdown. After taking some time off
he decides to run a food truck with his
former sous chef and young son, driv-
ing the truck all around the country
selling Cuban cuisine. This reignites
his love for cooking, life and love. And
boy did this movie make me hungry.
And finally, a quick shoutout to a
fellow food flick, the iconic animated
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,
because if I have ever wanted to be in
any movie other than Star Wars this
would have to be it. Who else wouldn’t
want to bathe in an ocean of nacho
cheese or be chased by a giant taco?
viewing experience. I also think these
types of sorting options make visit-
ing this virtual museum more acces-
sible to a wide variety of learners and
people of varying ages. I mean heck,
viewers can even sort to only see the
images of the artworks if they don’t
feel like looking at any labels or text.
Was this virtual tour of the
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston like
what a visitor would receive in the
actual museum? No, probably not
exactly. However, for those of you
yearning to get even the smallest taste
of Boston museums, I would recom-
mend you take a look through this
tour. The exhibitions might entice
people especially interested in fashion
and art conservation, as the stories
are heavy on the topics of preserv-
ing clothing, shoes and accessories.
Obviously, there are going to be flaws
in all virtual tours, like there are in
physical museums, as well. I can’t say
this was the most amazing museum
experience of my life, but I will say I
learned new perspectives on art and
was fairly entertained on my comput-
er. While this Google Arts & Culture
virtual tour may not be like any other
tour you have experienced, it might be
just what you need to satisfy your art
exhibition craving.
For those interested in viewing
the virtual tour of the Museum of Fine
Arts, Boston themselves, follow this
QR code:
January 21, 2022
Lawrence University’s Birthday Recital
Taylor Yakey-Hughes
Staff Writer
____________________________
To celebrate 175 years since
its founding, Lawrence University’s
Birthday Recital showcased the tal-
ent and spirit of its faculty and stu-
dent body. President Laurie Carter,
the seventeenth president to serve
at Lawrence, opened the evening by
addressing the Lawrence students
and recollecting some of the school’s
most significant history, such as when
the name “Lawrence University” was
first adopted in 1864, and when the
Conservatory was established in 1874.
As the Birthday Recital com-
menced, Professor Anthony Padilla,
a gifted pianist, opted to recognize a
work from the “overlooked women
composers” in the 1840s, perform-
ing a piece of Fanny Mendelssohn-
Hensel’s. Additionally, he played a
work by Margaret Bonds, a black
female composer from 1967. The
pieces themselves had a bit of a com-
plex simplicity to them, pleasant to
listen to, while invoking thought all
the same.
Next arrived a trombone
trio, performing a piece by Anton
Bruckner, who wrote the piece the
same year Lawrence University was
founded. They hoped the piece would
serve as a good omen for Lawrence,
stating, “The best is yet to come.”
Following the beautiful performance
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
came Matthew Mitchalick and the
return of Anthony Padilla, performing
a cello piece by Louis Farrenc, adapt-
ed as an “oasis of calm.” Truthfully,
the piece brought to mind an image of
spring at night, when all are at rest in
a growing and changing world.
A piece composed by Clyde
Duncan was shared next, which pre-
sented an opportunity to communi-
cate more about the history and evolu-
tion of the Conservatory. For example,
many studios were kept in the liv-
ing rooms of homes, and it was “not
uncommon for students to come in
through the windows.” Additionally,
the piece served as a reminder of the
lifelong friendships and connections
that are made at Lawrence University.
Finally, Karan Lee Post, accompa-
nied by Anthony Padilla on the piano,
closed the evening with a vocal perfor-
mance of three songs by American art-
ists, celebrating the country Lawrence
finds itself standing in. Those in vir-
tual attendance or who look back on
the birthday celebration should do
so in fondness of Lawrence’s accom-
plishments thus far, and hope as to
what the students and faculty may
accomplish next.
For those who would like to view
the livestream of the recital, follow
this QR code:
THE LAWRENTIAN
9
(Above) Students Jacob Dikelsky (‘22), Mikayla Frank-Martin (‘22) and Ryan Saladin (‘24) perform “Aequale No. 1” by Anton Bruckner for
three trombones.
(Left) Professor Matthew Michelic (viola) abd Professor Anthony Padilla (piano) perform “Sonata for Piano and Cello,” transcribed for
viola by Louise Farrenc.
Photos by Alana Melvin.
Movies, Movies,
Movies
Levi Homman nothing but a digital prison designed act for a movie on this scale. Not every
Staff Writer to confine and limit him. What sets in-joke lands, and the script’s tone
_____________________________
this introductory section apart from comes off as condescending at times,
_________
the first installments, though, is that but it’s an oddly refreshing take on a
The Matrix Resurrections, 2021,
the audience is already familiar with sequel 20-odd years later.
directed by Lana Wachowski — 3.5/5
the film’s premise, and the film knows As the story progresses, though,
Stars
it. To reckon with this, the concept of the film begins to encounter some of
The Matrix, as a franchise, has
“the matrix” is present in the world the same pitfalls it seems to disdain.
reached a level of cultural ubiquity
of the film, in the form of a tril- While the characters of Agent Smith
that few intellectual properties ever
ogy of video games made by Thomas and Morpheus are still present, they
see. The visual style of the original
Anderson himself. The games have have been recast, a choice that feels
1999 film has become a genre unto
reached a similar status as the mov- jarring and unnecessary, especially
itself, and the way directors Lana and
ies in the real world, and in tandem when it becomes clear that they could
Lily Wachowski shot and staged their
have developed fans that misinterpret have been left out of the story entirely.
action sequences forever changed
the storytelling and have a thirst for The action sequences, despite being
blockbuster filmmaking. There has
more Matrix content. Soon enough, bright and colorful, hardly hold a
also been a much uglier, more frus-
Anderson, or Neo, as he is later called, candle to the thrilling, dynamic com-
trating side of The Matrix’s popular-
is asked to make a new Matrix game, a bat from the first film. Choppy, dis-
ity; the social and political messaging
sequel to his original trilogy. He’s also orienting editing and over-reliance
of the original film has been twisted
told that if he doesn’t make it, the stu- on visual effects hold the exciting
and warped by conservatism, with
dio will make it without him. Not only moments back from being even close
online communities interpreting the
does this bear obvious parallels to to as engaging. Wachowski also makes
iconic “red pill” as a gateway to big-
Lana Wachowski’s real-life situation, an interesting choice to splice in foot-
oted, regressive views of the world.
right down to the threat of production age from the original trilogy through-
Upon the announcement of a
without her consent, but movie dis- out Resurrections, which, despite
new Matrix film, many were skepti-
tributor Warner Brothers is actually being well-intentioned, cheapens and
cal of the necessity of such a sequel,
mentioned by name, shoehorned in as detracts from the anti-nostalgia bait
and rightly so. Even with the involve-
the game development team studio’s rhetoric the film aims for.
ment of Lana Wachowski, one of the
parent company. The game enters It stumbles at times, but The
original two directors, it seemed likely
early stages of production, and the Matrix Resurrections is so stunning-
that The Matrix Resurrections was set
development discusses The Matrix as ly unsubtle, so jaw-droppingly and
to be a lazy, rehashed nostalgia trip
a social concept, asking questions like head-spinningly meta, so angry and
to appease fans. While Resurrections
“What makes The Matrix great?” and silly and zealous, that it’s hard not to
isn’t always innocent in that regard,
“What do people want in a Matrix applaud what it attempts. In a time
it takes far more risks than it could
sequel?” Some of the characters’ input where nearly every reboot and sequel
have, and it does something many
seems poignant and relevant, making in recent memory has been so reliant
reboots and sequels are afraid to do:
note of the political themes of the and inferior to its precursors, seeing a
actively deconstruct and confront its
franchise and trying to expand on director challenge the trend is incred-
own impact. Spoilers follow.
those ideas. Others are clear jabs at ibly fun. Resurrections knows that it
Resurrections starts similarly to
those who engage with the films only will never be 1999’s Matrix, and so
its predecessor. Keanu Reeves begins
on a surface level, with boisterous, it doesn’t even try. And that’s what
as Thomas Anderson, a dejected,
goofy characters making demands for makes it work.
bored desk jockey with a knack for
more explosions and rehashes of set
computers. Little does he know, of
pieces from the original. It’s truly a
course, that the world he exists in is
hilarious, ambitious, overly meta first
10
keep supporting striking workers
Nathan Wall
Staff Writer
__________________________
________
October 2021 was known as
“Striketober” due to all the militant
labor activity taking place around the
country. As the month came to an end,
Striketober turned into Strikevember,
Strikesgiving and other strike-themed
portmanteaus. The point is, the labor
movement is not a fluke, and this
resurgence continued even as 2021
came to a close.
The striking workers at John
Deere and Kellogg’s, mentioned in my
previous article, have won. At the end
of last year, when Kellogg’s threat-
ened to replace striking workers after
they rejected inadequate contracts,
they were met with harsh condemna-
tion from all across the political spec-
trum, including President Joe Biden.
Shortly before Christmas, Kellogg’s
conceded and accepted a contract for
their workers that includes a pathway
to higher paid jobs at the company
and an across-the-board $1.10/hour
wage increase. At John Deere, after
a months-long strike, the company
and workers agreed to an immediate
10 percent wage increase, followed
by five percent increases in 2023 and
NFL Playoffs...
continued from page 3
Chiefs:
OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
Striketober didn't end,
2025, and an immediate bonus of
$8,500 for every John Deere worker.
These workers defeated massive cor-
porations by standing together, show-
ing solidarity and understanding that
they had the right to demand more.
Starbucks is also experiencing
a wave of unionization, despite the
best efforts of corporate leadership.
Workers have been fed up over low
pay, heavy workloads, inconsistent
scheduling, inadequate training
and poor job safety. This began in
early December when a Starbucks in
Buffalo, N.Y., voted 19-8 to form a
union and another location in Buffalo
finalized its union victory on Jan. 10.
After the victory in Buffalo, work-
ers at two Boston Starbucks loca-
tions filed union petitions. This has
been followed by unionization efforts
in Cleveland, Ohio; Eugene, Ore.;
Knoxville, Tenn.; Tallahassee, Fla.;
Hopewell, N.J.; Broomfield, Colo.;
Mesa, Ariz.; Richmond and North
Chesterfield, Va.; Baltimore; Seattle;
and Chicago.
Turning to another corporate
behemoth, after Amazon crushed
the union drive in Bessemer, Ala.,
the prospects of a union at Amazon
seemed bleak, but the fight is con-
tinuing. Although the union drive
After a statement win by Josh
Allen and the Bills, they look to take
on the last two Super Bowl goers and
Patrick Mahomes. Allen has been in-
consistent throughout the season and
THE LAWRENTIAN
in Staten Island, N.Y., was not suc-
cessful, the National Labor Relations
Board (NLRB) ruled that Amazon vio-
lated labor laws by placing the mailbox
which counted the votes for or against
the union near the company’s video
cameras and surrounding the voting
location with anti-union propaganda.
NLRB Director Lisa Henderson has
ordered a do-over election, which will
begin Feb. 4. This union election will
be especially important after the man-
slaughter of 6 Amazon employees in
Edwardsville, Ill., who were told to
remain at work during a tornado and
were killed when the building col-
lapsed on them.
The labor movement is not lim-
ited to workers at mega corporations,
and has spread to education insti-
tutions as well. Student workers at
Columbia University went on strike
twice in 2021 for higher wages, dental
coverage, secure contracts and access
to independent arbitration. The strike
has since ended with every student
worker at Columbia receiving a nine
to 11 percent pay increase. Student
workers at Harvard University, as well
as the University of California sys-
tem, have also gone on strike over
the same issues. And let us not for-
get about the Fight for $15 an hour
his career, but Mahomes and the KC
defense were nowhere to be found the
first half of the season. Who will take
this AFC championship rematch? Al-
len and the bills took the regular sea-
and the CA almost-revolt that’s been
happening on our campus. College
students aren’t the only ones organiz-
ing; 327 school bus drivers in Charles
County, Md., are also unionizing with
the Amalgamated Transit Union.
On Dec. 12, 2021, grocery store
workers at Kroger-owned super-
markets QFC and Fred Meyer in
Portland, Ore., authorized a strike
over low wages, low pensions, inad-
equate health benefits and lacklus-
ter workplace protections. By Dec.18
the company caved, ending talks of a
strike. Sanitation workers at Republic
Services’ facilities in Lynnwood,
Wash., and Corvette Plant work-
ers in Bowling Green, Ky., have also
threatened to strike unless conditions
improve in their workplace.
Healthcare workers have been
unionizing, including EMTs in
Compton, Calif., Board of Health
workers in Whiteside County, Ill., and
nurses and hospital workers across
the country. A union doesn’t even
come close to what healthcare work-
ers deserve after being on the front
lines of a global pandemic for almost
two years.
Employees at less traditional
union workplaces have been join-
ing this movement. Workers at the
son game home this year.
PREDICTION: Patty Mahomes
cruises and repeats his AFC Champi-
onship for a third straight year.
Expect even more excitement
January 21, 2022
California-based video game com-
pany Activision Blizzard went on
strike over the hiring of temporary
contractors instead of full-time work-
ers, sexism in the workplace and
forced arbitration. Museum employ-
ees in NYC at the Jewish, Brooklyn,
Whitney, and Guggenheim Museums
have been organizing with UAW Local
2110. The Art Institute of Chicago
and the Politics & Prose Bookstore
Chain in D.C. have also recently
unionized. Cannabis workers includ-
ing in Eugene, OR, St. Louis, MO,
Springfield, IL and Lake of the Hills,
IL have been joining the movement,
joining hundreds of unionized dispen-
saries in weed-friendly states.
The point of this article is not to
put together a list of every workplace
that’s unionizing or striking. That
would take far too long. The point is
that the labor movement is a continu-
ing process, and we have to keep fight-
ing for it. If you want to show support,
respect picket lines, donate what you
can to strike funds and demand bet-
ter in your workplace. Chances are, if
you feel that way, someone else does
too, and even if your boss is nice and
your working conditions are good, you
deserve a union. Let’s keep fighting
for the world we deserve.
this upcoming weekend, as all these
matchups promise to be extremely
entertaining.
January 21, 2022 OPINIONS & EDITORIALS THE LAWRENTIAN
11

Apply for the job

Molly Ruffing dreams of being a writer. If I wrote for for a position on the editorial board. I became Editor-in-Chief, which is the greatest asset when applying for
Editor-in-Chief the paper and they paid me, then I’d Attempting to ignore overwhelming almost always how the transition jobs, particiluarly in The Lawrentian.
__________________________ be a professional. When I submitted amounts of self-doubt, I planned to works. It will not work that way this If we only apply for the positions
my application, though, I doubted I’d apply for at least four of the open year, though. Our current Copy Chief, we think we’re qualified for, we prob-
The Lawrentian is current-
be contacted. I had no previous expe- positions on the editorial board, hop- Shania Johnson, will be graduat- ably won’t be applying to that many
ly doing quite a bit of hiring as we
rience. My high school didn’t have ing I might be considered for one. But ing at the end of the year. Ethan and probably not even the ones we
approach our next news cycle and
a newspaper, and my only previous I reminded myself that I was just a Wachendorf, our Managing Editor, really want. So, apply for the jobs you
need to find new leadership. With this,
work experience was waitressing and writer and should probably lower my will be as well, which means that all do want, even if you don’t think you’re
as well as my approaching graduation
scrubbing urinals. No one had ever expectations. of the Executive Team positions are qualified. If you don’t get it, you don’t
and inevitable plunge into the job
paid me for my writing before. Then I became Copy Chief. And opening up for the next news cycle. get it. But if you do, well, you get to be
market, I’ve been thinking about job
You probably won’t be surprised that’s what I like to call an upset. On top of that, our sports and the underdog. And everyone loves an
applications quite a bit. As I answer
when I tell you I got the job. Little did I know, the copy variety editors as well as our web man- underdog.
potential applicants’ questions and
I wrote for the News section for chief is almost always hired from the ager are also graduating. There are
spend too much time on LinkedIn,
two years, submitting at least one arti- already existing team of copy editors. definitely some openings to be filled Please visit lawrentian.com/
I am reminded of when I applied to
cle each week — and sometimes one or Considering one of the copy chief’s in the leadership of The Lawrentian, apply for the list of open positions
work at The Lawrentian so many
two more than that. Being a consistent roles is to manage the copy editors, and none of them require previous and their job descriptions and appli-
years ago.
writer for an under-staffed section this makes sense. Had I known this, experience. cations.
As a first-year, I desper-
made me a good chunk of change. though, I probably wouldn’t have As an organization, we value
ately wanted to be a writer for The
During my sophomore year, applied. growth over coming in with a polished
Lawrentian to fulfill my childhood
my editor encouraged me to apply After a year of being Copy Chief, skill set. A commitment to learning is

The opinions expressed in The Lawrentian are those of the students, faculty and community members who wrote them. The
Lawrentian does not endorse any opinions piece except for the staff editorial, which represents a majority of the editorial
board. The Lawrentian welcomes everyone to submit their own opinions. For the full editorial policy and parameters for sub-
mitting articles, please refer to the masthead, which is located on the back of each edition.
12
Photo Poll
What are your thoughts on mint chocoloate chip ice cream?
“Although it sounds pretty dark, I
like it.”
—Cisco Yu
“I’m not against it.”
—Jose Antonio Lozano
“It used to be my favorite flavor! I
even ate the mint chocolate.”
—Moeka Kamiya
Unedited Board
Alana Melvin, Photo Editor
“It’s an abomination of a flavor. I
don’t understand why anyone would
willingly eat toothpaste flavored
ice cream that has weirdly textured
flakes in it that you can’t even taste.”
as a writer, photographer, illustrator or editor!
We want your voice in our publication.
If interested, visit lawrentian.com/apply
“Mhmm...hmmmm...hmmm YES it’s
good!”
—Juan Felipe Ayala
“It’s really good when you dip
Cheetos puffs in it!”
—Sabrina Salas
“I think it’s underrated.”
—Jose Rico-Fajardo
Jamie Dong, Alana Melvin
Staff Photographer, Photos Editor
Not Pictured
Lucian Baxter, Features Editor
“Choccy chunks in ice cream are a
major red flag, but if it’s literally the
only option I guess I would choose
ice cream over no ice cream.”
Join
THE LAWRENTIAN
COMMUNITY
Jamie Dong
Staff Photographer
“It’s like going to the dentist and
getting a treat afterwards lol.”
—Sarah Navy
“No idea, never tried it.”
—Aiastan Sherniiazov
“It tastes like toothpaste, but in the
best way possible. I could eat a bowl
or two of it.”
—Katherine Perry
Rose Williams, Copy Editor
“It’s not my all-time favorite, but it’s
my go-to option any time I need a
good flavor.”
January 21, 2022
EDITORIAL POLICY: EDITORIAL BOARD:
— Editorial policy is Editor-in-Chief:
determined by the editors. Molly Ruffing
Any opinions that appear
unsigned are those of the Copy Chief:
majority of The Lawrentian’s Shania Johnson
Editorial Board.
Managing Editor:
— Letters to the editor are Ethan Wachendorf
encouraged. The editors
reserve the right to edit for News Editor:
Alex Freeman
style and space. Letters must
be emailed to:
Variety Editor:
lawrentian@lawrence.
Celeste Reyes
edu. Submissions by email
should be text attachments. Sports Editor:
Gannon Flynn
— All submissions to edito-
rial pages must be turned in Features Editor:
to The Lawrentian no later
than 5 p.m. on the Monday Arts & Entertainment Editor:
before publication. Sarah Matthews
— All submissions to the Opinions & Editorials Editor:
editorial pages must be Open Position
accompanied by a phone
number at which the author Photo Editor:
can be contacted. Articles Alana Melvin
submitted without a contact
number will not be pub- Web Manager:
lished. Nora Murphy
— The Lawrentian reserves Copy Editor:
the right to refuse to print Rose Williams
Open Positions
any submissions received
after the above deadline
Layout Editor:
Paola Saldana Galvan
— Letters to the editor will
be edited for clarity, decen-
cy, accuracy and grammar.
— Letters to the editor
should not be more than 500
words.
Members of
the Associated
Collegiate
Press
A Note from The Lawrentian Web Manager
This paper copy of The Lawrentian you are most likely holding right
now, isn’t the only place you can find our witty writers and talented photog-
raphers. We have a freshly renovated website, www.lawrentian.com, where
the paper is published each Friday, often before the paper version even hits
campus! Our website is also where you can always find information about
hiring, how to submit a letter to the editor and our handbook. A .pdf version
of The Lawrentian is published online each Friday as well; the link to this can
be found on our website.
For the first time ever we are rolling out a newsletter! It will be sent
to your inbox each Friday with section highlights from that week’s edition!
You can subscribe to this at thelawrentian.substack.com. If you want to
find us during the other days of the week, our social media is the best place.
We can be found on Facebook, Instagram @the_lawrentian and twitter @
TheLawrentian. And soon we will also be found on Google News!
Thank you for all engaging with the paper each week, and I look forward
to seeing some of you online!
--Nora Murphy, Web Manager
Thank You
The staff of The Lawrentian want to send our sincere
thank you to all those involved in the Dr. MLK Day of Service,
especially those who attended and supported our event
“Black, White and (Un)read: Exploring how media can avoid
ignoring and/or misrepresenting minority audiences in their
coverage.” We especially want to thank Garrett Singer, the
director of the Center for Community Engagement and Social
Change, and his staff for their work in planning the events for
the day.
We are also immensely grateful to our lecturer,
Professor Tamara Buck, and our panelists Nathan Heffel ’02,
Larry Gallup and Henry Sanders, Jr. for their contributions.
We appreciate their time and their willingness to share their
knowledge and experiences with us to help us grow as an
organization.
Thank you, too, to all those who attended the event.
We are excited by the eagerness of our community to engage
in dialogue about media misrepresentation as we continue to
reform our organization.
To learn more about the event and
our panelists, please follow the QR code to the
GivePulse event page.