Friday, March 29

News

Thoughts from Nickie and Anthony
News, Opinion, Perspective

Thoughts from Nickie and Anthony

By Nicolette Sanlin and Anthony Francis Photos by Nicolette and Anthony As I sit at home looking for the “right” way to begin, I’ve come to the realization that there is no “right” way. It feels right to be uncomfortable regarding my past, present, and future conversations. It feels right to lean into my discomfort when educating myself and the young lives I impact. It feels right to use the medium of sport to be the stimulus for social change. Sadness and hurt have been reoccurring emotions knowing that, as a country, we have not done enough to create REAL change, to take a stand against systematic racism.  Without a meaningful plan of action from our communities, arbitrary blanket statements serve as an empty attempt to pacify the masses. There have been times I have...
No Justice, No Peace
News, Perspective

No Justice, No Peace

By Abigail Rumpp, contributing writer Photos by Abigail Rump “I’m really nervous.” My best friend Sam’s words rattled around in my brain as we walked through downtown Knoxville, making our way to the gathering protest in Market Square. The city was quiet – a few people ambled around the streets, but there were hardly any cars, noises, or sounds besides some gusts of wind. To be completely honest, I was pretty nervous too. Headlines from the past week kept buzzing in my mind, recounting violence, anger, and police brutality in neighboring states and cities. Tennessee has never had the best track record with progressive ideas, and being a red conservative state in the south doesn’t help either. Even so, I wanted to be part of the national change that was occurring. I have a voice, ...
An Academic Excellence Day That Connects The World
Campus Events, Campus News

An Academic Excellence Day That Connects The World

Magdalena Knapp, Editor in Chief Pictures: mckendree.edu Many things have changed over the past few weeks because of the Coronavirus. It has changed the way we used to live, the way students go to school, and the way we interact with other people in our daily life. One thing has not changed: McKendree University's commitment to their students. This year, more than ever, it is important to celebrate the students' accomplishments. Despite the sudden changes, McKendree University will be hosting its annual Academic Excellence Celebration Day, just in a slightly modified way. McKendree University will hold a virtual electronic Academic Excellence Celebration on Thursday, April 23, 2020 and it will be called the "eAEC." Students and faculty members have worked together to create an online web...
She Puts the K in McK
Campus News

She Puts the K in McK

Mikayla Walton, Contributing Writer Featured image: Facebook/ Kaylyn Ruiz Many students here at McKendree know Kaylyn Ruiz as the woman who works while delivering fantastic customer service with a smile in Ames or chatting with students and faculty alike as she helps in 1828. However, you may not actually know her. Kaylyn, or KK for short, is a middle child of four from Belleville, Illinois. She had been working at Mckendree for five years before deciding to attend classes. “I was hired in the 1828 Cafe to be a cashier," Ruiz said. "I never really thought about higher education until I got to Mckendree and was around college students and professors all day.” KK attends classes for a degree in Business Management and is a part-time student here when she isn’t working. Though, when she ...
Presidential Brown Bag
Campus Events, Campus News

Presidential Brown Bag

By Christopher Fernandez, Contributing Writer Four score and seven years ago, we had barely begun to scratch the surface of the long history of McKendree University.  The school that we call home and have come to love over the years has developed from the small McKendree College to the now prosperous McKendree University.  In this time McKendree has seen its fair share of Presidents come and go. While many individuals who held the title of President have helped to shape McKendree into the bustling university that we enjoy today, some have had much more interesting histories and achievements than others. With such a rich and deep history dating back to our origins in 1828, the McKendree University Archives & Museum group put on a Brown Bag to showcase the history of these men.  Justin ...
The Big Mysteries of Financial Aid
Campus News, Local News, News, Opinion

The Big Mysteries of Financial Aid

By Landon Cole, Contributing Writer Like many college students, I fall into a category that can make the financial aid process difficult. The Federal Student Aid office grossly overestimates my family’s contribution to my education when, in reality, I paid out-of-pocket for my associate’s degree from a community college, and I’m relying on loans to pay for my bachelor’s degree. The EFC (estimated family contribution) is calculated using parents’ combined household income to estimate a student’s eligibility for federal direct subsidized and unsubsidized student loans. These EFCs are often tied up in mortgages and car payments and are not accurate estimates of parents’ ability or willingness to pay for their child’s education. In my case, because the Department of Education estimates that my...
When Eating Becomes a Struggle
Advice, Campus News, Opinion

When Eating Becomes a Struggle

By Alec Deyong, Contributing Writer Love it or hate it, Ames dining hall is ground zero for a great deal of the complaints that students lob at McKendree University. Between the variety, the quality, the staff, and the hours, it is hard for a small campus to make everyone happy. For some, however, it goes beyond mere inconvenience. Whether it be by choice or by way of genetic lottery, there are students among us that have varying dietary restrictions—from vegetarians to students with severe allergies. These restrictions can make everyday life for students much more complicated. Taking into account all the factors that stress out the average college student, the last thing anyone wants to add to the concoction is a lack of fuel. One person who is anxious to face this reality is senior Mad...
How Students are Sabotaging One Another at McKendree
Campus News, Opinion

How Students are Sabotaging One Another at McKendree

By Loren Terveer, Contributing Writer You are laying in bed after a long day of classes and activities. Your eyes slowly shut and your mind wanders. You begin to drift into sleep as the warm blankets cocoon you in comfort. Just as your breathing falls into a sleepy rhythmic beat you hear it. SLAM! Your neighbor comes home and slams their front door. THUMP! THUMP! The students who live upstairs begin to move their furniture into a new feng shui. CLICK! The light claws at your eyelids as your roommate comes into the room and switches on the overhead lamps. The distractions pile up, flooding your ears, and the mere idea of sleep eludes you. You are officially awake for the night. For many McKendree students, this situation is too familiar. One of the biggest frustrations in regards to liv...
Campus Connectivity Crisis: Students Take on the McKendree Wi-Fi
Campus News, Local News, News, Opinion

Campus Connectivity Crisis: Students Take on the McKendree Wi-Fi

By Madeline Cade, Contributing Writer In 2016, McKendree gave up cable in order to enhance our Wi-Fi connectivity. Fast forward to 2019 and we have more Wi-Fi problems than before the fix. There seem to be daily complications when completing or turning in online assignments. Ironically, even as I sat writing this piece, there were three times over the course of a few days where I had to stop due to little to no connectivity. I was genuinely interested in hearing what other students had to say about the McKendree Wi-Fi crisis. I first took to my Instagram to get input directly from students. I set up polls on my story to see what the Bearcats thought about the Wi-Fi. I started my survey by asking if they had ever had a problem with the Wi-Fi. I had 293 McKendree students answer this one.  ...
Coffee with a Splash of Stress
Campus News

Coffee with a Splash of Stress

By Magdalena Knapp, Editor Personally, I believe that one of the most beautiful words the Greeks have given us is “agape.” Agape stands for a kind of love that seeks nothing in return. You love someone or something, simply because you love it. It think it is beautiful. Something like agape is hard to find, but last week at McKendree University students could find it at the Agape Latte. The Agape Latte is a very popular event at McKendree University. The idea is for students to come together, enjoy a cup of coffee or other beverage of their choice and a sweet piece of cheesecake. The speaker this semester was a highly valued member of McKendree University, Mr. Scott Neill, teacher for health and wellness. I was lucky enough to have him as a teacher, so I knew that this Agape Latte presenta...