Uncategorized

By IS, contributing writer Photo from CNN As a competing member of the Parliamentary and Lincoln-Douglas Debate Teams here on campus, an ardent arguer, and one of political controversy’s most concupiscent addicts, I would like to apologize for the acts that just disgraced the U.S. Federal Government’s stage. The 2020 Presidential Debates (thus far) have hardly earned their title. A debate is intended to inform the national voter audience of a prospective president’s intentions while in office on certain critical and current events. The ideology is to capture a raw reaction and response, no matter what a person is capable of preparing for; the debate stage is a battle-zone. Your opponent’s responses and opportunities for accusatory cross-examination make the debate an unrehearsed per...

By Claire Jennings, Assistant Editor Photos from Google and Unsplash I’ve always been fascinated with both true crime and the mindset and background of the incarcerated criminals. At the height of my quarantine boredom, I decided to reach out to prisoners around the country to act as a pen-pal and keep them company during the strict lockdowns they’ve faced due to COVID-19. I met John Doe** through the service www.writeaprisoner.com, which gives inmate mailing addresses for the general public to contact them.  writeraprisoner.com is a website where you can become pen-pals with incarcerated individuals John and I began with small talk--his favorite activities outside of prison, general prison life, how he was doing with the lockdown. Humanizing inmates is an overlooked pa...

By Julianne Thornton, contributing writer Feature photo by McKendree, photos by Julianne Thornton As we all know, many universities cannot hold in-person classes or are holding hybrid courses. As a student who attended a community college and is now attending a private university, I set out to explore the opinions of a few of my former and current professors to understand if the two different schools are experiencing similar feelings about COVID-19 and the precautions that are in place to stop the spread.  I paid a visit to Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) to cover a few details related to my degree. And WOW. Yes, social distancing is taking place. Yes, the teachers are doing everything in their power to combat this virus. Yes, some courses are being held differently tha...

By Isabella Strimling, contributing writer Photo by getarchd.com “Sex, like race, is a visible, immutable characteristic bearing no necessary relationship to ability. Sex, like race, has been made the basis for unjustified or at least unproved assumptions, concerning an individual’s potential to perform or to contribute to society… These distinctions have a common effect: They help keep woman in her place, a place inferior to that occupied by men in our society.”Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on her first-ever Supreme ruling  From a young age, I was taught the importance of female imperium and to never let the weight of sexual discrimination stop me from pursuing my goals. However, it wasn’t until my junior year of high school when I was finally educated enough to be justif...

By Claire Jennings, Assistant Editor Photos from Google My fall semester of my senior year at McKendree was meant to be spent preparing for and taking the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE), but COVID-19 had derailed that plan as well as all the others I had made for my final year. At the beginning of the semester, I wasn’t sure how to proceed. Should I take the exam anyway? Would my program still require it? How could I take the test safely? The stress of applying to graduate school became heightened by my confusion and concern. After carefully scrutinizing application requirements for over 50 programs in my field, I realized every one I had come across amended their applications not to include GRE scores. While some of the more prestigious universities invited applicants to submit...

By Victoria Sananikone, Editor in Chief Photos from Netflix “When you have that connection with an animal and have those experiences, it’s absolutely mind-blowing. There’s no greater feeling on earth."- craig foster, My Octopus Teacher The connection between humans and animals is extraordinary. Sometimes we bring them into our homes where they become our best friends, companions for life, or beings of support through our dark times. In other circumstances, we simply observe them in their natural habitat. The ways in which animals interact with one another, how they defend themselves, how they hunt for their food, their mating rituals, and how they care for their offspring—these are so easily overlooked. As we watch these animals, we are exposed to the true beauty of what it m...

By Paris Suzuki, contributing writer Photos by McKendree Athletic Department March 20, 2019 would change the football career of McKendree University’s sophomore cornerback, number 32, Tony Pisoni. Headed into the spring season with junior year approaching, Pisoni was listed as a player to watch out for.  “Pisoni is going to go crazy and be undefeatable this year,” players would say.  His hard work and dedication during the off-season paid off and it was now his time to shine. Pisoni was covering a wide receiver during spring ball practice for the Bearcats. The receiver was running a dig route, an offensive play where the receiver runs 10 yards forward and then makes a 90-degree cut to the inside. When the receiver caught the pass from the quarterback, Pisoni was ...

By Laurynn Davey, Assistant Editor Photos taken by the McKendree University Communication and Marketing Office On Thursday Sept. 17, members of the McKendree community gathered together on the front lawn for a peaceful rally and marched in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Student body president, Shelby Benn, began the rally with a few opening remarks. Devon Myles, a player on the McKendree University football team, then led the Black Lives Matter march through campus. Students followed Devon to the fountain then marched down College Road before making their way back to the front lawn. Families from the town of Lebanon joined with McKendree’s faculty and students to participate in the march for justice and inclusion.  The march down campus Organized by Shelby Benn, D...

By Mikayla Walton, Associate Editor Photos from Google A body shambling around with glassy eyes, outstretched arms, and clumsy movements... It sounds a little creepy, doesn’t it? Rest assured, this isn’t the next episode of The Walking Dead,  but rather Hollywood’s interpretation of a phenomenon: sleepwalking. If this is the common interpretation and often people’s thoughts on it, then what is the reality? Well, we should start first with this question: what is sleepwalking?  Sleepwalking or parasomnia is a sleep disorder where the person basically straddles the border between being asleep and awake. Sleepwalking begins during the REM cycle, more commonly known as deep sleep. Though, it is an important thing to know, sleepwalking is not just limited to walking. A sleep...

By I.S., contributing writer Feature photo from Getty Images Welcome back, Bearcats, to the second installment of Purple Politics. I’m sure by now you’ve read, seen, or scrolled past something in regard to the presidential race of 2020. You’ve probably noticed that we, the people, are once again devastated by the lack of leadership and preeminence the pool of candidates is offering. This year, the Republican candidate is Donald Trump and his opposition, Joe Biden (Obama’s VP). The other notable candidate is Jo Jorgenson, a Libertarian. Despite coming out to be a well-rounded, fantastically moderate and sensible candidate, Jorgenson may not be able to muster enough mojo to ultimately defeat the Donkey and Elephant this time around. In the first installment of this column, we...