IVCC_IV Leader_100225

Students visit the numerous booths set up by campus clubs and organizations to learn about IVCC and the services that it offers on Sept. 24 during the annual Spirit Day.

In this issue: Spirit Day shows off college clubs

PAGE 2: Learn about Campus Resources

PAGE 3: Election results listed

PAGE 4: Young heads Theatre Department

PAGE 5: Two shows planned for fall

PAGE 8: Sounds for midterm study help

PAGE 12: Men’s cross county needs runners

By Jabulile Mooketsi IV Leader Staff Writer

Illinois Valley Community College had its annual Spirit Day on Sept. 24, a day that was used for the students and faculty staff to celebrate school pride.

The day was filled with activities in the courtyard as well as free pizza and drinks in the cafeteria.

Students, faculty, staff and administrators got to socialize with other on this day to better understand the college as well as the different student and college organizations.

Cory Tomasson director of tudent ctivities said tudents spent a great deal of time at organizational tables gathering information and, in many cases, joining the clubs and organizations.”

tudents als voice support for the day that was different than the norm.

iam Clarkson said I really en oyed connecting with new people and seeing how many amazing opportunities IVCC has to offer, especially for us international students.”

Clarkson, a sophomore on the soccer team, hails from England.

ate iedrich who is originally from e alb said pirit day was fun. I got to en oy fun activities with friends and it helped me learn about some of the different things happening at the school that I didn’t know about.”

Tomasson added The members of the tudent overnment Association did an amazing job of organizing, set-up, and tear down of the event.

e would also like to thank all of the organi ations and departments that participated and ood ervices for serving over 100 pi as in the cafeteria.

inally we would like to recogni e acilities for getting the space ready for the event and clearing it out at the end.”

2 RESOURCES

Project Success/ TRiO

By Staff Writer Abigail Beckcom, information from Crystal Credi Dean of Student Success

Department: ro ect uccess

Location/room: CTC 0

Chris erman irector iane coma Counselor seret oveland Counselor i ulthius dmin. ssistant idney ilson student worker

Email: Chris erman ivcc.edu i ulthius ivcc.edu

Phone Number: 1 0

Hours of Operation: onday through riday 0 a.m. to 0 p.m.

Is your resource free?

Yes, for students that are eligible for our services

What population do you serve?

Must meet at least one criterion:

- First Generation College Students: You are considered first generation if neither of your parents or the parent you live with received a four year baccalaureate degree prior to your 1 th birthday.

ow Income tudents ou must have aon file to document your financial need. If you ualify to receive federal financial aid the chances are good that you would ualify as a low income student.

tudents with isabilities ro ect uccess serves students with physical learning and other disabilities. ocumentation of your disability must be provided to us.

How would you explain your services? olistic services that provide students with a personal counselor to support their academic success and personal development. tudents benefit from transfer services career development and financial literacy. tudents may utili e the uiet study room in addition to the computer lab and study area. tudents are invited to attend academic social workshops throughout the academic year.

What makes your services different from other IVCC resources?

Our program delivers holistic proactive advising designed to increase student retention. e blend academic and career counseling with integrated financial literacy and mental health support. Throughout their ourney each student receives personali ed attention from a dedicated counselor ensuring tailored guidance as they navigate college.

When can students use your services? uring hours of operation unless confirmed an appointment outside of office hours.

What is the best way for students to contact you? ny way in person phone email

Why are your services important?

Our students benefit from a strong support network enabling them to e cel academically and remain enrolled through to program completion. In addition to providing ongoing encouragement we connect them with essential resources and support services tailored to their success.

What do you do? s a counselor I offer personali ed

Student Success Center

By Staff Writer Abigail Beckcom, information from Crystal Credi Dean of Student Success

Department: Student Success

Location/room: CTC 0

shlee it patrick annah owermaster

Email: tudent uccess ivcc.edu

Phone Number: 1 0

Hours of Operation: Typical hours onday through riday a.m. to 0 p.m.

Is your resource free?

Yes

What population do you serve? e serve all students with an emphasis on special populations such as adult students single parents out of workforce individuals and more.

or a full list of special populations please visit the student success center webpage.

How would you explain your services?

Our main focus is student retention, in both proactive and reactive efforts. e hold onboarding events workshops provide personali ed support as well as connect students to resources on campus and in the community. e also manage agles eak food pantry.

What makes your services different from other IVCC resources?

e are uni ue in that we address non academic issues students have we are available to all students.

When can students use your services?

ours in agles eak differ from regular office hours. They are as follows 0 a.m. to p.m. e are closed Tuesdays ridays. If there is an immediate need outside of regular hours, students can visit the Student Success Center or contact security.

one on one attention adapting my approach to each student s uni ue needs. I provide pre advising sessions to clarify program and course reuirements along with e pert guidance on transferring. bove all I serve as a mentor supporting students through both academic and personal challenges as they pursue their goals.

Does your resource involve any student clubs? es ro ect uccess eadership Team.

What else would you like students to know about your offerings?

Through their ourney with ro ect uccess students have reported feeling more confident in navigating college life. any e press that the program feels like more than ust support it becomes a second family fostering belonging and lasting connections.

What is the best way for students to contact you? tudents are welcome to stop in CTC 0 email studentsuccess ivcc.edu or call 1 0

Why are your services important? e are here to support all students every step of their educational ourney. e can refer students to resources outside the college.

Does your resource involve any student clubs? e work with student groups that collect donations or volunteer in the pantry for service learning pro ects.

What else would you like students to know about your offerings? tudents can come to us no matter how big or small their issue may be. e can help them address any barriers they re facing.

Project Success gets federal funding

By Jabulile Mooketsi IV Leader Staff Writer

After fears toward the end of last school year that funding for Project Succes would be cut, IVCC found out in July that the federal government had renewed funding for this academic year.

The news came as a relief to not only director Chris Herman and his staff, but also the 160 students who receive services from the program each year.

Project Success is part of the TRiO student support services that is funded by the federal government. The Trump administration had targeted the program as one that might be cut as reductions were made to the Department of Education budget.

Herman said, “We were waiting to hear on that. It’s always nerve wrecking because you don’t know what is going to happen.”

At IVCC, annually Project Success receives more than $357,000 to fund the program, including four staff members.

Project Success started in the 1960s, and the program must be reaccredited every five years.

Project Success helps students who are disabled, first generation and low income. The program is designed with a smaller student to counselor ratio and counselors work closely with students to help them graduate.

The program helps students to finish college and

transfer to a four-year college or to secure employment. Its counselors help students with financial aid paperwork, the challenges that they face daily and with the transfer process.

Academic tutoring, career counselling, and even cultural excursions are among the services offered; many students would not be able to afford these otherwise.

The program also guanrantees students priority registration, which allows them to enroll two weeks before the other students in the college.

Herman, who has been leading the team for 20 years, said, “the goal is to create a second family on campus.”

Beyond assisting students in obtaining their degrees, Project Success boosts the local workforce and gives IVCC and the Illinois region access to opportunities that may otherwise be closed.

Project Success has received funding for the next five years five years of employment, of assisting students, of building futures, of giving inspiration. Project Success is not only an organization that receives funding from the federal government: they care about the people they help no matter their background, their story or their ethnicity.

Diana Scoma, a Project Counselor, said, “I have worked for grant programs, and everything has turned out okay in the end, so I feel pretty optimistic” about future funding.

Cafeteria reopens

Students (above) are waited on in the cafeteria on Sept. 15. After being closed throughout the summer while construction projects ensued on IVCC’s lower level, the cafeteria reopened to students on Sept. 15. While students were able to get limited food service from the cafe o the mai oor duri the closure, more options are available for students now that the cafeteria has reopened. At left, Psychology instructor Vince Brolley makes his dining selections.

SGA announces freshman election results

Elections for freshman positions in the Student Government Association were decided after voting on Sept. 25-26 in the Student Life Space.

Freshman Jacy Miller of Ottawa won the race for freshman representative. Miller received 69 votes, with the next leading challenger Megan Stasiak receiving 58. Kalie Anderson

received 29 votes with 10 votes split among other candidates.

For the two Freshman Programming Board positions, Jorge Delao and Zachary Quick were elected, with both candidates receiving mor than 100 votes.

“We were very impressed with the number of students that ran for

each position, as well as the number of students that voted in the election” said Cory Tomasson, SGA adviser and coordinator of Student Activities.

“We have a very strong group of sophomore SGA members, and I have confident that the freshman members will only add to the suc-

cess of this group.

“For those candidates that did not win, we would love to have them involved in any way possible. The SGA is always looking for students to represent others on committees at the college.”

Overall, 161 ballots were cast in the election.

Young hired as theatre instructor

Where are you from?

I was born in Moline, Illinois—not far from here actually. I grew up canoeing on the Hennepin Canal with my father and exploring Starved Rock. Since then, I have lived all over the place as I worked in the Theatre and got my degrees: Chicago, Boulder, Ohio, Boston, New Hampshire, and the list goes on…

Where did you attend college and what degree(s) do you hold?

I have a BFA in Acting from the Theatre School of DePaul University in Chicago, an MA in Intermodal Expressive Therapies/Counseling from Lesley University in Cambridge MA, and a PhD in Theatre from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio.

What classes are you assigned?

I am the new Theatre person, currently teaching Intro to Theatre and the Play Production, soon hopefully to add Acting and a few other courses to that roster.

Where did you teach before IVCC?

I started teaching the day I complete my undergrad classes, as an Artist in Residence and Special Projects Artist for Urban Gateways of Chicago, an arts in education foundation. I worked with hundreds of other artists, and it was a wild, vibrant, wonderful experience. I initially took the gig as a means of avoiding waiting tables, but almost immediately fell in love with the teaching and learning process. Since then, I have been teaching in some form ever since. I have taught in several different college settings. Before coming to IVCC I was the Dean of Arts and Behavioral Sciences at Illinois central Community College in East Peoria, and just before that? I was the Chair of the Theatre program at Eastern Arizona College, in Thatcher, Arizona.

What are your initial impressions, not only of the students, but also the atmosphere at IVCC, and your fellow faculty and staff?

I am so happy to be back in the classroom and working at IVCC! Everyone here seems wicked friendly, and my students are pretty great. We are just getting started with productions with auditions this week, and I am looking forward to getting know the theatre folks!

What is your favorite aspect of IVCC?

The people….and I have to say, the campus is pretty darn lovely.

What is your favorite thing about the Illinois Valley area?

I will get back to you on that, I just bought my first house and am ust moving into the area and learning my way around—though, I am an avid cyclist and I am looking forward to lots of country roads and what looks like a cool bike trail by the canal.

What should a student know about you?

So, this questionnaire catches me at a philosophical moment; but I love what I do—which is engaging in and teaching about the creative process. There’s room for everyone in the creative world. Creative choice is an act of forward thinking and positivity. Who cannot use a little hope now and then?

Why should students take your class?

Theatre and creativity connects to everything under the sun. It produces positive choice making and builds lifelong relationships.

What are the plans for the fall plays?

There are two. The first is ottoms on first. It is a stage reading with a mi tape of Shakespear, Vuadville, wordplay, and SUPER silliness. It will include 7 IVCC students and will show during the week of October seventeenth. The ne t play is called roof. It is about a young girl who is dealing with the aftermath of the death of her genius father. This play will include three IVCC students and one community member. It will be shown during the week of November seventeenth.

Hispanic Heritage Month Celebrated

IVCC’s Hispanic Leadership Team planned several events for Hispanic Heritage Month. The celebration started with hot cocoa and conchas on Sept. 15 in the Student Life Space.

2, 2025

heatre e artme t la s all rodu tio s

Submitted for IV Leader

Two shows are planned for the fall semester from the I CC Theatre epartment.

Bottom’s on First

staged reading with a definite aim towards laughter and a bit of silliness ottom s on irst is a mi tape mashup of wordplay vaudeville pacing a wee bit of hakespeare bbot and Costello and even hel ilverstein thrown in the mi . n ensemble cast delivers little known hakespearian insults some internet trolls slightly skewed takes on the ard and even a pesky referee here and there.

ritten by new I CC faculty

By Gwyneth Verona IV Leader Staff Columnist

will host their annual Coming Out all throughout the month of October in the student life center at I CC. This will be open to all students and staff who would like to share their coming out story or post messages of support for members of the T I community.

There will also be a table with informational resources about the T I community and for T I individuals on the table in front of the wall according to manda Cook esperman who is one of the advisors of the club.

dditionally on Oct. 0 at 1 0 and the I committee will be co sponsoring former I CC nglish instructor and author oe Chianakas for a special event in acob s ibrary. uring this time Chianakas will be doing a book signing and will talk about his books. nyone who attends will have a chance to win or purchase a signed book.

To learn more about oe Chianakas you can visit his oogle ook website by searching arkness Calls oe Chianakas. e hope to see you at both of these events happening at I CC

member ale . oung ottom s is a reminder that laughter is one of the best tools.

The show directed by oung is suitable for most ages. Chad rokaw serves as producer and technical director.

hows will be at 0 p.m. riday Oct. 1 and aturday Oct. 1 with a p.m. show unday Oct. 1 in the ary argaret eeg Cultural Centre.

n all student ensemble cast includes

Tyler ienemann

Tobias urkey

Isaac letcher hillip oodale ope o a atthew asters

Sarah Masters Proof

In avid uburn s ulit er ri e and Tony winning OO Catherine has spent years caring for her brilliant but unstable father a famous mathematician. ow following his death she must deal with her own volatile emotions the arrival of her estranged sister Claire and the attentions of al a former student of her father s. burgeoning romance and the discovery of a mysterious notebook draw Catherine into the most difficult problem of all ow much of her father s madness or genius will she inherit?

The show is considered 1 with a bit of language and adult dis-

cussions relationships.

hows will be at 0 p.m. Thursday through aturday ov. 0 and at p.m. unday ov. in the ary argaret eeg Cultural Centre.

The show is directed by ale . oung and produced and technically directed by Chad rokaw. ost of the cast is composed of students inclduing hoebe ammer Catherine leanor adtke Claire le tafford al

Community member oe nnenbach has the role of obert. nnenbach alsi is an I CC alumnus.

ummer ur ed retty fi ale oth

ittersweet satis yi mo ie omi

“The Summer I Turned Pretty’s” third and final season has finally ended. ince the show is based on enny an s book trilogy it already had a decent si ed fanbase.

hen the fandom e ploded after the first season aired on ma on rime it grew from a small book lover community to one of the biggest teen drama s fanbases. Of course like many teen drama shows like The ampire iaries awsons Creek and elicity a love triangle is at the center of the story.

Cousins each where the characters all grew up spending summers together hasn t been the same since Conrad and eremiah s mom usannah passed away four years ago. ight after usannah died Conrad and elly the main female character broke up because he was struggling with his grief and only a few months after that elly started dating his brother eremiah. eason three dives deep into the long running love triangle between elly Conrad and eremiah while also e ploring themes of grief friendship and self discovery.

The first few episodes of the season felt slow and a lot of side characters were getting more screen time than the main characters but as the season progressed the drama picked up and the love triangle took center stage keeping fans hooked up until the finale.

One of the biggest things that shine throughout the season is the acting from ola Tung and Chris riney. ola brings a lot of vulnerability and warmth to elly s character and Chris s performance makes Conrad s struggles so real that you can t help but feel his pain. nother thing that stood out this season was the soundtrack. The show has always been known for relying heavily on artists like Taylor wift Olivia odrigo rank Ocean and ana el ay. eason three e panded its range with a more diverse mi of music. long with the music fans e pected this season included classics from The olling tones Otis edding The ackson ive and adiohead. The soundtrack still had the same sense of familiarity to it but also had a more timeless feel to some of the best moments.

The finale really paid off all the buildup this season was leading to and it gave fans the closure they had been waiting for an e ceptionally long time. The love triangle finally ended in the way that still felt true to the characters bringing the story to a close that was perfect. It was emotional and bittersweet but overall e tremely satisfying.

It is the ending that leaves you sad that it is over but happy you got to e perience it.

Overall the third and final season feels like the perfect wrap up to The ummer I Turned retty. The love triangle may be over but with a movie on the way fans can look forward to even more at Cousins each.

IVCC Spirit Day Sept. 24, 2025

IV Leader Photographer: Tyler Mason

OPINION

Editorial: Midterm study with Lofi

As a college student, one may have a myriad of responsibilities to juggle: class, studying, work, family, children and friends. With midterms approaching, stress and anxiety can be at an all-time high due to stacking of life and cramming extra study time into an already busy schedule.

Sometimes the right environment can make a difference to mood and overall productivity: a comfy seat, desk, lighting, visual organization, ambient sound level and music. Not everyone has access to altering their study environments to fit all the needs or wants they may have. While student financial circumstances vary between individuals, if you have access to YouTube, there is a tool that could be helpful for your upcoming midterms study sessions.

Previous generations have said that classical or instrumental music is considered the “best” to listen to while studying due to raising of productivity

through better focus; however, over the last 10 years, a subgenre of electronic music referred to as o fi has risen in popularity for a myriad of uses, most popularly studying.

o fi or chillpop refers to low fidelity music in which its quality is considered imperfect. ma ority of o fi composers are smaller or less known artists that create beats on their own without a record label. o fi has a large range of diversity when it comes to setting an ambiance: from original beats and movie scores (“Great Fairy Fountain” from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time), genre blends (South Korean hip-hop or medieval folk), cultural beats (middle eastern or Japanese mixes) and holiday mixes (Halloween or Christmas).

Approaching a new genre can be intimidating especially if one is limited on time and does not know where to start. A recommended account to check out on ouTube is called ofi

irl. ofi irl s channel has a few hundred videos to choose from, some of which are on live continuous loops with no ads. The benefit of using a resource such as this allows listeners to have their own DJ—making way for less distractions and more focus. The playlists are compiled of different artists based on genre, theme or mood. ofi girl s channel can be found at https://www.youtube.com/c/LofiGirl.

On YouTube and on other platforms such as Spotify, there are a myriad of playlists to explore outside of studying like for sleep, playing video games, reading, driving, work and just hanging out.

While classical and instrumental music may still be some individuals preferred genre to study to o fi can offer fewer distracting beats that listeners can connect to based on personal interest and the genre’s large diversity.

Trustee encourages students to get active

Updates provided on campus clubs, elections, board

Hello my fellow eagles!

I hope this first semester is treating you well. As Spirit Day has come and gone, I would like to continually stress the importance of GETTING INVOLVED. There are so many active groups here on campus that can satisfy just what you are looking for: whether you are wanting to build leadership skills fine tune your resume or just looking for like-minded individuals to share company with.

In case you did not make it to Spirit Day to check out the clubs yourself—I highly suggest checking out the extensive list online, through the IVCC portal, also on the back pages of your new IVCC planners.

There you will find club descriptions and at least one faculty advisor to contact if you are interested.

Along these lines, I would like to congratulate Jacy Miller on being elected the Freshman Representative, as well as Jorge Delao and Zachary

Quick as the Freshman programming board members of the Student Government Association for the 2025-26 school year.

Elections were held in the Student Life Space on Sept. 25 and 26. These incoming members are another resource for you to voice your concerns.

I would like to update you on some of the important notes from the most recent board meeting, held on Sept. 16. The Board approved purchases for both new furniture and technology upgrades, which will beautify our campus and keep us technologically savvy.

Funding of the annual $10,000 dollar match for our TRiO program, Project Success, was approved.

If you are not familiar with Project Success, this program offers substantial support to students who are first generation college students, low income or have a disability. You can check your eligibility by filling out an online application or stopping into the ro ect uccess office in CTC 0 .

Most importantly, beyond the monthly administrative updates and budget voting, the board discussed a deeper promise: IVCC will not let ICE raids come in the way of student’s safety, dignity, and right to an educa-

IV LEADER STAFF

Editor in Chief: Sonja Penney

Sport Reporter: MakadeRios

Social Media: Gabriella Lowrance

Photographer: Tyler Mason

Graphics: Clare Phillips Maya Zeman

Cartoonist: Erik Beebee

Staff: Abigail Beckcom, Kylin Buckingham, Charlotte Ceja, Aliah Celis, Erik Garcia, Jacy Miller, Packston Miller, Jabulile Mooketsi, Isabella Petty, Gwyn Verona, Maya Zeman, Justin Donovan.

IV Leader, a member of the Associated Collegiate Press, is published monthly by students of Illinois Valley Community College.

tion.

Our president Dr. Tracy Morris makes it very clear that this campus abides by the Higher Education Act and FERPA, which protects student privacy of records and data. If at any time students or employees receive question from law enforcement or immigration officials about someone s immigration status, they should direct them straight to the president s office.

On that note, I would like everyone to know that you have community here filled with people who want to see you succeed.

As always, you can contact me at student_trustee@ivcc.edu for any questions, issues or suggestions you may have.

Until next time--your Student Trustee,

By Danica Scoma Student Trustee

Editorials and columns express opinions of student and staff members and do not necessarily express the views of IVCC, the administration or the Board. Editorial opinions are those of a student editorial board.

Letters:

Letters to the editor must be signed and should be addressed to the I eader Office E-321, IVCC, 815 N. Orlando Smith Ave., Oglesby, IL 61348-9691.

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Read IV Leader online, meet the staff, apply for a staff position, and explore the newspaper’s long, distinguished history.

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To join the staff, contact via email lori_cinotte@ivcc.edu

Guest column: Using tolerance, forgiveness to avoid justice

Philosopher Karl Popper wrote that the “paradox of tolerance” suggests that to maintain a tolerant society, one must be intolerant of intolerance itself. If a society allows unlimited tolerance, intolerant groups can exploit that freedom to gain power and destroy the very tolerance that allowed them to rise. For example, if a group openly promotes violence against a certain population, a truly tolerant society must suppress that group’s actions to protect the rights and safety of the population being targeted. Otherwise, the intolerant group’s ideology could spread unchecked and eventually lead to the destruction of the tolerant society.

The socioeconomically dominant class (the oppressors, the rich, the capital owning class, political demagogues) can use forgiveness as a tool to avoid justice by framing it as a moral duty for those who have had injustice done unto them (the oppressed,

the poor, the working class, the politically uninformed). This is a subtle yet powerful form of control. Instead of taking responsibility for their harmful actions, the dominant class places the burden of reconciliation on the victims. They might say, “You need to forgive and forget to heal” or “Moving on is the right thing to do.” This narrative serves to silence dissent and prevent the oppressed from demanding justice or reparations. It shifts the focus from the systemic injustices caused by the dominant class to the emotional state of the oppressed. This can make the oppressed feel guilty for holding onto their pain and anger, which in turn reinforces the power imbalance.

The paradox of tolerance and the use of forgiveness as a tool of oppression and avoiding justice are connected. They both highlight how certain societal principles can be twisted to serve the interests of a powerful group. In

the context of oppression, the dominant class essentially asks the oppressed to practice an unlimited and self-destructive form of tolerance. They demand that the oppressed “tolerate” or forgive the ongoing intolerance, injustice, and harm in icted upon them. This demand is a direct application of the paradox of tolerance but with a cruel twist. The dominant class exploits the very idea of tolerance to maintain its oppressive structures. They are the intolerant force, yet they demand that their victims “tolerate” their actions in the name of peace or social harmony. Forgiveness in this context can be seen as a form of social control. The powerful group uses psychological manipulation to maintain the status quo. The oppressed are conditioned to believe that their refusal to forgive is a personal failing rather than a valid response to injustice. This dynamic is a positive feedback loop. The more

the oppressed are told to forgive, the more their oppressors are emboldened to continue their harmful behavior. This reinforces the power structure, making it a stable and unjust system of harm. Tolerance is not a moral standard to be applied to all, but instead a social contract that you opt into by being tolerant, and once violated by being intolerant, you are no longer covered by. Change requires breaking this cycle by challenging the demand for forgiveness and instead demanding justice and accountability for all.

Sincerely,

College Democrats

The IVCC College Democrats meet regularly throughout the semester to discuss these and other issues of importance to students. Contact our adviser to be added to our email list: mike_phillips@ivcc.edu

Guest column: Why we need forgiveness

Dear IVCC Community:

Three recent tragic events have prompted this letter. First, the murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare by Luigi Mangione, second, the murder of Ukrainian immigrant Iryna Zarutska by Decarlos Brown Jr., and third, the assassination of Charlie Kirk by Tyler Robinson, although there are many more, and they are not all perpetrated by one political side.

During the past 50 years, the value of tolerance has replaced forgiveness in American culture. This is partly because we’ve been told to be tolerant and partly because tolerance and forgiveness often feel the same, even though they come from different human impulses. Today, we are no longer expected to forgive grievances, love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless those who

curse us, pray for those who mistreat us, or to forgive those who trespass against us. Instead, we are expected to be tolerant of others and their behavior, even when it violates our deepest values. As in the aforementioned murders, we as Americans have been expected to tolerate the intolerable. News people, social media in uencers and teachers often preach tolerance rather than forgiveness. Although this may seem laudable at first it is actually misplaced compassion, because not every action should be tolerated nor rationalized nor explained away in the name of tolerance or social justice or creating a civil society. Tolerance is not civility; often it is tolerating incivility. So, we should not be a tolerant society. Instead, we should be a good society, because goodness is an end unto itself, while toler-

ance is a matter of personal endurance. And, although human beings can tolerate a lot, eventually they reach a point where they can tolerate no more, and then they break. Their inability to tolerate intolerable acts upon themselves or their society turns to resentment, then to hatred, and then to killing. Sometimes they kill discriminately, sometimes indiscriminately, but they kill, nevertheless. An Emerson College poll of Gen Z recently revealed that nearly half of 14-28 yearolds believe that political violence is acceptable as a means of achieving political ends. Turning this around is a matter of survival for our nation, as well as ensuring that there is a good and prosperous future for young people.

The remedy is forgiveness, which the Christian bible reinforces again and again. Whether you are a

Editor’s Note:

This issue includes two guest columns: one from the College Democrats organization in response to flyers posted around the campus by the College Republicans and another guest column from faculty member and College Republicans adviser, Michael Pecherek, which includes the ideas of the posted flyer that the College Democrats are responding to.

The guest columns reflect the opinions of the groups/persons who have signed them. They do not reflect the opinions of the newspaper editorial staff, the college or its administration.

IV Leader encourages letters to the editor to discuss community issues.

believer or not, the need for forgiveness is essential, because we cannot have a civil society without it. And although Christian values are often mocked today, the Christian ethic mandating forgiveness must outweigh our current societal ethic mandating tolerance, because given the former, we live as a civil society, and given the latter, we die the death that we are experiencing today. So, vote for whomever you wish, but remember, government and economics are not enough to save us. We needn’t all be Christians in order to forgive, but we must have that all-important Christian value of forgiveness at our core. If Luigi Mangione had it, then Brian Thompson would still be alive. If Decarlos Brown Jr. had it, then Iryna Zarutska would still be alive. And if Tyler Robinson had it, then Charlie Kirk would

still be alive and traveling to college campuses and engaging with young people in civil debate. Isn’t that what we want anyway, civil debate? Of course it is, but we can’t have that if we won’t forgive each other. It’s not good enough to simply tolerate meanness, violence and acts of evil from ourselves and others; we need to learn to forgive instead of committing those evil acts in the first place. When we begin to do that, then we will become a civil and virtuous society. So, let us walk away from blind tolerance, it’s been tried, it’s failed, it is not the solution. Only forgiveness will save us.

Luke 6:27-38, Colossians 3:12-17

Respectfully, Michael Pecherek IVCC Faculty

Procrastination: My toxic best friend

Confession time: I’m writing this column way later than I should be, as I do with most of my assignments. Procrastination and I have been in a long-term relationship, a toxic one, but we just can’t break up. Every assignment seems to start the same way. I open up a blank document and then suddenly remember that scrolling on TikTok, reorganizing my room, or college transfer applications are things that also exist on my to-do list.

I know I am not the only one, right? Right before midterms or finals you can feel the collective panic across campus. Nothing bonds students quite like staying up too late doing homework, bombing an exam you didn’t study for until the last minute, or cramming in three chapters of reading in between classes. I have made lots of friends through trauma bonding over the consequences of procrastination.

Over time, I have tried to outsmart it. Planners, phone

reminders, color-coded to-do lists, none of it works for long. Sometimes I trick myself with fake deadlines or bribe myself with a reward after I finish something or snacks to get moving. However, most of the time, procrastination wins until panic finally pushes me to finish. The dancer in me works best under pressure, I guess.

At the end of the day, procrastination is like that toxic friend who talks you into bad decisions. You know it’s not good for you, but you still let it hang around. If procrastination was a class, I’d ace it. If anyone has any tips, my number is 815- kidding. But seriously, let me know.

In

Concert

By Gwyneth Verona IV Leader Columnist

Man vs. Bot

Elections: Are students interested?

Elections were conducted Sept. 25-26 for freshman positions on the Student Government Association, and it leaves a person wondering: What do people think about their school elections? Do people think about them or people to vote for?

So I asked random people between classes, “Do you care about school elections?” And here are some of those responses. “No, I didn’t even know we did elections for students this week,” freshman Abby Peterson said.

Besides the IV Leader paper, there really is no way to know about the elections unless we talked directly about them.

Maybe this isn’t talked about by freshman and so when I asked a sophomore, I was expecting more interest in the matter.

“I care to an extent, if I know people running, but otherwise it wouldn’t matter to me,” sophomore Morgan Nelson said.

This may be that people don’t know

what student government does and the importance of it. On the other hand, there was some interest from students.

“Yes, even in high school, I always cared for school elections and made sure to vote,” freshman Hailey Larsen said. Some students are more inclined than others depending on what they choose to be involved in when it comes to school.

On the Street

By Jacy Miller IV Leader Columnist

Volleyball record improves

By Aliah Celis IV Leader Sports Writer

After falling to Highland in staight sets during tournament play over the weekend, the Illinois Vallley Comminity College woman’s volleyball team responded with a statement victory Sept. 23.

While playing in front of their home crowd, the Eagles earned redemption by defeating Highland in three contested sets: 25-23. 25-23,

27-25. The win showcased balanced offensive production and strong defensive efforts across the roster. The victory improves IVCC’s momentum as the season continues, proving the teams resilience and ability to adjust after a tough lost.

The Eagles next home match is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 10 vs. Moraine Valley. The Eagles currently stand at 18 matches with a record of 6-12, and a conference record of 2-3.

12 SPORTS

Men’s cross country needs more runners

By Jacy Miller IV Leader Staff Writer

The men’s cross country team is looking for more runners; whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just someone who loves to run, this is your chance to be part of something bigger.

The team is already halfway through the season, but any students who is interested can still be the team’s number 5 runner.

One of the men dropped out mid-season putting the team below the five needed to be recognized as a team at races, according to head coach Matt Baker.

The men on the team can still run as individuals in races, but cross country is a team sport and team competition makes the sport

Cross Country Athlete Spotlights

Ayden Barajas

SPORT: Cross Country

MAJOR: Pre-Physical

Therapy

HOMETOWN: Peru

Accomplishments:

This is my first year doing cross country and I am doing better than expected.

Who are your inspirations?

Kevin Rynke, Mr. Leynaud, and my mom.

What has been your favorite or most memorable moment in your sport?

Crossing the finish line after my first race.

What are your plans for after your sports career at IVCC?

Graduating from IVCC and attending NIU to pursue my dream of working in a Physical Therapy setting.

What is your favorite inspirational quote?

“You can do anything you put your mind to. NO MATTER WHAT!” - Erik Garcia

What is your go to pre-race song?

“The World Is Yours” - Nas

Meghann Ostler

SPORT: Cross Country

MAJOR: English Education

HOMETOWN: La Salle

Accomplishments: At the end of last season, I was doing a 10 minute pace for a 5k and now, after training the whole summer, I can do an 8 minute pace for a 6k. Our first race this season I got fourth overall and first for our team. I also ran 10 miles for the first time.

Who are your inspirations?

more fun.

This is the third year of having cross country at IVCC, so the program continues to build.

“I’m really seeing how these programs go through ups and downs in participation with junior college students quickly transferring on to four-year colleges or heading out into the workforce or other opportunities,” coach Baker said.

Coach Baker said he is happy to talk to anyone interested in joining the team.

The IVCC women’s team is on the ups and is showing improvement at recent races, with Baker and the team hoping for the Conference Championship.

The teams host a home meet Oct. 11 at Catlin Park in Ottawa.

Tatiana Serna is probably my biggest inspiration. She’s on the XC team with me and she basically trained me over the summer. She has worked hard despite having a hip injury and continues to keep the team motivated. She has the mindset to run cross country; she’s determined, resilient, and overall, an inspiration to me.

What has been your favorite moment in your sport?

One of my favorite memories is having dinner with the girls on the team after practice. We started doing this last year and continued it this year. It is always so fun, and we have all become friends rather than just teammates.

What are your plans for after your sports career at IVCC?

I plan to graduate from IVCC in the spring and transfer to ISU next fall.

What is your favorite inspirational quote?

“The only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work hard for them.” -Michelle Obama

What is your go to pre-race song?

“Iris” by The Goo Goo Dolls