The Slate 9-25-25

First fall 2025 SGA meeting highlights growing participation

Shippensburg University’s Student Government Association (SGA) hosted its first meeting for the 2025-2026 academic year in CUB 119 on Sept. 18.

Thursday afternoon’s meeting focused heavily on student group updates for the fall 2025 semester. It was noted by several SGA senators that there was a noticeable increase in student interest in campus events over the past month.

The meeting began at 4 p.m. with opening remarks from SGA President Nathan Garber, after which the floor was given to Associate Provost Tracy Schoolcraft, who gave an update on the academic integrity policy from the Office of Academic Affairs.

Schoolcraft announced the changing of academic dishonesty procedures to the new academic integrity policy system. The reason for the shift is to promote a growth mindset in students and faculty on matters relating to integrity violations like plagiarism.

Students may have noticed the new Academic Integrity Training course on D2L. According to Schoolcraft, although the training is not required to graduate, there may be faculty who encourage their students to do the training. In officer reports, Vice President Daniel McCleary reminded the audience of the upcoming SGA elections. The voting period for the elections opened on Monday, Sept. 22 and will last until Thursday, Sept. 25. An email was sent to students on Monday for the link to vote. Another email will be sent this week.

Officer reports were followed by a report from each of the attending SGA senators, who gave remarks on recent and upcoming student activities across campus.

Class of 2027 senator Kyle Marzullo gave his report on the number of interested students he met at the Campus Activity Fair on Sept. 4. “It seems overall that the class of 2029 is really interested in student government and participating on campus,” Marzullo said. “That appetite we’ve been trying to build over the past couple of years is finally here, so I ask senators to please reach out and try and spread the word.”

According to Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) senator Marlon Aristy, MSA was among the many campus groups that saw a positive trend in student numbers. Aristy also brought attention to SUnity Week, which began Monday, Sept. 22.

At the end of SUnity Week on Friday is the 2025 “A Quilt to Cover Us All” unveiling. According to Aristy, over 80 panels have been given out, which is the largest in campus history. The unveiling will include a tribute to former MSA Director Diane Jefferson.

Following board, university committee reports and open gallery reports, SGA unanimously approved three motions. First was a motion to approve the SGA sponsorship of Family Day followed by a motion to approve Budget and Finance Committee voting rights for the eight new members.

PA Republican leaders attend SU Turning Point memorial for Charlie Kirk

Scalia Opinion Editor

The Shippensburg University chapter of Turning Point USA held a vigil for founder Charlie Kirk on Thursday. The vigil featured speeches from three state congressmen and garnered a large turnout.

The vigil filled Old Main to capacity, with the overflow crowd being ushered into Stewart Hall. Inside Stewart, there was additional seating that set up to watch a livestream of the event.

When there still were not enough seats, attendees were left to gather around phone screens to watch the event outside, and other attendees stood holding trans and Palestinian flags in protest. Police officers from Pennsylvania State Police, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department and Shippensburg University Police Department stood by patrolling with the help of drones.

“I decided to come out and protest this vigil because of some of the things that Charlie Kirk has said, some of the things that he stood for,” said Karmen Alasana. “He has advocated for the deaths of trans people like me; he’s advocated for the deaths of many people.”

Also among the group protesting the vigil, was Kara Wilson of the Young Democratic Socialists of America, a new campus group that formed this semester in response to the changing nature of politics.

“In light of the election and a lot of events politically, like ICE kidnapping people and taking them from their homes, and the government

ignoring,” said Wilson, who explained the reasons behind the group’s founding and her attending the protest tonight.

Inside, the vigil was opened with words and prayers for Kirk that were presided over by Joel Gillman of Mission Hill Church of Chambersburg before the featured speakers took to the podium.

The first speaker of the night was Sen, Greg Rothman (R-34), who recounted the first time he ever met Kirk.

“Well, I met Charlie Kirk when he was 18 years old in Tampa at the Republican National Convention,” said Rothman. “When he approached a youthful friend of ours who had become a friend of his and asked him for a large sum of money to support his cause and told him that he was not going to go to college, but he said he was going to go and change the college campus and change the college.”

There is a “theological principle that if you have a soul, then you should also have a voice,” said Rothman. “And if you should have a voice, then you should be allowed to express that voice, speak out loud. And that’s why our Founding Fathers created the First Amendment to our Bill of Rights.”

Rothman, like many who have paid respects to Kirk since his murder on Sept. 10 at the campus of Utah Valley University, honored Kirk for his Christian faith and dedication to free speech and debate.

“[The Founding Fathers] understood how important it was to recognize not that we need debate, which we do,” said Rothman. “Not that we need to be allowed to worship

and live out our faiths and our daily lives, which we do, not that we need a free press, which of course we do, but that all that came back to the fact that your rights in terms of God, your rights to speak, to debate, to be heard, I always agree with, come from God, and that’s proof of your soul.”

David Boatwright, president of the sociology and anthropology club at Shippensburg, believes these invocations of free speech ring hollow with recent events like the broadcaster ABC canceling “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”

“So, it’s a little ironic that a party founded upon small government and government not being involved in everyday lives is now using the FCC and other government organizations to slowly police and control the media through intimidation and other tactics by demanding Jimmy Kimmel

apologize and make a sizable donation to Turning Point USA,” said Boatwright. “Let’s call a spade a spade.”

The most prominent speaker of the night was former gubernatorial candidate and current Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-33), who honored the impact Kirk had on youth activism for the Right and, like Rothman, called him a martyr.

Mastriano honored Gen Z for “taking the red pill, not the blue pill,” a popular analogy for choosing reality over fiction that originates from “The Matrix” series of movies.

“That’s the generation Charlie really responded to,” Mastriano said of Gen Z.

“You’re more conservative than my generation. It’s amazing. You’re more prolife. Not only are you more conservative, you’re more pro-life than my generation.”

The fundamental need to remember and be knowledgeable on The Constitution

A lecture about covering the necessity of the Constitution was given by political science Professor Steven Lichtman in the Grove Forum on Wednesday, Sept. 17.

The First Amendment covers a large area regarding free speech and the right to practice one’s own religion. The First Amendment states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the

freedom of speech, or the press…”

The letter of the law and understanding its impact and importance is a layered topic and concept.

Lichtman referred to former Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) on how any institution of higher learning must provide learning about the Constitution, yet Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech.

These two points are at odds, but that is why providing discussion and clarity on the functions of the Constitution and, why the founding fathers worked diligently to create the document is critical.

Lichtman told of how the “old world” in Europe thought they could use religion for political stability. The government would have a monopoly on a religion of their choice, but it did not work according to plan, as many dissidents refused, caused violence and created the instability they

tried to prevent.

Thus, to create a system formed closer to equal rights, the free exercise clause and free establishment clause were created regarding religion. Religious belief is allowed, but the government cannot ordain a religion.

Lichtman spoke from the heart about his great grandfather Mr. Bender and grandfather Harry Bender. They fled Germany as SS soldiers began to capture Jewish citizens. As Lichtman put it, a “brave priest tipped them off and saved them” by telling Mr. Bender they must leave immediately, risking his life if anyone told of his heroic act.

Lichtman said the actions of the priest on that day exemplified the “American” spirit in which the Constitution is meant to protect and embody. He was willing to risk everything for the Benders because it was the right thing to do, to help his friends as best he could.

It is that courage and a drive for equality and freedom that is protected by documents like the Constitution so everyone in the U.S. can be their true selves and practice their beliefs without fear of persecution. The Constitution needs to be remembered in the spirit of which it was created. The importance of the document must be acknowledged and respected for future generations so that they may share these freedoms and not allow the destabilization of human rights.

After a long and dangerous journey, the Benders took the Cunard R.M.S Berengaria to the U.S. and started a new life in New York. As Henry Bender grew up and lived a happy life, every week he would send a box of supplies to the priest who saved them, as he never wanted to stop paying back the kindness he recieved.

The failure of unguided markets

Gavin Formenti Staff Contributer

Politicians have adopted the belief that all markets are created equal. It was Michael Boskin, George Bush’s chairman for the Council of Economic Advisors, who, when referring to U.S. technology production, said, “Computer chips or potato chips, what’s the difference?” This line of thinking argues that selling $100 of potato chips is still the same as selling $100 of computer chips.

Most people today can easily see the difference in economic value between the two types of chips. Computer chips are in far greater economic demand than potato chips, and that demand is only expected to grow. Computer chips are also projected to improve in quality and innovation, increasing the value of the sector.

So why would Boskin and, by extension, Bush believe this? This line of thinking stems back to the 1970s and the start of a theory called neoliberalization. Neoliberalization revolves heavily around government separation from markets, the free movement of trade and capital between nations. One of the best policy cases reflecting this line of thinking was the Washington Consensus.

The Washington Consensus was released in 1989, reflecting an era of new thought. The consensus was used as a guideline for developing countries to follow. This was put forth by institutions like the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the U.S. Treasury Department.

The consensus itself consisted of 10 principles that encapsulated the hands-off views the U.S. had toward economic activity. These

principles included ideas such as reducing trade barriers, lowering barriers to international investment, deregulation and privatization.

These ideas were viewed with such high regard that they were treated as scripture for the West moving into the 1990s and early 2000s, and President Clinton popularized the ideology across the political spectrum.

Before the 1970s, most Democrats and many Republicans stood strongly opposed. It was just a couple of decades before Reagan that a very different set of ideas led the development of many Western countries.

These ideas largely followed a theory known as Keynesian economics. This economic outlook saw the government as a manager at the macroeconomic level. This allowed the government to flip levers and adjust dials of tax rates, government spending. and interest rates to best limit the harsh highs and lows of sporadic markets. However, these views encouraged nations to use protectionist trade policies and targeted infrastructure development to create high-value markets in specific sectors.

The Asian Tigers

Today, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are known for their technology industries. Samsung, Sony, LG and TSMC are among the largest international companies outside the U.S., and they are household names. However, the

The Slate Speaks:

real most wonderful time of the year

Fall is here. The time of year when the apples and air are at their most crisp. The time where vibes change, and wardrobes are always changing to keep up with the daily, or even hourly, swings in temperature. It is our favorite time of year. The pollen diminishes, and all the natural sites of nature experience a chromatic explosion of yellow, brown and red leaves that pleasantly fall and crunch under your feet.

It is the time of year for all the classics to be watched. Whether it be lighthearted movies like “Ghostbusters” and “Hocus Pocus,” or the frightening type like “Friday the 13th” and “Halloween.” The latter films set the mood, as it is the time of year for all things haunted. Trips to forlorn penitentiaries and mazes of dead corn are at the heart of season. And if you are up too late on your fall

adventures, grab a pumpkin spice latte the next morning. When Sunday comes around, it is time for football. Yes, the path to the Super Bowl takes off the later part of the autumnal months. That is not all, though. The fall also features the World Series and field hockey. Many people make resolutions on New Years, but for university students, the beginning of the fall season feels more like a reset than in January. With the naps, sweatpants, candy and movies, fall brings a sense of comfort, community and convenience. Everything is better in the fall, the visuals, the air and the smell of bonfires off in the distance. So now is as good a time as any to reflect and prepare. Because as the pop culture saying goes: “Winter is coming.”

development of these industries did not happen free of government intervention; in fact, it was quite the opposite.

Asia saw value in many emerging sectors after World War II. However, they had a problem: to produce the products relating to these sectors, they needed to develop the necessary infrastructure and capital.

This development was ushered in through multiple policies. First, they adopted protectionist trade policies. They used tariffs and trade barriers for certain sectors, allowing domestic industries to grow isolated from the foreign competition of already developed markets.

Second, the Japanese, South Korean and Taiwanese governments focused heavily on cultivating a friendly environment for technological production and development. One way they did this was through education. Educationrelated spending skyrocketed after World War II to the point that the South Korean literacy rate rose from

Gabbi Lovett Staff Contributer

22% in 1945 to 96% in 1958, according to a Borgen Project study that focused on South Korean education reduced poverty.

This focus on education extends to today. South Korea has 70% of its students pursuing higher education, and according to the Hechinger Report. A journal that conducted research on South Korean education learned that one-infour college graduates receive an engineering degree, cultivating a friendly environment for the technology sector.

Finally, the Asian tigers used bureaucracies staffed by technological experts to guide economic development. These bureaucracies included the “Taiwanese Council for Economic Planning and Development” and “South Korea’s Economic Planning Board.” These bureaucracies targeted loans, subsidies and investments in specific strategic areas to develop the infrastructure and production base necessary for the emerging market.

These policies and programs led to the rapid growth of East Asian economies, transforming them from predominantly agricultural to advanced technology-based economies. These changes were often called economic miracles, and they were largely attributed to what was called the East Asian Development State. This showcased the success the government had in guiding and stimulating economic development.

From here, it was these Asian nations that began to take over, leading the world in many technological industries. Asia then inherited computer chip manufacturing from the United States.

The very first semiconductor was invented in the U.S. However, as the U.S. government began to divest from its markets, the industry went abroad. Specifically, it went to the Asian nations that have been targeting the industry with investments for decades.

The U.S. Today

The United States has begun to backtrack on many of its ideas on neoliberalization. The recent adoption of tariffs shows this; something even less than 10 years ago, the U.S. was firmly against. The broad effect of these tariffs, however, does not solve the problem of specific market development. A much more promising example of this is the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. This act allocated significant subsidies, loans and funding for semiconductor manufacturing projects across the U.S. It also put strong constraints on foreign countries selling their own computer chips.

According to the Biden White House, because of this, the U.S. is projected to go from producing 0% of the world’s computer chips to 30% by 2032. This is a policy decision that resembles the East Asian Development State of postWWII far more than the post-Cold War Washington Consensus. Perhaps this means the U.S. is starting to see the flaws in its unguided markets and may be realizing that not all markets are created equal.

The Dangers of Limerance

Feeding delusions and crossing boundaries

She fell in love with her psychiatrist, and he kept her until she had the “strength” to walk away.

If anyone has been on TikTok, they may have seen Kendra Hilty. The woman who claims to have been held in an unethical doctorpatient relationship with her psychiatrist, and whom she states she is in “love” with.

At first, I started writing this because of pure interest. Then I quickly realized the dangers of Hilty’s actions and decided it was important to show what these actions lead to.

I think Hilty’s main issue is limerence, an obsessive infatuation that is different from love, and it builds upon delusion and the need for the others to reciprocate what they think they feel. As her actions got increasingly more erratic, it seemed her limerence did as well.

Hilty is fixated on his looks from the start, while negating his profession and acting irrational by talking to

him as a therapist and friend. She refers to his personal interests and life, which is not what he is there for.

She mentions she had substance abuse issues in the past, but it does not excuse her saying that psychiatrists are good at pretending to listen just because she feels as though he is only listening to get closer to her, not to be her psychiatrist. Psychiatrists do care, but they are not therapists. It is not in their practice to deal with trauma and therapystyle sessions, but rather they listen, diagnose and address problems firsthand. Hilty only saw him every month for 30 minutes over Zoom, which I think further solidified her delusions.

Hilty also broke multiple professional and ethical boundaries. She speaks with the psychiatrist’s office manager and finds out he takes clients in person. Hilty confronts him on this, saying that he only did not want to meet in person due to the “sexual tension” that must have been between them.

Hilty also would call him by his first name, and

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she hugged him when she first met him in person.

Psychiatrists have guidelines they must follow to keep patients calm and from acting upon their thoughts, which, in my opinion, he thought she would do.

As this continued, I felt Hilty became more obsessed and developed limerence, though I am not a medical professional. She starts mentioning that he is reciprocating the feelings she has for him, which fuels her narrative, and matches the condition.

Hilty eventually got an actual therapist, but she did not believe that it was helping her. I believe this was because of her limerence going further and her not understanding why her thoughts about him were wrong or boundary-crossing.

Hilty instead continues calling the psychiatrist a predator and manipulative, but believes he still somehow wants her.

A major switch was when

Hilty described a moment when she was hit by a car. She went to her appointment with him instead of getting

help, then acted like he was the problem because he did not immediately get her help. Hilty goes as far as accusing this psychiatrist of being a groomer and using his professional knowledge for harm, then doxxed him by saying his name in a TikTok video. She confirmed that pictures and videos of him were real, even saying that she “does not owe him anonymity.” Hilty played victim, leading to this psychiatrists full name, workplace and intimate life details being released.

Scan the code to read the rest online!

Ship Life

SU Car Club holds 2nd annual motor show

Shippensburg University’s Car Club held its second-ever motor show on Sept. 21.

Members of the Shippensburg community filled the parking lot next to Mowrey Hall with their vehicles. The event took place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.,

giving both car owners and attendees the opportunity to converse with one another and check out the variety of vehicles present.

Not only was the motor show an opportunity for community-building, but it also served as a fundraiser. Half of the proceeds went to the Shippensburg Produce and Outreach (SPO)

food pantry, a nonprofit organization. According to their Facebook page, SPO “provides fresh produce, meat, eggs, dairy and resources to neighbors in need.”

“We’re all just a big community of car heads.”

Firestine, commented on the importance of the motor show to the club and everyone who participates.

Thomas Firestine Club President

The President of SU’s Car Club, Thomas

Lackhove Hall hosts mental health themed bingo.

The staff of Lackhove Hall hosted its “Did You Know” on Wednesday, Sept. 16.

Every residence hall on campus must host a “Did You Know” event once each academic year. These events provide opportunities for students to learn about topics that are not widely spoken about.

Desiree Lane, a graduate student and resident director of Lackhove Hall, was in charge of planning this event.

“We knew it was suicide prevention month, so we wanted to do something centered around mental health,” Lane said. “We wanted to bring it firsthand of connecting students with resources that are already on campus but also connecting it with what they are dealing with.”

There were seven oncampus resources that represented themselves at the bingo: Alcohol & Other Drugs; First Year

Experience; the Office of Inclusion, Belonging, & Social Equity; Retention & Student Success; the Counseling Center; the Learning Center; and the Office of Accessibility & Resources.

Laura Menet, who is a junior and a resident assistant, helped alongside other resident assistants to plan this event.

“Everybody got a designated job within planning it, so somebody did the flyers, somebody helped reach out to people, somebody got the decorations, somebody did prizes and we worked together as a team to make it all happen,” Menet said.

The bingo was known as a “Grab N’ Bingo,” which means that students had to visit each of the resources to mark off their bingo card, and then they could put their card into a drawing to potentially win a prize. Prizes included weighted stuffed animals, a white noise machine and a weighted blanket.

This interactive event offered opportunities for students to learn how to manage stress and boost

“We’re all just a big community of car heads,” Firestine said.

“That’s why we have the club

on campus in the first place. It’s a big thing to get people out, enjoy their cars and give them a reason to drive it. It shows us that there is still a car community.”

Along with the opportunity to get to know fellow carenthusiasts, there were other vendors and sponsors present. These included SU’s campus radio station WSYC

and a food truck named Free Style Foodie.

Various prizes were given to car owners, rewarding them for their commitment to the car community and hard work on their vehicles.

The Car Club hope to build off of this year’s motor show success and to continue holding events like this in the future.

More Than a Party: ASA’s Taste of Africa builds Community on Campus

Gabe Rader Staff Contributor

Shippensburg University’s African Student Association (ASA) hosted A Taste of Africa at Gilbert Hall on Thursday, Sept. 18.

The evening was full of afro-inspired food and music, bringing students together to celebrate heritage and build community.

At the event, games ranged from “Guess the Song” competitions to Kahoot challenges on African flags. Once games were over and prizes were handed out, everyone flooded the buffet line for a home-cooked dishes.

ASA members brought

home-cooked shrimp, wings, plantains, puff puffs and jollof rice. Jollof rice is a fiery West-African dish with tomatoes, hot sauce, onions, pork and arrangement of spices that “dabble in our culture,” said ASA Parliamentarian Nani Ramara.

The evening was more than food and music. These gatherings foster cultural pride and create affirming spaces for students of color at predominantly white institutions like Shippensburg University.

“It makes sure no student feels alone and our culture is more seen,” said ASA President Mide Shoymei, who also celebrated his

birthday during the event. While the “food might be what brings people in, the cultural pride, respect, and community is what brings them back, “ said ASA Secretary John Idan.

ASA not only honors African culture, but it challenges the long history of silencing and invisibility that students of color face in higher education that remains today. For ASA, the event was more than welcome: it was a declaration. African voices, traditions and community belong at Shippensburg University.

‘One of Those Kids’: Jonathan Mooney comes to SU to tell his story

Adam Sheaffer & Jordan Neperud Staff Contributor & Asst. Ship Life Editor

Jonathan Mooney, an education advocate, spoke at the Luhrs Center on Sept. 17 to tell his story about struggling with education due to learning disabilities, and how he is advocating for change.

Jonathan Mooney was not like other kids. He struggled with dyslexia and attention deficit disorder (ADD), and he was always told he was the problem. He eventually dropped out of school at age 12. He was told he would not graduate high school, would

not find a good job and would end up in prison.

Today, Mooney is a college graduate of the Honors Program at Brown University, an author of multiple books, an entrepreneur and an advocate for better educational practices.

He has delivered speeches in forty-nine states and five countries, with audiences ranging from kindergarten classes to Ivy League professors.

Mooney spoke to a large crowd of teachers and students at Shippensburg University. He discussed his life experiences through dropping out of school, considering suicide and

finding his way through life.

“I didn’t overcome dyslexia. I overcame being made to feel stupid because I learned differently,” Mooney said during his speech.

The purpose of the speech was to not only share Mooney’s personal struggles, but to both uplift students and provide educators with strategies on how to best support their students.

After his presentation, Mooney opened the mic up to the audience to ask him questions.

Multiple students who were education majors, along with current educators, asked questions on Mooney’s accommodations in college.

They also asked him what he would go back and tell his 12-year-old self now.

In closing, Mooney said, “This is an all-win moment to believe in the potential of every single human being to be an advocate for every single human being’s right to learn differently.”

The event was sponsored by the Department of English; Interdisciplinary Minor in Disability Studies; Office of Inclusion, Belonging, and Social Equity; and the Office of Accessibility Resources. For more information about Jonathon Mooney, check out his website at https://www. jonathanmooney.com/

more information on these events and more, check out their Instagram @ shipapb.

Ballroom dance - but make it cheeky and sexy! Get Booked: Onyx Storm

Caroline Cooper Staff Contributor

Frank Hancock’s Ballroom Dance classes are back again this fall semester. For almost 15 years, the Luhrs Center has hosted dancers, young and experienced, from all over the Cumberland Valley area to learn all things ballroom.

Hancock welcomed a large group of dancers of various expertise levels, from seasoned ballroom enthusiasts to first-time university students. Whether you come with a partner or alone, you will be sure to have a ball.

The ladies and the gentlemen are separated on either side of the stage, as Hancock dually instructed each for their differentiating steps. Even though the “women got the rhythm rib” from the story of Adam and Eve, Hancock instructed the men to lead through the basic swing steps. With each step, he led with a feisty attitude and a humorous bit, encouraging all nonetheless.

Switching quickly between

group instruction to pairing up for the real deal, these lessons fly by.

Friends and couples alike laughed through the lesson, as they learned the fivecount tango and practiced the first steps of spinning in the foxtrot. The cha-cha brought lots of giggles, as Hancock boldly pronounced the women’s natural given ability to do this dance.

“Women get this instinctively — they come out of the birth canal and proclaim,” he said as he points to the stage lights above, “Mama! And cha, cha, cha!” If there’s anyone who can capture the “cheeky but sexy” style of cha cha and teach it in less than 15 minutes to a first-time dancer, it is Hancock.

However, he did not start off as a cha cha enthusiast.

Hancock has been a dance instructor since 1998, but before that, served over 30 years in the U.S. Army. He rose through the ranks, and most notably served in Operation Desert Storm as a Battalion Commander in the 101st Airborne Division. In addition, he became an author with the

recent publication of his book, “Operation Desert Storm: How Two Young Intelligence Analysts and an Infantry Battalion Changed the War in Iraq.” On or off the dancefloor, Hancock practices what he preaches“give it your all!”

The remaining five lessons are held every Monday, the 5:30 p.m. class for beginners and the 6:30 p.m. class for experienced dancers. For more information, visit www.hancockdance.com or contact the Luhrs Performing Arts Center.

Crown of Steel releases EP

Graye Elmer Guest Contributor

I saw these guys live and I left the moshpit with a limp.

Crown of Steel is a local Pennsylvania hardcore band that has been active since 2023, mainly performing live shows. After a demo tape and some effort, Crown of Steel released “Unvanquished Blood” as their first official EP.

Short and punchy, this EP embodies the hardcore ethos to a T. Groovy, with strong riffs and breakdowns accompanied by a rhythm that keeps your hands up and your feet moving. This 717 HXC band is everything you would want and more out of hardcore.

Opening with a killer first song, “Heroes Shed No Tears” is easily my favorite off of the EP. The intro guitar riff perfectly sets the scene for the entire EP, with aggression and bounce that

primes you to dance.

I asked the band members about the origin of their sound and their inspirations after a live performance in Harrisburg. Matt, the band’s vocalist, said, “Earth Crisis, Hatebreed, Integrity, that’s Crown of Steel. We’re mainly inspired by the classics, but there is definitely some modern influence… some Incendiary, Jesus Piece inspiration in there.”

I really enjoy their sound. It feels like the best of the old hardcore sound with enough modern twist to keep it interesting.

One of my favorite aspects of this project is the bleed through between some of the songs. “Heroes Shed No Tears” falls almost seamlessly into “Counter Attack.” The themes of every song permeate the whole run, making listening feel like one complete story.

This came as a bit of a surprise to me

because smaller releases like these are sometimes disjointed and varied when it comes to tone and theme.

You can tell that these guys live for the scene, and you can really feel that in their music.

“Go to shows, stay off the internet. The internet is fake, and only the hardcore scene in person is real,” Matt said when asked to give advice for newcomers to the scene. “It happens in real meet-space, where there’s real human bodies.”

Throughout the show, people were fraternizing. I saw my friends make new friends, talk about bands they like and, in general, have a wonderful time in between sets.

These guys are still out playing live. If you see their name on a poster, don’t be afraid to indulge in some Pennsylvania hardcore.

Abbygale Hockenberry A&E Editor

*Spoiler Alert*

How much are you willing to sacrifice for love? It depends on the situation, right?

Xaden showed his true character in a single act; a single act that was full of sacrifice and love. I was worried that Violet was going to turn her back on Xaden, since she did once before, when he withheld information from her to protect her, but she did not. That proved to me just how much she loves him.

Despite many sources telling Violet that there is no cure for him, she still tries everything in her power to find one. I thought that the ending of “Iron Flame” was going to mean that Xaden was going to be a full-on bad guy in “Onyx Storm,” but there’s a time frame that it takes for a human to fully turn into Venin. Now, I think from the ending of “Onyx Storm” we can expect a full blown evil Xaden, I’m not prepared for.

I want to see more of Prince Halden. Upon his arrival, I think I am supposed to hate him yet I do not entirely. Prince Halden is the ex-boyfriend of Violet; Xaden sees him as a low-key threat. I was not exactly threatened by him. Violet’s love for Xaden is unwavering. I wanted more scenes with Halden’s character because it sparked drama that I enjoyed. At the same time, I think too much attention on him would have readers begin shipping him in with Violet, which I believe is not what Rebecca Yarros wants.

Andarna, who was once Violet’s baby golden dragon, is no longer baby sized. We learn that she

‘The Plagueround’ Episode 1 is full of magic

Dungeons and Dragons

(D&D) is experiencing a pop culture renaissance. Once considered a niche hobby in the ’70s and ’80s, D&D now boasts a large, diverse fanbase that is rapidly pushing it into the cultural mainstream. Actual play-shows — games of D&D that are filmed for an audience — are becoming increasingly popular. When the actual play-show “Dimension 20” performed live at Madison Square Garden in January of this year, tickets sold out in a matter of hours.

On Sept. 14, an English improv comedy group, Shoot From The Hip, released the first episode of its own fourpart D&D campaign, “The Plagueround,” on YouTube. The members, include Sam Russell, Tom Mayo, Luke Manning and Alexander

Jeremy, also known as AJ. The group regularly posts content from their performances on social media. They’ve amassed over half a million subscribers on YouTube and nearly two million followers on TikTok. Their longform plays, where they fully improvise a story based on a title obtained from the audience, are fan favorites for their humor and memorable characters.

Shoot From The Hip’s newest creative venture, “The Plagueround,” follows four cursed boys as they attend a supernatural boarding school called St. Churnley’s. They learn to control their unique afflictions before disaster strikes. The setting of St. Churnley’s evokes other classic British tales such as “Matilda” and “Harry Potter,” yet “The Plagueround” manages to stand out and feel distinct. In a video interview, Mayo told me that the transition to

the D&D format “took some getting used to.” Ultimately, though, he said that “it was nice being able to play things a bit slower.”

The longer runtime, with Episode 1 being a little over two and a half hours, really works in Shoot From The Hip’s favor. This allows them more time to develop their characters while also leaving plenty of room for

comedic shenanigans. Each member of Shoot From The Hip is a fantastic actor, and they all shine as their respective characters. It is hard not to love Roland, whom Russell endows with an infectious cheerfulness, and Mayo is endearing as the perpetually anxious Edgar. Manning’s well-intentioned yet temperamental Kevin is a lot of fun; meanwhile, AJ

is an Irid, which is the seventh dragon breed out there. Similar to the secret society no one knows about, and Violet organizes a search party to track down Andarna’s family. They believe that the Irids know a cure for Venin and more about their wards. Unfortunately, they do not know a cure.

The entire time reading this, I was trying to figure out what “Onyx Storm” meant. I knew it had to be something regarding Xaden because Yarros consistently describes his eyes as onyx colored and even his onyx shadows. The final scene we get with Xaden, he loses the control that he tried so hard to have the entire book. He saves Violet again, his own dragon, Sgaeyl, and others. This scene was heartbreaking because we have never seen him be this powerful. Before you knew what was happening, he was channeling from the earth and losing himself. Violet wakes up from the battle with memory gaps. She is legally married to Xaden – there’s a ring on her finger and he’s also missing. Xaden leaves her a note that just says, “It’s yours now,” meaning Tyrrendor. He no longer trusts himself enough to be in charge, and their marriage makes her the Duchess of Tyrrendor. Now she must learn to navigate as a full-blown leader. I remember closing that book with my jaw dropped. I am scared to see my favorite character become evil in the fourth book. A part of me also wishes I didn’t start this series until all five books were released, because now I must wait who knows how long for the fourth one. Until then, I will be stalking Yarros’ Instagram page for the announcement.

and laughter

delivers a performance that is equal parts unpredictable and hilarious as Monty.

The four have such genuine camaraderie and play so well off each other, making it easy to forget that they are not actually rowdy schoolboys.

Tom Midgley, who steers the story as the Dungeon Master, is a delightful addition to the group. He strikes a good balance between keeping the players on track and taking part in — and at times even encouraging — the inevitable chaos. Additionally, the production quality is impressive. The lighting is good, there are multiple camera angles and the story is enhanced by sound effects and character art.

The most immersive part, however, is the wonderful costuming. The four protagonists are dressed in custom St. Churnley’s school uniforms, with Dungeon

Master Tom Midgley outfitted in a headmaster’s gown and cap. This attention to detail adds to the overall viewing experience.

I asked Mayo about Shoot From The Hip’s goals when creating content. “We have a big focus on being a sort of fun, like, break from the world,” said Mayo. Mayo added that when it comes to their longform content, he likes being able to achieve a balance between storytelling depth and humor.

“I hope we cause emotions,” he said. Episode 1 of “The Plagueround” certainly succeeds in mixing humor and heart, and I cannot wait to see what happens next at St. Churnley’s School for Cursed Boys. After all, the school year has only just begun. For more information, visit shootimpro.com.

Field hockey remains undefeated after 3-0 week

Mason Flowers Sports Editor

Shippensburg University’s No. 2 nationally ranked field hockey team moved to 7-0 on the year after posting a pair of home shutouts and a road win over No. 6 Mansfield.

The Raiders took down Frostburg State 5-0 on Wednesday, defeated Slippery Rock 4-0 on Friday, before holding on for a 2-1 win on Sunday against the Mountaineers.

SU did not waste time in Wednesday’s game, as senior Kelly Naudé scored five minutes and 35 seconds

into the match. She then assisted on the second goal of the game, with sophomore Elaina Fragassi scoring her first goal of the year.

Senior Agus Garibaldi was the next to score for Shippensburg, scoring a goal off a Naudé assist. With this goal, Garibaldi became the ninth player in school history to score 50 career goals.

Shippensburg tacked on two second-half goals, with senior Lilly Cantabene scoring in the third quarter. Junior Hannah White earned the game’s final goal with five minutes and 33 seconds remaining.

Frostburg State was held to one shot all game, with the Raider offense racking up 39 shots, 27 on goal. They also earned 10 corners, allowing just three.

Friday’s game against The Rock featured a scoreless first quarter. That changed in the second, with Fragassi scoring off a Cantabene assist to make it 1-0 at halftime.

Naudé was next to strike for the SU offense, scoring her third goal of the season.

Sophomore Annika Medeja then picked up the first goal of her college career, scoring via a Cantabene assist, making the score 3-0 after

three quarters.

Junior McKenna Boyle scored in the final five minutes to cap off a 4-0 Raider victory. SU outshot The Rock 35-6, with 18 shots on goal. SU racked up 17 corners, only allowing one shot on goal. Graduate goalkeeper Emma Albee stopped the shot to earn her fourth consecutive shutout.

The week ended with a defensive battle in Mansfield, as each team only mustered six shots on goal.

The Mountaineers scored midway through the second quarter to take the lead. It was the first goal allowed by SU in 285 minutes of gameplay.

SU responded quickly though, as Boyle scored just two minutes later off another Cantabene assist to even the score.

Cantabene herself scored with 33 seconds left in the first half, rocketing in a pass from freshman Madison Fissel to put SU ahead.

Mountaineers gave it all they had in the second half, with nine corners and a penalty stroke, but could not score on any. Albee made five saves in the half, with a crucial one on the corner before the other four in the final seven minutes.

Albee earned her 200th career save in the fourth quarter, ending the game at 201 career saves.

She is one of 11 Raiders to reach 200 career saves

Volleyball drops three of four matches in PSAC/MEC Crossover

Shippensburg University volleyball struggled this weekend, losing matches to Wheeling and Fairmont State on Friday before splitting matches with West Liberty and West Virginia State on Saturday. They fall to 6-5 overall this season.

Wheeling hosted both of Friday’s games, starting the day by beating SU in straight sets, as the Raiders fell 2225, 18-25, and 25-27. Set 1 saw SU tied as late as 19-19, but Wheeling pulled away from there. The Raiders also led late in set three, up 22-18 at one point, but just could not hold on.

Redshirt sophomore Gracen Nutt led the Raiders with eight kills. Junior Kylie Snyder was close behind at seven kills, also adding in

Women’s

four blocks. Senior Kearstin Davis led the setters with 18 assists, while junior Shay Kolivoski led the defenders with 14 kills.

SU’s second match of the day saw Fairmont State win with a sweep, with set scores of 19-25, 15-25, and 22-25. The Raiders failed to generate any consistent scoring, only putting up four consecutive points just once.

Fairmont State hit .260 in the match compared to just .104 for Shippensburg, which is well below the Raider’s season average of .172.

Shippensburg’s fortunes changed on Saturday, as it won a road matchup against West Liberty in four sets.

The Raiders pulled through in a closely contested game, featuring set scores of 26-24, 23-25, 25-20, and 25-23.

The offense got off to a hot start, as SU jumped out to

a 6-0 lead in set one. It was back and forth until a 3-0 run finished off the set. Fast starts helped SU in the other two sets as well, converting 13-6 and 5-1 leads into victorious sets. SU hit .204 compared to just .139 for West Liberty.

Junior Natalya Montague paced the offense with 12 kills, hitting .480 with no errors. Freshman Elise Bragg put up nine kills along with a career-high 17 digs. Davis continued her strong weekend with 29 assists and 11 digs.

The last match of the weekend was also close throughout, but SU fell 3-1 to West Virginia State with set scores of 22-25, 25-22, 21-25, and 21-25.

The Yellow Jackets used a 12-2 run midway through the first set to go up 1-0, before SU pulled ahead with a 5-0 run late in Set 2 to even the

match. West Virginia State scored the final six points of set three to win it, before converting an 8-3 start to a Set 4 win.

Junior Hailey Cappleman led SU with 13 kills in the match, with Bragg close behind at 12 kills and 15 digs, capping off a stellar Saturday. Kolivoski’s 25 digs were then most of any Raider. Davis led the team with 24 assists, as sophomore Jaiden Anderson also had 18 along with 11 digs.

Shippensburg volleyball’s stretch of 16 straight road games to start the season continues with a pair of matches this week. They will face Clarion on Friday at 6 p.m., a rematch of SU’s season-opener, which they won 3-2. They then travel to Slippery Rock for a Saturday matinee, taking the court at 2 p.m.

Tennis goes 1-1 to start season

and should enter the Top 10 in school history by the season’s end.

After back-to-back threegame weeks, SU field hockey only has one game on the schedule for this week. The Raiders will face IUP

Saturday at noon at Robb Sports Complex to open conference play. The team will celebrate Alumni Day and hold the Strous Fly High 22 5K pregame.

Men’s soccer splits pair of road games

Ben Hummel Staff Contributor

The Shippensburg University men’s soccer team played two nonconference games on the road this past week. On Wednesday, the Raiders fell to Lock Haven 4-2, but they rebounded on Saturday with a 1-0 win over Slippery Rock.

At Lock Haven, SU gave up an early goal but answered back with two goals of its own, taking a 2-1 lead going into halftime.

Goal scorers for the Raiders were freshman Liam Heimann and sophomore Nat Thompson, who each netted their first goals as Raiders.

Heimann’s goal came in minute 17 of the match when he made a 15-yard run with the ball and successfully dribbled through multiple Bald Eagle defenders before nailing a shot in the far post.

Thompson followed 13 minutes later with his shot bouncing off a defender into the goal. He was assisted by a perfectly directed long ball from sophomore Nate Herb right to his left foot.

The Raider defense couldn’t stop the Bald Eagles offense in the second half, surrendering three goals in a 24-minute stretch.

Shippensburg had seven total shots in the game, and only two in the second half.

Lock Haven posted seven shots in each half, with eight of their shots on goal.

Ship goalkeeper Ryan Krumenacker and Bald Eagle goalkeeper Ethan Beck each posted four saves for their teams.

On Saturday, Shippensburg pulled out a hard-fought win against Slipper Rock in a game that saw five yellow cards.

The game stood deadlocked at 0-0 the whole game until junior Cam Henry found the lower-left corner of the net in minute 81 to seal the win for the Raiders. Henry was assisted by sophomore Ethan Omondi.

Twenty minutes before Henry’s goal, redshirt freshman Coy Rush’s shot was blocked by a defender in front of the goal to keep it tied.

Shippensburg had 10 total shots on goal one, more than Slippery Rock, and nine corner kicks.

Redshirt sophomore Jack McCann recorded three saves in his third collegiate start in goal, his first collegiate shutout.

The Raiders are now 2-2 overall, heading into next week’s matchups.

Shippensburg will be on the road for its next game at PennWest California to take on the California Vulcans at 6 p.m. On Saturday, the team returns home to face Seton Hill at 2:30 p.m.

All games can be found on the PSAC Sports Digital Network.

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Sports Action this Week

Slate Photographers Capture the Action of Various Sports