The independent newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis since 1878 THURSDAY, SEPT 22, 2022
VOLUME 144, NO. 4
COVID DAY-BY-DAY
WWW.STUDLIFE.COM
CALL FOR CHANGE
Students share experiences of having COVID the second week of school (Scene, pg 6)
A student’s account of a medical emergency at last semester’s WILD (Forum, pg 3)
VOLLEYBALL UNDEFEATED
(Sports, pg 7)
Shelby Jordan, University alum and NFL player, passes away
WU Introduces New Career Software for Undergrads ZACH TRABITZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER
COURTESY OF LARRY KINDBOM
Shelby Jordan donning his jersey for a game on Francis Olympic Field.
NATASHA CHUKA CONTRIBUTING WRITER Shelby Jordan, a Washington University alum who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 years, passed away on Sept. 9. Both the College Football Hall of Fame and the New England Patriots broke the news in statements released on Friday. Jordan was born in 1952 in St. Louis, and graduated from East St. Louis High School in 1969. That same year, Jordan began his football career at the University. From 1969 until 1972, Jordan led the WashU football team in tackles as a linebacker. After getting drafted and then cut from the Oliers in 1973 during training camp, Jordan
transitioned to playing the offensive tackle position for the New England Patriots in 1975. He proceeded to play for the Patriots for seven seasons, starting in 87 games and playing in 95. In 1983, Jordan signed a four-year contract with the Los Angeles Raiders and was with the team in their 1984 Superbowl XVIII win against the Washington Commanders. Jordan retired in 1986 and in 2013 received the honor of being elected to the College Football Hall of Fame; he was the first WashU alum to receive this distinction since Harvey Jablonski in 1978. According to former WashU head football coach Larry Kindbom, who served in the position from 1989 until 2019, Jordan frequently reminisced on his years at the University, reveal-
ing that despite his illustrious professional career, his “greatest experiences were right here at Francis Field.” “He gave back to the University because of what he felt the University had given him,” Kindbom said. The coach named Gloria White, Bill Danforth, and Mark Wrighton as some of the University staff that impacted Jordan greatly. Since the day that Kindbom started his position at the school, he said that he saw firsthand the positive impact that Jordan had both on campus and on the football team’s morale. Kindbom said that Jordan would come to campus to connect with the football players over the years and since Jordan was a cherished alum, his advice was well-received.
“[He] was instrumental in getting into [the players’] mindset,” Kindbom said. Jordan was able to provide the kind of motivation that Kindbom said helped lead the 2016 team from two losses to winning the rest of their games that season. Jordan played at WashU during the national fight for racial equality in higher education, and Kindbom said that Jordan’s identity as a Black man on the team was important for generations of football players that came after him. “Shelby came in an era where WashU didn’t have a strong population of color,” Kindbom said. “His impact was more than the fact that he went to the NFL. Shelby [broke] ground here at Washington University.”
Washington University has implemented two new careercentered softwares, Handshake and VMock, for students to use this fall. Handshake provides students with listings for internships and jobs, company-hosted information sessions, and other career opportunities. VMock, on the other hand, is an AI software that gives feedback on resumes based on data collected from reputable employers and professionals. Both platforms are designed to be used by students of all disciplines, but VMock is currently used exclusively by students of the Olin School of Business. According to Madison Muschinske, industry and corporate event specialist at the Weston Career Center, the University plans for Handshake to be widely used by students across the schools. “Handshake is the University’s primary job posting platform,” Muschinske said. She detailed that students can use the website to find internships, job postings, and on-campus employment; sign up for career center events; and connect with employers. Muschinske explained that while the school previously relied on CAREERlink, another career-focused software, they changed to Handshake as it provides more opportunities for students. For instance, Handshake already has 2,500 employers recruiting WashU students through the platform, and this number is expected to increase. “We make sure there’s no red f lags as far as scams or phishing or anything like that,” Muschinske said. “We’re targeting companies that students are generally interested in, and we look for opportunities with companies that tend to hire our students.”
SEE CAREER, PAGE 2
Lecture: Sexual Political Economies of Slavery and Abortion ANNIE POWELL CONTRIBUTING WRITER As part of the new “Politics of Reproduction” course, law professor Dr. Adrienne Davis led a guest lecture, “Sexual Political Economies of Slavery and Abortion,” on Sept. 19. In the lecture, Davis draws comparisons between antebellum fugitive slave laws that allowed for the capture of runaway slaves, and the recent Dobbs ruling that restricts travel between states for reproductive care. She also discussed the fractures between city and state governments on a person’s right to cross state borders for abortion care and on punishments for people who assist those who cross those borders. While she believes that the current events are not equal to slavery, Davis sees a parallel between the abortion laws and slave codes in their attempt to restrict travel for abortion access and reproductive health care. “Enslaving states sought to impose their values of Black subordination onto free states,” Davis
said. “In this instance, anti-choice states want to impose their values of restricting women and birthing people’s access onto other states.” With her research focus on the experiences of Black women, Davis pointed out that the contesting of rights is not a new obstacle for Black women. “There has been an ongoing struggle between Black women and the state over Black women’s reproductive autonomy,” Davis said. “This includes abortion, but it is bigger than abortion.” In the wake of the Dobbs ruling, St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones allocated $1 million to help cover the costs of accessing abortion care. Simultaneously, the state of Missouri has banned abortion unless the health of the mother is threatened. An ongoing legal battle between the city and state began with Mayor Jones’ bill that St. Louis will likely lose, but it provides an “important signal,” said Davis. On the national level, protecting the right to cross state lines for abortion care split the Republican Party but did not pass in the Senate. Davis
made it clear in her lecture that while abortion is a complex moral subject, the rights of an individual to travel between states should be protected. “To me it’s just terrifying,” Davis said. “I don’t know how to distinguish it from the fugitive slave laws.” Moving forward, Davis hopes that students will continue to talk about traveling for reproductive healthcare, bringing attention to the issue at all levels. “In terms of advocacy and activism, get involved, however you can and however you feel comfortable,” Davis said. “The University community, St. Louis community, and national communities all need your voice and help.” Davis hopes that “Sexual Political Economies of Slavery and Abortion” has shown students that reproductive healthcare is an intersectional issue. “Abortion access is crucial as a matter of not only gender but race and class equity.” she said.
COURTESY OF CHLOE CARLISH
Photo of Adrienne Davis delivering her Zoom lecture. Note from the Photography Editor:
The decision to run a screenshot of a Zoom meeting next to a news article is an effort to represent the changed and changing nature of human interaction in a post-COVID-19 world. We considered taking a portrait of the speaker outside of the meeting: this more traditional approach omits the facts of the article’s subject. The Zoom screenshot is an experiment and an attempt, not a
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final answer. I hope it both gives a more appropriate representation of what occurred — potentially at the cost of aesthetic intrigue — while also raising questions about what might end up being sacrificed in the name of accuracy, and how media can reflect an increasingly digital world. Please email holden.hindes@ studlife.com with questions, comments, and responses.