COVID-19 Catch Up
COVID-19 Catch Up
SGA Welcomes Students Back
By Allessia Dugan
Although it is an exciting time, returning to campus can bring a blend of anticipation and anxiety for many students. To foster a smooth transition back into the academic world, Mount Vernon Nazarene University organizes Welcome Week, a week full of fun activities, delicious food and opportunities to connect with new people. This important week is designed to create a welcoming atmosphere while ensuring that students feel at home as they dive back into their studies.
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As MVNU rolls into the second week of classes, many students are still buzzing with the excitement from Welcome Week. Ashley Mast, a senior accounting student, stated that Welcome Week is her favorite. “I look forward to this week every year. It makes me feel so much better knowing I am returning to a welcoming campus.”
Caiden Slone, a senior criminal justice student, said, “Welcome Week helps me recover from the stress of starting back to school. I really enjoy all the activities.”
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What does Welcome Week mean to those who plan it? Emma More, the vice president of social life, said that it is a great chance to create a sense of belonging – “I believe Welcome Week is an important time during the campus calendar because it welcomes everyone back to campus and allows for a great environment to meet new friends and catch up with old ones.”
Grace Pratt, the media chairperson for the student government association, feels that Welcome Week is an essential part of the beginning of the school year. She explained, “We want to create a sense of community. These events are perfect for people to meet each other and maybe get involved on campus.”
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With Welcome Week being the cornerstone of easing the transition back to school, members of SGA were asked what their favorite events were. More stated, “This year, my favorite was Castleman's Castles because it was such a random idea that popped into my head, and it was so well received by the student body.” Pratt added, “I am most looking forward to Floats and Films, mainly because we are watching Shrek.”
From Airwaves to Airlines
By Abby Almodovar
With the support of an unexpected donation, 11 communication students kicked off their summer plans boarding a flight to Orlando, FL. From May 29-31, they experienced live music and memories while growing professionally at Momentum 2024, a premier Christian radio conference.
Hosted by Christian Music Broadcasters, this event sees a handful of Mount Vernon Nazarene University students every year, but a group this large was unprecedented. The generosity of the donor created a unique opportunity for Marcy and Joe Rinehart, the station manager for WNZR and department chair, to offer full scholarships for those interested in the trip.
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A couple who has supported the station for years and who wishes to remain anonymous made the decision to financially bless these students. “When it was all said and done,” Joe explained, “This couple gave us a gift that would cover not only part of our Lifeline fundraiser but also scholarships for Momentum this past summer.” These funds also cover scholarships for future trips.
The conference involved stations from across the country communing in one space, listening to experts in the field and enjoying performances from a lineup of musicians like Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham and Cece Winans. Students made invaluable connections and spoke with many of the artists who performed.
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Although Momentum is a radio conference, Joe explained that “Listener engagement can go way beyond just being on the air.” He advised, “To anybody who’s interested in communication—whether it’s strategic or digital, whether it’s design, worship arts, or marketing—Momentum is a great place to go because you’re going to meet people who do all of those things.”
Leandra Viscioni is a student majoring in strategic communication, and she spoke positively about her own experience. “The main reason I wanted to go to Momentum was because I didn’t really know much about Christian radio,” she said. “I was really interested in learning more about it to get a better understanding, and I’m really glad that I did.”
For both the students eager to enter the field and the students just hoping to learn from the opportunity, the trip was certainly a positive experience.
Summer is a time to relax and wind down before going back to school. However, for athletes like Jack Moore, who is on the Mount Vernon Nazarene University baseball team, his summer was just the opposite.
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As part of the MVNU baseball team, he got a chance to go to Arizona to hone his skills on professional team fields, such as the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies, to play for the Arizona wood bat league.He made the trip once before with his father and had the opportunity this summer to do so again with his dad and brother.
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Moore explained, “We stopped at Springfield, MO, during a local car show. We stopped at Amarillo, TX, came through the panhandle, and stopped at Big Texan Ranch, where me and my brother had to share a bunkbed, and attached was the Big Texan Steakhouse, that was an old- fashioned saloon restaurant. Me and my dad passed it on our trip the first time and were like ‘we gotta go back!’”
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Moore played with the Arizona Wood Bat League (or AWBL) from June to July and played 30-40 games. He said, “It was an opportunity to network with different coaches from different colleges.” Moore played with the AWBL to practice for the season for MVNU this year but said “50% of the league is kids who haven’t played college ball yet. I experienced this, too, when I was a freshman. It’s good preparation for those guys.” These new young stars are sure to enjoy the league if it is anything like what Moore experienced this summer.
