COVID-19 Catch Up
COVID-19 Catch Up
FEATURE
FEATURE
FEATURE
FEATURE
FEATURE
FEATURE
Braden Taylor & Zoey Hover | October 1, 2026
Empty Pedestal: MVNU Mystery Statue Outside of Chapel:
MVNU is adding a statue to the courtyard of the chapel, a project that was started at the beginning of the school year and has since been a topic of interest across the campus as ideas of what it could be of travel from person to person. Despite the interest, the statue will continue to remain a mystery to students, as the administration has decided to keep it a secret until it is finished.
Stay in the Loop
Empty Pedestal: MVNU Mystery Statue Outside of Chapel:
By Braden Taylor, Staff Writer and Zoey Hover, Editor
MVNU is adding a statue to the courtyard of the chapel, a project that was started at the beginning of the school year and has since been a topic of interest across the campus as ideas of what it could be of travel from person to person. Despite the interest, the statue will continue to remain a mystery to students, as the administration has decided to keep it a secret until it is finished.
What could this statue be? Students have many thoughts: Jesus being a big one, also an apostle like Paul or Peter, a cougar, and some students even joke that it will be a statue of Dr. Castleman. The first two seem most likely, since they would fit the theme of the chapel, although Casey the Cougar getting this kind of recognition could greatly fuel school spirit. Perhaps the statue depicts Jesus alongside Casey, symbolizing MVNU marrying Christian faith with school spirit.
Administration said the statue will be completed and revealed this semester, possibly by mid-October. President Dr. Carson Castleman looks forward to revealing the statue, stating, “This is more than a new piece of art. A statue like this is a daily reminder of who we are and whose we are.” Castleman also revealed another small detail about its appearance: it will be made of bronze.
Whatever this statue will turn out to be, despite all the rumors, Rev. Dave Mills, Vice President for Spiritual Life, assures students in good humor that it is not a statue of Dr. Castleman.
Check Out Our
Latest Video Content!
An On-Air Legacy: WNZR Reaches 40 Years
By Olivia Skillings, Staff Writer
WNZR radio is celebrating 40 years of radio ministry this year, Oct. 1, marking four decades of providing listeners with encouraging Christian music and messages. Since 1986, WNZR has
spread God’s Word through the airwaves and through interacting with Knox County communities.
The dream for a college radio station on the campus of Mount Vernon Nazarene College began in 1982. The college submitted an application to the FCC for a broadcast license, which was approved four years later, allowing WNZR to officially go on the air on Oct. 1.
The effort to bring this dream to life was led by Dr. Henry Smith, WNZR’s first station manager.
He exclaimed that he is “proud to see WNZR keep the faith and keep it alive over time because
things don’t just get done on their own. It takes people with passion to work.” He specifically
mentioned Joe and Marcy Rinehart as being champions for the passion that drives WNZR and
praised them for how they have “caught the vision.”
Dr. Smith also stated the importance of students learning about broadcasting while studying
communication. He explained that WNZR doesn’t just impact its listeners; it greatly impacts
MVNU’s communication students.
The passion to serve others through radio ministry has been passed down through staff and
students for four decades. Current student Brock Hankins had this to say about the anniversary:
“Growing up, WNZR was the station my family and I listened to, and it played a huge role in
inspiring me to pursue an education in radio. I’m so honored to be a part of this radio ministry
and can’t wait to celebrate 40 years!”
Current staff and students held WNZR’s 40th Year Anniversary Celebration on Oct. 1 with
listeners, community members, friends and family. The celebration included a WNZR museum,
photo booth, dinner, Round Hill Dairy ice cream and many more activities.
For 40 years, WNZR has carried on the passion for radio ministry that began so many years ago, committing itself to sharing God’s word with the community and preparing the next generation of media professionals.
Access Granted: The Solution to Wi-Fi Problems on Campus
By: Ethan Hershberger, Staff Writer
Since the start of classes at MVNU, many students have come across various issues with connecting and staying connected to campus Wi-Fi. There are several causes, some of which have simple solutions, but a record number of freshmen enrolled in the fall 2026 semester, increasing the student population enough to cause Wi-Fi complications.
Brian Payne, the Assistant Director of Infrastructure Services, explained that the increased number of students means an increased number of devices using a Wi-Fi access point. However, MVNU’s tech team has been preparing for this increase. Payne stated that MVNU purchased “53 new access points” to replace old equipment and increase the number of devices that can access each point. This new equipment arrived recently, and MVNU’s team is currently “scheduling the deployment” of these devices.
Aside from this issue, Payne offers solutions to several other issues that may be impacting student access.
“Students should connect to the ‘Student’ Wi-Fi,” Payne clarifies, explaining that this option will provide faster speed than “Guest” or “Devices.” If students notice that their devices frequently drop Wi-Fi connection, it could be the result of signing into more than one of these MVNU networks. Payne says to “forget all those networks” and “just sign into ‘Student’ or ‘Devices’” because the device may be attempting to “jump from one network to another,” leading to the dropped connection.
Sometimes, the solution to fixing a Wi-Fi problem is as simple as turning off the device’s Wi-Fi, then turning it back on. Payne also said to make sure that a device “is up to date with its firmware,” as “it’s very important to have the latest software.”
It is vital to note that, sometimes, when selecting an MVNU network, a device will not automatically open the page where a student can type in their sign-in information to access MVNU Wi-Fi. If this situation occurs, Payne tells students to open a browser like Chrome or Safari and type in “splash.mvnu.edu” to sign in.
Sometimes, Motherboard Helpdesk is simply unaware of Wi-Fi problems, as no one has reported the problem. Payne encourages students to report faulty Wi-Fi spots to the Motherboard Helpdesk by visiting the helpdesk on the lower floor of Thorne Library, emailing or by filling out a “Support” ticket on the MVNU portal.
