COVID-19 Catch Up
COVID-19 Catch Up
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NEWS
Are We Accessible Enough? A Look at Campus Disability Resources
By Abby Almodovar
At any college, the community fostered by students is guaranteed to include a range of differing individuals. School is not a “one-size-fits-all” experience, which is also what Mount Vernon Nazarene University’s accessibility services page states about its accommodation process. Students with disabilities will have needs and obstacles unique to their case, so hearing from their experiences is necessary to grow understanding.
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Hailey Corey, a ministry and psychology major, has spent five years attending MVNU and plans to graduate in the spring. Corey described her daily experience living on campus with a wheelchair: She wakes up early to check the safety of weather conditions and then attaches a motorized one-wheel to help reduce strain while navigating campus. From Redwood to her classes, Corey must take a longer path due to uneven sidewalks.
Corey explained that although she can enter most buildings, it can be difficult. For example, entering the chapel requires circling halfway around the building to reach the accessible door. In addition, the handicap buttons do not always function properly, and some doorways cause her wheelchair to become stuck.
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Corey relates that her doctors have appealed for remote learning access, “just to protect my health, in cases of storms, or if I’m in too much pain and they don’t want to risk me falling over.” However, she has no sanctioned accommodation for this.
When asked what changes to campus accessibility could be the highest priority, Corey suggested fixing the sidewalks and improving bathrooms, especially those in residential areas. In relation to the accessibility processes, she reflects, “There’s a lot of training that needs to happen. I think we should actually listen to the voices of the disabled and those who are going through these problems. Talk with them instead of looking at what’s best for the school or what’s ‘fair.’ We need to look at what’s equitable—what’s going to make students feel included.”
Retro: A Look Back At the Present
By Zoey Hover
With zany sculptures, lawn ornaments in their “natural habitats” and hidden shapes, the Retro art exhibition displayed in Mount Vernon Nazarene University’s Schnormeier Gallery asks viewers to stop in for more than a glance. The artist responsible for creating these visual curiosities, Jeremie Riggleman, said that helping “us pause to just slow down and savor a little bit” is exactly his intention.
“We can pay attention to what we see and what we hear. What we feel,” he continued, then explained that creating his art has helped him to enjoy the present instead of constantly looking to the future. Riggleman highlighted one such experience as he shared the story behind putting together the collection of naturally shaped bark pieces on display.
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“So I have these pieces of bark, and I pulled them apart; and then, you know, I started seeing these animals and things,” he said. “I got so much joy out of this fun game of discovering what they were.” Without stopping to pay attention to them, the shapes in the bark would be overlooked, but Riggleman invites gallery visitors to share in his process of observation and discovery through several interactive displays. “This gives them a chance to, you know, decide on their own what they think it is and to have that joyful experience without me having to tell them something.”
While Retro’s goal may be to bring viewers’ focus to their present senses and experiences, the exhibit, aptly named, is a culmination of Riggleman’s work from the past two decades. Laura Tabbut, the administrator of Schnormeier Gallery, said that this makes Retro a particularly special exhibition. “It is inspiring to see how his work has changed and progressed during that time,” she stated. “It is also valuable to see how artists’ materials and subject matter changes over the years.”
“Being an artist,” Riggleman said, regarding the diversity of his work. “I think I can do anything. Like that’s what’s exciting to me is I can always change and try something new.” Despite Riggleman’s desire to experiment, his wide variety of mediums and subjects and the span of years encompassed in the exhibit, it is clear that his passion for making people stop to appreciate the present is the thread that connects it all.
Lights, Camera, Casey! New Movie Nights for MVNU Students
By Isaiah Clark
Students here at Mount Vernon Nazarene University can now enjoy a movie theater experience without leaving campus, thanks to Casey Cinema, a new event from Student Life.
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The idea stemmed from student feedback requesting more weekend activities, especially relaxed, low-cost events.
“We recognized a lull in weekend programming between Welcome Back Week and spring break,” said Jacob Shockey, a student and campus life staff member. “Students told us they wanted more weekend opportunities that weren’t high-energy. A low-cost movie night felt like the perfect fit.”
The event name came naturally during a brainstorming session, drawing inspiration from MVNU’s mascot, Casey Cougar.
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This semester’s lineup features three films chosen with distinct themes: nostalgia, a recent blockbuster and a fresh theatrical release. Casey Cinema kicked off with Twisters, followed by Wicked this past weekend. The final screening of the semester will feature Cars, though the date is yet to be announced.
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The long-term future of Casey Cinema is still undecided. Organizers plan to gather student feedback to determine if it should remain a winter event or expand into a monthly screening series with themed nights.
“We never want to assume we know what students want,” Shockey said. “Their voices will shape the future of Casey Cinema.”
Students are encouraged to stay tuned for the final movie date and take advantage of this opportunity to enjoy a theater-style experience with friends.