Category: DeHority

DeHority Has Talent Debrief: Bringing Death Drops, Pokémon, and Gloria Gaynor Together

9/26/2017

By Cailon Nicoson

This semester’s DeHority Has Talent was an eclectic mix of impromptu stand-up, piano covers of Radiohead, and a death drop. Cailon Nicoson brings you all the highlights below.

Last Friday night was DeHority Complex's annual variety show, "DeHority Has Talent," and if you weren't there, then you definitely missed out.

Not only was this event an opportunity for free food, which every college student is on the search for, but it was also a chance for students living in DeHority to showcase their talents.

The night featured musical talents such as guitar, ukulele and piano playing, as well as singing. There was a very memorable, soulful rendition of “I Will Survive” which everyone was extremely hyped for. Dancing, slam poetry, and even comedy were brought into the acts as well. Throughout the night there was a steady stream of karaoke, which many people joined in jamming along to. Some highlights included the Pokémon theme song and “All Star” by Smash Mouth.

The night was definitely a good way to end a stressful week of classes and allowed everyone involved to appreciate the talents of those around us. Plus, everyone knows that it's really karaoke that makes the world go round after all.

The Baddest Gang in DeHo

10/28/2016

By Alex Bravard

Oftentimes we don’t think of bathrooms as a bonding area. They’ve got a limited use; as implied by the name they are rooms in which to bathe. In the case of the Bathroom Girls (BRG), however, the humble bathroom has transcended its origins. These eight Honors freshmen have used their common bathroom as something to bond over. Two of these girls, Kimberly Parkhurst, a social studies education major, and Katie Esarey, a biology major, sat down to talk to me about this experience.

The group was thought up of at the beginning of year when these eight girls were filling out their bathroom agreement. It was around 10:30 or 11 o’clock at night. “We all started talking and then it just all happened,” Kimberly said. (One has to wonder how that comes up in conversation, though.) Katie credits the actual idea of the BRG to chemistry major Sydney Bivens. The girls even gave themselves names by placing sticky notes above their towel hooks and writing their names on the notes.

If you’re ever unfortunate enough to have to…”visit” these girls, more than likely you will start in room 102, or the Interrogation Room. This room is the home of Kimberly, aka the Stabber, and musical theater major Kelsey Krigas, aka the Muscle. Kimberly is named the Stabber for her affinity to wash her knives off in the bathroom sink. She was kind enough to warn the other seven girls though. Kelsey is nicknamed the Muscle because of the fact that she has the muscles.

If they don’t get the information they want, Kelsey will accompany you across the hall to room 103, or the Torture Chamber. This room is occupied by the two biology majors: Katie, aka the Enforcer, and Taylor Johnson, aka Doc. Katie’s nickname comes from her, she says that she just wanted to be known as the Enforcer. Taylor was named Doc due to her massive first aid kit. It’s not even a kit; it’s a tote.

If you’re incredibly unlucky, Taylor will take you to room 101, or the Infirmary. This room houses computer technology major Joanna Morton, aka Child Prodigy or Intel, and marketing major Nicki Croft, aka the Sniper. Joanna is named Intel because she works with computers and Nicki is nicknamed the Sniper because you’ll never see her.

No matter what happens, you’ll never see the inside of Room 104, or Headquarters, as this is the nucleus of the cell. It holds Sydney, aka Gang Boss, and nursing major Mattison Hill, aka Smiley Face or the Good Cop. Both Sydney and Mattison chose their nicknames themselves; Mattison by writing a Smiley Face on her sticky note.

(Disclaimer: They don’t actually treat their guests like they’re on the wrong side of the mob. In fact, they’re extraordinarily nice.)

Going Green: DeHority Residents Work for Campus Change

10/3/2016

By Caitlin Masterson

The Green Action Team (GAT) began meeting two weeks ago to brainstorm ways to improve sustainability efforts on Ball State University’s campus. GAT is a part of the larger student organization Partnership for Sustainable Student Advancement (PSSA), a group founded this year after the Ball State Energy Action Team (BEAT) outgrew its name. PSSA now includes both BEAT and the Recycling Action Team (RAT). Both BEAT and RAT have names relevant to their specific responsibilities, but what does the Green Action Team do?

GAT is responsible for improving everything, besides energy conservation and recycling, that falls under the umbrella term “sustainability efforts.” The group works to network with other student organizations and the residence and dining halls on campus in order to address student concerns about Ball State’s impact on the environment. Students are represented by Eco-Reps from their residence halls. Eco-Reps work with hall directors and Resident Assistants to implement policy changes and organize events within the halls to raise awareness of environmental issues.

DeHority Hall has three Eco-Reps, two of whom are sophomore actuarial science major Kelli Kramer and sophomore classical culture major Allie Hartman. When asked what they would like to see improved in DeHority and on campus in general, Kramer replied, “We do not do enough. We have a lot of recycle bins, but they’re not effective.” Hartman commented, “Even if I only convince one kid in my hall to use silverware instead of plastic utensils…it’s [an] improvement.”

DeHority residents have been among those expressing their interest in improving sustainability efforts on campus. Hannah Banks, a sophomore Latin education major, suggested educating students about the blue recycling bags in dorm rooms. Rebecca Weber, a sophomore speech pathology major, proposed placing more water bottle fountains on campus, both inside and outside of the buildings.

Quintin Thompson, a senior political science and philosophical studies double major and an executive director of PSSA, mentioned the ‘Tragedy of the Commons’ at the second GAT meeting, which underlines the idea that individuals will act in their own best interest without considering the ways their actions may work against the common good if the individual doesn’t have an understanding of why they ought to consider the common good: “Solutions can’t come from policy and technology. Change must come from a change in the culture itself.”

The Green Action Team meets every Thursday at 7 p.m. in NQ 039 to discuss their plans to make Ball State University a more sustainable campus.

Fundraising Through Feminism

10/26/2015

By Mary Cox

Every semester, the RAs of DeHority put on two diversity programs for the hall. This semester, they decided to tackle gender inequality with sandwiches, a grilled cheese sale to be specific.

The grilled cheese sale took place in the DeHority lobby on Friday, Oct. 16 from 8 to12 pm. It doubled as an educational opportunity for residents and a fundraiser for the RAs' upcoming retreat.

“We wanted to create conversation, have it be a learning thing,” Asa McCormick, a DeHority RA who helped to run the sale, said. “It’s our job to teach.”

Awareness was the main inspiration behind the event.

“The issue [the wage gap between men and women] is something that tends to get put on the back burner,” DeHority RA Abe , who came up with the idea for the event, said. “It’s been this way for so long people don’t really think about it, or they think there’s nothing else that can be done, or that needs to be done for that matter.”

McCormick agreed.

“People are aware of certain issues, but they tend to miss the real world things that go along with it,” McCormick said. “It’s 2015 and people don’t realize this [pay inequality] is still happening.”

About a week before the sale, fliers went up on DeHority resident’s doors to advertise the event. They simply stated:

“Love grilled cheese?! Grilled cheese sale. Females: $0.75. Males: $1.00."

The lack of information on the fliers raised some questions amongst residents.

“The vagueness of the posters was definitely intended,” McCormick said. “We wanted that shock factor, to turn it into something that was in their faces. The intent was not to be subtle, it was that they would read the flyer and immediately realize the pricing was totally wrong. It got people talking, which is what our goal was.”

After the flyers went up, discussion spread across the residence hall.

“I overheard some of my residents discussing it in the hallway, two guys and two girls,” DeHority RA Jenna Morris said. “I asked them what they thought and the girls were actually more mad. They just wanted to be treated equally, not specially. The guys didn’t really care.”

The feeling that the lessened price was, in a way, a gesture of pity was shared by Sophomore Alyssa Williams, a DeHority resident who bought a sandwich at the grilled cheese sale.

“When I first saw it, it made me mad because it was like they weren’t going to accept my full dollar because I’m a woman,” Williams said. “I want to give my whole dollar; I want to be equal.”

After the intentions of the event were clarified in Residence Hall director, Bart Upah’s weekly email, opinions changed a bit.

“My female residents were coming up and giving me high-fives. They were thanking me for bringing the issue to light,” McCormick said.

In fact, females turned out to support the sale in higher numbers than male residents. At least one male resident even refused to stop by the table, claiming he only had $0.75.

“That’s how it really is in the work force, that’s the truth behind how women get paid compared to men, so theoretically that’s how things should be sold,” Robinson said.

The night of the sale, every sandwich that was delivered came with a slip of paper with an even more detailed description of the event. It read as follows:

“Gender pay gap is simply the difference between male and female earnings, expressed in percentages. For every $1 a male makes, a female only makes 78%, or approximately $0.78. The gap is wider among younger employees, among nearly every industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that, in 2013, female full-time workers had median weekly earnings of $706, compared to men’s median weekly earnings of $860. The most effective way to help close this gap is to get informed, and spread the word.”

In the end, The RAs were excited with how the event turned out and the discussions it created.

“I’m thankful for all the support we’ve gotten and that I’ve gotten to talk with some many different residents about this topic,” McCormick said.

“I loved it,” Will Leonard, a DeHority RA, said. “I think it was a great way to bring the subject up, and I hope the conversation continues.”

Additional programs similar to the grilled cheese sale may be coming from the DeHority RAs in the future.

“There’s so many controversial topics for us to get to, such as race inequality,” McCormick said. “And of course we’re always looking for suggestions from the residents. We’re here for them.”

And if you’re wondering what the RAs magical grilled cheese recipe is, McCormick shared that as well.

“Bread, butter, and wonderful Kraft American singles,” he said.

Freshmen Learn S'more about Four-Year Planning & Midterms

10/15/2015

By Kristin Wietecha

On Monday, Oct. 5, DeHority Complex's Academic Peer Mentor and Resident Assistants organized a program to provide information to students about four-year planning, midterms, and Honors courses while treating them with s'mores. Thirty-four students attended the information sessions that lasted from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in DeHority's Exhibition Hall.

MaryBeth Sergeant, a senior Resident Assistant, said that she enjoyed teaching freshmen how to construct 4-year plans, schedule and use DegreeWorks. Katelyn Warner, a junior and DeHority's Academic Peer Mentor said, "A lot people had questions on what to study, how to study, and when exactly midterms were." Warner understood that midterms during the first semester of college can be stressful. "I was in some tough classes my freshman year, and I didn't really know what to study."

Some freshmen said that all of the presenters were willing to answer questions and provided useful information. However, some said they became more overwhelmed and stressed due to what needed to be done for 4-year planning. scheduling, and studying for midterms. One anonymous student said, "The RAs and stuff were helpful, but I just became more stressed out from other things that I found out that I have to do."

DeHority staff's next event will be an open mic night on Thursday, Oct. 22 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Exhibition Hall.

DeHority Team Wins Air Jam

10/2/2015

by Margo Morton

DeHority’s Air Jam team won the Residence Hall category for the second year in a row at the twentieth annual competition on Oct. 1. It was also the only competitor in its category.

The DeHority team members dressed in white t-shirts with red suspenders and black pants. They used face paint to complete their look for the “Greatest Show on Turf” homecoming theme.

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The DeHority team danced to a medley of songs. It included:
"A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)" by Fergie
“Boom Boom Pow” by the Black Eyed Peas
“White & Nerdy” by Weird Al Yankovic
“Magic” by B.O.B.
“Animals” by Maroon 5
“Applause” by Lady Gaga

"It was one of our best run-throughs. The energy was really high,” said Melanie Whitesel, a sophomore speech pathology major. “It’s an amazing experience and the group gets really close.”

Both Whitesel and freshman elementary education major Rebecca Scott described performing at Air Jam as “exhilarating.”

“I was very nervous but there’s lots of adrenaline. It was a lot of hard work but it all paid off,” Scott said. She had heard about Air Jam at DeHority’s first residence hall meeting and though never dancing before, decided to go for it.

“I thought, ‘why not?’ It was awesome,” Scott said.

DeHority Team Bringing A Circus Theme to Air Jam

9/29/2015

After practicing five days a week for almost three weeks, DeHority's Air Jam team is ready to take the stage.

By Margo Morton

The 2015 DeHority Air Jam team hopes to secure their title as reigning champions of the residence hall category in the annual lip-syncing and dancing competition, which will be held at 9 p.m. in Emens Auditorium on Oct. 1.

DeHority residents were able to volunteer for the team at one of the residence hall meetings near the beginning of the year.

This year, the theme for Homecoming as a whole is "The Greatest Show on Turf," so the DeHority team decided to go with a circus theme for their Air Jam routine.

Danielle Cook, a sophomore mathematical science major, helped choreographed the dancing that will go with the music, which is a mix CD from a list of approved songs.

“I’ve told the team that when we get off the stage, I want people to say, ‘That was DeHo? That was awesome!’ I’m really excited about it. I think it’s going to be phenomenal,” Cook said.

After working with the DeHority team for the past two weeks I couldn't be more proud of them,” team leader Casey Middleton, a junior English major, said. “They've done an excellent job so far and I'm excited for everyone attending Air Jam to see the finished routine.”

The team has been preparing for the event since Sept. 14. The members meet every day except Friday and Saturday for one to two hours.

“It’s been an intense rehearsal process,” Emily Naville, a freshman music education major, said. “It’s totally worth it though."

Beach Bash - Honors Weekend 2015

9/14/2015

Photos by Kayla D'Alessandro
Captions by Ellie Fawcett

Honors Weekend 2015

9/8/2015

By Ellie Fawcett

Next weekend, Student Honors Council (SHC) will be hosting Honors Weekend, four days of events to celebrate the kick-off another year at Ball State.

Older Honors students may remember Honors Week, the precursor to this year’s Honors Weekend. SHC changed the schedule this year, hoping weekend activities would be easier for Honors students to attend.

“It's a bit of an experiment, but we're hopeful that it is going to be a fun and enjoyable experience for the Honors College,” SHC President Valerie Weingart said.

The events begin Thursday, September 10 at 7 p.m. with DeHome Family Game Night, which will feature card and board games in the DeHority Hall lobby. Friday is the Variety Show at 7 p.m., an open mic night and talent competition also being held in DeHority, and Saturday features outdoor games on DeHo Beach from 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.. Honors Weekend comes to a close on Sunday afternoon with Honors Brunch at the Honors House at 1 p.m.

For more information on Honors Weekend, visit the Student Honors Council Facebook page.

From Ceiling to Floor: Spooking Up the Doors

10/31/2014

In preparation for the upcoming holiday, some DeHority residents got into the Halloween spirit and decorated their doors. Whether because Halloween is their favorite holiday or they just wanted to spice up the halls, these residents livened the living-learning community with their creative doors.

Interviews and Photos by Sophie Gordon

Madison Yingling, Fourth floor, sophomore, Elementary Education and Spanish major

How would you describe your door?
Spooky, in the spirit of Halloween.

Why did you decide to decorate it?
Because I love the holidays, and I actually saw somebody else’s room. They wrapped caution tape around it, and I was like, ‘Oh, I have a spider web, I could totally do something like that!

What do you think is unique about your decorations?
I haven’t seen anyone else’s door like that. I mean, I just wish I had those spider rings, that’s the only downfall.

What kind of reactions have you gotten?
My friends usually get caught in it when they walk through the door, so it’s doing its job.

What are you most looking forward to this Halloween?
Dressing up in my group costume with my friends and going trick-or-treating for Dance Marathon. Well, trick-or-canning, I guess is what it’s called.

Editors' Note: This is the sixth and final piece in a series of features about students' door decorations.