zoe spangler – The Hilltop Monitor

“Scotland Road” Leads to Success

Sofia Arthurs-Schoppe — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 17:41:24 +0000

Last weekend Zoe Spangler, senior theatre and applied critical thought and inquiry (ACT-In) major, put on her senior show in Peters Theatre. An adaptation of Jeffrey Hatcher’s 1992 play “Scotland Road,” this show features a silent young woman (Hannah Fuhlhage, sophomore theatre major) who was found floating on an iceberg. She was dressed in vintage (1912) clothing and uttered the single word “Titanic” before collapsing. Throughout the show this young woman was held in an intimidatingly bare room with garishly white walls and no windows. While there, she was interrogated by the increasingly abusive John Jacob Astor (Romeo Shaw), descendent of the wealthiest victim of the Titanic, and Dr. Halbrech (Zoe Spangler).

Described as “a study of obsession, not just as a personality trait but as the source of creativity, the fountainhead from which both art and madness spring,” by Lloyd Rose, staff writer for The Washington Post, this show has historically been considered controversial for its use of the Titanic as the focus point of an avant-garde exploration.

Regardless of its general reputation, the show was a unique choice to perform with the William Jewell College Theatre Company and a challenge for the students who acted in it. With a small cast of four and a deeply psychological storyline, this show was unlike those usually organized by students and performed in Peters Theatre.

Katherine Watts, senior accounting major, acted as Ms. Frances Kittle in this rendition of “Scotland Road,” and said the experience was “a really big learning process.”

Fuhlhage agreed. “For me, it was a little difficult trying to connect with my character because for a while I wasn’t sure whether or not she was real,” she said.

Abstract themes and all, Spangler’s show was well received by large audiences at both performances. Comprised of both Jewell students and community members, the audiences were attracted to the combination of cynicism and comedy.

When asked about why she chose “Scotland Road” for her senior show, Spangler said she wanted something new.

“I wanted to choose a show that was going to be stimulating, yet interesting, I wouldn’t get bored with it and that I could easily build, like scenery-wise, with only $300.00. Furthermore, I think the show itself was really compelling to me, something about the absurdism, the sort of avant-gardeness of the storyline itself,” she said.

Spangler’s thought-provoking take on “Scotland Road” was a culmination of hard work and energy of all those involved. Further, the entire process offered Jewell actors and actresses an opportunity to develop and enhance their skills, the evident proof of this being unbridled passion in the faces of these characters as they took to the stage on opening night.

As Spangler said, “[it] was worth all of the time, effort, tears, love and joy we put into it.”

A Word on Net Neutrality

Zoe Spangler — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 15:00:08 +0000

How do you use the Internet? For laughs? For games? For research? The answer is yes. The Internet has penetrated virtually every aspect of our lives. Due to its widespread availability, we are accustomed to its free and uninterrupted use. With its ease of access and its expanse, we quite literally have the whole world at the push of a button. But what if one day you could not stream your favorite music or find evidence for that research paper? It is possible that a new policy from the Trump administration could change how Internet service providers (ISPs) deliver the Internet to consumers.

As the Internet exists now, ISPs are expected to provide Internet to consumers in a manner that does not disrupt, alter or outright block certain content providers from their service. This is referred to as net neutrality, or the Title II Order. It was established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2015 in response to a variety of infringements by telecom companies who had been reported to engage deliberately in altering how consumers interact with the Internet.

For example, in 2011 Verizon blocked Google Wallet from Galaxy Nexus users, and in 2013 AT&T blocked video chatting apps like Google Hangouts. In both instances, these services claimed that Google had not produced an app that would work as designed on the phones. At the same time, both providers were working on their own app content that would have provided similar services to Google Wallet and Google Hangouts, which suggests that they blocked the competition.

As such, the FCC intervened and passed legislation that broadband is to be treated and enforced as a common carrier policy, which means it has the responsibility to treat all traffic neutrally because of its application in public life and economy. According to the FCC, “The rules specifically prohibit: Blocking, broadband providers may not block access to lawful content, applications, services or non-harmful devices. Throttling, broadband providers may not deliberately target some lawful internet traffic to be delivered to users more slowly than other traffic. Paid prioritization, broadband providers may not favor some internet traffic in exchange for consideration of any kind. Internet service providers are also banned from prioritizing content and services of their affiliates.”

Due to their influence, large ISPs have lobbied aggressively for deregulation in order to make room for innovation and investment in infrastructure.

Current FCC Chairman Ajit Pai stands against net neutrality.

“On the day that the ‘Title II Order’ was adopted, I said that I don’t know whether this plan will be vacated by a court, reversed by Congress, or overturned by a future Commission. But I do believe that its days are numbered. Today, I am more confident than ever that this prediction will come true,” Pai said.

Many lawmakers in Congress share this outlook. In related news, Republicans in the House and Senate voted to overturn Internet privacy rules in April, of this year. By the end of the year, ISPs will not need consumer permission to sell browsing info and app activity to third parties.

In regards to net neutrality, Republican officials have similar intentions. In May, the FCC voted 2-1 to begin work on dismantling the Title II Order, with an initiative called Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) or the Restoring Internet Freedom Act. After opening up discussion to the public, which closed Aug. 16, they are due for a decision about how to move forward.

There are many proponents for keeping the rules. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) cites this issue as a matter of First Amendment rights and an infringement on free speech.

“In this day and age, it is pretty much impossible to get through life without using the Internet — which is why it’s essential that our free speech rights are protected both on- and offline. After all, freedom of expression isn’t worth much if the forums where people actually make use of it are not themselves free,” the ACLU wrote.

Another proponent of net neutrality is Mignon Clyburn, an FCC commissioner and previous Chairwoman.

“[NPRM] deeply damages the ability of the FCC to be a champion of consumers and competition in the 21st century. It contains a hollow theory of trickle-down internet economics, suggesting that if we just remove enough regulations from your broadband provider, they will automatically improve your service, pass along discounts from those speculative savings, deploy more infrastructure with haste, and treat edge providers fairly,” Clyburn wrote in her dissent statement.

Even if a net neutrality overturn occurred, it would not be as if our favorite sources for online content like Netflix and Google would be largely affected. Netflix reports to CNN that “Weakening of U.S. net neutrality laws, should that occur, is unlikely to materially affect our domestic margins or service quality because we are now popular enough with consumers to keep our relationships with ISPs stable.”

“It’s the small businesses that are creating new services online and creating jobs that will be at risk because they may not have the financing or the power that a big conglomerate like Google or Netflix has to protect themselves.” Chris Lewis, VP of government at Public Knowledge said.

Net neutrality or no net neutrality, the Internet will remain indispensable among Americans no matter what they’re using it for. Collectively, our lives have been shaped by the presence of the Internet and as such, it will not be easily untangled. No matter how the FCC or Congress choose to respond, there will be consequences.

Photo courtesy of Save the Internet.

2017 Hall Grant Recipients: Pursuing Passions

Lauren Berndt — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 18:19:37 +0000

The Hall Foundation Summer Academic Enrichment Program, also known as the Hall Grant, is awarded to William Jewell College students who wish to further their education in a specific area by supplementing it with an experience that can be found only off campus.

The Hall family, known for their stake in Hallmark, contributes the annual grant to Jewell. The Hall’s also give to the Oxbridge program, as well as provide various other donations to WJC.

The connection between WJC and the Hall family began as a geographical interest when Hallmark built its distribution center near college grounds in 1972.

“The Hall family is philanthropic and believes in higher education,” said Dayna Beinke, Executive Assistant to the President and Assistant Secretary to the Board. “They support the programs Jewell offers students.”

The Hall Grant contribution has remained fairly static over recent years and is generally awarded to four or five Jewell students each year. Through the grant, each student has the chance to earn up to $5,000 of funding. Some students couple this sum with their Journey Grant for a larger than life enrichment experience.

Four Jewell students were awarded with funding from the Hall Grant to be used the summer of 2017. These students include Zoe Spangler, junior theater and ACT-In major; Thais Quiroga, sophomore Oxbridge history of ideas and international relations major; Jacqueline Parson, junior psychology, music and mathematics major; and Eric Krieger, senior international relations and business administration major.

“With my Hall Grant, I plan on traveling to Israel, Turkey, and Greece to apply the research I am conducting this semester on the religious music of Judaism, Islam, and the Greek Orthodox Church,” Parson said.

While abroad, Parson will collect information to deepen her studies at Jewell for when she comes back for her senior year.

Parson’s focus is critical and somber, but she still is looking forward to the life-changing nature of the adventure.

“I will also be obtaining research for my senior thesis which will analyze the effects war, conflict and PTSD have on community mental health, and how music can be used for healing and unity,” Parson said.

“I am most excited to travel out of the country for the first time and experience the world in a way that will most definitely change my perspectives on life,” Parson said.

However, Parson looks outside of herself and dedicates her studies to understanding the ways in which the world interacts. She also will focus on finding relief for hard situations.

“I hope to learn more about the practices of the three religions in places where they are held in high esteem and practiced actively by emerging myself in their cultures,” Parson said. “I also hope to bring back insight into the role music plays in communities where conflict is a norm and truly understand the impact this can have on mental health.”

Overall, Parson is working for change and wants others to be more understanding.

“I wish that our society would not be so critical and hesitant towards people that practice these religions, especially Judaism and Islam,” Parson said. “It’s important to show appreciation and respect for people of any religion, race, ethnicity, etc.”

In Parson’s case, the Hall Grant is being put to use to expand the mind of a student, but more importantly, will aid her in helping others in coming years.

“In the future, I plan on becoming a music therapist and using mission work to bring this study to areas in need all over the world,” she said. “This project will help me gain experience in this practice and also bring back research specific to PTSD and how music therapy can be used in direct application to this important topic.”

From travelling abroad to taking classes in the United States, the grant funds various types of educational enrichment projects.

Spangler plans to use her grant to complement her WJC Theater major and set her on the design and production track. She wants to boost her understanding of live entertainment and theater production technologies and is especially interested in lighting techniques.

Spangler discovered the Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas during her first year at Jewell. The institute is an intensive educational program for student designers, programmers and all aspects of theater technology. It is a program lead by industry professionals for the purpose of teaching future industry professionals. The institute draws students from all over the world.

Spangler knew that the institute taught the skills that she wanted to use in her career. She found that the institute exemplified the environment she wanted to work in.

“The only issue was that the tuition was ridiculous,” Spangler said. “I thought there is no way I can do this. I can’t pay for that.”

Thanks in part to the Hall Grant, in the summer of 2017 Spangler will take a three week long course called “Moving lights in Rock ‘N’ Roll” in Las Vegas at the institute.

Spangler will learn about moving lights, also called “moving heads” in the industry. These are the lights that offer various effects, such as dots of light that twist or shoot all over stage. Jewell does not provide extensive opportunities in this specific field of live entertainment technology.

“Moving heads are becoming more of a standard practice in musical theater and live concert spaces,” Spangler said. “It is becoming more of a need to have people who understand that technology to be able to succeed in the industry.”

This specific technology must be programmed, maintained and perfected for each show. Therefore, it comes with challenges.

“This style of programming will be new to me. I have had a narrow experience in programming lights into a show control board,” Spangler said.

Zoe Spangler

Spangler is not discouraged easily when it comes to her passion of stage lighting.

“I am trying to brush up on the things that I know that I can learn online, but honestly, the best way to learn is to do it,” she said. “Moving lights is a whole new world. It is a multi-parameter programming style that I am not accustomed to. I am trying to ground myself in what I know, so that I can be best prepared for what I don’t know.”

Spangler will be intellectually tested during her grant-funded experience but knows there will also be fun times. She is looking forward to meeting new people during the adventure, whether it is international students in her class or industry professional instructors.

She is also excited because the institute gives students a free ticket to a Las Vegas show of their choice. Spangler plans on seeing a Cirque du Soleil performance.

Spangler is proactive in learning and making contacts in the field she intends to make a profession after graduation.

“I think that in completing this project all by myself it will show future employers that I am not afraid to take initiative when I really believe in something,” she said. “I think this will be a good opportunity for me to grow as a Jewell student, professional and a person.”

From overseas to the western region of the United States, the Hall Grant will take another student to the east coast to be immersed in the political realm.

Krieger will use his grant to do extensive research, interning in Washington D.C. as a part of The Fund for American Studies’ Institute on Economics and International Affairs and take classes at George Mason University.

“I plan to research the US Constitution’s Emoluments Clause and how its interpretation has evolved since its inception,” Krieger said. “The structure of my research will answer this primary question: How have President Donald Trump’s business dealings and personal contacts affected modern interpretations of the emoluments clause?”

Eric Krieger

Krieger clarified his intentions and research by offering his interpretation of the issue. He also describes why he finds the topic of interest.

“The Emoluments Clause is a ban on foreign gifts to US officeholders without the consent of Congress,” he said. “It was designed by the framers as an anti-corruption measure. Because there is little precedent surrounding the Emoluments Clause it has varying interpretations, and there is debate over whether or not the Clause applies to the office of the Presidency. The Emoluments Clause has never been successfully litigated, and that makes it a fascinating part of constitutional law and American jurisprudence to study.”

Krieger has intensively used Jewell research resources, but he is excited to get a first hand look at the situation. He explains how he plans to make the most out of his experience and his methods for conducting research.

“I plan to utilize my presence in DC to interview legal scholars, Presidential historians, Congressional staff and others on the problem,” Krieger said. “The objective in each interview will include how they respond to arguments from other views.”

Through his exploit in D.C., Krieger plans to gain knowledge in his field of interest, which will help him in his future aspirations of pursuing a career as an attorney.

“I hope to hone my research and writing skills and draw my own conclusions regarding this complex issue,” he said. “In doing so, I hope to gain a wider perspective of constitutional law and American jurisprudence. In my internship I hope to apply my skills to help solve real problems.”

Quiroga will use her grant to address issues that she sees as a leading problem in the world.

“I am from Bolivia, in South America, and Human Rights—particularly children’s rights, gender equality and social justice—have always sparked my interest due to the close-to-home experiences of injustice I witnessed along the way,” Quiroga said.

In the summer, she plans to attend a four week long, Human Rights-focused program at Hessen International Summer University (ISU) in Marburg, Germany.

“The academic program will focus on the topic of Business, Politics, and Conflicts in a Changing World,” she said. “The program offers seminars on the Prospects for the United Nations, and the humanitarian projects that have shaped international relations, political science and policy, and sociology.”

Quiroga will take an in-depth exploration of human rights policy, mainly pertaining to children and gender rights. The program also includes visits to several concentration camp sites and museums.

Thais Quiroga

Quiroga will use her grant and the experience it enables her to to fuel her future.

“I am grateful to the Hall Summer Grant Foundation for the opportunity to engage academically with these topics [human trafficking and forced child labor], which I hope to address as a professional in Bolivia,” Quiroga said.

The grant requires that students share their findings with the rest of the Jewell community upon completion of the experience. Krieger and Spangler will be sharing their insights at the Duke Colloquium in 2018.

The Hall Grant is an educational enrichment offering that allows students to stretch their bounds and experience something truly unique and specific to their interests. The grant encourages Jewell students to find a passion and pursue it.

To apply for the grant you must be in you must be a non-senior in good standing. Applications are due Feb. 1 of the year the funding is requested. To learn more or to apply visit http://www.jewell.edu/hall-family-foundation-summer-academic-enrichment-program