Letter to the editor Goshen College has made a very poor decision. The inauguration of an official Goshen College beer aka Broken Shield over Homecoming Weekend sends conflicting messages to the student body and campus community as a whole. I have no problem with alcohol at GC alumni functions, but naming a beer as the official drink of GC is essentially giving the students on campus the college’s blessing to make alcohol a part of their college experience.  Yes, students party, and that will always be the case. Some would say that’s part of the college experience. But we forget...

By Ann Minter Fetters • October 24, 2024 • Features

In some ways, Deana Baker, a new associate professor of biology, never left Goshen College, although she has studied and researched all around the world.  Baker is a 1986 graduate of GC, earning a bachelor’s degree in biology. She also studied as an undergraduate at Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia in order to explore and see the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains.   Baker earned master’s degrees in both science education and pharmacy and a doctorate in health and human performance.  After graduating as a first-generation student, Baker started her professional career teaching junior high science in Plymouth, Indiana. “I always...

By Ana Alves Machado • October 24, 2024 • Features

As we pass the anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, we are witnessing the predictable horror that unfolds when the arithmetic of revenge – “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” – is taken as an exponential license to crush and exterminate.  The Hamas attack killed 1,200 people and 254 people were taken hostage from Israel. As of today, 70 of the hostages are known or believed to be dead, and 101 are still in captivity. More than 40,000 Gazans have been killed in the retaliatory attacks by Israel, Gaza’s infrastructure has...

By Rebecca Stoltzfus • October 10, 2024 • Features

I’m a senior this year, and I’ve lived on campus with the original ID card policy for the last four years. I’ve also worked as a resident assistant for three of those years, and I’m happy with the new ID card policy.    During my time as an RA on Yoder 1, all throughout the day, people would cut through the floor to get across campus. To me, my floor felt more like a glorified hallway than an actual residential space. This led to a number of really awkward and uncomfortable situations.  When I would take a shower, I would walk...

By Alyssa McDonald • October 10, 2024 • Features

The Record has been under the management of students at Goshen College for 112 years. Over the course of that time, The Record has enjoyed contributions from thousands of students and many faculty members.  The newspaper has also been led by faculty advisors each year. This homecoming weekend, current Record advisor Anna Groff organized an event that saw the return of 26 Record executive editors from eight decades. Each editor, as well as previous advisors, was given the chance to share a little bit about what The Record has meant to them.  One of the first points brought up that...

By Kate Bodiker • October 10, 2024 • Features

 “Music with United Sound” is a new 16-week, three-credit course in collaboration with Elkhart High School, and allows Goshen College students to learn a string instrument alongside high school students with disabilities. The course is a part of the nationwide United Sound Program. Within the college, the program is run by Hillary Harder, Community School of the Arts director and GC chapter leader, alongside Tracy Weirich, special education teacher and Elkhart High School chapter leader. It offers high school students a college-level experience. United Sound said, “Our mission is to remove barriers and foster social change through music.” In the...

By Liam Shaw • October 10, 2024 • Features

This year’s annual Kick-Off event at Goshen College was marked by dynamic performances, unexpected challenges, and teamwork behind the scenes. With meticulous coordination of stagehands and managers, Kick-Off demonstrated not just the talent of the performers, but also the vital contributions of everyone involved, setting the stage for an unforgettable night. As the show began, Dontaye Albert, a senior theater major, took center stage with his “cow” and set an energetic tone for the performance. Later, Phil Witmer-Rich made a grand entrance but forgot his mic.  Fortunately, the crew members were prepared with extras. Someone from the tech box quickly...

By Ana Alves Machado • October 3, 2024 • Features

Jason Samuel, associate professor of communication at Goshen College and general manager of 91.1 the Globe, spent his summer at Ox Bow County Park, overseeing the installation of a new disc golf course that is professional enough to host the world championships. In April, The Record covered the announcement of renovations coming to the disc golf course in Ox Bow Park being overseen by Samuel, followed by a grand reopening weekend full of live music, food trucks, vendors and, of course, disc golf. From Friday to Sunday, over the third week in August, new and old fans of the sport...

By Gavin Johnson • October 3, 2024 • Features

Goshen College’s Prevention Intervention Network  is a program that seeks to equip bystanders with tools to prevent and intervene in the context of sexual violence.  PIN was created in 2014 by a driven group of students and associate professor of sociology Kendra Yoder, current co-advisor. Each year, PIN members collaborate to present sexual violence preventative training for first-years in their Identity, Culture, and Community classes.  This year, PIN implemented a new curriculum for their bystander training. PIN co-advisor, Emily Hahn, who also serves as program director for interpersonal violence prevention, education and advocacy, created this new curriculum over the course...

By Lucca Kauffman • September 19, 2024 • Features

It’s Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, and the Latino Student Union  wants to share about the upcoming month and how to get involved in the club’s activities and goals. LSU, advised by Christobal Garza Gonzalez and Raquel Montanez Gonzalez, is an affinity group that centers around Hispanic experiences. It is available to any student who desires an opportunity to socialize, engage with the community and, most importantly, become comfortable with getting involved on campus. “We create events and celebrate the diversity of Latin American culture and countries,” said Angelica Garcia-Ponce, sophomore social work major a LSU...

By Cheyenne Flanagan • September 19, 2024 • Features

Leadership skills can apply to many facets of life. Providing and improving those skills is the goal of the new United Leaders of Goshen College program, led by Gilberto Pérez Jr., vice president for student life and Hispanic serving initiatives. The group had several meetings during this past semester, in March, April and May, and is now looking to get started once again. Pérez spoke with enthusiasm about the mission of the group: “One primary goal is that our students who are in the leadership program have a better sense of direction for what they want to do at Goshen...

By Josiah Miller • September 19, 2024 • Features

September is National Campus Safety Awareness Month and the campus safety staff at Goshen College are using the opportunity to promote student safety with various tips and activities.  Chad Coleman, director of campus safety, explained that September was designated as Campus Safety Awareness Month by Congress back in 2008, but that this is the first year GC is using the designation in their promotions. Coleman said, “[f]or me every month is Campus Safety Awareness Month — but this year we decided to recognize [it] as part of some greater program and awareness initiatives. It seemed timely and apt.” Kris Polega,...

By Kate Bodiker • September 12, 2024 • Features

As reported in The Record last week, this 2024 first-year class is the biggest since 2017, with 201 new students. While it may seem on the surface that Goshen College is still the same place, something had to cause this uptick in enrollment.  The admissions office sits in the back corner of the Leaf Raker. Nearly all students pass by it every day while getting food, and it’s easy to identify, with large windows surrounding the suite. If students traveled inside, they’d find the reason for the increase.  Heather Zile, the director of admissions at GC, said “We want students...

By Alyssa McDonald • September 12, 2024 • Features

“I think a lot more people struggle in college than those who don’t,” said Peace Muhagachi, a senior sociology major.  This summer, Muhagachi worked on a project aimed at addressing these struggles and meeting the needs of students at Goshen College. Also collaborating on the project was Gabe Martinez ‘24 and supervising was Emily Hahn, program director for interpersonal violence prevention, education and advocacy.  The project, completed over the course of GC’s eight-week Maple Scholars program, sought to combine outside research and aspects of internal review in order to determine how GC can become a health-promoting campus.     “We...

By Lindsey Graber • September 12, 2024 • Features

“I am five feet tall and sometimes people think I am the scariest person on campus,” said one of the newer additions to Goshen College, Patty Hartshorn. “I understand that feeling, but I almost always have candy!” Hartshorn joins GC as the new Director of Health and Wellness and Title IX Coordinator. Hartshorn will also continue work alongside the peer wellness educators, the group on campus that works closely with the Health and Wellness Director to bring awareness to issues of mental health and substance abuse. Hartshorn holds a Master of Science in Academic Advising from Kansas State University, and...

By Grace Stevens • September 5, 2024 • Features