january 29, 2016 print edition

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Neurofeedback Drug-free technology defeating ADHD PAGE 8 CY YOUNG WINNER PITCHES TURF PROJECT FOR GOLDEN EAGLE BASEBALL Astros ace Dallas Keuchel talks fear of failure, success and the future with the Oracle. PAGES 10-11 Student ID Deals Ways to save major money on big products PAGE 15 Fair Access Investigating the truth behind Trump’s visit PAGE 3 Oral Roberts University · Jan. 29, 2016 · Tulsa, Oklahoma · Vol 50, No. 9 · www.oruoracle.com · @oruoracle @oruoraclesports

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Page 1: January 29, 2016 Print edition

Neurofeedback Drug-free technology defeating ADHD

PAGE 8

CY YOUNG WINNER PITCHES TURF PROJECT FOR GOLDEN EAGLE BASEBALL

Astros ace Dallas Keuchel talks fear of failure, success and the future with the Oracle. PAGES 10-11

Student ID DealsWays to save major money on big products

PAGE 15

Fair AccessInvestigating the truth behind Trump’s visit

PAGE 3

Oral Roberts University · Jan. 29, 2016 · Tulsa, Oklahoma · Vol 50, No. 9 · www.oruoracle.com · @oruoracle @oruoraclesports

Page 2: January 29, 2016 Print edition

2 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 29, 2016

2/29/16

Faculty Advisers

Address

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7777 S. Lewis Ave.Tulsa, OK 74171www.oruoracle.com(918) [email protected]

The Oracle is the premier student news media organization of Oral Roberts University. Our mission is to serve the ORU community with accurate and relevant media content, integrity, creativity and a focus on continual improvement.

Section EditorsSydney Ilg Online EditorRussell Dorsey Sports EditorMadison McDaniel Features EditorVictoria Atterberry Scene EditorAlyssa LaCourse News EditorPaty Torres Social Media Editor

ReportersRejoice Nwadiuko Staff WriterEmerald Dean Staff WriterVictoria Daniels Staff WriterChristen Latini Staff WriterJordan Jones Staff WriterGrant Holcomb Staff Writer

ApplicationsWant to work for the Oracle? Stop by LR 175 and fill out an application. Positions include photography, graphic designand reporting.

Membership- Associated Collegiate Press- College Media Advisers- Oklahoma College Media Association- Columbia Scholastic Press Association

Jadyn Watson-Fisher Editor-in-Chief

[email protected]

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EditorialRachel Anderson

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Graphics / PhotographyGerald Brown Design EditorTabitha Levi Senior DesignerXavier Gonzalez DesignerJesse Paul Turner DesignerQuentin Harrup IllustratorWyatt Bullard Photography EditorAbby Friedman Senior PhotographerNikolai Stophel PhotographerSydney Stoever PhotographerAbrienne Summerer PhotographerJeremy Luczak PhotographerJordan Dillard Photographer

AdvertisingRachael Ngwarai Sales ManagerAmoi Blake Asst. Sales ManagerJudith Cancela Sales Rep.Andrew King Sales Rep.Dominic Lara Sales Rep.Natalie Reed Sales Rep.Madison Solberg Sales Rep.Daniel Spivakov Sales Rep.

CorrectionsThe Oracle strives for accuracy and integrity in all content. If you find a mistake, let us know. Phone: 918-495-7080.

Letters to the EditorHave a thought or story idea you’d like to share? Send us an email at [email protected].

SCENE MORE THAN A SWEATER

PAGE 16

SPORTSORU INDUCTS

THREE INTO HALL OF FAMEPAGE 12

SCENE A COLLEGE STUDENT’S GROCERY LIST

PAGE 15

Page 3: January 29, 2016 Print edition

THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 29, 2016 • 3

NewsPresidential candidate stirs campus controversy

Donald Trump addresses the crowd at the Ma-bee Center on Jan. 20. He spoke to a sold out crowd of potential Oklahoma primary voters.

ALYSSA LACOURSENews Editor

@AlyssaLaCourse GOP front-runner Donald Trump’s visit to the Mabee Center came with the usual controversy. Some in the ORU community were completely against the New York business man coming to campus. A petition was started by an ORU alumna to prohibit Trump from coming to the Mabee Center. The petition collected 960 signatures and 321 comments, but fell short of its goal and never reached President William M. Wilson’s office. The petition would have rendered no change to the availability of the Ma-bee Center for the Trump Rally had it reached the goal of 1,000 signatures. The Mabee Center is a public facili-ty. Due to fair access laws, if the facility allows any political candidate to rent the venue, any candidate running for

the same office must be given access to the same space for the same cost. Ted Cruz was allowed to lease the building in December for a campaign rally, and Trump was given the same access to the Mabee Center in January. “A decision was made several months ago that in the public interest this facility would be made available for lease to all recognized candidates for the office of the President of the United States in the November 2016 election,” said President William M. Wilson.“No candidate is given special discounts or preferential treatment.” Giving fair access does not mean the university or its administration endorses the person or group renting the venue. ORU is not permitted to endorse any political candidate because of its nonprofit status. While many students opposed the Trump rally, thousands of people were in attendance seeing the event as an

Group Advisement has been moved to Monday, Feb. 29 due to the university faculty meeting falling on Feb. 22. Group Advisement is a time for students to hear from the faculty in their department about upcoming classes. Summer and fall 2016 enrollment will begin Monday, Feb. 29. Upcoming seniors, graduate students and those in the honor’s program can register for classes after group advisement. Upcoming juniors can register on Tuesday, March 1 at midnight. Upcom-ing sophomores can register on Wednesday, March 2 at midnight.

The East Coast is still digging out from under Winter Storm Jonas. Fourteen states received over a foot of snow during the storm. At least 48 people died in the storm, thou-sands lost power and cities shut down. Wash-ington D.C. and Philadelphia schools were still shut down Tuesday because of the snow accumulation. Federal offices were also closed on Tuesday. Travel bans were put on several cities in-cluding New York City. Most of the bans were lifted on Sunday, but people were asked to re-main off the road unless travel was necessary.

President Barack Obama introduced dialog rethinking solitary confinement in prisons. “Research suggests that solitary confine-ment has the potential to lead to devastating, lasting psychological consequences,” said Obama. “Solitary [confinement] is a necessary tool, such as when certain prisoners must be isolated for their own protection or in order to protect the staff and other inmates.” Obama has adopted the Justice Depart-ments review recommendations including the banning of solitary confinement for juveniles, low-level infractions, treatment for the men-tally ill and an increase in time spent outside of the cell for inmates in solitary confinement.

Group advisement

‘Jonas’ pounds East Prison reform

Photo by Nik Stophel

opportunity to hear what Trump had to say and to form their own opinions on his political policies. “I came to the Trump rally because I’ve seen a lot of bits on TV about what he’s had to say,” said ORU freshman Caleb Carter. “I wanted to hear what he has to say in person to get the full message from him and understand what he believes.” During the rally Trump gave a brief overview of how he would “make America great again” as president. Stricter immigration policies, stronger military support, education reforms and gun control were a few topics he touched on in his speech. “[It’s a] fantastic opportunity to see Donald Trump especially with the announcement last night that we got a new supporter [Sarah Palin] backing him,” said Tulsa resident Ken Reagan. “I really liked hearing his plan on how he can ‘make America great again.’”

Page 4: January 29, 2016 Print edition

4 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 29, 2016

Wastewater dumping linked to OK earthquakes

Recent studies linked wastewater disposal to the increase in earthquakes. Approximately 2,195 earth-quakes shook Oklahoma last year, while oil produc-tion in the state has more than tripled over the past five years. The gas industry has been blamed for causing seis-mic activity. Earthquakes have progressively increased since 2008. The U.S. geological survey has associated the increase in earthquakes with oil and gas produc-tion. However, earthquakes are being linked to the wastewater disposal rather than fracking. The waste-water is deposited into wells deep below the surface. It is unknown how much wastewater a formation can hold before it begins to affect pressure, according to University of Tulsa’s study. “Fracking is the deliberate fracturing of rocks in the subsurface to initiate flow of liquids,” said Peter Michael, Department of Geosciences chairman at the University of Tulsa. “But it is the injection of waste-water, an unwanted byproduct of petroleum and natu-ral gas production, back into the earth that is causing the earthquakes.” Wastewater is the salty, toxic water which is held in wells deep under the ground, but is not stored near

EMERALD DEANStaff Writer

@et_dean

drinking water. As of October 2015, oil businesses have produced 419,000 barrels of oil per day, accord-ing to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Six earthquakes were recorded on Jan. 19. For-ty-one were recorded in the last week, 221 in the past month and 2,195 in 2015. It is possible for earth-quakes to happen near unknown faults lines, but Bry-an Tapp, University of Tulsa professor of geosciences, noticed the trend happening near wastewater wells. “We’re now seeing as many as 2,847 active shifts a year, and they’re not in traditional areas—they’re in areas of oilfield activity,” said Tapp, in a research study. “The pumping of wastewater into these disposal wells is almost certainly inducing all of these earthquakes.” The Richter scale was not invented until 1935, and the earliest record of an earthquake wasn’t document-ed until 1897. There is not enough history recorded for earthquakes to compare with this development. Another explanation for the recent surge of earth-quakes in Oklahoma is a part of earth’s tectonic cycle, but the link to wastewater wells and earthquakes cannot be denied. Michael believes with “99.9 percent certainty” wastewater is to blame. “Almost all earthquakes are associated with the boundaries of tectonic plates, where the plates con-verge, or slide past each other. There are rare instanc-es of earthquakes occurring within tectonic plates.

There is no time and place on earth, except for other water injection areas, that has experienced this level of earthquake activity far from a plate margin,” said Mi-chael. “Moreover, the earthquakes are almost all fairly close to injection wells. The timing of the earthquake activity, starting several years ago, coincides with a substantial increase in the pumping of wastewater underground.” The majority of Oklahoma revenue comes from the oil and gas industry. The state economy reflects its prosperity. Additional research is needed to study the link, but the overall goal is to reduce the risk of creating more earthquakes while safely disposing of toxic wastewater. “It will be necessary to monitor the volumes, locations and pressures of the wastewater in the wells themselves, but also in remote wells that are not being injected,” said Michael. “The disposal operators should be required to provide all of their information in terms of volumes and pressures. This information should be guaranteed to be accurate and it should be readily available. There should also be a greater effort to map faults in the state.”

Graphic by Xavier GonzalezCurrent research shows underground wastewater disposal from the fracking process, not fracking itself, is the major cause in increase of earthquakes in Oklahoma. There were over 2,000 earthquakes in Oklahoma in 2015.

Page 5: January 29, 2016 Print edition

THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 29, 2016 • 5

Text-911 and SafeTrek app available for students

Text-911 was established in 2014 to allow those in need of emergency services to notify authorities of the situation through texting and other mobile device features. AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and Sprint have decided to deliver these messages through the Public Safety Answering Points in 16 states. Text-911 is highly recommended for people who are unable to hear, struggling in speech or face physical abuse. The application encourages using the text option as an anonymous witness. A few points to keep in mind when using the application is to make sure to be clear, concise and brief when contacting help via message. It’s also important to remain in the same area for the 911 tracking software to guide help to the right location. “I think Text-911 is great but has

Hillary Clinton

Photos by Alyssa LaCourse

VICTORIA DANIELSStaff Writer

@artist_tori

just a few little hiccups in gathering information in a timely manner,” said Oklahoma Police Officer Brannon Taylor. “The downsides can be the delay in messages between the reporting party and dispatcher. And the dispatcher has questions they need to ask in order to give responding police officers the information on what kind of scene they are about to arrive on.” Text-911 is similar to the SafeTrek app. SafeTrek offers user safety services for $2.99 a month. The app is designed to alert 911 when the user is in danger. “When you feel unsafe, simply launch SafeTrek and hold your thumb on the blue button,” said Karen from SafeTrek. “When you feel safe, release your thumb and enter your 4-digit PIN to cancel an alert from being sent.” Within 10 seconds of a thumb being removed from the blue button without entering a PIN, SafeTrek will notify the local police. “In addition, our safety advisors

will provide them [local police] real time location updates and continue to assist you until help arrives,” said Karen. “SafeTrek not only locates you quicker and more accurately than 911, but it can also track your location during an emergency helping ensure you receive help even if you cannot speak or do not know where you are at.” For students who work late hours, have to cross dimly lit parking lots at night or find themselves in unfamiliar surroundings, the SafeTrek app allows a true sense of security. “I’ve used the SafeTrek app for years,” said Rachel Frazer, sophomore Public Relations major. “I love that the app works perfectly every time, and it’s inconspicuous and easy to use. Even though I’m lucky to have never found myself in a situation where I needed the police, SafeTrek keeps me from imagining the worst every time I walk a block from the downtown coffee shop to my car at night.”

Exploring the Issues: Immigration

Presidential candidates use confusing, political jargon when discussing broad topics like immigration. Their speeches do not have to be confusing when they are broken down and explained in normal terms. “Our southern border, it’s a mess,” said Donald Trump at his Tulsa rally. “What’s coming through is unbelievable. We have tremendous crime. We have tremendous drugs. We are losing our economy. No-body does anything.” Trump plans to build a wall on the southern border funded by Mexico because they are making so much money from the United States. He desires to see American workers put first with regards to an immigration plan. According to CBS news, the middle class is shrinking and Trump believes this is directly from the influx of legal and illegal immigrants. Ted Cruz, like Trump, wants to make America’s border more secure by building a working wall. He

ALYSSA LACOURSENews Editor

@AlyssaLaCourse

wants to triple the number of border patrol agents, in-crease vital aerial surveillance and provide additional equipment and technology along the border. Finally, he wants to complete the biometric tracking system at the nation’s ports of entry. Cruz released an advertisement in January por-traying illegal immigrants differently. He brings it into the business world by challenging businessmen to consider what they would do if immigrants were taking their jobs. “The politics of it would be very, very different if a bunch of lawyers or bankers were coming across the Rio Grande,” said Cruz in the ad. “Or if a bunch of people with journalism degrees were coming over and driving down the wages in the press. Then we would see stories about the economic calamity that is befall-ing our nation.” Unlike the GOP candidates, the Democratic can-didates support a pathway to citizenship which is the process of naturalization for illegal immigrants. Bernie Sanders believes America is a nation of immigrants. According to his campaign website, as

president he would instill a fair and humane im-migration policy to pave the way to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, ensure border security while respecting local communities, regulate the fu-ture flow of immigrants and enhance access to justice for immigrants. “We need comprehensive immigration reform. We need a path toward citizenship. We need to take people out of the shadows,” said Sanders in the Oct. 13 Democratic Debate. Hillary Clinton said America needs an immigra-tion reform leading to citizenship. According to her campaign website, as president she would create a path to citizenship, defend President Obama’s exec-utive actions, protect families, conduct immigration enforcement, expand access to affordable health care and promote naturalization. “The American people support comprehensive im-migration reform not just because it’s the right thing to do, and it is, but because it will strengthen families, strengthen our economy and strengthen our country,” said Clinton in a campaign speech.

Bernie SandersTed CruzDonald Trump

Instructions and graphics from SafeTrek app.

Page 6: January 29, 2016 Print edition

6 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 29, 2016

Page 7: January 29, 2016 Print edition

THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 29, 2016 • 7

“She glided into the room like a mystical mermaid on the heels of her Orca army.” This is what Taylor Graham says when she push-es open the door and enters the room. Though she doesn’t glide, she saunters. And nothing about her says “mystical mermaid.’” But her black and white ensemble does resemble an army of orcas, albeit an army of very tiny orcas. When Taylor comes into a room, she makes an entrance; she doesn’t simply arrive. And not because her appearance says, “look at me,” or she begs for attention. Her vibrant, energetic personality precedes her instead - like a lightning bolt struck the room and the electric energy left in the air has everyone’s hair standing on end. Something about her is organic; completely un-tainted by the outside world. “Unfiltered” is the word she uses. “My dad used to say that I say what everyone else is thinking,” said Graham. “But that’s not always a good thing. You shouldn’t always say what everyone else is thinking because sometimes, the majority of the time, people aren’t thinking good things.” She learned to be boisterous and eccentric as the

Senior graphic design student Taylor Graham opens up about her transformation from skeptical junior to embracing life beyond the veil of cynicism. Photo by Abby Friedman

Pull Quote

Features

SYDNEY ILGOnline Editor

@findingsydney

youngest of three children in her fun, frequently uncivilized family. Which makes her an almost perfect person to in-terview: fast-talking, excited and answering questions without being asked. Conversation topics range from how she and her now fiancé, Drew, met… “I mentioned something about the screen protec-tor on his phone,” she said. “It was really sexy.” …To her love for discussion classes, the fact her “99 problems” beanie was borrowed (she’s really not a thug, she says) and the College Republicans and Democrats poster’s overuse of fonts (she’s a designer and the use of more than two fonts apparently makes her panic). At some point, she mentions how she and her fiancé started dating, which has her giggling in a charming, reminiscent way. While driving back from dinner Drew asked, “would anything change if we started dating?” “No,” she responded. A small pause followed, then Taylor asked, “did we just start dating?” “I think so,” he said. They high-fived. And then she drops a bomb, of sorts. A verbal bomb: she says something completely unexpected. “I went through being cynical all last year. But

cynicism is the most disgusting thing in the world. On a person, in your attitude, it makes you disgust-ing,” she says. “You’re not always going to love what you’re doing but that doesn’t mean you don’t do it and do it well.” It’s funny to hear her say that. “Cynical” is not a word one would associate with Taylor Graham. Sarcastic? Yeah. Brash? Absolutely. Slightly inap-propriate? Sure. But “cynical” doesn’t come to mind. Which, if anything, shows how much she’s worked to overcome it. “This year I’ve specifically chosen to admit when things don’t make sense. Because being an RA is a choice. Being a resident here is a choice. Being a graphic designer is a choice. These are all the choices I’ve personally made. So I’m not going to spend all of my emotion, energy and time on hating what I’ve chosen and leaching that into other people.” With that, the mystical mermaid shrugs. She says she counts her blessings to stay positive, even when she’s in a rut. She gets to her feet; small but strong. She stands in front of the closet, takes a picture on a Polaroid and walks out, saying she loves Polaroids and she loves interviews. “Oh,” she says, before she leaves. “And my senior project is as if Lisa Frank and Hallmark designed a line of pots and pans sold at K-Mart.”

People of ORU:THE UNFILTERED TAYLOR GRAHAM

Page 8: January 29, 2016 Print edition

8 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 29, 2016

Research proving Neurofeedback healing ADHD Approximately four to six percent of the college population has ADHD. Most students use medications to help them concentrate, but a noninvasive, drug-free technology called neurofeed-back therapy has proven very successful in college students as well. ADHD is a neurobehavioral dis-order affecting how people pay atten-tion, sit still and focus on one activity. According to the National Resource on ADHD, it affects 4.4 percent of adults in the U.S.. Approximately 25 percent of college students with declared dis-abilities are diagnosed with ADHD. “As a rough estimate, only one in four students request accommodations through student resources who need them,” said Tom Bellatti, ORU di-rector of student resources. “Students who suffer from ADHD are allowed extended testing time, tutoring sup-port, and in some instances, students

Graphic by Jesse Paul Turner

EMERALD DEANStaff Writer

@et_deanmay have flexibility on deadlines for major class courses. But the majority of students who need the services do not request them.” According to the American Acad-emy of Pediatrics, neurofeedback was placed as a Level 1 best support inter-vention for ADHD. The recognition is a validation of the powerful effects of neurofeedback in providing effective treatment for a wide range of cognitive disorders including ADHD. Neurofeedback measures brainwave activity through wires covered in wax connected to the patient’s head. The brain waves register on computer moni-tors where doctors are able to translate the information. “Everyone’s brain produces electric-ity that manifests in brainwave patterns such as Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gam-ma, and Theta,” said Barry Gardner, co-founder of RenuYou Neurofeedback Center. “Excessive Beta can produce anxiety, too much frontal alpha wave

can result in depression, whereas elevat-ed Theta waves can reflect ADHD.” Neurobehavioral disorders are due to dysfunctional brainwave patterns. The goal is to retrain the brain to produce healthy brainwave patterns. It has been proven to help cure or manage ADHD, addictions, anxiety, depression, autism, memory loss, sleep disorders and athlete performance. “We use ‘reward biofeedback’ that features watching movies,” said Cyndie Gardner, co-founder of RenuYou Neu-rofeedback Center. “As desirable brain-wave patterns emerge, the continued playing of the movie reinforces them. When undesirable patterns emerge the screen darkens.” College students have seen signifi-cant improvement through neurofeed-back therapy, according to statistics from RenuYou Neurofeedback Center. Approximately 50 percent of college students saw an improvement in their focus, 40 percent in impulsivity, 20 to

60 percent in shifting tasks, 30 percent in short term memory, 30 percent in anxiety due to ADD and 25 percent improvement in insomnia. Research studies on neurofeedback as nondrug treatments for medical disorders have been ongoing for over 50 years. Three ORU students being treated for ADHD saw improvements as a result of the treatment. Bellatti believes neurofeedback is a better treat-ment than medication, and he has seen neurofeedback therapy work firsthand. Many patients from RenuYou claim the treatment has helped their medical situation completely. “My attention and processing diffi-culties led to some anxiety about school and sleep deprivation,” said an anony-mous ORU student. “RenuYou Neuro-feedback has helped both my insomnia and anxiety along with helping me focus and concentrate. It has been an amazing experience and I am so very grateful.”

Page 9: January 29, 2016 Print edition

THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 29, 2016 • 9

Show your student ID.Get in Free.Repeat Often.Philbrook + Philbrook Downtown:2 locations, 1 world-class Museum.

ORU Student Day Saturday, Sept. 19, 1 – 4 p.m.Enjoy art activities, scavenger hunts, tours and more.

Page 10: January 29, 2016 Print edition

10 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 29, 2016 THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 29, 2016 • 11

Career defining fearRUSSELL DORSEY

Sports Editor@AfroBroRD

Fear is not just an emotion. It is a force, and it has stopped the toughest competitors dead in their tracks. According to Webster’s dictionary, fear is defined as being afraid of something or expecting something un-pleasant to happen. Fear is not always a bad thing. In fact, fear is what put ice water in Cy Young winning pitcher Dallas Keuchel’s veins. Oklahoma State Championship - 2006 Keuchel is 18 years old. He is pitching in his third straight state championship game and looking to cap off his high school career with a win. The first inning begins. He takes his sign from his catcher and...CRACK. A double off the wall allows the game’s first run. As he steps off the mound to collect himself, he realizes it’s now or never. Fight or Flight. “I think it was just based on the fear of losing. No-body wants to lose,” said Keuchel. “When I got the call to pitch [in the state championship], I was just so fearful of losing, I think it just elevated my game.” All of a sudden, Keuchel’s self-motivation turns in to complete domination as a calm, cold confidence overtakes him. The home plate umpire’s calls start flowing like a song. “Strike one,” “Strike two,” “Strike three.” Only one word can describe his performance. Unhittable. “You can see it in his demeanor during games. He just can’t stand to lose,” said Tony Scardino, former head coach at Bishop Kelly High School. “He had “ice water in his veins” and I still believe that today. Ice Water.” Keuchel’s stellar performance his senior year at Bishop Kelley High School didn’t impress everyone. When the all-state roster came out in 2006, his name was not on it. The disappointment increased his desire to succeed despite the rejection. “I’m a very confident guy, but I never expect or never feel like I’m due anything. For me not to be picked all-state even though I was 10-0 with a sub-1.00 ERA, not that I can remember or anything,” he said laughing. “…not being picked all-state is some-thing I still take with me. Fear wouldn’t let Keuchel stop with a high school state championship. He can’t stay in high school forever. He accepted a scholarship to the University of Arkansas and the pressures associated with playing Div. I baseball. The University of Arkansas Freshman year in Fayetteville is filled with adjust-ments. He’s not in Tulsa anymore and college baseball is a different game. Keuchel starts his collegiate career with a 5.88 ERA. Bishop Kelly seems like a distant memory as the fear of failure pushes him harder than

ever before. These new struggles are unfamiliar for Keuchel. He never struggled like this, but no player goes their entire career without some type of struggle. The calm, cold confidence he had in high school wasn’t gone, but he had to work to find it again. Whether it was an extra bullpen session or extra time in the weight room, he regained his old swagger through hard work. “I think he just learned through experience. If you look at most Div. I pitchers, they all struggle early,” said Arkansas Head Baseball Coach Dave Van Horn. “He learned how to get good hitters out. He’s smart, coachable and has a really good work ethic.” He went 9-3 and cut his ERA in half, propelling the Razorbacks to the College World Series. While Keuchel was dominating the NCAA, major league scouts were taking notice. The Houston Astros chose Keuchel in the seventh round of the 2009 draft. The Houston Astros Fast forward four years. Keuchel gets a shot in the Astros starting rotation. The familiar struggles of a new level are back and so is the fear driving him to success. Keuchel refuses to let inconsistency overtake his dreams of greatness. “I don’t think it’s something your born with,” said Keuchel. “But it is definitely something that you can gain and develop.” Opening Day - 2015 Keuchel is on the mound as the Astros opening day starter and the ace of the Astros pitching staff. He’s looking to rejuvenate a franchise buried at the bottom of its division for the last decade. He’s been through the struggles of a young pitcher in Major League Baseball. There is only one thing left to do. Dominate. Present Day - 2016 Keuchel went 20-8 with a 2.48 ERA while racking up 216 strikeouts and led the Astros to the playoffs for the first time in 10 years. This time his performance cannot be overlooked. Keuchel is award-ed the 2015 American League Cy Young award and his second consecutive Gold Glove award. “To be in a position like we were, to be in a posi-tion like I was, it’s even more special because of the hardships we’ve faced the last five to six years,” said Keuchel. “It’s been a long haul, but it’s been enjoyable to see the process and the joy that guys had last year.” Take away all the accolades and awards. Remove the money, fame and notoriety. Behind the well-shaped beard and nice smile, the kid from Bishop Kelly High School with ice water in his veins is wait-ing for another shot to prove people wrong. “There’s always gonna be doubters, there’s always gonna be people who say ‘you can’t do it,’ but it doesn’t bother me anymore,” said Keuchel. “I just take it with me and I keep it in my back pocket as motivation.”

RUSSELL DORSEYSports Editor

@AfroBroRD

ORU baseball announces turf project for J.L. Johnson Stadium

Tulsa native and Cy Young and Gold Glove award winning pitcher Dallas Keuchel attended the Golden Eagle Diamond dinner on Jan. 15 to help raise funds for the newly announced plan to install a new all-turf infield at J.L. Johnson Sta-dium. The event more than tripled the previous record of funds at a Diamond dinner event. “The turf would give us a competitive advan-tage and would not hinder us during inclement weather,” said head coach Ryan Folmar. “It also allows us to be to host different events such as the Oklahoma [High School] State championship.” The plan is to have an all-turf infield starting in front of home plate and ending at the base-lines. It would also include a turf hallow behind home plate and stretching past both dugouts. “There is a tremendous amount of momentum in this program and you can really feel it at an event like this. From our players, parents, fans and alumni, the excitement continues to build,” said Tim Johnson, assistant athletic director of development. “Record-breaking nights like the Diamond Dinner and special projects like turfing the infield will continue to help ensure that ORU baseball is at the top of the Summit League.” There are currently 32 Div. I baseball teams playing on all-turf infields. The H.A. Chapman Indoor Practice Facility where the baseball team practices during the winter already features an all-turf infield. The ORU baseball team starts the season on Feb. 19 when they take on Indiana State in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Top: Dallas Keuchel answers questions from the media at the Diamond Dinner. Top Center: Valuable sports memorabilia was auctioned off to raise money for the turf project. Bottom Center: Dallas Keuchel takes part in a Q&A session with former MLB player George Frazier. Bottom: ORU will be the only school in the Summit League with an all-turf infield.

WATER

You can see it in hisdemeanor during games,

he just can’tstand to loseHE HAD

ICE WATER

in his veinsand I still believethat today.

Photo by Rachel Frazer

Photo by Rachel Frazer

Photo by Russell Dorsey

Photo by Wyatt Bullard

Illustration by Jesse Paul TurnerCourtesy photo

Page 11: January 29, 2016 Print edition

12 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 29, 2016

Athletics Hall of Fame inducts three

ORU Athletics inducted three new members into the Hall of Fame Saturday during halftime of the men’s basketball game against the University of Nebraska-Omaha. The class of 2016 included Keith Mucha, Rachel Talbert-Andres and Ken Tutt. Keith Mucha played first and third base on the 1982 and 1983 baseball teams. “I was the first person in ORU history to hit three home runs in one game,” said Mucha recalling the memory he is the most proud of. He also had a .364 hitting percentage and 22 stolen bases. Mucha posted single-season records with 65 RBI and 54 walks in his final season and is in the top-10 for career home runs with 33 before being drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in 1983. Baseball was a large part of Mucha’s life, but he said it wasn’t the only good thing about ORU. “I attended four different colleges and my favorite memory was how caring the professors and all my instructors were,” he said. “It was great because they really cared about you as a person and took time if you needed help.” Mucha recently retired from a 26-year law en-forcement career.

Sports

JADYN WATSON-FISHEREditor-in-Chief

@jwatsonfisher Rachel Talbert-Andres was a dominant force in the throwing events during her time on the track and field team from 2007-10. “I was floored when I got called by Athletic Direc-tor Mike Carter. I was on top of a ladder and he said ‘are you sitting down?’ and didn’t give me a chance to get down,” said Talbert-Andres with a laugh. “It’s a huge honor. I’ve been wanting this, but never really expected it to happen.” She was an NCAA All-American for discus in ’08 and ’09 and finished third in the nation in 2010. “I got third there and wasn’t necessarily happy about it at the time, but it’s probably the achievement I’m most proud of,” Talbert-Andres said. She holds the current record of most conference titles for a female athlete with nine. Her Summit League championships came in the javelin (4), discus (3) and shot put (2). Her other honors include outdoor athlete of the year twice, outdoor field athlete of the year, outdoor newcomer of the year award and player of the week. She holds the Summit League record for four player of the week awards in a single season and nine honors for her career. Talbert-Andres currently runs her own painting business and is training to make it onto the 2016 Canadian Olympic team.

Ken Tutt made his mark on the men’s basketball record books while he was on the team from 2003-07. He said he was surprised at the induction, but was filled with gratitude. “I was just really happy because you know other people noticed all the hard work you put in over the years,” Tutt said. He is the seventh leading scorer in Golden Eagle history with 2,019 points, led the 2003-04 team with 579 points and is the third leading three-point scorer with 319 shots. Tutt assisted in leading the basketball team to one NIT in 2005, two NCAA Tournaments in ’06 and ’07 and conference regular season titles from 2005-07. He received Mid-Major Freshman of the year and Mid-Continent newcomer of the year in 2004. “My experience playing for ORU was wonderful,” said Tutt. “I played for some great coaches and I had some great teammates here. We all played together and tried to do what we could to put Oral Roberts [University] on the map and make a name for us.” Tutt retired in April 2015 after playing overseas for eight years. He has a 4-month-old daughter. Men’s basketball player Caleb Green and women’s basketball player Debbie Yow were both voted into the Hall of Fame but were not inducted due to sched-uling conflicts.

Keith Mucha

Courtesy Photos

Rachel Talbert-Andres Ken TuttPhotos by Wyatt Bullard

Page 12: January 29, 2016 Print edition

THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 29, 2016 • 13

Today’s champion, tomorrow’s dynasty

The Golden State Warriors are on a historic pace this season. Their 40-4 record has many believing they can be repeat NBA champions and become the next great dynasty in sports. The Warriors have the pieces to win another championship, but building a dynasty is an even bigger challenge. The word “dynasty” is overused in modern day sports. The process of building and maintaining a “dynasty” is extremely difficult to accomplish. In order to even be considered in the conversation of a dynasty, a team must win multiple championships in a five to 10-year period and be considered the elite team of the era. Every candidate must have three key ingredients to be considered a dynasty:

The Pittsburgh Steelers won back to back titles from 1975-1976 and 1979-1980.

In the six years the Chi-cago Bulls won the NBA Finals the team’s winning percentage was .789 (308-104).

Celtics legend Bill Rus-sell won 11 NBA titles during his 13 year career in Boston.

The Chicago Blackhawks are the current dynasty in sports, winning three Stanley Cups in the past six seasons.

Graphic by Gerald Brown

RUSSELL DORSEYSports Editor

@AfroBroRD

1. Two superstars and a solid core of role players Each dynasty over the past 50 years has possessed multiple superstar players on the roster who carried the team, but for every Shaq and Kobe carrying a franchise into a dynasty there’s a group core of players who are the glue holding the whole thing together. The Lakers don’t win three straight championships without Robert Horry becoming “big shot Bob” and hitting the big shots at the biggest moments. 2. A veteran coach/manager to manage the players Any coach or manager can put together a lineup and send their team out every night, but coaching goes deeper than just the lineup. Coaches with winning teams develop winning cultures and create a continuity not only within their locker room, but the organization as a whole. Coaches like Phil Jackson, Scotty Bowman, Chuck Noll and Joe Torre created cultures like this, and the results speak for themselves in championship rings.

3.Front office personnel to put everything in place The front office has the toughest job out of the three. They do most, if not all, of their work behind the scenes. The general manager of a team moving toward dynasty status has to be sure each signing or trade is going to help the team improve play without chang-

ing the chemistry or culture. One wrong move can be the difference between a maintaining and destroying a dynasty. Free agency has become the biggest deterrent to the modern day dynasty. Every player is looking for the big payday, and no one can blame them the way money is flowing through professional sports. It is almost impossible to keep a team together if there are four or five key players leaving every year due to free agency. When a team has to solidify a new set of core players every season, there is no chemistry, and with-out chemistry, it is impossible to win a championship much less become a dynasty. Only two teams have successfully built dynasties in the past 10 years, the Chicago Blackhawks and the San Francisco Giants. The Blackhawks and Giants have been able to build dynasties in an era of sports where it is very difficult to do so. Both teams have the perfect combination of core players and superstars, coaches and front office personnel who put them in a position to contend every year. Golden State is having an outstanding season, and it has the right ingredients to build a dynasty, but there are several teams in the past 50 years who were on the verge of building a dynasty and came up short. The Warriors have a long way to go before they can win their second straight title and even farther to be a part of the conversation about sports dynasties.

The New York Yankees are the last MLB team to win back to back World Series titles in 1999 and 2000.

The San Francisco 49ers won three Super Bowls with two different quarterbacks (Joe Montana and Steve Young).

Page 13: January 29, 2016 Print edition

14 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 29, 2016

ORU Sports Briefs

1. Download the Aurasma app2. Follow oruoracle3. Hold mobile device over designated photo to view videos and photos.

Courtesy photosGRANT HOLCOMB

Staff Writer@grantholcombORU

Numerous outlandish phenomena have sent the sports world into amazement or bewilderment over the course of sports history. Aaron Ramsey is one player who finds himself at the pinnacle of eerie circumstances. Ramsey’s predicament is a little more “life or death” oriented, which has sent soccer follow-ers into a frenzy. Ramsey has been making waves on social media. The attention is not for anything he said or did off the field, but from purely scoring goals with a caveat. People who have been keeping track of Ramsey’s career have come to notice whenever he scores a goal a recognizable figure dies. Ramsey assumed the role of Grim Reaper in 2011 playing Arsenal in the Premier League. Due to Ramsey being a box-to-box midfielder, he rarely plays in an attacking position, which limits scoring oppor-tunities. Yet, the times he does bury a goal, headlines

are made because of the death of a political leader, entertainer or celebrity. The first occurrence was when Ramsey scored on May 1, 2011. The very next day, Osama Bin Laden was pronounced dead after a 10-year manhunt. In October of the same year Ramsey scored two goals, and two other prominent people died. Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, passed away on Oct. 5, three days after Ramsey scored a goal. Then former Libyan Prime Minister Muammar Gaddafi died on Oct. 20. Ramsey scored a goal the day before. Ramsey was asked if he was made aware of the supposed curse in an interview with freelance sports journalist Alex Dimond. “A few people did make me aware [of the stories], but I didn’t score as many goals then,” said Ramsey. “I’ve scored a few goals now where no-one has died, thank God.” Followers of the “Ramsey Curse” will be quick to point out Whitney Houston, Robin Williams, David Bowie and Alan Rickman all died in conjunction

The Ramsey Curse: Scoring goals and taking lives?

with a Ramsey goal. Houston passed away on February 11, 2012 and Williams passed away August 11, 2014. Both celebri-ties were pronounced dead hours after Ramsey scored a goal. Most recently, David Bowie and Alan Rickman passed away on Jan. 10 and Jan. 14, respectively. Bow-ie died a day after Ramsey scored against Sunderland, and it is said Rickman passed away after Ramsey’s goal against Liverpool. While some Ramsey followers are greatly con-cerned, others consider it a coincidence. Coincidence or not, Ramsey is not concerned in the slightest. “It was a silly rumor that I didn’t take any notice of,” Ramsey said.

Edgardo Mira signs pro contract with Sonsonate FC Former Golden Eagle Edgar-do Mira signed his first pro soccer contract with Sonsonate FC in El Salvador last week. The San Salvador, El Salvador native finished his ORU career with 34 points scoring 13 goals and dishing out eight assists.

Track and Field set personal records at Air Force Invitational The men and women’s track team had a great showing at the Air Force Invitational in Colorado Springs last weekend. The Golden Eagles garnered 14 top-five finishes. Senior Michael Burns, junior Kirsten Burnett and sophomores Amaya Christon and Israel Nelson all set new personal bests.

Jan Pehnec named Summit League Men’s tennis Player of the week Sophomore Jan Pehnec was named Summit League Player of the week for Jan. 19-25. The Croatia Native went 2-0 last week during singles play and helped lead the Golden Eagles to a team victory over SIUE. Pehnec also picked up a victory in doubles play against SIUE with partner Amar Saletovic.

Women’s basketball team flying high The women’s basketball team has won six of its last seven games. The Golden Eagles only have seven healthy players on the roster, but will get guard Bria Pitts back in a few weeks. The team is currently second in the Summit League with a 6-2 record.

Page 14: January 29, 2016 Print edition

THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 29, 2016 • 15

The essential college student grocery listScene

Classes run late, and work schedules don’t always allow time for dinner. SAGA closes at 7 p.m. and spending precious Sodexo on Chick-Fil-A and Moe’s gets old quickly, not to mention expensive. Beat the dinner blues by having staple foods stashed away in the dorm room. Make meals out of these foods and save the rest for a late night snack. Head to the store this weekend and make a survival pantry out of these essential grocery items.

Meal Suggestions: Meal 1: Grilled chicken breast with veggies and mac and cheese. Microwave the grilled chicken breast in the microwave for about three minutes and then heat up selected veggies for another three minutes. Add mac and cheese for a complete meal. Meal 2: Cheese quesadilla with a side of Mexican rice and mixed green salad.

VICTORIA ATTERBERRYScene Editor

@Tory2495

To make the quesadilla, layer shredded cheese (try fiesta cheese blend, only $2.48 at Walmart) on a soft tortilla shell and cook in the microwave for about a minute. Fold the tortilla and cut in half.Tips: Great Value or Tyson are two popular, inexpensive brands for frozen grilled chicken breasts. Great Value is $6.56 a bag and Tyson’s Grilled and Ready chick-en breast fillets come pre-seasoned at $6.98 per bag at Wal-Mart. Birds Eye 10 ounce bags of frozen vegetables are only $1 at Wal-Mart. Choose from corn, broc-coli, peas, green beans and other favorites. The vegetables can be cooked in the microwave and eaten directly out of the bag.

Take advantage of substantial student ID deals

Money is tight, books are expensive and tuition is high, but luckily many stores offer student discounts to help balance the budget. These discounts are not widely advertised, but can be received by simply asking a sales asso-ciate and presenting a valid student ID. Also, be sure to use a .edu email when shopping online to receive discounts on the web.

ALYSSA LACOURSENews Editor

@AlyssaLaCourse

Books & Newspapers:Barnes & Noble: Textbook rentals up to 50 percent offNew York Times: 50 percent offWall Street Journal: $1 per week FedEx: 20 percent off shipments;

30 percent off documents

Entertainment:Cinemark: Discounted movie tick-

ets everydayAMC: Discounted Thursdays

Spotify: 50 percent off member

discountWarren: Discounted tickets Sunday

through Thursday

Food:Buffalo Wild Wings: 10 percent off

Chick-Fil-A: Free small drink

Chipotle: 15 percent off

Qdoba: $5 student burrito meal

Subway: 10 percent off

Waffle House: 10 percent off

Phones:AT&T: 10 percent off monthly billVerizon: 18 percent off monthly billSprint: 10 percent off monthly billT-Mobile: 8 to 15 percent off monthly bill

Technology:AppleMicrosoftAdobeDell

Retail:Amazon Prime: $49 a year with Amazon StudentAnn Taylor: 15 percent off full priced

items in storesBanana Republic: 15 percent off full priced items in storesEddie Bauer: Varies by store

Goodwill: 10 percent offH&M: 15 percent off entire purchase in store only J. Crew: 15 percent off full price items

in store onlyThe Limited: 15 percent off full price items in store only Urban Outfitters: 10 percent off spe-

cial items on select dates

$

$

Grocery List1. Fruits: Apples, bananas, grapes

2. Frozen Goods: Frozen Vegetables, Lean Cuisine frozen meals, chicken breast fillets

3. Dairy: Yogurt, milk, cheese

4. Snacks: Trail mix, popcorn, granola bars

5. Drinks: Fruit juice, bottled water, tea

7. Refrigerated items: Deli meats, salad mix, soft shell tortillas

Page 15: January 29, 2016 Print edition

16 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 29, 2016

Wardrobe up-cycle: One sweater 4 looks

Winter weather requires a warmer wardrobe. Before the season changes in a Tulsa second, get creative. Wheth-er the dorm closet is teeming with post-Christmas abundance or look-ing for new ways to up-cycle a classic sweater, here are four ways to rock the same piece of knitted-wear.

MADISON MCDANIELFeatures Editor

@madisonjmcd

Get the best of both seasons when layering a flouncy dress under the cozy knitted sweater. Simply add boots and a statement necklace for a fun and flirty outfit reminiscent of the summertime.

Create a simple yet stylish look by pairing the cozy sweater with an even cozier blanket scarf. Pick a colorful scarf to add a pop. For extra boldness, add boots and transform a casual outfit into an ensemble fit for a Friday night.

Opt for the classic layered look with a favorite sweater and collared shirt. Mix and match patterns with this timeless, J. Crew-inspired look and pair with a classic skinny jean and ankle boots. For extra flare, tuck it into an A-line skirt.

Jumpstart the wardrobe by pick-ing a sweater that can be easily trans-formed into a variety of looks. Choose one a neutral color and medium-length. Apply various elements of styling to achieve different ensembles.

Photos by Wyatt Bullard

Page 16: January 29, 2016 Print edition

THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 29, 2016 • 17

Bluetooth smart-enabled pregnancy test

For the married women of the world, a new frontier in at-home preg-nancy testing has arrived. Church & Dwight Co., Inc. has pioneered a new age of pregnancy testing as they an-nounce the world’s first ever Bluetooth Smart-enabled pregnancy test. First Response™ Pregnancy PRO connects a mobile application on a woman’s smart device. The app offers numerous facets of information concerning pregnancy while waiting for the test results. “With Pregnancy PRO, we’ve leveraged unique consumer insights to develop a product that not only revo-lutionizes the pregnancy test category, but more importantly, provides women with the information they need during their journey,” said Stacey Feldman, Vice President of Marketing, Church & Dwight. Pregnancy PRO is designed to keep women calm as they undergo this process. The app delivers step-by-step guidance and provides distractions while they await the expiration of the three-minute timer. There are three options for distrac-tion as the woman awaits her

RACHEL ANDERSONManaging Editor

@RachelLee66

The Conversant Critic: “The 5th Wave”

“The 5th Wave” hit theaters last weekend adding another drama to the wildly growing young adult genre. The film is based on the New York Times Best Seller by Rick Yancey and chronicles a post-apocalyptic story of an invasion by a group of extraterrestri-al beings dubbed as “The Others.” Cassie Sullivan (Chloe Grace Mortez) is a normal teenager living an ordinary life when it takes a drastic twist when “the others” attack earth in four distinct waves. She gets separated from her brother during the chaos and struggles to get back to him. Cassie meets Evan Walker (Alex Roe) along the way and makes an

VICTORIA ATTERBERRYScene Editor

@Tory2495

alliance with him, despite concerns about trusting him. Cassie continues her mission and aims to reunite with her younger brother before the final fifth wave. “The 5th Wave” received mixed reviews from critics and movie-goers alike and only brought in $10 million on its opening weekend. Overall the young adult film left an average impression on audiences. Like several young-adult thrillers, “The 5th Wave” had one too many clichés and presented a rushed romance. The concept of a post-apocalyptic world is not new but the “The 5th Wave” offers a decent twist.

results. “Calm Me” offers relaxing visual content to ease nerves and anxiety. “Ed-ucate Me” provides content on fertility and pregnancy. “Entertain Me” displays videos and content as a distraction. After the three minutes expire, the test results will appear on the test stick, and can be displayed on the mobile device after entering a secure code. Negative results will offer suggested next steps and informative resources, including cycle tracking to assist in a positive result the next time around. If the result is positive, Pregnancy PRO provides an estimated due date, preg-nancy milestones, suggested questions to ask a healthcare provider, prenatal appointment reminders and timely updates about the baby’s growth. “First Response™ Pregnancy PRO Digital Pregnancy Test & App Access marks an impressive step forward in how technology can address women’s needs throughout their pregnancies,” said Dr. Lauren Streicher, associate clinical professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern Univer-sity’s Feinberg School of Medicine. “By offering her an all-in-one experi-ence through the testing process and throughout her journey, women can feel that they have another trusted resource

along the way, which can lead to more informed pregnancies.” First Response suggests all women confirm their results with a healthcare professional, as there is a .01 percent chance of testing error. “We’re proud to work with Church & Dwight Co., Inc. to deliver this new evolution of connected pregnancy testing, and to continue the leadership First Response™ has already demon-strated in the pregnancy test category,” said Rick Valencia, senior vice president and general manager at Qualcomm Life. First Response™ Pregnancy PRO

Digital Pregnancy Test & App Ac-cess will be available at major retailers in 2016 at a retail price of $14.99 - $21.99. The First Response™ app is available for download on Android and iPhone devices and in the Amazon appstore. For more information about First Response™ Pregnancy PRO, visit www.PregnancyPRO.com

Watch the full Aurasma review:

Page 17: January 29, 2016 Print edition

18 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 29, 2016

The Quiet Ones: Bringing meaning to introversion

Muse

They sit in your classes, worship at your churches, write books you read, and change the world in their own muted ways. Often misunderstood, they persist nonetheless in their interests and talents, probably not drawing much attention to themselves. While not an overwhelming statistical minority, they appear to be one nonetheless. They include in their numbers such figures as Albert Einstein, Dr. Seuss, George Orwell, Henry David Thoreau, and Chopin. Say hello (but not too loudly) to the introverts of the world. Ever since author Susan Cain’s book Quiet came out in 2012, along with her brilliant TED Talk on the subject, the world has finally started to pay attention to introversion. Cain’s book was a windfall of validation for those who, by nature, simply like to keep things rather low key. Introversion is a personality trait. It is not synonymous with shyness, but the two often appear together. Its opposite is extroversion; the middle ground is ambiversion. Although generalizing about people is risky, introverts tend to share certain identifying traits. Introverts generally like quiet, time alone (social interac-tions tend to exhaust them), thinking,

planning, regularity, tranquility, privacy, and a slower pace in life. They dislike noise, crowds, impulsivity, rapid change, unexpected physical contact, conflict, and a rapid pace. When I use the word “dislike,” I do not merely suggest petty preference. Introverts simply do not do well and indeed suffer from anxiety and stress when overrun by the dislikes list-ed above. While all humans, including introverts, must develop character by facing difficult circumstances in their lives, all humans, including introverts, must be self-aware enough to know in what contexts they thrive or flounder. The implications of acknowledging the introverts in our lives are many. We seem to live in a culture of gregarious-ness, in which quiet persons are seen as anti-social, snobby, or maladjusted. Success is so often linked with confi-dence, people skills, assertiveness, and self-selling that the Quiet Ones can be overlooked when it’s time to hire or vote for someone. Nonetheless, the Quiet Ones can be extremely capable employees and even leaders. According to Cain, introverts are often cautious and circumspect, the ones who look be-fore they jump, the ones who ask why when no one else does. Their reluctance to charge into things can prevent fail-ure or even disaster in contexts ranging from family life and the stock market to the halls of government. The Quiet Ones’ cautiousness is not their only asset. They seem to be the ones in society who actually take time to think, as they cannot seem to do otherwise. Yes, the world needs peo-ple of action. However, it also needs

thinkers, as all action is driven by ideas, and introverts are above all else people who dwell in ideas, whether philosoph-ical, scientific, or aesthetic. Additionally, introverts tend to be fiercely loyal and steadfast, making fine marriage partners and friends. If you are an introvert’s friend, count yourself among the lucky, because introverts tend to have fewer friends but at the same time deeper friendships. In a time when the word “friend” has all but lost its meaning amid the relational dilutions created by social media, introverts know the meaning of true, deep friendship, and they don’t squander it. While introverts don’t need pity, their needs should be understood, especially in certain contexts challeng-ing to them. Again, introverts are not an overwhelming statistical minority among the whole population, but they are a clear minority among Evangeli-cal Christians in America. Susan Cain devotes a whole section of Quiet to the challenges faced by Evangelical introverts. She bluntly asserts that there seems to be no place for them in most Evangelical churches. Adam McHugh, author of Introverts in the Church, agrees: “The evangelical culture ties together faithfulness with extroversion.” These two authors’ findings ring true. We live in a Christian subculture that rewards the vociferous, the cou-rageous, the risk-taking, the dynamic. We applaud those who “witness” openly and boldly, even if they turn other peo-ple off. We laud Christian leaders who can pack churches with crowds of thou-sands. We are impressed by people in

KEITH GOGANContributing Writer

services who can pray “loud and long.” In such a culture, many introverts sim-ply don’t fit in; in fact, too often, some feel utterly hopeless, assuming that God cannot possibly use them because they are too understated, pensive, and, yes, quiet. Furthermore, when in church services, many of the more sensitive ones feel alienated and even rejected. Distressingly loud worship services cluttered by peripheral media can overstimulate some introverts, many of whom turn to liturgical churches for refuge from the entertainment-driv-en worship found in many of today’s churches. Condemnatory preaching can scare the daylights out of some of them, too, which is ironic, as most introverts are so self-aware and cautious that they are the last ones who need to be told they’re fallible—they know it, some even suffering from chronic guilt. Our God is a creative God. He saw fit to create an astounding variety of celestial bodies, flora, and fauna, each with their differentiating characteris-tics. The same is true for His human creations. All are Homo sapiens, yet all are different. Introverts are an import-ant and beautiful part of the grand sto-ry God started writing before recorded history. They have been anchors of the Christian faith for centuries, and their service to God and the world continues today. Introverts can rest assured that they have a necessary role in the king-dom of God. And non-introverts might consider giving their introvert friends a hug—but not for too long.

Illustration by Jesse Paul Turner

Page 18: January 29, 2016 Print edition

THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 29, 2016 • 19

Fasting is more than a New Year’s resolution

As 2016 begins, so do resolutions and expectations for the future. Fast-ing during the month of January is one of the many rituals in Christian society, but fasting should be a lifestyle throughout the year. A large portion of the Christian community commits to fast for the first 21 days of January in order to start the new year with a fresh mind, body and spirit, but people choose to fast for their own reasons. “Prayer grabs onto the power of heaven; fasting loosens the hold of

MADISON MCDANIELFeatures Editor

@madisonjmcd

earthly pleasures,” said Tim Cameron, author and former director of ORU admissions and financial aid. “Jesus taught us to fast because there are times when some things can only be broken by additional intimacy with Christ and the power that comes from fasting.” Cameron recently released his book titled “The Forty-Day Word Fast: A Spiritual Journey,” based off his own 40-day fast. He said most Christians decide to fast out of desperation to see the power of God break strongholds in their lives or the lives of others. “Sometimes you have to do some-thing unusual, extraordinary and beyond the norm to see breakthrough,” Camer-on said. “Fasting is a supernatural com-bination when mixed with prayer. Some things take prayer and fasting. There is no other way around it.” ORU students frequently choose to prioritize a time of fasting after they return from break, despite their demanding lifestyles. They aim to fully commit to the Lord, ready to begin the new semester refreshed.

“I fast for guidance,” said junior Michelle Burciaga, who aims to par-ticipate in the Daniel Fast every year. “It’s a new year and I want to allow the Lord to take me to places this year that I’ve never been before, and fasting helps me humble myself and allow the Lord to step in.” Cameron says in the midst of fasting, it is easy to lose sight of the purpose, quickly making fasting an idol rather than a commitment to seek intimacy with the Lord. “We miss the mark when we fast for the wrong purpose: weight or to be seen as religious,” Cameron said. “Fasting can become an idol when we do it without prayer. Fasting and prayer must be done together. If you fast and you don’t have time to pray, you should not fast.” When the perspective behind fasting shifts from seeking intentional intimacy with the Lord to focusing on personal gain, its purpose becomes stale and fruitless. “Fasting is sending a message to the Lord,” Cameron said. “I want to

sacrifice my flesh, put the Spirit first and send a sweet aroma to [Him] that catches [His] attention.” No matter what month is devoted to fasting, at the end, students express to the Lord their willingness to follow His will rather than their own. “I do this because I want the Lord to know that this year I’m determined to be led by Him,” Burciaga said. “And when I fast I’m more sensitive to hear His voice, so I spend time asking Him what He desires from me this year. I make note of what He says and I work hard during the year to make His de-sires my desires.” Although most people choose Jan-uary, this isn’t the only month reserved for fasting. To learn more about the depths of rekindling relationship with the Lord, check out Cameron’s “For-ty Day Word Fast” now available on Amazon.

Page 19: January 29, 2016 Print edition

20 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 29, 2016

“Being in the military I've learned to value service and commitment. I see these same values in the Graduate Theology program here at ORU. The professors are Bible scholars who allow the Holy Spirit to work in and around them in new and relevant ways. They regularly step out of their traditional professor-student roles and make sure I'm balancing school, work and life demands effectively. They are professionally connected, making introductions for students into places like churches, hospitals and counseling agencies. They genuinely care about me and my calling.”

Chaplain Candidate (2nd Lieutenant)

Aaron Arnold, United States Army

Graduate Student at ORU, Master of Divinity, Pastoral Care and Chaplaincy

TEST-DRIVE GRAD SCHOOL AT ORU:

ORU juniors and seniors are invited

to experience grad school at ORU

during Grad School Snapshot this Feb.

8-12, 2016. Visit graduate classes and

free informational lunches from ORU’s

graduate schools of Business, Education

and Theology & Ministry. Save your spot

today at oru.edu/gradsnapshot.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS:

Interested in a master’s or doctoral

degree from ORU? Apply for the

Graduate Quest Fellows and Scholarship

Program to receive a scholarship up

to $5,000 per year or 100% tuition

coverage. The deadline to apply is

March 4, 2016. Learn more at oru.edu/grad/quest.

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY & MINISTRY:

The Graduate School of Theology &

Ministry can prepare you for a successful

career as a licensed professional

counselor, chaplain, minister, or

missionary, to name a few.

To learn more: oru.edu/grad/theology 918.495.6518 [email protected]