A flag waves at Salem's 'No Kings' rally on March 28, 2026. Photo by Mac Childers. Thousands of people gathered outside the Oregon Capitol on a sunny afternoon this Saturday at “No Kings III” to protest actions by the Trump administration.  Part of a nationwide “No Kings” rally with over  3,000 other demonstrations  across the country, the March 28 event saw a crowd of about 5,000, fewer than previous “No Kings”  rallies and below organizers’ estimates . Attendees were just as concerned, however, with the Trump administration, as many protested against the U.S. actions in the Iran war, treatment of immigrants and dual citizens, and attacks on voting rights. Among the attendees was the Bennette family, which had nearly 20 family members come out to the event. Most of the family walked down State Street from Lancaster Drive NE to the Capitol, about a 3-mile walk.  “I think there might be somewhere close to about 20 of us in our family that will be here. So it’s really turned into a family affair,” said Wende Bennette-Kirkland. “We need to end the policing of our First Amendment rights, and we also need to fight for equality for all of our neighbors.” Bennette-Kirkland held a sign calling for the end of Citizens United, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that cleared the way for more political spending, while her sister, Elizabeth, carried a sign depicting a pig styled to look like Trump. Her father, Greg Bennette, who is also a veteran, held a sign saying “No ICE, No MAGA, No Fear, No Kings.” Members of the Bennette family, including sisters Wende, Elizabeth and their father Greg, pose with handmade posters at the "No Kings" rally on March 28, 2026. Photo by Mac Childers. The event had several notable speakers, including an appearance from U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. He spoke to the crowd about his concerns about the war in Iran, the SAVE Act and tariffs. “I never thought in a million years we would have an authoritarian this close to turning us into an enduring strongman state,” Merkley said. “Let’s save our republic,” he added to the sound of applause.  Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield also spoke at the Salem rally. He championed continued participation in U.S. democracy, especially through voting. Additionally, he spoke out against the Trump administration, saying, “This country … does not derive its power from manufacturing crisis after crisis to maintain control.” Cameron and Annmarie Jones were registered Republicans until 2015, when they left the party over Trump. They have been to over 10 protests since Trump’s return to office, including this “No Kings” event.  “In 2015, my party elected Donald Trump in their primary as the Republican candidate, and I said, ‘There’s no way I can be in a party that would bring that clown as their representative,’” Cameron said. For Annmarie, she finds many of the current events shocking, and a far cry to how she was first introduced to Trump on his TV show, “The Apprentice,” a business-based competition series.  “We watched him for entertainment. We didn’t want him to entertain us in the White House,” Annmarie said. “He’s hurting the whole world. He’s not just hurting us.” Both spoke to their concerns about Trump’s presidency, like voter suppression tactics and seeing more ICE agents wearing masks, to the ways the government is now communicating to their citizens.  “I think we need to do everything as citizens to lawfully resist all the horrible things he’s doing,” Cameron said. Evan and Kathleen Krauss are former employees of the federal government. Working for the federal government meant that they weren’t allowed to attend protests, but in Kathleen’s words, “We are retired now, so we can say whatever the hell we want.” The pair are Salem locals and have attended all three “No Kings” protests, along with others.  Evan is “an old historian” who shared his worries about “the strain of fascist Americanism” that can be traced back to the Japanese internment camps of World War II. He added that one of his reasons for attending was to show “there are more of us than there are of you.” Also among the protesters were a couple of Willamette students.  “Democracy is a good thing fundamentally,” said Rohn Anderson (’29). Anderson shared that they are “not the biggest fan of ‘No Kings’ as an organization” since they “don’t have any direct thing that they’re protesting.”  Despite their question about how effective the rally will actually be in inspiring change, Anderson still noted its value. “It tells people in charge, ‘Hey, it’s bad.’ But two, and I think more importantly, it tells people who aren't a big fan of everything else going on, ‘You’re not alone.’”  Becca Ray (’29), another Willamette student, shared that they came to the protest to stand up against ICE and “the things that Trump has done.”  Ray added, “I think it's good to make those beliefs known and to try and fight back against what's happening right now in the world.” Editor's note: Portions of this article were first published in the Oregon Capital Chronicle  and States Newsroom  as part of their live coverage.

President Stephen Thorsett and Provost Jennifer Jacobs Henderson discuss Willamette and Pacific's planned merger on March 12 in the Montag Den. Photo by Patricia Krepel. President Steve Thorsett and Provost Jennifer Henderson spoke at an Associated Students of Willamette University (ASWU) hosted Q&A on Thursday, March 12, clarifying details about the planned merger between Willamette and Pacific universities after the Willamette board of trustees met in February. Panelists then took questions from student attendees about the status of the merger and what it means for Willamette and Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) students. ASWU President Stevie Bergstrom (‘26), who organized the panel, expressed in an email to students, she “wanted to create an opportunity for students to hear directly from university leadership and ask their own questions.” Below are key details and responses panelists provided to students about the merger status.  Changing academic programs  Henderson assured that “for students here at Willamette in Salem, it should look and feel exactly the same” after the planned merger. Thus far, specific discussions about curriculum changes and coordination about degree pathways and graduate programs have been limited because changes in curriculum cannot be made until after the federal approval, Henderson said.   Henderson added that the schools are looking at adding more accelerated degrees and potential changes to specific programs. “The graduate programs will have different kinds of structures, possibly,” she said. “But the undergraduate units, on purpose, will remain as individual colleges.” Before the merger is complete, they hope to set up priority admissions pathways for Willamette students for some of Pacific’s graduate programs, including pharmacy, social work and education, with more pathways planned after the merger. Concerns were raised by one student at the panel regarding understaffing issues and students not being able to fulfill their major requirements. In response, Henderson said, “My commitment is to focus on the programs we have here, and a commitment to the liberal arts. … You have pinpointed the concern in really important ways, and I absolutely pay attention to it.”  Another student raised the concern of Willamette potentially cutting programs that Pacific does better. In response, Thorsett stated the importance of interdisciplinary programs liberal arts colleges are known for and that a small college size is essential to this experience. “The secret to this whole project has been finding a way that we can build an institution that captures that ability to keep the small personal scale that Willamette and Pacific students have, and is larger in overall scale to provide better efficiencies,” Thorsett said. “So that’s why we’re not talking about merging the undergraduate colleges.”  The schools’ name(s) The shared name of the two institutions has been the most frequently asked about aspect of the merger, Thorsett said, adding that in conversation with the former president of Willamette’s accreditor, she noted that oftentimes, “the name problem” can stop mergers from advancing. In response to an attendee’s disappointment about the proposed name, “University of the Northwest,” potentially replacing the Willamette name, panelists noted that the name is still being decided, with nothing set. As it stands, the two universities are looking to create an umbrella name, while keeping the distinct titles of their respective colleges.  “This is the one question asked the most by everyone,” Henderson joked. She later said, “Willamette will be on the diploma, even if there is an overarching umbrella name.”  The two schools’ umbrella name is similar to how PNCA has its own identity as an institution despite being under the overarching Willamette name, Thorsett added. Regarding the “University of the Northwest” name in particular, he noted that it was initially chosen because “we needed to have a name for the press release because we needed to be able to explain crucially that this was not a merger in the sense that we are two organizations that were being squashed into one.”  In conversations since the announcement, he expressed that it is unclear if that name will survive and noted that the final name will be voted on by the board of trustees. But, he added, in informal conversations with branding firms, they’ve helped focus more on the identity the schools want to create.  “We need a name that has a certain audacity to it but also doesn’t have a lot of preexisting meaning because we need to grow into that name,” Thorsett said. Throughout the development of this merger, Thorsett conveyed the sentiment of protecting “the value and distinctiveness and what it means to be a Bearcat.” Budget and endowment The largest changes to the university structure will be on the administrative end, which could include measures like consolidating library systems, information technology departments, financial information systems, human resources and alumni databases to reduce cost for both universities.  “It is one of the only ways to save money and cost for students that doesn’t change the experience of students in the classroom,” Thorsett said. “You can merge all of those and save duplicated costs there.” Thorsett communicated that one beneficial piece of this merger has to do with the budgets. “The two institutions [Willamette and Pacific] may not only be the two oldest institutions in the Northwest, but also two of the most financially healthy at this point.” This creates a profit opportunity for the two universities, as while “we are wealthier than they are, they have a stronger business model,” Thorsett said. Thorsett also explained that both schools must have balanced budgets before being able to merge. Willamette’s endowment currently stands at approximately $317 million, according to the 2025 Impact Report . Pacific’s total restricted net assets is approximately $110 million, which includes approximately $70 million in endowment funds. In terms of yearly operating budgets, however, Pacific has a larger operating revenue than Willamette does. President Thorsett assured that “there is no sort of general endowment that gets mixed and re-spread” across the two universities in the merger. The endowments will remain separate for the schools. Merger timeline Thorsett said that currently the schools are in “the due-diligence phase,” wherein the two schools are sharing university information, such as contracts and bonds, with each other and seeing what is involved in accreditor and federal government approval. The two will then decide in May whether or not to move forward with the partnership. November of this year is the earliest the two could legally merge with one another, “and then that starts a process of the federal government that takes another 18 months,” Thorsett said. He added, “Even if things move smoothly, we are two years away from a real merger.”

A duck in a Willamette jersey about to score a goal on the soccer field while the crowd cheers behind them. Art by Wes Mowry-Silverman. Welcome back, Bearcat Fan! I sincerely hope spring break has left all NARPs and non-in-season athletes feeling refreshed and well-rested, as the same likely cannot be said for all of our spring sport warriors. Let’s see how they fared over the break, shall we? Tennis traveled east to sunny, beautiful Iowa to face Loras and Central. In the matches versus Loras on March 22, both the men and women  won 4-3, with the decisive point coming from doubles wins. Against Central on March 23, the men lost the doubles point but came back to win the match 4-3 anyway thanks to some stellar singles performances. The women also won 4-3, again, winning their doubles matchups and performing well on the singles side to secure the Iowan sweep. Tennis ended their winning streak against George Fox and Lewis & Clark over the weekend, with the women losing both matches 1-6 and the men losing both 2-5 and 1-6, respectively. On the women’s side, Katie Briggs (’26) secured the singular point against the Bruins, and Sofia Spencer (’28) got on the board for the Bearcats against the River Otters. On the men’s side, Sohnosuke Sakaguchi (’29) secured two of three singles points for the Bearcats, and Jack Hally (’29) scored the last in No. 6 singles. Baseball  did not fare so well over the break, traveling south to California to face Chapman on March 22 and 23, and then heading up to Tacoma to face the Lutes the following weekend. Of the seven total games played, the Basecats only secured one win in the last matchup against Pacific Lutheran, winning 7-2.  Softball  did significantly less traveling than everyone else, facing Pacific at home on March 28 and then heading to Forest Grove to finish out the series on Sunday. The ’Cats split the series 2-2, capping off the break with a 2-1 win to give them momentum as we head into conference play. Lacrosse joined the trend of losing streaks, extending theirs to six in a row. Ouch. They also headed to California, facing Redlands and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, losing 3-15 to the Bulldogs and 6-22 to the Athenas. They returned to Salem to face Oberlin (you know, the Ohio music school) and lost 11-16 to the … uh … Yeomen. Which I am told is a type of squirrel.  Women’s track and field  competed twice, with four athletes heading to Corvallis for the PNW Invitational on March 21 and then hosting their last home meet of the regular season at the aptly named Willamette Invitational on March 28. In the latter, track won in team points with 165.5. Men’s track and field  also won the Willamette Invitational, routing all other teams and securing 267 team points to second place’s 136, and nabbing several No. 1 finishes.  Golf  is in Tennessee and competes March 31 at the GreyStone Classic. In the wider world of sport:  March Madness has lived up to its name so far in both the men’s and women’s tournament, with the UConn men’s team stunning No. 1 seed Duke in an absurd buzzer beater to win 73-72 and secure a spot in the Elite Eight. On the women’s side, UConn remains the tournament favorite but still faced a bit of a scare in a win over No. 6 seed Notre Dame, despite the final score. Team USA (the men’s side) got routed 2-5 in a friendly against Belgium, so thank god we automatically qualified for the World Cup. The MLB began its regular season, and my Chicago White Sox got swept by the Brewers, so nothing new to report in the world of baseball so far.  In the coming weeks:   Lacrosse looks to snap its losing streak against the River Otters on Wednesday in Portland, marking the start of conference play for the ’Cats, and tennis aims to do the same against the Loggers on April 4. Baseball and softball  also begin conference play, with both teams facing Whitworth at home on Friday and Saturday. Track and field  head to Linfield to compete at the Jenn Boyman Memorial on Saturday and look to prove once and for all who the better ’Cats are.

Hello, readers. As The Collegian begins to transition into the summer and fall terms, we want to learn more about which parts of our news service are most important to our readers. If you have a minute, please fill out this short form to support The Collegian with your voice. Your feedback will help us reestablish our priorities and continue to serve the Willamette community. Thanks for your attention. Skeet Starr Editor-in-chief

A duck in a Willamette jersey about to score a goal on the soccer field while the crowd cheers behind them. Art by Wes Mowry-Silverman. Hello, Bearcat Fan! It was a rough weekend in Bearcat sports, but as the sun comes out and spring break approaches rapidly, there is hope yet for a rebound for our glorious Willamette athletics. Maybe. Onto the news! Track and field  headed up to Newberg to compete in the Rich Allen Classic on Saturday, securing some solid finishes. On the women’s side, Juniper Ammirati (’28) secured a No. 1 finish in 400-meter hurdles with a personal best time of 1:10.21, and Amanda McArthur (’28)   also took No. 1 in triple jump, recording a 10.44 meter personal best as well. Solid day for the second-years. On the men’s side, the Bearcats dominated in long distance, earning three spots of the top five in the 5K, including a No. 1 finish from Thomas Bernadicou  (’29). Softball faced off against reigning NWC champions Linfield in two doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday in McMinnville, getting swept by the Wildcats and only scoring one run in all four matchups. Baseball  traveled south to California to play Cal Lutheran and Redlands, winning one game out of three against the Kingsmen and losing 9-14 against the Bulldogs.  Lacrosse  were once again defeated by their mortal enemies, the George Fox Bruins, at home on Sunday 9-20. Women’s golf  is still only Saida Seelig  (’26), who tied for No. 27 of 53 individual competitors at the Willamette Valley Cup. Defending champions men’s golf tied for No. 2 at the Willamette Valley Cup with their bitter rivals, the Whitman Blues, while the Linfield Wildcats took No. 1 overall.  Women’s tennis  lost to Pacific 0-7 on Saturday and Linfield 3-4 on Sunday, sweeping the Wildcats in doubles matchups. Men’s tennis  lost to both Pacific and Linfield 1-6 away over the weekend. In the wider world of sport: Team USA knocked out the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic on a very controversial third strike call on Sunday, and advanced to the championship on Tuesday. March Madness Tournament brackets were also announced on Sunday for both the men’s and the women’s NCAA, with Duke taking the No. 1 seed for the men and UConn for the women.  In the coming weeks:   Softball, track and field, tennis and  lacrosse  all compete on Tuesday, with tennis taking on Salisbury University from the great state of Maryland, track competing against cross-town rival Corban, softball Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, and lacrosse the formidable Pomona Pitzer. Spring sports then head out or remain in Salem for a week of competition over spring break while you NARPs get to go home and “relax.”

A woman hides her boyfriend behind a large bouquet. Art by Wes Mowry-Silverman. Is having a boyfriend embarrassing now?   This is the question that launched a thousand think pieces. The original article that inspired it, written by Chanté Joseph , focused primarily on women’s presentation of their boyfriends on social media. Instead of centering their content on their relationships, many women were opting to post about their boyfriends more subtly or hide them entirely, which Joseph concluded was a result of romantic relationships no longer holding the social cachet they once did. Johnson was never investigating whether or not women should or should not have boyfriends. She primarily talked to influencers, many of whom had male partners. It was never about intimacy, only ever about image.   Nevertheless, Johnson’s provocative title and final paragraph, focusing on the empowering nature of women embracing singledom, led a lot of people to believe women weren’t dating men anymore. This inspired many people to investigate their own relationships with heterosexuality, to contextualize the article within the conversation about the male loneliness epidemic and, most disappointingly, to completely mischaracterize the concept of heterofatalism.  The term was coined by gender and sexuality scholar Asa Seresin  in 2019. When he wrote the piece, he identified as a lesbian, and he used they/them pronouns for many years. He has since adopted he/him pronouns.  In his words, heterofatalism “ consists of performative disaffiliations with heterosexuality, usually expressed in the form of regret, embarrassment, or hopelessness about straight experience.” Now, many people have disregarded Seresin’s critiques on the limits of this behavior and use his definition to conclude that dating men sucks, will always suck, and the best solution is just to complain and move on.  Firstly, it’s important to look beyond the heightened internet characterizations of the heteropessimism phenomenon and address the reality of the situation. Do women really want to stop dating men? To a certain extent, yes.  According to 2020 data from Pew Research Center , “61% of single men say they are currently looking for a relationship or dates, compared with 38% of single women.” In light of this data, men’s rights activists around the world rejoiced, comforted by the ability to back up their claims that the male loneliness epidemic  was real. Women were rejecting men and destroying family values, leaving a trail of broken hearts in their wake.  The men’s rights picture, unsurprisingly, also leaves out a lot of key data. The same Pew study gathered that, “ Women are much more likely than men to say someone they have dated or been on a date with has pressured them for sex (42% vs. 19%) or touched them in a way that made them feel uncomfortable (35% vs. 9%).” Outside of boundary violations, women report that they have trouble finding compatible partners and people who are looking for the same kind of relationship as them. Men’s and women’s differing desires are also contextualized by history. For centuries, avoiding a relationship with a man was not an option for most women. It was a financial necessity and a cultural obligation. Maybe some of the surveyed women don’t have an issue with men at all — they’re just enjoying the freedom that was only recently afforded to them.  So yes, maybe men are having trouble dating. But it’s not women’s fault and it’s not women’s problem to solve. Admittedly, some women have raised their standards impossibly high because they’ve been influenced by patriarchal ideas of masculinity, unrealistic conceptions of how a man should look and what he should provide. Even then, men are being victimized by the patriarchy, not by women.  It’s not the problem for any individual man to solve either. Some have suggested that all these lonely boys just need good male role models to teach them healthy masculinity and how to be normal to women. That’s also an oversimplification of this issue because the radicalization of young men is not just a result of sadness. Their rampant misogyny is not a result of women’s behavior, and the violence they carry out is not a result of just needing to know more nice boys. The term male loneliness epidemic itself is just an easy way to gloss over deep systemic and ideological issues. It seems that the women in question are having quite a hard time dating, too. Many women may not be dating men, but not for lack of trying. The data on women’s compatibility issues is backed up by Jean Garnett, author of the viral New York Times article, “ The Trouble With Wanting Men .” In the piece, Garnett writes about the challenges of many men’s emotional guardedness and their inability to commit, as well as the hopelessness this provokes in herself and her female friends, using the term heterofatalism to explain her predicament throughout.  Garnett reckons with women’s vocal heterosexual hopelessness in her piece, weighing whether or not criticizing men is a radical act or if it just serves to perpetuate a vicious cycle. Generally, she sides with Seresin, recognizing that performing her dissatisfaction with men does not undermine the heterosexual status quo. However, she comes to a very different conclusion than Seresin about how to apply this notion to her life, writing, “Maybe this is the utility of ‘heterofatalism’ — naming the bitter pill before we force ourselves to swallow it and put on a carefree smile.” In this framing, heterofatalism just helps women accept the inevitability of their circumstances. Men may not be able to give you what you need, but it’s better to cope with this reality and adjust your actions accordingly than to delude yourself. In the next few paragraphs, Garnett becomes the infamous cool girl, one who is not demanding, but nonchalant. She meets the men where they're at, delights in the scraps they give her.  Another path that women disillusioned with heterosexuality often take is the veneration of queerness. They bemoan their attraction to men, wishing instead to be attracted to women. Most do not take action on these statements; they’re purely an expression of discontent. However, some put their statements into practice, emulating the Greek play Lysistrata or South Korea’s 4B movement, pursuing celibacy or political lesbianism .  Even women with male partners seem interested in distancing themselves from their own desire for men. Some women are claiming their boyfriends are “spiritually lesbians.” Unfortunately for them, simply owning Carhartts and liking Big Thief does not a lesbian make. Influencer and writer Zara McIntosh  believes this is a way for many queer women who are dating men to reassert their queer identity. She also suggests this is a strategy for women, straight and queer alike, to prove to themselves and others that their boyfriend is not an agent of the patriarchy.  While this is a reasonable instinct, it just serves to blind women to the truth that their boyfriends do play a role in patriarchy. Because everyone does. The sooner that we reckon with that fact, rather than try to deny it, the sooner we can begin to disentangle ourselves and our romantic relationships from the treachery of misogyny and restrictive gender norms.  This is the essential call to action that is missing from a lot of the conversation: an opposition to the inherent drudgery of heterosexuality was central to Seresin’s initial analysis of heterofatalism, yet it remains conspicuously absent from the majority of the pieces that now reference the term or spinoffs of it. Seresin critiques those who use the term “straightness” when they mean misogyny. He emphasizes that performatively distancing oneself from heterosexuality isn’t a rejection of anything but personal responsibility. And most importantly, he rejects hopelessness. He recognizes the myriad of challenges that women who date men experience, yet he rejects the fatalistic notion that heterosexuality will always be so bleak.  His writing is a far cry from the “boyfriends are embarrassing, men just suck” mindset. This mindset suggests that dating men will always be an exercise in futility, that the only way to alleviate this misery is to accept or to abstain from men completely. While decentering men is a beneficial practice, a complete rejection of them is impossible or undesirable for a lot of women. There is a large portion of the population who will never stop being attracted to men, and they shouldn’t have to deprive themselves of the joys of boys.  Hot take, but it’s okay to like men. If those of us who are attracted to men forget why we like them, we will accept that straight relationships are inherently doomed. We’ll become sitcom caricatures of the nuclear family, complaining about the old ball and chain instead of indulging in the joys of loving and being loved.  Counterintuitive as it may seem, more women feeling comfortable being single is a step towards this more loving future because it can help establish a culture of dating for joy rather than obligation. It’s equally important to reject ideologies that present men’s poor behavior as inevitable. Or worse, biological. It’s gender essentialism masquerading as feminism and completely detracts from the fact that misogyny is a learned behavior and thus can be unlearned. It’s no easy feat, but it’s also not an impossibility. And just think, once you’ve completely deconstructed patriarchal norms, you won't have to wonder if having a boyfriend is embarrassing ever again!

Art by Basil Allen. Disclaimer: The Devil’s Advocate is a satirical column that does not reflect the views or opinions of The Collegian.  How do I fight off the senioritis!  - get me out of here As a senior, I also struggle finding time to do homework. But rest assured, I know what’ll work! You have a paper to write today? First things first, grab your preferred source of caffeine and chug away; it’s so much easier to work under the power of stimulants.  Secondly, leave your phone on the other side of the room with the ringer on max volume. Your phone’s constant notifications will become a reminder of what you could be doing once you complete your work. Bonus points if you’re studying in the library — that way others will be equally motivated to work hard so they can scroll reels later.  Next, you’re gonna want to boot up that computer and open up a new document. Spending a while finding the right font, size and layout ensures a comfortable format for you to work with. Then, take a good few minutes on the assignment expectations and understand what work you have before you. At this point, the assignment has already taken up a lot of your time and energy, so you can give yourself a little phone break. All your assignments will be done eventually. I just can’t guarantee they’ll be done on time. How do you decorate? This is my second term at Willamette and I still have no decorations. Do you have any advice? - blank walls Various red-painted pentagrams and white, wax candles would be a good starting point. From there, dream catchers, animal bones and various other cursed items can all be acquired from spiritual vendors. This decor leans into the PNW aesthetic and sells a unique personality when you have friends over.  If that doesn’t strike your fancy, another recommendation is to steal cool street signs. I’m sure other students have also had ideas of liberating High Street or Sesame Street signs from their posts. Or, if you have an unoriginal name, Salem might just have a street with your name on it! Nothing makes a room your own like a giant sign with your name on it. But all that really matters is that it’s your room, so it should speak to your own personality and interests.

Emma Bryans ('28) weight lifting in Spark's downstairs weight room on Feb. 3. Photo by Patricia Krepel. Getting into shape and keeping a healthy lifestyle have become status symbols in recent years, especially during a time when groceries are increasingly expensive, and a gym membership is an unnecessary expense for many. Willamette students may find it easier to achieve than a significant portion of the population. Now, as the cost-of-living crisis continues, everyone should use these amenities before they graduate. Vogue’s Hayley Phelan  describes how, after the 2008 recession, it became less socially acceptable to flaunt wealth with designer logos, instead leading into a new era of “stealth wealth,” one of the prime examples being a “fit” physique and merchandise from gyms and athleisure companies. There is an implied wealth in the fact that it takes lots of money for a muscular form to be achievable. Money has been poured into a diet, a fitness coach, a gym membership and even fitnesswear. The thousands upon thousands that upper-class individuals might spend on a better lifestyle are typically used by the middle and lower classes for necessities and smaller luxuries .  But how is it possible to achieve fitness goals if one is not of the upper echelon? There is a silver lining. In paying for one status symbol, another can be achieved. That is, getting a college education, which usually comes with access to a gym and a pre-cooked variety of foods to pick from, can make it easier to achieve fitness goals, however that is defined for an individual. Although college is more than just a status symbol, it’s important to acknowledge that it is one, just like fitness is.  With the stress of cooking and purchasing healthy food items stripped away, it is easier to eat balanced meals while at college. According to Nasdaq , the average American spends around $370 per month on groceries. Accounting for about eight months of classes, that number comes out to $2,960 per student for the entire year. Suddenly, the Goudy meal plans sound a bit more reasonable than before.  What’s more, this figure does not take into account the labor that goes into preparing and cooking an entire meal, as well as cleanup afterward. It is safe to say that college cafeterias make it much easier to enjoy a well-balanced meal without too much stress or work put into it. Willamette’s amenities for students also include access to an on-campus gym. A gym membership, on the lower end, usually costs around $10 to $15  per month. Not as outrageous as grocery prices, but it could still be unachievable for many, especially if they feel that they do not go to the gym often enough to warrant paying such a price on a monthly basis.  By having a gym on campus, such as the Lestle J. Sparks Center, where entrance and use of machinery are free, it is significantly simpler to complete workouts regularly. Of course, there is still an implicit price to pay for using Sparks that is included within tuition, but because tuition charges do not include an itemized list, students are not faced with the monthly decision to pay for a membership or not. The full price would still be paid even if the gym was never used, so students should make the most out of their tuition. It is clear that many Willamette students believe that Sparks is beneficial to overall health. Reagan Kometz (’29) said that she’s found that using the gym is “a great way to relieve stress.”  The campus amenities are not without their issues for some students, however. Marley Engman (’29) described the meal plans as making it “harder to eat healthier” and “reach a protein goal … or specific nutrient goal.” They added that there are “pretty limited options, and they’re all usually pretty high in calories.”  Engman said that although there are more options on the whole, they’re not always great for eating healthy regularly. For those who care, it can also be particularly challenging because there are no specific descriptions for food items other than what they are, nor are there indications of how much protein they contain.  In the future, Goudy should provide avenues for students — whether it be online or in-person — to find out more about what the food they make contains in terms of nutritional value, as it can be very important for athletes as well as other students. In the interim, however, Goudy usually has balanced food options to choose from, something that students may not have access to — without personal effort — after leaving campus. Looking back on my exercise journey, a significant part of it has taken place in Sparks since I started college. Fighting with the StairMaster every step, sweating bullets on the leg extension machine and swearing that I will never go back again, yet feeling much happier than I did before working out. It is always a Herculean task to get to the gym. Yet, in my experience, the aftermath is overwhelmingly positive. In this manner, Willamette students can call themselves privileged. Make the most out of tuition; try out Sparks.

ASWU Executive Board candidates responding to student community questions at Willamette University’s Candidate Connect on March 11, 2026. Photo by Mac Childers. Correction: A previous version of this article misinterpreted Sen. Peyton Edmunds comments on the ASWU Reserve. The Collegian apologizes for the error. ASWU Sen. Aggie Hunziker (’27) and ASWU Director of Communication Katelyn Beissel Rosales (’28) spoke about immigration enforcement and the ASWU Reserve, among other topics, at the Bistro’s annual Candidate Connect event on Wednesday. The two students are vying for the ASWU presidency in the 2026-27 school year. The event allowed the candidates to give a short speech, followed by a Q&A segment open to all Willamette students. Voting is now open for ASWU’s entire executive team, including the president, treasurer and vice president, with the election period closing on March 16.  Sen. Peyton Edmunds (’29), who is running unopposed for treasurer also spoke at the event, alongside a representative of Sen. Erica Stotts (’28), who is running unopposed for vice president. All current elected members of AWSU exec are graduating in May.  In her speech, Hunziker shared that her priorities as president would include communicating to students about the merger and addressing concerns about job opportunities on campus, as well as club funding. She also wants “to advocate for student safety under federal uncertainty.” Should she be elected, Beissel Rosales said she intends to implement “racial sensitivity training” for incoming first-years, saying “Willamette students of color are being tokenized and ignored by this predominantly white institution.” She also hopes to reintroduce Willamette President Steve Thorsett’s office hours to answer merger related questions and work toward Willamette adopting the policies of a sanctuary campus. Stotts, the vice presidential candidate, was not present at the event because she was attending a class. However, Gabriella Weis (’28), a friend speaking on her behalf, said that Stotts “will focus on strengthening and improving communication systems so they truly serve students.” Edmunds (’29), a finance board member and the lone candidate for treasurer, said she plans to address past communication errors, saying “that better communication looks like better accountability.” Part of that process would include biweekly emails to club treasurers, as well as implementing an anonymous complaint form for the ASWU treasurer. Below are candidates' responses to some of the questions brought up by students.  Concerns surrounding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Hunziker said she “would love to facilitate conversations between admin and our students so that we can prevent any unwanted presence of ICE agents,” and she would “uplift resources” like ASWU Senator Ellie Kim’s (’26) Campus Improvement Project  to distribute ICE whistles. Beissel Rosales said while she intends to advance the policies of a sanctuary campus, she doesn’t necessarily want the label for Willamette. The label of sanctuary campus “would create sort of a microscope,” she said. A page detailing some of the university’s current policies surrounding immigration enforcement is here . The ASWU Reserve In the fall, the ASWU Endowment was pulled from university investment and transferred to a general ledger account now called the ASWU Reserve.  An audience member asked Edmunds if she had a vision for how the Reserve should be managed after this change and whether the funds are just going to sit there. In response, Edmunds said, “I think functionally having [the Reserve] sit there and having nothing to do with it is kind of like, ‘Why have it there in the first place?’”  She expanded that her vision for the Reserve is that it should be used to fund “things that are necessary,” such as the Bistro’s recently cleared debt , and to increase the impact of senators’ campus improvement projects. She also said she wants to be “wary” of how much is drawn from the reserve next school year, given how much the reserve was used during this academic year.  “We already took a pretty big dent this year,” she said. Beissel Rosales shared her support for more impactful   campus improvement projects. “If we have this money, it's worth using,” she said. Hunziker also echoed her support, adding if students want to see spaces on campus renovated, it “is an option for us to discuss.” ASWU interaction with Willamette administration A student asked how the candidates envision ASWU working with admin and staff.  Edmunds responded saying ASWU should “act more independently … not just act as an asset of admin, but act as people actually want.” In the past, ASWU has acted more as “mediators between the student body and administration,” Beissel Rosales said. She wants ASWU to “take on more autonomy,” adding that she is “willing to take a stand if necessary.” Hunziker said that ASWU needs to be more involved with clubs and organizations on campus. Additionally, she hopes to create a monthly panel to foster direct communication between President Thorsett and students.  Ballots for ASWU Executive offices will close on March 16 at 5 p.m.

Jackbox player avatars sitting around a screen playing the game. Art by Wes Mowry-Silverman. Jackbox was one of many online games that facilitated digital socialization during the COVID-19 pandemic and thus blew up during that general time period. Clips of YouTubers playing the game circled the internet, and young people needed something to do all day that wasn’t Minecraft and Among Us. Jackbox refers to several different “party packs” all made by the same company, each containing a set of five games designed to be played casually at an in-person party, over a Discord call, or as part of a livestream. It’s quite popular on Willamette’s campus, but what many people don’t know is that the game has an ancestor in the form of “You Don’t Know Jack.”  Originally, these were a series of trivia games released in the 1990s, featuring the iconic bald man, Jack Patterson, who would later become the face of Jackbox games as a whole.  As a resident Jackbox expert, having played around 16 of these games, some are definitely better than others. Avoid Monster Seeking Monster, believe me. You’ll regret it one way or the other. 5. Talking Points Talking Points is a game that is highly dependent on improvisational skills and group coordination. The rounds take quite a bit longer than other games. This aspect holds it back as a casual game, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is fun to play, with the wait between each slide acting as its own setup for an absurd punchline and a desperate attempt by the presenter to make sense of it.  The premise is that one player gives a presentation as another player makes   the slides for it in real time. It rewards coordination and improv, and thus operates as a great way to build confidence and a sense of comradery. At the end, everyone gives out their own custom-named awards. 4. Mad Verse City It pains me to put this game so low. It’s by far my favorite game to play — when the stars align and I actually get to play   it. The premise is Mad Libs meets rap battles, forcing players to improvise sick burns with whatever prompt they’re given. This game got me into Jackbox as a whole, but it has two big issues.  One: it’s the kind of game you need a lot of social confidence to play, and when people don’t have that, they end up just giving up and writing “idk” for everything.  Two: the game requires an even number of people or else the dreaded Gene shows up, an AI agent who writes boring lines and, even worse, votes randomly . While this game is very dear to my heart, it’s held back as a “pick-up-and-play” party game due its player number requirements. 3. Quiplash This game is a classic and has several different iterations over several party packs. Each player is given a joke, and they have to come up with the punchline, somewhat like Cards Against Humanity but players have full reign over the punchline. The game is simple, and there's beauty in its elegance. It’s a test of who can come up with the funniest second half of a joke. The best moments of this game occur when two people, without communicating, put the exact same answer. 2. Patently Stupid The first drawing game on the list, Patently Stupid does suffer from a similar issue to Mad Verse City in terms of confidence in one’s skills. This game’s premise involves drawing and creating funny inventions to solve ridiculous problems posed by fellow players. In the case of this game, some people are put off by their inability to draw. But all of the drawings are done on digital restaurant napkins. They’re not supposed to be good. Each person is given a problem generated by another player, and each player has to draw a solution, name it, and even give it a tagline. This game is consistently very fun regardless of which group you play it with and often a good icebreaker. Just be warned, there will be at least one round where every single invention is some variation of a gun. 1. Champed Up Out of any of these games, I’ve probably played the most Champed Up, and for good reason. While it can be fatiguing at times, it’s hard to deny the reasons why this game is so popular.  Another drawing game, the goal is to draw a character who is the “champion of [blank]” and then draw a counter to another person’s champion without knowing what the competition is about. These messed up Pokémon duke it out, leading to incredible duels such as “Forehead Man versus the Green Grumbling.” The results of these fights are determined by the audience voting on who fits the bill better. Players can sometimes even bring in fighters from previous games, letting them build a cinematic universe. It’s accessible and consistently funny, and that’s why it takes the No. 1 spot on this list.