As 2021 comes to a close, the staff of The Daily Eastern News invites you to look back at the year through our lens.
January
Chateau Fouchea, a junior criminal justice major, picks up his textbooks Jan. 10, from Eastern’s Textbook Rental Service ahead of the Spring 2021 semester.Caeli Haab (left), a freshman psychology major, Logan Rasmus, a freshman psychology major, and Lilly Pampel, a freshman with an undecided major, all watch the presidential inauguration in Pampel’s room on Jan. 20.Jeffrey Ludwig, a senior military science instructor, plays with his dog Winston in the snow on Jan. 27 outside Coleman Hall. Snow covered much of the area in what was the first major snowfall of the year.
February
Early Feb. 3, Caleb West, a building service worker, sprays disinfectant in the cadaver lab in the Biological Sciences building. West said in most classrooms, there are air purifiers that will catch whatever the disinfectant doesn’t.
Drivers work to help free a car that got stuck in the snow at the intersection of Madison Avenue and 6th Street in Charleston on Feb. 15.
March
The Eastern men’s soccer team celebrates a goal from forward Maxwell Allen (15) in the Panthers’ 2-2 tie against Kansas City on March 6.Eastern pitcher Kyle Lang winds up for a pitch against Bellarmine on March 9 at Coaches Field. Lang pitched a season-high 7 innings, allowing 6 hits and 1 run in a 8-1 Eastern win.Members of the Eastern softball team celebrate in the dugout during the first game of a doubleheader on March 13 against Belmont. The Panthers won the game 12-6.Eastern receiver Arron Foulkes is lifted up by teammate Jay Vallie as the Panthers celebrate Foulkes’ second touchdown of the game on March 21 against Tennessee Tech. The Panthers beat the Golden Eagles 28-20 for their first win of the season.Andrew Martin, choral conductor, conducts a concert choir class on the Mellin Steps on March 21. Martin explained because singing is an aerosol activity and COVID protocols, only a group of ten can sing inside. With the warmer weather.Members of the Eastern women’s soccer team celebrate a penalty kick goal by senior forward Itxaso Aguero (7) that put Eastern up 1-0 against Jacksonville State on March 30 at Lakeside Field. Aguero would add another goal later on and the Panthers beat the Gamecocks 3-2.
April
Eastern President David Glassman (left) and Athletic Director Tom Michael (right) pose with new men’s basketball head coach Marty Simmons after his introductory press conference in Lantz Arena on April 1.Katie Alexander (left), a junior political science major, and Francesco Romano (right), a junior computer science major, play a game of bags on April 8.A group of students relax on the South Quad and listen to music while enjoying the weather on April 9. Many students spent more time outside as the weather warmed up.A group of students cheers during an intramural kickball game between Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Sigma Nu on April 13.
May
Tadz Mhonde, a Spring 2021 graduate, walks across campus on May 20. Mhonde said he was taking a moment to walk around campus before beginning his work as a graduate student.Mingze Gao, a graduate student studying biology, reviews previous class materials to prepare for grad school in Booth Library on May 26.Tim Quick, a resident of Charleston, fishes for catfish at Lake Charleston on May 27. He said he’s only caught a few small crappies for the day. Quick added that he saw a few catfish swimming close to the shore yesterday eating on the cottonwood, “teasing” him.
June
Daniel Cordeor looks for the movie “Mad Max” in The Corner Spot on June 8. Cordeor is an avid movie watcher and collector; he said he has over 400 DVDs and around 30 Blue-Rays. His collection is mainly movie series and movies from his childhood. Cordeor added that his favorite movie series in his collection are “Alien vs Predator” and “Fast and Furious.”Taneya Higginbotham, the developer of the RealiTea Project, sings “Stand Up” from the movie “Harriet” at Morton Park during the Juneteenth celebration. Higginbotham added that she chose the song “Stand Up” because she felt she needed to bring people together. “When I heard it last year, it was just talking about how Harriet Tubman was bringing the people with her, on the underground railroad,” Higginbotham said, “and I felt like I needed to do my part to help bring my people with me to a better place in our community, whether that’s through singing, whether it’s through the RealiTea Project, or just talking and having conversations. I want to do my part to make sure that generations after us have a better tomorrow.”University President David Glassman leaves the University Ballroom in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union for a lunch break before the Board of Trustees meeting on June 25. Members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 981, had been negotiating and protesting for higher wages and other changes to their contract for over a year. The union members displayed signs with the yearly income of various board members as well as average yearly income for clerical, technical and service workers.
A group of campers perform for the drum major championships, a friendly competition between groups, at the Smith Walbridge clinic on July 16.
August
Eastern Treasurer Paul McCann walks down Lincoln Avenue on Aug. 19, crossing the paths of protesters seeking a contract for members of The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 981.Mark Codo, a senior television and video production major, holds up his arm to try and gain balance while riding on the bull during Quakin’ in the Quad on Aug. 21.Omar Solomon, Eastern admissions counselor and “hype man” talks to the crowd during First Night on Aug. 22.Ramsey Johnson, a freshman computer science major, walks to class on Aug. 26. He said his first week of classes were “not very extravagant.”The Eastern football leaves the field following warmups for the season’s opening game against Indiana State Aug. 28 in Terre Haute. The Panthers lost the game 26-21.
September
Luis Paniagua, a senior graphic design major, and the recruitment chair and secretary for Alpha Psi Lambda, shows his excitement after raising the Latino Heritage Flag.Dynamo’s lead singer Jonathan “Jay” Hoard sings during Doudna Fine Arts Center’s first concert of the year on Sept. 2.Redshirt senior Avani Flanagan celebrates with Eastern cross country coach Erin Howarth after the EIU Walt Crawford Open on Sept. 3.
Brother Jed takes his turn to preach after his wife, Sister Cindy, on Sept. 13. He explains stories about his life and answers questions from students. (Ashanti Thomas)Xsaviar Hunter, a junior chemistry major, sifts through books during the book sale Sept. 15.Jennifer Escobedo, a senior health education major, eats tacos while talking to Luis Paniagua, a senior graphic design major, at the tailgate before the start of the home football game Sept. 19 during Family Weekend.The Jazz Lab Band plays during the jazz concert Sept. 23.
Ellen Waylonis, a circus artist, performs partner acrobatics, aerial rope, and ensemble along with Roger May who performs contact juggling, partner acrobatics, and ensemble in the Dvorak Concert Hall inside the Doudna Fine Arts Center on Sept. 28.
Megan Miller, a senior art education major, creates jewelry for one of her projects on Sept. 29.Anne Flaherty and President Glassman cut the ribbon to showcase the new campus food pantry in McAfee on Sept. 30.
October
Hayes Cummins, guitarist, plays in the CORDIS: Condition Blue concert inside Dvorak Concert Hall on Oct. 5.President Glassman delivers his State of the University address in the Dvorak Concert Hall on Oct. 6. During the address, he announced his intention to retire in June 23.
Haylie Rae Denzer, a senior theater performance major, as Anna comforts Max Zumpano, a senior theater major, as Will Cronin cries in Bright New Boise on Oct. 8.Members of the Eastern swim team cheer on one of the men’s 200-yard freestyle relay teams as they head down the final stretch in a meet against Evansville Oct. 9 in Padovan Pool. The team of Forrest Baumgartner, Jarod Farrow, Dismas Dillion and Jacob Nichols won the relay, although both the men’s and women’s teams lost the meet.Iota Phi Theta members DJ Jones, a senior digital media and graphic design major, and Ian Davis, a senior exercise science major, lead the Breast Cancer Awareness Walk organized by Iota Phi Theta held Oct. 10.Homecoming King Jerimiah Boyd-Johnson, a senior political science major, gestures as to “eating soup”. Boyd-Johnson did this gesture to show that he got what he came for. Boyd-Johnson ran to advocate for the microaggressions against African Americans on campus. Homecoming Coronation was held Oct. 18 in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union Grand Ballroom.
Atlas Hennegan, a senior philosophy and English major, presents a speech about the Doug DiBianco floor dedication in front of McKinney Hall on Oct. 22. Hennegan worked with the university to get the name Doug DiBianco for the floor.
Eastern running back Jaelin Benefield avoids a Tennessee State player while running the ball in the Homecoming Game against the Tigers. Eastern lost 28-0 to Tennessee State at O’Brien Field.
Elaina Nelson, a senior music performance education major, and Director and music professor Jamie V. Ryan, play “Punch it Margret” by Olivia Kieffer on the marimba at the Percussion Ensemble Concert on Oct. 26. The focus of the concert was Afro-Cuban music.
Nezha sings “In the Next Life; ” by Kim Petras at the Martin Luther King Jr. Grand Ballroom stage at the Halloween drag show. “I think [the audience] loved it because I think I was the only one who really went there with a whole Halloween spooky thing, especially with the blood,” Nezha said.
November
Students gather around Jason Aguilar’s ofrenda to honor his memory during the Dia de los Muertos ofrenda exhibit inside the University Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. Aguilar, a sophomore track athlete and accounting major, died Oct. 30.Kira Arthofer, a senior guard, faces an Illinois Wesleyan player at the Nov. 3 women’s basketball game in Lantz Arena. Arthofer scored a total of 16 points. The Panthers won 83-54 against the Titans.Jaedah Franks, a sophomore biology pre-med major, sings “Ignition Remix” by R. Kelly on Nov. 8 at 7th Street Underground in the Martin Luther King Jr. Union. Team 2 won the competition 3-2. Franks said that she came out to have fun and start her week off right and hang out with the Black Student Union.Brea Howard, a freshman theatre arts major, plays her character, Raylynn, who meets Colin, played by Chuck Westendorf, a sophomore digital media major, in the “Blood at the Root” play at Doudna Fine Arts Center Theatre Nov. 10.Student Trustee Payton Ade, a sophomore interpersonal communications major, speaks during the Board of Trustees meeting Nov. 12 in the Martin Luther King Jr. Union University Ballroom. During the meeting, Ade voted against a contract extension for University President David Glassman after speaking to student leaders who said they did not believe Glassman should have a contract extension. The one-year contract was approved and Glassman plans to serve as president until the end of his contract when he intends to retire.Eastern forward Jermaine Hamlin (34) jumps to deflect an inbounds pass in the final seconds of Eastern’s loss to Central Michigan on Nov. 15. The pass was gathered by Central Michigan guard Jermaine Jackson Jr. (10) who scored on a layup as time expired, giving the Panthers a 62-61 loss.Naming Committee member Steven Scher reviews a list of previous and future actions of the committee Nov. 18. The list included former Illinois Governor Edward Coles, former student athlete and Tuskegee Airman Major Charles B. Hall, former University President Louis V. Hencken, community members who assisted students with housing Ona and Kenneth Norton, Eastern’s first Black student Zella Powell and former life sciences professor and Director of Afro-American Studies William Ridgeway.
Michael Kindel, a freshman construction management major, lowers his head as “What a Wonderful World” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole plays at the memorial service for Jason Aguilar on Nov. 18. The memorial service took place at the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union Grand Ballroom.
Redshirt junior wide receiver Isaiah Hill runs the ball at the Nov. 20 football game at O’Brien Field. Hill had 13 catches for 110 yards. The Panthers lost 20-13 to the Racers.Connor Baltz, the director of operations for Doudna Fine Arts Center prepares to put the topper on the Christmas tree in the Doudna lobby on Nov. 30.
December
Kris Gross, (left) a sophomore sport management major, and Leon Lomax, (right) a junior digital media technology major, yell in excitement after being revealed during the Neophyte Presentation presented by Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Incorporated in McAfee Gym Dec. 3.Lucy Hill, a senior vocal performance major, plays as Maxine’s Grandma on Dec. 3 in “Love, Garland, Bows, and Tinsel: A Holiday Radio Romance,” a play written by Hannah Killough, a senior theater arts major. This play talks about a queer couple’s holiday romance without tragedy. Killough had been writing the play since May.
One of the activites at the Christmas in the Heart of Charleston event on Dec. 4 where people could put their heads in a festive scene where they could get their photo taken.
Charleston Police Officers Jacob Huss and Seth Brewer talk about the Distinguished Citizen medal they were just awarded before they pose for a group photo during the City Council meeting Dec. 7.Michael Ford, a senior 2D studio art major, and Dorothy Wrausmann, a senior 2D studio art major, admire the art being showcased in the advanced painting show in the Glenn Hild Student Art Gallery inside Dounda Fine Arts Center on Dec. 9.Tom Roberts, the press supervisor, checks over the final version of the newspaper for one of the final press runs at Eastern. In the Spring 2022 semester, The Daily Eastern News will be printed weekly and off-site.
Happy New Year from the staff of The Daily Eastern News!
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