HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR SPIRITUALITY THIS SEMESTER page 4
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vol. 74 no. 17
The Student Voice Since 1960
New bill causes strong reactions from student organizations, police, lawmakers KRISTINA JOHNSON JOHN MCGOWAN reporters
Two St. Louis artists, Dan Ricketts and Evan Nichols, collaborated on this mural last summer to encourage residents to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic using the iconic imagery of Frida Kahlo, Vincent Van Gogh, Calude Monet and Michelangelo. I Khoi Pham / The Alestle
A nearly 800-page bill that includes major changes to police accountability measures, usage of military equipment, court reforms, police licensure and prisoner rights has stirred up strong opinions in and out of law enforcement in Edwardsville. The bill, which passed on Jan. 13, will now go to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office before being put into effect. The bill has gained the approval of the College Democrats of SIUE, who believe this bill could put forth a new standard for Illinois police officers. see BILL on page 2
SIUE looks forward to future Health Sciences Building DANA MCLENNAN copy editor
Architects and designers working on SIUE’s new health sciences building hope to limit its carbon footprint and give students in the healthcare programs a head start in real-world applications. On Jan. 14, the Illinois Capital Development Board announced they had selected architectural design firm HOK-St. Louis to move forward on the new Health Sciences Building project. The project was estimated at approximately $105 million in the 2019 Capitol Bill as part of Gov. J. B. Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois plan. Craig Holan, director of Facilities Management, said HOK will assist the design of this building by creating a bridging document. The bridging document identifies the school’s needs and vision for the
building, how they might be met and a cost estimate but leaves the creativity up to the builders. They will also consider the facility’s placement and how it will integrate with the buildings next to the proposed site near Research Drive. “One of the reasons why they were selected is that the campus was originally designed by [Gyo] Obata, the ‘O’, in HOK. In their presentation, they talked about the campus design and presented concepts for how this might fit into not just the original design, but a potential working off of that design for the future. So, they had a more holistic approach, I think,” Holan said. Chancellor Randy Pembrook said SIUE is committed to being a good environmental steward by committing to being LEED certified. “The concept of LEED certification, that is a commitment that SIUE has made to itself to our community, that every new
building that we build from now on will be at minimum LEED Silver certified,” Pembrook said. The new building will be required to meet a LEED Silver certification requirement, ensuring that energy conservation goes into the new facility’s planning. Projects can accumulate points for meeting guidelines set forth by the U.S. Green Building Council. According to the USGBC, this process includes requirements such as efficient energy and water use, ecological impact into the existing area and the materials used in the project. Illinois passed the Green Building Act in July, 2009 which requires all state-funded construction to achieve LEED Silver. Under the Compiled Illinois Statutes this also includes renovations to existing structures. Holan said that HOK will ensure the bridging document includes ways the
builders can meet these goals. They will also include future considerations for designing the building to meet the growing needs of the SIUE medical programs and how they will serve the surrounding area. “And so the things that we’re trying to balance at this point are, what programs, what labs, what classrooms will be in the health science building, which we’re imagining 200,000 to 220,000 square feet, which would make it the largest building on campus, “ Pembrook said. Currently Pembrook said the construction of this building has led to discussions about renovating Alumni Hall where the School of Nursing is currently located. “But then what are the things that maybe won’t fit into that building that we need to be thinking about regarding Alumni Hall and renovating Alumni? So that’s see CONSTRUCTION on page 3
COVID-19 vaccine not required at SIUE until approved by IDPH NICOLE BOYD copy editor
SIUE students will not be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine for now, but a new team is working to navigate the logistics of vaccinating students in the future. Lakesha Butler, professor in the School of Pharmacy and SOP Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, said SIUE students are not currently required to get the vaccine because the vaccine has not been through the full approval process. “Right now the COVID vac-
cine is not mandatory anywhere, and it’s mainly due to it being emergency-use approved, so it has not gone through the full approval,” Butler said. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jeffrey Waple said another reason students are not required to get the vaccine is because college students are designated to be vaccinated along with the general population. “We’re still in 1A. 1B is next, and as of today, higher education — colleges, universities — are not in 1B, so not in the next phase. So … the documentation, in 1B, it says education, but it’s really
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about K-12 and childcare centers and daycare centers,” Waple said. Waple said SIUE must follow Illinois Department of Public Health guidelines to require vaccines. “A vaccine requirement, or mandate, would have to be approved by the Illinois state legislature … we would have to take direction from IDPH and the state in order to make any vaccination mandatory, including COVID-19,” Waple said. Student Affairs is establishing the Vaccine Implementation Team in order to plan the logistics of vaccine distribution. Waple said
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the team is defining the parameters of vaccine distribution per IDPH and Madison County Public Health Department guidance. “We’ve started vaccinations in School of Dental Medicine and some of our clinical site faculty, staff and students and frontline healthcare,” Waple said. “So we’ll let campus know who’s been in 1A, then we will talk about who’s in 1B … and then develop a logistics plan if we were to become a mass vaccination site … and then the marketing campaign to roll out to campus, including frequently asked questions and website development.”
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Butler serves on a panel of Black healthcare professionals who are working with pharmaceutical companies to ensure equitable distribution of the vaccine. Butler said the reason for the panel is distrust of the vaccine, specifically in Black and other minority communities. “I, too, was very hesitant about getting the vaccine, especially when it was first going through the first phases of the clinical trial, for numerous reasons,” Butler said. “But once I received more insight and understood the efficacy see VACCINE on page 8
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New director of Center for Spirituality and Sustainability continues dome’s mission THOMAS DRAKE reporter
It’s the 50th anniversary of the Fuller Dome completion in 1971, and with that, Benjamin Lowder became the new director for the Center for Spirituality and Sustainability. Lowder said his role is to deal with the administrative duties of the Center for Spirituality and Sustainability and uphold the organization’s mission statement to highlight humanity’s connection to the earth. Lowder’s exposure to the Center for Spirituality and Sustainability came from his project of building a sustainable house. He built his house out of reclaimed materials and put a lot of effort into making sure his home can work with nature. “The home being a sustainable design, it’s not only built out of the reclaimed materials, but also it’s aligned with seasonal sun angles so that on the summer solstice, no direct sunlight comes in the house, so it stays cool in the shade, and on the winter solstice, direct sun comes into the house and heats up naturally on its own,” Lowder said. During this time, Lowder was also designing advertisements for businesses, but after he built his house, the experience was so profound that he decided to quit making advertisements. As an artist, Lowder would make geometric shapes out of reclaimed wood and vintage metals from old advertisement signs. “Reusing the materials, the reclaimed wood and the old vintage advertising, is a way to kinda recognize the heritage of those materials and at the same time not be stuck in the past on a nostalgic BILL I COVER
officers. “I think that when we look at policing and we see instances, especially like the George Floyd incident, that was an overuse of force, and I think that’s not an isolated incident,” Ian Kern, Vice President of College Democrats of SIUE of Belleville, Illinois, said. “You can look around anywhere in America and you’ll find instances of overuse of force [by police].” Other members of government disagree. State Rep. Charlie Meier (R-Okawville) said the bill goes too far in certain areas. “We have bad cops. We have bad people everywhere, but this bill — I think — is just too far reaching. I’m not happy with there being no bail. I’m not happy with the anonymous complaints. I don’t complain about body cameras, but where’s the revenue to get them all at once?” Meier said. The bill includes a section on police accountability measures. Some of the new measures would require all police officers to be equipped with body cameras by the beginning of 2025, restrict the use of chokeholds, expand police training with usage of force and first aid and expand the officer misconduct database. Edwardsville Police Chief Jay
feeling, but evolve and progress those materials. Esspecially with the advertising that’s usually from the 20th century. That’s [a] metal vintage advertising sign which would’ve promoted messages of consumerism, and that is really no longer sustainable, so part of the art practice would be deconstructing those messages, those consumerism messages and remixing them and transforming them into these geometric objects,” said Lowder. Lowder said he admired the ideas architect Buckminster Fuller developed and pays homage to him in his work. “The consumerism message of the advertising is transformed into a message of sustainability and cooperation and abundance by referencing the geodesic geometry that Buckminster Fuller used and then also sacred geometric patterns that are found in nature and natural growth systems,” Lowder said. As a student at SIU Carbondale, Lowder started to work with the Fuller Dome. “I began doing some commercial artwork for them on a volunteer basis to help them raise money. At the same time, I had finished with this house, so it felt like ‘Okay, I’m going to use my marketing skills and art talent to promote the legacy of Mr. Buckmisnter Fuller’ since [his] values were in alignment with the shift I wanted to make in my life personally,” Lowder said . Lowder was first brought to the SIUE campus in 2013. “I did an art exhibition there. I was brought to campus by a professor in the sociology department named Linda Markowitz, who wanted me to come and speak to her sociology class
about sustainable home design,” said. Lowder sits on the board Lowder said. Now, as the director of Cen- for the Fuller Dome Board along ter for Spirituality and Sustain- with Jon Davey, the president of ability, he plans for the next 50 the board. Davey talked about the Spaceship Earth concept — creatyears of the Dome’s future. “We need to invest a decent ed by Fuller, it’s a way of thinking amount of money in this building that planet Earth is a spaceship in order for it to be used for an- and that we should take care of it like a crew on “Star other 50 years. A lot Trek”. of what we’re going “We commemto be focused on in orate it by being on 2021 as we celebrate Spaceship Earth. By the 50th anniversary recognizing that this is doing some fundis not just the third raising to be able to rock from the sun, replace the roof and that we are really upgrade the heattraveling through ing system, and all space and the things of that work, we’re that we do to our going to be doing it spaceship, Earth, in a green fashion. / photo courtesy We’re going to put a of Marketing have profound consequences and that we green roof in it, we’re looking to add some photovol- need to recognize it as a spaceship taic panels, a wind turbine, and and not just a simple spinning the long-term goal for all of that planet, stuck out there in front of work on the building will be lead- the sun.” Davey said. To learn more about the Eding toward creating a net-zero carbon footprint for the center,” wardsville Dome and Fuller, visit the web page for the Center for Lowder said. Lowder said he also wants to Spirituality and Sustainability. have more programs at the Dome and to increase awareness of FullIn the Jan. 21 story “Campus er’s legacy at SIUE. The impact community members express of the Dome on campus is still disapproval for Capitol profelt after 50 years, according to tests,” a section of the story that Erin Vigneau-Dimick, the SIUE included a direct quotation reUniversity Museum Creative Diquired clarification. rector. “I think that the connection “The craziest thing for me is just to the Dome and the 90th meridthe way that the two situations ian for people walking by it and were dealt with,” Keith said. looking at it or being able to use it as a gathering space is really imKeith said protesters at Black portant. I also think that the abiliLives Matter events this past ty of it by being used by a number summer were maced, tased and of different types of student faith arrested, but said that she thinks bodies is really terrific. I really adpolice let the rioters in. mire their commitment to serving everybody,” Vigneau-Dimick
Keeven said he has reservations about the inclusion of these measures due to the inconvenience they may cause officers. “Under [the Freedom of Information Act] you have a right to see video camera footage … If someone wanted a copy of that, we can’t give them your date of birth, we can’t give them your driver’s licence number, so someone has to go through all of that video and audio and take that information out, and that is a real time process,” Keeven said. Despite his reservations, Keeven said he and other officers in the department are in support of the cameras. “I’d venture to say that 90 percent of my officers, given the opportunity to have a body camera, they want body cameras,” Keeven said. “We’re just going to have to figure out how we’re going to pay for the storage and redaction.” The misdemeanor misconduct database includes the decertification of police officers who have been convicted of criminal sexual abuse, prostitution, solicitation to meet a child, evidence interference and more. Community Outreach Chair of College Democrats of SIUE Evan Senat said she believes parts of the bill should already have
been requirements for police officers. “This list is definitely justified. Any police person that is involved in any of these actions is obviously crooked,” Senat said. “Some of the listings are pimping, prostitution, sexual exploitation of a child. Any civilian would be charged with those actions, why won’t policemen be?” The banning of certain military equipment has a section in the bill as well, this includes purchasing and using tracked armored vehicles, weaponized aircraft, vessels or vehicles, firearms and ammunition of certain calibers, grenade launchers and bayonets. “I understand [the need for] law and order, protecting people is a very important job and I don’t think any Democrat, let alone any Democrat at SIUE is disagreeing with that,” Kern said. “I think that where people find the line is overkill. You don’t need a gun that’s designed to take out an elephant.” Some have complained that the bill was rushed. According to Meier the bill was still being written soon before it was voted on, and no committee hearings were ever held on it. “It went through with no committee hearings. It was still
changing the night before we voted, at three in the morning … If they were going to move it all year long, why couldn’t they have finished it up before Christmas, so we could have had some hearing on the final bill the way it was written?” Meier said. “It was just wrong — the way it was done.” Illinois Sen. Christopher Belt (D-Centreville), a supporter of the bill, disagreed with the claims. “I don’t think it was rushed. This whole initiative was started after George Floyd’s murder, it started after Breonna Taylor’s murder came up … In September we started having subject matter hearings. For the criminal justice pillar there were 9 subject matter hearings, 30 hours of testimony,” Belt said. Belt said opinion on the bill doesn’t have to be two-sided. “I would say this should not be an either-or proposition. You either support the police, so you can’t support the legislation, or if you support the legislation you cannot support the police. It shouldn’t be either or. It should be ‘and.’ You can do both,” Belt said. For more information, go to the Illinois General Assembly website for a full text of HB 3653.
News in brief MCT proposes bus fare overhaul
Madison County Transit is proposing changes to their bus fares including a reduced cost of transit passes, new fare types and elimination of zone fares. A summary of the proposal states the intention is to improve the passenger experience, simplify fares, reduce boarding time and grow ridership. The MCT district is currently divided into five zones within Madison County, although routes extend to both St. Clair County and downtown St. Louis. Travel between zones comes at a higher cost than travel within each zone. The proposal would eliminate zone distinctions within Madison County, in favor of one large zone covering the entire transit district. Fare structure would also be simplified. The proposal would combine the “Shuttle” and “Cross County” services, which stay within Madison County, into a single “Local Route” service type. “Regional” and “Express” services, which include travel within St. Clair County and St. Louis, would be combined into “Regional Route” service. The proposal also includes a reduction in route fares, from a base fare of $1.50 for shuttle service and $2 for cross county service to $1 local route services. Regional services would stay at $3, but expand to include routes currently labeled express services, which are currently $3.50. Passes would be affected as well. The express roundtrip pass would be replaced by a day pass, which would cost the same $5 and remain valid for a full calendar day. Monthly passes would be reduced from $50 to $40. Student monthly passes for grades K - 12 and 7-day passes would each be reduced from $20 to $15. The proposal would also reduce and simplify some fares for elderly or disabled passengers using their Runabout service, add a few more bus stops and introduce a $1 token, which would be usable as fare, or toward a pass purchase on any MCT bus. The MCT Board of Trustees anticipates these changes will be implemented by May 9, although the date, along with the changes themselves, are not finalized. For more information, visit mct.org or call MCT at 797-4600.
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Educators call for compassion amidst Inauguration conversations DALTON BROWN copy editor
The Inauguration of President Joe Biden was unlike any before it for many reasons, prompting several classroom discussions that will continue into future semesters. Professors and student-teachers described their plans to cover the topic and offered advice for both students and educators. Ashley Richey, a senior secondary English education major from Granite City, Illinois said she’s working on a lesson for her high school students that draws historical parallels from the Civil War era to today. “We’re in a Civil War unit right now, so I thought it would be perfect, you know, with everything going on, to talk about …
the history we’re witnessing,” Richey said. “I’m planning a lesson, I’m talking about the Gettysburg address, so we’re going to have a lesson about Abraham Lincoln’s speech during that, and we’re also gonna analyze the poet’s speech from the Inauguration.” Political science professor Laurie Rice said while she won’t be teaching POLS 346 “The Presidency” this semester, she has a lesson planned for this fall examining the impact and relevance of past inaugural addresses. “One of the things we look at is political communication of presidents and the influence that can have on people,” Rice said. “So we analyze the texts of different addresses and discuss ‘How well do they fit with the pressing needs of the time’ and
BY THE NUMBERS
COVID-19 at SIUE New confirmed positive cases (from
tests conducted by SIUE and self-reporting): Jan. 15 - 21: 14 students, 1 faculty/staff Jan. 8 - 14: 11 students, 10 faculty/staff
14-day new positive tests: 25 students, 11 faculty/staff All prior weeks positive tests (Aug. 1 - Jan. 7): 254 students, 66 faculty/staff Total positive cases: 289 students, 86 faculty/staff
Tests conducted by SIUE
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January 18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
Source: Madison County Health Department COVID-19 Dashboard, as of Jan. 26
Percentage of isolation/quarantine space available on campus (as of Jan. 21): 99 percent
Source: Health, Reporting, and Testing page on SIUE’s COVID-19 website, as of Jan. 21
All of Illinois’ regions remain under Tier 3 mitigations, which went into effect Nov. 20. These mitigations include the following:
Jan. 15 - 21: 12 Jan. 8 - 14: 15 14-day new positive cases: 2 All prior weeks positive cases (Aug. 21 - Jan. 7): 320 Total: 347
- Retail is limited to 25 percent capacity; grocery stores and pharmacies are limited to 50 percent. - Bars and restaurants must be closed between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. the next day, and indoor dining cannot be offered. - Personal care services must operate at a maximum of 25 clients or 25 percent capacity, whichever is less. Face coverings must be worn at all times, and services where face coverings cannot be worn, such as facials and beard trimmings, must be suspended. - Health and fitness centers may operate up to 25 percent capacity, but no indoor group classes can be offered. Face coverings must be worn at all times, and locker rooms must be closed. The complete list of mitigations can be found at coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/restore-illinois-mitigation-plan.
Source: dph.illinois.gov.
| Summer Bradley / The Alestle
CONSTRUCTION I COVER
an exciting conversation we’re planning; where do we want our clinics to go to be able to serve the community and have efficient access to those if you’re driving in from Edwardsville or somewhere in Madison County?” Pembrook said. Holan said considerations are being made for the new building while continuing other green projects to lessen SIUE’s carbon footprint. “This is a large building; however, we’re sitting on 2,600 acres here, and we have [an] extremely low footprint relative to our wildlife area,“ Holan said. “Now, as far as the building’s concerned, there will be consideration for a green roof, we’ll look at what the runoff is, the storm runoff onto our adjacent parking areas. There could be stormwater management options that might include bioswales or permeable pavers; all those will be considered and all those tend to have a positive impact on our wildlife.” According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s website, bioswales are usually vegetation planted in areas to act as stormwater management. The vegetation allows the water to drain into the ground and helps filter toxins that could otherwise pollute waterways in traditional stormwater runoff systems. Permeable pavers allow the stormwater to filter through minimizing flooding.
have feelings just like all of us do, so it’s just important to be there for them and hear their concerns.” Polictial Science professor Theising said while he understands these events impact teachers and students alike, teachers should set good examples for students. “I think it’s important that teachers model good behavior. I know that teachers are stressed just like our students are stressed. I feel it, I’m stressed,” Theising said. “It is important that we approach our work and our classrooms with compassion and understanding and realize that the humanity of everyone, teachers and students, must come first.” For more on the Inauguration, visit the White House website for a full transcript of Biden’s address.
Madison County confirmed cases by day
COVID-19’S impact on Madison County
Jan. 15 - 21: 3612 Jan. 8 - 14: 2626 14-day new tests conducted: 6238 All prior weeks tests conducted (Aug. 21 - Jan. 7): 1,416 Total tests conducted: 7,654
Positive cases identified by SIUE testing:
600 550 500 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50
then ‘How do they fit with various models of presidential communication?’” As the country enters a new presidential administration mere weeks after an attempted insurrection, some students may feel burned out by the onslaught of history they’re living through in the last month. Given Richey’s experience as both a student and student-teacher, she said teachers should do whatever they can to check on students, whether in person or online. “I think honestly just being there for students … is the most important thing,” Richey said. “Even if it’s not them actually talking with us ... I think even just making a Google Form and asking students, ‘Tell me how you are today,’ ‘how are you feeling?’ … I think it’s just important to check in with them. I mean, we’re humans; they
Holan said several buildings on campus have achieved LEED Silver including the Engineering Building addition and Science Building West. The Art and Design West building has achieved LEED Gold. “The thing that I get excited about when we talk about the building, and the people that we imagine being in the building, is that health care has moved to what they call a teams approach,” Pembrook said. “So hopefully, the doctors are talking to the nurses who are talking to the pharmacists who are talking to the physical therapists. And so you come up with a plan for the patient that involves all aspects.” In its press release, the CDB stated that the new building would increase the student capacity and the simulation labs’ size for the School of Nursing. “Our goal is for the new space to more than double what we have. Our program has grown a bunch. We do so many simulations that we need so many more of these types of spaces. We need to make them more realistic,” said Amy Reed, coordinator for the SON simulation lab. “We want rooms that we can adjust what’s in the room to a particular scenario. We envision creative spaces that can be readjusted based on the situational needs. It is more green to design spaces that can be used to meet multiple needs.” Pembrook said that they went into the
construction process with HOK knowing that there has been dramatic growth in nursing and pharmacy and they want to make sure that they will have the facilities that they need. Both Pembrook and Reed agree that the future SON simulation lab will be an important part of student education. “I think that’s an important part of the conversation that students not only will get a great education in their area, whether that’s pharmacy or nursing or whatever it might be, but then they will also have a chance to work in simulation labs, that they’ll be able to work with students from other disciplines so that they practice that team approach even before they graduate from SIUE and get into the health world,” Pembrook said. Reed said she believes in that team approach as well. “We would like to work with our pharmacy and other partners to do some interprofessional work where students from different practices would be working together. They can learn that experience of collaborating with others in healthcare,“ Reed said. Pembrook hopes the building could be ready to use by the end of 2023. “I think we’ll get the design done in … 2021 and then hopefully, depending on funding, it’s about a two year process to build the building,” Pembrook said. “So if
SIUE Officer responded to an anonymous call regarding reckless driving on the 500 side of Cougar Village. Officer was unable to locate a suspect vehicle.
01.26.21 SIUE Officer took a report regarding the radio station receiving harassing phone calls. Officer provided reporting party with the number to ITS to get the number blocked. SIUE Officer responded to an active fire alarm in Cougar Village. Officer advised the alarm was activated due to cooking. Edwardsville Fire Department was dispatched. Officer advised the building was evacuated. Officer advised there was a flame in the oven, possibly due to plastic. There was heavy smoke and possible damage to the oven. Edwardsville Fire Department cleared the scene. we had funding come through, then calendar [year] ‘22-’23 would be the construction period and hopefully we would be in then near the end of ‘23 or maybe more likely in [the building] at some point in calendar ‘24.” In January 2020, the state released approximately $10 million in funds to begin the project’s initial design phase. The CDB is responsible for overseeing that state-funded projects meet the state of Illinois standards, including environmental impact consideration. For more information on the Green Building Act go to www.ilga.gov/legislation and reference act ILCS 3130. For more information on sustainability initiatives on campus check out SIUE’s Sustainability Action Group.
Student dies from injuries sustained in off-campus shooting SIUE nursing student and ROTC cadet Moneer Damra, 26, of Chicago, died Wednesday, Jan. 27, due to injuries he sustained in a shooting off-campus on Jan. 14. Funeral services are pending. Check alestlelive.com for updates.
NEXT WEEK: FACULTY EXPLAIN IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSE TEACHERS page 4
lifestyles alestlelive.com
A guide to non-organized spirituality: local businesses guide others to enlightenment
contact the editor: lifestyles@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 01.28.21
The Headphone Jack: Put down the chips and move your hips MADISON LAMMERT lifestyles editor
It’s late January, and we all know what that means: tis’ the season where the New Year’s Resolutions are slowly losing their sparkle and the motivation is waning. With fitness at the top of everyone’s list, I decided to put together a playlist of songs that always get me moving, no matter how many stressors (or new Netflix shows) life throws my way.
‘Wired,’ Sonny Fodera and Ella Eyre
DJ, producer, remixer, however you want to label Sonny Fodera, we can all agree this collab with Ella Eyre is the high-energy powerhouse that’ll get us through even the most dreaded workouts. It’s impossible to hear this song without getting the sudden urge to get up and move.
‘Redemption,’ Kendrick Lamar, Zacari, Mampintsha, Babes Wodumo
Nothing less than “iconic” can describe Kendrick Lamar’s “Black Panther” album. The great thing about “Redemption” that the featured artists have their moments to shine, not one cancels out the other. With a variety of languages being represented, “Redemption” has tons of flair.
‘Ballin,’ Mustard and Roddy Ricch
I first discovered this song on a Spotify workout playlist, and I can see why it made its way there. There’s nothing better than a “started from the bottom” song to motivate people to make positive changes in their lives. It sure works for me. GABRIEL BRADY opinion editor
Religion is a big topic to even think about, let alone discuss. And with so many religions containing specific guidelines, some people feel as though an non-organized, more interconnected view of spirituality is a good way to feel this side of oneself. It’s Raining Zen is a shop in Alton, Illinois, that sells everything from incense, crystals and stones to books on spirituality and small religious statues. Co-owners Dave and Donna Nunally opened the shop together, and were shocked by its success. Donna said her desire to open the shop came from her own spirituality, which came to her naturally. “My spirituality is all about a connection to the unconscious through this kind of intuition I’ve always had. I’ve had a lot of experience with knowing what I know with my intuition and being at the right place and knowing things unconditionally,” Donna said. “People gravitate toward me who know they need guidance. At grocery stores, I can just know what to say to someone when we’re in line there, kind of like a beacon for others, just wanting to help.” Donna’s husband, Dave, said his connection was something he fostered over time through his own interests. He also said his experience as a Navy officer exposed him to many different cultures. “We traveled around a lot. When we
got to port, a lot of guys would go to bars and get a drink, but I visited churches and temples. I climbed Masada in Israel. And I realized early on that these different systems of belief were the same,” Dave said. “It [fits] nicely in with the fact that we may all be different people, with different gods and different skins, but we are all the same.”
and yoga were derived from. “I realized a long time ago for myself that there are thousands of religions in the world and that allowed me to understand that what works for some is to the same of others. Whenever possible, we use the Vedic pronunciation and terms. We wanted our classes to be very authentic,” Burgess said. “In these texts, the movement of the body was meant to increase one’s connection to spiritual power.” According to Dave, it is important to be wary of appropriating the cultures from which you borrow. Non-organized spirituality is about finding connections between cultures and linking them, rather than stealing them and taking credit for them. “It’s all about truly having a connection with the beliefs. I can’t judge other people and say what’s in their hearts, but I know what’s in my heart, and I’m pretty sure I know what’s in Donna’s,” Dave said. “This system isn’t about stealing from different beliefs around the world. It’s about seeing those commonalities between them, and respecting them.” This combination of cultures is something Donna said she resonates with as well. Dave said he studied many Indigenous cultures in college, and had a lot of insight. Donna said she mostly follows the religious practices of Indigenous people, but she also mixes in some Buddhist principles, like counting mala beads.
“My spirituality is all about a connection to the unconscious through this kind of intuition I’ve always had ... People gravitate toward me who know they need guidance. DONNA NUNALLY
co-owner, It’s Raining Zen
Founder and Owner of Studio Gaia in Edwardsville Sally Burgess said this interconnectivity between all the world’s religions was what brought her into non-organized spirituality as well. Studio Gaia is a yoga studio, and Burgess said a big focus of the studio is to teach both the spiritual aspects of yoga as well as the yoga itself. According to Burgess, Studio Gaia does this by using teachings from the Vedas, which are ancient hymns that Hinduism
see SPIRITUALITY on page 8
‘Blinding Lights (with Rosalía) Remix,’ The Weeknd
I must admit, this song makes its way onto nearly all my playlists. The original hit is versatile — you don’t need to be in any specific mood to enjoy it, and the addition of Rosalía is just enough to help me not to get sick of hearing it on every radio station. While my old lady knees keep me from intense running sessions, I do start to sprint a bit when the chorus hits.
‘Levitating,’ Dua Lipa
How else can I describe this other than fun, upbeat, celestial pop? This song will have you singing as you count your reps. Fair warning: It’ll be running through your head long after your workout ends.
‘Candle,’ Quinn XCII
Quinn XCII, also known as Chelsea Cutler’s BFF, is always there for me when I need a mood boost, which I think we all need whether we are in the middle of cardio or some squats. he chorus is just the right length for me to get over 30 twists in, and I take advantage of the verses for my breaks. “Candle” has a good, slow build up, making it the perfect song to time your rests to.
‘Titanium,’ David Guetta ft. Sia
It may be a little bit of a throwback, sure, but there’s nothing wrong with that. This takes me back to simpler times, when see HEADPHONE JACK on page 5
thursday, 01.28.21
alestlelive.com
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What I Wish You Knew: SIUE graduate turns her diagnosis into a way to educate others on her new YouTube channel KRISTINA JOHNSON reporter
Most people have heard of epilepsy, but don’t know the specifics of the condition. Integrative studies graduate Allany Muniz started a channel to educate people about the basics and details that aren’t always known. When Muniz was 14, she experienced her first seizure, an event that led her life in a different direction than she may have anticipated. “I was getting books for school, and me and my mom were waiting to check out,” Muniz said. “Then next thing I knew I had blacked out. I had no idea what happened.” Shortly after waking up in a hospital, Muniz said the doctors and her mom explained she had experienced a seizure and that she had been diagnosed with epilepsy. Epilepsy is a condition that affects the brain by causing seizures, a disruption of the electrical communications between neurons. It is different from many other syndromes in that each person is diagnosed differently based
on the features they experience during their seizures. According to Epilepsy Foundation’s website, some of the features that are primarily looked into may include the age of first experienced seizure, part of the brain involved and previous history in family members. Muniz was diagnosed with a form of epilepsy that is partial, so her seizures affect only one part of the brain at a time. She said some seizures can be unnoticeable. “Absent seizures [are a type of seizure] which a lot of people don’t really think about. We can have a conversation, and next thing you know I black out. It usually lasts 10 seconds,” Muniz said. “I [could have] had an episode right in front of you and no other person would know.” After her diagnosis, her mom researched epilepsy, the different types of seizures and how to navigate the diagnosis. “I had an idea, but I didn’t really know the process [and] how there’s more than one [form of epilepsy],” Muniz said. “Turns out I’m diagnosed with partial, which is controlled. I could be fine for ten years and then ran-
domly have an episode.” Muniz started her YouTube channel after realizing she wanted to educate others with epilepsy who didn’t know where to turn for information. “From my experience, I didn’t really have anyone to talk to. So for me if I can help that one child that is looking through YouTube and sees my channel and be like okay there is someone out there that understands what I’m going through,” Muniz said. So far, she has made videos where she talks about common types of seizures, the difference between a person with epilepsy and a person who has had a seizure, her story and more. She said her channel is a refresher compared to the Facebook group chats for epilepsy that tend to focus on the downsides. Muniz said it’s important for people to learn what to do for a person that is having a seizure to make sure you can assist them properly. “You would have to know what to do. You have to lay the person on their side, whether right or left, make sure they don’t bite their tongue and if the sei-
The logo for Muniz’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. / photo courtesy of Muniz
zure is more than two to five minutes, then you call the hospital,” Muniz said. In the future, Muniz would like to discuss controlled seizures with driving, dating life with ep-
ilepsy and much more on her channel. To keep up to date on her journey, subscribe to her YouTube channel and follow her Facebook page.
School of Engineering alumnus reflects on education in light of new promotion THOMAS DRAKE reporter
As Todd Berghoff, 1997 School of Engineering graduate, steps into his new role as Director of Business Development at Avion Solutions Inc., he looks back on his time at SIUE. Avion Solutions Inc. is an employee-owned company that provides engineering, programs and logistics to the U.S. government. Before Berghoff went to SIUE he spent two years at Lewis and Clark Community College and then he went to the Missouri University of Science and Technology, called the University of Missouri Rolla when Berghoff was a student there. His time at Rolla didn’t go his way and he left the school. Even though Berghoff didn’t succeed at Rolla, that didn’t hinder him in any way. “It was the first time in my academic career that I wasn’t successful. So, I was driven to be successful, I wasn’t going to fail. Just because you fall down doesn’t mean that you don’t get back up,” Berghoff said.
school. Berghoff started at SIUE “SIU was definitely more in January 1995. He said that well-rounded; it was an eashe had multiple reasons to go ier campus to negotiate and to SIUE. navigate. The engineering de“My mother was a gradupartment, at the time we had ate, my brother was a graduate only ten to fifteen students from SIUE, a lot of my cousins so it was very small. Espehave graduated from SIUE. cially compared to Rolla. Just At the time it was more of a commuter school, I “It was the first time in my was living in Godacademic career that I wasn’t frey and it was only successful. So, I was driven to 45 minutes away. They be successful, I wasn’t going had just to fail. Just because you fall got ABET {Accreditadown doesn’t mean that you tion Board for Engidon’t get back up. neering and Te c h n o l TODD BERGHOFF ogy, Inc.} Director of Business Development Avion Solutions accredited, the class size and the profesthe mechanical engineering, sor one-on-one. We had five so that made it real easy for me professors in the mechanical to decide to go to SIU and get engineering department. It my undergrad in mechanical was way more hands way more engineering,” Berghoff said. applied engineering opposed Berghoff said that he ento theoretical. It was the best joyed SIUE much more than education I could’ve gotten at his time at Rolla, Missouri, the time.” Berghoff said. because it offered a lot of difBerghoff said he values ferent opportunities that Rolla the lessons that his professors didn’t as a strictly engineering
HEADPHONE JACK I page 4
Friday nights consisted of roller skating at the YMCA and downing off-brand blue ICEEs like they were rum and Cokes. That sugar rush was just what we needed to skate for hours, and this song is what you need to channel that same energy into your present-day workout.
‘10 F*CKS,’ Tory Lanez, Mansa
Is it time for a break yet? Drink some water and stretch out those cramps to this chill song. After periods of high intensi-
ty from “Titanium,” you can take a small break. Just not for the whole song, though. If you need to keep a slow tempo, this is the song for you.
‘Circus - Diplo Circus Remix,’ Britney Spears
Another bit of a throwback, but how can we not have this iconic song on here? Remember, your fitness journey is all about one person and one person only: you. And motivation to be a version of yourself you love should be enough. You call the shots, just as Britney says.
taught him and took it with him for his career. He also said some of the professors he remembered would always help him and any other student that worked hard. He also said that he had engineering professors that worked outside of the lab and worked along with the business and industry sides of engineering. “I’ve gone on and worked with people from quote unquote top ten engineering schools, people from Massachusetts Institute of Technology when I was in Ford Motor Company. I’ve worked with people from the University of Texas, University of Illinois and CalTech, and I would put my mechanical engineering degree against theirs any day of the week and twice on sunday,” Berghoff said. Richard Romick, professor emeritus of mechanical engineering, was one of those engineering professors. Before his start as a professor at SIUE, he did academic research and was a practicing engineer. When he became a professor he developed practical ways to teach his students the realities of being an engineer, especially by meeting
‘God is a Dancer,’ Tiësto, Mabel
If there’s two things pop culture has taught me in recent years, it’s that God is a woman, and she’s a hell of a dancer. Tiësto and Mabel have blessed us with this bop, with a little razzle dazzle confidence to get you on your toes.
‘Slide,’ Calvin Harris, Frank Ocean, Migos, Funk Wav
After ‘Close’ and ‘Summer’ made it to my personal workout playlist, I knew I
/ photo courtesy of Berghoff.
and interacting with engineers around the space. “I think the students enjoyed getting out and rubbing elbows with the other engineers in the St.Louis area,” Romick said. Romick remembered Berghoff fondly as a student when he taught at SIUE. “Todd was one of those students that would stand out because he tended to be a spokesman for his team. He’s very friendly but also not afraid to speak out and say what he thinks. He is one of those people that will continually rise to the top. He’s somebody that takes an opportunity and turns it into his advantage,” Romick said. see ALUMNUS on page 8
had to pay homage to Calvin Harris on this public one, and I’m pretty sure you all will be pleased with my decision. And Frank Ocean’s vocals? Ugh, I’m in love. Perhaps I saved the best for last here. After 40 minutes of pushing it, this is your ultimate reward. So, there you have it. No matter how intense the exercise, these songs make working out something to look forward to. For the link to this playlist, along with more Headphone Jack playlists and music commentary, visit alestlelive.com.
NEXT WEEK: Small improvements are better than nothing
opinion
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Only YOU can prevent the spread of COVID-19 THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board
SIUE has updated a lot of their COVID-19 protocol lately. They’ve added rules for testing when returning to campus, and the online COVID Dashboard has been changed and updated quite a bit. There are plenty of rules regarding masks, social distancing and more, but these rules may not be enough. It’s true that SIUE has had relatively few cases reported overall, but with more and more in-person activities taking place, like student athletes going to away games, precaution is necessary; not just from the administration and rulemakers at SIUE — from all of us. We know, it can be tempting to wear your mask under your
nose, or maybe go to that party on Saturday night. The pandemic has been impacting our lives for almost a full year now. But we, as a university, need to keep it together for a bit longer, because the end of the pandemic depends on it. Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to the president has said he is very optimistic about the current handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and with the new administration in the White House, anything is possible. Additionally, SIUE has had fewer positive cases than many nearby universities. As of the writing of this article, SIUE has found 12 reported student cases of COVID-19 in the last seven days. Conversely, Illinois State University has 39, and Northwestern University has 30. There are plenty of factors that have affected
SIUE’s lower case numbers, but regardless, the best way for SIUE to stay safe is for everyone to stay vigilant. There were plenty of articles published in August 2020 that begged colleges and universities globally to hold off on school, because bringing students back would certainly increase the positive case rates. One specific, rudely-titled article claimed that college-aged individuals have brains that are not “wired to follow COVID-19 rules.” And these claims may have been somewhat correct for colleges in general, but incorrect at SIUE specifically. SIUE is an example of a university that continued through COVID-19, but kept case counts low. Regulations only work when followed, and following those rules is a job that can only be done
by individuals. Administration can create plenty of guidelines and rules to try to keep campus safe, but if you still go out to parties, or take your mask off when no one is looking, everyone is put at risk. There has been a lot of talk of accountability in the political world lately, so now it’s time for all of us to be accountable for ourselves and follow the guidelines. So let’s keep following the rules. It may not be an empowering, exciting message to say “Do what you’re told! Accept commands!”, but it’s what’s best under these circumstances, and it works. Some may say, “But nationally, the elderly and people with pre-existing conditions have higher chances of dying from the disease, so I’ll probably be okay,” but if you think this, ask yourself: am I comfortable with those people dying?
access to running water, sewage and proper garbage disposal. The lack of these services hints towards a bigger problem, environmental racism — a problem that the government doesn’t seem to want to address anytime soon. Historically, Native Americans were put into boarding schools as a tactic to assimilate them into the new American culture. This essentially is white-washing them into forgetting their languages, music and parts of their cultures as a whole. It wasn’t until the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 that Native American families were given the right to reject having their children removed from their homes to be placed in homes outside the reservations. We aren’t as far removed from these tragedies as many people assume; only 43 years have passed. The boarding schools may be gone now, but their effects linger.
Among the top 10 poorest counties in the U.S. for 2020 was Apache County in Arizona. The poverty rate was 35.3 percent, the unemployment rate was almost nine percent and the median household income was approximately $33,000. On the reservations, there is a huge housing shortage. There are few homes in rural areas on the reservations that can hold generations of Native American people and there simply aren’t enough homes to fit everyone. Some reservations have homes with two to three bedrooms, but house up to 12 people. One may ask, “Why don’t the Native Americans build more houses?” The answer is, yet again, poverty — almost all their money goes toward food and shelter. The Indian Health Service, a division of health services that tends to Native Americans and Alaskan Native people, has been
hit hard during the pandemic. They have experienced shortages of personal protective equipment and coronavirus test kits, due to the lack of funding into their health division. According to the CDC, Native Americans are almost twice as likely to die from COVID-19 compared to non-Hispanic whites. As a population of people who have been pushed out of their native lands, they continue to struggle to get above the poverty line. It’s long been time to talk about the injustices Americans and our government have committed against the Native American population. The government needs to fund their reservations properly so they can begin to have access to everything that the rest of the U.S. has access to. This would allow them to live comfortably in their homes and reservations without worrying for their well-being.
Let’s talk about poverty in Native American Communities
KRISTINA JOHSON reporter
In the year of a pandemic, people across the world have suffered plenty of heartache. A feeling many Native Americans have been experiencing for a long time with their reservations being underfunded by the government. According to the American Community Survey, one in three Native Americans are living in poverty. That is a large number for the U.S., who is supposed to create equal opportunities for everyone. In 2018, 25.4 percent of Native Americans were in poverty and there is no indication those numbers are going down. That is a higher percentage than Black, Hispanic, white or Asian people in poverty. To make matters worse, the reservations the government has forced them onto may also lack
sports
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READ NEXT WEEK: WRESTLING FACES THREE TEAMS AT HOME MEET page 7
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SIUE Standings MEN’S BASKETBALL
OVERALL OVC
Volleyball, tennis, golf look forward to seasons ahead DALTON BROWN copy editor
The Cougar tennis, volleyball and golf teams are each preparing for another season after months of pandemic-related uncertainty kept them from playing. While this season may be different from usual, coaches and student-athletes alike are ready to make the most of it.
Volleyball The Cougar Volleyball team has been practicing since Jan. 21. Their season will officially begin on Feb. 7 with a game against Belmont University, who they will play again the next day — Cougar Volleyball Head Coach Kendall Paulus said they usually play two different opponents, but this was changed to keep exposure to a minimum in light of the pandemic. The Ohio Valley Conference’s elimination of midweek and non-conference games has led to an extended pre-season for the team — according to Paulus, while this puts more pressure on the team’s first game, it also gives them an unexpected advantage. “Those non-conference games, in a normal schedule, give you time to work through your lineup, maybe give some freshman some game experience. We don’t really have that luxury,” Paulus said. “[But this] should be, actually, the most structured season we’ve ever had, not having conference, not having midweeks … each week will hopefully look the same.” Cougar Volleyball will play every Sunday and Monday from Feb. 7 until the OVC tournament in the first week of April. According to Paulus, they must play a minimum of eight games to be eligible for the tournament, in which the top four conference teams compete against each other. While rapidly-changing schedules make this an uncertainty for Cougar Volleyball, Paulus said they hope to make it this season. “Our goal always is to … make the tournament, but we haven’t won the OVC yet, and so that’s always the forefront,” Paulus said. “Of course, that’s a long-term goal,
but we’re really going to just focus on day-today getting better, and if we have enough people to play on a weekend, we hope to win.” Senior outside hitter Rachel McDonald said her advice for her fellow Cougars is to make the most of their time and trust in their teammates. “Honestly, my biggest advice is to appreciate the time on the court that you get,” McDonald said. “I think this has really opened my eyes that not just volleyball, but in general, not everything’s a given … you’re going to have days you don’t even want to keep going, but at the end of the day, your people around you [are] going to get you there.”
Tennis The Cougar Tennis team officially started practices Jan. 18, and will play their first game of the season on Jan. 31 when they travel to Dayton, Ohio. They will play 10 non-conference games before their first conference game in March against Jacksonville State, ending conference play toward the end of April. Redshirt junior Callaghan Adams, a member of the Cougar Tennis team, said the season has undergone minor changes from usual. “We typically have two seasons — a fall season, which is more individually based, and we didn’t have that this year, [and] our conference season, [which] is still the same,” Adams said. “Since we’re typically a spring sport, they didn’t cut any of our pre-conference matches. We didn’t have a fall season competition-wise, we just practiced.” Adams said this season, most of the team is eager to compete in games they haven’t before. “The pretty big core group of the team is pretty young … a lot of us girls haven’t been able to compete within the conference, so I think that they’re excited to get that opportunity … I think it’s going to be, definitely, a competitive season,” Adams said. While the pandemic has led to much uncertainty for student-athletes, Adams said the team should remain optimistic. “Just give it your all every day, and just hope we get to keep playing as long as we can,” Adams said. “There’s definitely going to
be curveballs thrown at us this season with testing protocol and everything, but hopefully we can all stay healthy and just kind of enjoy competing together.”
16-1 13-2 11-6 5-5 10-5 8-5 6-7 4-10 5-11 4-9 3-10 2-15
10-0 7-1 8-2 3-1 6-3 4-3 3-5 2-6 2-7 2-7 2-8 2-8
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
OVERALL OVC
Golf SIUE Golf began practice on the first day of classes, Jan. 19. They will begin travelling in two weeks, with their first competition taking place Feb. 6 for the Pat Hicks Southern Utah Invitational in St. George, Utah. According to Head Coach Derrick Brown, the team will travel the entire semester up to their final Ohio Valley Conference games from April 25-27, unless they advance to regionals, in which case these dates will go into May. According to Brown, while their fall season has been eliminated, their spring semester will continue as usual. “Golf normally plays in the fall and the spring, and so our season is going to be 50 percent of what it normally is, because of COVID and [not being] able to compete in the fall, but our spring semester looks like a normal spring semester would with the same amount of tournaments as years past,” Brown said. Brown said his expectations for the golf team will depend on the performance of both returning and incoming players. “By the end of March, when we’ve got a couple tournaments under our belt, I hope to have a good idea of where we are,” Brown said. “Our expectations will probably change once I see what our returners are capable of doing, and I’m real interested to know what our newcomers will do for us.” Change is inevitable this season, so players should learn to adapt quickly, Brown said. “There’s going to be changes throughout the spring season … the people who are comfortable with change are probably going to succeed the most,” Brown said. “Just be ready for change, and when you get the opportunity, compete as hard as you can.” To learn more about Cougar volleyball, tennis and golf, visit their respective Cougar Athletics webpages.
week in review
Belmont Eastern Kentucky Morehead State SIUE Jacksonville State Austin Peay Murray State SEMO Eastern Illinois UT Martin Tennessee State Tennessee Tech
UT Martin SEMO Austin Peay Jacksonville State Belmont Tennessee Tech Eastern Illinois Eastern Kentucky Murray State Morehead State SIUE Tennessee State
8-3 8-5 9-5 8-4 6-4 7-5 7-8 6-8 7-8 5-9 5-9 0-11
7-1 6-2 7-3 5-3 3-2 5-4 5-5 5-5 4-6 4-6 2-7 0-9
WRESTLING
OVERALL MAC
Missouri Rider Buffalo Clarion Northern Illinois Central Michigan George Mason Lock Haven Ohio SIUE
9-0 2-1 1-0 2-2 3-2 2-2 0-0 0-0 0-0 2-2
3-0 2-0 1-0 2-1 2-2 1-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-1
UPCOMING GAMES: Women’s & Men’s Basketball at SEMO 5 p.m. & 8 p.m., Jan. 28 Track & Field at Indiana Tech 8:45 a.m., Jan. 29 Wrestling vs. Buffalo, Clarion & Northern Illinois 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., Jan. 30 Women’s & Men’s Basketball at UT Martin 1 p.m. & 4 p.m., Jan. 30 Tennis at Dayton 10:30 a.m., Jan. 31
SOFTBALL
SOFTBALL
SOFTBALL
Women’s basketball had mixed luck in their last two games. First, in a game against Tennessee State University, the team won 71 – 52. Junior guard Masyn McWilliams and junior forward Kelsie Williams led this game, scoring 15 and 14 points respectively. The team couldn’t achieve the same result in a close game against Belmont University, losing 57 – 69. The game’s star was sophomore forward Mikalya Kinnard, who scored 17 points. McWilliams also continued to shine, scoring 12 points and making three of the team’s five threepoint throws.
The men’s team played similarly to the women’s, winning and losing against the same teams. In a very close game against Tennessee State, the team pulled a 67 – 65 win. Senior guard Mike Adewunmi led with 18 points. Facing Belmont University, the team lost 62 – 114. Senior guard Iziah James was the team’s top scorer with 12 points. Sophomore guard Shamar Wright and junior forward Sidney Wilson followed with 9 points each. The Cougars came back with a 87 – 74 win against Eastern Illinois. Five players picked up points in the double digits, and junior guard Carlos Curtis led with 18.
Wrestling faced both Kent State University and Clarion University of Pennsylvania on Saturday, losing to each 25 – 15 and 21 – 15 respectively. Justin Ruffin, a junior in the 157-weight class, and Colton McKiernan, a junior heavyweight-class, led the team winning two matches each.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
MEN’S BASKETBALL
WRESTLING
SOFTBALL
CROSS COUNTRY
Cross Country kicked off its season at the Redhawks Invite. The competition resulted in top-10 finishes from sophomore Roland Prenzler and senior Kassidy Dexheimer.
page 8
alestlelive.com SPIRITUALITY I page 4
“I don’t follow just one protocol with religion. I would say I follow about 80 percent native religious and cultural rituals, but it’s hard to shut my mind off sometimes. There’s something really beautiful about mala beads, and they can sometimes quiet my mind. I pretend there are Post-Its stuck all over my brain, and they all slowly flutter away and fall off,” Donna said. “Not just any one thing works. It’s all about what works in the moment.” Burgess said she follows this system of many beliefs by having many different speakers and teachers offer workshops at Studio Gaia. “Debra Adele, she has a book on the spiritual and ethical guidelines of yoga, and she came by the studio. Max Strom, who is internationally known for his studies on breathwork, has taught as well, so that was definitely an interesting part of our journey,” Burgess said. “We’re always looking for new speakers and teachers to help light the way.” Regardless of whether someone follows an organized religion, Donna said the most important lesson to remember is to not force your beliefs onto others, and be accepting and helpful to any one who needs it. “A woman came into the shop, and she said she had lost her father, and she asked if she could just wander around, and she felt peace and I told her, ‘Of course.” And I told her and the staff to come get me if she wanted to see me,” Donna said. “It is about that connection to others … My usual closing statement is always, ’Take some, take none, take all.” For more information, visit It’s Raining Zen’s website or Studio Gaia’s website.
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VACCINE I cover
and the safety, then [I] definitely was on board and was quite excited to get my first dose … and I think the more and more people are sharing their experiences with getting the vaccine, the hesitancy is starting to diminish, and I think that’s a good thing, especially it’s very important for individuals like myself and other minority healthcare providers to share their stories.” Butler said she hopes the public’s hesitancy about the vaccine will lessen with time. “We need about 70 percent of individuals to receive the vaccine in order to have what’s called
herd immunity, where we can feel more comfortable going out without our masks potentially, but we’re not there yet … I never want to pressure individuals right now. I just like to share the information, educate, share the facts and dispel any myths so that they can make an informed decision,” Butler said. “So while we would love to have more people to accept and receive the vaccine, I think we’ll start to see those numbers gradually increase as we have more information and we disseminate that to the campus community.” Rylie Pugh, a SWIC running start student who plans to attend SIUE in Fall 2021 from Highland, Illinois, said she is nervous
thursday, 01.28.21
Keqin Gu, the Chair of the Mechanical & Mechatronics Engineering faculty, who taught Berghoff at SIUE recalled his memories of him. “He {Berghoff} was a smart student. He had a rare combination of intelligence and personality,” Gu said. After graduation, Berghoff started his career working at Ford, Boeing, Seiler Instrument & Mfg. Co. Inc., General Dynamics Land Systems, and Leonardo DRS before he became the Director of Business Development at Avion Solutions Inc. last year. As the Director of Business Development, Berghoff comes up with ideas to help the company grow and profit from its growth. “In defense business devel-
opment, you’re chartered to find and capture business opportunities. The United States government comes out with request for proposals or need statements and you basically say, ‘Hey I can solve this need,’ and you submit a bid and there’s a whole process where they either say, ’Great we love it, and here’s a contact’, or they say, ‘No that’s not what we want,’, or they pick somebody,” Berghoff said. Berghoff thanks his success in business to his education at SIUE. “It kinda goes back to SIU, it’s a group of people that all have the same goal, nobody is going to let anybody fail and there all pointing in the right direction. It’s humbling again when they kinda give you the reins.” Berghoff said. To learn more about Avion Solutions Inc., visit their website.
about getting the vaccine because of the unknown long-term effects. “I’m definitely not an anti-vax person. I have, you know, all the other vaccines and whatnot. But just with this one in particular, I am so nervous about it, because one, it is so new, and we don’t have years and years of research on it to know how it’s going to affect us long-term,” Pugh said. Pugh said she believes getting the vaccine should be a personal choice, and would make changes in her life if she were required to get the vaccine. “If nursing requires [COVID-19 vaccinations], then I’ll switch majors. But if SIU as a school requires it, then I’ll switch
schools. I am not going to go anywhere or do anything where they require that because that could put my health at risk,” Pugh said. Butler said although she experienced arm soreness and fatigue, she has not experienced any other side effects since receiving the vaccine. “The arm soreness and fatigue lasted for about two days. After that, I haven’t had any symptoms. So my second dose is scheduled in two weeks, so I did receive the Moderna vaccine, and I feel great,” Butler said. For more on the campus COVID-19 response, including vaccination updates, visit the SIUE COVID-19 Information webpage.
ALUMNUS I page 5
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- Enro ll (gradu ed in at lea s a enroll te) or 6 cre t 3 credits e d - Must d in at leas its (underg t r - Contr maintain a 3 credit hou aduate) or 2 - Work ibute story .0 cumulati rs in summ v er id storie with the ed eas and s e GPA. to s it - Atten with graph orial team ries weekly to ic d - Keep weekly sta s and pho package tograp ff all dea hs dlines meetings
Appl y in M or re ques U t an ap C 0311 direc p li tor@ alest cation fro lelive m .com
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