The Alestle Vol. 77, No. 1

SIUE soccer to play SLU at CityPark stadium Sep. 2

Freshman forward Ella Robinson jumps into the arms of her teammate, Macie Begley, after Robinson scored her first goal of the season

insidE:

Kimmel and Hub merge to focus commitment to diversity PAGE 2

Changes to Dining Services introduce greater food variety PAGE 4

Meet the new faces of the fall 2023 Alestle staff

Student Government welcomes new senators

FRANCESCA BOSTON lifestyles editor

Campus sees more representation with a new year and a new student government, as new positions and senators take their seats for the upcoming school year.

Last semester’s changes to the student government constitution allowed the inclusion of senators based on personal identity. President Mackenzie Richards said many of the new positions were appointed, not elected, as the Senate did not approve the positions to be added to the Constitution until after the election applications had

opened, and the ballot cannot be amended per the constitution.

“What we did instead was we opened up those applications in the same way that we do for any open position,” Richards said. “Then it was a committee of a lot of different individuals who selected those individuals to the new positions that were being filled.”

Richards said as part of the application process, a portion of the new senators had to have a letter of recommendation from the groups they were representing on campus.

“For example, if you are running for a diversity senator position, you would need to get a letter of recommendation from the Muslim Student Association.

But for international students, they don’t need to prove that they’re an international student. They just are,” Richards said. “We wanted to make sure that the students who were represented supported the people that were potentially going to be filling those positions.”

Richards said the Students With Disability senator is not filled due to some concerns from students with disabilities on campus. However, over the summer, through conversations with not only ACCESS, but New Horizons—a disability advocacy group on campus— they have agreed to wait to fill those seats until changes are made to the constitution.

“We wanted to make sure

that students with disabilities were represented on student government,” Richards said. “We decided that they would have to have a letter of recommendation from ACCESS and New Horizons—one or the other, at least— in order to be a full applicant for that which was not in place before.”

Richards said there are still several open positions available for students to apply.

“We have those open senate positions to be sent out soon and how to apply. Our goal is to have a full senate of people who really want to be there. We’re really excited to work with all of the new positions and so just make this campus dynamic and have a more positive place.”

Excessive heat spreads across U.S., heat-related deaths rise

than high actual temperatures driving Wednesday’s oppressive heat. High humidity limits the ability of the body to cool itself, he added.

National Weather Service officials expect “blistering” heat over the next two days to hit the heart of the country, from Chicago to the Gulf Coast states, where the heat index, which measures what the temperature feels like, could approach 120 degrees.

Wednesday marks the first excessive heat warning for the year in Chicago, said Kevin Birk, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Romeoville. He said the weather service issues the warning when the heat index climbs above 110 degrees in the afternoon, with little relief at night.

The heat index measures relative humidity and air temperature, meaning it better represents how it actually feels outside, Birk said. He noted it’s the high humidity — measured using dew point temperatures — more so

“Right now the dew point temperature at O’Hare is 80 degrees. And that’s only happened a handful of times in the history of Chicago,” Birk said. “The highest that we have recorded on record is 83 for the dew point in Chicago, and that was on July 30, 1999.”

But Birk said the weather service still anticipates actual temperatures in the mid- to upper 90s across the area Wednesday, which is “definitely very warm.” He recommends that people limit their outdoor activities and drink lots of water.

Officials expect temperatures to break daily and monthly records. Approximately 130 million people across 22 states, from Minneapolis to New Orleans, are now under heat alerts and excessive heat warnings, officials said.

While Birk said all of Chicagoland is at risk, urban areas

are more vulnerable due to the heat island effect. Urban areas can experience higher temperatures than outlying areas because buildings, roads and other infrastructure hold heat more than natural landscapes.

“It will probably be several degrees warmer in the city even tonight than it is in outlying areas,” Birk said. “So because of that, just the prolonged nature of very warm conditions could make it a little bit worse in the city versus the outlying areas.”

Officials said it is “imperative” to take the heat seriously and to avoid extended time outdoors. Officials said the heat index could be deadly for those without effective cooling and hydration.

Larry Langford, spokesman for the Chicago Fire Department, sent out a statement Wednesday morning saying that due to the dangerous heat the fire department will add additional ambulances in anticipation of increased 911 calls.

Weather officials said heat is

the top weather-related cause of death nationwide.

08.18.23

An officer took a report of a person receiving possibly harassing messages through their social media.

08.19.23

An officer responded to an report of someone leaving their cannabis pen on the front desk of Bluff Hall, though the pen was destroyed.

08.21.23

An officer responded to a report of a charter school parent making an inappropriate comment, the investigation is ongoing.

Hub, Kimmel join forces to eliminate duplication of efforts

online editor

The Hub and Kimmel Student Involvement Center have chosen to combine their efforts by merging, resulting in the formation of the Kimmel Belonging and Engagement Hub.

Elizabeth Delaney, associate director for leadership training and governance of the Kimmel Belonging and Engagement Hub said that the decision to merge came from the recognition of an overlap in services. Both organizations were working separately toward similar goals.

“Not only did we have areas that we already knew were crossovers, but our other areas were working towards converging anyways,” Delaney said. “There was a discussion of — instead of us working in parallel with each other — working in conjunction.”

Assistant Vice Chancellor for Inclusive Excellence, Education and Development Lindy Wagner said that both organizations thoroughly discussed

the institution’s expectations for their individual offices. They then developed a comprehensive plan that primarily focused on how to effectively provide students with a sense of belonging and engagement.

“We’ve organized [the plan] into three foundational pillars,” Wagner said. “Student training and governance; empathy, humility and action and student connections and programming.”

According to Wagner, these pillars represent the goals of The Kimmel Belonging and Engagement Hub and are designed based on the chancellor’s strategic plan for the institution.

“Everything that we do is enhancing pillar two of the strategic plan, which is really all about student success and inclusive excellence,” Wagner said. “Our entire redesign was focused around ensuring that whatever we’re doing is backing up that particular pillar of the plan.”

In line with the strategic plan, Wagner said that collaborating under The Kimmel Student Belonging and Engagement

Hub will allow the organization to effectively distribute their efforts, resulting in a wider reach of community engagement and student connections.

“Now we’re able to create a staffing pattern that matches better the programs and initiatives,” Wagner said. “ Because of that, we‘re able to focus our energies on the things that our students are already responding to, and already feel that they’re a part of.”

According to Delaney, it is important for students to understand that the support they had hasn’t disappeared. Staff from both organizations are now working together to meet students’ needs.

“If anything, it’s just now we’ve made one bigger cheerleading team for them all,” Delaney said. “We’re still here for students to find where they fit in.”

According to Ashley Jones, office administrator of The Kimmel Belonging and Engagement Hub, the organization will operate out of two locations for the time being.

“We’re still housing those that way until we kind of figure out where we all fit,” Jones said. “Students are more than welcome to come to either location.”

Affinity celebrations, history heritage months, sustained dialogue, ADI leadership certificates and related queries can be directed to the upstairs location, where The Hub was originally.

Downstairs in the MUC where the Kimmel was, still accommodates the student govern-

ment, organizations, fraternity and sorority life, service Saturdays and various community engagement activities.

According to Wagner, in the next few months, the campus will notice a stronger sense of unity within the organization. This will be apparent as they continue to collaborate as a single team on tasks that were previously handled separately.

“We are still carrying on,” Wagner said. “For some, they won’t notice a difference at all.”

REBECCA JOHNSON DEANE WILLIAMS-HARRIS Chicago Tribune (TNS)

WINTER RACINE

An employee works at the front desk of the Kimmel Center. | Udit Nalukala / The Alestle

SIUE Police get new wheels to patrol on campus

FRANCESCA BOSTON lifestyles editor UDIT NALUKALA multimedia editor

Hoyd said the bikes allow the department to patrol larger events safely, especially sporting events at Korte Stadium or events on the Quad. The bikes are able to reach speeds of 30 miles per hour.

Madison

County

Transit donated two electric bikes to the SIUE police department as part of an effort to patrol the trails that go around and through campus, which also allows them to more efficiently police larger events and sporting events.

The electric bikes, which are outfitted with sirens, lights, bag holders and other necessities are a donation from Madison County Transit. SJ Morrison, the managing director of MCT, said the bikes were a donation as part of a partnership between the MCT and local municipalities and universities.

“For the last several years, Madison County Transit has been providing police bicycles, with the goal being not only patrolling the neighborhoods in the downtown areas, but, in part, for patrolling bike trails,” Morrison said.

There are more than 138 miles of bikeways throughout Madison County. Morrison said many of them connect to the SIUE campus, and by donating the bikes, they are creating a sense of safety on the many miles of trails throughout campus.

“We’ve really found that it’s

been a great partnership for law enforcement to be seen on the trails. It’s been good for MCT,” Morrison said.

Kasey Hoyd, a detective with the SIUE Police Department, said that the bikes provide

the department with another element to be able to connect with the community. The all-electric bikes will allow officers to quickly reach parts of campus that may be more difficult to reach with a squad car, accord-

ing to Hoyd.

“While we can actually get our squad cars on the trails, the bikes give us an ability to maneuver quickly and get down the trails if someone is injured or needs help,” Hoyd said.

“It is another enhanced ability to patrol campus,” Hoyd said.

Hoyd said there are currently four officers trained to patrol on the bikes, and the department is looking into training more. Chancellor Minor said the collaboration is a chance to create a wonderful partnership between the university and surrounding communities.

“This is a beautiful demonstration of community partnerships that I think will be mutually beneficial for the university, but also for the surrounding community,” Minor said.

Morrison said MCT not only owns and maintains the bike trails, but provides other public transit options such as a paratransit service for the elderly and disabled, as well as running the public buses used by many college students.

“We are working to help make Madison County not only more walkable and bikeable, but also provide accessible transportation for people in all communities of all abilities and of all socio-economic levels,” Morrison said.

From left, MCT Managing Director Jim Morrison, Chancellor James Minor and SIUE Interim Police Captain Justin Lieberman talk about the new police bikes on campus. | Udit Nalukala / The Alestle

NEXT WEEK: COUGAR COMMON GROUND IS BACK WITH CLIMBING CLUB

STUDENT FEEDBACK RESULTS IN EXTENDED HOURS, NEW DINING OFFERINGS

MADISON SAMPLE reporter

After listening to student feedback, dining services have made significant changes for the fall semester, including extended hours and expanded food options.

According to Dennis Wobbe, the director of Dining Services, student feedback was crucial to making decisions on what changes needed to be made in order to improve the overall dining experience of all who utilize dining services on campus. One of the largest pieces of this feedback being students’ desire for extended dining hours.

“This year we had hoped to have better staffing, we have an amazing team that is working their tails off to get everything open,” Wobbe said. “We did expand hours and we’re hoping to have more staffing, but we are still down about 25 positions. But our team is always willing to overcome.”

Senior public health major Isabella Pruitt said some of the students’ concerns over dining’s previously limited hours and stated an appreciation for the newly expanded hours.

“It does make a difference, especially for people with classes later so they can get there later, or they have different options so I’m not having to eat the same thing every day,” Pruitt said.

Pruitt also said some of the concerns in the past years were the previous year’s lack of options for people with dietary restrictions, including a lack of choices for individuals who are vegetarian or vegan.

“Another was not having

enough diverse options,” Pruitt said. “It’s getting better but it is still an issue. In the past, there has not been a lot of variety for people with dietary restrictions.”

According to Wobbe, stu dent concerns about a lack of options for people with dietary restrictions have been addressed, and, starting in the fall, there will be new and expanded menus catering to them.

“We always keep on expand ing our dietary restrictions. En trees has a huge selection of veg an and vegetarian items,” Wobbe said. “We have also just recently worked with Beyond Meat at Boss Burgers and we bought a griddle so it never touches any meat products and we have a vegan bun.”

According to Wobbe, the biggest changes for dining in the fall semester will be the ad dition of Kamayan, a new Filipi no restaurant located in Center Court, the return of Cocina to its original location in Cougar Den, and the return of the Starbucks Cart located in the library.

“Kamayan is now in the place that was formerly Little Cocina, and we moved Cocina back to where it was in Cougar Den, ” Wobbe said.

Dining Services conducted many pop-up dining experiences to gauge student demand for particular cuisines, these pop-up events are referred to as “action stations”.

“We had done a lot of action stations and we gauged some of the demand. The best-selling action station we had was lumpia and chicken adobo, and people were floored by it,” Wobbe said.

“Paired with that, several of our team members have Filipino her-

itage and would love to showcase it. Welie, one of our new administrators, is over that area and took on that project.”

Welie Clark, administrator III for Dining Services, oversaw the development of Kamayan and is now directly in charge of the restaurant. Clark is Filipino and thus excited to share her culture’s cuisine with the SIUE community.

“Kamayan is a Filipino tradition– it means eating by hand–and that’s how it became the name of the area,” Clark said.

According to Clark, Kamayan will serve several different popular and authentic

Filipino dishes.

“We are serving the most popular Filipino dish, which is the chicken adobo. The chicken adobo is marinated in soy sauce, vinegar, onions and garlic. We marinate it overnight and let it sit, and that’s where the delicious flavor comes out,” Clark said.“We also offer the bistek, which is Tagalog for beefsteak. Another thing we are offering is the pancit bihon, which is rice noodles, and tofu. It all comes with jasmine rice or they have an option to upgrade to pancit noodles.”

Clark explained that Kamayan, similar to the rest of Dining Services, greatly values feed-

back from students and faculty.

“We started Monday and we so far have a lot of good feedback from students, faculty and staff. They really like the food because they like the flavor,” Clark said. “We are excited, we are really thrilled.”

With the newly expanded hours of operation, more options for people with dietary restrictions and the addition of Kamayan, the fall semester will bring a wider variety of dishes to the plates of those who dine on campus. Dining Service’s hours of operation and menus for the fall semester can be found on their website and Instagram.

Buckminster Fuller legacy extends beyond Metro East homeland

DYLAN HEMBROUGH

editor-in-chief

“He does that,” Jacobs said. “Bucky tends to change lives.”

Architecture designed by Buckminster Fuller, who died in 1983, has the ability to change lives even today, as a tour of his work in the Metro East brings together people who have studied his work.

According to Lowder, Fuller dedicated his life to promoting ideas of efficiency, sustainability and cooperation on a global scale. Fuller, who held no license in architecture or engineering, designed and patented a number of blueprints for buildings meant to illustrate this very purpose. One of these buildings was the Fuller Dome.

“[The building is] called a geoscope, and the idea was to have a miniature earth,” Lowder said. “You get this vantage point

of looking at the world from the inside out. You move from this microcosm as a human individual to this planetary organism and its place in the cosmos.”

The Fuller Dome is located on the 90th longitudinal meridian, exactly a quarter of the way around the world from the Prime Meridian in Greenwich, England. The 90th meridian also goes through Cahokia Mounds, the old Olmec capital in Guatemala, the Galapagos Islands and near Lhasa, a cultural center for Buddhism in Tibet.

Fuller also patented a map projection called a “dymaxion,” a new way of looking at the world as a flat – and accurate – map.

“The point is that it’s accurate, but it also dissolves nationalistic boundaries,” Lowder said. “You don’t look at Africa and think, ‘They’re way over there, they have nothing to do with us.’”

The Fuller Dome building was originally constructed in 1971, with its initial purpose being to provide the students of SIUE with a place of worship. It has since become a more inclusive space open to all religious traditions. Lowder said the building is a draw because of this.

Despite the building’s openness, Lowder said he feels the building and its purpose are relatively unknown, both on campus and worldwide. Lowder also said he hopes the university will recognize the importance of Fuller’s ideas and legacy as a tool for recruitment and retention of students.

Lowder also said the Center is embarking on a “greening campaign” to convert it into a carbon-neutral building.

“The first step of that is happening right now, as far as stabilizing the building for the

winter,” Lowder said. “That’s why we got that crowdfunding campaign going to replace the boiler. All these improvements are financially burdensome, but we’re taking it as an opportunity to green the building.”

Doug Jacobs, who attended the architectural tour, wrote a play about Buckminster Fuller entitled “The History (and Mystery) of the Universe,” which was performed twice in 2016 at SIUE. Jacobs, who goes by D. W. Jacobs professionally, said he had the privilege of meeting Buckminster Fuller during his time in college.

“Bucky saw children as born geniuses, and the early schooling deprogrammed them from their own genius … It’s not the sentimental inner child thing, but it’s that imagination,” Jacobs said. “The play is sort of worked that way: Bucky says, ‘Don’t be me — be what are you unique-

ly designed to do that nobody else can do.’”

Jacobs said he spent five years researching for his play, and even quit teaching theater in order to focus on it.

Jacobs said Fuller was likely placed at just the right time in history to spread his ideas to a quickly-changing world.

“Bucky testified to the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, so he was really perfectly placed,” Jacobs said. “This is where we were, this is where we are now, this is the utopia we could have. He was warning about fossil fuels 50 years ago.”

Lowder said this sentiment was echoed in the name of the building.

“What the heck does spirituality have to do with sustainability?” Lowder said. “If you believe in a creator, the best way to honor that creator is to take care of the creation.”

Student worker Sufiya Pervez serves a customer at Paavos’s Pizza, as the restaurant has brought back customizable pizza after a year of to-go only. I Thea Weltzin / The Alestle

Rotary Criterium draws big downtown crowds

Edwardsville Rotary hosted the 2023 Criterium Festival last weekend. The cycling competition — part of the Illinois Cup — had categories for juniors, women and pro-level cyclists.

“We are all excited to be a part of it,” Brian Mulhall, race director, said. “We will have over 200 racers from at least a dozen states. They come from as far as Oregon, Tennessee, Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri and Texas.”

Right, national Criterium champion Brandon Feehery, of Chicago, Illinois, won the in the pro division of the race. “It is my first elite national win,” Feehery said. “I have been racing for the past nine years. This win is the biggest win I have ever had.”

Feehery took part in the Criterium for the first time in Edwardsville.

“[It’s] just an amazing feeling to win,” Feehery said. “My dad started racing when he was 26, and we, just as a family, grew up going to his races. At the age of 10, my brother and I started racing together.”

From left, Emmy Nesselhauf, Hensley Gieseke and Georgia Stogsdill sing karaoke after finishing up their bike races. “Kids just have so much fun. It is the event that brings the whole community together,” Gieseke’s mother, Heather, said. I Udit Nalukala / The Alestle

Edwardsville hosted the Illinois Cup as a part of Rotary Criterium Festival 2023.

“We are honored, we are excited,” Edwardsville Rotary Criterium Race Director Brian Mulhall said. “That’s a big feather in our cap. It speaks highly of proving yourself for over 12 years.” I Udit Nalukala / The Alestle

NEXT WEEK: IS THE SMELL OF WEED ACTUALLY A PROBLEM?

UDIT NALUKALA Multimedia Editor

Intersectionality: Important tool for understanding hate

In a growing world of diversity and intersections of countless identities, recognizing the concept of intersectionality has never been more vital.

In 1991, American Civil Rights Advocate Kimberlé Crenshaw assisted in a U.S. Supreme Court case, in which she saw the divide between feminists supporting the defendant and anti-racists supporting the prosecution.

in which inequalities based on gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, class and other forms of discrimination intersect to create a unique framework of each individual’s life.

Sibley’s death is a shocking reminder that intersectionality is more important now than ever.

HAVE A COMMENT?

Let us know! opinion@alestlelive.com

Campus Box 1167 Edwardsville, Illinois 62026-1167

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY:

The editors, staff and publishers of The Alestle believe in the free exchange of ideas, concerns and opinions and will publish as many letters as possible.

Letters may be submitted at The Alestle office: Morris University Center, Room 0311 e-mail: opinion@alestlelive.com

All hard copy letters should be typed and double-spaced. Letters should be no longer than 500 words. Include phone number, signature, class rank and major.

We reserve the right to edit letter for grammar and content. Care will be taken to ensure that the letter’s message is not lost or altered.

Letters to the editor will not be printed anonymously except under extreme circumstances. We reserve the right to reject letters.

She saw two calls for equality, both working in opposition. Instead of working together to strengthen each other’s cause, they picked each other apart.

Crenshaw then coined the term intersectionality to acknowledge the overlap of these simultaneous prejudices. Intersectionality describes the combination

On July 29, O’Shae Sibley, 28-year-old professional dancer, was dancing outside a Brooklyn gas station to Beyoncé when he was approached by a group of young men. The men shouted slurs at Sibley when he was then murdered, and his death has been charged as a hate crime murder. Sibley was both Black and queer. According to a 2021 study done by the Williams Institute, both Black queer adults and Black non-queer adults reported experiences with everyday discrimination, with Black queer adults reporting slightly more experiences of everyday discrimination than Black non-queer adults.

Recognizing intersectionality is a powerful tool in dismantling oppression. For example, a lesbian woman may experience misogyny and homophobia, but she will experience misogyny differently than a straight woman and homophobia differently than a queer man.

When we acknowledge these intersecting identities, we can identify the unique challenges an individual may have that aren’t adequately tackled by addressing each form of discrimination alone. In order to construct lasting change, we must address these complex connections and design interventions that account for their effects.

The concept of intersectionality also plays a critical role in

driving social change. Movements don’t only celebrate diversity, but also embrace it as a political resource. Policies that don’t account for intersectionality can inadvertently perpetuate inequalities by failing to adequately support individuals within that group. By recognizing intersectionality, policies are able to be more inclusive and effective.

We are opened to a world of possibilities for learning and personal growth when we recognize intersectionality. By embracing the complexities of identity, we challenge our own assumptions and biases. It pushes us to confront our privilege and encourages us to listen and learn from those who have different experiences from our own. This not only enriches our own lives but also contributes to creating a more equitable society.

Streaming services raising prices harms college students

ers who simply want access to TV shows and movies.

monthly, to $5.99 monthly.

The name Alestle is an acronym derived from the names of the three campus locations of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville: Alton, East St. Louis and Edwardsville.

The Alestle is published on Thursdays in print and on Tuesdays online during the fall and spring semesters. A print edition is available every other Wednesday during summer semesters.

For more information, call 618-650-3528

For advertising, email advertising@alestlelive.com

Streaming services are raising their prices and implementing anti-password sharing measures. In doing so, they are turning away customers — many of whom are college students.

Streaming services were first introduced as a more affordable alternative to traditional cable, resulting in many people canceling their cable plans altogether.

However, now that streaming services have almost entirely destroyed cable, these companies are shifting their business models to look eerily similar to said companies.

Popular content is spread amongst several different streaming services, meaning that consumers must purchase subscriptions to multiple different platforms.

These costs add up, and with a majority of major platforms increasing their monthly prices, this increased cost will hurt view-

These price hikes follow Netflix’s price increase and anti-password sharing measures that prohibit college students living away from home from accessing the platform without purchasing their own subscriptions.

Forbes recently released an article stating that the average household would have to pay $75.45 a month to have access to ad-free streaming from all of these platforms, and even then college students would need to purchase a second subscription to access Netflix while at school.

Video streaming services are not the only ones increasing their prices. Forbes also discussed the rising prices of other forms of media like Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music.

The Spotify Premium price increase has even impacted college students! According to Spotify, the Spotify Premium student plan has increased from $4.99

With all of these streaming prices increasing, many college students will have to make the difficult decision as to which streaming services they can afford. Many college students rely on password sharing to access all of the major streaming services while staying within a limited budget, especially with these new price increases.

Losing access to streaming platforms, whether due to price increases or anti-password sharing measures, is significant as so much of pop culture is based on TV, movies and music.

Other than relevance to pop culture, college students in particular rely on streaming content to destress and relax after long days of working and studying. Without access to streaming platforms, their ability to destress and relax would be further limited.

Since we live in a capitalist society, companies wanting to make a profit above all is normal, however, the overall negative

impact of price increases and anti-password sharing measures on viewers should be considered by these companies when making these decisions.

Everyone who uses these services should be aware of these price increases in order to make the best financial decisions while still retaining access to their favorite content. They should also know that it is okay to cancel the services that are not within their budget, and they should be encouraged to password share with friends and family on streaming services that still allow password sharing.

If you do decide to cancel your subscription to streaming services such as Netflix, let them know it was because of their anti-password sharing measures or their price increases.

Through doing this it may show other companies that it is not in their best interest to implement anti-password sharing measures on their platform or to increase their prices.

CHLOE WOLFE Opinion Editor

BRUCE DARNELL Managing Editor

DYLAN HEMBROUGH Editor-in-Chief

AUDREY O’RENIC Sports Editor

FRANCESCA BOSTON Lifestyles Editor

WINTER RACINE Online Editor

MEET THE FALL 2023

alestle STAFF

Hello readers! I’m Dylan Hembrough, editor-in-chief of The Alestle as of this May. I’m a pharmacy major and plan on going into psychiatric pharmacy after I graduate in 2028. I’m a self-published author of three books to date, which is actually how I got into journalism. I stumbled across The Alestle at New Student Orientation, applied to be a reporter and haven’t looked back since. I hope you all enjoy this year’s paper!

My name is Grace Gentemann, and I am a new reporter for The Alestle this year. I am a nursing major, and this will be my sophomore year. I have always been a very sports-oriented person — in high school I played basketball and ran track. Now that I am no longer an athlete, I still enjoy many physical activities such as biking, weightlifting and swimming. I love music of all kinds and one of my favorite pastimes is discovering new music. I have always loved to write and inspire others; I am extremely excited for this year and what it has to offer!

I’m Bruce Darnell, The Alestle’s managing editor. I’m currently majoring in mass communications with a specialization in journalism and double minoring in creative writing and history. To me, storytelling is an important part of my life, which is why I’m pursuing a career in journalism. Telling people’s stories, especially people who may not otherwise have a platform, is a key aspect of what makes me passionate about journalism.

Hi! My name is Tyson, though I usually go by Ty. I am going into my senior year here at SIUE, studying mass communications with a minor in creative writing. I’m also a resident assistant in Cougar Village! When I’m not working, you can usually find me spending time outside with my cat or inside tinkering with electronics.

Hello all! I am Francesca Boston, the lifestyles editor. I started as a reporter back in 2021, and have been with The Alestle ever since. I study history, anthropology and geography with the hopes of being a National Park ranger.

Hi y’all, my name is Madison Sample and I am a senior majoring in political science and mass communications. After graduation this spring I intend to move to Tampa, Florida with my fiancé, and there I plan to work as a reporter. I love reporting as it allows me to tell the stories of others, learn interesting things and it itches my brain in all the right ways. In my free time I love to crochet, read, listen to true crime stories and hang out with my cats, friends and family. I am looking forward to a wonderful last year here at SIUE.

My name is Audrey O’Renic, and I am the sports editor for The Alestle. I am a mass communications major working toward broadcast journalism, which is why I began working for The Alestle. I love meeting new people, exploring new places and learning more about the world. The Alestle has brought me so much experience and knowledge, and I’m so excited to share it with all of you!

I am Matthew, and I am a copy editor for The Alestle. I am a computer science major, and I joined because I thought the experience of working with a newspaper would be cool. My hobbies include as many things as I can do before I die.

Greetings. I am Udit Sai Anand, multimedia editor at The Alestle. I am from India, pursuing a master’s in industrial engineering. Working at The Alestle has allowed me to explore my passion towards photography, helped me get creative in these aspects of filmmaking and also connect with people I otherwise could not have reached out to.

BRANDI SPANN copy editor

I’m Brandi Spann. I’m an English major double minoring in creative writing and women’s studies. I’m an avid music listener and book collector. I’ve recently returned home from my semester abroad in Dublin, Ireland, where I visited seven European countries and developed a newfound love for community and ravioli alla caprese. The rich Irish literature scene and my Irish professors nurtured my love for words and stories, making me just as keen as ever to write and discover more about our Edwardsville community.

If you made it this far in the paper, thanks! My name is Chloe Wolfe and I am the opinion editor. My job is in the name — I have a lot of opinions, and I typically have to be loud about them. Oddly enough, I’m in journalism for the opposite reason. I get anxious when talking to strangers, so I’m basically here to push myself out of my comfort zone. I got involved with journalism my senior year of high school and I’ve been involved with it ever since. I’m majoring in mass communications and political science, and I love it.

I am the illustrator for The Alestle. I have worked as a freelance illustrator for over five years, and my major is currently undecided. Despite being undecided, I am thinking about majoring in forensic anthropology. I love to write (more so fantasy than anything else) and occasionally you will see me as the author of an article.

I’m Winter Racine, an honors sophomore majoring in mass communications. Though I hadn’t initially considered a role in journalism, writing has always come naturally to me. I started at The Alestle as a photographer, but soon found myself writing again, reigniting my passion. Now I am the online editor, working hard at growing our community. Following my graduation, I plan to establish a career in marketing.

My name is Hannah Ledford and I am a mass communications major with a focus on media production. As podcast producer I get to put my media production skills to use. I hope to one day have a career in media production, so getting this experience in college is something I really value. I love getting to be the Alestle’s podcast producer because it’s a job where I can be creative and collaborate with other students. In my free time I like to spend time with my dog Suzie and watch a ridiculous amount of “Survivor.”

DYLAN HEMBROUGH editor-in-chief

BRUCE DARNELL managing editor

FRANCESCA BOSTON lifestyles editor

AUDREY O’RENIC sports editor

UDIT NALUKALA multimedia editor

CHLOE WOLFE opinion editor

WINTER RACINE online editor

GRACE GENTEMANN reporter

TY HICKS reporter

MADISON SAMPLE reporter

MATTHEW WOLDEN copy editor

THEA WELTZIN illustrator

HANNAH LEDFORD podcast producer

Women’s soccer has seen lots of changes this season, but they’re using the change to keep their momentum after last season’s Ohio Valley Conference Championship win.

This summer, SIUE Director of Athletics Andrew Gavin announced the promotion of Alexis Smith to associate head coach after previously serving as an assistant coach. Additionally, Alyssa Krause was appointed as an assistant coach after spending last season with SIU Carbondale.

Head Coach Derek Burton said the new assistant coach, Alyssa Krause, has brought a new perspective to the team.

“[Krause is] bringing new, fresh ideas. She’s been very successful and she’s very experienced,” Burton said. “She has an analytical ability to be able to break the game down, which helps us plan, practice and improve things.”

The new players have been another important aspect of the 2023 season, according to Bur-

ton. He said that the new players have been settling the team well and are working on playing well consistently.

The Cougars began their exhibition season against the University of Evansville Aces with a scoreless finish, and closed with a 0-6 loss against the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. The Cougars opened their season with a 0-2 loss against Missouri State University. Burton explained that the team has played difficult teams to prepare for conference games.

“Our schedule is a tough one on purpose because that makes us better,” Burton said.

“The two teams that we just played this past week, [University of Arkansas and Missouri State University], were their conference champions last year, the same as us. We just continue to go up against really good teams. And that challenges us, that’s the only way that you get better.”

Krause also said these games are very helpful to new players.

“We have some young players,” Krause said. “So

it’s a growth, you want to explode near conference. We’ve got some growing pains.”

On Aug. 20, the Cougars played the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Even though they lost 1-3, Freshman forward Ella Robinson scored her first career goal.

Soon the Cougars will be facing off against St. Louis University in St. Louis’s professional soccer stadium, CityPark. Sophomore centerfielder Taryn Moore expressed her excitement at being able to play on the same field as professionals.

“St. Louis University is

always a hard game,” Moore said. “Everyone gets really excited for it, and I think the game being at the stadium makes it even better. Everyone’s going to be ready to play and come out hard and hopefully get a good result.”

Women’s soccer second home game ends in tough loss

FRANCESCA BOSTON lifestyles editor

The first game in 30 years against the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee ends in a loss for the Cougars. Facing an excessive heat warning, injuries and a young team, the Cougars were unable to cinch a win.

Milwaukee scored the first goal of the game halfway into the first half. Emma Famulak was assisted by Cate Cullison to score against the Cougars. But the lead for the Milwaukee Panthers didn’t last long.

With 25 seconds left in the first half, freshman forward Ella Robinson, scored SIUE’s only goal of the game. Robinson was assisted by Macie Begley, a sophomore midfielder. Robinson’s goal also marks the first goal of her career at SIUE.

“The feeling of scoring that goal was an amazing feeling,” Robinson said.

The Cougars lost the tie in the second half, as the Milwaukee Panthers scored another two goals, resulting in the Panther’s first win of the season.

Head Coach Derek Burton said losses can create a chance to give the team and coaching staff more to think about and more to learn. He said that every game, especially this early in the season, is a learning experience, and he was impressed by the effort of the team during the game.

“Specifically, working on our composure and going in possession of the ball is really something that we have been lacking and that was a little bit better today. I think our intensity was really good,” Burton said.

Burton said one of players

Up next for women’s soccer...

August 25

For the first time in 13 years, SIUE will battle Purdue Fort Wayne at 7 p.m. at Korte Stadium.

August 27

SIUE travels to play Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis.

August 31

SIUE will compete against sister school SIU Carbondale at 7 p.m. in Korte Stadium.

September 2

SIUE will face off against. St. Louis University at 5 p.m. in St. Louis’s professional soccer stadium, CityPark.

who was a stand-out during the game was Taryn Moore, as she started in a new offensive role. Moore, a sophomore center-forward, was chosen as Player of the Game by the coaches.

“Taryn Moore was really, really good tonight. She was very effective in a new role for her so I’m really proud of her,” Burton said.

Moore said that the past two games have been hard, and that is on purpose. The team purposely plays well-ranked teams at the start of the season to improve quickly.

“We’ve had really hard games before this. I mean, the score was unfortunate. To come back after two really tough games and kind of play hard, and get a goal. It’s good for morale,” Moore said.

September 10 SIUE will travel to play Indiana State University.

September 21

SIUE will travel to Charleston, IL to compete against Eastern Illinois University. This game will be the start of the nine games in the Ohio Valley Conference.

CHLOE WOLFE opinion editor

Teammates celebrate freshman Ella Robinson after her first career goal during the Aug. 20 game against University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.

| Chloe Wolfe / The Alestle

Junior goalkeeper Taylor Spiller saves one of the seven shots on goal attempted by Milwaukee.

| Chloe Wolfe / The Alestle