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Man who killed International students SIUE hockey pulls SIUE student in 2021 gear up to return home two wins over Loyola sentenced to 29 years after semester abroad in weekend stand-off PAGE 2
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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
THE student voice since 1960
Thursday, November 30, 2023 Vol. 77 No. 12
Research reveals risk of political violence in Southern Illinois DYLAN HEMBROUGH editor-in-chief Data from a research project led by SIUE political science faculty shows Southern Illinois is more at-risk of political violence than , which is directly connected to people’s ability to determine which news is real and which is not. Laurie Rice, a professor in the Department of Political Science, said the first part of the project involved a survey covering around 750 people over 41 counties in Southern Illinois. “We found that there are Southern Illinoisans struggling with issues related to media literacy, and those struggles are higher in Southern Illinois than what we see nationally,” Rice said. “People who struggle with media literacy are potentially more easily fooled by attempts at online radicalization.” Media literacy is one’s ability to take in information from media sources and act upon it. What information a person is receiving, however, may be inaccurate and biased. Suranjan Weeraratne, an associate professor in the Department of Political Science, said the survey questions were tailored to this issue. “How do we know that people in Southern Illinois are struggling with media literacy?” Weeraratne said. “We asked a bunch of specific questions. Do you have trouble differentiating between facts and opinion? Do
you think information you read online is trustworthy?” Rice said people who struggle to accurately assess their news intake are generally more likely to be pulled into extremist content. “Without having a certain amount of media savviness, it’s easy to get drawn in by what are often campaigns aimed at radicalizing people to violence,” Rice said. Rice said this issue permeates generational and educational boundaries. While older Americans are grappling with a media environment very different from the one they grew up in, younger Americans are still figuring out how to navigate the current online world. “Even college graduates … will say that they struggle when recognizing if someone is trying to manipulate them or determining if information online is trustworthy,” Rice said. The media literacy survey and data-gathering was only the first part of this research project. The second part involves reaching out to the community to educate and raise awareness of these issues. Weeraratne said the community outreach portion of the project uses training modules and techniques aimed at improving people’s media literacy capabilities. One technique — and one of the most effective — is called lateral reading.
“Let’s say you’re online on your social media feed and you come across some information from an unfamiliar source,” Weeraratne said. “The first ques-
WHO IS YOUR NEIGHBOR?
tion that comes to your mind is ‘How reliable is this?’ Is this something you should be sharing with other people?” Weeraratne said that after
thinking about these questions the reader does a little research on their own. “You see who the source is, and then you open up another browser window and you do a search about that particular source,” Weeraratne said. “Then you can determine if this is a trustworthy one, is this a reliable one, is this a parody account. Once you’ve determined if this is a credible source, you can go back to the site.” Rice said lateral reading can be a key determining factor in helping people figure out if a website is legitimate or not, keeping the reader on the lookout for clickbait, or outrageous headlines meant to garner clicks, and foreign government influence. “Lateral reading is something that can be done quickly and easily and can prevent people from spreading misinformation,” Rice said. “Many of these campaigns that do so, they’re very slick, they appear like a legitimate website, but just taking a moment to research the source will typically identify if it is a legitimate news site.” Weeraratne also talked about the “redirect method,” which is a strategy some companies use to lead readers and viewers away from extremist content. “[If] you go to YouTube and search for pro-ISIS content, you are automatically redirected. The see LITERACY on page 3
Professor launches interfaith project in St. Louis together ideas. Both have been connected to the Interfaith America organization for severThis summer, J.T. Snipes, an Educa- al years. Snipes worked as their Campus tional Leadership Chair and assistant pro- Assessment Manager and Lutker got infessor, partnered with local fourth grade volved with the organization during his school teacher Ryan Lutker to achieve a undergraduate degree. “[Lutker] spent time in college putgoal: bring together their religious comting together interfaith projects, so he munities to share a meal. Earlier this really wanted to recapture what month, they achieved that goal. he experienced in college, which Snipes is a Christian and was people having conversations a part of St. John’s United together across religious differChurch of Christ which, acences, and building friendships,” cording to Snipes is “a BlackSnipes said. “So he asked me if led, radical, Black feminist I’d be interested in kick starting theology-driven church.” something … We thought it’d be Lutker is a part of the Recool if we could bring together our formed Jewish community called MaTovu which is “a small Jew- J.T. Snipes communities just to get to know each other.” ish community in South City [St. They began working on the project Louis].” He says that Jewish people can not only connect with each other but “re- over the summer, and Lutker and Snipes late to their faith or Jewish identity in a settled on the idea of the different congregations sharing meals together and disnontraditional way.” Snipes and Lutker were brought to- cussing their faith. “To have to share lunch together is a gether by Interfaith America, a nonprofit organization with the goal of promoting simple act, but it’s also deeply profound,” interfaith cooperation within different re- Snipes said. “I think there’s something ligions. Lutker had been wanting to start deeply spiritual about sharing a meal with an interfaith project within St. Louis and someone, right? And we want to tap into was connected with Snipes. Shortly after that significance. We see it as an openmeeting each other, they began putting ing for us to get to know and support
CHLOE WOLFE opinion editor
each other.” Both congregations met each other last month with a lunch held at MaTovu, which was catered by a local St. Louis restaurant according to Lutker. Lutker said they encouraged members of both congregations to sit with people they did not know. He also said they set out discussion questions at each table for people to get to know each other. According to Snipes, some of the questions included, “Did you grow up with a particular religion? If so, what was it?” and, “What is one stereotype about religion you’d like to dispel?” Snipes said that although the only thing that happened during their last lunch was everyone meeting each other, he hopes that they will continue to build relationships together during the rest of the project. “It’s really nice to be able to get to know people who are oriented differently around religion,” Snipes said. “It was nice to be able to see some commonalities of our faiths and to see the points of divergence. As an academic, that’s what I live for — I live for those sort of conversations.” Although the groups have only met once so far, Lutker and Snipes have hopes that they will be able to expand the work to involve more communities in St. Louis.
“The goal right now is just to have lunch, and to get to know folks that are our neighbors,” Snipes said. “The larger goal in the spring is we’re going to invite different community-based organizations to come in and share the work that they’re doing.” Lutker said that the interfaith project has also given him an experience that he would not have had without being a part of the project and he hopes to bring that to others. “As a Jewish person, I would not be entering a church if it wasn’t for this project,” Lutker said. “I think that’s special to share such a place of importance with the greater community.” According to Snipes, the project within St. John’s and MaTovu will last for nine more months and at the end they hope to expand it to other organizations in St. Louis. “It starts with St. John’s and with MaTovu,” Lutker said. “I think that makes it more intimate and more comfortable. But I think the goal ultimately is to reach other people as well and involve other people. I think J.T. and I both see this as a project for the St. Louis Community and less a project for MaTovu and St. John’s. Anything that St. Louis benefits from, MaTovu and St. John’s will consequently benefit as well.”
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Teen receives 29-year prison sentence for SIUE murder
New chair of pharmacy practice hopes to continue the school’s legacy
BRUCE DARNELL managing editor
Jennifer Hookstra was recently named the new chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice, with plans to continue outreach to faculty to ensure their well-being. “This is a solid program with real, authentic people that are unabashedly focused on training their students to be really good pharmacists,” Hookstra said. “We’re this hidden gem here in the Midwest that people may not realize. I was so impressed when I did my research … and learned about the school and the results we produced, and thought, ‘This is a place I want to be a part of.’” Hookstra said she oversees around 24 faculty members who
Nearly three years after the murder of Moneer Damra, Jacob Godoy was sentenced to 29 years in prison for first degree murder on Nov. 29. Godoy was 16 years old when the shooting occurred on University Park Drive, which ruled out a life sentence. The police were unable to determine a motive for the shooting and have called it a random act of violence. Damra, 27, was a nursing major and ROTC cadet with plans to become an Army nurse after college. He was a passenger in the vehicle when it was shot at by Godoy and Jimmy Ortiz, whose case is still pending. One of Damra’s sisters gave a victim-impact statement in court, saying her brother overcame many obstacles through his life, such as being unhoused. She also forgave Godoy. “In honor of the loving, joyful and brave life my brother cultivated, I hope you are afforded the opportunity to change your life and find a path of purpose,” she said.
New memorial tree program soon to be implemented SAM MUREN reporter
SIUE’s Office of Administration has implemented a new program allowing donors to fund planting trees on campus in honor of friends or relatives. The program will give donors the opportunity to commemorate someone significant to them while also helping SIUE plant more trees on campus. “We realized we had the opportunity to put together a modest program so that individuals could honor someone who passed away, someone who had been an outstanding colleague or retiree, and [they would] also contribute to the tree replacement program,” Vice Chancellor of Administration Bill Retzlaff said. The donation is $150 per tree. The donor has the opportunity to choose from 10 different approved tree types and can choose between Edwardsville, Alton and East St. Louis campuses to have their tree planted at. Donation money will go to the Facilities Management’s tree replacement program in hopes of helping the university bring more trees to campus. For their contribution, donors can find their honoree on the SIUE website on the Office of Administration page. To find more information, contact the Office of Administration or SIUE Facilities Management with any further questions.
DYLAN HEMBROUGH editor-in-chief
practice off-campus anywhere between St. Louis and Springfield, Illinois. This is where they devote a portion of their professional time — the other portion goes towards teaching at SIUE. “My job is to make sure we’re taking care of those faculty members, allowing them the support and development that they need to do well in their teaching [and] their clinical practice sites, [and] to feel like they are developing in their academic careers,” Hookstra said. Hookstra said that since the School of Pharmacy has only been around for 18 years or so, most of the faculty who taught the inaugural classes are still around. “People come here, they love it here, they stay here,” Hookstra said. “But they’re looking to
the second half of their careers: ‘What do I want to do next? What do we want to do next as a school?’ My vision is to support our faculty in defining what that next evolution is for us. We get to define that together.” Hookstra said pioneering teaching styles are among the strengths of the program. “We have some really innovative, creative faculty members. They can do a lot with a little — they’re good at getting stuff done,” Hookstra said. “That supports our students the best. That makes sure we are using the most innovative teaching methods and the most effective teaching methods, and we’re proud of that.” More information about the School of Pharmacy can be found online.
U.S. suicide rates hit historic high in 2022, increase among older adults
11.18.23 A car was broken into in the Gardens. An officer reported that the car window was broken and cash was stolen. 11.19.23 An officer responded to a report that there was a vehicle swerving on Stadium Drive. The officer said the car was gone upon their arrival.
11.27.23 Feminine hygiene products in a MUC men’s restroom were destroyed. The products provided by the Mensi Project have been destroyed numerous times.
EMILY ALPERT REYES Los Angeles Times (TNS)
Rising rates of suicide among older adults drove the number of such deaths to a historic high in the United States last year, even as suicide declined among youth, according to a report released Wednesday by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 49,000 people died by suicide in 2022 across the country, the highest tally recorded for the nation, according to federal figures. It’s the latest evidence of a troubling trend in the U.S., where suicide has been on the rise for much of the 21st century. The U.S. suicide rate fell somewhat between 2018 and 2020, but then resumed its upward trend, alarming health officials. After adjusting the raw numbers to account for the age distribution of Americans, CDC researchers found that the nation’s suicide rate last year was 14.3 deaths per 100,000 residents — a level not seen since 1941. The rate is based on preliminary figures for suicide deaths, which are expected to increase as 2022 deaths continue to be assessed and more of them are classified as suicides. The growing numbers were propelled by rising rates of suicide among people 35 or older, federal figures indicate. Between 2021 and 2022, rates actually fell among those younger than 25, but rose significantly for many groups of older adults, the report shows. “It’s somewhat different than what we’ve seen in past years,” said Sally C. Curtin, a statistician at the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics and one of the authors of the new report. Suicide rates have increased across many demographic groups, but “if there’s a bright spot in the report, it is that decline for some of the younger groups which had been marching steadily up.” The gender gap remained wide in 2022, with 23.1 deaths per 100,000 men and 5.9 deaths per 100,000 women. Elderly
IRELAND Riots broke out in Dublin after three children were stabbed. Police have not identified the suspect. The riots started due to the belief the assailant was a foreigner.
A woman presses her face against a photo on a memorial poster during an event to raise funds for a suicide prevention center in Los Angeles. | Allen Schaben / L.A. Times men were at especially high risk: Among men ages 75 and older, the suicide rate (43.7 deaths per 100,000) was roughly twice as high as for young males ages 15 to 24 (21.6 deaths per 100,000). Though suicide was much less common among women than men, the age-adjusted rate for women rose 4 percent between 2021 and 2022, compared with 1 percent for men. Among women, the age range at highest risk of suicide was 45 to 54, with 8.9 such deaths per 100,000, according to the new report. And there have been marked differences in suicide rates by race and ethnicity, with American Indian and Alaska Native people at highest risk (26.7 deaths per 100,000), followed by non-Hispanic white people (17.6 deaths per 100,000), according to the report. Suicide rates have been significantly lower among other racial and ethnic groups in the U.S., including Black people, whose rate was 9 such deaths per 100,000. But other studies have questioned whether misclassification of deaths among Black peo-
ple might affect the accuracy of those numbers. The U.S. has seen suicides rise even as rates fell in many other countries across the globe. Experts have suggested a range of factors that might play a role, including the opioid epidemic, economic uncertainty and access to firearms. The U.S. surgeon general issued a call to action in 2021, saying that suicide prevention “requires a comprehensive approach that combines multiple strategies to reduce risk and strengthen protective factors at the individual, relationship, community, and societal levels.” That includes addressing “upstream factors” that affect suicide, increasing the use of mobile crisis teams, and keeping people safe from “lethal means,” the surgeon general’s report says. “The troubling increase in suicides requires immediate action across our society to address the staggering loss of life from tragedies that are preventable,” Dr. Debra Houry, the CDC’s chief medical officer, said this year.
PALESTINE A temporary ceasefire has begun to allow for the trading of hostages between. A total of 180 prisoners have been released from both sides.
SOMALIA A merchant ship in the Gulf of Aden was attacked by Somali pirates for its ties to an Israeli businessman. The last attack by Somali pirates was carried out in 2018. FINLAND Finland is closing its border with Russia to stop an influx of asylum seekers from the country. The closure will last around two weeks.
INDIA Rescuers were able to save all 41 miners trapped in a mine in northern India. The rescuers dug holes through the debris to reach the miners, who were trapped for over two weeks. Information courtesy of Reuters / AP
Thursday, 11.30.23
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KNOW YOUR vote: Britney Wallace
Kaia Ford
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Get to know your elected student officials by Dylan Hembrough
Kaelyn Cupil
Barrett Larkin
External Affairs Officer
Internal Affairs Officer
Student Wellness & Equity Officer
Organization Relations Officer
Keeping up Student Government’s relationships with outside organizations is junior nursing major Britney Wallace. Wallace, who is in her first year with Student Government, said her job is a largely student-centered one, from planning events to maintaining the Cougar discount at businesses in Edwardsville. “My committee has been working on adding businesses to the student discount, as well as updating any changes, and we got a new window decal to send out to businesses,” Wallace said. “I also work with my committee to help do things behind the scenes. For the homecoming bonfire, my committee helped me make the s’mores packets.” Wallace said she pursued this position because of her prior experience as vice president of the Resident Housing Association, where she also planned events for students to partake in. “I try to do a survey, so students can give feedback,” Wallace said. “That way I can gather [responses] and see how I can improve it the next time.” Wallace said she enjoys reality TV, reading and trying new foods at restaurants she has never been to. “I will go find a restaurant that has a different cuisine that I maybe wouldn’t normally eat, and I like to try that.”
Tasked with divvying out committee assignments and organizing staff bonding events for Student Government is graduate student and industrial-organizational psychology major Kaia Ford. “I put all senators on the committees — they have to be on two — and then I do the bonding events,” Ford said. “I try to make my position fun, so we do bundt cakes for birthdays. This semester, we did game night trivia, and we just went ice skating on Monday.” Ford said one of her main focuses this semester has been the new Constitution Revision Committee. “We added a Constitution Revision Committee this year, so I’m the chair of that. That’s usually every Wednesday,” Ford said. “We’re rewriting the constitution and bylaws, which we’ll get to next semester. We basically focused on the election manual this semester.” Ford said that, since she spends a lot of time in the office, she tries to put herself out there to the new senators who are still getting used to their positions. “I try to make friends with them. I like all the senators,” Ford said. Ford said she enjoys reality TV and hiking, as well as watching Family Guy reruns with her boyfriend. Ford also said she enjoys playing with her two cats, who she has pictures of on her desk.
Nursing major Kaelyn Cupil has taken on the “reimagined” diversity position of student wellness and equity officer with a vision to bring the diverse groups of SIUE together. “We’re not lacking diversity. We’re lacking those diverse groups mingling together and creating a bigger picture,” Cupil said. “So I would hope every officer that holds this position after me holds that close to them, because we have so many backgrounds, so many beautiful, different people here on campus.” Cupil said part of her job has been organizing a series of mixers to unite various portions of the student body. Currently, Cupil said her focus is on the Greek organizations. “Next year, we’re going to try to unite our international communities,” Cupil said. “We’re going to try to take it group by group and create these targeted community experiences.” Cupil also said she commends President Mackenzie Richards and Vice President Jared Jess on their handling of the new expanded senate. “I’m so happy they stuck to the charge and carried out the change that we made last year,” Cupil said. Cupil said she enjoys writing and singing in her free time, especially in her position as president of the Gospel Choir at SIUE.
Do you have an idea for a student organization? Junior business-economics major Barrett Larkin is the one responsible for helping you get the ball rolling on your new group. Larkin said he not only helps students establish these organizations, but also advises them on potential issues that may arise. “I know what problems they might run into, but I don’t want to influence the committee members who are going to vote on it,” Larkin said. “I want to give them as much information as possible without being biased for or against any particular organizations that are petitioning.” Larkin said he sees student organizations as a potential way for the university to fulfill its enrollment goals and connect with the student body as a whole. “I think all the stuff that the higher administration is doing with enrollment can be accomplished through campus culture and environment,” Larkin said. “I see the organizations as a link there.” In his free time, Larkin said he enjoys reading and writing as outlets to simplify and focus on life. “I am probably one of the few students on campus who switched from a smartphone to a flip phone — simplifying anything so I can focus on what’s important to me,” Larkin said.
Southern Illinois Israel-Hamas truce nears end, Netanyahu says goal unchanged at risk of being “A truce is not enough ANTONY SGUAZZIN what is needed is a cease-fire,” GALIT ALTSTEIN Saudi Foreign Minister Prince radicalized ALISA ODENHEIMER LITERACY | COVER
focus behind this is … that you offer people some kind of counter-narrative,” Weeraratne said. “It also depends on [the] kind of message — it cannot be a direct attack. If someone is searching for ISIS content, you have to expect they are radicalized to begin with.” Weeraratne said the redirect method is also a relatively new technique that has not been applied equally by varying companies and government organizations, so there is debate over how effective it is. Rice said that, to mitigate laziness in doing one’s own research, the training modules that have sprung out of this project incorporate hands-on opportunities for people to practice their new skills. “Seeing how quickly it can be done can be helpful. We’ve been doing some surveys after the training modules [and] so far we’re seeing pretty favorable responses to lateral reading,” Rice said. Rice and Weeraratne will be hosting these training sessions for the SIUE community on Monday, Feb. 12, and Tuesday, March 19 in the Student Success Center, Room 0200. Additionally, there will be a session for the broader Edwardsville community on Monday, Jan. 22 in the Edwardsville Public Library.
Bloomberg News (TNS)
Negotiators from Qatar, Egypt and the U.S. pressed for an extension of the cease-fire agreement for Gaza that’s due to end in hours, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that his country ultimately intends to resume warfare to eliminate Hamas and the threat it poses. “There is no situation in which we do not go back to fighting until the end. This is my policy,” Netanyahu said in a statement Wednesday. “The entire Security Cabinet is behind it. The entire government is behind it. The soldiers are behind it. The people are behind it – this is exactly what we will do.” Israel is pressing for the release of more hostages and would accept an extension of the current truce, a senior Israeli official said, but the country won’t discuss a new cease-fire deal involving the return of more hostages, including men and soldiers, until all civilian women and children are freed. After an expected release of hostages later on Wednesday, more than two dozen women and children will still be held, the official said. If those hostages are released, Israel is keen to discuss another deal, the official said. Others involved in discussing what will follow the expiring pause in fighting also staked out firm positions, at least in public.
Faisal Bin Farhan told reporters at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Hours after Hamas turned over 12 more hostages — 10 Israelis and two Thai citizens — to the Red Cross on Tuesday, President Joe Biden posted a message that appeared to call for an end to the fighting in Gaza. “To continue down the path of terror, violence, killing, and war is to give Hamas what they seek,” he said on Twitter. “We can’t do that.” But spokesman Kevin Munoz said Biden’s “support for Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas terrorists is as strong as ever” and that the president was simply restating his long-held position that Israelis and Palestinians ultimately need to live together in peace. The posting was a brief excerpt from a speech Biden delivered last week in which he called for a two-state solution and said Hamas was an impediment to that goal. So far, as part of the original agreement and a two-day extension, Hamas has released more than 60 Israeli hostages, all of them civilian women or children, and has separately freed about 20 citizens of Thailand, the Philippines and Russia. Israel, which has handed over about three Palestinian prisoners for every one of its citizens who’s been released, has received a list of hostages expected to be freed by Hamas on Wednesday, and is in the process of notify-
A woman washes and dries clothes amid destruction from an airstrike. | Ahmad Hasaballah / Getty Images ing their families, Axios reported on Twitter, citing the prime minister’s office. Bill Burns, director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, and the director of Israel’s Mossad intelligence service attended a meeting in Doha on Monday to discuss the potential terms of an extended deal, two people briefed on the visit said, adding that they had now both left. It isn’t clear how much progress they had made, the people said. Egyptian and Qatari officials were in contact to potentially extend the truce for two more days, Al-Qahera News reported Wednesday. The Cairo-based broadcaster typically represents the Egyptian government’s views. Agence France-Presse cited an in-
dividual close to Hamas as saying the Islamist group was open to a four-day extension. Antony Blinken, the U.S. secretary of state, and Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens are due to arrive in Israel on Thursday. The pause in fighting in Gaza has allowed the entry of more humanitarian aid into the stricken Mediterranean strip, where conditions are “catastrophic,” according to the United Nations. Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security advisor, said the U.S. had airlifted more than 54,000 pounds of medical supplies and food to Egypt that would be delivered to Gaza in the first of three planned shipments.
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PAGE 4
Finding a home abroad
In the final weeks of the semester, students ex Mahmoud Taha - Egypt
Raisa Rafique Gill - Pakistan
In the first interview, Taha said he wanted to be able to see snow, as it was one of the things on his bucket list. He said he was able to experience snow for the first time driving back from the Thanksgiving break. “The day we were leaving, it started to snow. So I only got to experience snow for three hours, but it was even more beautiful than I could have imagined. It was so quiet and peaceful,” Taha said. Taha said he has become very good friends with his roommates. He said one of his roommates, Cody Lang, invited him to spend the entire Thanksgiving break week with his family in northern Illinois, and he got to try good American food that Lang’s parents made. “I am thankful to Cody, Mr. and Mrs. Lang, for receiving me in their house and making sure I try as many American food and activities as possible.” Taha said. Taha said he also had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., and New York. He said seeing the Washington Monument was interesting, as it was based on designs from his home country of Egypt. He also said he saw the U.S. Agency for International Development building, which is the department that started his high school in Egypt. He said he is excited to see his family, but will miss the nature in the United States, as he has enjoyed hiking and outdoor activities. “I really like the nature around here, the trees. At home, along the Nile, there are farm fields, then there is desert farther out, but nothing like the forests around here,” Taha said.
Gill said she visited New York City with a group of friends back in October, and said she was so overwhelmed by the opportunity and the fact that all these places she saw on shows and movies growing up were right there. “We were just trying to explore as much as we could. We were there for four days and in four days, we hardly slept for four hours. It was a dream come true,” Gill said. “We were so thankful to God that He gave us the chance to come here, because I was selected out of 32,000 students. It’s really a blessing of God [that] I got the chance to see those places with my own eyes.” Gill said she spent her Thanksgiving with one of her cousins up in Wisconsin and got the chance to see snow up there, which was something she was hoping for when she first arrived in the U.S. “I really like winter, so when I was in Wisconsin I experienced snow for the first time and it was so overwhelming,” Gill said. She said she has loved her time in the U.S., but is ready to go home and see her family. Gill also said she would like to come back to SIUE for her graduate degree, as she is comfortable with the system and has made many friends here. “I can understand the system here. Now I’m very comfortable here. There are so many Indian peoples and our languages are very similar so I can connect to them,” Gill said.
Hein Zayar Na
Naing said he is ready to g lence and conflict in his home c he needs to be home with his military coup in 2021, and whe against the coup, many were kille calated in the past few months, a to violence from the protesters a “Innocent people are kille quence of every war, but I have going in that way. I have to wish for my people. I can let people try, like the danger happening. T said. “When I’m back in my co family, because I am the only son together. I can guide and I can from the worst.” Naing said he has been tryi he spends a lot of time worried f He said he was invited by a frien American family. “I had a really, really real Am Thanksgiving food, especially th Naing said he has loved his has been the best time of his life “[These] whole four month best, the best four months of my from here,” Naing said.
Finals seasons brings relaxation activities to library
AUDREY O’RENIC sports editor
The end of the year can be busy and stressful, but beginning Monday, Dec. 4, Lovejoy Library will offer engaging events targeted toward stress-reduction. According to the library, these events aim “to provide a creative, inclusive and calming environment for students during the last weeks of the semester.” Stress Re-DUCK-tion Five plastic ducks will be Five plastic ducks will be hidden amongst the nooks and crannies of the library each day from Dec. 4 through Dec. 6. Each duck contains a message instructing the winners to go to the first
floor information desk to receive their stress-relieving prize. The benefit of Stress Re-DUCK-tion is to “encourage people to explore the library and to take a break from studying — to step away and mentally regroup.”
Therapy Dogs Therapy dogs will be available on the first floor of the library from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Dec. 11 through 13. Take some time to de-stress and re-motivate during finals week by petting a furry friend. Hot Cocoa Bar Available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 11 through 13, the first floor of the library will
offer supplies to make your very own hot cocoa with their hot cocoa bar. This is the perfect quick drink to grab in between finals. Ghost Stories Beginning at 11:30 a.m. through 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 6, the Lovejoy Library returns for their second annual winter ghost stories live reading. If you cannot attend, the library offers its “Spooky Stories & Other Horrors: The Tradition of Scary Stories during the Holiday Season” exhibit to view any time. The exhibit features large panels of graphics and quotes that explain the history of ghost stories during the holidays, a table filled with spooky books for students to read, a life-size
MakerLab-made fireplace and a YouTube playlist to watch. Brewing Resilience From 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Dec. 4 and 6, and from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 5, various dried herbs and tea leaves will be available in the first floor of the library for you to make your own for brewing. Take a break and recharge with delicious tea to help ease the stress of the last weeks of the semester. For more information on these events, visit Lovejoy Library or the SIUE GetInvolved page. For mental health support and telehealth support, Counseling Services can be reached at (618) 650-2842 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, and more information is available on its website.
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xperience travel, homesickness, winding down
aing - Myanmar
Myia McAllister - U.S. to Spain
Ana Vasquez - Semester at Sea
go home because of growing viocountry of Myanmar, and he feels s family. Myanmar experienced a en the people peacefully protested ed. Naing said the violence has esand most of the country is subject and military. ed every day. This is the consee to accept that because things are h for my family and I have to wish from here know about my counThat’s all I could do here,” Naing ountry, at least I can be with my n in the family. I can be with them tell them what to do and protect
McAllister said the best part about Barcelona is how easy the city is to get around and the vast variety of clubs and restaurants to visit. McAllister said she has had the opportunity to do a lot of traveling around Europe during her semester abroad, since flights are so cheap from Barcelona to other parts of the continent. “I went to Dublin in early October, and then I went to Rome, and then into the Pyrenees, Andorra for a weekend with my program. When my boyfriend was here, I went to Valencia. Then this weekend, actually, I’m going to Paris,” McAllister said. “I never thought I would be able to have experiences like this. When I went to Rome, I was standing in front of the Colosseum, and I never thought I would ever be able to be here and look at this with my own eyes.” McAllister said her classes have been interesting, with all but one, her Spanish course, taught in English. “I really liked my Spanish class a lot. I can actually see the progress I’m making. I’m like, ‘Oh, I learned something new yesterday in class, let me try to use them in my everyday life,’” McAllister said. McAllister said she is sad to be leaving the program but excited to be home with her family and friends. “I’m sad that we’re leaving, but I hate to say I’m a little bit ready to be home,” McAllister said. “While I’ve been here, my best friend visited, then immediately my dad and then immediately my boyfriend visited. I kind of miss seeing these people more. But I am going to miss it here.”
Vasquez said her first few weeks were quite difficult as her ship was planned to stop in Morocco, but following an earthquake, they had to be diverted and replan their first few weeks. She said most recently because of the Israel-Palestine conflict, the ship rerouted to go around Africa. She said that classes take place everyday when the ship is at sea, and because of the diversion around Africa, she has had many in-class days that were unplanned for. “We actually have a lot of study days, free days where you can go to a pool, sleep longer, just do whatever you want. I have global studies, which everyone has the same class. It’s really cool because they talk about the science, the history and the culture of that country,” Vasquez said. Vasquez said she and her roommate have become very close, which has been wonderful to have someone to explore with. “[It is] crazy, because we are both from Columbia, we both study near St. Louis, Missouri — she goes to [St. Louis University]. We live 30 minutes away from each other and we had no idea that the other person existed, and we’re both studying engineering, which is crazy. We’ve traveled together to almost every port except South Africa,” Vasquez said. Vasquez said the ship stopped in South Africa, which wasn’t on the original list of countries, so some of the students, like her roommate, were unable to get off the boat as they didn’t have the appropriate visa or a strong enough passport. Vasquez said she had quite high expectations coming into the semester and wishes she would have lowered her expectations and went in without any pressure on the semester to be perfect.
ing to enjoy his time even though for his family and country’s safety. nd to spend Thanksgiving with an
merican experience. I really like the he cranberry sauce,” Naing said. s time in the U.S. so much, and it e. hs in the United States are like the y life ever. I am taking everything
International students share how they spend holiday breaks TYSON HICKS reporter While most students look forward to family time during university breaks, not everyone is able to travel home for the holidays. According to Samuel Mejia Ledesma, a junior computer engineering major, these breaks are just another time of the year. Ledesma is from Medellin, Colombia, and has lived on campus since his f reshman year. “Thanksgiving is an American thing. I never celebrated until I got here, and even then I only ever did it a couple times,” Ledesma said. Ledesma said he favors sleeping in, playing video games and finding time to study rather than going out or cooking a
turkey. That said, he also said he is not opposed to attending. “If I have a girlfriend, I’ll have Thanksgiving with her. If not, I’ll go with whoever offers me,” Ledesma said. While there is no doubt that family is one of the most important things to most, Ledesma has gained different insights after spending so much time away. “The more time you spend here, the more holidays don’t seem as important. With no childhood friends [or] family to spend it with I mean,” Ledesma said. Ledesma did, however, emphasize how the lack of family and previous friends affected his relationships with his new friends here. “The more time you spend
around people here, it helps make the relationships more meaningful,” Ledesma said. “Not that they are replacing my family or old friends, but the time I spend with them feels more genuine. I get to make that connection”. Two brothers, sophomore computer management and information system major Dinesh Reddy and sophomore civil engineering Dinay Reddy, said they spent their recent Thanksgiving break together with friends in Colorado. Dinesh and Dinay are from Hyderabad, India, and said they are used to spending holidays away from home. According to Dinesh,
they spent the recent break in Colorado simply because they thought it would be fun. The brothers and cohorts went to a local Indian restaurant to celebrate Thanksgiving. They both said in the past that also they enjoyed binging movies or TV series. They said their favorite activity that they were able to do while in Colorado was hiking popular tourist spot Flattop Mountain. Some students, such as junior nursing student Marien Vazquez, are able to see some family despite being far from home. Vazquez is from Mexico City, Mexico. “My major keeps me very busy. I try to use the time to keep up,” Vazquez said. “I usually spend time with my friends and celebrate Thanksgiving wherever they are. I do have some family in Chicago, so I’ll usually drive up there to see them.”
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Skipping classes is an addiction. Stop doing it. THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board
Skipping one class can almost be a “gateway drug” to skipping more. This can cause many issues for students as the semester goes on. Each college course typically allows a few days which can be noted as excused absences. However this can be a slippery slope. As students begin to find more excuses to skip classes, it becomes more difficult to actually show up.
This is not to say that missing classes for health reasons is the same as the skipping classes. But be wary of skipping for unnecessary reasons becoming an addiction. Attending class makes materials easier to digest. According to EDUCAUSE Review, it has been proven there is a positive correlation between attendance and both GPA and grades. Students receive better scores when they continually show up for a course. Large lecture courses are
notorious for students to skip because they usually do not take attendance. This addiction to skipping classes, however, is detrimental to a student’s career at SIUE. Tuition pays for these classes we are enrolled in, and each class you miss is throwing money down the drain. Not only this, but often students will find themselves lost on the material because they were not there to understand the concepts. As more classes are skipped, these concepts begin to build on top of one another and
it can be increasingly difficult for students to be able to keep up. Being able to stick to a schedule is important for our daily lives and our future. Many of us had to attend high school classes five days a week at 8 a.m., and, yet, a course at 1 p.m. feels like a daunting task. If we change our outlook and understand that these classes are for our benefit and each class we skip is wasting our money, we may better understand the importance of showing up to these classes.
Classes should be building blocks for others MATTHEW WOLDEN copy editor
Classes shouldn’t blindside a student with a completely new topic that hasn’t been discussed before and automatically expect said student to know it. Classes should be built around what students already know and what they can learn based on their knowledge. The classes taught should help students build their knowledge based on their major. It’s important now more than ever because of the specialization each student is going into with their majors. Pharmacology is something completely new to people majoring in it from high school. Mass communications is built upon English classes and little ,if nothing else, in high school. Computer science requires students to know math, but coding is completely different from anything taught in high school. A lot of classes are supposed to provide headway into these subjects. If a certain class doesn’t build on a necessary skill needed for someone’s major, they are in deep trouble for future
classes that expect you to know the skill. They may not be completely doomed in the class, but they become dangerously outof-their-depth all of the sudden to learn this concept that eluded them in a past class. Sure, learning the concept in a future class makes the future class easier, but learning the concept earlier would have made the original class miles easier than not knowing the concept at all. Classes teach us something new, but in a manner that gives students time to digest the new topics and connect old knowledge with new knowledge. There is so much for us to learn. Even if someone tries, they will never truly be able to learn everything the world has to offer. It’s hard since knowledge is built on knowledge. You have to learn in order to learn more. Some classes are meant to teach you the basics, but with some of these classes, you end up learning the basics after the fact. There are some classes where you are expected to know a concept and successfully implement that into what is being taught. What happens when you
don’t understand the concept being taught? In that case, just grin and bear it. You may end up implementing the concept into the new lesson you learned without knowing exactly what it does and why. This shouldn’t be the case. Classes should be able to teach a subject and allow students to easily implement it with the rest of what they are learning. Students should already have knowledge of this subject from previous classes. Imagine learning how to multiply double-digit numbers before you ever learn to multiply. You never learned how to multiply before, but now you have to learn the rules, multiplication tables and learn why you have to add the two different numbers you got from multiplying the two digit numbers together at the beginning. Hopefully we all learned this a long time ago in our educational career — but it’s still important to recognize that this same concept should be applied to our college level courses. This example is only to make the point that if students haven’t learned the concept before, they
suddenly have to work double time in order to understand concepts that they should have been taught in previous courses. Suddenly, not only does a student have to understand this new concept, but also learn the concepts that they have never learned before. This is even worse in a class that is a new concept in itself. Most classes that were taught in high school were building blocks to specific classes that haven’t been touched on yet. Some classes are taken with different departments. These departments should keep better track of what parts of the curriculum students have been exposed to, what parts of the curriculum the students know and make sure students are well prepared for what future classes have to offer. Sure, some classes are prerequisites to take other classes in different subject departments, but certain concepts still slip through the cracks. If the departments worked more closely with each other, they could help create a curriculum that allows students to thrive.
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Letter to the Editor: SIUE faculty vow to protect students’ free speech rights in regard to Palestine
Tensions on campuses around the country have escalated since the violence over Gaza began a month ago. Students — Palestinian, Jewish and their allies — feel anxious and threatened. Three days after the events of Oct. 7, Chancellor James Minor of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville urged us to take care of one another in the face of heightened tensions in Palestine/ Israel that affect members of our community with ties to the region. This kind of leadership is wise, appropriate and appreciated. However, the U.S. political class has steadfastly reject-
ed an even-handed approach. Federal and state officials are adding pressure on college campuses, targeting Palestinians and their supporters. On Oct. 30, the Biden administration introduced new measures to prevent antisemitism on college campuses. But President Biden and his administration have shown no interest in attacks on Palestinian students and their supporters. Nor has the U.S. Senate. On Oct. 26, the U.S. Senate — Democrats and Republicans alike — unanimously approved of Senate Resolution 418 which characterizes statements of solidarity with Palestinians as support for Hamas and terrorism
and calls critics of Israel antisemitic. Florida’s university system and the state’s governor banned the Palestinian student organization, Students for Justice in Palestine, from university campuses for “harmful support for terrorist groups.” There is no evidence for these charges, but the accusation alone can cause serious legal and long-term consequences for students exercising their right to free speech. Economic elites have also rushed to derail the careers of Palestinian students and threaten to cut funding for universities that allow for pro-Palestinian protests. In one of the most infamous cases, non-university pro-Israeli groups responded to
Abdullatif Hamad, Professor and Chair — Physics Saba Fatima, Associate Professor — Philosophy Joaquin Florido Berrocal, Associate Professor — Foreign Languages and Literature Thomas Foster, Professor — Physics Carole Frick, Professor — History Hernando Garcia, Associate Professor — Physics Barbara Jatcko, Office Support Specialist — Physics Mary Kaemmerer, Instructor — Physics Michele Lorenzini, Tier II Instructor — Anthropology and Native American Studies Linda Markowitz, Professor Emerita — Sociology
Letter to the Editor: Social media an addictive identity killer Click. Flash. Post. How many likes? This is a continuous cycle for many of us. Social media has played a tremendous role in the evolution of communication and self-expression. New platforms are being released one after another to keep us in the loop and allow us to show off our lives to people who could not care less. It all seems like harmless fun. Well, social media is not all just tasteless memes and the yearly family photo. There is an underlying scoreboard that exists for all users who decide to splay themselves for all to see. The scoreboard keeps track of who you follow, who follows you, what you post and who interacts with them. The downside? Everyone keeps close track of this information, and it drives some into madness. Social networks such as Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter, have been around for decades, but in recent years newer phone apps have become more popular than these older outlets. These new platforms have created an all-consuming mess of people constantly trying to one-up each other. To the average user, it may not seem like such a dark place. Still, for people more versed in social media usage, it is apparent that platforms like Instagram and TikTok are often meant for creators to flaunt what they have and for viewers to wish they could experience the same. Constantly seeing others achieve what you want can be discouraging and isolating. When the only media you consume is centered around things that you do not have, it becomes increasingly easier to
compare yourself to others and succumb to fits of jealousy and sadness. So, what can be done to lessen the negative connotations created in light of these issues? Try to limit your media usage: spend more time in the now, which could look like hanging out with friends and family or participating in a hobby. You could also cater your feeds to show things that make you feel good—if all you see is distressing content then maybe it is time to utilize that block button. Another option is to try other constructive outlets: creating a journal or a scrapbook to express your thoughts and feelings can yield the same effect as posting on social media. A wise person observed, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” It can be difficult to acknowledge the pessimistic mindset that we create for ourselves and just how detrimental it can be to our mental or emotional well-being. That said, social media does not have to make you feel inadequate or depressed. With the proper precautions and just knowing yourself, you can surround yourself with positive and relatable content. Take time to think about what you do have and appreciate the fact that not everyone can say they have the same life as you. Although it is easier said than done, do not fall victim to the woes of the media. Fight against the norm and find yourself again. Lazaria Hardy Scott AFB, Illinois
a letter from Harvard University student groups blaming Israel for the violence by doxing students (publishing their personal information) and hired a truck to circle Harvard Square with a digital billboard displaying the names and photos of students under the headline, “Harvard’s Leading Antisemites.” Thankfully, there are voices critical of such blanket and hurtful accusations. On Nov. 1, the American Civil Liberties Union published an open letter to colleges and universities to reject efforts to restrict constitutionally protected speech on campuses by resisting calls to investigate and penalize pro-Palestinian student groups for exercising their free
speech rights. As members of the SIUE community entrusted to protect our students, we affirm our responsibility to care for those most vulnerable to intimidation in this atmosphere. We urge our political leaders to guarantee the free speech rights of Palestinians and their supporters to protest Israeli aggression in Gaza and to stop charging students with baseless accusations of antisemitism and support for terrorism. As members of the SIUE community devoted to the welfare of all students, we pledge to protect our students regardless of ethnic and religious identity or political persuasion.
Rowena McClinton, Emerita Professor — History Gertrude Pannirselvam, Associate Professor — Management & Marketing Laurie Puchner, Professor — Educational Leadership Catherine Santanello, Professor — Pharmaceutical Sciences Steve Tamari, Professor — History Karen Vardanyan, Associate Professor — Physics Kathleen Vongsathorn, Associate Professor — History Eric Voss, Professor and Chair — Chemistry Catherine Williams, Instructor — Physics Julie Zimmermann, Professor and Chair — Anthropology
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SAM MUREN reporter Men’s Basketball returned home with a big 81-67 win over the University of Detroit Mercy at SIUE’s First Community Arena on Saturday. The Cougars played in their second home game and their first game back from the Thanksgiving break. Despite the break, the Cougars appeared as though they had never missed a beat. Detroit Mercy started scoring with a three-pointer from senior guard Jayden Stone after just 15 seconds into the game. However, this was the Titans’ only lead in the game. The Cougars took their first lead of the game 6-4 off of redshirt senior Shamar Wright’s two successful free throws just shy of the 17-minute mark. Then, SIUE gained momentum. On a turnover in the paint, sophomore center Arnas Sakenis dunked the ball to give the Cougars an eight-point lead of 17-9. After some back-and-forth
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scoring, SIUE started to further their lead after junior guard Damarco Minor made a pullup jump shot to give SIUE a 14-point lead. The score stayed around a 10-point difference for the rest of the first half. Throughout the first half, Minor and redshirt senior forward Lamar Wright demonstrated a dominant chemistry as a pair. It seemed as though both always knew where the other one was on the court. The first half ended with SIUE up 38-26. Lamar Wright led the Cougars with 12 points. Both Minor and Shamar Wright had eight points. Minor also had six total rebounds and two assists in 18 minutes of playing time. “I feel like we put it all together. I feel like it’s not where we need to be, but it’s a step in the right direction, so I’m going to take it,” Minor said. Stone from Detroit Mercy led the Titans and all players with 13 points to end the half. Detroit Mercy came out flying to start the second half.
The Titans had narrowed down SIUE’s lead to 38-37 just under three minutes into the second half. “We didn’t defend right away,” Head Coach Brian Barone said. “We didn’t do it the first three minutes, but our guys bought in. They bought into each other. I didn’t call a timeout [even though] I was going to, but at some point, sometimes you have to trust the guys on the court, and it worked out for us.” Near the 17-minute mark of the second half, freshman guard Jordan Pickett was subbed in and helped take back the momentum for the Cougars. Both Pickett and redshirt junior guard Ray’Sean Taylor put up significant points to reestablish SIUE’s big lead. About six minutes after Detroit Mercy’s big offensive push, the Cougars regained a 10-point lead from Taylor’s three-point jump shot off a Detroit Mercy turnover. SIUE continued to put up points and earned the game-high 18-point lead within the 7-minute mark for a 71-53 score.
The game remained at this pace for the rest of the half. Pickett, Taylor and Lamar Wright all continued to perform for the Cougars. The game ended with an 8167 score and an SIUE victory. “I was really pleased with our performance and our overall collective effort top to bottom. [The] guys really bought into what they needed to do; they accepted their role today and really pulled for one another,” Barone said. Pickett only had a little over five minutes and zero points in the first half, but he managed to score 11 points in about 10 minutes of playing time in the second half. Lamar Wright added nine points for a total of 19 to lead SIUE in points. “One of the things we actually stress is our communication on the court. It’s important not only offensively but also defensively. Overall, we want to focus on communication and make sure we’re locked in together,” Lamar Wright said. Taylor was a key factor for the Cougars in the second half.
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He scored all of his 15 points in the second half, which was the most points in a half by a player on either team. Stone continued to be a tough opponent for the Cougars, as he put up the gamehigh 23 total points for Detroit Mercy. With the win for the Cougars, they remain undefeated at home and 4-3 on the season. They have yet to play a conference game so far this season and will not see an Ohio Valley Conference opponent until late December. For now, the Cougars will focus on their next game against Missouri Baptist University on Nov. 28 back home at First Community Arena. Missouri Baptist is 6-2 going and has shown they have been a tough opponent to start the season. “They are a good team. They shoot the heck out of the ball. They are really well-coached and they have talent. That’s going to be a tough game in a two day turnaround,” Barone said.
SIUE Hockey bounces back at home with two wins over Loyola SAM MUREN reporter
The Cougars added two wins to their season with dominant victories over Loyola University Chicago on Friday and Saturday at East Alton Ice Arena. The Cougars remain undefeated in regulation at home after their two wins over Loyola. Senior goalie Brendan Rasch started for SIUE on Friday. From puck drop to the final buzzer, SIUE was the team in control in this game. Early on, Loyola took a penalty to give SIUE a power play. The Cougars failed to score but managed to sustain significant pressure in the Ramblers’ zone. Despite the failed power play, the Cougars were out-shooting the Ramblers 12-3 just 10 minutes into the game. The game continued like this for most of the first period. Even when SIUE took their first penalty, they killed it off and did not allow Loyola many dangerous opportunities. The first period ended tied at zero. Immediately at the start of the second period, junior forward Simon Maxfield scored to give SIUE a 1-0 lead. Not long after, he hit the post in a failed attempt to score again. SIUE continued their exten-
sive pressure and forced Loyola to take a penalty. This time, the Cougars made them pay for it. Senior forward Connor Hinterser scored on the power play, bringing SIUE to 26 shots for a 2-0 lead. Both teams then traded power plays but failed to capitalize on them. SIUE remained in control, but on a quick rush, Loyola managed to beat Rasch to cut the lead in half. The Cougars then took a penalty, but they were able to kill it off. Junior forward Kaleb Harrop scored near the end of the period to give SIUE a 3-1 lead. With one second remaining in the period, both sides got into a minor scuffle. The Cougars finished the second period up 3-1 with 39 shots. SIUE started the third period with a power play. They maintained strong pressure but could not find the back of the net. Finally, sometime after the power play, their line-after-line pressure paid off as senior forward Elijah DeFosset scored to put SIUE up 4-1. Then SIUE took a penalty, but Loyola also took a penalty a minute later turning the game to a 4-on-4. The Ramblers struck on the 4-on-4 to again cut the Cougars’ lead in half. Senior forward Brendan Sommer added some insurance
with a goal to help secure the 5-2 victory. SIUE won and outshot their opponent 69-22 in shots. The rematch took place the next day. Sophomore goalie Timothy Barbee started in net for the Cougars. The captain started the scoring again for SIUE. Maxfield buried a setup from freshman forward Kadan Kruger and senior forward Terrance Puribhat. The Cougars were circling Loyola through the first. Freshman defenseman Carson Weber scored to give SIUE a 2-0 lead. Then Harrop scored moments later to go up 3-0. The Cougars had three goals and 25 shots to finish the first period and a power play to start the second period. Right off the face-off, the Cougars quickly buried a power-play goal. Senior forward Jakob Schreiber scored and SIUE was up by four goals. Loyola took a slashing penalty not long after, but the Cougars could not capitalize back-to-back. Then SIUE took two consecutive penalties to give Loyola a 30-second 5-on-3 power play. The Cougars managed to kill both penalties off but, shortly after, the Ramblers scored to get on the board. Schreiber answered right after to make the game 5-1. DeFosset added a goal
to pad the lead at the end of the second period. SIUE had outscored Loyola 6-1 and outshot them 40-16 at the end of the period. The third period was quite an outlier from the previous two. Momentum swung back and forth between the teams, and only one penalty was called. SIUE managed to kill the penalty off, and Schreiber also added his third goal of the game for a hat trick. “It felt good to put some goals up on this team,” Schreiber said. It was clear the Cougars had let o f f
the gas near the end, and they appeared to be feeding passes to certain teammates to try and get them a goal. Kruger, who had played a good game, could not finish the
multiple opportunities he had. “[I] got a lot of chances; I just couldn’t bury them. [I have] got to do some self-reflecting and get back to work,” Kruger said. Barbee managed to stop all nine of Loyola’s shots in the third to secure the 7-1 victory for SIUE. “It was a good weekend for our team. We did what we needed to do and focused on us,” Head Coach Tyler Elbrecht said. “For us, now we focus on little things over the next two days. [We will] let the guys go home for Thanksgiving, and then when we get back, we get Maryville [Univ e r sit y] for two g a m e s at home.” The back-to-back victories boosted SIUE’s home record to 8-0-1. The Cougars will have a rematch series against Maryville back home on Dec. 2 and 3 at East Alton Ice Arena.