SERVING THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA & TUCSON COMMUNITIES SINCE 1899
Wednesday, May 8, 2019 • VOLUME 112 • ISSUE 33
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LOOK INSIDE FOR OUR FULL “YEAR IN REVIEW” EDITION
A2 • The Daily Wildcat
Commencement • Wednesday, May 8, 2019
LOOKING BACK
Finding a time machine and a fountain of youth BY EDDIE CELAYA @reporterEddie
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ongratulations, graduates of the Class of 2019. Your hard work, dedication and ability to wake up for that 8 a.m. gen-ed class two years ago have finally paid off. For some of you, it was a four-year journey. For others, including myself, it has been considerably longer. My story is one of those long, drawn out ones. During this graduation week, I turned 32. When I graduate May 9 with my degree in journalism, it will be almost 10 years to the day since I was supposed to graduate. I’ve been lucky enough to be granted two great gifts, the sort that philosophers and scientists have sought through equation and alchemy: I traveled back in time and found the fountain of youth. Both claims obviously require explanation, so here’s how I came to be in possession of a time machine. I graduated from Hamilton High School (go Huskies!) in 2005 as an aimless, angry young man full of my own delusions of grandeur but possessing a GPA and class standings suggesting they were just delusions. Since the University of Arizona is my family’s alma mater, I applied and was accepted for the fall 2005 term. I started the
semester rough. I finished it even rougher: my GPA was an “Animal House”-esque 0.00. Embarrassed, I hid the info from my parents, hoping against hope they wouldn’t find out. They didn’t. I kept quiet during winter break and came back stronger the next semester, ending that spring with two “As,” a “B” and a “C.” My GPA jumped to 1.something. At that point, I figured the upward climb to better my GPA and escape academic probation was too much, so I applied for the Disney College Program and was assigned the roll of lifeguard at three of the resort’s hotels. It was the time of my life. Women from around the world, a cush job and being located in America’s largest tourist trap was the best, and worst, time of my young life to that point. After eight months, I figured it was probably time to get back to school and get my career, whatever it would be, going. “I’m ready,” I told myself. From there, it was just seven years of starting and stopping. I would enroll at Mesa Community College for a semester while teaching swim lessons but would eventually drop my classes due to conflicting schedules or being too tired — and just not wanting it enough. Eventually, after drifting from swim school to swim school in the Phoenix area and bartending at weddings, I decided I needed a change of scenery. I started looking for jobs in Tucson and Flagstaff. There was an opening for an instructor and assistant manager at a Tucson-area swim school called Saguaro Aquatics. I interviewed with
the fountain of youth. Currently, it’s located next to Bagel Talk on the first floor of Park Student Union, but it’s moving to the third floor of the University Services Building next semester. Of course, I’m talking about the Daily Wildcat newsroom. It’s been my fountain of youth, my bedroom, my sanctum and — most important of all — the place I made my best friends. In the years between 2005 and my return to back to school, I would often have the same recurring dream. I would start out driving a car by myself, just cruising down a street. Somehow, I would always end up in the back seat, trying in vain to steer the car while avoiding oncoming traffic. Always, I would wake up in a cold sweat, wondering what the dream meant. My biggest clue came about a year into my time at Pima. I realized one morning that I hadn’t had the dream in months. My subconscious was telling me to stop driving my life from the backseat. Being a passenger was fun, but it would condemn me to a life of unfulfilled dreams. I guess my message with writing this is to let you know to never give up. Often, the largest obstacle to my success was not some exterior force but myself and my own inactions. Most people won’t be lucky enough to find a time machine or fountain of youth, but we all have dreams and aspirations. Here at the UA, if you keep driving, you have a chance of finding your future. Best of luck, God bless and Bear Down, damn it!
the owner and was offered the job on the spot and then moved to Tucson two weeks later on Easter Sunday, 2014. My inability to hold my tongue regarding the owner’s management abilities and the revelation I was teaching private swim lessons on my own time convinced the school’s owner I would be better off not on payroll. Thinking I could make enough money to last the rest of the year, I spent that summer of 2015 teaching swim lessons all over Pima County, from Green Valley to Marana. While the money was good, it wasn’t enough to make rent for a whole winter off-season. Then, in late July, my father visited me for a weekend. During every visit, he encouraged me to enroll at Pima Community College. “You’re still young,” he said. On this trip, however, he added a caveat: “But you’re not going to be much longer.” Something finally snapped in me. I realized that, to avoid a lifetime of making Piña Coladas or helping kids float on their back, I would need at least an associate’s degree. So I applied for FAFSA eligibility and enrolled at Pima Community College for fall 2015. That’s where I found the time machine. Since my time at Pima, I’ve been around 18-to-22-year-olds almost exclusively. The benefits of going back to school with a younger generation have helped open my mind and better my understanding of the world. After graduating with my associates and working at Pima’s school newspaper, the Aztec Press, I came back to the UA in fall 2017. It’s here I found
— Engagement Editor Eddie Celaya will graduate in May 2019.
IN THIS EDITION | VOLUME 112, ISSUE 33 COMMENCEMENT YEAR IN REVIEW News
A4
News
Graduation basics to know
A5
Sports
A look back at past speakers
B3
News
A7 A8
Sports
B4
Meet the 2019 student of the year
Sports
A9 A10
A11
News
B7
A14
Arts & Life
Top Arts & Life stories this year
B11
B13
Arts & Life
Grad spotlight: School of Theater
Assistant News Editor Leia Linn
B10
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Investigative Editor Opinions Editor Alana Minkler Ariday Sued investigative@dailywildcat. opinion@dailywildcat.com com Photo Editor Sports Editor Amy Bailey Alec White photo@dailywildcat.com sports@dailywildcat.com Assistant Photo Editor Arts & Life Editor Beau Leone Pascal Albright arts@dailywildcat.com Copy Chief Corey Ryan Arnold Assistant Arts & Life copy@dailywildcat.com Editor Janelle Ash Design Director Nicholas Trujillo
Top stories this year
Arts & Life
Grad spotlight: School of Dance
Arts & Life
News Editor Vanessa Ontiveros news@dailywildcat.com
year in B8 Thisphotos
Investigative
Arts & Life
Engagement Editor Eddie Celaya
Photo
What has ASUA done this year?
A guide to stole colors
A13
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THE DAILY WILDCAT
Arts & Life Reporters Monica Baricevic Margaux Clement Jamie Donnelly Nicole Gleason Taylor Gleeson
Newsroom (520) 621-3551
Events that started this year
Opinions
Grad spotlight: College of Education
News Reporters Randall Eck Priya Jandu Mark Lawson Alana Minkler Mekayla Phan Quincy Sinek Shannon Sneath Jake Toole Nagisa Tsukada Marquies White
This year’s top 5 athletes
The best of B6 Police Beat
News
Rainbow graduation celebrates LGBTQ+ grads
Managing Editor Marissa Heffernan
B5
All-Pac-12 academic team seniors
Softball senior looks forward
News
Editor-in-Chief Jasmine Demers editor@dailywildcat.com
Women’s sports outperform men’s
News
Sports
A14
Sports
Sports
Meet this year’s top senior athletes
The best and worst of UA athletics
Vinamra Kumar Sofia Moraga Maya Noto August Pearson Alexis Richardson Amber Soland Ariday Sued Jesse Tellez Ambur Wilkerson
Sports Reporters Luis Aguirre Noah Auclair Aiya Cancio Luke Corvello Ray Diaz Eileen Kerigan Cory Kennedy
Rob Kleifield Ari Koslow Mark Lawson Kara Lipson Johnny McCaslin Jacob Mennuti Amit Syal Chris Vizcarra Photographers Ana Garcia Beltran Aiya Cancio Claudio Cerillo Dani Cropper Taylor Gleeson Chloe Hislop Lexi Horsey Eric Huber
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ABOUT THE DAILY WILDCAT: The Daily Wildcat is the University of Arizona’s student-run, independent news source. It is distributed in print on campus and throughout Tucson every Wednesday with a circulation of 7,000 during spring and summer semesters, and 5,000 during summer. The function of The Wildcat is to disseminate news to the community and to encourage an exchange of ideas. The Daily Wildcat was founded in 1899. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in the newspaper or DailyWildcat.com are the sole property of The Daily Wildcat and may not be reproduced without the specific consent of the editor-in-chief. A single print copy of The Daily Wildcat is free from newsstands. Unauthorized removal of multiple copies will be considered theft and may be prosecuted. Additional print copies of The Daily Wildcat are available from the Arizona Student Media office. The Daily Wildcat is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press and the Arizona Newspapers Association. EDITORIAL POLICY: Daily Wildcat
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On the Cover
Commencement: Graphic design by Nicholas Trujillo and Amber Soland (The Daily Wildcat). Year in Review: Photo illustration by Jasmine Demers (The Daily Wildcat).
Commencement • Wednesday, May 8, 2019 The Daily Wildcat • A3
MASTER’S STUDENT GRADUATES
Second time’s the charm for this grad After that conversation, Suriano decided to explore that path and ended up in journalism at the UA. “I instantly fell in love with it,” Jessica Suriano has been through Suriano said. college graduation once. Now, just Suriano said this past year has a year later, she’s doing it all again, been the most challenging one for graduating with her master’s degree in her because her journalism. graduate school Suriano was in reporting project the Accelerated for the master’s Master’s Program degree focused on for the University sexual assault at of Arizona School the UA. She said it of Journalism, was a big workload, meaning she but also a lot to completed both her take on mentally. undergraduate and However, she said graduate degrees she felt that it forced in a total of four her to learn how years at the UA. She to find a balance graduates with her between work life master’s degree in and self care. just a few days. Suriano said “I didn’t really she hopes the rest plan on grad of the graduates school when I this year know entered college, that taking care but when they of their mental told me, ‘Oh, by health is incredibly the way, you’re important. finishing your “As challenging undergrad in as it was, it really three years,’ I was probably helped not expecting me prepare for it,” Suriano said. the real world a “Then I found COURTESY JENNA GOLDEN lot more than I JESSICA SURIANO WILL GRADUATE with a out I could get realized it would,” master’s degree in journalism in May. This will be some funding for her second graduation in two years, as she was in an Suriano said. grad school if I Accelerated Master’s Program. Suriano’s just stayed in this mother, Lori program.” Suriano, said she Suriano said she had always planned is excited to see her daughter graduate to be at the UA for four years and with a master’s degree because she decided to take advantage of the believes she is the first one in their opportunity to get a master’s degree in family to do so. such a short amount of time. “She’s gone an extra step in her She said this year’s graduation will education and everyone — our whole be different from her undergraduate family — is very very proud of her,” Lori graduation ceremony because it will Suriano said. “We’re looking forward to feel more “final.” that. We haven’t been to one of those “I think I am definitely going to be events before.” more emotional this year,” Suriano said. Lori Suriano said the family is “Last year I knew I was coming back.” excited to see where her daughter’s Ava Garcia, Suriano’s friend and education takes her, and they are fellow journalism master’s student, proud of her for completing this feels the same way about this year’s milestone of graduating with a master’s graduation. Garcia completed degree. the Accelerated Master’s Program Suriano said she does not yet know alongside Suriano in the School of what she wants to do after graduation Journalism. but is excited about what the future of “It’s probably gonna be a lot more journalism holds for her. real and exciting,” Garcia said. “We’re “I’m overall really excited about stepping into the real world at this figuring it out,” Suriano said. “I’m point.” going to cast a wide net and see what Garcia recalled meeting Suriano in sticks.” the second semester of their freshman She said she feels more ready now year at the UA and being friends ever than she was last year to graduate and since. see what’s next for her after school. “Jess is a great friend,” Garcia said. “I’m 22, and I’m about to start a new “It’s been so much fun being in the chapter, and I think it just feels a lot program with her.” more real because it’s actually here Garcia said it was “exciting” that it now,” Suriano said. worked out for the two of them to go through the same program and get to graduate with a master’s degree together. “We both did [the program], and it’s been really nice to have someone on a similar track so we can kind of relate to things,” Garcia said. Suriano said the class she is graduating with is fairly small and they’ve grown close over the past year. She said they all enjoy going to karaoke together to “blow off steam.” “I think it’s the small things, just knowing that if I’m having a bad day or really struggling with anything, personally or journalistically, I could go into the grad lounge and vent about it and I would have friends there to help [me] pick myself back up,” Suriano said. She said those memories are what she will remember most from her class. “Everyone is just very different, but the fact that we can appreciate how different we all are and still love each other is so indicative of why we all want to go into journalism,” Suriano said. Suriano said she originally planned to go the science route in college. In high school, after writing an AP Literature paper on whether hate COURTESY JENNA GOLDEN speech was free speech, she said her JESSICA SURIANO SAID WHILE she does not yet teacher at the time pulled her aside have post-graduation plans, she is “really excited after she submitted the paper and told about figuring it out.” her to consider a career in writing. BY QUINCY SINEK @quincymccllelan
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CONGRATULATIONS & BEST WISHES to the
SPRING 2019 GRADUATES! Please join us in recognizing the following students for their outstanding achievement:
OUTSTANDING SENIOR AWARDS Recognizes academic excellence, independent research, and leadership qualities.
Astronomy Massimo Pascale
Mathematics Mark Dalthorp
Chemistry & Biochemistry Katrina Konopka
Molecular & Cellular Biology Mariajose Franco
Computer Science Morgan Henry
Physics Gustavs Kehris
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Lindsey Malecha
Psychology Mary Nowlen
Geosciences Anahi Carrera
Neuroscience & Cognitive Science Gayatri Sadachar
Hydrology & Atmospheric Sciences Tiffani Cañez
Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences Lauren Mann
Overall College of Science Outstanding Senior Mariajose Franco—Molecular & Cellular Biology
Excellence in Undergraduate Research Awards Recognizes outstanding achievement, originality, and creativity in independent, undergraduate research. Astronomy Claire Cook
Mathematics Max von Hippel
Chemistry & Biochemistry Katrina Konopka
Molecular & Cellular Biology Alexa Nguyen
Computer Science Brandon Neth
Physics Casey Frantz
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Karen Serrano
Psychology Matthew Coles
Geosciences Joshua Smith
Neuroscience & Cognitive Science Shreya Bellampalli
Hydrology & Atmospheric Sciences Dylan Begley
Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences Carson Pyatt
Overall Excellence in Undergraduate Research Award Recipient Claire Cook—Astronomy
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AMBASSADORS Alexa Nguyen BS Molecular & Cellular Biology
Lauren Mann BS Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences
Alexus Cazares BS Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Lola Lozano BS Neuroscience & Cognitive Science
Calli Townsend BS Psychology; Special Education & Rehabilitation
Maria D’Ugo BS Psychology
Carson Pyatt BS Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences Eli Soyfer BS Molecular & Cellular Biology Gayatri Sadachar BS Neuroscience & Cognitive Science Kwadjo Walker BS Molecular & Cellular Biology
Massimo Pascale BS Astronomy; Mathematics; Physics Melissa Thomas BS Geosciences; Astronomy; Physics Morgan Henry BS Computer Science Tiffani Cañez BS Hydrology & Atmospheric Sciences
A4 • The Daily Wildcat
Commencement • Wednesday, May 8, 2019
COMMENCEMENT BASICS
SIMON ASHER | THE DAILY WILDCAT
THREE UA GRADUATES DISPLAY their caps before the 153rd Annual UA Commencement on May 12, 2017. This year’s commencment ceremony will be Friday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m.
Your guide to Commencement 2019 Commencement is the start of a new chapter. Thinking about the future can be overwhelming, but commencement itself does not have to be. Whether you’re going to support a student or are a student, this guide has all the basic information you will need to be ready for commencement celebrations BY JAKE TOOLE @JakeToole4
When/where:
This year’s commencement will be on May 10. The ceremony itself will begin at 7:30 p.m. It will be the 155th commencement in UA’s history. Students who are graduating are to meet at Fourth Street and Vine Avenue, which is behind the Main Library, at 5:30 p.m. to check in. Students have to be in the line by 6:30 p.m. to take part in commencement. Family and friends of graduating students are advised to arrive at the Arizona Stadium before 7:30 p.m. The stadium entrances open at 5:30 p.m. The whole ceremony will take about 90 minutes. There are no assigned seats, nor do guests need tickets. Seating is first come, first served. Those who cannot make it to the ceremony can still watch it on the Commencement website through Arizona Public Media.
What you need:
Students graduating should bring a CatCard for identification, their cap, gown and ticket. Students should should get their tickets through their UA email 24 hours after they complete their RSVP to commencement. Students will not be allowed to have any large bags of any kind with them during the ceremony. Family and friends of students graduating do not need tickets to get in to the event.
The stadium will be running under its usual clear bag policy during the event, which is a policy that only allows certain small, completely see-through bags to be used in the stadium such as a plastic Ziploc bag.
Parking/transportation:
All parking garages at the UA will be providing free parking for commencement, according to the UA Commencement website. After 4:30 p.m., Sixth Street, south of Arizona Stadium, will be closed to traffic. Cherry Avenue and Enke Drive will be open exclusively to provide parking for those with disabilities after 5:30 p.m. There is a UA Cat Tran drop-off spot at the southern end of the stadium. The Cat Tran specifically for commencement will run from 5-10 p.m.
Disability Resources:
If any student or guest needs a sign-language interpreter, they can request one on the Disability Resource Center website or email Catherine Mazzola at cmazzola@email.arizona.edu. The Arizona Stadium’s venues have accessible seating, which includes seating for each disabled guest and one companion. Other members of the guest’s group will be seated nearby as space allows. Assistive listening systems can be requested at the ceremony. Any questions about assistance for disabilities can be asked through the Disability Resource Center email: drc-info@email.arizona.edu.
Commencement • Wednesday, May 8, 2019
PAST SPEAKERS
UA’s history of Commencement speakers BY RANDALL ECK @reck999
The University of Arizona will host its 155th commencement on May 10. This year’s keynote speaker, Dr. Mae C. Jemison, is a former NASA astronaut who made history by being the first woman of color in space. UA’s first commencement ceremony was a far cry from the thousands of graduates and their families who will assemble to hear Jemison, a physician, educator and entrepreneur. In 1895, the second floor of Old Main was decorated in silver and sage, UA’s original colors, to celebrate the graduation of UA’s first class, consisting of two women and one man. Throughout the COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS years, graduation DR. MAE C. JEMISON will be ceremonies have been the keynote speaker at this year’s held in Old Main, the graduation ceremony. Jemison is a former NASA astronaut and made McKale Center and, history as the first woman of color since 2013, Arizona to travel to space. Stadium. Over the years, the commencement podium has been occupied by a number of speakers. UA’s 1945 commencement, held nine days after the surrender of the Nazis in Berlin, saw 250 graduates listen to former UA president Rufus Bernhard von KleinSmid lecture on the responsibilities of victory. Ten years earlier, KleinSmid also served as the graduating class’ keynote speaker. COURTESY PAM SCOTT After a long career in the THE OFFICIAL PORTRAIT OF United States Senate and Astronaut Charles F. Bolden Jr. a failed presidential run, wearing an orange launch and Arizona’s Barry Goldwater entry suit. Bolden was the 2017 spoke to the graduating UA commencement speaker. class of 1989, advising students to cherish freedom and honesty. After the shooting of Arizona Representative Gabrielle Giffords and the resulting establishment of the National Institute of Civil Discourse at the UA, Dr. Peter Rhee, one of the trauma surgeons who treated Giffords, was invited to speak in 2012. Over the last four years, the themes commencement speakers have focused on have deviated from Goldwater and von KleinSmidt’s. In 2015, Jon Huntsman Jr., a former US ambassador to China and former governor of Utah, extolled the virtues of public service to graduates. “I believe in public service,” Huntsman said, quoted in the Daily Wildcat. “There is no greater thrill in public service than winning the will of the people.” In 2016, graduates heard from the U.S. Surgeon General at the time, Dr. Vivek Murthy. Murthy, a first-generation immigrant and the youngest surgeon general ever, advised COURTESY UNITED STATES students to live DEPARTMENT OF STATE connected lives in order JON HUNTSMAN JR., A former to foster inclusion and governor of Utah and U.S. better address the large- Ambassador to China, was the 2012 University of Arizona keynote scale problems facing speaker. society. “Empathy feeds our desire for connection,” Murthy said in his commencement address. “Optimism helps us believe that connection is possible. But courage is what enables us to act and make our connections to people real.” In 2017, Charles Frank Bolden Jr., another former astronaut and NASA administrator, took to the stage to address graduates. In his speech, Bolden focused on inspiring students to expand their horizons and also continue to focus on self-improvement. “If you can’t take care of other people, take care of yourself,” Bolden said, quoted in the Daily Wildcat. Last year, 2018, Ray Mabus, former Secretary of the Navy under President Barack Obama, spoke to the graduating class. Mabus echoed the importance of public service and self-sacrifice reminiscent of Huntsman and von KleinSmidt’s speeches. “The whole theme of my speech is doing something in your life that is bigger than yourself,” Mabus said to the Daily Wildcat beforehand. “Having COURTESY PAM SCOTT known many of these FORMER U.S. SECRETARY young people, whether my OF the Navy Ray Mabus was daughters or sailors and the guest speaker for 2018 Marines around the world, commencement. if you meet the people who are 18 to 27 today, it is hard not to be optimistic about the future.” Jemison will continue the tradition of sending off UA graduates into the world with a few more lastminute, but inspiring, pieces of advice on Friday.
The Daily Wildcat • A5
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S N O I N U T N E ! S STUD E T A U D A R G 9 1 0 MAY 2
TO ALL THE ARIZONA STUDENT UNIONS MAY 2019 GRADUATES, WE WISH YOU A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE! BEAR DOWN!
A6 • The Daily Wildcat
Advertisement • Wednesday, May 8, 2019
CONGRATULATIONS AND
Thank You MAY 2019 GRADUATES!
Campus Recreation recognizes our valuable team members: AQUATICS Kendall Robbins
MARKETING Marcos Vidal
BUSINESS OFFICE Samantha Guzman Nick Smith Matthew Esposito Jake Stapleton
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All your hard work and dedication are greatly appreciated. We wish you the very best in your future endeavors! Get Active. Live Healthy. Be Well.
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Commencement • Wednesday, May 8, 2019
The Daily Wildcat • A7
STUDENT OF THE YEAR
Francy Luna Diaz wins Robie Gold Medal Award and Honors Outstanding Senior The senior from Colombia, who transfered from Pima Community College, will graduate with a double degree in law and politics and persue her graduate degree at the University of Michigan BY RANDALL ECK @reck999
Francy Luna Diaz arrived in the United States from Colombia at the age of 19. After attending Pima Community College, Luna Diaz transferred to the University of Arizona, where she will be graduating this year with a double degree in law and political science Before graduating, Luna Diaz was named the Honors College Outstanding Senior of the Year and received the Robie Gold Medal Award, an award reserved for one graduating student who embodies personal integrity, enthusiasm, humility and self-sacrifice. “My first semester [at UA] was really hard. I felt quite lonely at first. I would just go to class and then go to the library to work,” Luna Diaz said. “As an immigrant, I had to leave my safety net and the comfort my country and culture gave me. I think that makes me a lot more resilient to change, though, and not afraid to take risks.” As Luna Diaz settled into university life, she began to get more involved on campus and people started to take notice of her passion and hard work. Luna Diaz got involved in the Honors College, attending the Alternative Spring Break volunteer trip and serving as a peer mentor. Luna Diaz also began volunteering as a translator at UA’s Immigration Law Clinic. Then, Luna Diaz received an email inviting her to apply to UA’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Consortium. “Research has been an evolving interest of mine since I began going to school,” Luna Diaz said. “I had been interested in women in politics for a long time, especially the differences in this heterogeneous group we study as if it is homogenous, and started doing every school project I could on the subject.” As part of UROC, Luna Diaz began working with Samara Klar, an associate professor in the School of Government and Public Policy. “Francy was interested in how Latina women in elected office influence political engagement,” Klar said. Luna Diaz was drawn to study Latinas in
COURTESY FRANCY LUNA DIAZ
FRANCY LUNA DIAZ IS graduting from UA with a double degree in law and political science. Luna Diaz recently won the Robie Gold Medal Award.
politics because the Latinx community is the fastest-growing minority group in the country and there is not much scholarship on their political engagement. According to Luna Diaz, a lot of the current scholarship on gender and politics ignores the issues faced by women of color
and poor women. “Her study’s analysis required she run regressions. She had never taken a course where she learned that,” Klar said. “We sat in my office, and, on the board, we went over regressions, and she got it. She is such an incredibly fast learner and is so motivated
and open to learning new things.” Luna Diaz found the political engagement of Latinas, especially those already engaged with the media, increased when more Latinas entered political office. After taking a semester off classes to intern with the Arizona Supreme Court, one of only two students in the state selected to do so, Luna Diaz returned to the university and continued her research with Suzanne Dovi, an associate professor in the School of Government and Public Policy. “I think of Francy as intellectually curious and really warm and loving,” Dovi said. “She loves talking to everyone.” Dovi first met Luna Diaz when she came to her office to ask if she could work with her on a research project. According to Dovi, Luna Diaz had already read four of Dovi’s own research articles. Dovi said she was more than impressed. The two went on to study descriptive representation in the judiciary. The theory of descriptive representation argues that, when women and people of color represent their constituents but also their communities in politics, there is a ripple effect increasing political engagement. Diversity in the judiciary and the contradictory demands placed on women in the justice system are pressing concerns, Dovi said, adding she believes Luna Diaz’ research will help scholars bring these concerns to the forefront. “Francy is poised. She comes prepared and confident. It was really fun writing the paper with her,” Dovi said. Along with publishing papers based on her research, Luna Diaz also traveled to the University of Michigan to present her findings. Next year, Luna Diaz will move to Michigan with her family to attend the University of Michigan and pursue a graduate degree in political science. “No one is self-made,” Luna Diaz said. “We all depend on a larger community to succeed, and our success should not disregard others. We need to pay it forward and advance with our community, because no success is complete without contributing to our larger community.”
Seniors reflect on the good times BY PRIYA JANDU @Priya_J11
Graduation is a time for seniors to reflect on their educational experience at the University of Arizona. The Daily Wildcat spoke to some seniors about some of their favorite memories: Hallie Hobday, Global Studies and Spanish : My best memory from the University of Arizona is when I studied abroad in Chile last semester. I wanted to experience another culture, because I’d already studied abroad before that, and I wanted to learn more Spanish. [I was] learning how to be independent, on my own, in a country that doesn’t speak my native language, so I had to really push myself out there and learning that just because we do one thing one way in the United States doesn’t mean it’s right, because every country does things their own way — every culture has their own different way of living. I lived with a divorced Chilean woman and three dogs, and she didn’t speak any English, so it was a difficult learning curve. The Spanish in Chile is so different to the Spanish I learned here because they use so much slang and they talk so fast. It took me over a month to get used to it.
The empanadas are the best food I ate in Chile. You can get them on the beach for 50 cents. I was always at the beach because I lived about five minutes from it. I never got to go in the water, because it was freezing. To celebrate my graduation, I’m going to the Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas the weekend after. After graduation, I’m moving back home, and I’m going to save up and live with my parents, and I might get my master’s in business. Gunnar Bartsch, Psychology: It was fall 2018. It was the second or third week of September. We had to wake up early, meet up at campus and take a charter bus to get to Prescott, Ariz., for a social justice retreat. We got there at 11 a.m. and went to lunch immediately. It was all vegan, but the food was really good. We were at a camp and started doing activities related to social justice and inclusivity. We split into our groups after that for the weekend. After dinner, we did one more activity about school inequality. We were supposed to go back to the dorms, but I decided to collect everyone to play hide and seek in the campgrounds. Being in nature was really fun. There were three deer that almost killed us; javelinas were everywhere. At night, we got to play drums from
Native Americans and we learned how to play a proper tribal beat. We got camaraderie out of that. People started opening up and sharing their different identities, which was rewarding. Being open and vulnerable and being yourself is what draws people to you. It was an opportunity to get to know other people and not know them as a shallow leader, in addition to learning how to be a culturally diverse leader. Nathaniel Gallegos, Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, wrote in an email: The Ronald E. McNair Achievement Program opened many opportunities for my future endeavors, such as increasing my knowledge of research experience, providing me with helpful GRE test prep resources and teaching me pertinent information regarding graduate school. As the summer of 2018 approached, my cohort and I traveled to the University of California, Los Angeles, to present our research at the annual McNair Conference. I made many unforgettable memories, including my first visit to UCLA, my first time away from home and my first time staying in a college dorm. As a McNair scholar, I experienced these “firsts” with people who have become some of my best friends. By being a part of the program, I have grown as an individual and this experience is one of the most valuable throughout my college career.
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A8 • The Daily Wildcat
Commencement • Wednesday, May 8, 2019
TOP SENIOR ATHLETES
Going pro: Top senior athletes With senior commencement around the corner, the University of Arizona will be saying goodbye to some of its greatest athletes. The Daily Wildcat honors this year’s top senior athletes with one final send-off BY STAFF @dailywildcat
Being a senior student-athlete comes with a lot of responsibility. Many are looked upon as their team leaders, to guide their teammates through times of strife and times of victory while also looking to figure out their future beyond college. Our Daily Wildcat sports writers picked their top senior in their respective beat to write about and how they contributed to the UA’s success.
SOFTBALL
This year’s top senior on the softball team is Taylor McQuillin. In her final season as a senior, McQuillin has achieved milestones and memorable moments with her team and teammates. As of May 4, she has posted a 1.21 ERA (fourth place in Pac-12) with a record of 19-5. Starting 22 games, the southpaw has 20 complete games with 10 shutouts, one save and has 157 strikeouts, which ranks fifth in Pac-12 play. The senior was recently picked No. 6 overall in the National Pro Fastpitch College Draft, where she will be taking her talents to the Cleveland Comets. McQuillin was the only member of the senior class to be drafted to go pro.
SOFIA MORAGA | THE DAILY WILDCAT
ARIZONA’S TAYLOR MCQUILLIN 18 pitches during the third inning of the Arizona-St. Francis game of the NCAA championship Tournament in the Rita Hillenbrand Stadium. The Wildcats won 1-0.
LACROSSE
CLAUDIO CERRILLO | THE DAILY WILDCAT
DESTINY GRAHAM 21 CHEERS on the Wildcats during the second half of the Arizona-UCLA game on Jan. 28, 2019, in McKale Center. The Wildcats lost 98-93.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Although Destiny Graham’s production might have gone down in her senior campaign, her presence on the court could not have been more important. She served as one of the guiding lights for a young Arizona front court that included Semaj Smith and Cate Reese. Head coach Adia Barnes, along with both Smith and Reese, credited her numerous times throughout the season in helping them on and off the court, putting them in the right positions, giving quick tips on the court and helping them stay grounded and calm. She’ll finish her Wildcat career with 563 total points, 484 rebounds and over 200 total minutes played.
After suffering a season-ending ankle injury last season, senior star Alec Moen returned to pave the way for a successful lacrosse season. Moen played in 13 games this season and scored 19 overall goals before finishing his final home game by scoring a goal against the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels. Moen graduates this May with a degree in sports and society and plans to head to Phoenix , where he said he will “hone his skills in medical sales.”
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Arizona beach volleyball capped off a record-setting season with a 25-6 overall record in 2019, making it the most single-season wins in program history. Part of team’s success is due to the contributions of senior Madison Rigdon. After being a three-time AllBig 12 performer and two-time AVCA All-American honorable mention playing indoor volleyball at the University of Kansas, Rigdon moved to Arizona as a graduate transfer to play beach volleyball. She picked up right where she left off, finishing with a 25-4 individual record with wins against Cal Poly, Florida State, ASU and Washington. She also went 21-0 this past season with her partner Natalie Anselmo, which was good enough to be the top-ranked pair in the country.
BASEBALL
Justin Wylie, now a graduate transfer from San Diego State, had quite the start to his first (and only) year with the Wildcats, as he was named the program’s summer player of the year by head coach Jay Johnson. Wylie was primarily used as a role player for the most part to begin the season as he only started four of the first 13 games with the Wildcats. However, Wylie’s hard work and determination led him to becoming a full-time starter in the Wildcats’ lineup. Through the team’s first 42 games, Wylie was hitting .269 with four doubles and 18 RBIs over 67 at-bats.
SOFIA MORAGA | THE DAILY WILDCAT
INFIELDER JUSTIN WYLIE 12 throwing the ball to get an out on first base April 14 at Hi Corbett Field. Arizona won 4-2 in the series finale against the California Golden Bears.
Commencement • Wednesday, May 8, 2019 The Daily Wildcat • A9
PAC-12
Student-athletes for PAC-12 Team BY NOAH AUCLAIR @noahauclairUA
As the school year comes to a close at the University of Arizona, now is the perfect time to recognize some of the senior Wildcat athletes who have been performing well in their sports and in the classroom. Here’s a look at just a few of the ‘Cats who will be leaving the UA with the honor of being named to the Pac-12 All-Academic first team this year:
CONGRATULATIONS,
SPRING 2019 GRADUATES!
SBS Outstanding Senior Award Bryn Sharp, Center for Latin American Studies SBS Excellence in Leadership and Community Engagement Award Amanda Lucero, School of Geography & Development SBS Student Success Award Rebekah Ulmer, School of Geography & Development STAN LIU | ARIZONA ATHLETICS
JUNIOR ASHLEY SUTHERLAND DURING the Wildcats quad meet against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks, New Mexico State Aggies and Rice Owls in Hillenbrand Aquatic Center, Jan. 5, 2018.
ASHLEY SUTHERLAND: WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING
The freestyle swimmer from Buckley, Wash., was named to the All-Academic first team for the third time in her Wildcat career. She finished the semester with a 3.92 GPA, and she’ll graduate with a degree in marketing.
SBS Tenacity Award Sarah Stueve, School of Information SBS Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award Sophie Kenyon, School of Anthropology Department of American Indian Studies School of Anthropology Department of Communication Department of English School of Geography & Development School of Government & Public Policy Department of Gender & Women’s Studies Department of History School of Information School of Journalism Arizona Center for Judaic Studies Division for Late Medieval & Reformation Studies Center for Latin American Studies
STAN LIU | ARIZONA ATHLETICS
CHATHAM DOBBS DURING THE Wildcats dual meet against the Southern California Trojans in Hillenbrand Aquatic Center Nov. 3, 2018.
CHATHAM DOBBS: MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING
In his final semester of school, Dobbs was named to the All-Academic first team for the first time in his career. Majoring in philosophy, he finished the term with a 3.53 GPA. He’ll leave Arizona holding four all-time top-10 times in school history, adding two Pac-12 titles in the 200-meter freestyle and medley relays in 2016.
Department of Linguistics School of Middle Eastern & North African Studies Department of Mexican American Studies Department of Philosophy Department of Political Economy & Moral Science School of Sociology
Learn about our exciting majors at sbs.arizona.edu
STAN LIU | ARIZONA ATHLETICS
JUNIOR MATT LUJAN DURING the Wildcats’ 147-115 win (men’s) and 185-787 (women’s) win over the Utah Utes in Hillenbrand Aquatic Center Oct. 28, 2017.
MATT LUJAN: MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING
For the third-straight year, Lujan was named to the All-Academic first team with a 3.65 GPA. Majoring in physiology, he’ll graduate with multiple top-three times on the team in both 100 and 200 backstroke.
MATT SALERNO: MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING
Another senior swimmer making the All-Academic team for the third-straight year, Salerno made the team with a 3.82 GPA majoring in veterinary science. As a Wildcat, he holds the eighth-fastest time in school history in the 100-meter breaststroke and was also an All-American honorable mention in the 400 medley relay in 2018.
TRAVIS THORNE: MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
From Spokane, Wash., Thorne had a 3.79 GPA this semester, which landed him on the All-Academic team for the first time in his career. Majoring in both optical science and engineering, he boasts multiple top-10 finishes in numerous events for the Wildcats.
HANNAH WHETZEL: WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
A native of Tucson, Whetzel was named to the All-Academic team with a 3.91 GPA majoring in mechanical engineering. In 2016, she was named to the Pac-12 All-Academic second team for cross country.
A10 • The Daily Wildcat
Commencement • Wednesday, May 8, 2019
SOFTBALL & BASEBALL PROFILES
Statman looks to radio career after graduation BY AMIT SYAL @asyal21
Arizona softball will say goodbye to six seniors with the conclusion of the 2019 season in a couple weeks, one of them being Tamara “T” Statman. A Scottsdale, Ariz., native, Statman showed promise from early in her college career. As a freshman, she started a total of 55 games with a 0.289 batting average with four home runs and 24 RBI. “College softball is kind of like the pinnacle of softball for most of the girls,” Statman said. However, Statman remembers coming into Arizona a little daunted by the athleticism of her older teammates. “I came into college never lifting a weight in my life,” Statman said. “And freshman year, it was hard, because you’re sitting there lifting weights, and I’m probably crying. But you grow into it, and eventually it just becomes routine. And going into it, I knew it was gonna be really hard, and luckily, I was able to tough it out and really see myself grow over these past four years.” Coming in as a freshman, Statman thought playing at the collegiate level “would be the
most impossible thing that you will ever do in your life.” Over the past four years, Statman — now one of UA’s designated players — has put in countless hours and constantly worked to improve herself into the player she is today. “There is a lot that goes into it — the sweat, the tears, the blood — there’s just a lot of emotion. As girls, we are very emotional, and we put everything that we have into it. So, the past four years have just been building on top of each other,” she said. Statman said she believes every single one of her teammates “adds a unique dynamic to our team culture.” She said her personal dynamic on the team is someone who is “silly and out there.” “I’m always trying to get people loose and riled up and just happy and excited to come out here and play,” she added. Over the past four years, Statman has picked up a few memories that will stick with her forever, some of which include the Knoxville Regional game her freshman year, winning the Pac-12 at UCLA as a sophomore and a bunt she laid down during a game in Palm Springs her freshman year. Statman and the Arizona softball crew
will travel to Los Angeles to face off against UCLA in the final regular matchup of the 2019 season. “I put down a bunt, and it moved a runner, and later we scored a run. But Mandie Perez came up to me, and she was like, ‘that was you. That was all you.’ So stuff like that kind of sticks with you,” she reflected. Even though being a collegiate athlete may seem like everything at the time, Statman knows how to put everything into perspective. “At the end of the day, it’s a game. It’s sad that after four years you have to see it come to an end, but what it is is making memories and just kinda being excited that you’re here,” the senior said. “We get to be here and be here at Arizona.” After college, Statman plans to work in something related to radio. She has been doing college radio for KAMP Student Radio for the past four years and recently had her last show, titled “T-Time”. “I have some job prospects up now … I’m looking at all different kinds: sports talk, morning shows on top hit stations … Radio is a great way to get things out to people, especially because a lot of people sit for hours on end … It’s fun,” she said.
AMY BAILEY | THE DAILY WILDCAT
ARIZONA’S TAMARA STATMAN GETS ready for the incoming pitch during Arizona- California game at Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium on March 31, 2018 in Tucson.
Weems’ career at UA shows hard work pays off BY ARI KOSLOW @koslow_ari
Arizona baseball pitcher Avery Weems’ collegiate career is coming to an end. Coming to the UA after spending two years playing baseball for a community college, it has been quite the ride for Weems. Weems spent his freshman and sophomore seasons pitching for Yavapai College, a community college in Prescott, Ariz. In his freshman season in 2016, Weems finished with a 4-1 record and 3.90 ERA over 14 appearances. The following season in his sophomore year, Weems finished with a 6-4 record and 2.89 ERA over 65 1/3 innings pitched, including two complete-game shutouts. After a successful two years in community college, Weems wanted to make his name known on a larger stage. “I wanted to get bigger, and I wanted to get stronger,” Weems said when asked what his primary reason was for coming to Arizona. “I wanted to improve mentally and physically on the baseball field to get me ready for the next level.” In his junior campaign, and first season with the Wildcats, the left-hander appeared in 26 games to the tune of a 5.69 ERA over 55 1/3 innings pitched with 39 strikeouts. In his
senior season this year, Weems has appeared in 21 games posting a 6.75 ERA over 46 2/3 innings pitched with 31 strikeouts. Weems was used as both a starter and relief pitcher in his two-year tenure at Arizona. “Not necessarily, no,” Weems said when asked if he has a preference between being used as a starting versus relief pitcher. “I like to relieve, because I know I like to be trusted and put in those kinds of situations. I also like to be a starter. I like to take control of the game, and it’s whatever the team needs to me to do to win that game. That’s what I’m willing to do.” Weems faced a lot of adversity coming from a small community college to a major Division I school in Tucson, but said he couldn’t have asked for a better experience at UA these past two years. “I have had to face some adversity, and I’ve had some success. I think it has definitely helped me out in the path that I want to take to go play professional baseball,” he said. When asked what the most memorable moment has been with the team these past two years, he responded with the walk-off win at home last season against Oregon State. Weems has his eyes set on the major leagues post-graduation and said he would
prefer to be a starting pitcher in pro baseball. However he would be willing and able to do whatever they would have him do to further his career and have the opportunity to continue to play baseball. “I’ll probably be hanging out for a couple weeks until the MLB draft,” Weems explained. “I’ll sit down with my family and enjoy it. If my name gets called, I’ll celebrate and get ready to go play baseball. If not, I guess we’ll go from there and see what happens and see what my future has to hold.” CALEB VILLEGAS | THE DAILY WILDCAT The senior has been a key WILDCAT PITCHER AVERY WEEMS (27) was the closer on Sunday, piece of the Wildcats pitching April 14, at Hi Corbett Field. Arizona won 4-2 in the series finale against staff these past two seasons. the California Golden Bears. He concluded with this: “I would just like to thank all the coaches that got me here to college and years playing baseball, I just this point, all the little leagues coaches and want to thank them,” he said. “I wanted the travel coaches that really took the time to show younger kids growing up that it’s and effort to teach me the game of baseball possible to do what you put your mind to if and teach me to be the man that I am today,” you put all the work in. I just wanted to give Weems said. a special thanks to all those people, and I’ll He also took take to thanks the UA fans. always be a Wildcat. Bear down.” “To all the fans and other people that supported me throughout my years in
Commencement • Wednesday, May 8, 2019
The Daily Wildcat • A11
RAINBOW GRADUATION & FOUR-YEAR RESIDENTS
Rainbow ceremony celebrates LGBTQ grads BY ALANA MINKLER @minkler_alana
Members of the University of Arizona LGBTQ community celebrated both their identity and college achievements at the annual Rainbow Graduation ceremony presented by LGBTQ Affairs. Rainbow Graduation celebrates queer-identifying students and is open to all graduating undergraduate students, graduate students and professional students that identify as LGBTQ+ or are allies. This year, the Rainbow Graduation was held May 4 in the Gallagher Theater in the Student Union Memorial Center. Many universities across the United States have ceremonies similar to Rainbow Graduation, which are sometimes called lavender graduations. Sav Schlauderaff, a Ph.D. student in gender and women’s studies, said the UA Rainbow Graduation brings in people from Tucson’s LGBTQ communities such as drag queen
Lucinda Holliday and poet Teré Fowler-Chapman to MC or present. Schlauderaff said the rainbow graduation ceremony is different from the general college graduation because students feel comfortable to express their identity in a space where faculty, staff, friends and family support the entire community. “You’re in a room where you know that someone’s either part of the LGBTQIA community or they’re an ally,” Schlauderaff said. Lexy Reyelts is a senior public management and policy student who was a member of the rainbow graduation planning committee for the past two years and was finally able to experience the ceremony this year instead of planning it. In comparison to college commencement ceremonies, Reyelts said it’s more personal because students choose a quote, send in a picture and share career aspirations on a slideshow. Graduates are also able to pick someone to present them for a minute on stage.
“It really highlights the achievements of each graduate there,” Reyelts said. Nikki Mastrud, a senior microbiology student who also participated this year, started hanging out at the LGBTQ Resource Center their freshman year and said their university experience centered around the center. Mastrud explained many colleges want to look past a student’s sexual orientation. “They want to say no, you’re a graduate first, you’re a scientist first, whatever it is,” Mastrud said. “And this is an opportunity to not just accept queerness but celebrate it and say ‘look at all of our people and look at all of these cool things that we’re doing and look at our community.’” Mastrud said Rainbow Graduation is “really a chance to celebrate that aspect that really the university as a whole would never do.” Schlauderaff also highlighted the importance of cultural centers and said many of students have spent a lot of their time being involved in the
COURTESY LGBTQ AFFAIRS
resource centers. “Some have done a lot of work on campus, and it’s important that they also get recognized for everything they’ve done,” Schlauderaff said. Mastrud said they appreciated the chance for one last opportunity in
college to celebrate queer identity. “Rainbow grad as a whole is saying … that we’re here and we’re queer, and it’s really exciting to celebrate that, especially during graduation season,” Mastrud said.
Graduating seniors on four years in dorms BY QUINCY SINEK @quincymccllelan
CONGRATULATIONS!
Stewart said he gets a sense of community when living in the dorms because there are always people there. He also said his experience taught him more about how the Three University of Arizona students have university functions. had a somewhat unique experience during “It’s definitely made me feel closer and their time at the university: living in the more connected to the entirety dorms every year. of campus,” Stewart said. Ben Stewart, a fifth-year Stewart has made a lot of student in the architecture meaningful connections with department, has been a his residents and other RA staff resident assistant for his last members, he said. Being older four years at the UA and lived than the students he is an RA in the dorms his first year with for, he said he’s often seen as a a roommate. resource for his residents and He spent his first year in tries to provide the best advice. Coconino Residence Hall, “I’ve definitely had a lot of second and third years in Gila really positive conversations Residence Hall, fourth year in with people,” Stewart said. Navajo-Pinal Residence Hall Lucette Peralta, a senior and his fifth and final year in COURTESY BEN STEWART marketing and management Coronado Residence Hall. major, has lived in the dorms Stewart said being an RA is all four years and has been something he really enjoyed an RA for the past three. She spent her doing that brought him back to the dorms freshman year in Yuma Residence Hall and each year. He also said dorm-living is very the following three years in Villa del Puente convenient. Residence Hall. “It’s nice to not have to worry about paying Peralta said without the RA position, she for an apartment or having to transport to and wouldn’t still be living in the dorms. from an apartment every day,” Stewart said.
“The compensation made school really affordable,” Peralta said. “It’s nice to be centrally located without having to pay for it.” Peralta said she thought being an RA would be a great opportunity to help students adjust to college as well as provide a resource and friendly face to any students who need it. She has mixed feelings on her time in the dorms, however. Overall, Peralta said she’s enjoyed her experience but wishes she had taken the chance to live somewhere else. She said living in the dorms has somewhat limited her ability to live in the “adult world,” because she has never had to do things such as pay bills. Peralta also said having to be on the job all the time can be draining and she’s looking forward to having a bit more time for herself. “It is difficult to live where you work,” Peralta said. “It’s definitely made me ready to have my own space.” Ale Hinojosa, a senior physiology major, said she enjoys being so close to everything on campus, as she can quickly get to her classes and her jobs. “It’s a lot easier for me to pick up shifts and stuff like that because I’m right here,” Hinojosa said. “I think that’s one of the main reasons, is how convenient it is, that I love
living on campus and that I’ve continued to want to.” Hinojosa lived in Arizona-Sonora Residence Hall her freshman year, Colonia de la Paz Residence Hall her sophomore year and Pueblo de la Cienega Residence Hall for her last two years. She’s been an RA for three years. Hinojosa said she’s really enjoyed her experience because each year she’s met a new group of residents and connected with them. She said she also enjoys having a room to herself. “I’m able to have that social aspect without it always being in my life,” Hinojosa said. “I think if I lived in the dorms and I always had a roommate that I might feel different about the situation.” Hinojosa is joining the Peace Corps after graduation and will be living with a family, so she said her dorm experience prepared her for that future living situation. Hinojosa, Peralta and Stewart all said living in the dorms has been a very unique, memorable and overall positive experience, though they said they are ready to experience a different type of living situation.
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A12 • The Daily Wildcat
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Commencement • Wednesday, May 8, 2019
The Daily Wildcat • A13 College of Humanities White
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Maize
STOLES
The meaning behind the color of stoles BY QUINCY SINEK @quincymccllelan
The UA Bookstore offers 14 different colored stoles:
As graduation approaches, the chances of seeing a student getting their graduation pictures taken around campus in their cap and gown are higher and higher. One feature some students choose to add to their graduation attire is a Stole of Gratitude. A Stole of Gratitude, according to the UA Bookstore website where students can purchase them, “is a lasting symbol of your achievement, worn proudly during your graduation ceremony.” Also referred to as a sash, the stole is worn over the graduate’s robe around their shoulders, hanging down the front. Stoles represent the specific college the student is graduating from and can also showcase any honors the student is earning as well as the organizations the student was involved in. Along with college-specific stoles, the UA also offers two university stoles, according to Karen Sanson, sales representative and regalia buyer for the UA Bookstores. “They’re both red, but one has got the embroidered university seal,” Sanson said. “The other university stole is also red, but it’s silk screen, so you have the three-colored ‘A’ on one side, and on the other side you have the university seal.” There are a variety of colors of stoles that can be purchased, and each color correlates with a different college. These colors are not specific to the UA, however; they are likely the same at every other university. According to TheClassroom. com, ”the colors usually follow a standard that’s recognized by most institutions in the United States.” Sanson said that a few years before she took over the role of regalia purchasing, the university and Jostens, a memorabilia manufacturer, worked together to create the stoles of gratitude for the different colleges.
MAIZE: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences VIOLET: College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture LIGHT BLUE: College of Education BLACK: College of Fine Arts ORANGE: College of Engineering SILVER: Colleges of Letters, Arts and Sciences WHITE: College of Social and Behavioral Sciences GOLD: College of Science DRAB: Eller College of Management MAROON: Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences SALMON PINK: Mel and Enid College of Public Health PINK: Fred Fox School of Music WHITE: College of Humanities GREEN: College of Health and Sciences UA also offers a veterans’ stole and is considering bringing in active-duty military stoles as well, according to Sanson. According to TheClassroom. com and GraduationSource.com, stoles have existed since before caps and gowns and were used in the 12th century by Catholic and Anglican priests to specify their rank in the church. The idea eventually moved over into academia as well and, today, is considered part of tradition in the American education system. Stoles are different from graduation cords. Some graduating students may also wear those during the ceremony. Cords represent honors students have achieved, which means a student could potentially have many, or few, cords, depending on their affiliations and achievements during their time as a student. Cords also come in different colors, each color representing a different type of honor or achievement. The Colgate University website
states that “after the ceremony, the new graduate presents the stole to someone who provided extraordinary help or support, like parents, relatives or mentors who have helped with wisdom, words of support or with financial assistance.” However, not all students adhere to this tradition. College of Architecture, “The idea of the Stole of Planning and Landscape Gratitude is it’s not required Architecture for graduation ... But, you can Violet wear the stole, and after your commencement, the idea is you bestow it on someone who’s helped you through the college process,” Sanson said. This summer, there will be changes to some of the stoles, specifically for the physiology department, according to Sanson. They wanted to create a more College of Social and personalized physiology stole Behavioral Sciences and have been working with the White licensing department and Jostens to put it together. The Stole of Gratitude holds meaning for each graduate as it represents the college they have been a part of during their time at the university.
Health and Sciences Green
Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences Maroon
Eller college of Management Drab
Mel and Enid College of Public Health Salmon Pink
Fred Fox School of Music
College of Engineering
College of Fine Arts
College of Letters, Arts & Sciences
Orange
Pink
Black
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A14 • The Daily Wildcat
Commencement • Wednesday, May 8, 2019
GRADUATE FEATURES
From behind the scenes to graduation stage BY JESSE TELLEZ @jtell27 During his time at the University of Arizona, Cole Rowerdink found a passion for working behind the scenes on fine arts productions. He is graduating from the College of Fine Arts this year with a degree in design and technology and an emphasis in stage management. While most stage management students complete around eight production assignments before they graduate, Rowerdink has completed over 20 within the School of Theatre, Film & Television. While at UA, Rowerdink has taken on the roles of assistant stage manager, stage manager, production stage manager, technician and wardrobe crew member, just to name a few. He has worked as the production assistant for the School of Theatre, Film & Television since last May, which means he has multiple duties including scheduling departmentrelated events and organizing and running season auditions. “I also assist the managing director, the production manager and all the faculty and staff,” Rowerdink said. “If they have something they need, I’m usually the one they go to.”
Jenny Lang, the assistant professor of practice in stage and production management who hired Rowerdink for his current position, describes him as a “go-getter.” “He goes above and beyond all the time and gives 110 percent to everything that he does,” Lang said. “He has this unique ability to be detail-oriented but at the same time keeps his eye on the bigger picture.” Though Rowerdink has mostly worked on theater productions, such as the Arizona Repertory Theatre’s “Born Yesterday,” “Richard III” and “The Cripple of Inishmaan,” he has also tried his hand at film production. Rowerdink was the stage manager for the 2017 and 2018 installations of the “I Dream in Widescreen” annual presentation of short films by senior UA film and television students. He also worked on a handful of short films made by fellow UA undergraduates. Rowerdink, who is from California, plans to put his degree to good use back home after graduation. “I’m moving to L.A., and there are two jobs that I want really badly,” he said. “One is with a publicity agency, and the other is a film production company that was started by Leonardo DiCaprio.”
Rowerdink said his time at the UA as a student in the School of Theatre, Film & Television and the professors he’s worked with have given him the tools to succeed in life after college. “The school has prepared me by challenging me,” Rowerdink said. “They’ve thrown a lot at me, and it’s been good experience.” Rowerdink said UA theater professors such as Jenny Lang, Hank Stratton and Brent Gibbs have been influential in preparing him for post-graduation life. “They don’t take any B.S.,” Rowerdink said. “They try to give us the best professional training and will tell you when you’re doing something wrong or what you need to improve on. I feel very prepared to go out into the real world and take on the entertainment industry.” As Rowerdink gets ready to leave UA, he has some advice to give incoming students. “Enjoy every moment that’s given to you and don’t let stress take over,” Rowerdink said. “This is a learning opportunity, but it is also your time to explore and experience anything and everything that you can.” COURTESY MARINA DEVAUX
Dancer trades in dance shoes for medical school BY JAMIE DONNELY @JamieRisa11
COURTESY LINDSEY BIRCHFIELD
Katelyn Paulsen, a UA student graduating with a bachelor’s degree in dance and one of the School of Dance’s outstanding seniors, is dancing her way from the stage at the Stevie Eller Dance Theatre to medical school. After being injured in gymnastics, Paulsen turned to dance when she was 14 and has been lighting up the stage since. “I’ve been dancing for eight years,” Paulsen said. “I trained in gymnastics for about 10 years, and I actually broke both of my arms. I had to switch to a different sport, so I chose to pick up dance.” Paulsen said throughout her four years in the program, she has been able to grow as a performer and within herself. “I developed a lot of friendships, and the faculty have been great mentors to me,” Paulsen said. “Overall, I have had great growth within the program and built confidence in myself.” During her time at the School of Dance, Paulsen has performed every semester. This year, she was able to perform with the Martha Graham Dance Company for Panorama, a piece they danced back in November. Her favorite performance has been STYX, performed at Jazz in AZ, because she and her fellow performers were able to put their strongest foot forward.
“I really enjoy performing Michael Williams’ pieces, and I was very excited and honored to be the lead female in the piece,” Paulsen said. Michael Williams, a professor at the dance school, knew Paulsen before she came to the UA. He said he remembers her coming to the Arizona Jazz Dance showcase and working with her dance teacher back in Iowa. “She is remarkably positive, and she’s super talented as a mover in a dimensional way,” Williams said. Williams favorite memory of Paulsen was when she won a scholarship at the Arizona Jazz Dance showcase. He said he had never seen her as excited as she was in that moment. “In her senior year at the festival, she got a scholarship to UA and I remember her just beaming,” Williams said. “She wanted to come to this school anyway, but after she got the scholarship, she knew she was going to be able to be in the program. I can’t remember her ever being that lit up and excited.” In addition to her dance skills, Paulsen has also worked on a dance medicine clinic project, where she looked at the various injuries dancers in the program had endured. “I’ve been able to work on a dance medicine clinic project, where I’ve done
different data collection, and I’ve brought it all together in my capstone this semester,” Paulsen said. “I’m going to bring the results of the injuries I found to the faculty and see if we can implement any different protocols to help prevent injuries in our dancers.” Paulsen’s passion for medicine is what makes her stand out, according to Amy Ernst, an assistant professor of dance. She describes Paulsen as a “dancing doctor.” “What makes her so fun is her love for dance anatomy and the fact that she is not only an incredible dance major but she is also going to head off to medical school in the future,” Ernst said. Over her four years, Paulsen has made a lot of memories, but the dance rehearsals she said she will remember forever. “My favorite memories come from rehearsals, and that’s partially due to the fact that we spend so much time as a group, so we develop little inside jokes or we remember all of the different pieces that we performed together,” Paulsen said. Paulsen’s future plans include her applying to medical school this summer. She will also be working as a research specialist for the University of Iowa. “The UA dance program is extremely diverse, and I am honored to have been able to add to that diversity, and I’m excited to have seen everyone grow over the past four years,” Paulsen said.
THE DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOLOGY CONGRATULATES OUR SPRING 2019 GRADUATES! Department of Physiology Outstanding Seniors
Shane Carr, Stefan Koester, Tala Shahin Bianca Aguilar Ahmed Al-Shamari Mehruba Alam Sydney Allie Abdulaziz Alyamani Alyssa Anderson Shelby Andrasco Bailey Antonowicz Luis Aparicio-Chairez Sarah Baay Dmitry Baer Hailey Baggenstos Lara Bajakian Kelly Bakia Guadalupe Ballesteros Noel Balli Gabrielle Banales Carlos Banda Taylor Bargenquast Kimberly Barra Dianne Barrameda Makenzie Bartling Navonie Barton Trishala Basana Eric Bayman Hannah Bergmann Taylor Bigelow Brian Bills Diego Blew Isabella Blum Ivan Bojorquez Lindsay Boutchia Zoe Bracy Shauna Bratton Nathaniel Bridge Hannah Brookins Sarah Brown Taylor Brown Jackson Buckman Christopher Bui Anthony Burtman Bianca Bustamante Lauren Cadwell Jaeden Calton Alexis Carbine Shane Carr Alexandre Cavalcante Jordan Centeno Mariana Chacon Wesley Chastain Misha Chaudhary Melissa Chavez Alicia Chen Analekha Chesnick Luke Chon Nicholas Christopher Karsten Coleman Luis Contreras Zarate Nathan Cordova Iliana Cosio Jason Cota Sara Cox Alejandro Cruz Cecilia Cruz Landen Culbreath Eric Dahlke Margaret Demer Angie Dorame Sady Dorris Daniel Duchrow Gabriella Dueñas David Egbo
Alyssa Elias Nicole Englund Marlon Espinosa Jr. Chloe Filippinetti Matthew Firchal Nina Fitchett Nicole Fitzke Jonathan Flores David Forero Blaise Fox-Icarro Grace Frame Mariajose Franco Lisette Fuentes James Fusaro Margret Fye Matthew Gadziala IV Ruben Gallegos Christian Garlick Michael Gee William Gee Travis Geyer Kaylee Goergen Madelyn Golner Fatima Gomez Marlene Gonzalez Anguiano Jacob Gorsky Jordana Gotlieb Logan Graf Thomas Greer Joseph Gunderson Moana Hala’ufia Nathaniel Hansen Brody Harn Sofia Haserot Shamam Hashim Haylie Hendrickson Alberto Hernandez Zachary Himmelberg Ziad Hindosh Alejandra Hinojosa Alexander Hoffman Jazzmin Holland Nicole Holly Maria Hurtado Alec Jacobsen Lukas Janson Madeline Jaramillo Andrew Jauregui Bailey Johnson Grant Johnston Gianna Jordan Rimsha Kashif Kiyomi Kawana Sundance Kemp Sophia Kenyon Caroline King Abigail Kirschbaum Nicholas Knapton Stefan Koester Diana Koscak Joshua Kraus Kevin Ladd Maxwell Lagas Cameron Lamp
Thomas Laprevote Kaelon Lattomus Ashley Lauricella April Layton Payton Leahy Kiryun Lee Laura Lee Anna Licari Jonathan Light Rachel Lowe Matthew Lujan Cassandra Lynn Da Ma Caitlin Magee Giyth Mahdi Juan Maldonado Taylor Mann Caroline Manrubia Gabriela Mantica Brandy Martinez Taylor Martinez Tyler Marx Ryan May Haley McCoy Kash McDonald Milagros Mejia Carolina Mercado Peyton Mierau Kyle Mistler Dieter Mohty Niels Mohty Emily Moncada Grace Monfort Gustavo Moreno Marge Moyer Bryce Muse Justin Nguyen Michelle Nguyen Paul Nguyen Aleksandar Nikolic Amanda O’Brien Tobi Odeneye Elizabeth Ogunbunmi Tyler Oliver Daniel Padilla Daniela Parga Shefale Patel Erin Pellegrino Rachel Perry Victoria Phun Rachel Piña Carla Poplawsky Kayleigh Porritt Matthew Posey Celia Jing Qian Sarah Quayle Cristian Quinones Daniel Quintero Montoya Brooke Quinton Aaron Rabinowitz Hailey Ramirez Asama Rana Katarina Reidy Czarina Retana
Alejandro Reyes Tiffany Riley Hiyori Roberts Amelia Rodriguez Francisco Romo Mariana Rosas Katharine Ross Gabrielle Rowlison Kathryn Russell CJ Ryan Celia Saldana Nmesomachi Sampson Anesa Sanders Jasreet Sandhu Pantea Sazegar Makenzie Schattenberg Delanee Schwartz Savannah Seyller Maren Sfeir Tala Shahin Jake Shaneyfelt Vanessa Shedd Ahmed Shehata Taylor Shin Randeep Singh Harper Smith Jordan Smith Max Smith Victoria Snapp Eric Snell Sidney Spore Faissal Stipho Elizabeth Stokes Rowen Stokes Ilyssa Strauss Sabrina Suarez Andrea Sugden Clayton Summers Dalton Svoboda Hailey Swanson Gabriel Swenson Stuart Swindig Ron Tang Allyssa Tapia Ann Thomas Deven Topiwala Mikaela Torres Marimar Torres Ortega Arielle Tran Laura Vargas Srinivasan Venkatesh Gloria Villa Barbosa Jonluke Villasenor Kelley Vivas Mark Wager Buddy Wagoner Kwadjo Walker Kassie Wheeler Chloe Wiberg Kyle Wilkie Deanthoni Wilkins Conor Willson Jordin Wilson James Winslow Caroline Winters Elliot Wolf Kyle Wuest Joshua Xu Ryan Lee Tyler Zitka Manashe Zvavamwe
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Commencement • Wednesday, May 8, 2019
The Daily Wildcat • A15
GRADUATE FEATURES
Graduating senior inspires a humanist perspective BY JESSE TELLEZ @jtell27
Chelsea Forer, this year’s outstanding senior in the College of Humanities, is “inspiring both students and faculty” at the University of Arizona with her academic achievements. “It is nice to be able to acknowledge a student who is not only intellectually rigorous but incredibly kind,” said Rae Dachille, Forer’s mentor and thesis advisor. Forer is a dual major in religious studies and biological anthropology and a College of Humanities Ambassador, and she studied Buddhism in Bhutan and Islam in Jordan. She speaks proficient Arabic, has worked with three different professors on separate research projects, created a thesis project on the benefits of Humanities Education and has already landed an upcoming internship with the International Rescue Committee. Stacey Tecot, an associate professor of anthropology and Forer’s lab director and anthropology advisor, said Forer is “stellar” and “brilliant,” adding she has clear decisionmaking skills in the lab that rival Tecot’s own and an academic constitution “on the level of graduate students.” “In the lab, there is a lot of troubleshooting that can often be so frustrating it causes decision paralysis ...” Tecot said. “This was never a problem for Chelsea. She completely changed the culture in the lab and we are so much more productive because of her.” Forer said her real achievements are the connections she made with students, mentors and people around the globe. “It makes sense,” Dachille said, “that Forer chose anthropology. Forer always worked with people. She had experience working with the Hopi prior to attending the UA, and she always wanted to travel.” But finding her passion within such a broad subject was a bit of a challenge, she said.
“My journey is very much like lily pads in a pond,” Forer said. “I’m always jumping to a new lily pad.” She decided she wanted to pursue a B.S. in biological anthropology but began running out of credits to fulfill what was required for the Wildcat Excellence Scholarship, so she added religious studies to her resume. “[Religion] was something that I never fully understood, which is why I wanted to study it,” Forer said. Forer said she is interested in what she calls the “Science of Religion,” or how religions influence the great and small moments in every person’s life. “Chelsea is able to truly accept every individual tradition or belief as valid and important without ranking them on levels of sophistication or integrity. That is really rare,” Dachille said. “Seeing her on the ground in a global context — she was utterly aware of the gravity of the communities she was working with and the responsibility she has of representing those communities — was influential for me.” Forer said she believes in the “beauty of culture” and wanted to pursue degrees that would make her a more empathetic and compassionate human being. “I describe myself as wearing a pair of glasses with multiple, multi-colored lenses like the glasses from National Treasure,” Forer said. Forer said her success in school and abroad is due to her interest and remarkable dedication to the subjects she has chosen to study. According to Forer, her father taught her “the worst thing somebody can say is ‘no,’” so she had no problem asking her professors to put her to work. “Our university being a top-tier research institution, all of the professors are required to do this amazing research that I am really passionate about,” Forer said. “The professors here are more than happy to have undergraduates work with them, and I
COURTESY CHELSEA FORER
found that, if you ask, they will be happy to oblige.” Forer doesn’t know what lies ahead. Graduate school is certainly on her path, but not yet, she said. Community is where she sees herself. She anticipates working with others, maybe in a lab, maybe abroad. She looks forward to relationships with people she has not even met yet. She said her internship with the IRC will help her find out where her passions lie, perhaps with children, women or refugees or maybe with something she has not yet studied. “The greatest lesson I learned as a student is to go for opportunities,” Forer said, “and if they don’t exist, make them.”
Master’s student dances her way to graduation BY JAMIE DONNELY @JamieRisa11
COURTESY CANDICE BARTH
Candice Barth, a University of Arizona graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in dance, is using her passion for dance to show the world how to express themselves and appreciate art. Barth’s dance career started when she would dance around her house as a child. Soon, she took her dance skills from her house to dance classes when she was four years old. “I stared when I was very little,” Barth said. “Before I even started taking dance classes, my grandpa and grandma made me a ballet mixtape and a tutu, so I just started dancing around the house. When I started doing that, my parents thought that they should put me in dance classes.” As a master’s student, Barth chose to do both the performance track and choreography. “I was able to dance different master works, do pieces by mainstream choreographers, and I was the main role in George Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco,” Barth said. “As a choreographer, I was able to choreograph several pieces and present some of them at the Stevie Eller Dance Theatre.” Throughout her time in the UA dance program, Barth said that one of her biggest accomplishments
was teaching people how to appreciate dance. She was able to not only perform and choreograph pieces, but she was able to teach. “I taught non-major dance classes for ballet, modern and jazz,” Barth said. “It was a unique experience. I got to open them up to a new world and show them how to express themselves.” Autumn Eckman, an assistant professor of dance, has known Barth for two years and was the chair for her thesis committee. She said that Barth is a great choreographer and was pleasantly surprised to hear about her rock ballet. “She was able to successfully tackle all areas required by graduate students,” Eckman said. “She’s an excellent choreographer, an excellent scholar, and did excellent research.” Barth has danced on the Stevie Eller Dance Theatre stage multiple times, but her favorite performance was a piece choreographed by Nacho Duato because his work resonated with her. During Barth’s time in the master’s program she was able to make many memories, but reading the course reflection by her students took the cake. “Students would mention that they had a deeper appreciation for dance,” Barth said. “It was fulfilling as a teacher and an artist.” Assistant professor of dance, Amy Ernst, describes Barth as a supremely talented dancer and
choreographer. She believes that Barth’s ability to give back to the program is what makes her stand out. “Her desire to give back to her field is what really makes her unique at this point in her career,” Ernst said. “She’s had a wonderful professional performing career and then her return to earn her [Master’s of Fine Arts] really distinguished her dedication to her art.” Ernst has known Barth since 2007 and remembers a performance where Barth danced one of Ernst’s personal pieces. “A very special time for me was a piece of choreography I did which featured her in 2010 when she was an undergrad,” Ernst said. “The piece itself was dedicated to my mother-in-law who recently passed away from cancer, and Candice was a very big part of that piece in terms of her artistry and her ability to communicate what I was trying to express.” After graduation, Barth plans on going to Denver, Colo., where she will be reunited with her husband. She has also created a curriculum for a dance appreciation class for schools. Barth will continue to dance and will be a part of a contemporary ballet company where she can dance and choreograph various pieces. “She is always pleasant, positive and active,” Eckman said. “All of her peers and the undergraduates look up to her.”
A16 • The Daily Wildcat
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