BSU 11-10-22

Fairy-tale Performance: BSU Theatre goes 'Into the Woods'09

A New Nest: Jaquan Amos plays for his final Division I college football program07

Grace Horizon aims to help people who have

04

BallStateDailyNews.com

Men’s Tennis finishes fall season Cardinals named in MAC weekly honors

Nov. 6: The Cardinals finished their fall season in Kalamazoo, Michigan, at the Mid-American Conference (MAC), indoors, it was the fourth of four fall tournaments the Cardinals played. Freshman Broc Fletcher, freshman Jacks Lancaster, senior Vince Orlando and sophomore Nathaniel Webster all won in singles matches. The spring season starts Jan. 20.

Indiana 2022 Midterm Elections results

Todd Young (R) was re-elected as U.S. Senator, Victoria Spartz (R) was re-elected as House Representative for Indiana District 5 and Greg Pence (R) was reelected as House Representative for Indiana District 6. Many of the races, state and local, have not yet been called, as votes are still being counted. Visit the Delaware County Clerk’s Website for unofficial results.

Nov. 7: Two women’s volleyball players were named in the MAC West Division weekly honors. Fourth-year libero Maggie Huber was named Defensive Player of the Week, and second-year setter Megan Wielonski was named Setter of the Week. Huber led Ball State with 6.67 digs-per-set in a home sweep of Kent State while Wielonski averaged 11.117 assists-per-set.

Firsts in the 2022 Midterm Elections

Nov. 8: There were many historic and noteworthy election results around the United States during the 2022 midterm elections. Among others, Maura Healey (D) of Massachusetts has been elected the U.S. first lesbian governor, Wes Moore (D) has been elected Maryland’s first Black governor, and Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) has been elected Arkansas’ first female governor.

4-DAY WEATHER FORECAST

THURSDAY

SUNNY

Hi: 72º Lo: 50º

FRIDAY MOSTLY

CHANCE OF RAIN

Hi: 58º Lo: 30º

SATURDAY MOSTLY

SUNNY Hi: 41º Lo: 25º

SUNNY Hi: 40º Lo: 23º

THIS WEEK: We will see a temperature increase to the 70s on Thursday as a warm, southern air mass moves through. On Saturday, a cold front will provide a huge cooldown to winter-like temperatures into next week.

START CHECKING, FROM DAY ONE.

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Waking Up with Cardinal Weather is Ball State University’s first and only morning mobile show focused on getting your ready for the day through local news, weather and lifestyle trends. Waking Up with Cardinal Weather airs every Friday morning at 8 a.m. at @cardinalwx live on Facebook.

SUNDAY

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on Campus

Starship Technologies partners with University Dining, launching an automatic food delivery service

Editor’s Note: Ashton Connelly is employed by North Dining, which is connected to Starship. He only spoke with President Mearns and Starship representatives.

With its lid locked in place, sealing the tripleinsulated cabin to keep the special cargo fresh and secure, without hesitation, the roundly 2-foot robot began its mission.

The task was of the utmost importance, and with the help of its 12 cameras, ultrasonic sensors, radars, neural networks and other technological tools, the machine was ready to detect and maneuver around any obstacle that would find itself in the way.

The device wheeled its way down the ramp of the North Dining patio and turned south onto McKinley Avenue. Students coming and going

to class populated the sidewalks, but as long as nothing was detected in its path, the robot cruised along at a consistent four miles per hour — the same rate of a typical person’s walking speed.

As the robot crossed the intersection of McKinley and Riverside Avenue, better known on campus as the Scramble Light, the customer — watching from Bracken House — recalled feeling a sense of excitement as he checked the machine’s location via the app, where users can check the progress of their order on a map of the campus.

In under 30 minutes, his special delivery and deliverer had almost met their destination.

The morning of Nov. 2, a Starship Technologies food delivery robot completed the first delivery made on Ball State’s campus: a fresh box of donuts from North Dining to Ball State’s President Geoffrey S. Mearns, opening the service for use across campus.

“Well, I think [students] will have the same reaction I did,” Mearns said. “I felt a little temptation to start talking to him.”

Between the fresh box of donuts and knee-high robot, Mearns said he was captured by the novelty of the experience. Mearns expressed he is looking forward to seeing that same level of amusement across campus as the robots make their way alongside students.

“I love them,” Mickey Irwin, first-year elementary education major, said. “They’re already a part of campus, like you see them around, and it’s like somebody to wave at like it’s your friend.”

Irwin is from Russiaville, Indiana, a town with a population of 1,318 people, as opposed to Ball State’s reported enrollment of 19,337 students (fall 2021). She believes high school students taking college visits will feel “blown away” when they see the Starship robots.

See ROBOTS, 5

winning numbers were selected Nov. 9 morning, rather than the previously scheduled Monday evening, due to reported sales verification system errors from the Minnesota Lottery.

Dining robots sit on the sidewalk Nov. 2 outside the Student Center Tally Nov. 3. KYLE SMEDLEY, DN

ALEX BRACKEN, DN ILLUSTRATION

Kyle Smedley, Ashton Connelly News Editor, Reporter

Isabella Bonilla Reporter

Editor’s Note: As a trigger warning, this article contains information about sex trafficking.

Sex trafficking: a hard truth and something that actually happens not only in the state of Indiana but all over the world. The Child Welfare Act describes sex trafficking as “criminal activity whereby one or more persons are subjected to engage in commercial sexual activity through the use of force, fraud or coercion.”

As of 2020, from the National Human Trafficking Hotline website, there have been approximately 140 cases reported and 514 people have contacted the hotline in general of suspicion and attempts. The numbers have drastically increased from 2016, where there was only 85 cases reported and 317 people contacted the hotline.

This is why organizations like Grace Horizon exist.

Grace Horizon is an organization located in Anderson, Indiana, and it is a community of survivors.

This organization has core values including boundaries/self-care, generosity, stability and healthy spirituality that allow them to heal. They use each of these things to help the person involved understand what they have been through, how to take care of themselves and how to become someone who has grown from traumatic experiences.

Grace Horizon has access for survivors to feel comfortable and taken care of.

“We have used counseling, group therapy [and] trauma yoga,” Helber said. “We try to focus on the whole person and not just the challenges they have faced and been through.”

Healing is the main priority in this community. Those at Grace Horizon want those involved to know that healing a wound that was not caused by themselves is hard but not impossible, showing everyone is different and handles grief and healing in different ways.

“The road to healing is not linear, and while we utilize many good steps and resources on that path, we also recognize that each person’s journey is unique,” acording to the Grace Horizon website.

Recovery, and making it known that healing is filled with so many loops and holes that it will never be easy, is additionally important to those at Grace Horizon.

The road to healing is not linear, and while we utilize many good steps and resources on that path, we also recognize that each person’s journey is unique.”

- GRACE HORIZON WEBSITE

According to the Grace Horizon website, their mission is to help people who have been through violence, exploitation, sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. They aim to bring awareness and bring some light to sex trafficking situations.

They have a motto they follow when helping people through their journey, healing and recovery which they like to call the “Three R’s:” relationships, resource support and recovery.

“Those are three things that are addressed and are needed most in therapy,” Sarah Helber, children’s coordinator and second generation coach for Grace Horizon, said.

On the Grace Horizon website, they talk about how people in the organization create connections with other people and interlock with their emotions and trauma. It allows them to have a safe place to talk to someone about their fears and the things they’ve experienced.

“Everything starts with relationships,” Helber said. “We want them to reach their goals in life, and recovery goals as well. We provide them with different things, whether that is food or getting their diploma, we work with different organizations, so we are able to make this happen.”

Kennedy Shoemaker, HM3-behavioral health technician for the U.S. Navy, has been able to work with others and their different mental health issues and has experience in working alongside their recovery.

Shoemaker is a Corpsman Petty officer with a Third Rankings as she works alongside the behavioral health technician for the U.S. Navy.

“What people really need more than advice or answers is the ability to be acknowledged and understood when they are announcing their own insecurities and/or trauma,” Shoemaker said.

Shoemaker talked about the different ways to help people who have been through trauma and what those can do to help others.

“I feel it is incredibly helpful — in lack of better words — to let people help themselves rather than tell them what to do with their lives,” Shoemaker said. “Ask them what they think they should do, listen and let them think.”

Shoemaker believes people need to feel heard and seen before being given or accepting advice from others. She said they want a place to vent and a place to feel heard as well. Understanding trauma and not taking blame for symptoms of trauma are things she said she encourages people she works with in the military to work through.

“Trauma comes at the hands of others. It isn’t ever really self-induced or inflicted,” she said. “Not every method will work for everyone, so it’s kind of like speed dating recovery, for example. Breathing exercises might work for one person but not for another.”

Ball State offers free counseling and resources that allow people to seek the help they desire and need.

Ball State students can use the Counseling Center to help with anxiety, depression and career exploration.

Ball State has a program called Outreach, which

states on their website that their “mission is to assist students in reaching their personal and educational goals and removing barriers to learning. Part of our service mission is a strong outreach/consultation component oriented towards prevention, student development and wellness.”

Ball State, like Grace Horizon, has resources and people wanting to help.

Brittany Johnson, Ball State athletic trainer, has worked alongside many teams at different universities in her career.

- SARAH HELBER, Children’s coordinator and second generation coach

Johnson explained how trauma can lead to many different things that go throughout the body and mind.

“[Sometimes] with depression, you can’t motivate yourself to do things that a normal functioning human would do. For example, brushing your teeth, bathing, eating properly, all of these can lead to different issues with your body as well. So not only can trauma affect you directly, but it can also affect you indirectly,” Johnson said. Johnson said your body is not only affected by the traumas and impacts it goes through but also

what a person is able to do to help themselves in times of need. She thinks it is important to care of yourself and do things for yourself.

“Even after a crazy, busy day, you are still putting in that time for yourself to allow yourself to mentally and physically slow down,” Johnson said.

If you, or anyone you know, needs assistance in mental health or has been put in harm’s way, you can contact your nearest hospital or the Ball State University Health Center at (765) 285-8431 and Grace Horizon at (765) 374-0223.

Contact Isabella Bonilla with comments at isabella.bonilla@bsu.edu

Grace Horizon is about people and counselors wanting to make a change in people’s life by helping them understand and help people through their healing process

We try to focus on the whole person not just the challenges they have faced and been through.”

A table at an event is filled with Grace Horizon T-shirts. Grace Horizon is based out of Anderson, Indiana, but serves many from all around Delaware County. GRACE HORIZON , PHOTO PROVIDED

Sarah Helber is the children’s coordinator and second generatiom coach for Grace Horizon. Helber began with Grace Horizon, then known as Stripped Love, in 2017. GRACE HORIZON, PHOTO PROVIDED

ROBOTS

Continued from Page 03

“I feel like every other Snapchat story is filled with these robots,” Villeota said. “So I think we, as a university, are excited to see them roaming around, and we're just kind of excited to have something new on our campus.”

Even Jimmy Kimmel, host of late night talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” hosted Starship Technologies for a segment in 2017. In the segment, Kimmel follows a robot from Starship, which at that time was partnered with DoorDash, as it completes an order from a local Hooters to the set.

Richaun Stewart, fourth-year musical theatre major, also lives off-campus and plans to use the robots. Stewart said he feels like this initiative is a natural progression, not only for University Dining, but Ball State as a whole.

“I would have never [seen] it coming, but I'm not surprised at the same time for sure,” Stewart said. “Again, it's a great tool and especially with everything in the modern day. We're just getting new technology each and every day and expanding and evolving as humans, so this was bound to happen.”

Dylan Barrett, university account manager for Starship Technologies, said Starship Technologies partnered with their first university campus in 2018. Ball State marks their 29th campus deployment.

“We started with grocery delivery in the United Kingdom and then expanded here stateside,” Barrett said. “[We] identified the campus environment as a perfect layout for robotic deliveries. I mean, you have medical facilities, dining facilities, housing facilities, cars, intersections, roads, but you are in somewhat of a close community as well, right? Our robots typically operate in a three, four or five mile radius, so considering all of those parameters, it's been absolutely the perfect environment for our robots to kind of build the volume and continue to grow the amount of deliveries.”

When it came to choosing Ball State specifically,

Barrett commented on how geography, infrastructure and dining services aided the process of adapting the robots to campus.

“Well, first of all, [it’s] how drivable the campus is. We don't see a ton of elevations, the walkways … they're so accessible and wide,” Barrett said, “but what I’m really excited for is the dining team we’ve partnered with. We've opened with over 10 restaurants already, and there's still so much to grow, so this is really just the tip of the iceberg of the overall service that we'll see as we continue to grow together.”

Karen Adkins, senior director of auxiliary

still want to get university dining opportunity of food, [the robot] gives them that opportunity to partake in some of their favorites that we offer,” Adkins said.

Adkins, along with other representatives from University Dining, visited Purdue University during the spring 2021 semester to see the Starship robots in action. Since then, dining has been working to partner with Starship and bring these robots to campus.

Due to complications with COVID-19, the initiative was in the works for over a year, but the transition of the partnership went smoothly.

“We've heard from a lot of positive folks about the opportunity to be able to order and get what they like from University Dining so far,” Adkins said. “Starship asked ... about what my overall [thoughts] from day one [were], [and] it's really been a lot easier than I anticipated it being. When you start a new initiative, you always have the fears of what's going to happen, and this has been a smooth opening.”

Adkins said the biggest obstacle is payment integration. While at first, the dining robots were only taking credit or debit, they now also take Dining Plus and Cardinal Cash. Adkins said eventually they want to be able to take meal plans.

As of now, the Starship robots are operating out of North Dining, The Atrium, Woodworth Dining and the Student Center Tally. Currently, there are 12 on-campus restaurants to choose from, according to the app.

The fact the robots can respond to completed deliveries when being touched or when the lid is opened is one of Barrett’s favorite features.

“They’ll say ‘Thank you,’ ‘Have a great day,’... you can have them play the Ball State fight song or a variety of other music that we alternate every single month, so as soon as you open the lid for delivery, it’ll play whichever song you select,” Barrett said. “I think that's a really cool feature because it adds that human element and really creates that experience that you want to share.”

Users on the app can also select songs like Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero'' and Sam Smith’s “Unholy.” Barrett seemed floored by the possibility of synchronizing the robots with Shafer Tower’s quarter-hourly chimes, commenting it would have to be something he and Starship would “bring our IT teams together to see what we could do.”

The robot’s sound systems are also equipped to sound sirens when picked up, according to the BSU Dining Services Starship Delivery Services website. However, in the event a robot is found stuck, Starship will “appreciate anytime someone helps the robot out of a sticky situation” but warns the bots are “very heavy,” weighing from 40-45 pounds without any cargo.

-

Once [a person or object] gets close enough, it'll come to a complete stop,” Barret said. “It has a 360-degree bubble of awareness, and that's created with the cameras, the ultrasonic sensors and the neural networks as well as radar, so, we can sense things, approaching obstacles [or] upcoming crossings.”

Barrett said the robots have gone through several different variations over the years, with the fleet at Ball State being the most recent version. The lifetime of a robot is also relatively indefinite as the rechargeable battery, configurable hardware and programmable software allows Starship to upgrade the existing fleet to be “operating at peak performance.”

Snow tires and cupholders in the interior compartment are more recent additions and configurations, Barrett said.

The interior cabin is also triple-insulated, configurable (similar to a camera bag with velcro dividers) and is sanitized by a Starship employee after each delivery and every night, he said. Runners, or the Starship/University Dining employee, will also verify that every item in the order is accounted for.

The robots are active from 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m. everyday, Barrett said. However, as services develop and new restaurants become accessible, Barrett is looking forward to expanded hours and services.

services for dining, catering and events, said the partnership with Starship to bring these robots to campus is the logical next step if University Dining wants to maintain their upward trend.

“I just think it's a service that gives students the opportunity to where if they're not feeling well, they don't want to leave their residence hall or for faculty and staff that don't want to leave the office, but they

To express their appreciation of those who help, Starship Technologies posted a “thank you” video compilation to Facebook and TikTok April 14, where clips show individuals assisting robots stuck in various situations.

To avoid situations where help would be needed, the robots are equipped with a variety of tools to help navigate obstacles and crowds.

“The robot will always defer to any pedestrian, obstacle, object or anything like that, so when a person approaches it, it will slow down its speed.

As the robots roll on throughout campus completing deliveries, President Mearns and Starship Technologies both believe the robots will become another “fixture on campus.”

For now, the robots’ rechargable motors will whirr and their plastic flags will wave their way throughout crowds as they roll their way through campus to complete another order.

Contact Kyle Smedley with comments via email at kyle.smedley@bsu.edu or on Twitter @smedley1932. Contact Ashton Connelly with comments via email at ajconnelly@bsu.edu or on Twitter @AshtonJConnelly.

A dining robot prepares to cross McKinley Avenue. Lisa Renze-Rhodes, DN

I love them. They’re already a part of campus, like you see them around, and it’s like somebody to wave at like it’s your friend”

- MICKEY IRWIN, First-year Ball State student

... What I’m really excited for is the dining team we’ve partnered with. We’ve opened with over 10 restaurants already, and there’s still so much to grow, so this is really just the tip of the iceberg of the overall service that we’ll see as we continue to grow together.”

DYLAN BARRETT, Account manager at Starship Technologies

Having an Honor-able Legacy

Since joining the Honors College in 1989, John Emert has created a long-lasting legacy as an educator and mentor

Emma Matlock Reporter

Ball State University holds a soft spot in John Emert’s heart, he said. The university saw his potential and because of it, he has been able to see his own growth.

Emert is retiring from his position as dean of the Honors College May 31, 2023. Emert has been with Ball State since 1989, starting as an assistant professor of mathematics.

“I still remember when I interviewed here back in February of 1989 for the job in mathematics, every person that I met was always forward thinking,” Emert said.

He said during the interview, there were talks of new buildings such as a bell tower and a new science building.

“I love the opportunity to work with various majors, and that’s what led me full time into the Honors College in the first place,” Emert said. “Then when the [dean] position became available, there was a national search. I applied because I could see how much more potential there could be here.”

Before Emert was the dean, he held the position of associate dean of the Ball State Honors College. He became acting dean in 2016 after his predecessor, James Ruebel, became unexpectedly ill. When Ruebel stepped down from the position, Emert was appointed interim dean for the year, and then, Emert put his hat in the ring for the job.

“It’s wonderful, it really is a wonderful opportunity to work with so many different majors, so many different interests and people who really are eager to take advantage of opportunities,” he said. “That’s what makes the job day that I look forward to doing.”

Besides working in the Honors College, Emert is also involved with admissions and developmental work. Emert said every day could look a little bit different because of the many jobs he has within Ball State. One thing that stays consistent throughout Emert’s many jobs is being a teacher and mentor to students.

Emert said his door is always open, and the students know that.

“So most every day, there’ll be some time during the day where [a] student pokes their head in. It’s just a ‘Hello,’” Emert said.

He isn’t just a mentor to students. His mentorship expands to his fellow faculty members and staff. Coralee Young, the secretary to the dean and office manager, has been working with Emert for almost 11 years.

“He’s very cautious with our workload [and] that we’re well,” Young said. “You know, I’m a very busy person, I have a lot going on, but he’s always checking in to make sure that we’re handling everything okay.”

Emily Rutter, associate dean of the Honors College, began her job July 1, 2022. Rutter said she is still new to the role of associate dean, so she looks to Emert for guidance.

“I think this is a wonderful place to work, and I think a lot of

that is due to John’s leadership and always striving for innovation and inclusivity,” Rutter said. “I think that’s something that is quite valuable, so I think, on this campus, we’re certainly in step with the values and aspirations of the campus at large.”

Rutter noted there are a lot of conversations between her and Emert on how to best serve students and how to ensure they can create an equitable workplace for faculty and staff within the Honors College.

“I think one of the things that I really valued about John as the leader is the way in which he kind of does hear all perspectives but is also able to synthesize and make executive decisions,” Rutter said.

Young said Emert comes to work every day with a positive attitude, always ready to start the day bright and shiny.

“There’s just so much that we’ve done day-to-day together,” Young said. “There are all kinds of memorable times with his family [that] are always good. He’s hosted several get togethers at his home, and those are always fun.”

Emert, a University of Tennessee graduate, has a bachelor of arts degree, along with a masters of science and a Ph.D in mathematics. He has a total of 20 choral pieces published by a small publishing house and continues to gain small royalties from his pieces.

For Emert, the decision of retirement wasn’t a rash one.

“My wife and I started thinking about this actually before COVID[-19],” Emert said. “People miss out on retirement because they’re unwilling to make the decision and make the timely decision.”

Though Emert won’t be in office as the dean, nor will he be teaching, he plans to be around campus for a seamless transition for the new dean and his staff after his retirement.

“I am interested, in fact, I already know it’s going to happen. I’ll continue to serve as a reviewer or as an adviser for honors programs and honors colleges,” Emert said. “So I will do the occasional external review, or I’ll go visit another school’s honors college program to see how things are going, listen, observe, make recommendations.”

“I think this is a wonderful place to work, and I think a lot of that is due to John’s leadership and always striving for innovation and inclusivity. I think that’s something that is quite valuable, so I think, on this campus, we’re certainly in step with the values and aspirations of the campus at large.”

- EMILY RUTTER, Associate dean of the Honors College

The search for the new dean has begun. Applications will be accepted until Dec. 30 and can be submitted to bsu.peopleadmin.com.

“We really do have something special [at Ball State]; it plays off the story of Beneficence,” Emert said. “It plays off the way that the Ball Brothers saw the potential of having a school in town and the value that brought to the community. And it plays off the way that, you know, we as a school can continue to help support the community and support each other.”

Contact Emma Matlock with comments at emma.matlock@bsu.edu or on Twitter @emmamatlockk.

Dean of the Honors College John Emert poses for a portrait inside his office Oct. 25. EMMA MATLOCK, DN

THE THIRD DESTINATION THE THIRD DESTINATION

Indianapolis Colts

Parks Frazier to call plays under Saturday

After the dismissal of head coach Frank Reich, the Colts announced that former Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday will serve as interim head coach. Saturday, who has limited experience calling plays, will turn to Parks Frazier to call plays. Frazier, a 30-year old Murray State graduate, was a first-year passing game specialist and assistant quarterbacks coach when Reich was fired.

FIFA World Cup

Streaming options for the World Cup

The 2022 World Cup will be held in Qatar in November and December due to the country’s intense heat, and fans can stream the games on the Fox Sports App and Peacock Premium. The tournament kicks off Nov. 20 with the group stage games. The knockout rounds begin Dec. 3 and will culminate in the World Cup Final Dec. 18. The United States landed in Group B with England, Iran and Wales.

Swim and Dive

Jaquan Amos has played in Philadelphia, Iowa and now Muncie

Calvin Scott Reporter

For the average person, five years may seem like the blink of an eye. For graduate student safety Jaquan Amos, it has molded him into the man he is today.

Ball State is Amos’ third destination in the last five years for his college career. Before making his way to Muncie, he spent a year in Ames, Iowa, with the Iowa State Cyclones, shortly after playing three years in his hometown of Philadelphia with the Villanova Wildcats.

Tyrik Clary, Amos’s older brother, has seen Amos go at life above and beyond with the sedulous mindset that made him who he is.

“He’s a dominant guy, so he doesn’t see a tie or come in at second,” Clary said. “ ... He’s always been a leader, from pee wee football, all the way up until Ball State, Iowa State, Villanova and all the way back to high school, he’s always a leader, and he’s always been the guy to go to, and he dominated, you know, I would say almost every single level.”

Amos said dominance is a key factor to his athletic character. Playing at Northeast High School in Philadelphia, Amos said he has seen matchups that have influenced and sparked the very keen dominant trait he uses for motivation.

“It’s very competitive,” Amos said. “I grew up going to public school, we all grew up in public school, little league and high school. We all grew up together.”

Women’s team falls to Akron

The Cardinals led 113-110 after 12 events at the Lewellen Aquatic Center Nov. 5. Before the defending Mid-American Conference (MAC) champions, Akron mounted a comeback to win 159-138. Ball State won the 400 freestyle relay by almost three seconds as sophomore Gracey Payne, senior Aspara Sakbun, junior Marcella Ribeiro and freshman Payton Kelly combined for a 3:27.49 time.

My number one goal is to keep growing as a man and be able to possibly be a pro. Being able to take care of my family with the dream I have of playing football.”

- JAQUAN AMOS, Graduate student safety

Graduate student safety Jaquan Amos poses on the field at Scheumann Stadium Nov. 9. JACY BRADLEY, DN

Food is Fuel

A look into the world of nutrition and dietetics for Ball State athletes

Lila Fierek Copy Director

Editor’s Note: As a trigger warning, the story talks about nutrition and mentions eating disorders.

Matt Corn is in on the joke.

As a nutrition and dietetics graduate student, Corn works with athletes to help them understand food as fuel.

“I’ve had classmates mention how fitting it is that I am becoming a dietitian with my last name being Corn,” he said. “I haven’t come up with any good jokes, but I did present to a class of freshmen last week and kind of just said ‘My name is Matt Corn, yes that is actually my last name.’”

Corn interns with the Ball State Athletics Department and manages the fuel station at Worthen Arena. The fuel station, a dedicated space that supplies food and tips for athletes, is adjacent to the gym, so students can easily get nutrition help and refuel after their workout. Corn provides Gatorade, chocolate milk, protein bars, fruit and other foods designed to help them recharge.

His goal is to help athletes understand the role food plays in performance.

“Carb, protein, color is the idea of the athlete plate, and depending on the day, there’s portions changing around,” Corn said. “In general … that athlete plate is super important.”

He said snacking, having three big meals a day and drinking plenty of fluids are just as important as the specific foods chosen. Corn said it is key to give athletes the tools to make the right nutritional decisions on their own. The importance of nutrition is sometimes overlooked by athletes, but nutrition long term will benefit their health, whether they are athletes after college or not, he said.

‘ ... So Much Misinformation’

The National Library of Medicine said the number one misconception for nutrition management among college athletes in the United States is that they have a solid understanding of their nutritional needs.

“There’s so much misinformation everywhere, and it’s so loud, and I feel like it’s so important to have educated professionals who have studied and done the research to tell people the right things because, in the end, nutrition is really not that complicated,” Kaitlyn Mathews, third-year nutrition and dietetics student and Ball State Softball player, said. “There’s just so much that makes it so much more complicated than it is.”

Mathews said her major has helped her learn a lot about her sport. When practicing for a game or working out, Mathews said she learned it’s all about timing and deciding whether to have something higher in carbs or higher in fiber. She

has to look at what is going to help her be active or what is going to help her last on the field longer.

“A lot of people think that … the dining halls have no healthy options, but the truth is, they do,” Mathews said. “People just don’t know how to navigate that. They don’t know how to build a plate that’s going to fuel them for success.”

NetNutrition, a website students can use to calculate calories and see nutritional facts about Ball State’s dining hall food, can be a helpful tool for athletes in the dining halls, Corn said.

Sometimes, the plate simply isn’t full enough. Mathews said under-eating does a lot more harm than good.

“Do you want to be a bodybuilder, or do you want to play a sport?” she said. “... It’s a hard pill to swallow, but a six-pack doesn’t mean that you are a good athlete and vice versa.”

Mathews said she struggled with this for a while, and social media has not helped. She said it’s easy to get caught up in comparing yourself to others, especially when social media shows people looking “smaller” or “shredded,” but deep down, aesthetics do not equal athletics.

She said students should be eating to fuel themselves, not restrict themselves.

“I’ve learned that a lot of people, or a lot of athletes, are eating a lot less than they should be without even realizing it,” she said.

Being healthy isn’t about eating clean all the time. She said it’s a spectrum, and athletes don’t have to be all or nothing.

Jamie Simko, professor at Ball State and licensed dietitian and nutritionist, said it is especially important for females to fuel their bodies appropriately.

“Female athletes can be at a greater risk of disordered eating and just not meeting their needs,” she said.

Not getting enough food can reduce women’s bone density and cause them to lose their menstrual cycle.

“A lot of people think you have to cut out carbohydrates to lose weight, and it’s just not true,” Simko said. “Carbohydrates are your body’s preferred source of energy, so you still want to have enough energy to do the activities and things that you enjoy and be able to perform adequately at your sport.”

Simko is well credentialed as she is also a certified nutrition support clinician, a registered dietitian nutritionist and more. For athletes looking to cut weight, she said it is more important to focus on increasing the volume of fruits, vegetables or protein rather than cutting other items from their plates. She said it is essential to make sure they are getting enough calories, so it won’t affect their performance.

Simko said being restrictive about food typically leads to binge eating.

“It’s perfectly okay to incorporate things that you enjoy, even every day into your diet,” she said. “But a good rule of thumb is the 80/20 rule where 80

percent of the time you’re really focusing on getting those healthy foods and your healthy proteins.”

Simko said all athletes should prioritize protein, but more than 2-3 grams per kilogram a day is not needed. She said there is a cap on how much protein will do for you, and too much can cause dehydration. According to UW Health, just a two percent drop in hydration levels can negatively impact performance.

She added that it’s not only important for an athlete’s performance but also to be able to concentrate in class. If a student isn’t getting a 2.0 GPA, then they will be put on academic probation, according to the Student-Athlete Handbook, and all of their hard work in the gym will be lost.

Helping and Learning

Jordan Jennewine, performance dietitian for Ball State, said college is often the first time students are going grocery shopping and cooking on their own. Plus, athletes already have a busy schedule between school, practice and games.

“The foods that they’re eating, the meals … get back loaded,” Jennewine said. “It just gets more concentrated in the afternoons and evenings, and that just doesn’t fuel us as well, especially if we’ve got morning practice or something like that, … so consistently spreading meals and snacks about every three to four hours throughout the day, that’s gonna get them really far.”

If an athlete wants to try a supplement or a specific diet to help them, Jennewine will work with them to decide whether it’s a good decision or not.

“There are a lot of regulations in terms of supplements and things like that,” she said. “There are some things that the university or team can provide, there are some things they can’t and then, there are definitely certifications that we look for on supplements just to make sure that there’s a lower risk of things being contaminated with something that could trigger a positive drug test.”

Jennewine also helps student-athletes through Instagram under the username @CardinalFuel. She runs the page and posts competitions and challenges revolving around nutrition. Recently,

she said she has done grocery store tours to help students show how they can shop for performance while on a budget, especially for students who have allergies and dietary concerns.

“My goal, working with our graduate assistant, is to kind of become the resource for performance nutrition, so that we can take that off their plate, and they know that we’re the resource to come to for that,” Jennewine said.

Corn gives educational talks to the athletes and said the department is also working on implementing cooking classes for different teams. He is currently doing a snack of the month where he teaches the students healthy, new recipes.

Mathews said the athletic department does a good job of keeping student-athletes updated and recognizing their needs.

“There’s a saying, it’s like ‘Some days, the best workout you ever have is the one you didn’t do,’” she said. “... They do a good job of letting us take care of our bodies and giving us rest when we need it.”

Contact Lila Fierek with comments at lkfierek@bsu.edu or on Twitter @fierek_lila.

THIS OR THAT

Healthy food choices > Not-so-healthy food choices:

• Grilled chicken, turkey or fish > Fried chicken or fish

• Lean beef or pork > Burgers, sausage, bacon

• Fruits, vegetables, salads, veggie-based soups > French fries, fried rice, alfredo or cheese sauce

• Nuts, trail mix, seeds or peanut butter > Chips, cheese curds, pork rinds

• Whole grain breads, rice and pasta > Highly-processed white bread, rice and pasta

• Dairy products > Dairy products with excessive added sugars, like ice cream

Graduate assistant Matt Corn poses in the fueling station Nov. 9 in Worthen Arena. JACY BRADLEY, DN

Source: UW Health

Community Humorous Collage at MadJax

On Nov. 14 from 6-7:30 p.m., local artist Debra Gindhart Dragoo will direct a collage workshop in the MadJax Maker Space at 515 E. Main Street. Attendees will make a piece of artwork by combining elements from magazines and vintage print publications; all supplies will be provided. To register, email the instructor at ecoartfun@gmail.com.

Community Community Friendsgiving dinner

The Muncie Food Hub Partnership and the Ball State Department of Applied Business Sciences will host a community event Nov. 11 at 6 p.m. for attendees to share a meal prepared with locally grown produce by Ball State students. The dinner will take place at the Common Market at 900 W. 8th Street, and no cost is required to attend.

Three is a Crowd, Four is a Party

For group projects of any size and complexity, consider this five-step method

Miguel Naranjo Associate Lifestyles Editor

There is a single line that a professor can say aloud or write in their class syllabus that will fill any student with dread.

“For this project, you will be working in groups of three or four.” Any number of things could go wrong. What if you get placed in a group of people you don’t know? What if you can’t understand the course material? What if you get stuck with someone who isn’t pulling their own weight?

Rest assured; a group project is nothing to fear. At their best, group projects allow students to learn more about a certain lesson or subject than they could on their own and have something tangible to show for it at the end. To unlock the depths of a group project’s potential (or just to get through the nightmare), this five-step outline will give you a place to start working effectively.

1. Get to know your new teammates.

According to a study performed by the University of Oxford, sales workers were 13 percent more productive when they were happy as opposed to when they were in a bad or neutral mood. Go a little deeper than everyone’s major or zodiac sign — find out what your groupmates’ passions or special skills are. If something they feel they are good at can be incorporated into the project, then it is more likely to get done. At the very least, it will give you an idea of what everyone can and cannot do.

2.

List the project requirements and dole them out.

While enjoyment is part of the work, it’s also important to hit all the parameters and make sure your group is doing everything the professor requires of you. Read the project guidelines carefully and make sure everything is accounted for when everyone decides what they are going to contribute. There’s a chance this aspect sorts itself out if everyone in the group has an idea of what they want to do, but still be prepared to assign everyone (including yourself) a role in the project.

3. Set a timeline for when everything should be done.

According to the Harvard Business Review, project deadlines help members of a group prioritize their work and assess how much work they have to do. The professor’s due date may not be enough. Set pace to everyone’s work by setting deadlines for everyone’s individual parts. If one part has to come before another (e.g. you need to conduct a survey before analyzing the resulting set of data), account for that in your timeline too.

4. Make sure everything is going according to plan.

Once you plan everything out, find a way to communicate with your groupmates outside of class, like via email, Snapchat or text. Outside of class, everyone will be responsible for their portion of the work, but that doesn’t mean you have to twiddle your thumbs and hope they can pull through. Check in on your groupmates’ progress and see if they need any help with their part. Any problems your group runs into are best solved early.

5.

String each part together cleanly.

Save a day or two at the end of your project (or more if it’s a bigger project) to check for any errors, inconsistencies or other issues that need to be ironed out before putting all the pieces together and submitting it. Small errors may not seem like something to make a fuss out of, but your grade may suffer a death by a thousand cuts if your project is sloppy or underdeveloped in any way.

This method is a consistent and simple way to complete a group project, but the best laid plans Of Mice and Men always go awry. Each member of the group needs to put in their fair share of work, and not everyone will.

The harsh reality is this: you, as a member of your group, need a product to submit for a grade. If that means pulling someone else’s weight, that is what it means. Luckily, if you followed the above steps in an effort to complete your project, then you have a record of who wasn’t participating and what they were supposed to have done.

Was a team member failing to keep up with the timeline? You can cite that. Did you remind them to do their part, or did you try and help them? You can cite that too. Did they not follow the project guidelines when submitting their work to the group? You can cite that as well — those guidelines were made clear to them at the beginning of the project.

The harsh reality is this: you, as a member of your group, need a product to submit for a grade. If that means pulling someone else’s weight, that is what it means.”

If you need to pick up someone’s slack, submit this information to your professor and negotiate an extension on your project to go back and make full marks on what wasn’t going to get done in time. If you can’t work out an extension, then hopefully the professor will be merciful when docking points on your project. A group project can be a delightful experience, but remember it is still classwork and should be taken seriously.

With all of this in mind, don’t be afraid to dive headfirst into your next group project. Your future groupmates will thank you later.

Contact Miguel Naranjo by email at miguel. naranjo@bsu.edu or on twitter @naranjo678.

The School of Theater and Dance premieres “Into The Woods” at University Theatre

Olivia Ground Social Media Editor

Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk and Rapunzel — all together at once in the same place, coexisting together, sharing in heartbreak, loss and triumph. And they’re all deep in the woods with fallen slippers and giants in the sky.

The Ball State University School of Theatre and Dance is putting on “Into the Woods” Nov. 4-12 at the University Theatre. The production is directed by Bill Jenkins, Ball State theatre and dance professor and department chair, and Dee Dee Batteast, Ball State theatre and dance instructor.

Jenkins said there were a few different factors that sparked his interest in a production of “Into the Woods.” The show allows for a lot of roles and provides creative choices for design technology students.

But one factor that stood out to him was remembering and paying respect to the recent passing of the show’s writer, Stephen Sondheim.

“There was a push … by a lot of people to do works of his because I think it’s important for students to see the importance of him and the history of musical theater,” Jenkins said.

Third-year directing major and student assistant director Payten Romig said an important piece of the story of the show is the aspects of loss, grief and remembrance.

“It’s passing down this story he’s told, and it’s so incredibly iconic, and now, we have the privilege to share our rendition of it,” Romig said.

For Batteast, the best way to honor someone of great importance and genius like Sondheim is to continue honoring his works by making it applicable to modern times.

The Ball State production of “Into the Woods” takes on a new approach by the creative team, drawing away from the look of the original Broadway cast and making it more modern.

When the production first premiered in the 80s, productions following took to the thematic and aesthetic look of the 40s and 50s. It was to represent the “quaint, simpler American times,” Batteast said.

“For me, the 50s or the 40s … locks a lot of queer bodies, Black bodies, BIPOC [Black, Indiginous, People Of Color] bodies and larger bodies out,” Batteast shared, “so I want it to not be that. I don’t see the value of making a traditional ‘Into the Woods’ again.”

Batteast and the design teams created a visual that is fun, colorful and whimsical in the first act of the show, pulling patterns and styles reminiscent of the 70s and 80s, creating a more vibrant and colorful approach to nostalgia.

“I wanted it to be accessible to people my age and below, have things we could recognize, things that sort of look like a twisted part of our youth,” Batteast said.

An important aesthetic piece of the show is the approach of the woods, Batteast said. Traditional approaches to this show have used a fairy-tale look along the lines of Hansel and Gretel, but Batteast played more off nostalgia, she said, wanting the woods to have a “childhood type of spooky” feel to them.

Jonathan Kalien is a fourth-year acting student who plays Cinderella’s Prince in the production; this is also his fourth time being in a production of “Into the Woods.”

The creative approaches to the production have allowed Kalien to explore his character more than some of the other productions of the show he has been in, he said.

confronting the questions, “What if they had consequences? What if these people had to deal with real-world hardships and losses?” he

“Every time before, it was a pretty standard version of ‘Into the Woods.’ This one is eclectic, it’s exciting,” he said, “and with the take we’re doing, it invited all of the actors to have different takes on their characters than you would typically see in these characters.”

For Romig, the sheer amount of “spectacle” in this rendition of “Into The Woods” is her favorite part of it all.

“I feel like every single design aspect is so grand,” Romig said. “Our lighting is crazy. We have some incredible stuff going on with our set. Our costumes are super decked out and lavish, and it’s just a lot in a really great way.”

The first act of “Into the Woods” combines the plotlines of four fairy tales — Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood and Jack and the Beanstalk — into one intertwined setting. They all share their familiar plotlines while also interacting together for a shared story. The first act is seemingly tied up with a happy ever after and audience members think the show is over, said fourth-year lighting director Victoria Sills. She said the second act is distinctly different,

It takes on the aftermath of the fantastical choices of things like growing a giant bean stock and marrying a prince, dealing with loss, grief and the fears of growing up and being alone.

Students involved in the production said the familiarity of characters is what makes it a great show for students who are not normally interested in theatre.

“It’s all the stories that we know and love and the childhood fairy tales that we grew up with … and so, kind of seeing them in a new way is really exciting,” Romig said.

Batteast said the story is not just accessible to students but is a show that all generations could love; “Into the Woods” is a story about the different standing points of your life and the hard choices you always have to make, she said.

“The music is beautiful, the people are beautiful, the costumes are beautiful, the set is beautiful, the lights are beautiful,” Batteast said.

“And at the center of it, is a huge beating heart … You’ll walk out, and hopefully, it’ll make you want to hug your kids or call your mom.”

Contact Olivia Ground with comments at olivia. ground@bsu.edu.

- DEEDEE BATTEAST, Co-director

Romig

GRAYSON JOSLIN, DN PHOTO

GRAYSON JOSLIN, DN PHOTO

OLIVIA GROUND, DN PHOTO

OLIVIA GROUND, DN PHOTO

GRAYSON JOSLIN, DN PHOTO

Evan Chandler is a fourthyear journalism and Spanish major and writes “Non-binary Nonsense” for The Daily News. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper.

WHERE THE RAINBOW DOESN’T REACH

Though the LGBTQ community often brands ourselves as being inclusive, those of us who live on the margins don’t always get a seat at the table

Print Managing Editor, “Non-binary Nonsense”

Evan Chandler

I am no stranger to being an outsider.

As a young child, I often found myself removed from the traditional social circles. I had no successful friendships with boys my age at school, I sat away from all the popular people on the bus and I even failed to escape the feeling within my own home. I was a walking target for my older brothers’ insults — a big, red bullseye, anticipating the next dart that would come my way.

The word “gay” chased me like it was the salt and lime to my shot of tequila.

It wasn’t until freshman year of high school that I finally accepted reality and came out. Coming out often feels like it happens in phases — the first of which is a wave of fear, shame and anxiety. I lived in this state until the very last second before the sentence left my lips for the first time to my mother, tears soaring down my face.

“I’m gay.”

Somewhere down the line in that journey, for those of us who are lucky enough, comes the moment when we can say that sentence and even go as far as take pride in it.

Coming from a moderately liberal family, I reached this point in my journey fairly early, going to a pride parade for the first time at 16 and truly beginning to participate in gay culture from that point forward. I am now 21 and in my fourth year in college.

In that early stage of my queerness, I was incredibly naïve. I had only consumed media that painted a much different, more united picture of the gay community than the one that exists in reality for so many of us. At that time, I downloaded and started using gay dating apps and Bumble BFF, hoping to find and connect with more LGBTQ people and finally feel like I fully fit in. I was tired of being the gay best friend — the only role up until that point which was able to bring me closer to some of my female classmates who, like me, were probably influenced by major media at the time, largely responsible for creating the stereotype of a flamboyant, gay male friend for every popular girl.

I love this community, and I would never want to come off as if I were bashing it, but there are real issues facing us, and if we continue to uphold power structures that are similar to those we are attempting to free ourselves from, we will never get further in our fight.”

I can still remember my heart dropping into my chest when I opened a dating app and looked at the first account. The bio read: “No fats. No fems. No flakes.”

There it was.

It was a phrase I became all too familiar with, and ironically, it served as my introduction into the other side of the gay community: the one that feeds off of the worst parts of ourselves and projects it onto others under the guise of “a preference.”

These words and behaviors have an impact, and it’s time we talk about it.

According to a 2008 study from SpringerLink on body image satisfaction in heterosexual, gay and lesbian adults, sexual minority men (gay and bisexual) experience heightened rates of body dissatisfaction compared to heterosexual men. In fact, as many as a third of sexual minority men reported having a negative body image.

I, too, suffer from body dissatisfaction, and while I can’t say every single gay or bisexual man who decided to write “in shape only” on their Grindr profile is the sole reason for this, I can certainly say it plays a part.

Why should this remain as yet another struggle surrounding the LGBTQ community when so many other things already challenge our existence?

Depression rates among LGBTQ individuals, whether living alone, with or without kids are doubled in comparison to heterosexual individuals in the same living situations, according to 2021-22 US Census statistics.

Examples like body image issues and depression rates are inward examples. Outside the darkness that permeates throughout the psyches of a large portion of our people, whether that darkness stems from our own community or not, there is a concentrated movement to harm queer people and strip our rights away.

According to data from the American Civil Liberties Union, state lawmakers across the United States have introduced over 160 pieces of legislation targeting LGBTQ Americans in 2022, up 11 bills from 2021 and nearly doubling the amount introduced in 2020. Many of these bills, such as the 2016 trans bathroom bill from North Carolina and the 2022 “Don’t Say Gay” bill from Florida, gain national attention, resulting in politicians attacking and mischaracterizing LGBTQ people in front of large, impressionable audiences.

Furthermore, 2021 marked the deadliest year to date in terms of violence against transgender and gender nonconforming people, the majority of which were Black, trans women, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

The idea that feminine-presenting people and those outside of the average BMI ranges are the focal point of so much disdain among certain groups of LGBTQ people speaks volumes.

In that early stage of my queerness, I was incredibly naïve. I had only consumed media that painted a much different, more united picture of the gay community than the one that exists in reality for so many of us.”

I know we’re so much better than that. If anything, those who have experienced discrimination firsthand should be standing up and speaking out against these practices within our culture, not contributing to them. Does your bio on a dating app really have to use degrading language toward others? How can we claim to be inclusive and welcoming if members of our own community are outcasted for the way they look? There are certainly better ways to express disinterest, even if that means not replying to every person that slides in your DMs.

This is not only for us; it’s also for the younger generations of queer people that come after who may be sitting in class right now questioning who they are and where they belong.

According to a CDC study of youth in grades 7-12 in the United States, gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide in comparison to their heterosexual peers.

I am thankful for the people I’ve met along the way, but I don’t want the next overweight, gay, gender nonconforming kid to have the same experience as me.

I want to be clear. I love this community, and I would never want to come off as if I were bashing it, but there are real issues facing us, and if we continue to uphold power structures that are similar to those we are attempting to free ourselves from, we will never get further in our fight.

I am not saying we are obligated to entertain every single person that comes our way, but we can surely improve on the ways we treat one another, the culture we have created and the discrimination that we have allowed to live amongst us for too long.

It’s time for change, and I know we can.

Contact Evan Chandler with comments via email at eachandler@bsu.edu or on Twitter @evanachandler.

FOOTBALL

Northeast head football coach Eric Clark, whose known Amos since his freshman year of high school, expressed that Amos is one of a kind and has always been a leader.

Clark remembers a time when Amos became one the first football players of Clark’s new program at Northeast that transitioned to track in the spring, setting the tone for other Northeast alumni who are now Power 5 Division I athletes.

“I think personally Jaquan changed the mentality of our football program, and it happened during the offseason,” Clark said. “He meddled in our city championship and was one of our top hurdlers and sprinters, he just flat out did it all … From that moment on, younger defensive backs started to follow his lead, and after that, wide receivers, linebackers and defensive ends, so it’s a lot of guys that have come after him.”

Clark mentioned there are multiple Division I athletes that have been mentored by Amos in their time at Northeast, including Elijah Jeudy and Tyreek Chappell of Texas A&M and Jon-Luke Peaker of Old Dominion.

After his time at Northeast, Amos decided to continue in the city of brotherly love and committed to play college football at Villanova University in his hometown.

He fell in love with the atmosphere Villanova offered him right off the bat. He said family is what matters most, and that is what he cared about whenever he looked up at the stands.

“Playing for ’Nova [Villanova] that was a good jawn [thing],” Amos said. “Just being that close to home, and every game, seeing you have a bunch of family members in the stands. Playing there was definitely a good part of the journey.”

Amos played three years at Villanova where he racked up 148 total tackles along with eight interceptions and four touchdowns.

After the 2019 season, Amos was left with a crucial decision to make regarding his future in college football. With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) conference canceled its football season.

With the CAA being one of few conferences in Division I to cancel football, Amos entered the transfer portal to continue his college football career.

After going through a long and thorough process of seeing what institution would harvest his talent in the best way possible, Amos found himself in Ames, Iowa, home to Iowa State University Cyclones.

“I [was] going to play,” Amos said. “I had a draft grade coming out of ‘Nova [Villanova], so I played at Iowa State and played in a Power 5 Conference.”

Now a Cyclone, Amos had the rest of his college football journey lined up with a clear path to the NFL, until a major obstacle arose.

Three games into his tenure at Iowa State, Amos tore an anterior fibula ligament in his ankle, along with having a severe case of plantar fasciitis in his heel. Not aware of the significance of the injury, Amos continued through the pain but soon realized it wasn’t worth risking the future of his career.

“I thought it was just like a sprained ankle, so I kept trying to wrap it up and keep going to show the coaches that I was tough,” Amos said. “But at some point, it was like I couldn’t go anymore due to it hurting so much.”

Inactive for the rest of the season, Amos was left to rehabilitate and recover, so he could

He, by all means, exceeds the expectations. It’s usually a gamble, especially with these graduate transfer portal guys who’re coming into a culture that has already been established, because you don’t know what they’ve learned and what they’re accustomed to.”

- JOSH ZIDENBERG, Passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach at Ball State

After a year with the Cyclones at Iowa State, Amos decided to enter the transfer portal for the second straight year with his extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the pandemic.

When looking for schools, Amos said he grew intrigued by the culture and atmosphere Ball State had to offer, and his family felt the same way.

“He loved the coaching staff, everything he told us about Ball State reminded us of the family orientation because of how we are all tight and how the coaching staff and locker room is just as tight,” Clary said. “I was excited for him because, coming from Iowa State, he did get injured up there, so I was happy to hear that he was continuing to play ball and not giving up or letting anything slow him down.”

The coaching staff guided Amos to his future home with the cardinals, but it was one coach in particular that hit home for Amos in his process of finding the next school to finish his college football career.

Josh Zidenberg has been the passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach at Ball State since 2020. Prior to that, he spent a year at The College of William and Mary, also in the CAA with Villanova.

Zidenberg was well aware of the impact Amos could bring to the Cardinals on and off the field.

“He was fulfilling a need that I’d felt we desperately needed,” Zindenberg said. “I want to

This season, Amos has helped the Cardinals rank second in allowed passing yards per game in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) with his defensive prowess in the secondary.

Coach Zidenberg has seen a lot of fifth-year seniors and graduate student athletes from all over the country, but he said Amos is one of one with his character and mentality.

“He, by all means, exceeds the expectations. It’s usually a gamble, especially with these graduate transfer portal guys who’re coming into a culture that has already been established, because you don’t know what they’ve learned and what they’re accustomed to,” Zindenber said.

Amos talked about the biggest lesson that he has learned throughout his journey.

“Just keep going. You never know when your time is, you just have to keep striving, keep getting up and keep grinding.”

Along his journey, he said he has found ways to cope with the cons of adversity and obstacles through connecting with family and close contacts.

“My number one goal is to keep growing as a man and be able to possibly be a pro,” Amos said. “Being able to take care of my family with the dream I have of playing football.”

Contact Calvin Scott with comments at calvin. scott@bsu.edu or on Twitter @CalvinAJScott.

Graduate student safety Jaquan Amos intercepts the football for a 31-yard return in a game against Northern Illinois Oct. 1 at Scheumann Stadium. AMBER PIETZ, DN

Freshman safety Jaquan Amos scores a touchdown for Villanova. During his college career, Amos has played for Iowa, Villanova and Ball State. VILLANOVA ATHLETICS, PHOTO PROVIDED

BY KURT KRAUSS; SUDOKU BY MICHAEL MEPHAM