California State University, Bakersfield
therunneronline.com February 5, 2020
Club fair sparks students’ interest By Marci Ruiz Reporter CSU Bakersfield’s Student Union organized a club fair on Jan. 29 to give the clubs on campus a chance to hand out information and to help students on campus get involved. Approximately 50 clubs were present at the event, including sororities, fraternities, ASI, and Campus Programming. Other clubs that were present at the club fair were the Veterans Club, Black Student Union, LGBTQ, and Mental Health Advocacy Club (MHAC). The MHAC is the newest club to the CSUB campus. Caitilin Livingston, a junior psychology major and the president of the club, brought the idea of starting this club to the campus. The club was just chartered into the university in January. MHAC’s main goal is to bring mental health awareness on and off campus and bring forward education, such as seminars, on mental health. Allie Page is a senior studio art and digital media major, and she is a member of the club. “People with mental illness and disabilities should not be looked down upon or treated as weak, less than, or incapable. We are still human, and we all have our chance to shine,” Page said. LGBTQ+ Network was also present at the club fair. The goal for this club is for the students at CSUB to
Vol. 45, No. 10
Coronavirus raises new health concerns By Katrina Singleton News Editor and Megan Tishman Reporter
Mari Woodmansee/The Runner
CSU Bakersfield students walk around and interact with the different clubs on campus during the Spring Club Fair, that happen on Wednesday Jan. 29th at the runner café quad.
join the and see the support for the LGBTQ+ community on campus. The LGBTQ+ club has 20 active members, and of those 20 members, 5 of them are club officers. There are no special requirements to join this club. Lynna Ha, a senior biology and psychology major, is the co-resident of the LGBTQ+ club, and has been a member for one year. “I joined the club to help me find my identity and gain support from the club members and to also be a supporter for others in the LGBTQ+ community,” Ha said. The LGBTQ+ club will be hosting a Queer Prom this year. It will take place on Friday, March 27. All CSUB students and faculty are welcome to attend.
This event will be for anyone who wants to express themselves freely in a safe place. The Black Student Union (BSU) was another booth at the club fair. The club has 36 active members, with 50 members registered total. Students of all racial backgrounds are accepted to the BSU. The BSU speaks at local high schools about recent black history and any history pertaining to diversity. The BSU is the first club to have a book placed in the CSUB library, and they also have a YouTube channel. Dontyonna Oats is a junior human biology major. Oats has been a registered member of the BSU for four years, and an active member for the
last two semesters. “I joined the Black Student Union because I wanted to be more active and feel more included. I felt a little excluded so I felt coming into the club that the members could relate to me and my struggles,” Oats said. One of the largest clubs on campus, the Veterans Club has 60 members and no special requirements to join. The CSUB vets have participated in the Bakersfield Veterans’ Day parade. The club has also participated in a student national conference. The conference consisted of a social get-together for the veterans. Many different veterans’ clubs from other campuses and schools See CLUB FAIR, Page 2
Kobe pg. 3 Mouse-Con pg. 5 Soccer pg. 6
Lunar Celebration pg. 4
Swim pg. 6
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A new virus has made its way from China to the United States. There have been cases confirmed in Los Angeles and Orange County, as well as other states. It is a previously unencountered coronavirus, a virus causing respiratory disease that can be severe. The illness caused by this virus is a greater threat to infants and people with underlying health conditions or weakened immune systems, according to the CDC. The symptoms for coronavirus are a mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Lauren Ash, a health educator with CSU Bakersfield Student Health Services advises via email that if anyone has flu-like symptoms and concerns regarding management issues to contact Melissa Lozano, RN for a consultation, rather than an in-person meeting at the Student Health Center. Lozano can be contacted at 661-654-2394. Students Andrea Mata and Trevor Hughes said if they were showing symptoms, they would see a doctor before deciding if it was safe to go to school. Rumors have been circulating since 11:16 p.m. on Jan 29 regarding a case of coronavirus being confirmed at a local Kaiser Permanente in Bakersfield, Calif. The rumors started with a simple public Facebook post, that has been shared over 300 times since it was posted, claiming they got confirmation of the confirmed case of coronavirus by a friend and confirmation from a patient of Kaiser Permanente. Michelle Corson, a public relations officer for the
Kern County Public Health department and former Public Affairs representative for Kaiser Permanente, has denied that any cases have been confirmed in Kern County at this time. The Runner has reached out to the Facebook user that originated the post on Jan. 30 at 12:29 p.m. They have not yet responded on the validity of their rumored sources. If any students, staff, or faculty are having flu-like symptoms such as fever, they are encouraged to stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever has passed. Student Health Services also encourages everyone on campus to receive the influenza vaccine, available at for $25 at the Health Care Center, in order to prevent the spread of the influenza. To decrease chances of contracting the coronavirus, the CDC recommends that you thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water, avoid contact with your eyes and mouth with unwashed hands, cover your mouth when coughing and sneezing, and stay at home if you are feeling sick. “I can’t miss any school. It’s a hard thing because what if you don’t have it and you’ve missed all this time.” Sydney Roman, a junior at CSUB, said, when asked if she could stay home and miss class if she had the flu. The CDC also recommends that if you are concerned about any of your symptoms to reach out to your healthcare provider as soon as possible. The Calfironia Sate University Business and Finance Office released a memo stating that “travel to the entire country of China is not authorized” as of Jan. 30. The same day, the State Department changed the threat for travel to China to level 4, according to the U.S. Department of State.
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News
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The Runner
February 5, 2020
The Runner staff Volume 45, Issue 10
The Runner California State University, Bakersfield 9001 Stockdale Hwy. Bakersfield, CA 93311-1099 661-654-2165 runner@csub.edu ADVISER Jennifer Burger jburger1@csub.edu EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sam Underwood sunderwood6@csub.edu PHOTO EDITOR Mari Woodmansee mwoodmansee@csub.edu PODCAST EDITOR Damian Lopez dlopez@csub.edu
ASST PODCAST EDITOR Briana Lopez blopez51@csub.edu SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Allea Nalaine Paguia apaguia@csub.edu NEWS EDITOR Katrina Singleton ksingleton@csub.edu ASST NEWS EDITOR Paige Atkison patkison@csub.edu FEATURES EDITOR Lauren Hill lhill17@csub.edu OPINIONS EDITOR Destinee Sims dsims7@csub.edu CO-SPORTS EDITOR Elisa Fuentes efuentes18@csub.edu CO-SPORTS EDITOR Chris Burdick cburdick@csub.edu COPY CHIEF Amy Pachla apachla@csub.edu BUSINESS MANAGER Sidney Wicks swicks1@csub.edu
MARKETING MANAGER Edgar Noriega enoriega-banos@csub.edu DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Kimberly Benitez-Anguiano kbenites@csub.edu
STAFF Marci Ruiz, Adriana Hernandez, Megan Tishman, Gabriela Reyes, Rachel Russ, Yoana Andrade, Francisco Ruiz, Estafany Henriquez, Braden Moss-Ennis, Erin Dailey, Chase Anderson, Angela Jordan, Brian Melgar, Pearl Hernandez, Carla Alvarado, Dalton Bell, Eli Miranda, Clarissa Alderete, Chasadee Sims, Caleb Melson, Joe Youngblood, Jenn Pardinas, Rosie Callejas, Gabriella Lopez, Faith Okoli, Briana G. Hendrix. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send letters to runner@ csub.edu All letters must be signed, verified, and be no more than 300 words in length. Letters may be edited for clarity and length. ABOUT US The Runner is a laboratory newspaper published biweekly, in conjunction with the Communications Department at California State University, Bakersfield. DISCLAIMERS Views and opinions expressed in The Runner are not necessarily those of the editors, staff or the Communications Department. The staff of The Runner reserve the right to refuse or omit any advertising or material which advocates illegal activity, or which may be considered libelous, irresponsible or tasteless. COPYRIGHT Copyright belongs to the Communications Department at California State University, Bakersfield.
Stay updated with RunnerSync Carla Alvarado Copy Editor CSU Bakersfield has a new form of navigating through a new website called RunnerSync. RunnerSync was first launched back in Aug. 2019 by Student Organizations and RunnerSync Coordinator, Edward Webb. This website was launched for students, faculty and staff so that they would be able to be up to date with events that will be occurring through-out the semester, even when they are not on campus. All current enrolled students as well as faculty and staff have an account on RunnerSync students are able to login in with your CSUB Net ID. This new website was developed to be navigated easily for the public, and for CSUB students to use when they want to be notified about certain events that will be happening on campus To go on RunnerSync, simply go to csub.edu, go to cur-
rent students, scroll down to quick links and students will find RunnerSync just below myCSUB. The RunnerSync is where current students and staff are able to organize their profile to what they are interested in. It was developed for students and club organizations with a simple swipe of students CSUB ID card to enroll them and sign waivers when entering an event and making it easier for off-campus events. “Out of 174 organizations, there’s 1,708 organizations members and those are unique numbers, that means out of the 12,000 students that we have, approximately 15 percent of them are involved.” said, Webb. Once a CSUB student has graduated, they will still able to access their profile but are no longer allowed to attend the events for free. RunnerSync is updated every day and is organized to a standard that makes it easy to understand. RunnersSync is also a
club and organization site where you can learn more about a specific club or organization, students could be interested in. Some clubs you can find are Alpha Chi National Honor Society lota Chapter, Anthropology Club and Ag Business Club. These are only a few clubs you can find on RunnerSync. Students have a category and an option area where students can choose from. “Forms can be accessed and they can be anything from ASI funding applications for the clubs to things like elections and registering for an event is on RunnerSync,” Webb said. The RunnerSync Coordinator is looking forward for new improvements coming towards the website. Webb is looking forward to, improving RunnerSync so students will be able to have more options to choose from while navigating through the site. One of the new improvements Webb is looking forward to is an “Expe-
riences” section, where students will be able to find leadership training for clubs and be able to complete certain levels. This works when a student attends events, each event has a certain tag that will be able to complete a level in your experiences but be able to complete them by the events you attend through-out the semester. RunerSync will be able to show students the value that they got out of the events, providing students with a list of events they attended, according to Webb. “The software is introducing us to the program a little at a time and I do not know how long will have to meet with them to flip the switch, but I am hoping within the next month or so,” Webb said. Students, faculty and staff should be on the lookout for any new upcoming updates to RunnerSync coming this semester and be ready to check on any new events coming to CSUB like, RowdyCon.
Staff and faculty shifting at CSUB By Carla Alvarado Copy Editor
Changes have occurred on the CSU Bakersfield campus since Fall 2019. Several departments are welcoming new faculty directors in Spring 2020, and the changes will continue throughout the semester. The new faculty director for the Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) was confirmed on January 17. Rebecca Weller began teaching in 1996 and earned her PhD from Delaware University. Weller has been a member of the CSUB faculty since 2003, and has been an assistant Art History professor since 2016.
“I would like to ‘pay forward’ the positive experiences I have had, especially with regard to assisting faculty who are
director. Alicia Rodriquez has been a part of multiple CSUB committees, including the Teacher Education Advisory Committee and
“I would like to pay foward the positive experiences I had, especially with regard to faculty who are juggling heavy teaching loads, yet still aiming to be innovative instructors.” Rebecca Weller, TLC Faculty Director juggling heavy teaching loads, yet still aiming to be innovative instructors,” Weller wrote in an email. Interdisciplinary Studies also has a new faculty
the Academic Standards and Requirements Committee. Rodriquez is also the leadership service chair on the Arts and Humanities
Curriculum Committee, and co-chair of the Latina/o Faculty and Staff Association. These appointments come as CSUB shows several improvements across the board. In an email, Vice President of Academic Affairs Vernon B. Harper mentions “higher graduation rates, initiation of 34 tenure-track searches,” and the creation of a new faculty leadership position for steering enrollment management improvements. This new leadership position has been filled by Charlene Hu, the previous faculty director of TLC, where she will be sharing her knowledge and leadership skills.
Cont’d: clubs welcome new members CLUB FAIR cont. from p. 1 parade. The club has also participated in a student national conference. The conference consisted of a social get-together for the veterans. Many different veterans’ clubs from other campuses and schools joined the seminar and
shared their experiences. “I want to make this club more of a social club so veterans can feel comfortable with discussing events, and be on the same page as other veterans. For example, if they go and talk to their signifi-
cant others, they may not understand their problems. But if they talk to a veteran about their problems, they will feel more comfortable because they understand them,” said Howard Myles, Director of Veterans Affairs at CSUB.
For students who are interested in learning more about what clubs are available on the CSUB campus, visit RunnerSync from the CSUB website. The RunnerSync website has a listing of clubs and organizations for students.
Opinions
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February 5, 2020
Kobe Bryant: To mourn or not to mourn Angela Jordan Opinions Columist Kobe Bryant, along with his daughter and seven other passengers, died in a helicopter accident in Calabasas, CA on Jan. 26, 2020. His death brought mourning admirers, as well as individuals who disapprove of his past into the spotlight. In 2003, Bryant was charged with sexual assault. According to the History.com article “Kobe Bryant Accuser Goes to the Police,” the alleged victim, a 19-year old hotel employee, later dropped the charges because she did not want to participate in the trial. Later, Bryant and the alleged victim settled a civil lawsuit, where she received an unknown amount of money. Not only did Bryant apologize to the alleged victim, but he expressed even though he believed it was consensual, the alleged victim’s testimony allowed him to recognize that, to her, it was not a consensual
encounter. As a result of that scandal, many people who have been mourning the legend’s death are often dragged down and judged by people who only perceive him as a rapist. Although it is irresponsible to neglect the situation, because Bryant’s sexual assault case is a step forward in raising awareness of consent when it comes to sexual encounters, it is vulgar and indecent to bash the dead. Many people looked up to Bryant their whole lives and perceived him as a legend. His story helped people build their own ambition. It is important that we view this situation from an objective standpoint. We can acknowledge the poor choice he made in his early 20s, but we cannot dismiss his legacy or how others choose to remember him. “I idolized you because of your work ethic. Because of your willingness to never take a possession off. Because you expected
Gabriela Lopez /The Runner
greatness out of everyone around you and created a standard of what a leader should be,” Alex Bazzel, a well-known basketball trainer, wrote in a letter to Bryant released on his website. Celebrity singer, H.E.R., wrote in an Instagram post about how she watched videos of Bryant on her first day of touring because his dedication was unmatched. H.E.R. was only one of many individuals
impacted by Bryant in ways beyond basketball and the NBA. “[H]is actions gave me a blueprint to be great,” Richard Sherman, an NFL player for the 49ers, wrote. This shows that his legacy goes beyond basketball and reveals that his mentality is something we might all be trying to achieve. Not only was Bryant a role model on the court, he was a philanthropist off the court. According to CNN,
Bryant and his wife started the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation in order to help children and their families through funding various programs and scholarships. Bryant had also granted more than 200 wishes for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a foundation that grants wishes to kids diagnosed with severe illnesses. Moreover, he was a founder of the Natural Museum of African American History and Culture. According to NMAAHC, Bryant gave the museum the help they needed to keep moving forward. People still harboring bad feelings for Bryant should also keep in mind that this tragedy cost the nation more than just Kobe. The helicopter accident cost other families their daughters, parents, and siblings. His 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, was also on board the helicopter and did not survive. Traveling with the father and daughter were two of Gianna’s teammates,
RUNNER ON THE STREET
Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester, along with their parents, John and Keri Altobelli and Sarah Chester. Christina Mauser, an assistant girls basketball coach was also on board. Helicopter pilot Ara Zobayan was also lost in the crash. If people who do not support Bryant want to avoid him or his legacy, remembering the other victims of the crash is a start. Some people don’t learn from their mistakes until after it’s too late, but this does not mean we should dismiss the trauma and heartbreak tragic deaths inevitably bring. Only two people know exactly what happened in the hotel room that day in 2003. One of the two has died, leaving only the alleged victim to truly understand what occurred. The case was settled between them and does not need to keep being rehashed by the media. Choosing to mourn Kobe Bryant, or not to grieve, does not determine whether an individual is a bad person.
Faith Okoli /The Runner
By Braden Moss-Ennis / Photos by Destinee Sims
“What is one purchase that is a must-buy for college students?” Christian Rodriguez Junior, Studio Art
“I would say headphones because I usually see all students with headphones.”
Zachary Richardson Senior, Music and Philosophy
“In my experience, I think having a laptop is essential.”
Angel Cervantes Freshman, Nursing
“I would say a phone just because it makes everything more convnient.” Jacqueline Hernandez Junior, Liberal Studies
“A planner simply because it keeps you organized and it keeps you up to date with due dates.”
Sammy Cortes Sophomore, Business Administration
“A planner, certaintly. That would have to be an important asset for any students coming here to CSUB.”
Fernando Catalon Senior, Computer Engineering
“I would strongly recommend a graphing calculator. They usually end up out of stock.”
Millie Delgadillo Freshman, Criminal Justice
“I would say a computer. For me at least, it’s easier to do homework online.” Lizeth Esquer Freshman, Psychology
“A backpack.”
Features
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The Runner
February 5, 2020
Smoothing the transition with pizza and resources By Estefany Henriquez Features Writer The spring 2020 semester has begun, and many transfer students are starting their first semester at CSU Bakersfield. On Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020, the Transfer Pizza Social took place from 11 a. m. until 1 p. m. in the Student Union, where transfer students were invited to explore all that CSUB has to offer, and learn about the services available to them. Students who participated received food and refreshments, along with commemorative t-shirts. The students also explored the Club Fair, and learned how to build connections with others. Transfer Student Success Coordinator Natasha Harris wanted
to find a way to make the transition from other colleges to CSUB as seamless as possible. “Transfer students’ needs were not being addressed. They were not being given a full introduction the campus. They had their orientation and afterward it was, ‘Here is the campus.’ Through Transfer Connect, we’re hoping to connect our transfer students with different departments on campus, give them resources, and address any issue or concerns that they have as transfer students,” Harris said. Amani Hernandez, CSUB Transfer Specialist, works with students coming from Bakersfield College to CSUB. Some ways to help with the transitions, according to Hernandez, are classroom tours and
Eli Miranda/The Runner
Monica Haji-Amiri, receiving pizza and dessert from the transfer staff in the Student Union Blue room 137 on Wednesday Jan. 29th.
one-on-one meetings, which are less stressful for the students. Monica Haji-Amiri, a criminal justice major who transferred from Fullerton College, said, “I wanted to experience a different area and culture.” Haji-Amiri said she felt welcomed and now has a goal of engaging and networking with people,
Embracing new year cultural traditions By Francisco Ruiz Features Writer
As the new year and new semester begins at the CSU Bakersfield, campus Chinese Dragons came to celebrate the 2020 Lunar New Year Celebration by running and dancing around in the Student Union building. The room was filled with Chinese Decorations and with guests all around the community including CSUB staff and students. The celebration started with a New Year Celebration Song held by the children center from the CSUB Campus, followed by the Lion Dance, a Tai Chi Fan Dance Demonstration, and a Martial Dance Demonstration. “This is an event CSU Bakersfield holds every spring for students, faculty, and our community to give recognition to Chinese and Asian culture as they celebrate a new year,” said Jin-Ying Mao, the co-chair of the event. Throughout the event, food was served and a small awards ceremony commenced that was held by Lisa Zarate. One of the awards was given to CSUB professor and chair of the Math Department, David Gove. “It’s a Chinese New Year Celebration it’s not only celebrated by Chinese
Sam Underwood/The Runner
CSUB Art Majors Vanessa Ramirez (left), Yi Sing (center), Lorena Cazares (right), learning calligraphy at the Lunar Festival on Jan. 30 at the Student Union.
people, but also by many Asian countries that’s why it’s called a Lunar New Year all spring festival, due to Chinese New Year having its own traditional Chinese Calendar,” Mao said. Arturo Chavez, a CSUB Student and Martial Arts Performer who participated in the Martial Arts demonstration at the event said, “It’s a positive and fun event to once again spread the culture and expose the tradition of the Chinese and Asian people and martial Arts.” During one of the demonstrations one of the Kung Fu performers, Arturo Chavez made the audience interact with him by showing them how to do a Kung Fu fight demonstration with one another. Heather Wight, a guest who came to see the cele-
bration said “I’d thought it was going to be fun and educational for my daughter since she is homeschooled.” “CSUB hosts an event for the Lunar New Year Celebration every year to recognize Asian cultural it’s not only Chinese New Year but we also celebrate Diwali, which is a Hindu festival,” Mao said. “Overall, the reason why I preform in the traditional Lion Dancing, and the Martial Arts Demonstration Dance is to share the evil spirits and good luck hence, the Chinese Lion Dance. Every part of the Lion costume has symbolism,” Chavez said. “One of my favorite parts of the event is to interact with the crowd and to spread the culture of my Kung Fu Style, Choy lee Fut.” Chavez said.
someday graduating from this university having left her mark on the campus. Noelani Reyes, a psychology major who transferred from Bakersfield College, voiced her reason for choosing CSUB. According to Reyes, the close proximity was a factor in choosing to attend CSUB. She says that
transferring has been thrilling and already a learning adventure. In addition, a key feature of coming to a new campus was the new friends she made. “I expect to leave this campus with long term friendships,” Reyes said. Justin Zuniga, an English literature major who transferred from Bakersfield College, says he is here to get a degree. According to Zuniga, the transition from a community college to a university has been different but also contains similar characterestics, further elaborating by saying that it’s a step above and feels more mature. Aaliyah Beed, a communications major who helped with the Transfer Pizza Social event, said that the goal for this
event was “to let the transfers get to know each other and give them the tools they need in order to succeed.” According to Beed, getting involved on campus is important in order to get the full experience of attending college. There are many resources available for transfer students. The Transfer Student Center, which helps transfer students with admission counseling and eligibility issues, course or credit transferability, and transfer workshops. Natasha Harris mentioned in her speech that she and the rest of the Transfer Student Center staff are also working toward establishing a resource center and honor society both specifically for transfer students.
Features
The Runner
February 5, 2020
Bakersfield becomes “happiest place on Earth” with Mouse-Con By Yoana Andrade Features Writer
On Sunday Jan. 26, 2020, Disney fans and Disney workers came together at Mouse-Con to enjoy the life Disney can bring into a community. Mouse-Con is an event that celebrates Disney. It had vendors that sold all things Disney-related, like pins, patches, art, clothes, costumes, movies, and postcards. Mouse-Con also featured people who had roles in Disney movies, such as voice actor Mary Gibbs. The event had an Alice in Wonderland escape room, and a costume contest for all ages. Mouse-Con was free for kids 12 and under, while adult tickets were $10 each. This event sold over 500 tickets for children, and was a place to go with friends and families to experience something big in a small community like Bakersfield.
Mouse-Con was founded six years ago by Steve Wyatt, who also founded Comic-Con. Wyatt’s love for Disney began when he started collecting Disney products in 1974. According to Wyatt, he decided to launch Mouse-Con while driving one day, when the thought just popped into his head. He called his wife immediately to tell her about the idea, and they decided to do it right then and there. Mouse-Con started in the Bay Area, but Wyatt wanted to expand into communities where Disney events were not exposed enough, so this year he brought it to Bakersfield for the first time. Wyatt says he plans to run events like Comic-Con and Mouse-Con until he can’t walk anymore, but adds that even then he will probably still continue. Wyatt says he does it because he loves it, not for the fame or the money.
Seeing families and children happy, and to know that happiness came from an event that he created, is what keeps him inspired. Mary Gibbs, the featured guest of Bakersfield’s Mouse-Con, is the voice actor for Boo in the popular Pixar movie, Monsters Inc. Gibbs was only three years old when she was casted. According to Gibbs, her favorite part of working on the movie was going to her father’s workplace, as he was a storyboard artist for the movie, as well as just being followed with the microphone. This was Gibbs’ second time attending and being a featured guest at MouseCon, and she has said she is willing to go to more events. There was a costume contest at Mouse-Con for people of all ages. The winners were selected by age, adult and children. The winners for the adults
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Riley Newcombe/The Runner
Costume contest winners: Kristene McDonald, Niel Vandervert, Ashley Thoene, and Corissa Garcia pose onstage during Mouse-Con on Jan. 26.
were a group of friends who dressed up as the cast of Peter Pan: Corissa Garcia as Tinkerbell, Niel Vandervert as Smee, Kristine McDonald as the
Crocodile, Ashley Thoene as Captain Hook, and Megan Jarrett as Peter Pan. They all appeared extremely excited to participate in the contest and even more,
win. Mouse-Con was an event that left sources wanting to come back next year, and that is exactly what Wyatt intended.
Staying golden at The Empty Space Local theatre portrays societal struggles in “The Outsiders” By Lauren Hill Features Editor The impact left on an audience after a few hours in a small building on Oak street is anything but small. The story, “The Outsiders”, has been made famous by S.E. Hinton’s novel in 1967 followed by the film adaptation in 1983. Now, The Empty Space theatre in Bakersfield is running their portrayal of “The Outsiders” on select dates from Jan. 24 through Feb. 8. The theatre company has successfully sold out their first two weekends, with only 10 reserved rushed seats available at the door for each. “The Outsiders” is a story that focuses on societal issues of the time, many of which are still prevalent today. Director Nolan Long has decided to take the story to the next level with his direction and casting.
“It’s a non-traditional is a character who casting [...] Primarily walks on the street the show is done by in fear, begins to an all-white male cast, carry a knife for and I knew I didn’t self-defense, and want to do that. When develops PTSD afI started breaking ter being jumped. down the script and Kelsea Johnson everything, what I who plays a “Soc” found was that a lot of named Cherry in the struggles that are the production said put upon the greasers of the character, are inherently and con“Cherry definitely sistently struggles of comes from privmarginalized groups of ilege [...] I Feel people and of women. like that could go I really wanted to get one of two directhe diversity of the cast tions: You can be to help tell that level of completely blind the story,” Long said. Lauren Hill/The Runner to society because Two of the stories you’ve been raised The set for “The Outsiders” before Friday night performance on Jan. 31. most popular charwith so much that acters are played by you don’t really am or what I look like but be doing and Johnny women. Christina Goyunderstand the flip side of what I could bring to it, is brings a vulnerability to eneche, an adjunct prothe coin, but she has this very exciting [...] I’ve been them that I feel like they fessor at CSU Bakersfield nature about her where she having a great time with would not be comfortable plays Sodapop and Kiera wants to know and underJohnny, I love his vulneraexpressing outside of his Gill plays the dynamic stand others struggle.” bility. These young men in company.” character, Johnny. Long explained how the this show are doing what According to Long, it felt Gill said, “Having the they do because of what wrong to not cast a woman community at The Empty opportunity to be cast in a society thinks they should in the role of Johnny, as he Space embraces everyone role, not because of who I and makes them feel like
they play a vital role. Long believes there is power in the process and one thing that is very encouraging is the way that this cast came into every rehearsal and gave it their all. “If you put the same amount of love and respect that you want into something, you’ll receive it every time; Especially at the space,” said Long.
“If you put the same amount of love and respect that you want into something, you’ll receive it every time; Especially at the space.” Nolan Long Director
Sports
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The Runner
February 5, 2020
Deep dive with the CSUB swimmers By Chris Burdick Sports Co-Editor
The CSU Bakersfield women’s swimming team has made a huge splash in their final season in the Western Athletic Conference and are on the brink of something truly special. “Coming in as a freshman, you’re always hearing about the great classes before us and all the girls before us and how great they were,” senior swimmer Jayssie Haynes said. “In my freshman year, we were a really young team, so we had to build up to be these great women, these great leaders. And now we have these new freshmen, and they are amazing and talented and it’s great to see.” One of the young standouts of the year has been freshman Mikayla Popham. A late addition to the Roadrunners recruitment radar, Popham comes to CSUB from Unity College in Caolundra, Australia where she was an Australian National Medalist for 17- and 18year olds competing in the 50- and 400-meter freestyle, as well as the 200and 400-meter individual medley. Popham currently sits 2nd on the team with 14 individual wins this year, has already set herself at second on the CSUB record board for fastest time
Mari Woodmansee/The Runner Sophomore swimmer Autumn D’Arcy competes in the fly stroke event in meet against Santa Cruz University on Saturday Jan. 11.
in the 50- and 500-meter freestyles, and has recorded the fastest times in the WAC this season for the 100-, 200-, and 500-meter freestyle events as well. The biggest standout athlete this year for the Roadrunners has been sophomore Autumn D’Arcy. D’Arcy currently holds the fastest time in the nation for the 50-meter fly event at 23.78 seconds, and is number 29 in the nation for the 100-meter butterfly. D’Arcy has also done something that no other CSUB women’s swimmer has ever done, as she has qualified for Olympic trials for her age group in the 100-meter butterfly stroke event. D’Arcy currently sits tied with Paola Hernandez
for most single season victories in CSUB history, with 23 wins so far on the year, and should break that record at the WAC tournament. “I’m excited,” D’Arcy said. “Paola is a great swimmer, so it’s great to follow in her footsteps.” D’Arcy admits that breaking the CSUB single season win record wasn’t on her mind when the season began, but she is excited about the success and is just trying to do her best for the team. Both D’Arcy and Popham have been selected by the WAC for Swimmer of the Week honors three times this year. Both said that being nominated for the award was an honor in itself, but that seeing others
from their team nominated as well was the most exciting. The swim team has seen its share of talent come and go in the past few years, but this year, the team’s depth is what has allowed them to reach this level. “When I took over the women, I think seven years ago, we had to do a lot of changing, and depth was one of them,” Director Chris Hansen said. “It’s taken a while, but it’s nice to get a whole team scoring rather than just a handful.” Hansen also credits the leadership of the team’s seniors for “keeping the team together” and creating a good chemistry in the locker room. “When we first took over the program, the Mikayla
Paiges, the Paola Hernandezs, the Carlee Burks; we really thought that that generation was gonna break the doors down, and it really didn’t to be honest with you,” Hansen said. “The women in California were a little nervous coming to Cal State Bakersfield. That door has [now] been broken, and I would say Jaysee is probably a giant reason why that door is broken.” When talking about how the team feels with the WAC championships coming up, Haynes said that the team wasn’t quite ready just yet, but that they will be ready to compete when the time comes. Hansen, however, seemed confident that the CSUB women’s team can shock
some doubters in this year’s tournament. “It’s our last WAC, so we definitely want to leave on a high note,” Hansen said. “Not making any predictions, but I think there’s a good possibility the women will be in the top 3 and will have many champions.” Hansen also believes that CSUB women’s swim will be represented at the NCAA championships for the first time ever this year. D’Arcy, Popham, and Haynes believe they will be ready to lead the Roadrunners to the WAC tournament when the time comes. The tournament is scheduled to begin on Feb. 26 in Houston, Texas.
Men’s soccer sets ambitious goals for upcoming season By Brian Melgar Sports Reporter
With the new semester come new developments in the world of CSU Bakersfield’s sports teams. One of the highlights is our soccer team and the exciting new ways they will be invigorating the next upcoming season. Before the start of the new semester, team captain Carlos Armendariz attended a training camp in Texas. During an interview, Armendariz said that he had initially been in one of the beginner camps and had hoped to get pulled into what he called the “full camp” for the next step in his training. “I feel like I became more mature and professional there and can now bring better leadership to the team,” said Armendariz, who has only recently
Mari Woodmansee/The Runner Sophomore midfielder Carlos Armendariz scrimmages sophomore forward Justin Markus and freshman midfielder Eamon McLaughlin during their training practice on Thursday Jan. 30 on the main soccer field at CSUB.
returned from this new experience. When Armendariz speaks about the ways his experience at the training camp will benefit his whole team and not just him, the enthusiasm in his voice is audible. According to him, the team is “excited.” Carlos hopes to be pulled from the camp he just par-
ticipated in so that he may compete across Europe, a very prestigious honor that would bring more attention to the CSUB soccer team. Sophomore defender Stephon Marcano said that the team was ecstatic about Armendariz bringing his new knowledge into the team. The sense, once again, that a victory for any single team member
is a victory for the entire team was apparent. Marcano called the CSUB soccer team “one big family” during his interview, and that closeness was echoed by everything seen from the sidelines during warm-up drills. Speaking on how he feels about the new players coming in for the new semester, Marcano said, “It feels good. I think we have a solid group with the new players.” Head Coach Richie Grant also spoke about Armendariz’ time at the training camp, noting the captain’s talent, but emphasizing, “I think it stems more from his work ethic and commitment than it does from just his talent,” and that “there’s humility in him.” Grant says soccer is a personal sport to Armendariz, as his father played the sport as well,
and this personal connection allows him to excel and, in Grant’s words, “only makes him work harder.” Grant’s main goal for the future of the team is to “continue improving the culture around the team.” He wants the Runners to continue on their path of being akin to a big family of players, and says the existing culture owes to
the team getting along very well, along with a “lack of jealousy within the team.” This leads to a superior level of cooperation that allows for personalities to mesh and develop chemistry on the court rather than building tension and fostering a lack of comradery. The CSUB men’s soccer team is currently training during the off season.
Mari Woodmansee/The Runner Sophomore midfielder Carlos Armendariz and junior forward Tom Shepherd participating in scrimmage on Thrusday Jan. 30 on the main soccer field.
Sports
The Runner
The Runner Spotlight: Justin Edler-Davis By Mari Woodmansee Photo Editor This issue’s Runner Spotlight is men’s basketball senior forward and co-captain Justin Edler-Davis. Davis is a native of San Diego, where he was told from a young age that football was the way out. Davis wanted to prove that wrong. “Whenever I step out on the court, that’s my motivation. I want to prove them wrong. They told me I couldn’t make it here, and now that I am, I want to go further and play at a higher level,” Davis said. Although Davis is performing well in basketball now and was WAC player of the week, his first love was football. However, due to receiving too many injuries, he ended up getting into basketball in his sophomore year of high school. Davis explains that he chose to come to CSUB to play basketball because
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February 5, 2020
it was a brotherhood that made him feel like he was at home. Also, he didn’t have many men in his life who believed in him, and the coaching staff at CSUB did, which was a big thing for him. Davis has been heating up in the past few games. In the game against the Kansas City University Roo’s, Davis recorded a career-high in points at 25, and aided in the Roadrunners overtime win. Against the Utah Valley Wolverines, Davis was a critical piece in another ‘Runners overtime win. “When it gets to overtime, that’s winning time. That’s a time where a team really needs to stand out. You need to step up and do what you do, but at a higher level so you can help the team win,” Davis said. When speaking about his performance on the court, Davis says he feels good about his hard work paying off. Outside of basketball, Davis’ interests lie with fash-
ion and music. He likes to listen to all different genres of music. He also likes to online window shop by going on different social media sites to see different fashions. When he’s not playing basketball, he likes to dress nice.
Mari Woodmansee/The Runner
Senior forward Justin Edler-Davis goes for a slam dunk during warm-ups on Saturday Jan. 25 in the Icardo Center.
After staggering loss to Cowboys, ‘Runner wrestling bounces back against Bears By Elisa Fuentes Sports Co-Editor
The CSU Bakersfield men’s wrestling team took an upsetting loss at the University of Wyoming on Jan. 24, but were able to pick themselves up to take the win at the University of Northern Colorado against the Bears on Jan. 26. Last season, the wrestling team fell to both teams and looked to not only improve on that mark, but win. The Roadrunners came up short to the Wyoming Cowboys, with a loss 34-3 at their dual meet. Nine of the 10 wrestlers suffered losses, but redshirt senior Jacob Thalin managed a narrow loss with a 4-2 decision. Redshirt senior Russell Rohlfing achieved the lone win with a 6-0 decision. “Win or lose, you always learn something from every match, so the season is just about finding what you’re struggling with
and finding what works, and just fine-tuning it,” Rohlfing said before the dual meet. As far as the road ahead, Russell said, “Just looking forward to picking up the fight, just going out there and scrapping.” Rohlfing’s teammates did just that when they reached UNC for their next dual meet. While facing the Bears in the dual meet, the ‘Runners finished on top with a 20-16 win. Among the victories was senior Wyatt Gerl. He was behind in the last stretch, but after getting out of his opponent’s grip with a reversal, Gerl kept his opponent on the mat and claimed a 7-2 victory for himself.
“Win or lose, you always learn something from every match...” Redshirt Senior Wreslter Russell Rohlfing
Rohlfing won by technical fall with a 17-0 decision in his bout, taking a big win and scoring many near fall points. The biggest win for the Roadrunners came from freshman Angelo Martinoni, who was able to come on top with a decisive win and final score of 11-8. Martinoni, on the other hand, has his eyes set on a couple of future duals. “For me personally, I just wanna beat Fresno State just because they’re the other team in the Valley, about two hours away. And then Oregon State. We lost to them by one point last year, and I think we can definitely beat them this year.” The wrestling team’s next home dual meet in the Icardo Center is on Feb. 7 at 7 p. m. against Oregon State University. On Feb. 16 at 12 p.m., wrestling will have a “field” dual meet on the soccer field against Arizona State University.