The Observer, Spring 2023: Issue 9

Pg. 9

Saying goodbye: CWU faculty and administration reflect on their experience

Gail Mackin:

Associate Vice Provost

How long have you been at CWU?

It will be exactly six years when I leave.

What is your favorite thing about your position?

I’m behind the scenes, but I know that I’m impacting every single student who’s here on campus, and to me, that’s incredibly important. I spent 20 plus years teaching mathematics. I always loved that. Loved engaging students. But I learned very quickly that as an administrator, even though I’m not interacting on a daily basis with students, I actually have more power to make a good and positive impact.

What is your favorite memory from CWU?

Last year, I stepped in as the interim dean for the College of Education and Professional Studies (CEPS) from February until June, with the passing of Dr. Heidi Henschel Pellett. One of the things that I was able to do as Interim Dean was actually stand on stage and shake every single CEPS graduate and congratulate them. It was an amazing experience.

What will you miss most about CWU?

I think it’s the people that I work with. They’re amazing. Faculty and staff, administrators and the students who come through as well. We have student workers in our office. I have great relationships with many people and not only academic affairs, but other divisions on campus. And I’ve identified good people in strategic places that are partners in crime in terms of solving things.

What do you plan to do next?

Other than a vacation in Maine with my children. As of Aug. 1 I will be Provost and Executive Vice President of Colorado State University-Pueblo.

What is the best piece of advice you would give students?

Just be as tenacious as possible. When you find something that you love, just dig into it with your teeth and rattle around until you figure out how best you can use that information and follow your passion.

Ediz Kaykayoglu:

Dean of Extended and Global Education

How long have you been at CWU?

A little bit over five and a half years.

What is your favorite thing about your position?

The people overall…which means students, my team, and colleagues, including faculty and staff.

What is your favorite memory from CWU?

We’ve been doing this globalization appreciation event every year, where we bring students, faculty and staff together, where we celebrate International Education, and share our experiences around the traditional education, so I think that’s one of the nice remarks about my time here.

What will you miss most about CWU?

CWU is one of the nicest [and] probably one of the best institutions that a student, faculty and staff member could be at. Because our faculty to student relationships, our relationships with our colleagues, our campus, including also our university centers, our work around access inclusivity [and] equity. All of that just inspired me a lot, motivated me towards what I do. And also, CWU gave me a lot and I’ll be missing a lot of the work that we do around international education with our international students and domestic students interacting.

What do you plan to do next?

I will be the Vice Chancellor of enrollment and strategic initiatives at the University of Wisconsin Stout.

What is the best piece of advice you would give students?

Enjoy the moment. Enjoy it while you’re studying here, and you will all find a job, but you want to find a job where you’re happy on a Monday morning.

Joshua Nelson:

Professor of Japanese

How long have you been at CWU?

I came for one year, [from] 1989 to 1990. Then I went away for two years to complete my coursework for my Ph.D., but since 1992, I’ve been here unbroken, so that would be 31 years.

What is your favorite thing about your position?

Bright students, bright students that are fun to teach. They’re fun to find out who they are, where they’re from. That really has made the job of being a professor…a joy, something that is more than just a job.

What is your favorite memory from CWU?

I went to the elementary, the laboratory school Hebeler for four years. I’ve watched the university [CWU] grow. And I’ve known people now for what’s close to 65 years.

Sometimes I find myself walking on steps in Hebeler and Language and Lit or in Barge Hall. And I imagine all the people that I know who have climbed those same steps and who aren’t alive. And I can see myself…I’m part of that.

What will you miss most about CWU?

The bright students. I enjoyed also, the colleagues that I interacted with who would teach. I began to appreciate education early on but when I realized how much my colleagues knew, and some of them would teach me, and I realized I didn’t have to pay for it. I’m going to miss the collegial colleagues who would take time to share their information, their knowledge.

What do you plan to do next?

I’m going to age in place. I’ve got some grandkids and hopefully one on the way. I have a family to attend to, two dogs and two cats. 12 cows. So I’ve got plenty to do.

What is the best piece of advice you would give students?

Shut your phones off every once in a while.

Marc Haniuk:

Associate Professor of Theatre Arts in Design and Technology, and Resident Scenic Designer

How long have you been at CWU?

15 years

What is your favorite thing about your position?

I’ve had the privilege of being an artist and teaching art to others throughout my career.

What is your favorite memory from CWU?

Teaching them [students] the creative process. I’ve designed, I think, about 25 shows here.

What will you miss most about CWU?

I came here from other universities, and the other universities were larger and I think I like this size of university [CWU] best. I like the size of town. I like Washington. Our class sizes, at least in the Theatre Arts Department, are small. And that’s always very nice to work in. Where you know everybody’s name and get to know the students well.

What do you plan to do next?

My job is both classroom teaching and it is also physical. And the physical part of my job has kind of taken its toll on my body. I think what I need to do is to slow down and heal my body. That said I will always continue to do what I do. When you’re an artist you’re an artist for life. I do plan on continuing to teach individuals and also freelance as I’ve been doing throughout my career for other theatre companies.

What is the best piece of advice you would give students?

I believe that students need to learn to the creative process and know where they are in the creative process and that failure is part of the process. So not to try to be perfection. Not to try to achieve perfection because you will never achieve it.

GailMackin.

Photo by Megan Rogers EdizKaykayoglu. Photo courtesy of Ediz Kaykayoglu JoshuaNelson. Photo courtesy of cwu.edu MarcHaniuk. Photo courtesy of cwu.edu

Megan Rogers

News Editor

May 31, 2023

Beyond Our Coverage

A 17-year-old boy vanished after floating down the Cle Elum River with friends. According to News Break, the boy’s body was found wearing a life jacket two hours after the event.

The Kittitas County Fire Protect District #6 will be awarded an award for the 2023 Annual Kittitas County Public Health Champion Award. According to YakTriNews, the award is a symbol of their care for people in the community. The award will be presented at the Kittitas County Board of Health meeting on June 15.

Target’s stocks drop to the lowest its been in nearly three years after conservative customers protest newest pride collection. According to the New York Post, the shares originally priced at $160.96 have dropped nearly 14% in value to $138.93 a share, adding up to a loss of $10.1 billion.

NASA has reported one of the closest supernovas seen in the last few years will explode on Thursday. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, SN2023ixf will continue to brighten for months, but Thursday, The Virtual Telescope Project 2.0 will be live streaming the explosion on their website around 3:30 p.m.

The newest Disney live action The Little Mermaid starring Halle Bailey brings in $117.5 million at the box office. According to CNN, its box office release is one of the most successful films released on Memorial Day.

Letter from the Editor

Here we go again for the last time CWU,

My final issue as Lead Editor for The Observer is upon us, three quarters deep and still standing better than I’ve ever been, looking like a true survivor and feeling like a little kid, as Elton John would say. This issue is our queer pride month issue, and I’ve never been more proud and openly out of the closet as a pansexual genderfluid person who believes in a thing called love. Be free, little rainbows, love who you want to love, identify how you want to identify, leave the oppression of various churches behind and accept yourself. You deserve to feel your own warmth, to admit who you are to yourself. It took me years to admit to myself that I was queer, even though I was actively engaging in queer behavior, and it took a lot of reprogramming past beliefs to arrive here. Being pansexual, I feel the effects of erasure and being not gay enough but not straight enough either. However, all of this is outweighed by the love I feel in my heart when I live in truth! If I can do it, so can you.

Now it’s time to bid you adieu, Observer. There have been ups, there have been downs, there have been some sideways and inside outs. There have been mountainous molehills and molehillish mountains, smiles, laughter, tears, regrets and also no regrets. There have been some verifiable moments with certified vibes that I’ll never forget. When I started, I didn’t know I’d end up here, and as I’m ending, it feels like the start was just yesterday. I’m forever grateful to my advisor Jennifer Green, our department chair Francesco Somaini, our business manager Gretchen Lohse and the entire ed itorial staff for keeping me afloat with their biting wit. I’ll be lost without ‘em. That’s all for now, Observer! I’ll never forget my time here, and I know the paper will be in excellent hands after my departure.

Peruvian police found 58 kg of cocaine in a shipping container with asparagus in it at the port of Paita. According to The Guardian, the cocaine had pictures of the Nazi flag on it.

Latvia defeated the U.S. team in overtime at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships in their game on Sunday. According to ESPN, the U.S. team was winning eight straight games before losing 4-3 to Germany in overtime, making the U.S. team lose in the bronze-medal game for the second year in a row.

Photo by Yohanes Goodell

Katherine Camarata Lead Editor (for now)

News Editors

Morgana Carroll Megan Rogers

Scene Editor MJ Rivera

Faculty

Editorial Policy: The Observer is a public forum for student expression, in which student editors make policy and content decisions. The mission of The Observer is two-fold: to serve Central Washington University as a newspaper and to provide training for students who are seeking a career in journalism. The Observer seeks to provide complete, accurate, dependable information to the campus and community; to provide a public forum for the free debate of issues, ideas and problems facing the community at large; and to be the best source of information, education and entertainment news. As a training program, The Observer is the practical application of the theories and principles of journalism. It teaches students to analyze and communicate information that is vital to the decision making of the community at large. It provides a forum for students to learn the ethics, values and skills needed to succeed in their chosen career. If you have questions or concerns, email us at cwuobserver@gmail.com. Staff

@CWUObserver

Until next year, we say goodbye for now.

Pride Flag 101

The History of Pride Flags

In San Francisco 1974 Gilbert Baker, an activist and gay veteran, met up with Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician in California. Milk challenged Baker to create a symbol to unify the queer community, and in 1978 Baker debuted the pride flag. Baker applied meaning to each of the stripes: the pink represents sex, the red represents life, the orange represents healing, the yellow represents sunlight, the green represents nature, the turquoise represents magic and art, the indigo represents serenity and the violet represents spirit. The Pride Flag made its debut on San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade on June 25, 1978.

Graphic spread by Morgana Carroll

The most common pride flag one sees, the pink and the turquoise stripes were removed in 1978 and 1979 respectively because of how difficult those colors of dye were to find.

The Philadelphia Pride Flag was the first popular flag to include a stripe to represent people of color, who traditionally had not been recognized in the gay rights movement despite being an essential cornerstone of the community. It was designed by a small Philidelphian marketing company Tierney, and was debuted on June 8 2017, at Philadelphia City Hall.

Oregonian designer Daniel Quasar was inspired by the Philadelphia Pride Flag, and wanted to rework it to give it further meaning. The white, pink and blue chevron represents the transgender community, and the brown and black stripes represent people of color. The black stripe has dual meaning, as it also represents those lost to AIDS. It debuted in 2018.

Information gathered from “San Francisco Gay Mens Chorus”

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TheIntersexFlag.Peoplewhoidentifyasintersex havetraitsofbothbiologicalsexes.

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TheNonbinaryFlag.Nonbinarypeopleidentifyashavingtheirgenderlieoutsidethebinarygendersystem.

ThePolyamoryFlag.Peoplewhoidentifyaspolyamorous canengageinmultipleromantic,sexualandconsentual relationshipsatonce.

TheDemiromanticFlag.Peoplewhoidentifyas demiromanticcanonlybecomeromanticallyattractedtosomeoneafterformingabondwiththem.

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TheBisexualFlag.Peoplewhoidentifyasbisexual feelattractiontomultiplegenders.

TheGenderfluidFlag.Peoplewhoidentifyasgenderfluid experiencegenderasafluctuatingstateofexpression.

ThePolysexualFlag.Peoplewhoidentifyaspolysexualareattractedtomultiple,butnotallgenders.

TheDemisexualFlag.Peoplewhoidentifyasdemisexualcanonlybecomesexuallyattractedtosomeone afterformingabondwiththem.

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ThePansexualPrideFlag.Peoplewhoidentifyas pansexualfeelattractiontoallgenders.

TheAgenderPrideFlag.Agenderpeopleidentifyas havingnogender.

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Student fashion designs are set to hit the runway in ‘Opulence’ show

Quincy Taylor Staff Reporter

From popping balloons to basket tosses to inflatable obstacle courses, Student Appreciation Day had something for most types of students. CWU hosted Student Appreciation Day Thursday at Barto Lawn to show gratitude and love for the hard work that the students put in this school year. The staged theme was “Carnival,” and it sure felt like one with all the games and food that was presented.

With the academic year coming to a close, students are working to earn good grades and make sure they pass their classes. Amber Hoefer, Director of CWU Student Leadership Involvement and Community Engagement (SLICE), stated that Student Appreciation Day was to “show love for the students” on campus.

“I think that we get stuck in our daily routines and our students are working and going to class trying to graduate and finish their assignments,” Hoefer said.

Fest,” and it will be featuring Armani White.

According to Hoefer, this process of planning takes quite some time and they’ve been scheduling since the fall and working with their vendors since January. Hoefer stated what her role was in this planning process as well as how the event was set up.

“[It] takes a long time,” Hoefer said. “I was the key coordinator for the event…my role is really trying to make sure all the pieces of the puzzle fit together so that this is a cohesive event.”

As the event was filled with tons of games and prizes and food, students had opportunities to enjoy themselves.

Cody Young, a senior majoring in physical education and school health, shared what he liked about the event.

“It was pretty good…got some good food and some free drinks and play[ed] some games,” Young said. “My favorite game from the event was the putt-putt, it was pretty fun honestly.”

MJ Rivera Scene Editor

Student designers in the apparel, textile and merchandising (ATM) program will be showcasing their looks in this year’s fashion show titled “Opulence” on June 3 in the Milo Smith Tower Theater in McConnell Hall.

Andrea Eklund, professor in the ATM major and director of the fashion show, said, “There [are] the students who, starting at the beginning of the quarter, look for models, get their measurements [and], create all the designs. They’re constructing everything.”

There are two classes in charge of putting on the fashion show: ATM 360, fashion show production, and ATM 482, fashion show designers, according to Eklund.

CWU has had an apparel design program since 1915, and this year is their 27th fashion show.

The title of each year’s fashion show is created by the students on the first day of Eklund’s class, ATM 482. The students create posters for the fashion show and the class votes for the one they all want to represent the show, according to Eklund.

“They are kind of thinking about what [is] interesting and what goes with what’s happening in society, what’s trending…opulence was the one that was chosen with the most votes,” Eklund said.

Opulence means wealth or abundance, according to Merriam Wwebster.

“[It’s] something extra,” Eklund said. “Something that you don’t have every day, something out of the ordinary, something that is creative and visually interesting.”

Every year, the fashion show is different than the last because there are always new designers. This year, there are 12 designers presenting their work in the show, 11 of which are graduating this year, according to Eklund.

“We have ‘opulence’ as the fashion show theme, but then we have

12 separate mini collections within the show,” Eklund said. “So, it’s like 12 mini shows overall, because they all have different themes, a different feel [and], a different target market. That’s the cool thing about it.”

According to Ecklund, other universities require students to be senior standing to be in the show. Unlike other universities, students of any class standing can participate in the fashion show as long as they have completed the prerequisites. Each student designer has created 3-5 designs for the show, according to Eklund.

“I’m really working on it all year long, and then the students come into play when spring quarter starts,” Eklund said.

Eklund said she looks forward to seeing her students celebrate their hard work in the fashion show.

“Them having that moment of seeing all their stuff on the runway…is really amazing,” Eklund said. “Watching them have that fruition come to light on the runway, they’ve worked so hard. It’s one of the hardest things they’ll ever do. Having it all come together and then getting that recognition from the audience…makes all the work [worth it].”

The fashion show will be an immersive experience for audience members as they learn about each set of designs, according to Eklund.

“It’s not just a fashion show, you learn about the students,” Eklund said. “[There’s]…a mini student-designer interview before their collection starts so you really learn about the inspiration and their process and kind of what they got out of it.”

Eklund said the CWU theater department has worked alongside the student designers and producers to put on the annual fashion show for the last 15 years as well.

“We work with the theater department on the lighting and creating really an immersive experience that is really dynamic,” Eklund said. “It’s really showcasing so many different departments and students’

work and their knowledge that they’ve learned here on campus in the event, which I think is pretty amazing.”

Sophomore ATM major Tatum Mohagen is the student design coordinator in the production class for this year’s fashion show. Mohagen’s job is to be the bridge between the student designers and producers of the show, apart from the staging committee and promotion team in the production class.

“I hope that people that come can see how amazing and cool our program is and enjoy the show…I’m really excited,” Mohagen said.

Mohagen said she was inspired to be a part of this year’s show after she had gone to see the 2022 fashion show with her mom.

“This year is my first year helping behind the scenes and putting it on, so it’s cool to have gone to it last year and to have seen it and know what it’s about, and then this year see the behind the scenes of how it gets put together,” Mohagen said.

Mohagen said she feels that the ATM program gives students valuable hands-on experience.

“Whatever you’re learning in class, there’s always a project or a way that you get to apply it in a very realistic way,” Mohagen said. “Our program really does a great job setting you up to succeed in that way.”

The student designs were photographed and judged on May 25, according to Mohagen.

“I actually had the role of choosing four judges, and so I reached out to a whole bunch of people,” Mohagen said.

The four judges Mohagen recruited were Marsha, the CEO of fashion brand Stupid Stitch, CWU ATM alum Sean Helligso, owner of Claim Clothing in downtown Ellensburg Megan West and retired CWU theater arts professor Scott Robinson.

There will be an award ceremony at the end of the fashion show on June 3.

“I think the goal for me is that students have kind of a moment to remember that they’re part of something bigger and they can go hang out with their friends and enjoy an evening off.”

According to Hoefer, celebrating for the students helps show how the students are making the university move forward with their hard work, and she states that it’s an opportunity to “share our appreciation.”

“I think that this is really an opportunity for us to share gratitude and appreciation for not only them picking CWU, but for them continuing to move our university forward and making sure that each Wildcat feels like they belong,” Hoefer said.

For this event, the theme was “Carnival” and according to Hoefer, they have done some carnival engagement to give off a different vibe than what they have done in the past.

“We really went with the carnival theme so that we could have a combination of game prizes and really just try to let the students kind of kick back before finals,” Hoefer said.

According to Hoefer, when asked about how this year’s event would be different from last year’s event, the main distinction was renting carnival games and not having different clubs and organizations do labor to host games and activities.

“One of the things that is different is that we have a variety of games that are going to be hosted by different departments on campus…so instead this year, we’re renting equipment and different games, bringing them in and then we have different departments hosting each game so that they can share their appreciation,” Hoefer said.

Hoefer also mentioned that next week, there will be a student appreciation concert called, “Wild

Devonte Holden, a junior majoring in psychology, shared his thoughts on how he had a great time at the event . According to Holden, he called the event “inspiring.”

“I thought it was cool to be around a whole bunch of people and mingle,” Holden said. “I thought it was very interesting that they had a lot of events and it kind of felt like a Puyallup fair vibe, where you are just around people having fun getting food. II wouldn’t say I have a favorite game to play at this event, I just enjoyed it all.”

According to Jacob Gilsdorf, a junior majoring in marketing, his favorite part of the event was the food and how the catering was awesome.

“The burgers are pretty good and the ribs. I like the new Coca-Cola flavor as well,” Gilsdorf said.

According to Hoefer, after the event ended, she said it was “successful” and she had a good time seeing students have a good time and that was what she intended to aim for.

“I’ve enjoyed seeing the students that may or may not have realized this event was happening light up and then hang out and sit on the grass, take their food and play games,” Hoefer said.

According to Hoefer, without campus wide support, none of this would happen and she was really grateful for support in this event.

“We can’t do large events like this without campus wide support,” Hoefer said. “I think it’s cool because some of the departments that don’t always engage with students…if you’re doing more of like administrative things, I think it gives them a different avenue to engage with students and they’re having a lot of fun. I’ve been really grateful for the campus wide participation and I hope we can continue to grow.”

For the students, about the students: CWU hosts student appreciation day

NicoleWhiteDrapingDesign.

Photo courtesy of Andrea Eklund

HunterMcDonaldWorkingonPatternsforDesigns.

Photo courtesy of Andrea Eklund

Film students take creative risks for their short film final projects

Zileni

Milupi and Morgana Carroll

Assistant Scene Editor and News Editor

Choreographed fighting sequences, arson, explosions and murder are major plot points in a few of the short films that film majors are working on for their final projects of the quarter in Production III. Junior film students Dylan Hanson, Amelia French and Dillan Ferguson detailed their film-making processes to The Observer.

As the academic year draws to a close, film students begin wrapping up their film projects, ready to show the world what they’ve made.

According to film professor Michael Caldwell, his favorite part of watching his students work on their films is the pre-production stages, where anything is possible.

“There haven’t been any compromises,” Caldwell said. “There haven’t been any mistakes. They’re starting out fresh and anything is possible. So the whole process is full of optimism and hope. Oh my god, we’re gonna set the world on fire with this movie.”

According to Caldwell, it’s essential for film students to produce their own films and works in order to learn the process.

“There’s something completely transformative,” Caldwell said. “It’s easy to sit back and look at the work of others and comment and criticize. We do that all the time. It’s completely different when you put yourself in the shoes of the creative.”

Dylan Hanson- “Dead South”

Hanson’s tentatively titled short film, “Dead South”, is an eight-minute action short about a young man who, as Hanson described it, keeps getting roped into a fight he doesn’t want to be in. Hanson said his professor Phan Tran described Hanson’s film as “muscular filmmaking.”

“I think what he [Tran] meant is in terms of pushing the boundaries and limits of what you and your crew can do,” Hanson said.

According to Hanson, this was one of the hardest films he’s shot. One of the reasons was due to the choreographed fighting sequences and few crew members he had. Hanson said, including himself, there were on average a total of four crew members working on the film.

Hanson bought most of the props, costumes and extra items for the film from Goodwill, spending roughly $200 out of pocket for the movie. According to Hanson, the department only provided filming equipment.

Hanson cited schedule coordination and location as two major challenges he faced while preparing for the movie.

“I was trying to get some more people to help with crew,” Hanson said. “Some of their schedules just didn’t line up with ours at the time we wanted to do it.”

Hanson also cited filmmakers George Miller and Sam Raimi and

horror manga artist Junji Ito as inspirations for the short.

“The short’s very graphic but it’s not super realistic,” Hanson said. “It’s not necessarily super over the top, but it’s very stylized.”

Hanson credited the rest of the crew and members of the cast for taking on multiple roles on set each day, including makeup effects, prop making and sound operating. In addition to directing and writing the short, Hanson choreographed the fight scenes and did editing and sound mixing.

“The way I choreographed, it’s pretty simplistic beats,” Hanson said. “It’s almost like dancing where someone throws a jab, punch, you know, it’s a real scrappy fight. We hope to infuse a little bit of scrappiness into it. For this short, it’s like we’re telling a mini story inside of a bigger one. It really is like you’re being dropped in the middle of a story. And there’s a definite end to the short film.”

Amelia French- “Firebug”

French’s short, “Firebug”, is a drama thriller about a young man with a dark fascination with fire, who unknowingly murders his brother and alters the lives of many in the process, as described in the logline.

“It’s a little bit dark,” French said. “But it’s very artsy.”

French said she wanted to explore arson after watching a “Criminal Minds” episode about arson and a YouTube video about firefighters discussing their experiences with different fires.

“No one has really done a full psychiatric look into an arsonist’s mind, especially a young boy that has a somewhat normal family,” French said. “So, I just thought that was something fun that I could explore.”

In addition to writing and directing the short, this is also French’s first time producing.

“This short specifically taught me a lot about the producing side of filmmaking because I had never produced before,” French said. “So coming up with a budget, scheduling everything out, location scouting, all of the contracts. I did all of

that and I’m kind of proud of myself for doing that, because it was a lot. That’s probably the most prep work was the producing side of it.”

On a budget of about $300 to $400, French bought props from Amazon and made some of the costumes, with the actors providing most of the clothes.

French said a few challenges she faced included managing time amidst a very tight filming schedule and finding production assistants. French also initially had trouble finding a barn to use for a scene in which the main character sets a barn on fire.

“So we had a couple of different actual fires for the short,” French said. “Most of those were at the house. And then for the barn scene, we just used a smoke machine and then lighting effects to try and emulate the fire look.”

French described her filmmaking style as having big production value and big visuals. French cited Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve as two filmmakers who inspire her love for big spectacle films. French shared her advice for aspiring film students.

“I would say even if you think that you’re not going to be able to accomplish something, try anyways,” French said. “As long as you put in the effort and your heart is in the right place. All the rest is

meaningless, just as long as you’re following your passion. That’s all that really matters.”

Dillan Ferguson, who is also in Production III, did not write a short for the final project but worked on editing for two shorts including French’s.

“Editing is sort of my forte,” Ferguson said. “It’s the best skill that I can really bring to a group. So being able to edit my team members’ projects that they worked really hard on is stressful, but definitely really fun.”

Ferguson shared their advice for aspiring editors.

“I know that’s the most basic advice I could possibly give,” Ferguson said. “But I have five years of doing this now. And it started with doing weird little projects in high school. It was making trailers out of random clips I found out on YouTube, and it takes a lot of drive and a lot of technical knowledge, but anyone can do it.”

Ferguson also shared a piece of advice they took away from Tran.

“He said to be reckless, take risks and break rules,” Ferguson said. “I definitely feel like the more we’re getting comfortable with the filmmaking process, the more we are trying to break the rules and not really take no for an answer. If there’s an obstacle, we face it instead of trying to go around.”

LeadactorRyanRiveraonHanson’s set. Photo courtesy of Dylan Hanson

AmeliaFrenchonset.

Photo by Caleb Cleland

DirectorofphotographyNatanielShjerven-Mayo(left)andDillanFergusononset. Photo courtesy of Amelia French

LeadactorJakobBurnhamofthesetof Hanson’sfilmwithmakeupeffectsbyBlake Cloud. Photo courtesy of Dylan Hanson

Heels, wigs, leather, hats: CWU’s annual drag shows feature

Katherine Camarata

Lead Editor

High-heeled boots, wigs, crystals, razzmatazz and death drops were on fullest display as the amateur drag show was off to a bang on the SURC west patio on May 29.

The show hosted by Equality through Queers and Allies (EQuAL) was an exuberant kickoff to CWU’s Pride week, where students had an opportunity to showcase their gender expression in a non-conforming and vibrant fashion as the crowd lost it. The show was hosted by ASCWU President Elect and Equity and Services Council (ESC) representative for EQuAL, Malik Cantú, who set the tone by asking everybody to keep it fabulous

“I hope that people who signed up to perform feel like they are seen and can express themselves,” Program Assistant for Diversity and Social Justice and event organizer Jess Eavenson said. “I hope people on campus get to see themselves in the performances.”

First to take command of the space for the amateur show was Mikayla Hunt, a drag queen who whipped her wig around and dropped into the splits on multiple occasions, all in heels, serving their own brand of slay-age to a fit of cheers.

“The first time I ever got into drag, it was a beginner costuming class for the theater program and it was actually my final … and I fell in love with it from there,” Hunt said. “It’s definitely just a place for me to express inner identity. I look

Tuck, obsessed, I love Kameron Michaels. I also really look up to my mom, she’s my inspiration for everything I do.”

The camp continued with an emotional performance by firsttime drag king, first year musical theater major and fan-favorite Judas the Baslayer, who was cited as a highlight by three interviewees. Judas the Baslayer’s face jewels were pristinely glued along her eyes and her cheeks were contoured to the heavens as she spoke about how she got into drag.

“It was fall quarter and I went to see the professional drag show, and seeing the queens was so amazing and life changing, and then the kings came out,” Judas said. “I ascended, I was like in a different dimension. I was like, ‘oh, I have to do

“Vote. For the trans kids. Trans people are protected under our [Washington’s] constitution, but in other states, they’re not.”

-SugarTits

Queerquestionsandqueriesget answeredat‘SpilltheTea’ LGBTQ2IA+panel SeeStoryOnline

feature amateurs and professionals to celebrate queer Pride

this, I have to participate’ … I had been practicing alone in my room so then actually getting on stage, I had so much nervous energy, and then I get there and it all just instantly went away. There’s nothing quite like performance.”

Judas the Baslayer said drag is a way to push back against societal norms in terms of gender.

“To me, drag means … taking what we perceive as male and putting my own spin on it and expressing, how do I perceive gender in this world that is heavy on gender stereotypes, how can I personally twist that to make it my own,” Judas said. “I really hope that I inspire somebody to think about maybe getting into drag. I just want to inspire people, that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

Summer Hartoon, a freshman in elementary education, said this

was their very first time attending a drag show and it wouldn’t be the last.

“I’ve always been interested in drag shows, I think they’re amazing,” Hartoon said. “I loved this one so much, I’m definitely going to the professional one. With everything going on right now, a lot of people think that drag is this bad thing when in reality, it’s not bad.”

Eavenson and Sam Mena, a third year in public policy and political science and ESC representative elect for EQuAL, both cited Crow’s King as a favorite, who performed with a flag-twirling special ending.

“I really liked what Crow’s King did with the flag,” Eavenson said. “I saw him with it when we were setting up, but to see what he actually did with it was really cool.”

Mena cheered on the queens and kings during the show and ex-

pressed their hopes for the event.

“I hope that it allows people who identify as allies to learn a little bit more,” Mena said. “I just want people to have a good time. Pride is great, be a good ally, don’t be a hater.”

After several performances by queens and kings, the event was wrapped up and Cantu announced the impending professional drag show.

“We are coming off of both COVID happening and then last year, we got our power out from the lightning, so this will be the first time, fingers crossed, in a couple years that we get to have our professional drag show tonight,” Eavenson said.

Later that evening, the SURC Ballroom hosted a slew of professional drag queens from around Washington who sashayed across

the stage in splendor, accepting waving dollar bills as they danced and cartwheeled down the aisle.

Performers included Genesis Storm, Victoria Demizer, Manaja Twat, Sugar Tits and Karisma Tits. The drag queens performed for three hours with intermissions, hosted by Sugar Tits, who said her favorite part of the evening was hearing all the screams and the “constant validation” from the audience. She emphasized the inclusivity of the art form and their show.

“A lot of us here are not just gay, cis[gendered] men, I’m a trans woman,” Sugar Tits said. “It’s a little mixture of everything. You don’t have to conform to do it. It is literally for everybody.”

During the show, Sugar Tits announced that Texas banned drag shows while their performance

was happening, as evidenced by CBS News Texas coverage. Sugar Tits left students with one strong suggestion: “Vote. For the trans kids. Trans people are protected under our [Washington’s] constitution, but in other states, they’re not.”

Cantú said their favorite part of the event was simply being able to participate again and be part of the show, because they ran the spotlight for the first time.

“I’ve been putting in the work for this show from beginning to end,” Cantú said.

Eavenson left queer students with some words of support: “We’re here for you. Ellensburg might be scary for people who are from a larger city where it’s more queer friendly, but we do what we can.”

JudastheBaslayergaveanemotionalfirstdragperformancetoathrilledaudienceontheSURCwestpatio.

Photo by Katherine Camarata

GenesisStorm,VictoriaDemizer,ManajaTwat,SugarTitsandKarismaTitstakethestageforafinalbow.

Photo by Katherine Camarata

MikaylaHuntwowedthecrowdwithherhighheeledbootsto“S.O.S.”byRihanna.

Photo by Katherine Camarata

King’sCrowtwirledandtossedaflagfortheirfinale.

Photo by Katherine Camarata

Theamateurdragperformersposedundertheballoonrainbowaftertheshow. Photo by Katherine Camarata

How to survive college

Anna Fridell Columnist

Wondering what the key to a great college experience is? It’s as simple as this: an open mind opens doors to opportunities that we as students may have never known was available. This is much easier said than done. To have an open mind means to be willing to search actively for unfamiliarity in planning, engagement and beliefs according to the University of Pennsylvania.

There are two ways to experience college. A student can choose to attend class at its scheduled time, get three meals from the Student Union Recreation Center (SURC), get a few assignments done in the library, and head back home to only repeat this cycle day in and day out.

A better way to approach college life is to keep your eyes open, as the CWU campus holds countless opportunities to better everyone’s experience.

When walking around campus, you may see an abundance of signs with advertisements to certain clubs, events or gatherings, without giving them a second look. Taking that extra time to really look at these offerings could be a gateway to new friends, new experiences and a source of joy.

Whether it be attending one of CWU’s Movie Madness nights on Mondays or going to perform or watch a friend at The Bistro’s Open Mic Nights, you are never going to know who you’ll meet or what you experience if you never try.

I say this with personal experience. As a musician that sticks to my bedroom and shower, performing in front of people and even sharing my passion for music didn’t seem to be “cool” in social standards. It took an act of courage for me to realize how wrong I was.

The beauty of college is that there is something and someone for everyone, no matter your passions or where you come from. When I decided to take my guitar to The Bistro’s Open Mic Night, it opened my eyes to a full room of people that liked to do the same things as me.

The worst thing we can do as college students is to become consumed in our daily obligations.

College is a place to earn a degree. Beyond this simple aspect, college is also a place to learn, grow and discover who we are as adults while living in a campus environment.

To have aspirations and dreams is a beautiful thing while in college simply because the campus probably has something to help accomplish that dream.

Want to be an on-camera reporter one day? Central News Watch holds its own newscast that allows students to step directly into those shoes. Want to get out of the country but have never had the opportunity? The school has an abundance of study-abroad programs designed for students that wouldn’t typically have the resources to do so otherwise.

To survive college, one must en gage fully and say the word ‘yes’ more than ‘no’. Our brain’s first thought is to run away from things that make us uncomfortable, but this only leads to close-minded activity.

According to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, by meeting new people and seeking diversity, you become more accepting of differences and enjoy the variety of those around you.

Time to toss my cap and say goodbye

A farewell letter to CWU

Brittany Cinderella

Columnist

My very first college acceptance letter came in the mail in December of 2017, with the words “You’re In!” in bold letters. I remember crying and then laughing, I had feared I wouldn’t make it into college right out of high school. Although I had a decent GPA and lots of experience, I wasn’t the diverse ideal student most colleges wanted. Out of the seven colleges I applied to, I got into all but one.

The only reason I knew about CWU was from a friend of mine. She had called me one day telling me about a college she was at, that I’d never heard of. When I asked her for the location, she said Ellensburg. I remember searching where Ellensburg was. The only memory I had before visiting the campus was stopping for McDonald’s during a band trip to Idaho.

Touring the campus, I loved the old but new style of the buildings, the smalltown energy and the very friendly people. I had a pros and cons lists for every college I had applied to. For CWU, I had things like having transportation to the west side, a campus size I could easily walk and small class sizes where I would get to know my fellow students.

I decided to go to CWU in March of 2018 with no idea what I would major in or how long I would be there. During orientation, I had the plan to major in business, but was told that given I was interested in NASA, I should get a physics degree. After accepting a five-year physics degree, I met a lot of amazing peers and professors that helped me during my first few years of college.

When COVID was declared a national emergency, the school shut down campus and told us we couldn’t come back until the CDC cleared us. In my time taking online classes, I had one course that met synchronously on Zoom and all of my other professors didn’t hold meetings. Once the mask mandate started, I felt more and more disconnected from my peers, barely knowing anyone in my program and more connected to my dogs. As I grew out of physics, I rekindled my passion for writing, and ended up adding an English major to ease my physics frustration around spring quarter of 2020.

Since then, I’ve had a much better experience at CWU, with both majors. I’ve learned how to balance two of my passions in one college experience. Do I regret any of it? Not at all. Although I had a lot of stress and confusion as to what

I was going to do with my life, I found that college doesn’t determine where I go in life. I learned how to take what I learn in courses with a grain of salt and to focus on how to apply the skills I learn to the real world.

It wasn’t until I started working with The Observer as a copy editor that I realized how much I enjoyed editing and writing work. I now hope to pur sue a career in copyediting or technical writing, but would also be interested in physics work in my future.

On my official transcript, I will be graduating with a Bachelors of Arts in English: Professional and Creative Writing, a Bachelors of Arts in Physics and minors in astronomy and math. I owe everything about my college expe rience to my family for supporting me through every step of the way.

To my peers, my professors, the CWU faculty and the entire Observer staff, thank you for making my time at CWU so memorable. Go Wildcats.

PhotoofCWUcampus. PhotocourtesyofAnnaFridell

Cinderella took her graduation photos on campus.

Photo by Root ‘n’ Tillie Media

Photo of acceptance letter in December 2017.

Photo by Brittany Cinderella

Anna Fridell posing for the first day of fall quarter 2022.

Photo courtesy of Anna Fridell

Color psychology during pride month Rebel without a cause: America’s queer classic

Kai Kyzar Columnist

In the time where strict rules prohibited film from showing a married couple sharing a bed or facing the risk of insinuating sexual activities, finding queer representation sounds impossible.

American film director Nicholas Ray crafted the emotional love story “Rebel Without A Cause” and gave us the character John “Plato” Crawford who is debated to be the first gay teenager in film.

The film begins with James Dean’s character Jim Stark being arrested for public intoxication and brought into the police station to wait for his parents. Here is where we meet the two other teens of the iconic trio Judy (Natalie Wood) and Plato (Sal Mineo).

Before being called in to talk to officer Ray Fremick, Jim tries to give his jacket to a shivering Plato who refuses the offer, waving Jim away and curling tighter into himself. This scene is directly referenced at the very end of the film where Jim gives his jacket to Plato in a comforting gesture while he is attempting to persuade Plato to give up his gun and surrender to the police.

CWU professor Jason Tucholke calls the scene a “telling moment,” and goes on to say, “I think that moment in particular, really strikes me as the moment where you wonder if, if it’s a little more than just looking up to a mentor or, you know, role model.”

“That moment in particular, I think really strikes me at least as something.” said Tucholke.

After accepting Jim’s jacket, Plato not only tenderly cradles it, but even holds it up to his face and sniffs it. At the end of the film after Plato is wrongfully murdered by the police, Dean’s character Jim is hysterical and inconsolable, sobbing and crawling on the ground. While Woods’ character Judy is upset but silent, Jim is wailing.

But no homo, right? Wrong!

According to Esquire magazine, Dean and Mineo purposefully played into the attraction between Jim and Plato. Anyone who has seen the movie would have to jump through hoops to attribute the deep and longing looks shared between the costars as anything other than homoerotic.

Looking further into the personal lives of both Dean and Mineo gives ample evidence to their real-life queer identities. In an interview with Boze Hadleigh, Mineo says he does not resent the rumors of his bisexuality–which he later confirms–and says, “what’s wrong with being bi? Maybe most people are, deep down.”

A famous quote from Dean, one I’ve found nearly everywhere I’ve looked for more information on Dean’s short life including in Esquire magazine, reads: “I’m not a homosexual, but I’m not going through life with one hand tied behind my back.”

These quotes—along with the obvious romantic and sexual tension between the characters Jim and Plato—point to a not so subtle queer-coding in the film “Rebel Without A Cause.” If you haven’t already, I cannot recommend the film enough and I implore you to watch it yourself. As a not only queer classic, but one of films in general, “Rebel Without A Cause” (and James Dean’s pretty face) is not something to

“Rebel Without A Cause” can be streamed through HBO Max.

Madison VanRavenhorst Columnist

Thumping music from all directions, smiles everywhere and the hot sun beaming down from blue skies as the people around me cheer. The feeling of being surrounded by love, support, and representation is all I can notice if I spin around. Pride. Or at least what I imagined it to be. Being a young girl raised religious had its ups and downs. The biggest downfall was the feeling of being broken or wrong because I was different. When I looked at other girls and felt not just friendship, but a connection deeper than that. The same thing I felt when I would talk to a cute boy. All I knew was that it wasn’t right to feel that way.

It’s taken me nearly a decade to come to terms with what it meant to feel the way I did. Now that I’ve figured out how to be all the things I want to be at once, I can enjoy this year’s pride month in a way I was never quite able to.

I think we all know the traditional rainbow pride flag. Outside of the meaning the flag carries for LGBTQIA+ communities, each color has its own connotations within color psychology. According to Philosophy Communication, there’s a difference between their association and the mood they inspire.

Colors have a deep history of influencing people in different ways. Clara Vetter at Neurofied explains that colors are not only associated with what we see. Colors can guide attention, evoke emotion, influence motor function and performance, and can even be associated with certain tastes, sounds and scents.

These associations evoke mostly positive emotions. For me, knowing this creates a feeling of security. Even if groups or individuals have tried to create a negative association with flags that I identify with, it makes a world of difference to know what the subconscious feelings that the colors on the flags inspire are.

Whether you identify with any aspect of the LGBTQIA+ community or not, I hope you look at the flag and see more than just a political cause you may or may not agree with. The colors mean something, and they showcase the unique lives of every single person who identifies with the flag you’re looking at.

The science of color theory expands beyond just the rainbow pride flag. Whatever identity flag you choose to represent yourself with has the same potential to mean more than meets the eye.

As a bisexual woman who grew up in a less than accepting community, it means the world to me to look at a flag that represents my true community and feel pride.

Red: Passion, love, power

Orange: Enthusiasm, success, creativity

Yellow: Energy, happiness, joy

Green: Health, harmony, safety

Blue: Stability, trust, confidence

Purple: Wisdom, luxury, strength

The rainbow created with paint. (Text added by Brandon Davis.)

Photo courtesy of Pexels

Publicity still of James Dean for the film Rebel Without a Cause.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia

Saying goodbye: CWU faculty and administration reflect on their experience

book page, I’m posting pictures of things I know will stir up memories. So far, I’ve posted a picture of some paper binder clips, a case of Pepsi and a stress ball. I still have to post pictures of fake pumpkins, a pill box filled with earbuds, and a bowl of Werther’s candies. Each item comes with its own CNW story.

And who could forget office chair-racing down Lind Hall?

What will you miss most about CWU?

Telling students their work sucks. Explaining why their work sucks. Then showing them how to make it suck less.

What do you plan to do next?

I’m planning to build a massive eBay empire focused on fine china, unique Christmas ornaments, and vinyl LPs. Start following AdventureAunt on eBay now!

Work toward getting a paid acting gig. (I plan to win the Best Supporting Actress Oscar when I’m 83.)

Terri Reddout:

Senior Lecturer and “Goddess of Broadcasting”

How long have you been at CWU?

I started teaching here in the Fall of 2011. Before coming to CWU, I taught at Weber State University in Utah for 12 years.

What is your favorite memory from being a communication queen? Too many to count!

What is the best piece of advice you would give students?

Do your job well but find a balance between work and the rest of your life.

You’re going to make mistakes. Start making them. Then, learn from them.

Jeffrey Stinson:

Dean of the College of Business

How long have you been at CWU? 15 years

What is your favorite thing about your position?

I get to work with a great group of students, faculty, staff, administrators, and alumni. The energy, ideas, and innovation that come from working with

these smart people is by far the best part of my job.

What is your favorite memory from CWU?

Probably the first CWU Mariners Night. Working with Dr. Pritchard to see 1000 CWU community members and friends gather was very exciting. Of course, it would have been hard to imagine what the event has become. Commencement every year would be a close second.

What will you miss most about CWU?

The wonderful, smart, innovative people.

What do you plan to do next?

I will be dean of the Johnson College of Business and Economics at the University of South Carolina-Upstate.

What is the best piece of advice you would give students?

Take advantage of all of the opportunities that are available to you as a student. Get engaged and build your network. These are keys to student and career success.

Photo courtesy of Terri Reddout

Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Stinson

CWU athletes’ perspective on ‘person first, player second’

Anna Fridell and Isaac Hinson Staff Reporter and Sports Editor

The number on the back of a jersey isn’t the only thing that defines who an athlete is.

To be a student-athlete comes with an extra responsibility of balancing multiple identities, according to CWU senior sport management major and men’s track and field and cross-country runner, Ty Savely.

“You have to have that fine line of, ‘hey, when I show up to practice, I’m an athlete,’ but then the minute you go home to your normal, everyday life, you have to flip that switch and go, ‘I’m a normal person,’” Savely said.

Recognizing that athletes are people first outside of just the sport they play is a challenge, according to CWU sophomore elementary education major and volleyball player Scottie Ellsworth.

“I think that my sport runs my entire life.” Ellsworth said. “It’s absolutely a huge part of who I am. Another follow-up question would be, ‘is that a bad thing?’ And I don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing.”

Athletes may define themselves by their sport as a way to express their love and passion for it, according to Ellsworth.

A student-athlete’s character goes far beyond just the sport they play, according to CWU senior finance major and football player, Zach Matlock.

“I like to keep my own character, it’s not like, ‘oh he’s a football player.’ No, I say, ‘my name is Zach first, and I also play football’,” Matlock said.

Prioritizing mental health and communication can be difficult for athletes because they are accustomed to working hard on a consistent basis, according to Ellsworth.

“It can definitely be a challenge for a lot of people including myself, communicating needs to either slow down or to take a break, take some time off,” Ellsworth said. “That’s all

tough, and I can see that being an issue or challenge for many sports.”

To play a sport comes with an abundance of stress and pressure, but there are ways to deal with it, according to CWU fifth year biology major and men’s rugby player Alex Cleary.

Leaning on teammates and coaches for support is an effective way to clear the mind of critical thinking when things go wrong, according to Cleary.

“If you’re in a high intensity situation, you can waste all that adrenaline and all that stress… All that energy can make it worse or it can make it better,” Cleary said.

Pressure stems from the expectations of others and living up to a certain standard, according to Matlock.

“[Pressure means] you got a lot to live up to, or a lot to accomplish because pressure I feel like comes from other people … as far as what they expect of you and for yourself too,” Matlock said.

To be an athlete, even at a young age, comes with loads of sacrifices and time commitments according to Ellsworth.

“Practice is a really important thing, [but] it can be a pain,” Ellsworth said.

“When you’re little, you don’t want to do it, you want to go outside and have fun, you don’t want to practice.”

It is important for athletes to find other interests outside of the sport they play, according to Ellsworth.

“I’ve noticed in classes when they say, ‘what hobbies do you have?’, the athletes always just say their sport and don’t really have anything else,” Ellsworth said. “Beyond that, I think it’s really important to find things outside of the sport that you really enjoy doing.”

The lockdown period of COVID-19 and cancellations of sports seasons presented an opportunity for athletes to step outside of their sport and find other hobbies, according to Cleary.

“I was so focused on rugby like nothing else mattered, and then

when [COVID] happened, I totally got a new perspective,” Cleary said. “I played way more golf, I started shooting a bow and hunting that year, and a bunch of things I could never do since I was always way too busy with rugby.”

Putting time into the things you love is worth the battle, according to Matlock.

“If you don’t love the sport, walk away from it [and] find something you do love,” said Matlock. “If you do something you love, there’s going to be times where it’s gonna be hard… but that’s what makes this sport great at the same time.”

Eventually though, the road comes to an end. Athletes can’t stay in college forever, and knowing that the journey as an athlete is ending is difficult according to senior infielder for the CWU softball team Myiah Seaton.

“I’m definitely reluctant to leave,” said Seaton. “I actually talked on the phone with my parents about this, and I want to get in contact with a sports psychologist just because it has been hitting me pretty hard … And you don’t know how hard it’s going to hit you next year when you see them posting about the year starting.”

When she looks back at her senior year, Seaton regrets pushing herself so hard, both mentally and physically.

Sports Spectated

By: Isaac Hinson

“I was trying to push myself even harder because I knew it was my last year, and the year before I definitely didn’t do as good as I wanted to do,” said Seaton. “I had that in the back of my mind like, ‘You don’t have enough time to sit around and wait,’ so I would make myself do stuff all the time. And I look back on that like ‘Man, that might not have been the best idea.’ But it seemed right because this sport was more important to me than anything else and putting that time into something that you had such a passion for, it didn’t really feel like much of a chore.”

Seaton says that as the season started to slip away from the Wildcats it got harder to see the value in the work she put in.

“As the season started dying down and as our record started going down a little bit, it was definitely hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” said Seaton. “There was a point where we knew we weren’t going to the postseason and that was rough.”

But losing the opportunity to play in the postseason ultimately relieved Seaton, she said.

“That was right before our last series at home,” said Seaton. “Then [that] series was just to have fun. That was kind of nice because that weekend literally nothing mattered.”

Tessa Hann competes with the professionals

CWU loose forward Tessa Hann has recently been selected to the USA Rugby Women’s Falcons team. Hann competed this past weekend in Langford, B.C. at Starlight Stadium in the 2023 NextGen 7’s series.

“Tessa has earned every bit of this opportunity and I could not be prouder of her,” CWU women’s rugby Head Coach Matthew Ramirez said. “She has had an incredible season and continues to grow as a leader every day.”

The USA Women’s Rugby Falcons team consists of players aged 18-23 identified through USA

Rugby Talent ID, National Development Programs and fifteens and sevens competitions and camps.

The USA Women’s Falcons have served as a development squad for USA 7’s, with many members going on to become members of the USA Rugby Eagles.

“It was a wonderful experience; it was the first time I have been selected to a team and knew everyone,” Hann said. “But it was different because we did not train together, we just showed up and played.”

Tessa has mounted herself as one of the most decorated women’s rugby players in the country. Hann has been named player of the week on multiple occasions throughout the season.

Hann also found herself in games where she scored multiple times, landing her top in the country in tries scored.

“She is just a fearless leader, she comes to work every day just wanting to get better,” fly half Kai Templeton said. “She just has the same big smile on her face every

One last Sports Spectated for the school year. Possibly the last one ever? We’ll see! Either way, I’ve had the time of my life using this as a space to outlet my thoughts on the Blazers, Mariners, Seahawks and everything in between. The Mariners are on the up! Julio Rodriguez was just named AL Player of the Week, and the team is sitting a few games above .500 for one of the first times all season.

The Blazers sit in limbo. They await the NBA draft. The team still seems indecisive on whether they want to trade the third overall pick or trade it to another team to try and get a star player in return and extend the window for Damian Lillard to win a championship with the team. Personally, unless we’re getting a true championship caliber player, I hope that we keep the pick. One of Scoot Henderson or Brandon Miller will fall to the team, and both of them I feel are too good to pass up, both for different reasons. If Miller falls, he fits perfectly into the current structure of the Blazers and would give them an immediate answer at the small-forward while preparing them for the future. And if Henderson falls, then you have a chance to draft the best guard prospect in years. While he would be an odd fit next to Dame, Simons and Sharpe, he has expressed interest in wanting to not only play in Portland, but also play with Dame. This seems like a winwin scenario that the Blazers are going to needlessly make more complicated for themselves than it has to be. You could even draft Henderson, and then flip Simons for win-now assets that align more with the structure of the team. Being an NBA GM seems easy.

day. It’s contagious and the team needs it.”

Hann was also selected to the USA 23s team alongside fellow teammate Keia Mae Sagapolu, where the ladies will head to South America to compete in June.

“Both Tessa and Mae have put together an outstanding season this year and have been tremendous leaders for their teammates to look up to,” Ramirez said. “It’s fantastic to see them get the recognition for their efforts. They have put so much work in to deserve this, no doubt they will shine.”

Sagapolu, the MA Sorenson Award winner, will stand beside Hann as they attempt to bring home gold for the U.S Women’s Rugby team.

“You dream of stuff like this and when it comes true, you still don’t know if you’re dreaming,” Sagapolu said. “It just feels good to know all our hard work is paying off and I know Tessa is going to kill it at nationals.”

One of the assets that Portland is targeting with the third pick is Boston guard/forward Jaylen Brown. Brown just had a lackluster series against the Miami Heat (which was a big reason in them not advancing to the NBA Finals), and has also supposedly expressed interest in playing in Portland. Personally, I feel like there is a way to get a Brown deal done without the third overall pick. His value fell greatly during the playoffs, he’s expecting upwards of $300M in his next contract and he’s coming up on being 30. I don’t think that we should have to give up a good asset for what might end up being a bad asset.

Anyways, I leave you all the same way I came to you with this column: Happy about the Seahawks, in dismay about the Blazers and cautiously optimistic about the Mariners. But I’m happy that I have something I care about like these teams. Not much changes in life, just how you treat it. See you in the fall CWU.

Tre’Jon Henderson

Staff Reporter

ScottieEllsworthposingformediaday.

Photo courtesy of Jacob Thompson/Thompson Sports Media

TessaHannvs.LifeUniversity. Photo by Jacob Thompson / Thompson Sports Media

Wildcat Words:

What’s your favorite memory with The Observer?

Pets of Staff

Having company can help your mental health!

“When I covered an event about a stand-up comedian, it was really cool and fun to talk to him, especially because I’ve seen some of his YouTube videos before.”

Finals can be ruff. Make sure to get outside and get some fresh air.

Rest until you feel like playing, then play until you feel like resting, period. Never do anything else.

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. - Don’t Waste, Donate! in SURC 137A/B

7 - 9 p.m. - CWU Libraries presents Coffee with the Cops in Library 203 Study Room

National Donut Day

3 - 4:30 p.m. - 27th Annual CWU Fashion Show: OPULENCE in McConnell Hall Milo Smith Theatre (Tickets $12 at door or on Wildcat Tickets)

3 - 5 p.m. - Paws and Relax in Brooks Library 401/402 (Attic)

5 - 7 p.m. - Finals Week: Music and Crafts in Library 401/402 (Attic) 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. - Monday Movie Madness:

“DungeonsandDragons:Honor Among Thieves” in SURC Theater (Students Only, Bring ID)

7 - 8 p.m. - Study Break Fuel (Courtesy of CWU Dining) in Brooks Library 203

7 - 8 p.m. - Finals Week: Friends of the Brooks Library Pizza Feed in Brooks Library 203

It doesn’t matter what other people think. Barney says, always make sure to take a nap sometimes to recharge your batteries!

Be careful not to 'scarf' your food down too fast, or you'll get sick.

Kai Kyzar Sr. Creative Writing

Beau Sansom Sr. Professional & Creative Writing

Shimmer and Shadow.

Photo by Brittany Cinderella

Annie. Photo by Megan Rogers

Pierre. Photo by Jennifer Green

Smores.

Photo by Glacie Kehoe-Padilla

Photo by Yohanes Goodell Noche. Photo by Katherine Kamarata Cowie. Photo by Madison VanRavenhorst

Joey. Photo by Kai Kyzar Valentine Josephine.

Photo by MJ Rivera