The Easterner: Volume 102, Issue 17

Volume 102, Issue 17

www.TheEasterner.org

Feb. 20, 2019

The Big Sky is home to big fans but not at EWU When comparing the attendance of the men's basketball team to surrounding Big Sky universities, EWU comes up short. For the past three seasons, the Eagles have averaged over 1,800 fans per game but as of Feb. 17, this season's number has fallen to 1,271.

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Richard N. Clark IV for The Easterner

Gonzaga student research finds microfibers in the Spokane River ALYSSA ESTES The Gonzaga Bulletin Alyssa Estes is a staff writer for The Gonzaga Bulletin, Gonzaga University's student-run newspaper. The following article ran on the publication's website on Feb. 11, 2019.

A trash can stuck inside the Spokane River, near the downtown waterfront. Recent Gonzaga graduate Jake Peterson released a study this month on the presence of microplastic fibers in the Spokane River. | Richard N. Clark IV for The Easterner

Recent Gonzaga graduate Jake Peterson released the study he completed as an undergraduate student this month on the presence of microplastic fibers in the Spokane River. He became interested when he realized the subject lacked research.

As an avid kayaker, Peterson’s motivation to know more on the composition of the

water was personal. He spent a lot of his time with Gonzaga Outdoors kayaking in the river and couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious about his part in the pollution.

His research was recently published and grabbed the attention of local news stations and residents of Spokane.

Peterson’s sampling focused on two point sources around the Spokane Wastewater Treatment Plant.

From the Gonzaga biology department, Betsy Bancroft offered guidance in methodology for Peterson and current student Paul Hurst.

See Spokane River, pg. 6

Sports

News

Features

Black History Month

FUSE Career Fair advances student networks Prices increasing

"Black History Month isn't just a month, because I am black all the time," Black Student Union representative Tethliach Chuol said.

"It's a whole life for me." Page 3

The FUSE Career Fair is a "one-of-a-kind opportunity," that connects students and organizations by giving "access to a network" of potential employers, according to the career fair's website. The career fair will be held at the Spokane Convention Center on Feb. 20 from 2 to 6 p.m. and typically brings about 800 students.

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Football season ticket renewals opened today at 10 a.m., and ticket prices are expected to increase by 35 percent.

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2 - The Easterner Editor in Chief Michael Brock 509.359.6737 easterner.editor@ewu.edu

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It's berry, berry cold out

Managing Editor Jeremy Burnham easterner.mngeditor@ewu.edu Multimedia Director Richard N. Clark IV easterner.multimedia@gmail.com Chief Copy Editor Amanda Haworth easternercopy@gmail.com

Richard N. Clark IV for The Easterner

News Editor Dylan Harris easterner.news@gmail.com Sports Editor Taylor Newquist easterner.sports@gmail.com Arts & Features Editor Erik Rotness easterner.aef@gmail.com Web Editor Colleen Ford

A tree on EWU's Cheney campus. The Cheney and Spokane EWU campuses both closed on Feb. 11 and Feb. 12 due to concerns over student safety and snow removal challenges.

Social Media Editor Matthew Pennell

Richard N. Clark IV for The Easterner

Reporters Kendall Koch Drew Lawson Kaisa Siipola Nicolas Zerbe Photographers Mckenzie Ford Bailey Monteith Director of Student Newspaper Carleigh Hill Faculty Adviser Jamie Neely

A student walks on campus during a snow day last week.

Eastern Washington has been receiving above average snowfall in February.

Close-up of a tree on EWU's Cheney campus.

Temperatures in the area dropped into the single digits briefly last week.

Richard N. Clark IV for The Easterner

Copy Editor Sam Jackson

About The Easterner Mission We, as independent student journalists at The Easterner, inform our EWU audience of the governance, activities and views of our community.

We provide a voice and a learning environment for students to engage, connect and make informed decisions.

Circulation The Easterner publishes a weekly print version as well as web content during the week at http://www. theeasterner.org. The Easterner is distributed throughout the Cheney campus and business district as well as Riverpoint and various Spokane businesses. If you would like the Easterner to be distributed at your business call the Advertising Department at 509-359-7010.

www.TheEasterner.org

Corrections The Easterner never knowingly publishes inaccuracies. If any error is found, The Easterner is obligated to correct the error as soon as possible, regardless of the source of the error.

The Easterner does not remove any editorial content from theeasterner. org. However, if there is a factual inaccuracy in a story, the editors will run a correction or an update as needed.

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The Black Student Union and Africana Studies Program host events centered around 'Reclaiming Black Excellence' KAISA SIIPOLA Reporter Black History Month involves more than just highlighting historical events and learning about slavery and the civil rights movement. It highlights historical accomplishments and contributions of all Africans and African Americans.

“Black History Month isn’t just a month, because I am black all the time,” Black Student Union representative Tethliach Chuol said. “It’s a whole life for me.”

The BSU is assisting the EWU Africana Studies Program during Black History Month in hosting events that revolve around a “Reclaiming Black Excellence” theme.

“Our history has been torn away and ripped away from us for hundreds and thousands of years because the majority of people want us to feel as though we don’t have great history,” BSU Vice President Felicia Muhammad said. “So reclaiming black excellence for Black History Month means to show a different image than what is generally promoted during Black History Month.”

Muhammad said it feels rewarding to be an advocate for students of color.

“It’s important to have someone that not only stands above you, but stands with you and promotes a positive image too,” Muhammad said. “A lot of positive things that come out of African American communities, come from adults, so I feel like we really need students to show positive roles of students.”

Edna Dwyer, who serves on the BSU events committee, said she found BSU welcoming when she first arrived to EWU in 2016. Dwyer said she wanted to join because she wanted to be closer to people that she could relate to and develop connections with people that she had something in common with.

According to Dwyer, being an advocate feels empowering, not because of power over anyone, but because she has other people who are looking up to her and are able to relate to her.

BSU President Gracia Alzoubeir said

that she got back into the swing of things after Muhammad invited her to BSU, because she was affiliated with a BSU organization in high school.

“Being in Africana (Studies) and being in BSU, you’re surrounded by people who share the same views as you, that not a lot of other people that you go to school with do,” Alzoubeir said.

Alzoubeir also discussed how the month’s theme helps fight stereotypes African Americans face.

“Reclaiming black excellence is being more than what everybody wants to label black people as, like we aren’t just entertainers, athletes or criminals,” Alzoubeir said. “We are all students here, we all work jobs and we are on scholarships, there are poets, professors, teachers, and we don’t have to just fit into those three categories.”

BSU club representative Michael Davis comes from a diverse background and didn’t know about these types of conversations when he was growing up. Davis said he thinks that having this month is important, because students get to really go over people and events besides Martin Luther King Jr., the civil rights movement and Malcolm X, which are typically highlighted.

“Going over these types of things is satisfying because it makes it where I can talk to other people and other people are interested in these type of things because not everyone wants to talk about or have these type of conversations, but it’s an important part of history and as a student you’re here to learn more,” Davis said. “When we have events talking about these things it gets people to know more and appreciate the black community more, so as a whole it makes it to where the black community can appreciate itself more.”

Davis was not aware of BSU through any announcements or advertisements until he was informed of it by Alzoubeir.

“At EWU I see them doing a lot of diversity things to try to get more people

The Easterner archives

Black history matters year-round

3

EWU professor and director of the Africana Studies Program Dr. Scott Finnie speaking at a 2013 luncheon. Finnie has been teaching at EWU since 1993. and I appreciate that,” Davis said. “As much as they want diversity, we also need to have the clubs be represented because that's where you’re going to learn everything, you can have all the people on campus and stuff and that’s cool, but at the end of the day we are all people.”

There is room for improvement regarding the representation of students of color on campus by having more collaboration between clubs and organizations, according to Davis.

The BSU collaborates with other minority group organizations on campus, but not many. The EWU Jewish Club, the Native American Student Association, MEChA, the EWU Multicultural Center and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion are the only groups that ever reach out to BSU to collaborate on events, according to Alzoubeir.

Dr. Scott Finnie, EWU professor and director of the Africana Studies Program, said that he can personally contribute to the individual development of students that goes far beyond the classroom setting.

Finnie said he hopes to “enrich their intellectual thirst as well as their pride for a segment of people that have typically been kept out of mainstream America.”

Finnie referred to two meanings behind

the theme of “Reclaiming Black Excellence.”

“The narrative voice by the participants of black history rather than the observers of black history,” Finnie said. “The flipside is that it points to the contributions that have not been given the historical recognition that is due and has transcended the typical historical point of view of perspective that African American history is about victims of history rather than contributors of history.”

Finnie said he hopes that students gain something during Black History Month by attending events that are presented by BSU and the Africana Studies Program.

“I hope that they get a spark in their curiosity, in their appreciation and in their desire to carry out their own personal research to reclaim their understanding of the truth of African and African American contributions, achievements and inspiration to create your own legacy and determine your own destiny,” Finnie said.

“Black History Month is not a spare tire, but it’s really a basic contributing factor of the American fabric and it should point to our need to grow and develop into a collective historical consciousness where differences are not seen as a liability but are seen as a strength.” •

Westside Church of Christ A Place for New Beginnings 13520 W 6th Ave Airway Heights Sunday Bible Class - 9:30 am Worship Service - 10:30 am College Age Class

Contacts: Jonathan Carpenter Youth Minister (EWU Grad) jonathan.carpenter93@gmail.com

www.TheEasterner.org

Patrick Newbill Minister

psnewbill@yahoo.com 509-951-9316

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Gage Skidmore

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President Donald Trump delivering a speech at a campaign rally in Phoenix. Trump will be seeking his second term as president in 2020.

Early look at 2020 candidates NICOLAS ZERBE Reporter The 2020 presidential race has already begun, with several prominent Democrats and at least one Republican already throwing their names into the ring.

Although there will certainly be many more names to add to the list throughout the year, these are the ones who have either declared or formed exploratory committees, a process which allows candidates to begin fundraising.

Elizabeth Warren (D) Warren is a Massachusetts senator who announced her plan to form an exploratory committee on Dec. 31, 2018, and made her candidacy official on Feb. 9, 2019.

Warren has served as the chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, helped to create the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and was asked by President Obama to set up the new agency as assistant to the President and special advisor to the Secretary of Treasury.

Before serving as a senator, Warren was a Harvard Law School professor.

“This is the fight of our lives. The fight to build an America that works for everyone, not just the wealthy and the well-connected,” says Warren’s candidacy website. “It won’t

be easy. But united by our values, we can make big, structural change. We can raise our voices together until this fight is won.”

Tulsi Gabbard (D) The first Hindu elected to Congress, Gabbard represents Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District in the House and announced her candidacy for president on Jan. 11, 2019.

Gabbard is a military veteran who served two tours of duty in the Middle East during her time with the National Guard.

“When we listen to each other with a clear mind and an open heart, we will heal the divide and build a majority coalition around our common values of service above self, freedom, justice, love for country, prosperity and peace,” says Gabbard’s candidacy website. “When we act out of compassion for each other and love for our country and the earth, we will rediscover the joy of serving a higher purpose, together.”

Cory Booker (D) Announcing on Feb. 1, 2019, Booker is a New Jersey senator first elected in 2013 after the death of Sen. Frank Lautenberg and re-elected for a full term in 2014.

Before becoming a senator, Booker served as Newark’s mayor and had a seat on its city

council before that.

Booker was rated the third most liberal senator in 2017 based on his voting record, according to the New York Times.

“The lines that divide us are nowhere near as strong as the ties that bind us. When we join together and work together—we will rise together,” says Booker’s candidacy website.

Julian Castro (D) Castro is the former U.S. secretary of housing and urban development under President Obama and served previously as the mayor of San Antonio.

Castro announced on Jan. 12, 2019.

“If we want to see change, we don’t wait for it, we work toward it,” says Castro’s candidacy website. “Today, more than ever, we must work together to build an America where everyone—no matter who we are or where we come from—can thrive. Working together, I believe we can build a new promise for ourselves and for our future.”

John Delaney (D) Delaney announced his run for presidency on July 28, 2017, and said that he would not seek re-election for his seat in the House of Representatives, representing Maryland’s 6th Congressional District.

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Delaney has been a member of the House since Nov. 6, 2012.

Before beginning his career in Congress, Delaney founded two New York Stock Exchange companies, as well as a Maryland nonprofit.

“Americans deserve a leader who will unite our divided nation and turn big ideas—that address present day and future challenges and opportunities—into real solutions,” says Delaney’s candidacy website. “More than just talking points, these are some of the things my administration will prioritize to create a future that is more prosperous, more secure, and more just for you and your family.”

Kirsten Gillibrand (D) Announcing on Jan. 15, 2019, Gillibrand is a U.S. senator from New York, first elected in 2010.

Before her senatorial election, Gillibrand was an attorney, campaign staffer, law clerk and special counsel to the secretary of housing and urban development.

“Kirsten is getting ready to run for president, and she will fight for you and your family as hard as she does for her own,” says Gillibrand’s candidacy website. “We’re building a new kind of campaign—bold in our ideas, clear in our convictions and committed to making change. It all depends on this team coming together to build a

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2.20.19 - V102 I17 movement with the courage, compassion and determination to take on President Trump. Are you in?”

“It's time for a new generation of American leadership,” says Buttigieg’s candidacy website.

Kamala Harris (D)

Andrew Yang (D)

Harris is a California senator, first elected in 2016, and the first Indian-American and second black woman to serve as a senator.

She announced her candidacy on Jan. 21, 2019.

Before her role as a senator, Harris was the attorney general of California, holding the position from 2011 to 2017.

“Kamala Harris has spent her entire life defending our American values,” says Harris’ candidacy website. “From fighting to fix our broken criminal justice system to taking on the Wall Street banks for middle class homeowners, Kamala has always worked For The People.”

Yang is an American entrepreneur who announced his candidacy on Nov. 6, 2017.

“Together we can build a new type of economy,” says Yang’s candidacy website.

“One that puts people first.”

Announcing on Feb. 10, 2019, Klobuchar is a member of the U.S. Senate from Minnesota, first elected in 2006.

Klobuchar was previously mentioned as a possible Supreme Court nominee, as was a Minnesota based attorney before her election to the Senate.

“Our campaign is powered by your grassroots support,” says Klobuchar’s candidacy website. “Amy's working hard to bring Americans together and find solutions for the challenges we face. For Amy, this campaign is about bringing people together to get things done.”

Marianne Williamson (D) Williamson is a lecturer and New York Times Best Selling author, who ran for office in the U.S. House as an independent in 2014.

She announced her candidacy on Jan. 28, 2019.

Pete Buttigieg (D) Buttigieg announced his candidacy for president on Jan. 23, 2019, and is the current mayor of South Bend, Indiana.

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Bernie Sanders (D)

sanders.senate.gov

Sanders is joining the presidential race for the second time, having announced his candidacy on Feb. 19, 2019.

Sanders has held a Senate seat since 2007, first as a Democrat, and in 2018 as an Independent, though he caucuses with the Democrats.

“No one candidate, not even the greatest candidate you could imagine, is capable of taking on Donald Trump and the billionaire class alone,” says Sanders’ candidacy website. “There is only one way we win— and that is together.”

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders

William Weld (R) Weld was the governor of Massachusetts from 1991 to 1997, and a previous Libertarian vice presidential candidate.

Weld is the only Republican currently opposing President Trump, having formed an exploratory committee on Feb. 15, 2019.

Donald Trump (R) Trump is a former businessman and the current president of the U.S., having assumed office on Jan. 20, 2018, and filed for re-election the same day.

"We will make America strong again," says Trump's official campaign website.

"We will make America proud again. We will make America safe again. And we will make America great again." •

warren.senate.gov

Amy Klobuchar (D)

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Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren

*All information is courtesy of ballotpedia. org.

Government shutdown over; President Trump declares national emergency NICOLAS ZERBE Reporter On Jan. 25, 2019, the government shutdown came to an end.

President Trump signed a stopgap bill that would reopen the government for a three-week period, according to a White House announcement, lasting until Feb. 15, when the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019, was passed by Congress and signed by the president, funding the government until Sept. 30, 2019.

The biggest point of contention in the bill, the $5.7 billion that the president had hoped to allocate for a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico, was eventually negotiated down.

The signed bill instead leaves $1.375 billion for the wall, which he had originally hoped would fund more than 200 miles of steel or concrete barrier on the border.

The same day that the appropriations bill was passed, President Trump declared a national emergency, stating concerns over the safety of having unguarded borders between the two countries. The emergency declaration effectively bypasses the constraints put on him by Congress and gives him access to funds that surpass his originally asked for amounts in funding for the border wall.

The national emergency would give the president access to about $8 billion in all, according to the New York Times, as he will be able to divert funds from military

construction projects, counternarcotics programs and the treasury department to go toward the wall’s construction.

“We have an invasion of drugs, invasion of gangs, invasion of people and its unacceptable,” said Trump.

In his speech, Trump refers to other national emergencies put into place by previous presidents.

According to the New York Times, only two emergency declarations have been used by presidents to spend money without congressional approval, both being for military purposes. The first was by President George H. W. Bush shortly before the Persian Gulf War, and the second by President George W. Bush after the Sept. 11 attacks.

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Since the president’s announcement, 16 states have filed lawsuits to stop the declaration. Several other organizations have also taken the fight to Trump.

Almost all of the lawsuits are concerned with the circumvention of Congress to fund the wall, stating an abuse of the emergency powers.

“I think everyone is concerned when you hear that $8 billion of money that you were expecting to come for other important programs is now going to be raided by the president to pay for a border wall which Congress specifically decided not to fund at the level the president wants,” said California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to CNN. “I think every state should be worried.” •

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Microfibers found in Spokane River Gonzaga student research study released; further analysis ongoing Peterson found microfibers in every one liter sample he took, which could be worrisome. Bancroft agrees that the occurrence of these microfibers in the river could be bad news for both aquatic organisms and humans if they are synthetic versus natural in composition.

While the two students have similar sampling methods, Hurst is taking samples from seven point sources along the Spokane River. He is looking at various spots that include established pollution sources such as Inland Empire Paper Company and Keiser Aluminum.

Though Hurst’s research is not yet finished, it may give a better understanding of the source as well as monthly and seasonal patterns of microfibers in the Spokane River.

“Microplastic fibers can carry human pathogens and other contaminants,” said Bancroft.

Bancroft said that although analysis is still in the works for composition of the microfibers, she is confident that a large part of them will be synthetic material.

Dr. Joanne Smieja, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Gonzaga, is in the process of analyzing the microfiber samples from Peterson’s study. She is also looking into the components of larger, three dimensional particles in sediment to understand their composition. Her project is in partnership with Spokane Riverkeeper, Jule Schultz.

Smieja supports if the fibers in Peterson’s study or the particles in her own research are in fact synthetic, it would not be good for the health of the river.

The problem Smieja sees with microfiber analysis is that it relies on the human eye, which can lead to inconsistency in evaluation. The process for testing microfibers at Gonzaga is to examine and count the pieces under a microscope.

There is no widespread agreement on how microplastic fibers should be analyzed.

“Until a global standard is agreed upon for microfiber analysis, I am not worried about drinking the water in Spokane.

”

DR. JOANNE SMIEJA Gonzaga professor

Richard N. Clark IV for The Easterner

Spokane River, Continued from pg. 1

A view of the Spokane River. Recent Gonzaga graduate Jake Peterson released the study he completed as an undergraduate student this month on the presence of microplastic fibers in the Spokane River.

“Until a global standard is agreed upon for microfiber analysis, I am not worried about drinking the water in Spokane,” said Smieja.

A study in 2015 by Dris et al. analyzed microfibers in the atmosphere at urban and suburban sites. They discovered only 29 percent of the microfibers in the air to consist of petrochemicals. If the microfibers in this study have similar composition to Peterson’s samples, it would be good news for the Spokane River.

“It is just too early to conclude anything (about the composition of Peterson’s microfibers),” said Smieja.

Until the presence of microplastics is evident in the Spokane River, Peterson suggests taking preventative measures.

“It’s important to consider the washing habits of your fleece clothing. Washing fleece only when necessary will cut down on the number of microfibers in our water,” said Peterson.

Peterson is worried about washing habits, as a large amount of microfibers in the water supply come from washing machines.

Approximately 1,900 microfibers enter wastewater from every cycle. Though some of them are natural and will decompose, a decent amount of synthetic material will not.

A larger problem with the microfibers is they come from sources of plastic or synthetic material in everyday use. Singleuse plastics are in a large amount of products sold in the U.S., and it is important to limit use if it results in microplastic fibers entering the water supply.

Hurst's suggestions include using metal water bottles and reusable bags, and reducing consumption of plastic when possible.

For those curious or concerned by the presence of microplastic fibers in the river, Bancroft and Peterson encourage

people to get involved with student research at Gonzaga or get involved in citizen science with the Spokane Riverkeepers.

For further information on Smieja’s upcoming research, she and a student will be presenting their findings at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research Conference on April 26.

For those interested in reading Peterson’s study, which is currently awaiting peerreview, it can be found on the Spokane Riverkeeper blog. •

“It's important to consider the washing habits of your fleece clothing. Washing fleece only when necessary will cut down on the number of microfibers in the water.”

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- JAKE PETERSON Recent Gonzaga graduate

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7

Easterner Asks

Looking Back

What is your opinion of the Trump Wall?

Jackson redefines identity

- Josiah Richardson, Sophomore "I don’t like the wall idea.

No matter what, people are going to find a way to get around it or over it.

That wall would need to be 50 feet in the air and ground otherwise people are going to get over it."

- Abby Cummings, Freshman "I don’t agree with the wall. It is super isolating.

People come to America to have more opportunity, but the wall shuts down that idea."

- Nastasjia Plunkett, Junior "I think in a lot of ways it would benefit the U.S., but it is also harder for those who actually need to seek refuge. I think our tax dollars could go to better places."

- Jack Harrington, Senior "I think it is an inefficient way to fix immigration. I heard that most illegal immigrants come over in planes or overstay their visa, so I think the wall is just inefficient."

- Paige Tuher, Junior "I feel like us putting up a billion dollar wall isn’t going to solve anything.

If you are worried about immigrants coming in and stealing your jobs, you should probably just work a little harder.”

- Ike Gethers, Junior

This story was originally published in The Easterner in Vol. 19, No. 25 in 1969 and has not been changed except for AP style.

Rev. Jesse Jackson drew a standing ovation from a near capacity crowd in Showalter Auditorium Thursday night as he spoke on the new meanings his people are defining for themselves and the need to eradicate the American ghettos which he termed “colonies.”

“In 1954 and 1955 white people defined for us what we were doing and today we’re not going to listen to them when they offer a definition on what we’re trying to do,” the former lieutenant of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said.

“Today’s revoltists are yesterday’s pacifists. In 1954 our hopes rose—we believed the white system could grant us justice. And the white system didn’t deliver. The gap between hope and fulfillment is frustration,” Jackson said.

Thomas Jefferson redefined his relationship with Great Britain by penning the Declaration of Independence, Jackson said, and Abraham Lincoln redefined the halfslave, half-free milieu of his country by the Gettysburg Address.

“Now the blacks are re-analyzing their relationship with America,” Jackson said.

“We must look at ourselves, our economy-where 40 million of 200 million people are living in stark poverty. And these people are working the hardest, the longest and have the nastiest chores."

“Our economy has to plow vegetables under the ground and throw food in the rivers to develop our economy."

“We have to seek a more adequate level of distribution. There is corruption in the distribution process when America is over-producing and under-consuming,” Jackson said.

Occupying ghettos with the military is no answer, Jackson said. “The antidote to hunger is food, not bullets.”

"Law and order in the ghetto is a codename for violence," Jackson said.

“Why isn’t there a slum today that is considered illegal? Where is the law that prevents real estate people from hemming the blacks into an area so out of proportion to their number and the surrounding territory?"

“If the law doesn’t come, there will be no order,” Jackson intoned.

Colleges need to take the question of what creates a colony.

“Colleges should quit reacting emotionally to riots in America today and start responding academically to them,” Jackson said. ”In the ghettos today the executive jobs are usurped by colonizers. We are not able to build our own roads, run our banks or establish an educational system for ourselves."

The Easterner, Vol. 19, No. 25, Feb. 19, 1969

“I think there needs to be regulation, but the process on people coming in should be sped up. I think the wall doesn’t need to be there."

BOB CUBBAGE Easterner Archives

"For some reason God has put us all here together, and we must live together as brothers or die together as fools," said Rev. Jesse Jackson, to a capacity crowd Wednesday of Black Week.

“We simply live there; we are tools of the colonizer. Who uses police to keep it separated? The white colonizer did.”

“The United States of America talks of love for mankind and peace but where are they when minds and lives are being lost, and stomachs bloated in Nigeria.

America won’t get involved in Biafra because Nigeria is aligned with Great Britain and there are Standard Oil and Texaco refineries there," Jackson said.

“It is simply not in our economic interest to be involved there,” Jackson said.

Jackson said the commitment to racism in America is exemplified by the United State’s reluctance to aid a dying man in Nigeria but rush to offer refugee camps for “scared white men” in Czechoslovakia.

America’s “Economic rationale” and a belief that one race is innately inferior to another brought slaves to the American shores.

“Man cannot do wrong long without finding a justification for it,” Jackson said.

“Men turn to preachers and theologians

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for justification for their deeds. The best preacher is one who justifies the state’s position the best.”

America’s foremost institutions are permeated with racism because whites would not come forward with an antidote.

“Still white racism is in America’s bloodstream today. Most Americans go along with our demands but when a white wants to marry a black the white society gasps and draws a line because that is an existential difference, that is black and white,” Jackson said.

The Rev. Jackson concluded his talk by saying: “For some reason God has put us all here together and we must live together as brothers or die together as fools."

“All of us are products of illicit relationships of our fore-parents and are victimized by our violent heritage.”

Jackson cautioned against replying that whites should not be held accountable for the actions of their forefathers. “You’re living with his riches,” Jackson told the students. •

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Alum hosts poetry readings KAISA SIIPOLA Reporter EWU alumnus Edmond Bruneau presents 126 new poems and one short spiritual story in his third and newest poetry book: "The Totem."

Bruneau will host a reading of The Totem at the Unitarian Universal Church in Spokane on Feb. 24 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Bruneau graduated from EWU in 1975 with a bachelor’s in journalism and was the editor in chief for The Easterner from 1972 to 1973.

One of the poems in “The Totem” is about The Easterner and covers how surprised he was to be the first sophomore ever in the managing editor position.

Bruneau commends EWU for providing him a well-rounded education and forming his work as a poet.

Bruneau had an interest in poetry when he was in high school and was a poet in college.

He took a break from writing poetry after he graduated.

During his hiatus from poetry, Bruneau became the president of an advertising and marketing firm, Creative Consultants in 1980.

Since retiring as president in 2009, Bruneau has written three poetry books, including “Colors of My Within” in 2011 and “New Hues and Past Tales” in 2015. “Colors of My Within” is a collection that captures his “age of innocence,” while the poems in “New

terner.org

Hues and Past Tales” combine self-reflection and sensitive observations of his elderly father and life events turning into passages.

After leaving the firm, Bruneau used his skills in writing to pursue another passion: music. He began the music group Robot Raven in 2015 with his “partner in crime,” John Rigg.

Bruneau and Rigg released their first album, called “Greatest Hits Part 1,” the same year in April.

They’ve released four other albums since, including “Greatest Hits Part 2” in January 2016, “Life Goes on” in January 2017, “Set to Soar” in February 2018 and “Robot Raven Rockers” in June 2018. Bruneau writes the song lyrics and Rigg handles the instrumental work.

The albums he released are classic rock, country, British punk and a little bit of hiphop. Bruneau and Rigg want to bring back the classic rock genre from the late 1960s and 1970s.

Bruneau continues to write poetry and song lyrics for Robot Raven.

He says writing poetry is beneficial to him because it helps capsulize his thoughts and emotions.

He hopes that readers find his writing accessible and easy to digest in a warm, welcoming manner.

More information on Bruneau's readings can be found on his Facebook page at https:// www.facebook.com/edmond.bruneau• Cover art for "The Totem" Courtesy of Edmond Bruneau

9

10 - The Easterner

Features

V102 I16 - 2.20.19

New year.

New website.

Same great news!

To continue following our coverage of the EWU community, please visit:

www.TheEasterner.org @The Easterner

@The_Easterner www.TheEasterner.org

@_TheEasterner

Features

The Easterner -

11

Courtesy of the EWU Career Center.

2.20.19 - V102 I17

Participants line up for check-in at the FUSE Career Fair at the Spokane Convention Center. This year's Career Fair will host representatives from 124 organizations, providing opportunities for students to meet potential employers.

Career fair brings businesses to students SAM JACKSON Copy Editor There will be 124 organizations participating in the FUSE Career Fair.

With that volume of employers some might say that this opportunity is like bringing Indeed or Handshake to an event center.

The FUSE Career Fair is a “one-of-a-kind opportunity” that provides students and organizations “access to a network” for potential employment, according to the career fair’s website. Universities in the Spokane region including EWU, Gonzaga, Washington State and Whitworth have partnered for this event over the last 25 years. The FUSE Career Fair is at the Spokane Convention Center on Feb. 20 from 2 to 6 p.m. It usually sees about 800 students every year; about half of which are EWU students, according to Nate Bryant, the employer relations manager of the EWU Career Center.

Over the course of five years, Bryant’s role in the event has been to help employers participate in and throughout the fair. He says that the fair targets certain employers based upon students’ requests, while offering a broad range of organizations to ensure students get exposure to all of the opportunities that exist around them.

“I would say you’ll find something for just about everybody,” Bryant said.

One company that Bryant is particularly excited about is Tedder Industries—a custom gun holster maker operating in

Post Falls. This will be the company’s first time appearing at the fair.

Bryant says that the gun holster industry is unique, “but they are booming.”

The company is practically in Spokane’s backyard, and it is the largest and fastest growing gun holster manufacturer in the U.S. “(Tedder Industries) has tremendous opportunity,” Bryant said. “I went out there and visited their operations director; he’s an (EWU alumnus). Their HR director is an (EWU alumnus). One of their head recruiters is an (EWU alumnus). We just have a lot of people there and I feel like getting them to come to this event is really helping us understand that there’s a value for what we’re doing here and the companies are seeing it.”

Whether students are successful at the event or not depends on how prepared they are, according to Bryant. He encourages students to wear professional attire, bring resumes and research the organizations that most interest them before attending.

The full list of organizations at the fair can be found at fusecareerfair.com/ studentsalumni.

Bryants says that based upon the research students gather about potential organizations, they should “really drive the conversation with that knowledge,” after introducing themselves professionally and talking to the employers.

“I would also encourage students to try to learn a little about the company in terms of culture,” Bryant said. “If you value your own personal time, a

good work-life balance, maybe those are questions you should ask the employer.”

Bryants says that unemployment is low right now, making the employment industry “really a buyer's market.”

“For students looking for a job I think what you’ll see right now in this economy is when you do find an opportunity what’s being offered to you is pretty unique,” Bryant said. “I think you might see a little bit of a higher salary, better benefits, maybe more work-life balance.

So anything that organizations can do to really entice the talent that comes over to them as opposed to their competitors.”

Recently, the Career Center has formed a connection with an organization in Post Falls called Pipl—a people’s search internet company. Though it won’t be making an appearance at the FUSE Career Fair, the company is a strong example of how organizations are enticing employees with benefits. “(Pipl) covers 100 percent of the cost for health benefits,” Bryant said. “They offer a tremendous amount of vacation. Every single employee (gets) $1,000 to donate to a charity of their choice each year. They just offer these really wild incentives ...

And that’s because unemployment is so low and there’s just not enough talent to go around.”

All students are invited to attend despite their year-standing, or if they aren’t ready for a job or internship yet. Over the years Bryant has noticed the majority of the recruiters at the fair are the same people.

Simply introducing yourself during this

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time can help to establish connections for the future, says Bryant.

In celebration of the 25th year anniversary of the FUSE Career Fair, the fair offered an at-cost registration deal for 13 nonprofit organizations including CHAS Health, Catholic Charities and Volunteers of America. According to Bryant, this event should go beyond benefiting the universities and students, and serve the community as well. “(We did this) so that they can come and talk about the work they do and sort of get connected with our students, because we know they operate with incredibly small budgets,” Bryant said. “For them, attending an event like this is probably something they never get to do without having a special deal … and I think that’s something we will do moving forward.”

Students can go to the EWU’s Career Center to get help with interviews and resumes for the fair. For more tips on how to be successful at the fair go to the Career Center’s website at ewu.edu/careercenter/ career-fair-tips/.

The FUSE Career Fair is free for all students to attend. Parking for the event is free at the Davenport Grand Hotel’s parking garage in downtown Spokane.

The parking pass from the garage can be exchanged, with a new, pre-paid pass at the registration area for students inside the fair.

For more information on the event go to fusecareerfair.com or EWU’s Career Center website at sites.ewu.edu/ careercenter/. •

Outdoors

12 - The Easterner

Discover state parks

V102 I17 - 2.20.19

The weather outside may be frightful, but spring is just around the corner. Many students love to go outside when the sun thaws out campus, and that includes taking trips to one of Washington’s 142 state parks.

Since legislation passed by Washington State Parks in 2011 to aid in park funding, all state parks have required a Discover Pass to gain vehicle access. Students and other users have several options for gaining a Discover Pass. According to the WSP official website, an annual pass can be purchased for $30, or a daily pass is available for $10.

WSP divides its state parks into 13 regions across the state. Cheney is part of the northeast region, which extends to the Idaho border on the east side and the Canadian border due north. There are six state parks in the northeast region.

The nearest park in proximity to EWU’s campus is the Columbia Plateau State Park Trail. The 130-mile trail starts at Fish Lake and passes through Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge before extending all the way down toward the Tri-Cities. The trail welcomes hikers and cyclists during the spring and summer and cross-country skiers and snowshoers during the winter.

The five other state parks in the northeast region, in order of distance in miles from the EWU campus, are Centennial Trail, Riverside/Nine Mile Recreation Area, Mount Spokane, Curlew Lake and Crawford/Gardner Cave. The WSP website provides a map with the exact location of all these spots.

Some EWU students are already utilizing a Discover Pass. Senior Scott Allen, a computer science major, uses the pass for one of his main hobbies: cycling.

“I basically have used the pass in the past for mountain bike events or cycle cross,” Allen said. “I primarily go to Riverside to use it for events out there …

Pretty much anything related to cycling is how I’ve used it.”

Taylor Newquist for The Easterner

DREW LAWSON Reporter

Discover Pass sign at Fish Lake in the parking lot of the Columbia Plateau State Park trailhead. Discover Passes will soon be available to be reserved from Spokane County public libraries, along with other recreational equipment.

Allen says that students would benefit from buying a Discover Pass because of the opportunity it presents to get outdoors.

“It gives you a lot of opportunities to go out and explore,” Allen said. “Honestly, I think we live in a pretty neat area of the country. There’s some cool areas to go hiking, biking, anything else … It’s fairly accessible because of the price.”

Students who don’t want to pay money out of pocket for a Discover Pass will have an opportunity to borrow one in the near future. In a story first published and updated by The Spokesman-Review on Feb. 6, Washington State Libraries will team up to start a program with WSP to allow library card holders to rent a Discover Pass for seven days.

Spokane County Libraries will be the first

libraries testing out this program, which is expected to begin in early-to-mid March.

Gwendolyn Haley, the Public Services Manager for Spokane County Libraries, told The Easterner what features will come with the free Discover Pass rental.

“There will be 11 passes available per library,” Haley said. “They will come with a backpack, Discover Pass, binoculars and field guide.”

Haley went on to mention that people who want to rent this Discover Pass package need to have a valid library card for Spokane County Libraries. The Cheney Community Library, located on First Street in downtown Cheney, is part of this branch of six libraries in Spokane County and will be participating in the Discover Pass program.

According to The Spokesman-Review article, users can reserve a pass online

through the libraries if they have a valid card or go into any of Spokane County Libraries’ locations to seek a rental.

If students would rather possess a Discover Pass of their own, they can purchase an annual or day pass on the WSP website.

Some state parks also have automated pay stations on location where users can buy either a one-day or annual pass. The spots in the Northeast region with this feature are Riverside and Mount Spokane.

WSP also features several State Park Free Days, where anyone can utilize a state park without a Discover Pass. The dates usually correspond to a national holiday or a day celebrating something to do with the outdoors. The next State Park Free Day is March 19, listed on WSP’s website as “State Park’s birthday.”•

Three cheap winter activities Snowshoeing The most popular snowshoeing location in Spokane is Mount Spokane, and entering the trails are free of cost. Snowshoes can be rented from EPIC Adventures for $5, or purchased online for around $60.

Cross-country skiing The Indian Canyon trailhead is specifically for cross-country skiing during the winter and is located at Whittier Park, 3405 W. Hartson Ave in Spokane.

Skiis can be rented from EPIC Adventures for $8.

www.TheEasterner.org

Sledding Snow showers in Cheney are expected to continue into March. Sleds are available at Wal-Mart, ranging in price from $10-20. Cheney has plenty of hills that are ready to ride and spark some childhood memories.

2.20.19 - V102 I17

Sports

Bailey Monteith for The Easterner

The Eagles celebrate a basket made by freshman guard Grace Kirscher to give EWU a 74-72 lead in the closing seconds against Idaho on Feb. 18. After the shot, the clock initially read 0.7 seconds, but after review during a Vandal timeout, it was changed to 1.7 seconds, giving UI another chance at possession.

Bailey Monteith for The Easterner

k e s r e s e

13

When you make the winning shot...

...But the other team scores after the buzzer.

d ’

a e . y y s e

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Sophomore guard Brittany Klaman looks on in shock after a 3-point basket by Idaho's Mikayla Ferenz is counted after about 10 minutes of review by the officials. Ferenz's shot came after the final buzzer had sounded, but the officials ruled that the scorer's table had started the clock too early and that the shot left Ferenz's hand in time. The officials told EWU head coach Wendy Schuller that they had timed the play and the ball left Ferenz's hand with 1.3 seconds remaining.

“I don't know how you can catch it, turn it and pass it in 0.4 seconds, and gather yourself and shoot it. That's the fastest 0.4 seconds I've ever - WENDY SCHULLER heard of.”

Women's head coach www.TheEasterner.org

Sports

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V102 I17 - 2.20.19

Analyzing Big Sky men's basketball fans Big Sky men's basketball attendance

TAYLOR NEWQUIST Sports Editor The Big Sky Conference isn’t a premier stage in the ranks of Division I college basketball, but some team’s fans take it more seriously than others. Up to this point in the season, most fan bases have been taking it more seriously than EWU’s.

Out of the 11 teams in the BSC, EWU is ranked seventh in average men’s basketball attendance pulling in an audience of 1,271 people per conference game this year.

By comparison, the team with the highest average attendance— Weber State—brings in over five times as many fans as EWU for a team that is two places higher in the standings.

Weber’s assistant athletic director for external operations Ron Goch said that a long run of success in its basketball program is the reason why the school attracts so many fans.

“The Weber State basketball program has a winning tradition,” Goch told The Easterner via email. “(We have) a longtime, successful head coach in his 13th season and a strong commitment to provide our fans with a memorable experience so they can’t wait to return to the next game.”

While Weber may hold higher attendance numbers, there is a considerable difference in student population between schools in the BSC. Weber is third in student population with 26,000—over twice as many as EWU. Schools with nearly the same, or lower student populations as EWU are Idaho State, Montana, Montana State, Idaho, Northern Colorado and Southern Utah. Of those schools only Idaho is garnering less attendance than EWU this year.

Ironically, three of the schools with the highest student populations: Sacramento State, Portland State and Northern Arizona all fall into the bottom four schools for basketball attendance. Sac State has the largest population with 30,670 students and are last in attendance, with 681 people per game.

Brynn Molloy, UM assistant athletic director for marketing and community relations, said that the amount of things that students and community members have to do plays a major role in attendance numbers.

The Grizzlies are second in the BSC in basketball attendance averaging 4,389 people a game, and MSU is fourth with 3,085 people per game. Molloy cited UM’s football games as an example.

“On football Saturdays the stadium itself becomes the fifth largest city in the state,” Molloy told The Easterner in a phone interview. “It’s the biggest show in the state of Montana.”

UM’s stadium regularly fills up with 25,000 people for football games. Molloy said the same type of effect translates to the basketball team, but on a smaller scale.

It is hard to gauge just one parameter for what drives BSC basketball fans into the stands. A university’s proximity to metropolitan areas with populations over 150,000 is a trend consistent with Sac State, PSU and EWU. But it doesn’t explain the dwindling support for NAU that has the fourth highest student population, is located in Flagstaff, Arizona (a city of approximately 72,000) and is still the third lowest attended basketball program.

A mix of a successful program with the university’s location is the most likely formula for driving in fans. EWU director of ticketing and operations Nicole Guerra has some ideas for boosting the Eagles' numbers.

“We’re trying to decide if we have games at a later time if that gives people in Spokane an opportunity to come out here,” Guerra said.

“We’re trying to figure out if our prices are too high.”

Guerra graduated from EWU and said her experience as a student was that if it was cold or snowy outside she wouldn’t want to make the trip over to Reese Court.

“I lived in symnacut so I wasn’t going to walk over,” Guerra said. “I suggested to the marketing team that we should have a bus that every game travels to the dorms to pick up students. As a young lady, heck no I didn’t want to walk at night.”

EWU has two more home games this year on Feb. 28 against Sac State and March 2 against Portland State. Last year EWU averaged 1,835 people in attendance for the last two games. That average is more than the Eagles have had at any game this year.

Maybe Spokane only has enough room for one basketball team, with Gonzaga shining as the No. 2 team in the nation and selling out its stadium game in and game out.•

6786

4389

3085

2004 1575

1549 1271

WSU

UM

MSU

SUU

UNC

ISU

1163

EWU

1026

PSU

852

NAU

681

UI

SSU

Attendance numbers are averages of conference games during the 2018-19 season, through Feb. 17. EWU ranked seventh out of 11 teams in Big Sky men's basketball attendance so far this year.

Big Sky student populations

12,643

30,670

26,000

Sac State

S

12,607

ISU

EWU

12,000 UM

Weber

11,865

27,305

11,841

NAU

MSU

UI

11,418

v s

9,468

2 u t 1 i

UNC

23,140

PSU

SUU

Student populations of schools in the Big Sky. Of the top four schools for student population, three of them rank in the bottom four for average men's basketball attendance. Montana has the highest average attendance as a percentage of student population.

Local and surrounding area basketball attendance 6000

GU

EWU Whit

CWU

1271 1100

f o

Average attendance numbers for Gonzaga, Whitworth, Central Washington and EWU men's basketball. Gonzaga has sold out every home game this year with a stadium capacity of 6,000 people.

Whitworth has comparable attendance numbers to EWU, while playing in Division III and having a student population of 2,627.

w p s f U

a b w i p

g m g i m

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Taylor Newquist for The Easterner

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t t s

Sports

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Football ticket prices set to increase Taylor Newquist for The Easterner

Fans dispute a call made in the Eagles' 88-78 overtime win against Northern Colorado on Feb. 16. The Eagles have won seven-of-eight home conference games this season, but are recording the lowest attendance numbers in over five years.

EWU's ticket booth located in the front side of Roos Field. Prices are expected to increase 35 percent this year according to Nicole Guerra, EWU director of ticketing and marketing.

Six-year low in men's attendance TAYLOR NEWQUIST Sports Editor

TAYLOR NEWQUIST Sports Editor

Bailey Monteith for The Easterner

EWU men’s basketball attendance for home games against conference opponents has been far from consistent.

Since 2012, attendance averages have varied from 2,665 people per game in that same year to 1,178 the following year in 2013.

Numbers stayed roughly the same in 2014 with 1,289 people per game and shot up to 2,431 the following year in 2015. After that season attendance stayed above an 1,800 average leading up to this year where it has fallen to 1,270 as of Feb. 17.

The highest attendance in that span was in 2015 against Montana, where EWU packed 4,621 fans into Reese Court—the sixth highest total ever. This year 1,578 fans showed up for EWU’s 78-71 win over UM on Jan. 10.

Nicole Guerra, EWU director of ticketing and marketing, said that what's hurt the basketball attendance this year the most was the success of the football team making it to the FCS championship game, and prolonging its season into January.

“I think a lot of it has to do with what's going on,” Guerra said. “We were in football mode, so everyone was going to football games and all of a sudden basketball season is going, but people are still in the football mindset. That put pressure on it.”

Guerra’s position deals with selling tickets to the general public, but said that the basketball team could benefit its student attendance by reaching out to

15

Mckenzie Ford for The Easterner

2.20.19 - V102 I17

Bleachers in the student half of Reese Court were sparse in EWU's 82-64 win over Northern Arizona on Feb. 4. The game was one of the least attended this season with 1,148 people in the stands. the Greek organizations on campus.

Despite getting off to a slow start in their nonconference schedule (finishing 2-9) the Eagles have turned their season around in BSC play with an 8-6 record.

Seven of EWU’s eight conference wins have come at home, including a seven game home wining streak that started on Dec. 28 against Idaho State.

The team has stuck to supporting the fans in postgame press conferences despite the drop in attendance. Senior forward Jesse Hunt said that the team is more comfortable on home court after a

Feb. 16 win over Northern Colorado.

“The fans have been great,” Hunt said.

“We’ve had great showing the last few games at home, and we’ve been shooting great at home.”

The last two games EWU has had its best attendance of the year aside from the game against the Grizzlies. 1,481 people came for the overtime win against UNC. Usually the last home game of the season is one of the highest attended.

Since 2012, an average of 2,364 people attend the final home game. EWU is yet to eclipse 2,000 fans this season.•

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Football season ticket renewals opened on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 10 a.m., and following the program’s second ever trip to the FCS national championship in Frisco, Texas, ticket prices are expected to increase according to EWU director of ticketing and marketing Nicole Guerra.

“We’re saying about 35 percent across the board,” Guerra said.

Football season ticket information on EWU’s ticket webpage has a heading that says, “2019 football season ticket prices,” but all the dates on the page are for last season’s tickets. The listed season ticket prices range from $99 for East Side seating to $300 for Loge seating.

A 35 percent increase on the listed season ticket prices would put them in the range of $133.65 for East Side seating to $405 for Loge seating.

There is no posted information for single-game tickets.

Guerra said there would be added perks for season ticket holders, including priority on away game tickets and red seat backs on season ticket holders' seats.

The upcoming football season features road games at Washington, Montana and Idaho that will be prominent away game destinations for EWU fans.

Guerra said a full release on ticket pricing information will be coming from EWU athletic director Lynn Hickey in the coming days.•

Sports

V102 I17 - 2.20.19

The Easterner Archives

16 - The Easterner

Senior Samantha Raines practices her vaults during outdoor season last year. Raines placed sixth in the Big Sky Conference outdoor championships last year, and was one of three Eagles to finish in the top six. Now Raines is ranked No. 2 in the pole vault for the BSC indoor season with senior teammate Liz Prouty ranked No. 1.

Women's vaulters raise the bar Over the past two years, the EWU men’s and women’s pole vaulters have climbed to new heights, tallying 16 first-place finishes in total.

This year’s team has been led by senior Liz Prouty, who has three first-place finishes in six meets this season.

Prouty was one of two women pole vaulters to win a Big Sky Conference championship in the past two years. Prouty placed first in the 2018 indoor championships, while former Eagle Erin Clark finished first in the 2017 outdoor championships.

This year, Prouty won EWU’s first invitational, the EWU Candy Cane IX, in December. She placed first at the MSU Invitational Duel as well and won the vault at the D1 Invitational Challenge in early February. She also tied for fourth at the UW Invitational in January. Prouty told The Easterner the key to her strong performances.

“Having a consistent run and jumping off the ground with your arms all the way up is always going to set you up for a really good vault,” Prouty said.

Senior Samantha Raines has contributed to EWU’s success in the pole vault, placing second at the D1 Invitational and third at the MSU Invitational Duel.

“For the pole vaulters, there’s a lot of things coming together,” Raines said. “We, as a group, are doing very well. We could score a lot of points potentially, if we all do what we’re capable of. I’m excited to see where we go.”

@The Easterner

Taylor Newquist for The Easterner

DREW LAWSON Reporter

Women's pole vaulters, left to right: freshman Hally Ruff, senior Liz Prouty, junior Morgan Fossen and senior Samantha Raines. Last year Prouty placed first in the Big Sky indoor championships and third in the outdoor championships.

Head coach Stan Kerr immediately brought up the consistency of Prouty and Raines throughout the season when asked about his assessment of the pole vaulters. He expects them to do well in the upcoming Big Sky Indoor Championships on Feb. 21-23.

“Sammy and Liz have been a powerful one-two punch all season,” Kerr said. “It’d be fun to see them sitting one-two on the podium next weekend.”

Part of EWU’s success in the pole vault may be attributed to jumps and multievents coach Dave Nielsen. Nielsen is in just his second season with EWU, but was the head coach at Idaho State University for 32 years before going into retirement in

2016. He came back out of retirement as an assistant for EWU for the 2017-2018 season.

“The pole vault coach here, Eric Allison, called me and said ‘hey, you’re not doing anything,’” Nielsen said. “‘We need an assistant, so why don’t you think about coming up here.’ I didn’t do anything for a while, the job didn’t open up for a bit.”

While Nielsen was enjoying retirement, the position at EWU opened up. He decided to speak to them when an opportunity arose in Pocatello, Idaho, where ISU is located.

“I talked to them when they hosted conference at Idaho State," Nielsen said.

"I was just there as a spectator, happily retired except for coaching a little bit of

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high school … One thing led to another, and it just seemed like a better and better idea. I’m pretty lucky I’m here.”

Nielsen has coached world-class athletes in the pole vault. The most notable is Stacy Dragila, whom Nielsen recruited to ISU as a heptathlete back in 1992.

While at ISU, Dragila discovered the pole vault. She kept improving and reached her peak in 2000, when she won the gold medal in women’s pole vault at the Olympics in Sydney, Australia. That was the first year the sport was part of the Olympics on the women’s side. Nielsen sometimes shares that story with the EWU athletes in hopes of motivating them.

“I tell them stories sometimes,” Nielsen said. “If something comes up and that seems like that would be a good story to tell, I let them in on that. It’s just a bit of fun.”

While Nielsen prefers to sit back and let Allison run the pole vault at this point in his career, Kerr pointed out the value of having both coach’s experience on the coaching staff.

“Under (Allison’s) guidance and with coach (Nielsen's) input as well, that’s an enviable position for vaulters as we recruit,” Kerr said. “We go into competitions and people go, ‘oh no, here come the Eastern coaches.’ The (vaulters) are well coached athletes. We know the battle is sometimes for second or third if Eastern shows up.”

EWU will look to make its opponents battle for second or third at the Big Sky Indoor Championships on Feb. 21-23. That meet will be back in Bozeman, Montana at Montana State’s home track. •

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