K A N S A S
S TAT E vol. 126, issue 26 friday, march 5, 2021
kstatecollegian.com
INTEGRATING SYSTEMS Counseling Services, Lafene to merge, form Counseling and Psychological Services
SEAN SCHAPER news editor
Kansas State’s Counseling Services may merge with Lafene Health Center in the next few months, becoming a department of Lafene known as Counseling and Psychological Services. Jim Parker, director of Lafene and Counseling Services, took charge of this project. He believes in an integrated system where physical and mental health are cared for in the same department. “We want to make sure that the pathway between Lafene and counseling is as short and seamless as possible,” Parker said. “In order for us to do that, we really do need to be under the same umbrella and have the same leadership and same expectations.” Parker said one of the goals of the merge is minimizing barriers so people get the help they need when they need it. Serving as K-State students’ cost-effective, health and well-being facility, Lafene offers a range of services to benefit Kansas State students, including: • Acute illness or injury treatment • Allergy injections • Laboratory testing • Nutrition counseling • Rehab and physical therapy • Travel immunization consultations
Archive Photo by Alex Todd | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Counseling Services and Lafene Health Center will merge in the near future. • Wellness exams • X-rays However, it does not provide psychotherapy services. Over 25 percent of encounters with students in Lafene — not Counseling — end up with some mental health-related need, Parker said. Counseling Services is the primary mental health resource on the K-State campus and provides therapy and consultation for students. “If you have an integrated system, the number of times the person has to come back for subsequent treatment is decreased,” Parker said. “That’s one of the indicators that it’s a
more successful encounter. The majority of healthcare systems that can do that — not private practice, but like hospitals and university healthcare — they’re integrated now. … That’s the model we’re going after.” Parker said it’s challenging to provide a date of completion because of the COVID-19 response from Lafene and Counseling Services. “We have been working on this concept over the past year and have made significant progress,” Parker said. “That said, it’s my hope to complete the non-financial elements of our integration process this spring.” In late February, both
Lafene and Counseling Services’ privilege fee budgets were reviewed by the Privilege Fee Committee. Parker asked for a continuance for both entities. “We would like to work through the rest of this fiscal year and then we’ll go hopefully in the fall or early spring next year in front of privilege [fee] committee, make another presentation for them and we’ll have a little bit better handle on where we’re going to be financially at that point,” Parker said. Ashley Grills, committee member and sophomore in business administration, said it is important to revisit the budgets in the next fiscal year when,
hopefully, the heat of the pandemic is in the past. Ryan Donnelly, junior in fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology, has seen the inside of Lafene a few times. “Since the beginning of the fall semester, I have been [to Lafene] probably like eight times,” Donnelly said. “I’ve been there for physical therapy appointments and two X-rays.” Parker said students should always expect exceptional care. “We’re hopeful that our ability to have integrated teams, for instance, Dr. Kodee Walls is going to be sitting on our executive committee at Lafene,” Parker said. “So any issues that could arise or problems that happen, we’re going to solve those right away.” “We’re going to be doing orientation for every new employee that comes in,” Parker said, “Whether Counseling or Lafene, they’re going to go through the same orientation. They may have enhanced things in their counseling, so they’ll understand what services we offer here where they may not have before.” Dr. Kyle Goerl, medical director of Lafene Health Center, said the merge has been “Jim’s baby” for a while, and this is an exciting time. “Anytime we can kind of combine efforts, it’s going to be to the benefit of the patient.” Students can schedule appointments online through the myLafene portal.
SUCCESS Crop Ecophysiology student earns NAAPN award, gives presentation
Page 06
‘Virtual is our reality’: K-State Drag Show delayed, still a community event
Page 04
Professor dances into the spotlight with latest success
Page 07
UPC, Axe to Grind offering free axe-throwing event for students March 5
Page 05
Men’s basketball finishes off regular season with rematch against Iowa State
Page 11
02
NEWS
friday, march 5, 2021
‘Out to dry’: Natatorium — Manhattan’s only indoor pool — closes permanently EMMA WITTER staff writer
Kansas State permanently closed the Natatorium’s indoor swimming area because of maintenance and funding issues. Manhattan’s only indoor swimming facility was initially closed in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic led to multiple campus closures, but the decision to permanently close the Natatorium had many factors. According to an announcement in K-State Today, “limited maintenance budgets and a priority of supporting academic programs” made reallocating funds to the necessary upkeep of the Natatorium unrealistic. “I’m not a scientist, but there were definitely air quality and circulation issues in there,” Steve Martini, director of Recreational Services, said. “We have some new buildings with good air quality systems, and we
have some older ones that aren’t as good. The pool itself was opened in 1975, so it’s not as old as Ahearn, but 45 years is a relatively long period of time for a pool to remain usable.” Recreational Services, UFM, Manhattan High School and the Manhattan Marlins Swim Team used the indoor facility regularly. Representatives from each of these groups contributed to conversations surrounding the closure, Martini said. “There was a discussion of the users — us — who have knowledge of the daily issues of the pool … and then the next level of administration is the one who makes final decisions about building structures and things like that,” Martini said. “The decision wasn’t made by Rec Services single-handedly.” The largest factor in the closure, cited by both K-State Today and Martini, was the budget. Martini said the estimated cost
to build a pool within the Peters Recreation Complex would be $25-30 million. “These are not great financial times to be putting out that much money, and the financial return on a pool is not in the positives,” Martini said. “You’re operating in the red most of the time, and with the financial situation of the university due to the pandemic, there are budget issues all over the place.” Given the financial stress the pandemic placed on students and the university, Martini said the administration didn’t want to reach into students’ Privilege Fees to fund maintenance or a new facility. Prior users of the Natatorium received membership refunds or memberships to the Peters Recreation Complex. “We tried to make it right for everybody, but it’s been a tough situation,” Martini said. The Natatorium previously
served as the practice facility for K-State’s Swim and Dive Club. Because of the closure, the team relocated its practices to the Wamego Aquatic Center at the beginning of the fall semester. The 25-minute drive — plus carpool organization — forced the team to cut its number of weekly practices from 4 to 2. Jake Willenbring, junior in business and political science and vice president of the Swim and Dive Club, said he and his teammates are upset with how the Natatorium situation developed. “It’s embarrassing that we don’t have [a pool] now since the older facility wasn’t kept as well as it should have been,” Willenbring said. The Wamego Aquatic Center lacks diving boards, so Willenbring said the “Dive” component of the Swim and Dive Club is currently nonexistent. Keith Birnbaum, junior in secondary education, previous-
Archive Photo | Collegian Media Group
According to the closure announcement in K-State Today, a community group is currently exploring ways to cater to Manhattan’s swim community. ly used the Natatorium as both a member of the Swim and Dive Club and Manhattan High School’s assistant swim coach. Birnbaum said his students at Manhattan High go to Wamego daily for practice, but that can only continue for so long. “It’s not very sustainable to drive and it takes away from the swimming,” Birnbaum said. “It’s a really hard spot.” Until other facility options
become available, Willenbring said the Swim and Dive Club’s plan is to continue as it has since the fall. The team’s out-of-water activities allow members to maintain a sense of community without as much practice time in the pool.
To read more, visit kstatecollegian.com
EDITORIAL BOARD Bailey Britton Editor-in-Chief
Lori Leiszler Asst. Culture Editor
Julie Freijat Managing Editor
Cameron Bradley Sports Editor
Sean Schaper News Editor
Marshall Sunner Asst. Sports Editor
Josie Whitaker Asst. News Editor
Nathan Enserro Asst. Sports Editor
Jared Shuff Culture Editor
Dalton Wainscott Multimedia Editor
Dylan Connell Deputy Multimedia Editor Gabby Farris Design Lead Blake Hachen Designer Sarah Unruh Designer Rachel Seiffert Marketing
ON THE COVER Archive Photo by Alex Todd | Collegian Media Group
The Mission of the Collegian Media Group is to use best practices of journalism to cover and document life at Kansas State University from a diverse set of voices to inform and engage the K-State community. The Collegian welcomes your letters. We reserve the right to edit submitted letters for length and style. A letter intended for publication should be no longer than 600 words and must be relevant to the student body of K-State. It must include the author’s first and last name, year in school and major. If you are a graduate of K-State, the letter should include your year(s) of graduation and must include the city and state where you live. For a letter to be considered, it must include a phone number where you can be contacted. The number will not be published. Letters can be sent to letters@kstatecollegian.com or submitted through an online form at kstatecollegian.com. Letters may be rejected if they contain abusive content, lack timeliness, contain vulgarity, profanity or falsehood, promote personal and commercial announcements, repeat comments of letters printed in other issues or contain attachments. The Collegian does not publish open letters, third-party letters or letters that have been sent to other publications or people.
CORRECTIONS
If you see something that should be corrected, call editorin-chief Bailey Britton at 785-370-6356 or email collegian@ kstatecollegian.com The Collegian, a student newspaper at Kansas State University, is published by Collegian Media Group. It is published Mondays and Fridays during the school year and on Wednesdays during the summer. Periodical postage is paid at Manhattan, KS. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 828 Mid-Campus Drive South, Kedzie 103, Manhattan, KS 66506-7167. First copy free, additional copies 25 cents. [USPS 291 020] © Collegian Media Group, 2020
Veterinary Diagnostic Labratory determines local spread of COVID-19 variants SEAN SCHAPER news editor
The Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Kansas State has its own capabilities to perform genomic sequencing on COVID-19 samples to determine if variants are spreading locally. Dr. Kyle Goerl, Lafene Health Center medical director, said the more time the virus runs unopposed, the more chances it has to mutate. “All viruses mutate with time — that’s not unexpected in the least,” Goerl said. “COVID — SARS-CoV-2 — is doing the exact same thing.” Goerl said continued rapid spread of the virus causes
variants to continue to pop up, which is why vaccine efforts are even more important. “Truth is, so long as there’s kind of rapid spread of the virus, variants are going to continue to crop up,” Goerl said. “That makes it even more important to continue to ramp up vaccine capacities.” The most common variants are the U.K. B.1.1.7, the South African B.1.351 and the Brazilian B.1.1.28. “The reason why [Lafene] cares a lot about these three, in particular, is what they’re doing in terms of transmissibility,” Goerl said. “All of these three have been shown to increase the ability for the virus to be transmitted from one
person to the other.” Dr. Rachel Palinski, clinical assistant professor, leads the genomic sequencing for the VDL. “Samples are collected at Lafene and then raw samples come to our lab for [preliminary chain reaction] testing,” Palinski said. “Once those samples test positive, we have certain thresholds that we have to meet before they’re eligible to be sequenced.” However, once the samples reach that threshold, the nucleic acid is sent to VDL. From there, protocols are approved for full genome sequencing. “We run through a secondary PCR for amplification,
Common crimes in, around campus: What are they? SEAN SCHAPER news editor
The Kansas State Police Department and the Riley County Police Department respond to many crimes daily ranging from theft to battery and disorderly conduct — each report is handled and documented. The campus police responded to over 160 incidents since the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year. Bradli Millington, support services lieutenant, said the majority of crimes reported on campus involve bike theft. Of the 162 cases, 34 percent involved theft or burglary. On average, one in every 13 crimes will result in an arrest. “On game days — excluding this year — there’s a lot of alcohol violations and criminal trespass,” Millington said. RCPD assists the campus police with the flow of traffic for football games, but they assist one another more
03
NEWS
friday, march 5, 2021
than some might think, Millington said. “With the new [memorandum of understanding], we’re always sending officers down to Aggieville to help,” Millington said. “They come and help us on game days. They’re lifesavers because we don’t have the numbers to do all the traffic.” The memorandum of understanding gives a jurisdictional obligation to KSU Police to respond when necessary while traveling off-campus property if there is an incident requiring law enforcement interaction. Aaron Wintermote, public information officer for the RCPD, said the relationship between the two departments is deeper than the jurisdictional agreement laid out on paper. “If one of us requests aid from the other for whatever reason — there’s not necessarily a criteria for that,” Wintermote said. “But if we do need help, both agencies
are very willing to come help with whatever the other one would need and that happens on a daily basis.” RCPD faces similar incidents in and around the Manhattan area that the campus police faces, just at a larger scale geographically. Over 1,300 crimes were reported in Manhattan since Aug. 17, 2020. The RCPD also respond to many thefts. However, the most crime recorded is simple battery. “[The batteries] could be one of a couple different things,” Wintermote said. “Some of these batteries that get lumped into [the statistics] are domestic-related.” For more information on crimes in the Riley County area, RCPD offers a free, public crime map on its website.
Infographic by Sarah Unruh Collegian Media Group
then they go directly to sequencing,” Palinski said. The entire process takes 10 to 12 business days depending on the number of samples in a batch. “From the time that [the samples] get to us, the actual hand-on time before they go into the sequencer, is between two to four days, and then sequencing takes about a day,” Palinski said. “Then data analysis will take anywhere from two to four days.” These variants are a reason for concern because they modify the spike protein, and that is how the virus gets into our cell, Goerl said. There are about 2,500 cases of the U.K. variant found in the United States. The Kansas Department of Health and
Illustration by Abigail Compton | Collegian Media Group
Environment identified eight new cases of the variant in Sedgwick County on Monday, bringing the total to 10 in Kansas.
The two initial cases are possibly from exposure through separate, out-ofstate travel, according to the KDHE.
CRIMINAL OFFENSE TYPE THEFT / BURGLARY 34% CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY 23% TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS 19%
03% OTHER 03% ASSAULT / BATTERY 04% MARIJUANA / DRUGS 06% MIP, MIC OR DUI CHARGE 07% DRIVING WITH SUSPENDED LICENSE
1: 6
crimes that resulted in a written citation
1:13
crimes that resulted in an arrest
03% STRONG 03% KRAMER 04% JARDINE
DERBY 44%
06% OTHER
CAMPUS HOUSING CRIME LOCATION
04
CULTURE
friday, march 5, 2021
‘VIRTUAL IS OUR REALITY’ K-State Drag Show delayed, still a community event BAILEY BRITTON editor-in-chief
Drag is a powerful performance medium, Anna Casner, senior in social work and president of the Sexuality and Gender Alliance, said. That’s why she is glad the Kansas State Drag Show will go on this year despite COVID-19. Originally scheduled for February, the Sexuality and Gender Alliance pushed back the date because of performer safety. Now, the show will stream online as performers like Monica Moree perform in Forum Hall at 7 p.m on April 23. “It’ll be the usual suspects hopefully,” Casner said. “That list grows and evolves and changes and also will probably continue to do so until the weekend right before.” Monica Moree — a.k.a Dusty Garner — continues to support SAGA and the drag show, Casner said. “Dusty will for sure be there,” Casner said. While the remote performance isn’t how they wanted to do the show originally, Casner said many drag queens use platforms like Twitch to stream their routines already, so it isn’t a huge reach. Garner said he has experience performing virtually, but not in the way the K-State drag show will happen. “As most people have experienced in 2020 and now 2021, virtual is our reality,” Garner said. Normally, Garner would perform in the comfort of his own home over Zoom. The K-State drag show, however, will be done in an empty theater. “What’s interesting is that what makes me nervous about virtually performing for the K-State show is that we’re doing things a little different,” Garner said. “Performing for empty audiences is every entertainer’s biggest nightmare because, again, we feed off of
Archive photo by Dalton Wainscott | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Dusty Garner, a founding member of the K-State Drag Show, does his facial makeup in the dressing room backstage at McCain Auditorium where the 16th annual Drag Show was held at 7 p.m. on Feb. 14, 2020.
My job is to make you kind of forget the outside world long enough to enjoy what’s happening in front of you. I think that in our current pandemic state that becomes even more profound and even more important. Dusty Garner Drag Queen
that energy.” To combat the empty theater, Garner said they will work on ways to pipe in noises of clapping and cheering. They will also make arrangements for virtual discussions to take place and make sure the performers can see the reactions of audience members. “That’s kind of what we’re really trying to focus on,” Garner said. “One of the things that is my half as an emcee and
as a show coordinator really is helping people forget the reality for a minute. That is the case of any show that I do. My job is to make you kind of forget the outside world long enough to enjoy what’s happening in front of you. I think that in our current pandemic state that becomes even more profound and even more important.” It may be difficult, but Casner said she is excited to make this happen for the audience.
“On the bright side, if we promote and push this, we could maybe reach a wider audience,” Casner said. Casner said the group wasn’t always sure the drag show would happen this year. “This is something that Dr. [Brandon] Haddock ... mentioned last semester or last year when we first went into lockdown towards the end of the semester as they were looking at this calendar year,”
Casner said. “They were wondering about what would happen to the show. It seemed a little silly to us on exec board. Like, ‘What? It will be over it by then. What do you mean, it’ll be no problem. You don’t even need to worry about it, Brandon.’ Little did we know how bad it really was going to be.” Luckily, Casner said, it was only postponed. She contributes this to older members of the community.
“We have an incredibly committed community, especially an incredibly committed elder gay community — I don’t really know what to call them — gay alum,” Casner said. For both Garner and Casner, drag is important. That is why they help with the drag show — Garner for 17 years and Casner for two. “The first time I went to the drag show was my freshman year,” Casner said. “I went with my girlfriend and ... it was my first drag show ever. I think I just had come out to my parents over Christmas.” Casner said she felt a connection at the drag show when she attended as a freshman and “it made it real” for her. “I think drag is an incredibly powerful tool and part of our community,” Casner said. “Last year, I also performed in my first drag show. We had an amateur show that ... coincided with the big K-State Drag Show. ... It felt incredible. Drag is such a powerful performance medium and to get to participate in it and participate in such a like powerful pillar for our community ... it was awesome.” Garner said what drag means to him changes over time. It started as an escape for him, but now it’s about bringing people together. The K-State show specifically is about raising funds for mental health and scholarships. “This is an opportunity for me to bring those communities together, regardless of race or gender or sexuality,” Garner said. “That’s really important to me. That’s become quite frankly one of the most important parts of performing for me. The other piece that is super important to me is that drag is an opportunity for me to support the things that are really important to me, as far as a social network.” Casner said SAGA will announce more details of the drag show as the date gets closer.
05
CULTURE
friday, march 5, 2021
K-STATE PROUD CONTINUES CAMPAIGNING VIRTUALLY ALEXIS LETTERMAN staff writer
Campaign week for K-State Proud during the spring semester is underway. The week of March 1-5, students can donate to K-State Proud to help Kansas State students who struggle financially. Typically, the campaign occurs once a semester on campus, but this spring, because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it will be held virtually. This has presented some challenges, as the philanthropy group tries to campaign both safely and successfully. “[We’ve had to] come up with ideas that would get more social media interaction,” Baleigh Fry, senior in athletic training and co-chair of K-State Proud, said. It’s been helpful in the
past, Fry said, for members of K-State Proud to get in front of others and have conversations to explain the goals and missions that organizations are attempting to accomplish. Fry said one of the major ideas the group has for donations this year is a T-shirt campaign, in which users post pictures in their K-State Proud T-shirts on Instagram and use a hashtag to garner attention for the group, and participating in the daily events on the group’s social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. K-State Proud has been fully funded by the K-State Student Foundation for its 15 active years. K-State Proud aims to help keep students at K-State who otherwise could not afford to do so. Usually, upon a $20 donation at the tables across campus, donors receive a t-shirt. “They may think they are
getting a shirt, but they are really changing someone’s life,” Kelly Wilkerson, alumni and former K-State Proud co-chair, said. However, this year, since the campaign is virtual, the group made pickup and delivery options available for receiving the shirts. The organization gets a lot of its money from this annual campaign, which makes now a pivotal time for donations. The medium may have changed, but the mission is the same. “Our core mission is students helping students,” Sydney Henry, senior in finance and marketing and K-State proud co-chair, said. However, Henry said, alumni and families also contribute frequently as well. Students in financial need are encouraged to apply for the Foundation’s available Student Opportunity Awards.
Archive photo by Hannah Hunsinger | Collegian Media Group
“They may think they are getting a shirt, but they are really changing someone’s life” Kelly Wilkerson, Alumni and former K-Sate Proud Co-chair said.
UPC offers free axe-throwing event for students March 6
Religion Directory
NATALIE LEONARD staff writer
St. Isidore’s Catholic Student Center Saturday Vigil Mass Saturday 5 p.m.
Sunday Mass
9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 4:00 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 9:09 p.m.
Daily Mass
Monday-Thursday 9:09 p.m. Wednesday & Friday 12:10 p.m. Chaplains: Fr. Gale Hammerschmidt Fr. Drew Hoffman
711 Denison
539-7496
Worship Service at 8:30 & 11:00 a.m. or livestream our services online. Adult and Children Bible Hour Classes
Offered at 10:00 a.m. 785.776.0424 www.gracebchurch.org 2901 Dickens Ave. (2 blks. E. of Seth Child)
Pick up an axe and relax(e) at UPC’s free “After Hours: Axe to Grind” event for Kansas State students Friday, March 6. Located just six minutes from campus, Axe to Grind is new to the Manhattan community and hits the bullseye on providing a unique way to unwind. Students can sign up for one of three available 60-minute time slots at either 6:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m., or 9:00 p.m. “What would make this event successful would be if we are able to fill all the slots, and everyone leaves with a smile on their face — and of course all limbs still attached,” Zachery Rodriguez,
co-chair for the UPC committee and senior in marketing, said. “This is definitely a student favorite that will more than likely be put on every year,” Some K-State students are warming up their throwing arms and practicing their form in anticipation of the event. “I’ve attended UPC sponsored events in the past and they’ve all been really fun and unique,” Jordyn Granger, senior in dietetics, said. “I think [this event will] be really fun because it’s something different and I’ve never done it before.” Before arriving at the event, Rodriguez said students should remember to bring a mask and to fill out UPC’s liability form, as well
as the liability form required by Axe to Grind in order to participate in the activity. Both forms, as well as the address of Axe to Grind, can be found on UPC’s website for the event.
Grab your copy of at Dillons-East
06
CULTURE
friday, march 5, 2021
CROP ECOPHYSIOLOGY STUDENT EARNS NAAPN AWARD, GIVES PRESENTATION SEAN SCHAPER news editor
Nathan Hein made his mark on the Kansas State Crop Ecophysiology Lab as a 2021 North American Plant Phenotyping Network Graduate Student Award winner. The NAPPN Student Award recognizes graduate students making impactful contributions to plant phenotyping in areas of engineering, modeling, plant breeding, data analytics, physiology, remote sensing and more. At the 2020 North American Plant Phenotyping Network annual meeting, Hein, third-year doctoral student and assistant scientist, presented his work on high nighttime temperature stress on winter wheat. Krishna Jagadish, associate professor of agronomy, said Hein possesses all the qualities a professor would want when looking for a student. Jagadish said Hein goes out of his way to solve problems, is inquisitive, prioritizes tasks and has a strong and desirable character. “I couldn’t think of anyone more deserving of the NAPPN Graduate Student Award,” Jagadish said. Andrew Leakey, plant biology professor and department head at the University of Illinois, serves on the executive committee for NAPPN. “We are delighted to highlight Hein’s work and its relevance to the NAPPN mission,” Leakey said. “Hein was selected as the recipient of the North American Plant Phenotyping Network Graduate Student Award because of his exceptional research productivity in the area of high throughput crop phenotyping, contributions to educational programs for underrepresented groups and for establishing a relationship with an industry partner.” Leakey said the NAPPN
executive committee looks forward to following Hein’s future successes. Since the meeting, Hein continued to expand his research network and impact through research, publications and community outreach. He was invited to give a keynote presentation during the 2022 NAPPN conference at the University of Georgia. Hein began his education at the United States Naval Academy where he graduated with honors. Following the Navy, Hein worked on a farm outside of Lawrence where he was the farm manager for seven years. While working as a farm manager, Hein pursued an agricultural science degree from Oregon State University. During the time Hein completed his agricultural science degree, K-State listed the assistant scientist position in the Crop Ecophysiology Lab. “The assistant scientist position was not only a perfect match for my academic and personal goals, but Manhattan was perfect for my family also,” Hein said. Shortly after becoming the assistant scientist in the crop ecophysiology lab, Hein began furthering his education by pursuing his doctorate degree while working full time. Hein said his research focuses mainly on the physiological and genetic basis of high night temperature resilience of wheat as well as utilizing in-season decision-making tools to increase nitrogen use efficiency in wheat. “I really respect all the work being done by the NAPPN group and the people themselves. To receive the graduate student award is a real honor,” Hein said. Hein said his goal after graduating with his doctorate is to stay in academic research.
Kaylie McLaughlin | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Nathan Hein, a graduate student in agronomy, received an award from the North American Plant Phenotyping Network for his research. His current project at the agronomy fields is working to enhance the efficiency of the use of nitrogen on crops.
Established in 1896
Your favorite daily newspaper Located in Kedzie 116
07
CULTURE
friday, march 5, 2021
Professor dances into the spotlight with latest success WENDY BARNES staff writer
From a 3-year-old tap-dancing penguin to a full-time professor of dance at Kansas State, Julie Pentz has had an eventful career, paving the way for her new dance textbook “DANCE Appreciation.” The textbook — published last month — already received a recommendation from Dance Teacher magazine. It is just one in a long string of accomplishments for Pentz, who came to K-State 17 years ago after a successful professional career. After receiving her B.F.A. in dance education from Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Virginia, and doing some independent teaching gigs, Pentz began a professional dance career with the National Tap Ensemble. She later decided to return to school, despite her enjoyment of the work. “I had always known that I wanted to be a university professor because of tap dance,” Pentz said. “There’s not a lot of tap dance in academia, or it’s just one class.” Pentz set out to remedy the lack of tap in academia, attending graduate school at the University of Arizona. She selected the university because it was heavy in all dance areas — even jazz and tap. K-State hired Pentz as the jazz professor directly out of graduate school. At the time, there was no tap program. She built up the program over the years as student need and demand increased. The program now includes tap classes, the Tap Dance Ensemble and the Tap-to-Togetherness program. The Tap Ensemble performs throughout the year, both on-campus and in the community. They also deliver Tapo-Grams on Valentine’s Day, which is how Elizabeth Kritikos got involved. Kritikos, a recent theatre arts graduate, said she asked about joining after seeing them dance during one of her classes. She met with Pentz, and the rest is history. She joined the ensem-
ble and tapped her way through college, forming a strong bond with Pentz and the other dancers. “We feel like once you’re in, you come back for the people,” Kritikos said. “You come back because you love the people you’re dancing with, and you love that community feel that Julie provides for a lot of us.” Her sentiments were echoed by other students who joined Tap Ensemble and found their home in the group, with Pentz as the matriarch. “From day one, you can tell that Julie makes you feel like you are just as valuable to her as a student — as if you were her own child,” Katelyn Milleson, recent K-State accounting graduate, said. Milleson and Zoe Abner, senior in graphic design and ceramics, both credit Pentz and the Tap Ensemble for their decision to attend K-State. Abner said Pentz encouraged her to try out for Tap Ensemble when they met at a Dance Day event four years ago. Despite her lack of dance experience, she tried out and was accepted to the ensemble before even applying to the university. “I borrowed a friend’s pair of tap shoes, I had one of my dance teachers choreograph a solo for me, and I had to learn some steps really quick, but [Pentz] saw the potential in me, and my life would be so different if I hadn’t gone to K-State,” Abner said. Pentz said her students inspire her every day because they work hard and make her laugh. She works to meet their needs and meet them where there are, especially during difficult times like the pandemic. “I know now, and the same was true in the fall; my students were really happy with my choice to do in-person class,” Pentz said. “I just decided fear wasn’t allowed in there and I was just gonna do it. And for most of my students, that was their only in-person class in the fall. That kind of gratefulness was intense.” Student-centered is a de-
Photo Courtesy of Julie Pentz
Julie Pentz is also a Global Goodwill Ambassador and Human Peace Ambassador for the U.S., an honor she received after being nominated in 2019 by a K-State colleague. fining word for her teaching philosophy. She said she makes sure to include her students in everything she does because the programs would be nothing without them. As a result, the Tap Ensemble is heavily involved with Tap-to-Togetherness. Tap-to-Togetherness started in 2015 and is Pentz’s way of giving back to the local community. It provides families with young children a healthy way to bond and have fun. In 2019, they started working with Meadowlark Hills’ Parkinson’s and memory programs. However, because of the pandemic, the dancers haven’t performed live. That is set to change this spring during the week of April 12, which is the Week of the Young Child — a celebration of early learning started by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Pentz said she and the dancers will hold two outdoor events each day at area parks. Abner, who is helping Pentz plan the week’s activities, said
planning is fun and she is excited to get back out there and perform during the week’s events. The goal is to reach audiences who will join them this summer for outdoor park events. “Tap-to-Togetherness is just one of the things I do,” Pentz said. “Really, it’s Tap-to-Togetherness that led me to research and writing. My first tier-one journal was about the T-to-T program in ‘Dance Education and Practice.’” The program is also featured in her new book. Pentz said the writing process moved quickly. She and her co-author, Dawn Davis Loring, had 11 months to prepare the manuscript for review. After three months with outside reviewers, the manuscript was returned to them in April 2020 for revisions. “COVID worked out because we were locked in any way,” Pentz said, laughing. The revisions involved fixing and adding a PowerPoint, an exam and web resources to
each chapter. “We really engaged in social media. We wanted a book that was current, even though I have to say it’s already not current,” Pentz said. “Now, with COVID, so much has advanced, at least in the dance field. If we’re ever asked to do a second edition, there’s going to be a lot to include, like Zoom.” Each chapter also includes a “spotlight” of a specific person or event. Tap-to-Togetherness is included as the spotlight for the tap chapter. Pentz said the spotlight feature is what makes this book unique from other dance appreciation textbooks on the market. She will use the text this summer while teaching Dance as an Art Form to incoming K-State athletes. She will also require students in her technique classes to use the text since it will be relevant as they move through the program. The book is just the latest marker of her success. Pentz is also a Global
Goodwill Ambassador and Human Peace Ambassador for the U.S., an honor she received after being nominated in 2019 by a K-State colleague. The non-profit organization allows for numerous funding opportunities, helping them with worldwide goodwill projects like creating a relief fund for survivors of the Lebanon blast, purchasing toys for Valentine’s Day for children at the Mayo Clinic or sending Valentine e-cards to the children at St. Jude’s hospital. She said the organization’s e-magazine “features Global Goodwill Ambassadors [from] all over the world doing goodwill and making a difference,” which is important to her. Abner said Pentz is always there to talk about anything and even invites them into her home. “She’s just more than a professor,” Abner said. “We feel on our end how much she cares about us. She brings us food all the time. We can tell that she really does care about us, and it’s really nice to have that.”
08
CULTURE
friday, march 5, 2021
‘You never know what you are going to find’: Thrifters adapt to pandemic shopping CLAIBORN SCHMIDT staff writer
Archive photo | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
For some, shopping second-hand is just a hobby. To others, it’s a lifestyle filled with the wonder of their next great find. This past year, shoppers had to adapt to a life of thrifting during a pandemic. overloaded inventory. “There has been a lot less people, so I find way better things and I’ve been loving it,” Hass said. Kemp said more people got into this trend, looking for things to do when they get bored. Kemp owns his own business where he buys local thrift and vintage finds and resells them on his Instagram. He thrifts almost every day, searching for interesting clothes that he will can sell online. While he is shopping, he tends to avoid looking for anything in particular and just sees what the store has to offer. “It is very important to be open-minded, by looking for absolutely anything you can find when you are going,” Kemp said.
By Dave Green
8 9 3
1
5
Difficulty Level
9
5 9 7 3 9
6
5
7
1 2
2 4 8
2
3
1
9 1 4
3/05
2021 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
For some, shopping second-hand is just a hobby. To others, it’s a lifestyle filled with the wonder of their next great find. This past year, shoppers adapted to a life of thrifting during a pandemic. “I think this past year, people are realizing how resourceful they can be, and how many things you can get thrifting and shopping second-hand,” Andrew Kemp, junior in business, said. “A lot of people found it as a good new hobby — something to do during the pandemic and a new way to express themselves.” Some people may hesitate about thrifting because they don’t know where the item came from, William Augustine, assistant general manager of the Goodwill in Manhattan, said. Augustine said he enjoys looking at the items in his store and wondering where they’ve come from and who used them. “You never know what you are going to find,” Cathryn Haas, senior in biology, said. “You can walk in and see the coolest things.” Similar to many businesses in Manhattan, thrift stores like Goodwill adapted to life during a pandemic and found ways to keep employees, customers and donors safe. “When we reopened, we had to do a lot of things differently,” Augustine said. “With donations, everyone donating had to wear a mask and we had to quarantine our donations for at least 48 hours initially. When we started putting products out on the floor, we were sanitizing everything.” Once businesses began to re-open, secondhand stores saw an overload of donations. Some thrifters took this opportunity to shop in a less-crowded market of an
09
CULTURE
friday, march 5, 2021
Pop artist Alexander 23 corners the market on sad bops with new EP JARED SHUFF culture editor
Relatability is key when it comes to modern music. When a lyric hits close to home, people connect with it. After the chaos of this past year, what’s more relatable than crying in a Target parking lot? Alexander 23 — real name Alexander Glantz — released his second studio EP “Oh No, Not Again!” in late February, a nine-track collection of pure relatability for anxious minds. It features five previously-released songs and four new songs. The opening of “Oh No, Not Again!” is a love letter to the unknown. “IDK You Yet” dives deeply into love, relationships and human connection, even before we meet someone. Acoustic finger-picking and layered vocals create an intimate atmosphere as Glantz sings,
“How can you miss someone you’ve never met? / Cause I need you now but I don’t know you yet.” “Cry Over Boys,” the second song on the EP, is about learning to value your worth. In a January 2021 interview with Variance magazine, Glantz described the song as “a loop I think a lot of people are stuck in. Romanticizing romance at the cost of their own sustainable happiness.” With this largely-acoustic song, Glantz urges the subject to emphasize their personal well-being. Track three trades the acoustic guitar for a piano-ballad opening, layering synths and percussion throughout the song. The aptly titled “Brainstorm” addresses the stormy inner thoughts of an anxious mind, saying, “You swear to God it’s rain / But saltwater is rolling down your neck / How bad’s the weather in your head?”
In a duet with singer/ songwriter Jeremy Zucker titled “Nothing’s the Same,” the two contemplate how much life has changed as they’ve gotten older. Building like the anxieties of adulthood, they sing, “Nothing’s the same as it used to be / Even my friends can’t talk to me / Used to have fun, now we only get together.” The song comes to a climactic moment of release before closing with Zucker quietly singing, “It gets hard to remember,” admitting he can’t remember what life was like before the responsibilities of adult life took over. The last of the previously-released songs on the EP, “Caught in the Middle,” is a song about the conflicting feelings following a breakup. It’s hard to grasp becoming a stranger to someone you were once so intimate with. Glantz hits a particular nerve when he
sings, “Sometimes I think about your dog and wonder / If she thinks I passed away.” Ouch. Starting the list of newer songs is one of the most relatable songs I’ve ever heard. The song “Come Here and Leave Me Alone” focuses on the battle between needing help from someone while simultaneously pushing them away. Glantz asks this person to “Come here and leave me alone / Love me but don’t get too close / Touch me from a mile away / Get out, oh baby won’t you stay?” As an introverted person, I constantly fight with my desire to socialize and the need to isolate myself from the world. Taking inspiration from the childhood flower petal-picking game, “She Loves Me” has Glantz trying to figure out if his lover actually loves him or if he’s being used. This laid-back song has an unexpected swing to it, almost like a back-and-
forth argument with himself. He wants a straight answer from her, asking her to “Make up your mind / Girl, am I yours, are you mine? / Or am I wasting my time?” Apparently, the answer was no, because the next song “Good to See You Again” is a very sarcastic take on the phrase. After a tumultuous end to their relationship, neither party wants to see the other, but they have to exchange awkward pleasantries around friends. The whole interaction is hostile, with Glantz singing “Is it too much to try to make it through the night? / Without causing a scene or getting into a fight.” “Track 9,” the cleverly titled ninth and final track on the EP, breaks the musical fourth wall. My personal favorite on the EP, “Track 9” is a piano ballad dedicated to someone Glantz used to share all of his thoughts and music
with. However, he struggles to write any songs about them because “Once the pen’s to paper, then it’s really, really over / And I’d much rather pretend that maybe we’re still okay.” It’s a beautiful song about dealing with the loss of a relationship while still caring deeply for the person. Alexander 23 crowns himself the king of sad bops with this EP, a collection of heartbreak, anxiety and self-doubt. Next time you go through a bad breakup or have an existential crisis, Alexander 23 is here to help. Jared Shuff is the Collegian culture editor and a junior in secondary education. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Collegian. Please send comments to opinion@kstatecollegian.com.
10
SPORTS
friday, march 5, 2021
Looking to add to tournament resume, volleyball returns to action for spring matches MARSHALL SUNNER assistant sports editor
After exceeding preseason expectations in the fall — placing third in the Big 12 Conference — the volleyball team looks to continue its success in the spring portion of the season in hopes of boosting its NCAA Tournament resume. Winning seven out of their last 10 matches, the Wildcats (10-6) third-place finish in the Big 12 was its highest conference finish since 2008. Kansas State ranked as high as No. 10 in the country during the fall season — but not all teams were ranked because of many conferences deciding not to play volleyball in the fall and instead push their regular seasons back to the spring be-
cause of COVID-19. The Big 12 is one of only four conferences that played in the fall, next to the ACC, SEC and Sun Belt. The rest of the conferences began their volleyball seasons this spring as the regular season for spring matches will last from Jan. 22 to April 3. After the regular season ends, selections for the NCAA Tournament will occur on April 4 to help create the 48team bracket to be played out in Omaha, Nebraska, from April 13-24. There will be 30 automatic qualifiers via conference champions across the country and 18 at-large selections that will take into consideration both fall and spring seasons. The Big 12 only allowed for conference matchups in
the fall portion of the season, and with K-State finishing third in the Big 12 behind Baylor and conference champion Texas, the Wildcats have a lot of work to do through the spring non-conference schedule to earn one of the 18 at-large bids. Opportunities are quickly fading away as the Wildcats were supposed to open the season with two matches against Wichita State in Manhattan on Feb. 25 and in Wichita on Feb. 27, but both were postponed because of a change in WSU’s conference schedule. Both teams will try to play both matches, but it will be later on in the season. Youth continues to headline the team this spring — mainly team-kills leader freshman Aliyah Carter. Car-
WILDCAT 91.9
New Music Now! Visit: wildcat919.com to learn more about us! Wildcat 91.9 New Music Now
Wildcat919FM
wildcat919fm
ter paced K-State with 228 kills (3.74 per set) in the fall. Junior Brynn Carlson was also a major offensive impact, tallying 143 kills. Freshman Mackenzie Morris returns to the libero spot. Morris was the team leader in digs (256) and aces (22). Her 3.82 digs per set ranked fourth in the Big 12. K-State opened up its spring season last night against Texas State and led the Sun Belt champions for two sets, but let the final three get away, falling 3-2. That was a tough start for a team that needs to get quality wins under its belt to get an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats will continue to play on the home court throughout the rest of the season against non-confer-
Sophie Osborn | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Kansas State celebrates after a long point during the game against TCU on Nov. 13, 2020. ence opponents. The Wildcats take on Saint Louis on March 14 and Creighton on March 20, before conclud-
ing their spring season with matches against Wayne State on March 27 and 28.
Pretend like youʼre taking notes and do the SUDOKU
11
SPORTS
friday, march 5, 2021
Men’s basketball finishes off regular season with rematch against Iowa State CONNOR COTTENMYRE staff writer
The men’s basketball team (7-19, 3-14) looks to cap off a tough season with a win against Iowa State (2-19, 0-16) on Saturday afternoon. The last time these teams met, the Wildcats came away with a 74-65 victory to kick off Big 12 Conference play in December. A lot changed since the last time these two teams met. Kansas State fought through the injury bug all year and a rollercoaster of highs and lows — losing to Fort Hays State
back in early December before pulling off a major upset against at-the-time No. 7 Oklahoma on senior night on Feb. 23. For the first half of the season, K-State lost in blowout after blowout. The Wildcats then found a late-season resurgence that came to a stop against No. 6 West Virginia on Saturday, falling 65-43. In the first half against the Mountaineers, the Wildcats looked capable of pulling off another upset as the team was only down 26-22 at the halftime break, but an inconsistent second half filled with turnovers
and bad shots sealed their fate. Look for K-State to dominate on the glass in their matchup with Iowa State on Saturday. When the Wildcats and Cyclones last met, K-State won the rebound battle by 10 and managed to stay out of foul trouble throughout the entirety of the game. Though the Wildcats shot an abysmal 17 percent from three, it was the free throws that lifted the team to the victory, shooting 90 percent from the foul stripe on the night. Iowa State went through the same season as K-State,
but hasn’t found the same results in the win column the Wildcats have. Being blown out constantly throughout the season while also having close games, the Cyclones took No. 2 Baylor down to the wire, losing 77-72. It had a shot at taking down TCU, but eventually fell to the Horned Frogs 76-72 as well. The team showed it can play with teams and if teams don’t take them seriously, it has a shot to win, like how K-State took at-the-time No. 7 Texas and No. 17 Oklahoma State down to the wire, but lost both
of those games as well. Though winless in conference play, Iowa State still ranks higher in points per game than K-State while also having the highest free throw percentage in the Big 12 at 77 percent. On the other end, K-State ranks first in opponent free throw percentage — so look for the Cyclones to dominate at the charity stripe this time around. K-State’s size will match up against Iowa State’s and the teams will battle on the freethrow line as well as the board. If K-State can minimize its turnovers and find consistent
play for the entire 40 minutes, it can come out with a win. The Wildcats rank just one spot higher than the Cyclones in the Big 12 standings — who are dead last with no conference wins this season. Time will tell if Iowa State will get its first conference win on the season, or if the Wildcats can end this nightmare of a regular season on a high note. The Wildcats take on the Cyclones at 4 p.m. Saturday inside Bramlage Coliseum. The game can be seen on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and heard on the K-State Sports Network.
Photo Courtesy of Luke Lu | Iowa State Athletics Communications
Senior guard Mike McGuirl shoots a jumper over Iowa State junior guard Tyler Harris in K-State’s 74-65 victory against the Cyclones on Dec. 15, 2020.
12
SPORTS
friday, march 5, 2021
Soccer begins 2021 spring slate this weekend JOSHUA READ staff writer
After finishing the fall season with a 3-6 record, the Kansas State soccer team gets a unique opportunity to play a spring slate that counts towards its overall record. Prior to the 2020 fall season, none of the teams at K-State knew what schedules would look like because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Luckily, most teams played most, if not all, games. The soccer team managed to play all of its games in the fall. Because of other conferences postponing the fall season, the Big 12 Conference allowed teams to play games in the spring and for those games to count for the non-conference record in the 2020 season. The team will begin its spring schedule with two matches against in-state rival Kansas on March 6 at Buser Family Park, followed by a match on March 13 in Lawrence. The team then travels to Kansas City, Missouri, for a special closed friendly against
Kansas City NWSL. The Wildcats will then square off with Missouri, Oklahoma and Iowa State later in the season. “It’s kind of a weird feeling because the games in the spring normally don’t count. But obviously it’s KU, no matter what, if it’s countable or not, we want to win that game,” senior midfielder Brookelynn Entz said. “The mindset is going to be good going in and I just want to beat KU.” Entz, who Kansas City NWSL drafted, gets a unique opportunity to play against the team that she will play for after this season. “It is super unique because normally when you get drafted you go right away and so now I have the chance to show a little bit more of what I can do,” Entz said. “I’m a little bit nervous because I know that I need to play well in that game and because I don’t know how much we’re going to have the ball. I think it’ll be super fun and I’m really excited for it.” This season posed challenges for the coaches too. At
this point in the season, head coach Mike Dibbini and his staff normally prepare for next season with the new roster. The focus shifted towards a winning mentality and getting as much out of this opportunity as possible. “When we wrapped up last season, we had a great plan in terms of development plans for each player as well as the team and we’re trying to reach those goals one day at a time,” Dibbini said. “I think we’re going to continue to develop individually by getting faster, stronger, playing quicker. Having the matches be countable puts a little bit more pressure on the team.” After finishing the fall season with a 3-6 record, the Wildcats look to improve in the spring. The team goes into the matchup against KU on a two-game winning streak and looks to get its first win over the Jayhawks since 2017. The fifth all-time meeting between the Jayhawks and the Wildcats kicks off at 7 p.m. at Buser Family Park and can be streamed live on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
Dylan Connell | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Sophomore Kyler Goins celebrates fellow sophomore Maddie Weichel’s second half goal against Texas Tech on Nov. 13. That 2-0 senior night victory was the final game in K-State’s fall slate before starting their spring schedule this week.
Serving the students
Since 1896