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T H E I N D E P E N D E N T V O I C E F O R K A N S A S S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
vol. 125, issue 07
kstatecollegian.com
kansas state collegian
wednesday, september 11, 2 0 1 9
Campus emergency protocols encourage safety, responsibility
BAILEY BRITTON THE COLLEGIAN
In 2019, there have been 293 mass shootings, according to the Gun Violence Archive. While there haven’t been any mass shootings at Kansas State, the university has protocols in place in order to keep students and faculty safe in the event of one occurring. Ronnie Grice, chief of the K-State Police Department, said the first thing anyone should do during an emergency is call 911. Then, the effected area becomes the “hot zone.” Authorities will send alerts using the K-State Alert system and can use the tornado alert system PA for an immediate warning. In addition “Reach Boxes” — yellow boxes attached to walls — are located in most academic buildings to warn faculty and staff. When the police arrive at the “hot zone,” the area will be cleared and locked down. “We’re asking everyone to stay away from the area until that area has been released by public safety officials or police,” Grice said. “And at same time, we will probably start notifying different areas on campus to go into lockdown mode.” When in lockdown mode,
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Grice stresses that students shouldn’t become passive targets. New training emphasizes being proactive by barricading doorways and fighting back if an assailant enters the area. This creates a distraction, Grice said. “This is the most current information that’s dispersed out of how to react in this situation,” he said. “As time goes, it may continue to be evolved as we learn more. Unfortunately, these events are happening more often.” Grice said campus police would like to get a system that would lock down the buildings remotely from the station. The University of Kansas, Grice said, has this system. “Eventually we hope to get there,” Grice said. “But because of costs, all it’s going to take a little bit. It’s not a cheap project, but we’re moving forward and trying to get there.” In the meantime, students should also be aware of their surroundings because, ultimately, they are responsible for their own safety. “We hold a lot of the university community to be somewhat responsible for their safety, because there’s not many [K-State police officers],” Grice said. “So we do a lot of safety training classes of
Photo Illustration by Cassandra Nguyen | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
With the rise of active shooter incidents in the United States, students and faculty members are highly encouraged to be aware of the policies to follow in order to promote safety precautions in case an active shooter incident were to take place. how to make yourself safe on campus, off campus and how to protect your valuables.” According to vice president for administration and finance Cindy Bontrager, no students or parents have expressed concerns to the uni-
Students saw a sharp increase in the privilege fee this year
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versity about an active shooter event. Bontrager said there is a citizen response training called Alert, Lockdown, inform, Counter and Evacuate — abbreviated ALiCE — on Sept. 12 in the Cottonwood
Room of the K-State Student Union if students are interested in learning safety procedures.
see page 3, “PLAN”
From the archives: K-Staters share concern following 9/11
NEWS
Students meet librarians for their academic division by Bailey Britton Students of all majors could meet their department’s academic service librarian and grab a free T-shirt at the Meet Your Librarian event Monday morning on the first floor of Hale Library. Laura Bonella, academic services librarian for social sciences and education, helped two students, Avery Mott and Hannah Meredith, juniors in elementary education, during the Meet Your Librarian event. Bonella has been with Kansas State University for 19 years. “The main way we help is with your research,” Bonella said. “So, if you have questions about doing research, or finding the right sources or what databases to use or anything in your research process, evaluating sources ... whether things are under copyright, how you can work with things that are copyrighted, those are all things librarians are going to help you [with].” Bonella said she fell into being a librarian when she was working on her doctorate. She did not finish it and was looking for a job. She eventually began working as a librarian, which has many duties around K-State. “It’s really varied,” Bonella said. “ We’re on committees. We do things like Faculty Senate, we do university committees, we do a lot of national service, like American Library Association committees. But the main thing we do is help with and work with students and faculty for their research.”
see page 3, “LIBRARIAN”
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wednesday, september 11, 2019
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EDITORIAL BOARD Kaylie McLaughlin Editor-in-Chief Molly Hackett Managing Editor Sports Editor
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Bailey Britton Assistant News Editor
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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.
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wednesday, september 11, 2019
Students saw sharp increase in campus privilege fee. Here’s why.
WILLIAM RIDGE
THE COLLEGIAN
Kansas State students taking six credit hours or more saw a $28.50 increase to their campus privilege fee for the fall 2019 and spring 2020 semesters. That amounts to a 6.4 percent increase from the previous academic year. The fee now costs students $444 per semester. The Kansas Board of Regents approved the fee increase recommendation made by the Student Governing Association and university administration in June. The fee assists in making services available to students at the Manhattan campus — Student Health and Counseling Services, the Union Program Council and other student-centered programs. Jansen Penny, senior in industrial engineering and student body president, served as chair of the Privilege Fee Committee during the last academic year. He said the increase per student is due to drops in enrollment and an increase to some entities that receive allocation. “The Privilege Fee bud-
get is set each year and we as students have to match it the following years,” Penny said. “That’s why the biggest cause of the increasing Privilege Fee is the decreasing enrollment — which makes us all have to share more of that fee.” Based on 2018 enrollment statistics, enrollment on the Manhattan campus has decreased for five consecutive fall semesters and six consecutive spring semesters. Penny also acknowledged that part of the increase comes from large increases in budget allocation to Student Health Services and initiatives, as well as Counseling Services. Student Health Services’ $5.6 million share of the total $16.2 million raised by the Privilege Fee Committee will increase by 1.5 percent through the end of the 2020-2021 academic year to fund expansion of services at Lafene Health Center. In that same timeframe, Counseling Services’ share, which currently stands at $765,391 dollars, will increase by 5 percent. Natalie Jabben, junior in political science and re-
turning committee memver, said the committee philosophy is to treat students’ money with the greatest amount of care as possible. “There is a balance between providing what we on the committee consider to be worthwhile services and resources for students, and also keeping the fee as low as possible,” Jabben said. Jabben said that if the
LIBRARIAN continued from page
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Meredith and Mott are transfer students — Mott from North Central Missouri College and Meredith from Barton Community College. After seeing a flyer at the K-State Student Union Library Help Desk, Mott and Meredith decided to check out the event. Neither student had been in Hale prior to the May 2018 fire. Mott said she is glad Hale now has study space available. “I think the union is loud and crazy,” Mott said. “And so whenever you come here, it’s like so quiet. It’s super nice to have that quiet place — es-
overall budget allocation for the Privilege Fee were to decrease, there is no guarantee that the amount each student pays would also decrease. With the cost of attending K-State being a priority for the executive branch of SGA this academic year, Penny and Hannah Heatherman, speaker of the student senate and senior in finance, are preparing for future enrollment drops and raises in the Privilege Fee per student for future years. They may dip into reserve allocations for the Peters Recreation Complex and K-State Student Union. These allocations are separate from the allocations for operations and services those entities provide. “If we can cut that reserve allocation in half — or maybe even to zero if they have a surplus from those allocations and slowly replace those funds over time — we may be able to lower the cost each student pays if enrollment continues to drop,” Heatherman said. The committee will resume next Monday, at 6 p.m., to review the allocation for Wildcat Watch.
pecially whenever it comes to midterms and finals and stuff.” Currently, all academic service librarians are located in the College of Business Administration Building. Adriana Gonzalez, academic services department head, said that should hopefully change next semester when the second floor opens. Gonzalez can’t wait for everyone to be in a central location. “It will benefit those students because it gives them dedicated study space, but also gives us as librarians a place to be together,” Gonzalez said. “It benefits both of us in that relationship because you don’t have to go far to look for us and we are all together in the same building.”
we want to what’s important to email story ideas to news@kstatecollegian.com
PLAN continued from page
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In addition to ALiCE, campus police do training with other law enforcement agencies. “We do a lot of planning, we do a lot of training,” Grice said. “We foster relationships with local agencies, because one agency cannot handle a situation of that magnitude by itself. The FBI has a lot of resources that are available to us, and we have a liaison with the Kansas City office to all colleges and univer-
sities in the state of Kansas and Missouri. So we trained to keep with up to date. They notify us of the different resources that are made available to us.” If anyone is concerned someone may be a risk to be a shooter, Grice said to alert authorities so they can do an independent investigation. According to Grice, there have been no reports of any concern to date. In addition, since a bill passed on July 1, 2017, allowing firearms to be concealed and carried on campus, there has only been one incident that broke that law.
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wednesday, september 11, 2019
From the archive: Students concerned immediately following 9/11
(Above) File Photo COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Students and faculty hold hands during a prayer at the conclusion of the campus interfaith prayer service in the K-State Student Union’s Forum Hall on Sept. 12, 2001. The service, which included religious experts representing five different faiths on campus, was for those wanting to spend time reflecting on the terrorist attack in New York City and Washington, D.C.
(Below) Hannah Hunsinger COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Rochelle Visitacion, freshman in journalism, volunteers her time to decorate the quad for a 9/11 memorial and to remember her husband, who was currently deployed, Wednesday evening, Sept. 10, 2014.
Grab your copy of at Claflin Books
Written by Sarah Bahari, originally published Sept. 12, 2001. Jennifer Bambach was filled with questions Tuesday. Were her friends OK? How could this have happened? What if she had still lived there? The former New York resident couldn’t help but picture the scene – thousands of people trying to evacuate the building, the streets filled with people heading to work and the mass confusion and hysteria that was sure to follow the deadliest terrorist attack ever committed on U.S. soil. “I’m absolutely upset, shocked, worried about my friends,” Bambach said. “I’m trying to keep busy and not worry; but it’s hard.” Bambach moved from New Jersey to Kansas in April to work for K-State Online. Previously, she worked as an online consultant at 115 Broadway, directly across the street from the World Trade Center building. She has several friends who had worked in or around the Trade Center buildings, but she had not been able to contact any of them. She also has a friend who works at the Pentagon, who she had not been able to get a hold of. “You can’t get through to anyone there,” she said. “All the lines are tied up.” Bambach wasn’t alone in her frustrations. Nathan Arnold, senior in criminology, hadn’t heard from his aunt, who worked on the 40th floor of the first Trade Center Tower, which was hit by the first plane. “It’s looking pretty grim,” he said. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed, but I’m kind of expecting for the worst.” He said that when he first learned of the attack, he was in shock. “You just never think that could happen here,” he said. Tony Jurich, professor of family studies and human services, also has friends and family in New York and D.C. One friend, who he had not gotten in contact with, worked only four blocks away from the Trade Center. “Did debris and chunks of
the building make it that far? I don’t know,” Jurich said. “He’s probably in the most danger. ” Mallory Malone, junior in financial management, is from New Jersey and lives about 30 minutes away from the Trade Center. She spent Tuesday trying to contact her family, who she later learned was fine. Now Malone is waiting to hear from her high school friends whose parents worked in or near the Trade Center. Like Bambach, she said she can’t help but visualize the scene. “It’s emotional,” she said. “It’s weird knowing exactly where everything is and being able to picture all of it.” Amber Wayne, junior in elementary education, was waiting to hear from an aunt who works at LeGuardia Airport in New York. She said she felt helpless but was doing her best to get through the day. “I called my mom, and I started crying,” she said, “She told me, ‘Just Pray,’ and I said, ‘OK.’” Wayne said she never thought anything like this would happen. “Not of this magnitude,” she said. “We think we’re invincible and we can do anything, but we can’t.” Bambach said she, too, was in disbelief. “The scary part of this is these planes are U.S., and you can just imagine how they were feeling crashing right into the World Trade Center knowing the devastation it would cause,” she said. Had Bambach still been working in New York, she said it is quite possible her building would have collapsed. “Thank God I was here and not there,” she said. For now, many are beginning to wonder what the implications of Tuesday’s tragedy will be. Jurich said one student asked him if he ever thought there could be a World War III. He said maybe, but it wouldn’t be like anything before. “It would be a nuclear war and everyone dies, or it would be terrorist actions,” he said. “I think we are seeing the latter.”
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wednesday, september 11, 2019
Those lost in 9/11 honored in the Quad on 18th anniversary RACHEL HOGAN THE COLLEGIAN
On the 18th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, nearly 3,000 flags will be placed in the Waters Hall Quad to honor each life lost at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Shanksville, PennHannah Hunsinger COLLEGIAN MEIDA GROUP
UPC volunteers lined the grass of the quad with small flags in rememberance of 9/11 on Wednesday evening, Sept. 10, 2014.
sylvania. “UPC started this event in fall 2006 and has carried on this tradition every year," Siera Shirley, UPC forums co-chair and sophomore in hospitality management, said in a comment. "It’s important to take a moment of self-reflection out of our busy days to recognize the innocent people who lost their lives on this day in 2001.” The Union Program Council will place 2,997 flags in the Quad, one for each innocent person who died in the attacks. Tuesday marks the 18th anniversary of the event.
K-State soccer falls to Cal State Fullerton 2-0 on Sunday ADAM MEYER
THE COLLEGIAN
The game of soccer didn't flow for Kansas State on Sunday night as they fell to California State Fullerton 2-0 at Titan Stadium in Southern California. K-State had a chance to take an early lead in the 14th minute of the game in the first half on
a shot from junior Brookelynn Entz, but it was saved by Cal State Fullerton goalkeeper Noa Schumacher. That was the Wildcats' best chance to score in the game. K-State's defense was able to hold off Cal State Fullerton for the first 75 minutes of the game, but Cal State eventually got a goal on the scoreboard off a deflection off a corner kick.
Then an insurance run was added from the Tigers with six minutes remaining in the game to meet the final score of 2-0. The Tigers led the Wildcats in offense with a 19-6 advantage in total shots and a 6-3 edge in shots on goal. K-State now heads back home for a five-match homestand that begins on Thursday night against Gonzaga at 7 p.m.
Campus police activity: Sept. 3-9 RACHEL HOGAN THE COLLEGIAN
TUESDAY, SEPT. 3
No incidents reported. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 4
Incident: Theft from Aug. 14 Incident: Driving while license is cancelled, suspended or revoked Location: 2000 Claflin Rd. Time: 10:42 p.m. Disposition: Investigation complete, citation issued THURSDAY, SEPT. 5
No incidents reported.
Incident: Driving while license is cancelled, suspended or revoked Location: Claflin Road and Mid Campus Drive Time: 9:10 p.m. Disposition: Investigation complete, citation issued
sent to county attorney Incident: Two instances of minors in consumption of alcohol Location: 2100 Kimball Ave. Time: 9:19 a.m. and 11:51 a.m. Disposition: Investigations complete, citations issued
SATURDAY, SEPT. 7
SUNDAY, SEPT. 8
FRIDAY, SEPT. 6
Incident: Theft from Aug. 31 Incident: Minor in consumption of alcohol Location: 1300 Claflin Rd. Time: 1:55 a.m. Disposition: Investigation complete, report
No incidents reported. MONDAY, SEPT. 9
Incident: Theft by deception, identity fraud Location: Manhattan Time: 2:44 p.m. Disposition: Under investigation
(File Photo by Collegian Media Group)
Dalton Wainscott | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Red-shirt freshman Bailey Nemecheck and teammates gather in a pregame huddle before the game against Arkansas State. Arkansas won 2-1.
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wednesday, september 11, 2019
OPINION: Student visa denials limit access to American dream VEDANT DEEPAK KULKARNI THE COLLEGIAN
International students’ enrollment and population at Kansas State University and across America have gone down for the fourth consecutive year. According to statistics from the International Students and Scholars Services at K-State, international student population has declined from 2,247 in fall 2014 to 1,537 in spring 2019. An increase in immigration crackdowns and stricter policies have resulted in fewer students being issued student visas to come and study in America. In a nationwide phenomenon, enrollment of international students at American universities have seen a sharp decline of around 6.6 percent per year since the 2016-2017 school year. According to the Pew Research Center, the number of international full-time student visas issued dropped nearly 17 percent between 2016 and 2017. This
trend has continued over the years to an all-time high student visa denial rate. In an article by CNBC, attorney Shah Peerally of Shah Peerally Law Group in San Francisco states that the student visa process under the administration is “a nightmare.” Peerally also noted that while there has been a decline in foreign enrollments in America, Canada has seen an increase. “Canada has an express entry. Within a few weeks they get not only their work permits, but also their residency,” Peerally said. CNBC also reported that a policy memorandum introduced in July to August of 2018 gave the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services “full discretion to deny [visa] applications, petitions or requests” without seeking additional information. This memorandum struck down 2013 legislation requiring USCIS to reach out to for clarification before denying applications. Essentially, it means that even minor visa violations,
even those that may have resulted from officials’ mistakes in filling out forms, can result in loss of immigration status. The crucial detail to remember is that USCIS is no longer required to inform people if they have committed a minor violation. However, the new policy gives them total authority to deport international students. The New York Times reports that the punishment for overstaying your student visa would result in deportation and up to a 10-year ban from the United States. “A lot of this impacts things that happen when students are in crisis when [visa] status is the last thing on their minds,” said Katie Tudini, director for international students services at University of Buffalo, while speaking with the New York Times. International students “are considered the most brilliant minds in their field, and they are not coming here to infringe the law and intentionally overstay in the country,” Karen F. Da Silva, international student advocate
for the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students, told the New York Times. I agree with Da Silva. I am an international student. When I chose to come to America, I ensured that once I was here, I would never break even the smallest law. I am always careful about my behavior in the country, and so far, I have not broken any American laws. However, I am a double-major student and if my studies take longer to complete than what I expected, I face the risk of being deported. I face the risk of being thrown out of here just because I chose to study more. At K-State, we have 1,500 international students from numerous different countries and all continents except Antarctica. All of us bring a distinct global perspective to our classes and to campus with the hope that our voices will be heard. The current rate at which international students are being denied student visas to America could be seen as a potential attack on a campus diversity and inclusion philos-
ophies. We pay tuition as high as $18,000 per semester, yet we are the ones that now face the risk of persecution and deportation by the immigration system for technical errors. International students studying at American universities have contributed over $39 billion and supported over 455,000 jobs to the economy. International students in Kansas have provided over $61.8 million to the Kansas economy and supported around 800 jobs. These contributions are at risk due to student visa denials and a decrease in international student enrollment at K-State and across America. We, the international students, need help from our friends, colleagues, professors and administrators to be our voice across the state and the nation. I want to call upon the K-State Young Democrats and the K-State College Republicans to represent our voices to your representatives, senators and other leaders across the state and the nation. Our population at campuses across America is
decreasing rapidly and we need help, and we need it right away. I appeal to university president Richard Myers to use his influence at the national level to bring the attention of American leaders to this cause. I urge the Student Governing Association to use their influence for this cause. International students work for the betterment of America and for the opportunity to live a happy life here. We pay hefty tuition fees, get involved on campus and demonstrate our skills across multiple platforms on campus. In return, we only ask for a fair chance at living the American dream. The American dream still stays alive among students. Please help us save it and receive the opportunity to live it. Vedant Deepak Kulkarni is a junior in management information systems. 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.
John Chapple | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Vedant Kulkarni, junior in management information systems, is an international student from India.
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wednesday, september 11, 2019
Safety first: Tips to ensure personal safety as a college student OLIVIA ROGERS THE COLLEGIAN
When I was eight years old, I heard the story of Kelsey Smith. Kelsey was an eighteenyear-old girl about to graduate high school. She was vivacious, full of life and ready to start a new chapter of her life at college. On June 2, 2007, Kelsey went to a Target in Overland Park, to purchase a gift. Her family knew where she was headed, and expected to hear from her in about an hour — but then, they didn’t. They quickly concluded something was wrong. Kelsey’s car was still in the parking lot at a neighboring shopping mall, but she was nowhere to be found. Four days later, Kelsey Smith’s body was found. She had been brutally assaulted and murdered. The Target that Kelsey visited is very near to my house. I vividly remember praying with my family each night Kelsey was missing, hoping that police would find her, alive. After Kelsey’s murder, my family and I started asking questions. If this happened to her, in the Target we visited all the time, it could happen to us as well. Kelsey’s parents, Greg and Missey Smith, founded the Kelsey’s Army foundation and began traveling the nation speaking about personal safety and simple steps to take to protect yourself. College is an exciting time of life — new places, new people and new experiences are everywhere. But it’s also a time of new dangers. The Department of Justice reports that persons age 18 to 21 are most likely to experience a violent crime out of any other age group. How can you make sure you’re not part of that statistic? Here are three tips to increase your personal safety.
1. LOOK UP
Most of us walk the same routes almost every day, whether that’s going to and from classes, walking back to an apartment or trekking to the parking lot. We could probably do these with our eyes closed, and often virtually
Photo Illustration by Cassandra Nguyen | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
One of K-State’s top priorities is safety to all students around campus. If students choose to walk home during the night, they are encouraged to be aware of their surrounds and have easy access to safety by downloading K-State’s new saftey application LiveSafe. do so — we walk with our head down, looking at our phone or simply not paying attention to our surroundings. One of the simplest ways to protect yourself is by increasing your awareness. Look around when you walk from place to place. Notice what’s happening around you — if there is a group of people stopped ahead, if you’re the only person in sight or if something seems off. When you’re not paying attention, you can become a target. Look up, make eye contact and walk with purpose.
2. LET SOMEONE KNOW
Kelsey Smith always texted someone whenever she was changing locations or leaving the house. When her family didn’t hear from her as they usually did, they were able to assess the situation and realize that something was wrong fairly quickly. If you’re going out on the weekend, running a few errands or taking a road trip, take a few seconds to shoot your roommates or a trusted friend a text letting them know where you’re going and about how long you
expect to be there. That way, if anything ever did go wrong, someone would know and send help.
3. LEAVE PREPARED
When you leave your house, dorm or apartment, it’s always a good idea to have a few essentials. A fully charged phone and backup charger cord is probably the most important, but having a whistle, pepper spray or taser is also advisable. Make sure you understand how to use any tool you bring with you, so you’re prepared if you ever need it. K-State offers many
resources to keep you safe, from Wildcat Walk to SafeRide and more. If you’re ever in a situation where you have to walk across campus alone or in the dark, or you ever feel unsafe walking around the area, these are easy, helpful resources to use. Furthermore, know the emergency numbers for your area. 911 is nearly universal, but it’s also good to know the campus police number or the other K-State emergency contacts. Personal safety doesn’t have to mean being paranoid, but it does mean being aware. Looking
up, letting someone know and leaving prepared are three simple ways to ensure you stay safe and have a fantastic college experience. Olivia Rogers is a community editor for the Collegian, the vice president of the University Honors Program and a senior in political science. 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.
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wednesday, september 11, 2019
Abigail Archibong takes to the court for her first collegiate season DALTON WAINSCOTT THE COLLEGIAN
With the school year starting up again, there are many new faces on campus — in the dorms, halls and on the athletic fields and courts. One of these new faces is freshman volleyball player Abigail Archibong. Although Archibong has been on campus since last spring, this is her first year taking to the court. Last spring she came to Kansas State University and was redshirted, so this will be her first year of competitive play. Archibong is studying life science at K-State and says she wants to become a family practitioner or dermatologist. “It’s a little bit of biology and chemistry, and I love science” Archibong said. For most Division I college athletes, there are many options when searching for school, but for Archibong, K-State just made sense. “There really is a good family atmosphere here and my sister went here,” Archibong said. “It's also very close to home.” The majority of Archibong’s family live in Africa, so having the family that is here close is really important to her. “I have four siblings and I’m a big family person," Archibong said. Not only did Archibong have a new environment to get used to, she also had to get used to a new set of teammates. “She’s done really well here,” senior defensive specialist and libero Mckenzi Weber said. “She’s also really
Dalton Wainscott | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Freshman middle blocker Abigail Archibong practices at Ahearn Fieldhouse. She started attending K-State in the spring of 2019, but this will be her first season playing volleyball on the university court. competitive”. When Archibong came to Manhattan she signed on with the team as an outside hitter, but last summer she was moved to middle blocker. “The main thing she has to work on is timing,” associate head coach Jeff Grove
said. “But when she reads the set right she does really well." Even though most of Archibong’s time is taken up with volleyball and school, she still finds time for hobbies. “I really like to draw,” Archibong said. “I've recently started drawing canvas
sketches and then painting them." But her schedule does have have its downsides. “I have a very busy schedule,” said Archibong. “So I often don't have much time to meet non-athletes”. Overall, Archibong said
she is still happy to be here because of all the people she has met from different parts of the nation and world. With this being her first season of K-State volleyball she said she is looking forward to making an impact. “I want to be a consistent
player,” Archibong said. “I want to be a playmaker and a leader for the team." Weber had this advice for Archibong and all the new players: “College athletics is not what you think it is, but there are so many opportunities!”