news: page 03
news: page 04
arts & culture: page 06
sports: page 10
Cats’ Cupboard offers online registration for donation drives
Flint Hills Discovery Center celebrates decade of prairie teachings mission
Abby Aguilar representing Philippine Student Association crowned Miss K-State
Wildcat runner Kassidy Johnson opens up about struggle with eating disorder
K A N S A S
S T A T E
vol. 127 issue 27 | friday, april 15, 2022 | kstatecollegian.com
Classy Cat Champs: Dance team wins D1A Pom National Championship CLAIBORN SCHMIDT arts & culture editor
LANDON REINHARDT sports editor
The Classy Cats flew to the sunshine state over the weekend and danced home with the Division 1A Pom National Championship from the College Classic National Invitation. “We got seeded in the rankings really well, and it was just special to see that the judges ranked us like that,” Emmy Bidnick, Classy Cat team captain and graduate student in accounting, said. Members of the dance team grasped each other with anticipation ahead of their placement on April 10, waiting for the winning announcements. “We were so excited. You’re all holding hands waiting for the moment and just to hear the lineup … we were up against some really, like really, amazing teams and some that I had followed for a while,” Addie Keith, freshman in kinesiology, said. The team finished 0.3 points ahead of second-place Arizona State on the 100-point scale in the final competition. After leading the scores through preliminaries, Keith and the rest of the team knew they had won after hearing the second-place announcement. “We were waiting for them to announce the second place,” Keith said. “Once they did, we were just so excited and so proud of what we had accomplished and everything, and it was just such a crazy feeling. It was something I’ll never
Archive photo by Kendall Spencer | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
The Classy Cats perform in the endzone during the K-State vs. UNR game on Sept. 18, 2021. The theme of the game was “Fort Riley” and honored the different branches of the U.S. military and soldiers from the nearby base. forget for sure.” Even though the team knew they had won, it took a moment for the win to sink in. “I think we were all in shock and disbelief,” head coach Sara Heptig said. “And it was just, I think every emotion … there were a lot of tears of joy.” Heptig competed in two national championships as a Classy Cat from 1999 to 2003.
“You could just see their eyes light up and the tears start to fall. And that is a moment that we will never ever forget,” Heptig said. “I couldn’t have asked for any more as a coach. They left it all out there. They were absolutely fantastic.” Prelims took place on Saturday, with finals on Sunday. Twenty-one of the 24 Classy Cats attended nationals as part
of Division 1A — the highest level of competition — for both pom and jazz. The Classy Cats competed against six other teams in the pom division and 13 in the jazz division. “The first night we were there, I think we practiced for six hours just trying to get everything down and made sure we had it right,” Bidnick said. “We tweaked the things that needed to be tweaked, and
we perfected the choreography. The next day, we got up really early to get onto a performance floor to make sure we had everything just right. That set us up to go into prelims on Saturday.” The team started honing its craft as basketball season ended, practicing for three hours a day, four days a week. “My teammates, we all put in so much hard work and
time the past few months preparing, and it was just such a feeling of accomplishment and knowing that all of our work was worth it,” Jenna Gillespie, sophomore in business administration, said. “It also has been long hours, hard practices. And I mean that comes with injuries, real blood, sweat, tears — as cliche as it sounds.” After the competition, members of the group realized that this specific team just had some of its lasts as a group, as next year will bring new people, routines and opportunities. “Our last practice, our last trip and our last huddle — all of the lasts really hit at once for this team, and that made it so much more emotional, but also that much more memorable,” Bidnick said. “It was an incredible experience. I couldn’t have asked for anything better, but what made it so surreal, was that this year was our team’s last chance to achieve our goal.” Classy Cats auditions are coming up at the end of April, and Heptig is already working towards the national championship for next year. “We are already ready to begin brainstorming for what our routines will be, our choreography — you know, all that stuff will be. I think having gone through it this year, we’re going to look at being able to start preparing earlier,” Heptig said. “Coming back [and] trying to defend the title is going to be a whole other story. So, I think that’s going to help elevate our intensity, our work ethic, our discipline earlier in the season.”
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Health department announces increase in COVID-19 positivity rates WENDY BARNES news editor
In the latest COVID-19 update released on April 13, the Riley County Health Department identified 15 new COVID-19 cases since last week. Active cases have increased from 16 to 18 since the previous report. However, Ascension Via Christi has no COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to RCHD. The Kansas State campus also experienced an increase in positive
COVID-19 cases. Since its most recent report, Lafene identified four new positive cases, bringing the positivity rate up from 0.00 percent to 3.88 percent for the week of April 4-8. The number of tests administered this past week also increased from 92 to 103. Free rapid and PCR tests are available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with no appointment at 3019 Anderson Ave. The service is available through the end of April. The health department contin-
ues to provide COVID-19 vaccinations with or without an appointment. Walk-in vaccinations are available at 2030 Tecumseh Road from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday-Wednesday, noon to 6 p.m. on Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Friday. Individuals can schedule appointments by calling (785) 565-6560. However, COVID-19 testing is longer available at the location. Infographic by Julie Freijat COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
EDITORIAL BOARD 2021-2022 Jared Shuff Editor-in-Chief
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The Collegian, a student newspaper at Kansas State University, is published by Collegian Media Group. It is published 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, 2022 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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Cats’ Cupboard offers online registration for donation drives LEXI LIBY staff writer
In early spring 2021, the National College Health Assessment surveyed 10,000 randomly selected Kansas State students, revealing about 40 percent of students suffer from food insecurity. The survey also found 61.3 percent of students reported high or marginal food security, while 24.3 percent reported low food security and 14.4 percent reported very low food security. Morrison Family Director of Cats’ Cupboard Shelly Williams said the survey shows the need for the center. “According to the NCHA survey, there is an obvious need for the products that Cats’ Cupboard provides,” Williams said. “With continued donation drives, people can continue to show up.” Fifty percent of Cats’ Cupboard products come from individuals, groups and organizations. However, Williams said there are still some things donors do not know when it comes to donating. “We recently inserted a link onto our home page that allows people interested in hosting a do-
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nation drive to register online,” Williams said. “We inserted this link because it helps us be sure we have enough volunteers to help unload, and it helps us keep track of the total number of drives.” Alpha Chi Omega sorority recently hosted a canned food drive from April 11-14 called “Canstruction.” The event was not registered online. Rebekah McLean, junior in elementary education and community relations director for Alpha Chi Omega, planned the donation drive and said she was not aware of the online registration at the time. “We thought our sorority would just collect the cans and then deliver them to Cats’ Cupboard,” McLean said. “We did not think there was a process with preferred steps to take, but I will make a note to register online next year.” Williams said there are several benefits to registering online, even though it is not a requirement. “We certainly won’t turn people away if they do not register online,” Williams said. “It just helps us better accommodate the donors and allows us the opportu-
nity to provide the drive hosts with an updated list of the Cupboard’s biggest needs.” Kelsey Sutton, sophomore in psychology, conflict analysis & trauma, and a Cats’ Cupboard employee, said donation drives are not only for canned food. “I don’t think people realize how much we need hygiene drives,” Sutton said. “Our hygiene items go very fast, and we are always in need of those items; though whatever donation drive is done we really appreciate it.” Sutton said the online registration is supposed to help with keeping records of old donation drives and make them easily manageable. According to a handout from Williams, Cats’ Cupboard had 3,102 unique visitors in 2021. A unique visitor is a guest counted once a month no matter the number of times they shop. In the past two months, the cupboard has already had 757 unique visitors. Williams said keeping cans of food, gently used utensils, personal hygiene products and school supplies on the shelves provides K-State students with access to nutritious food and healthy well-being.
KANSAS WITHOUT THE KANZA:
Understanding how the Kanza Homeland became K-State
Learn more about the treaties that cumulatively dispossessed the Kanza (now present-day Kaw Nation) of 18,233,620 acres of land. MANHATTAN PUBLIC LIBRARY AUDITORIUM APRIL 21 7:00 P.M - 8:00 P.M ADMISSION IS FREE | OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Presented by:
Dylan Connell | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Cats’ Cupboard offers nonperishable food items and hygiene products to any student or faculty member who needs it.
CHAPMAN CENTER FOR RURAL STUDIES
Scan to register:
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Flint Hills Discovery Center celebrates decade of prairie teachings mission CLAIBORN SCHMIDT arts & culture editor
The Flint Hills Discovery Center is staying busy all weekend long as it rings in its first decade of celebrating, exploring and caring for the Flint Hills. Susan Adams, director of the Flint Hills Discovery Center, has worked for the center since before its opening in 2012. “It’s been amazing to watch the 10-year succession of the Discovery Center,” Adams said. “You know, we started off with a plan, but it’s been fun to see it grow and develop, and a lot of it came from partnerships and community involvement.” Manhattan City Manager Ron Fehr talked about what went into the construction of the Flint Hills Discovery Center and how the center has helped the Manhattan community in development in the past 10 years. “The Flint Hills Discovery Center has been a top attraction to our community since it was constructed to anchor our South End Redevelopment District that yielded $50 million in STAR Bond investment from the state of Kansas in public infrastructure and Blue Earth Park as well as the FHDC [Flint Hills Discovery Center] building,” Fehr said. “That was matched by an initial investment of over $50 million of city and private funding, which paid for the FHDC exhibits, as well as a parking garage, hotel and conference center, and a mixed-use retail, office and residential building.” The celebrations started at 11 a.m. on Thursday with local speakers, but doors opened at 10 a.m. Visitors also had an opportunity to engage in activities and a balloon drop – which almost only happens at the Flint Hills Discovery Center’s New
Year’s Eve events. Speakers included Fehr, Convention and Vistors Bureau President and CEO Jason Smith, Mayor Linda Morse and the president of the Flint Hills Discovery Center Foundation, Bruce Snead. Throughout the weekend, the center is offering throwback pricing — $7 for adults and $3 for children. Offers at the gift store and opportunities on membership rates will also be available. “We’re also giving 10 percent off at the gift store, and that’s a great benefit that a lot of people like because they like to come in and shop,” Adams said. “Any of our membership rates other than the already discounted membership rates, you can get 10 percent off, so that’s also a nice perk. And then we have some giveaways again throughout the weekend. But that all goes on from April 14 to 17.” The Flint Hills Discovery Center is a hands-on experience for all ages about science history, focusing on geology, plants, biology and culture. “A lot of people don’t understand the value of grazers upon the grassland and the value of the ecosystem itself,” Adams said. “If we don’t have the tall grass, then we’ve lost a whole component of our eco-diversity. So that’s pretty key to this center.” Fehr explained what role and value the center takes in tallgrass prairie understanding through its hands-on activities and immersive experiences. “The FHDC plays a key role in educating visitors about the value and significance of one of the last remaining areas of the tallgrass prairie on the planet,” Fehr said. “The Immersive Theatre experience exemplifies that aspect and also illustrates one of several significant private investment partnerships within the facility.”
The center’s mission is to inspire celebration, exploration and care for the Flint Hills, and all programming at the center advocates for that. “If people walk out of here and they didn’t understand what we were all about, they weren’t paying attention because there’s a lot of great information and a lot of handson learning,” Adams said. The Flint Hills Discovery Center is now redesigning the second-floor children’s area to make it more interactive for vistors. “Personally, I’m gonna go up there and have a ton of fun, and I think any age can do that,” Adams said. “But again, just from the beginning with the Flint Hills Discovery Center, it was really about partnerships... making programs to meet what the expectations are [for the community] and really focusing on our mission to try to get people out to experience the Flint Hills.” Aside from the redesign of the second floor, the Discovery Center is always working on other ways to keep people interested by hosting traveling exhibits. “We’ve host Wed traveling exhibits since the day we opened our doors, and most often we try to stay within the mission … but we’ve had a variety of exhibits from dinosaurs, to last summer we hosted hands-on Harley Davidson, this summer we’re hosting an exhibit called ‘Big League Fun’ focusing on baseball,” Adams said. “We’ve had bison exhibits, and we’ve had art exhibits, so trying to tie something to the exhibit while it’s here and tie it to our mission is really important to our purpose.” More information about the exhibits, this weekend’s events and upcoming events are available on the Flint Hills Discovery Center website.
Claiborn Schmidt | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
The Flint Hills Discovery Center celebrates 10 years of operations since opening to the public on April 14, 2012.
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Five years, three albums: ‘California’ by Blink-182 NATHAN ENSERRO asst. sports editor
In the final installment of ‘Five Years, Three Albums’ we’ll look at a record I’m tired of fans pretending not to like: Blink-182’s 2016 release “California.” But first, some context to the record’s 2016 release: Blink-182’s hiatus ended in 2009 when the band went on a reunion tour and started recording again. They released “Neighborhoods” in 2011, and then more drama struck when a rift formed between the band and guitarist Tom DeLonge. DeLonge left to chase aliens —among other reasons, including commitment issues. Blink turned to Alkaline Trio frontman Matt Skiba as a fill-in guitarist, singer and writer in 2015. The trio
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of Skiba, bassist and vocalist Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker released “California” in July 2016 to a lot of hype. The record debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top200 chart, sat there for a week before finishing the year at No. 69 and remaining in the publication’s top rock albums into 2017. It sold 500,000 copies, reaching Gold status. Despite its place on the charts, “California” received mixed reviews from critics and fans. Metacritic’s ranking algorithm — which takes 100 critics into account — rated the record just 63 out of 100. The Guardian gave it two out of five stars and Rolling Stone gave it three-and-a-half. Many of the criticisms of the record are valid: there are no “Tom Songs,” and the record lacks some of the endearing childishness
Blink-182 fans have come to expect. The production is a little too present, and some songs sound too similar. By no means is it as good as the band’s four-record stretch from 1997 to 2003, and at 16 songs and 42 minutes, it is a bit long. However, it’s worth listening to if you missed it, ignored it or wrote it off five years ago — you might be pleasantly surprised. The first single, “Bored to Death,” is one example of a pretty classic Blink-182 song. The lead guitar sounds like a forgotten B-side off “Enema of the State,” and Hoppus and Skiba trade verses back and forth just like Hoppus and DeLonge used to — even if Skiba’s voice isn’t as delightfully nasally as DeLonge’s. “Teenage Satellites” is a fairly classic pop-punk song about two love-struck teenagers running away together to
escape the problems of their world. The band acknowledges that often times teenage romances are quick to break apart in the atmosphere like satellites crashing back to Earth. However, the record shows more of a grown-up take on life — and it should. “Calfornia” was released 21 years after the band’s debut record “Cheshire Cat.” It captures the good and bad of the state while still providing that pop-punk sound. “Los Angeles” provides a very pop-punk look at the grittiness of some parts of Los Angeles, and Skiba said in an interview with NME that it juxtaposes against the traditional view of the city. “Home is Such a Lonely Place” sounds like a classic pop-punk break-up song, but it’s really about Hoppus’ son growing up and leaving home.
With that context, it’s absolutely tear-jerking when Hoppus sings, “I wish I could slow down time / But not enough to slow you down.” The title track, “California,” reads like a love letter to the band’s home state, but the lyrics are about the unfulfilled promise the state brings to some of those who move there. Lyrics like “Good things haven’t happened yet, I’m empty as a movie set / It’s what I’ve always wanted” and “Living in the perfect weather / Spending time inside together” capture that beautifully. Ultimately, it’s that dichotomy between sounding like early 2000s sophomoric punk with
more grown-up themes that makes this record worth a revisit. It also has a few joke songs like “Brohemian Rhapsody” and “Built This Pool” to bring some lightheartedness. “California” is available on all major streaming services.
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Abby Aguilar representing Philippine Student Association crowned Miss K-State 2022 GRACE NEEDHAM staff writer
Under the sparkling lights, 17 women clad in floorlength gowns anxiously await the emcee to announce the next Miss K-State. The audience leans forward, hoping their nominee will take the crown and their organization will win bragging rights. The men of Delta Upsilon hosted the ninth-annual Miss K-State Competition on April 12. Benefitting the Delta Upsilon Global Service Initiative, the event drew members from Kansas State greek organizations and campus organizations alike. Abby Aguilar, freshman in biomedical engineering and winner of the 2022 Miss K-State title, represented the Philippine Student Association on Tuesday. Aside from fencing during the talent round and performing a skit about her future career in medicine, she expressed her passion for fighting for racial equity in healthcare. “We have a chance to advocate for what we’re very passionate about [at Miss K-State],” Aguilar said. “I’m so glad I was able to do this.” Aguilar hopes to be a voice for underrepresented and historically excluded communities. She said that — moving forward as Miss K-State — she will have a bigger platform to help spread her message. Four judges were nominated to the Miss K-State panel — Marcus Kidd, assistant director
of enrollment for the College of Education and first-time judge, said he was excited to see the diversity of nominees competing in this year’s event. “So traditionally, we’ve had a lot of greek students be nominated, which has been great, but it’s awesome to see women outside of that typical greek population that are brought forth to participate,” Kidd said. “I think it’s really showing how growing our community can be, how diverse it’s getting. I think that’s something to be celebrated.” Kidd said he was impressed by the wide range of talents displayed at the competition – an Irish dance, several musical performances and a stand-up comedy routine graced the stage. “There were a lot of talents that we saw tonight that I was just in awe by,” Kidd said. “Like, ‘Oh, wow. I could never see myself doing that.”’ Kidd said he hopes everyone in attendance came away empowered and that people should consider the competition as more than just a superficial contest. “It’s really meant to be inspiring for the audience and for the community in general,” Kidd said. “It’s great for people to be able to come out and celebrate how different we are.” As Miss K-State, Aguilar receives a $500 scholarship, sash, crown and a $200 donation to a philanthropic organization of her choice. However, that’s not where all the proceeds go. Money
from ticket sales, donations and “Fan Favorite” PayPal votes go to the Global Service Initiative, a philanthropy Delta Upsilon works with closely. Tyler McCoach, senior in kinesiology and Delta Upsilon’s vice president of philanthropy, said he was thrilled to organize the ninth Miss K-State competition since its inception in 2013. “I was fortunate enough to join a house that had such a great event already installed several years ago,” McCoach said. “I was absolutely extremely lucky to be able to continue this event.” McCoach said the members of Delta Upsilon are passionate about the Global Service Initiative, and many have made trips to Jamaica with this organization to build schools and other infrastructures. Another way they support the GSI is through large-scale philanthropic events that McCoach plans and executes as vice president. “I have a history of doing community service my entire life,” McCoach said. “When I joined DU, I knew this was an excellent opportunity for me to use my skill set to improve the house that I love so much.” Miss K-State accepts up to 20 nominees from greek organizations, clubs, residence halls and even sports teams. This means that next year, there are three spots available to anyone who wants to throw their name in the hat. Next year, the crown might be yours.
Photo courtesy of Kenedi Kelso
Miss K-State 2022 Abby Aguilar (left) with Miss K-State 2021 Katie Dreiling (right) on April 12, 2022.
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Sexual Assault Awareness Month survivor art exhibit addresses stigma, available resources BREANNA PALMER staff writer
“What were you wearing?” One of the many questions sexual assault victims and survivors face, this statement of victim-blaming is why the survivor exhibit at Colony Square exists. Various organizations in Manhattan that support victims and survivors of sexual assault help put together the “What Were You Wearing?’ exhibit each April — Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The exhibit displays several outfits, along with survivors’ stories clipped on the various clothing. From black slacks and basketball shorts to an arrangement of pajamas, these were the clothes people wore at the time of their assault. The Crisis Center, Kansas State Center for Advocacy, Response and Education (CARE), Forensic Nursing Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), Riley County Attorney’s office, Riley County Police Department and Military Sexual Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) all sponsored the event this year. “The hope is that just through awareness and hosting the exhibit is that we could reach more people with information about services, but also begin those conversations in the community about sexual assault,” Kathy Ray, executive director of the Crisis Center, said. “It happens here in our community and it is kind of a collaborative effort to show we support victims and survivors.” Survivors and victims of sexual assault face many struggles after telling their stories, which is often a difficult process. “You know, a lot of people who’ve experienced sexual assault don’t want to share their story because of fear or because just a lot of shame and guilt that’s attached to it, and there’s a lot of victim-blaming that happens around sexual assault and
Breanna Palmer | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
The “What Were You Wearing?” survivor art exhibit displays several outfits, along with survivors’ stories clipped on the clothing. rape, which is also one of the points of the exhibit,” Ray said. “One of those is rape culture, so what the victim was wearing, who they were with and what they were doing having something to do with the assault.” According to a U.S. Department of Justice analysis in 2016 on violent crimes, nearly 80 percent of rapes and sexual assaults go unreported. Services like the Crisis Center try to help with services and advocacy teams. “The Crisis Center is a community-based victim advocacy organization, and so all of our services are completely free and confidential,” Ray said. “So even though we partner with these other entities, we
don’t share information back and forth with them.” Victims and survivors of sexual assault can reach out to the Crisis Center for services, with a 24-hour hotline number [1-800-727-2785] and more services available on the center’s website. Another organization available is CARE. Students, faculty and staff can access this service, and there is no need to set up appointments. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday. “My job is to meet with people who have experienced sexual violence or interpersonal violence, that’s really the main objective of our office,” Stephanie Foran, interim assistant director for CARE,
said. “Everything we do is confidential, so no one is ever going to be required to report
to law enforcement or to the university, so I think a lot of people are kind of happy with
that: it makes it a little easier for them to come forward.” Foran said that the CARE office previously hosted the “What Were You Wearing” exhibit on campus for two years but had to stop because of the pandemic. “I’m really glad that it’s still happening because I think it’s such an important cause, and I really like that it challenges a lot of the victim-blaming statements that we hear,” Foran said, “you know, ‘Were you drinking?’ ‘Why did you go out with them if you didn’t want to hook up afterwards?’ and ‘What were you wearing?’” The CARE office is busy in April for Sexual Assault Awareness Month, hosting events to support the community and spread awareness. “We have a lot of different things going on. Our convention specialist, Jessica Henault, is doing a lot as far as tabling, we are doing a menstrual product drive, we’re doing a big collaboration for Denim Day at the end of the month and we also are co-sponsors for the ‘What were you wearing?’ exhibit,” Foran said. More information about CARE and its services is available on the K-State CARE website, and information on events is available in the CARE office in Holton 206.
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REVIEW: ‘It Ends With Us’ follows atypical romance after college ELLA JUNG staff writer
Although published in 2016, Colleen Hoover’s “It Ends With Us” has seen a surge in popularity thanks to #BookTok on TikTok — to the point where I had to visit three different bookstores just to find a copy. “It Ends With Us” is a romance novel that doesn’t follow the typical romance plot. Set in Boston, Massachusetts, Hoover tells the story of Lily Bloom. Lily, a woman starting her post-college life on her own, meets a man named Ryle with whom she has immediate chemistry. However, Ryle only wants a casual fling, while Lily wants a relationship. They go their separate ways but reconcile six months later and begin a relationship. While everything is picture-perfect at first, someone from Lily’s past reappears and tests the strength of her relationship. Since I’d never read a work by Hoover before, I entered this novel with an open and eager mind. I found her writing style very appealing: easy to read, no incredibly long or boring descriptions
and consistently interesting. Though her character descriptions weren’t long, they gave me a mental image of what I thought the characters looked like, and her writing style made it feel like I really knew the characters. I could feel Lily’s passion for her work, her pain and her strength to stand up against Ryle’s abuse. This novel definitely kept me on the edge of my seat, flipping through pages to find the answers to my questions. Many romance novels tend to follow the same plot — two people meet and fall madly in love, the friends-to-lovers trope, etc. While these aren’t necessarily shoddy, they can get tiring, especially if romance isn’t your go-to genre of choice in the first place. Hoover’s writing keeps you guessing and consistently wanting more. As someone who can lose focus in a split second, I had enough questions needing answering to keep from losing my focus or getting bored. Barring any major spoilers, domestic abuse is a theme that emerges throughout the novel. In the media,
abuse is sometimes shown as something to yearn for in our own relationships: it has the tendency to romanticize that abuse. However, Hoover introduces abuse without making it seem romantic. The descriptions of Ryle’s rage made me feel compassion for Lily and anger towards Ryle. Inspired by events in her personal life, Hoover’s writing shows the difficulties victims face in abusive relationships and how hard it is to leave. I felt she accurately portrayed domestic abuse and avoided the romanticization of it. Additionally, this novel did a great job portraying the cycle of abuse and how it is passed on through generations. Even though I was TikTok-pressured into reading “It Ends With Us,” I’m glad I gave in. Being the first romance novel I’ve read cover to cover, it was definitely a great starting point. If Hoover’s other works are anything like this, then I am certain she will become a favorite author of mine, and I look forward to exploring her novels further.
Graphic by Marshall Sunner | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
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Where Are They Now: Former quarterback Stan Weber COOPER DETERS staff writer
As a standout athlete from Goddard High School in Goddard, Kansas, hometown hero Stan Weber received a chance to make his dream of playing Power Five football come true. He stepped foot on Kansas State’s campus as a freshman after winning Male Athlete of the Year and the Kansas Shrine Bowl MVP as a senior in high school. “I had always loved sports and competition,” Weber said, “I was just like every other kid. I dreamt of competing at a Power Five school. I trained my whole life for it, from playing in the backyard to just playing two-on-two. Playing in the Shrine Bowl was definitely a unique experience. Being on an actual college football field with some of the best athletes that Kansas has to offer and competing with and against them was such a great experience.” Weber knew K-State was the place for him after stepping foot on campus during his first visit. “The people were a big reason that K-State was the place for me,” Weber said. “As a student-athlete, you spend almost 365 days a year in the city that you choose. So for me, [it was] being so close to Manhattan and the fact that I had a chance at being a part of something much bigger than just a football team. At that point, K-State wasn’t very good, but I wanted to help turn that around.” Weber started his career at K-State as a free safety, recording one interception for a return of 20 yards. He really shined after switching to quarterback, though, scrambling for 113 yards in 24 rushes against No. 1 Nebraska in 1983. “It really felt like I was just in the zone.” Weber said, “Everything started to feel like it was in slow motion, and
that’s just an unreal feeling. The game really started to slow down, and it made everything a whole lot easier. But, when I first got to K-State, I would spend half of the practice on defense and half of it on offense. Ultimately, the coaching staff decided that I would better fit on the defensive side of the ball since we already had an established quarterback.” During his time at K-State, Weber said he learned many lessons and gained a lot of life skills from both his coaches and his teammates. For him, the main lesson is that you can’t evaluate yourself before the game is over. “That kind of lesson applies to life as well,” Weber said. “Even today, I can’t look at a project I’m working on and determine that it is bad before it’s even done. You can’t get down on yourself in a game if you throw an interception, or the mistakes will just keep piling up and you’ll go down a hole that will be hard to get out of. Just like if I manage to mess something up at my job, I will just have to work harder to correct that mistake.” Weber played in 33 games at K-State — 22 as a quarterback. In the two seasons he led the offense, he threw for 1,274 yards and six touchdowns while rushing for 685 yards and eight touchdowns. After receiving his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting, Weber became a certified public accountant at KPMG International. He is now the president of Tower Properties, a real estate firm in Kansas City, Missouri, but his time with the Wildcats is not over. Three years after graduating from K-State, Weber received a phone call asking him to commentate on the K-State Sports Radio Network with Mitch Holthus, who is now with the Kansas City Chiefs. “For the first nine years
that I was there, [Holthus] was there with me and really taught me everything I know about broadcasting,” Weber said. “It truly was a blessing to work with someone that works as hard and is as talented as Mitch. For two of the years he was at K-State, he was also announcing for the Kansas City Chiefs. It was just crazy to me because he started announcing at Kansas State while I was still playing.” Weber has four kids — two daughters and two sons — who carry on the K-State legacy. He said his oldest daughter Brittani was the leader and the first to go to K-State, while his other daughter McKenzi played volleyball for the Wildcats. Both sons, Stanton and Landry, went on to play football for K-State. “It was a great joy for me and my family that they chose K-State, but most importantly, was the joy that it brought them,” Weber said. “I started broadcasting before any of them were born, so they knew nothing but K-State and K-State sports. The three out of four kids that went on to play sports all walked on to play, and they all gained a scholarship by the end of their careers. It was just special for them to play against that kind of competition and still succeed at the highest level in both sports and in academics.” Weber is entering his 36th season broadcasting for K-State. Between his playing days and his announcing days, he said he wants to thank K-State for giving him so many opportunities. “I was recruited and introduced to the people of K-State, and ever since I had that introduction, I have enjoyed the greatness of the people of Manhattan,” Weber said. “I appreciate all of the experiences that I have gotten to share with the people of K-State. Lastly, it’s an honor to be associated with Kansas State in any and every way.”
(Photo courtesy of Stan Weber)
Stan Weber (bottom right) with members of the Kansas Sports Radio Network team in the 1990s.
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SPORTS
‘Recovery is worth it...’: Wildcat runner Kassidy Johnson opens up about struggle with eating disorder KELSEY BIGELOW staff writer
When Kansas State runner Kassidy Johnson told her mother she was trying out for her seventh-grade track and field team, the response was far from gold-medal expectations. “My mom was like, ‘I’m not getting you track spikes: you can use someone’s handme-downs. This is just a phase, and it’s not going to last. You’re going to run for a week and then quit,”’ Johnson said. Johnson was already involved in three other sports that year, and her parents weren’t sold on the idea of toting her around to another one. Now an All-American runner, Johnson said that’s a story she jokes with her mom about quite often. Johnson placed fifth in the 800-meter run at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships just under a month ago. Not only that, but Johnson broke the K-State school record in the race, recording a time of 2:03.93. “Crossing the line in fifth was just insane,” Johnson said. “To think about how a few weeks ago where I was not even qualified for the national meet and then to be there and finishing fifth was surreal is all that I can say.” When Johnson started running in seventh grade, she said she didn’t necessarily love it. However, she did enjoy the success that came with it. Because of that success, she learned to love the sport and her place in the running community. During her sophomore year of high school, she suffered an injury during the basketball season, sidelining her for most of the track season. After sitting out for several practices and meets, she made her return in a meet that changed her life forever. Johnson struggled in her return and could not produce
the competitive times she was used to. “I was in such a vulnerable place at that time because running was my identity and having success in that meant so much to me,” Johnson said. “So, to have one race where it wasn’t perfect and I lost to girls I hadn’t lost to before, it kind of felt like the world was ending and everything was spiraling.” In that moment, Johnson decided she needed to do everything in her control to get back to where she was the previous year. That meant doubling down on nutrition, moving as much as possible and avoiding social situations that could “derail” her from her goals. At the time, it all sounded like a great idea. However, Johnson said those plans quickly took a spiral. “I took it way too far. It made me miserable,” Johnson said. “The pursuit of perfection that we know doesn’t exist — that can take the fun out of everything. I was basically living to run instead of running to live.” At the time, Johnson didn’t recognize this and started pursuing a thinner body because that’s what diet culture told her would help increase her speed. It wasn’t until she suffered a string of injuries related to undernourishment that she knew something needed to change. “What I thought I was doing in order to improve my running was actually keeping me from even being able to run,” Johnson said. Johnson was suffering from an eating disorder. Despite wanting to avoid that title, Johnson said she knew she had to be honest with herself and those around her if she wanted to make a change. She began adjusting her lifestyle and researching how to properly fuel her body. After becoming more sta-
ble in her recovery, Johnson felt the pull to help others who were struggling. She took to social media and a blog to share her story. “I kept hearing similar stories happening to other people, and it just made me sick,” Johnson said. “I wanted to share to hopefully just help one person. It was terrifying — one of the scariest things I’ve done.” After opening up, Johnson said she was shocked by the number of people who reached out and related to her experiences. She said she thinks it has made people uncomfortable but has also helped people, and at the end of the day, she said that’s all that matters. As for Johnson, she said each day gets a little easier, but there are still hard days. She works on using the tools she has learned in therapy, along with doing her own research. On tough days, she continues to remind herself of her long-term goals. “Engaging in eating disorder behaviors does not align with my long-term values,” Johnson said. “I say that like it is really simple. It’s not, but continuously challenging that is important.” From Johnson’s point of view, runners do not have to have a dangerously restrictive diet. Balance rather than restriction is the key to success. “Our bodies are smart, and if we can just listen to our body, it knows what to do with food,” Johnson said. “It’s going to break down an apple the same way it breaks down a slice of cake.” Johnson continues learning about the way our bodies work in her study of dietetics at K-State. She said understanding the science has also helped her in recovery. “There is an importance of fueling your body. You need all the macronutrients, micronutrients and you need enough
energy, but it doesn’t have to look like this one thing,” Johnson said. “That can include cake or whatever it is, what people say is ‘unhealthy’ or ‘junk’ — finding that balance of what feels good for my body and my mind. It’s going to look different for everyone, but getting to that point is really worth it.” Johnson said she thinks ensuring your body and mind feel good and are happy is what makes a good runner. She said happiness is more important than anything you do performance-wise anyways. For her, that happiness comes from feeling strong enough and energized enough to get out and have a good workout every day, but even better, enjoying that workout and post-workout with friends. “It is the most beautiful thing ever,” Johnson said. “It’s singlehandedly the best part of recovery … having that freedom to not only join in with other people and get to enjoy food and culture and social environments, but to be present in it too. Even if you are there, when you are in that mindset, you aren’t present in conversations. All you can think about is what you’re eating or what you’ve just eaten or what you’re going to eat or what you can’t eat, and you’re not truly there. To be able to get to a point where you can not only enjoy the food with zero guilt or shame, but you can be present and create relationships with other people — it’s the most freeing and beautiful thing.” In pursuit of perfection on the track, Johnson found herself fighting an eating disorder and quickly moving further away from her goals. It wasn’t until she realized that,
friday, april 15, 2022
that she actually began using running as a motivating factor for recovery. “My emotions with track are always all over the place,” Johnson said. “It’s a tough sport mentally and physically, but I think it’s been really cool to prove to myself that I can gain weight and I can run faster because anyone in this sport will typically tell you the opposite is the case.” Heading into her final year with K-State, Johnson said she just wanted to use the year to have fun and not take anything for granted. As she steams into her final outdoor season, Johnson shares her main goals. “ Re a l l y, just have fun and take it all in, but also go for some big goals. I think now that I’ve made Nationals indoors, that puts outdoor Nationals on the radar,” Johnson said. “I would love to make it to Eugene as well, but I’m not going to put that pressure and expectation on myself. If it happens, it happens, and I will enjoy it. If not, bottom line — just enjoy all the experiences and give it my all, but not going to lose myself in the pursuit of that.” In June, Johnson’s mom won’t have to worry about buying any more spikes as Kassidy hangs them up one final time. Johnson will continue her education at Rutgers University, pursuing a career as a registered dietitian. “I think my whole purpose was to show that recovery is worth it — no matter what,” Johnson said. Archive photo by Alex Todd Collegian Media Group
Then-sophomore Kassidy Johnson placed 11th in the women’s 4K at the J.K. Gold Classic in Augusta, Kansas on Sept. 1, 2018.
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SPORTS
friday, april 15, 2022
Women’s golf rounds out regular season KELSEY BIGELOW staff writer
The Kansas State women’s golf team placed 13th in The Bruzzy in its regular-season finale. The Wildcats finished 35-over par 899 in the twoday event in Fort Worth, Texas. The 6,277-yard Waterchase Golf Club hosted fourteen collegiate women’s golf teams, mostly Big 12 teams. K-State picked up a seven-stroke victory against instate rival Kansas. “We didn’t start the event well, but they kept competing,” head coach Kristi Knight said to K-State Athletics. “We need to build off days like today. No matter the conditions, you have to score your ball, and we did
that a little better each day.” Sophomore Napua Glossner was the individual leader for K-State, finishing in a tie for 38th place at 6-over par 222. Glossner saw success in her final round, carding four birdies and finishing 2-over par 74. This is the third time she has been the team leader this spring. Junior Haley Vargas checked in at 8-over par 224 and tied for 46th overall. Junior Manon DoncheGay found her stroke in the end and finished with a 2-over par 74 third-round to secure a 12-over par 228 finish. She tied for 62nd place. Despite a 1-over par 73 third round from freshman Remington Isaac, she could not climb the leaderboards, finishing in a tie for 69th
place. She recorded a 15over par 231 for the meet. Sophomore Gabriela McNelly rounded out the course for the Wildcats, tallying a 15-over par 233 on her scorecard and finishing in 73rd place. The No. 17 Baylor Bears ran away with the trophy, carding a 21-under par 843. For individuals, TCU’s Sabrina Iqbal recorded a 9-under par 63 final round to claim the gold with a final scorecard of 11-under par at 205. The Wildcats now move into postseason play and the Big 12 Championships, taking place at the Houston Oaks Golf Club in Texas on April 22-24. Archive photo by Alex Todd | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
The K-State women’s golf team practices regularly at Colbert Hills Golf Course.
Men’s golf takes fifth in Mossy Oak Invitational LIZZY FRANCO staff writer
The Kansas State men’s golf team got its fifth top-five finish at the Mossy Oak Invitational on Tuesday, April 12, after placing fifth as a team. The Wildcats finished the tournament at 3-under par 861. “Just really proud of the guys this week,” head coach Grant Robbins said to K-State Athletics. “Today wasn’t perfect by any means, but man, they competed, and that’s all you can ask for.”
Freshman Laurenz Schiergen ended the tournament 6-under par 210, including 17 birdies, giving him a tie for fourth place. This was only Schiergen’s fourth tournament as a Wildcat after joining the team at semester. “Laurie played extremely well this week,” Robbins said to K-State Athletics. “He had a couple of bad breaks today but showed tremendous poise and was able to notch a top-five finish.” Along with Scheirgen, freshman Nicklaus Mason
finished in 12th place, shooting 2-under par 212. Junior Tim Tillmanns and senior Will Hopkins tied for 46th place in the tournament, shooting 4-over par 220. Sophomore Luke O’Neill finished in 68th place after shooting 8-over par 224. The Wildcats are scheduled to play in the Hawkeye Invitational on April 16-17 before heading to the Big 12 Championship on April 2527.
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