JAN. 29
2019
Vol. 52 Issue 17 | Since 1966
NEWS
PROVOST FINALISTS PRESENT TO KSU
THE SENTINEL Kennesaw State University | The Sentinel
www.ksusentinel.com
NEW SGA PRESIDENT ELECTED FOLLOWING EMERGENCY MEETING, CHANGE IN OFFICERS Cade Lanktree | News Editor
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OPINION
SUPER BOWL BENEFITS ATLANTA
Kennesaw State’s Student Government Association called for an emergency meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 23, to elect a new president following officer resignations and the scheduling of impeachment proceedings. The SGA elected Carly Keller, former director of internal affairs, after approving a two-thirds vote from senators who were in attendance. Keller is a senior professional sales major who got her start within the SGA in 2018 after being appointed as the senator for the Coles College of Business by the sitting president. Keller said she has fallen in love with SGA ever since. “It’s awesome to see how amazing this university is at giving the students resources they need to be successful,” Keller said. “And I know that firsthand because I’ve seen it, and I’ve been a part of it.” Keller said the impeachment proceedings will continue for three executive board members once the SGA appoints a new director of procedural operations. “It’s always necessary to have someone in that position,” Keller said. “That’s
something that is non-negotiable.” SGA Vice President Masood Salaam, Treasurer Stephen Harr and Senate Lead of the Marietta campus Soham Bapat will face impeachment trials after an approved resolution stated that these officers failed to uphold the constitution during the previous semester. Vincent Coakley, senator for the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, presented the resolution during the first general body meeting of the spring semester on Jan. 16. These approved impeachment proceedings follow the resignation of the SGA’s former president, director of procedural operations, director of communications and secretary during the week of Jan. 13. Keller said her first mission as the sitting president is to fill her executive board and senate seats. Keller added that applications for the open executive board positions and senate seats were available from Jan. 23 to Jan. 28. Keller said she will conduct interviews with these applicants from Jan. 28 to Jan. 30. The SGA will vote to elect those who Keller appoints during their meeting on
Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. in the Wilson Student Center ballroom. Per the constitution and bylaws, the president of SGA appoints executive board members with the senate’s twothirds vote approval. The appointed executive board members and senators, if elected, will be sworn in during the Jan. 30 meeting. The dates for SGA’s yearly elections will be released on Feb. 1. These elections will open executive and senate positions for the 2019-2020 year. “As the new president for the next couple of months, it is my objective to really bring stability back to the organization and encourage the wonderful senate that we have to keep flourishing,” Keller said. “It’s been incredible to see how passionate these senators are about their constituents.” Keller quoted Mahatma Gandhi, “a sign of a good leader is not how many followers you have but how many leaders you create.”
Photo CourtesyCarly Keller
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ARTS AND LIVING MEET NEEDLE CRAFTS CLUB
Active duty and reserve military members can now earn a degree in cyber security from a USG institution.
Thomas Dale recently filled the position of Chief Facilities Officer at KSU.
Sentinel Archives
Office of Strategic Communications replaces KSU Inform pg. 6
SPORTS
TRACK DUO WINS SEASON AWARDS
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Kendall Chamberlain | Contributor Kennesaw State’s Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing created a new position of internal communications manager and introduced a new tool to replace KSU Inform as a response to the Comprehensive Administrative Review analysis. The University System of Georgia’s CAR identified KSU’s internal communications as a point with potential for improvement and opportunity, according to KSU’s monthly CAR report. Thomas Dale, former assistant director of information technology communications in the University’s Information Technology Services office, was hired to fill the newly created position following an open search and assumed the new role on Dec. 3. Since beginning in his new role as internal communications manager, Dale has collaborated with leadership and UITS to develop a comprehensive strategy for improving internal communication and working to maximize efficiency, effectiveness and security. Dale has been vital in the implementation of the new tool, KSU Today, which is a program meant to
replace KSU Inform and serve as an interim program while the Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing continues to seek out the best strategy and tool. This new program was launched on Wednesday, Jan. 23. “KSU Today has a better interface and improved mobile adaptability,” University Spokeswoman Tammy DeMel said. “KSU Today posts include categories and tags, making it much easier for readers to find the posts that interest them. And, every post can include a custom image, which embeds nicely within the text.” The CAR is an initiative implemented by the USG to make public universities more efficient and effective in providing high quality education to its students, according to the USG’s website. KSU was one of the universities included in the first phase of the roll out in fall 2017. Phase two included remaining universities and was carried out in 2018. According to the USG target timeline, the phase two initial draft is expected to be completed this month and published in April 2019 and will focus on the results and effectiveness of this initiative.
Selah Randolph | The Sentinel
USG and U.S. Army hopes to fill growing number of cyber jobs Jake Drukman | Contributor The University System of Georgia signed an agreement earlier this month with the U.S. Army Cyber Center that will allow active duty and reserve military members to work toward a degree in cyber fields at several of Georgia’s universities during their service. The agreement affects military members who are stationed at Fort Gordon in Augusta, which houses the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence. The Army intends for the program to help fill over 11,000 open cyber jobs in the state, both inside and outside the armed forces. According to the USG, the agreement includes Kennesaw State, the University of North Georgia, Columbus State University, Middle Georgia State University and Augusta University, all of which are designated as National Security Agency Centers of Academic Excellence. The partnership is meant to allow military members to receive college credit for certain courses based on their experiences of duty, providing them a way to earn their degrees with less time spent in class, according to the USG. Tristan Denley, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs of the USG, praised the deal, saying that it “allows the full educational resources of the USG to be brought to bear through these institutions in the development of the Army’s cyber warriors.” Over 16,000 active military personnel work at Fort Gordon. Most of the units
there are already involved with the cyber center to some capacity, but the fort also serves several other military purposes. By making higher education more accessible to full-time members of the armed forces, the Army hopes to make more of the state’s workforce qualified to fill the growing number of open cyber specialist jobs. Including Georgia’s 11,000 open positions, there are more than 300,000 unfilled cyber jobs across the United States as of 2018, according to CyberSeek. By 2021, the number is expected to reach about 3.5 million worldwide, according to a Herjavec Group report. The lack of skilled cybersecurity workers has potentially catastrophic effects on both businesses and government entities. According to FOX 28, 60 percent of businesses that suffer hacks are closed within two years. In February 2018, the cities of Savannah and Hinesville were both subjected to cyber attacks that took some government systems offline. The next month, Atlanta suffered a ransomware attack that forced the city’s government to shut down several of its digital services, including sites that allowed residents to pay their bills, according to FOX 28. With the agreement between the USG and the U.S. Army, the organizations hope to reduce the state’s collective vulnerability to these kinds of attacks.
Page 2 | Kennesaw State University | The Sentinel | January 29, 2019
NEWS
Agreement between USG and U.S. Army hopes to fill growing number of cyber jobs Jake Drukman | Contributor
Photo Courtesy of Cara Reeve
Dr. Brandeis Marshall spoke about data neutrality and data partiality during her seminar to promote participation in data science.
GUEST SPEAKER INVITES KSU WOMEN INTO WORLD OF COMPUTER SCIENCE Camille Hobbs | Contributor
Women in Data Science at Kennesaw State welcomed its first guest lecturer of the semester to the Marietta campus on Jan. 24 to speak about her efforts to broaden participation in data science. As the principal investigator of the Data Science Extension program, Dr. Brandeis Marshall works alongside the National Science Foundation for one of several Targeted Infusion Projects to strengthen undergraduate STEM education at historically black universities. Marshall specializes in the areas of information retrieval, social media and data science. As an instructor at a small scale HBCU in the Atlanta area, Marshall expressed her aim to integrate data science into the curriculum at both Spelman and Morehouse College in
hopes of encouraging more students to get involved in the field. During her lecture, Marshall gave attendees a snapshot of a census done by late social scientist W.E.B. Du Bois in 1900 during America’s segregation era. Linking Du Bois’ research with her own, Marshall later raised concern for current issues of social injustice. While she gave her support for community outreach programs such as Black Girls Code, Marshall emphasized that she would like to see legitimate certification as part of the process. Using five pillars of study listed as acquisition, storage, analysis, visualization and storytelling, Marshall brings her 15 years of experience in computer science and her own philosophy of ethicsbased research that does not exclude
segments of the overall population to the table. “I am here as myself, and as a black woman, I bring all of my blackness and womanness into everything that I do, unapologetically,” Marshall said before the event officially began. Marshall is one of just 100 black women in the United States holding a Bachelor’s degree, Master’s and Ph.D. in computer science, according to Black Women in Computing. Marshall has been an associate professor of computer science in the computer and information sciences department at Spelman College since 2014, following a residency at Purdue University in Indiana. As the spearhead of her own Black Twitter Project, Marshall and two of her students asked the important
questions surrounding topics of controversy on social media in years past. They analyzed the 2016 hashtag #OscarsSoWhite and algorithmic bias in commonly used generic facial recognition technology against minority ethnicities and women. Dr. Jennifer Lewis Priestley, director of the Analytics and Data Science Institute, has big plans for the remainder of the year. First, the university will host an Analytics Day on the Kennesaw campus in April where students will have the opportunity to hear Marshall speak again. Priestley also mentioned that by the fall 2019 semester, KSU intends to offer free online certification programs and a free programming boot camp accessible to all KSU students looking to participate.
The University System of Georgia signed an agreement earlier this month with the U.S. Army Cyber Center that will allow active duty and reserve military members to work toward a degree in cyber fields at several of Georgia’s universities during their service. The agreement affects military members who are stationed at Fort Gordon in Augusta, which houses the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence. The Army intends for the program to help fill over 11,000 open cyber jobs in the state, both inside and outside the armed forces. According to the USG, the agreement includes Kennesaw State, the University of North Georgia, Columbus State University, Middle Georgia State University and Augusta University, all of which are designated as National Security Agency Centers of Academic Excellence. The partnership is meant to allow military members to receive college credit for certain courses based on their experiences of duty, providing them a way to earn their degrees with less time spent in class, according to the USG. Tristan Denley, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs of the USG, praised the deal, saying that it “allows the full educational resources of the USG to be brought to bear through these institutions in the development of the Army’s cyber warriors.” Over 16,000 active military personnel work at Fort Gordon.
Most of the units there are already involved with the cyber center to some capacity, but the fort also serves several other military purposes. By making higher education more accessible to full-time members of the armed forces, the Army hopes to make more of the state’s workforce qualified to fill the growing number of open cyber specialist jobs. Including Georgia’s 11,000 open positions, there are more than 300,000 unfilled cyber jobs across the United States as of 2018, according to CyberSeek. By 2021, the number is expected to reach about 3.5 million worldwide, according to a Herjavec Group report. The lack of skilled cybersecurity workers has potentially catastrophic effects on both businesses and government entities. According to FOX 28, 60 percent of businesses that suffer hacks are closed within two years. In February 2018, the cities of Savannah and Hinesville were both subjected to cyber attacks that took some government systems offline. The next month, Atlanta suffered a ransomware attack that forced the city’s government to shut down several of its digital services, including sites that allowed residents to pay their bills, according to FOX 28. With the agreement between the USG and the U.S. Army, the organizations hope to reduce the state’s collective vulnerability to these kinds of attacks.
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Kennesaw State University | The Sentinel | January 29, 2019 | Page 3
NEWS
OUTSIDE THE NEST Church bombing kills 20 in Philippines Sasha Avchukov | Staff Writer
What Happened? Two bombs detonated at a Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines on Sunday, killing 20 and injuring dozens more, according to CNN. Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo told CNN that the first bomb exploded during Mass, and the second device exploded when soldiers arrived at the scene to help victims.
Twenty people died and at least 81 were wounded, including 14 soldiers in the Armed Forces of the Philippines and two Philippine National Police officers. ISIS put out a statement on its Amaq News Agency claiming responsibility for the attack, according to BBC News.
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Dr. J. C. Bradbury referenced prior sporting events and their impacts such as the NCAA Championship, which was hosted in Atlanta in 2013.
Tralen Hardnett | The Sentinel
Symposium highlights financial costs, benefits of Atlanta hosting Super Bowl LIII Arielle Robinson | Staff Writer Economics professors from colleges and universities from across the U.S. gathered at a symposium hosted in Kennesaw State’s Burruss Building on Friday, Jan. 25, to discuss the financial impacts of Atlanta hosting the Super Bowl. The panel included economics professors from Kennesaw State, Berry College, the College of Holy Cross and the University of North Carolina-Charlotte who all have experience studying the economic impact of sports. Panelists expressed concern that Atlanta hosting the Super Bowl will not bring as many financial benefits as previously believed. The symposium covered topics such as Atlanta’s Super Bowl preparation, how the Super Bowl affects local economies, what business the Super Bowl brings to
hotels and how mega-events impact tax revenues. One of the speakers and organizers behind the event was Dr. J.C. Bradbury, a professor of economics and finance at KSU. In his presentation, Bradbury spoke about how the Mercedes-Benz Stadium emerged as a multi-million dollar home for the Atlanta Falcons. Before it was demolished, the Falcons had previously competed at the Georgia Dome. The Georgia Dome hosted Super Bowls XXVIII and XXXIV for the 1993 and 1999 NFL seasons. The Mercedes-Benz Stadium opened in 2017, 25 years after the Georgia Dome opened its own doors. “Why did Atlanta need a new building right next door to a similar building that was opened just 25 years ago,” Bradbury questioned.
“One of the stated benefits was attracting a Super Bowl.” Atlanta hosting this year’s Super Bowl is reported to have an economic impact of $400 million. Despite this, Bradbury states that “the economic benefits are much smaller than often claimed,” and that the returns do not appear to justify the millions of dollars in subsidies that local governments pay to attract the event. Bradbury said that Atlanta is contributing approximately $700 million in taxpayer money to fund the newer stadium and another $26 million to fund the city’s bid to host the game. Bradbury said that he does not think that the investment the city has put into the event is entirely justified, and he feels that the financial returns do not match the investment.
Victor Matheson, economics and accounting professor from the College of Holy Cross, Lauren Heller, associate professor of economics from Berry College, Frank Stephenson, chair of the department of economics from Berry College, and Craig Depken, director of the economics program from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, also spoke at the event. Super Bowl LIII will be held on Sunday, Feb. 3. The New England Patriots will compete against the Los Angeles Rams for the Lombardi Trophy in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta.
The attack occurred after voters in the Muslim-majority region approved a peace deal Monday between separatists and the government which supports a new, self-ruled region, reported the Wall Street Journal. Philippines Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that security has been increased in the area and condemned the bombing in a
In Context Mindanao, a chain of islands south of the Philippines, has faced terroristic dangers regularly in the past, according to CNN. The islands are home to Islamist
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Sabrina Kerns contributed to this article.
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New provost finalists presented on campus Cade Lanktree | News Editor
EMAIL academic affairs is quite a rare leadership opportunity. “I understand there has been a lot of administrative changes in the last two to four years,” Tubman said. He added that he “is very optimistic for the future of KSU” as a young, ambitious and competitive institution. The provost search committee and its broad spectrum of faculty and staff will deliberate on these two finalists and consider their qualifications. KSU President Dr. Pamela Whitten sent an email to the university deans and chairs on Oct. 9, stating that the committee hopes to have a new provost in office by winter 2019. This provost search follows the
retirement of Dr. Linda Noble, former interim provost and vice president of academic affairs, on Nov. 1 after serving since January 2018. Noble assumed the position of interim provost following then-Provost Dr. Ken Harmon’s appointment as interim president. Harmon fulfilled the role of interim president after former KSU President Sam Olens announced his resignation in December 2017. The 20 members of the search committee include faculty and staff members from both the Kennesaw and Marietta campuses and each of KSU’s 13 colleges. The firm Funk & Associates is assisting in the search, according to KSU’s website.
Alex Guevara | Staff Writer a committee of KSU staff from Enrollment Services, Academic Affairs, the bookstore and University Information Technology Services began meeting to review the policies and nuances of the initiative. After meeting for a period of several weeks, the committee turned over their findings to a team of UITS staff heade by Kelly Payton, director of Banner development. Payton’s team was initially met with the challenge of making the integration reasonable for KSU staff and administration. The courses were arranged in a way that forced administrators to sort over 6,000 sections, one at a time. In response, the team built an interface that was integrated within the Banner system that allows staff
to flag and process these sections in large amounts, streamlining the process and drastically reducing the number of man-hours needed to follow the initiative. Payton also worked to build an inhouse system that allows the flagged courses to be displayed as low-cost or no-cost on College Scheduler. “Many students don’t necessarily look at Banner or OwlExpress first,” Executive Director of Enterprise Systems and Services Rifka Mayani said. “We needed a way to show the courses through the schedules KSU students often make before choosing classes.” Once the interface was successfully built, a trial period began in the summer of 2018 and ended in fall. During the trial
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period, a system of spreadsheets was used to keep track of everything, and data from the trial was used to work out small inefficiencies in the system. In fall, data from the trial showed that students were making use of the systems implemented. When registering for courses, approximately 15,000 of the total 35,000 students had registered using the low-cost or no-cost search criteria. In September of 2018, Dr. Tristan Denley, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs and chief academic officer, recognized KSU as having followed the initiative exceptionally, its system is being shown to other universities as an example of how to implement the system.
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staff information EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sabrina Kerns
KSU’s new search tool sorts courses by price Kennesaw State introduced a new way of sorting classes by cost in the fall 2018 semester with the introduction of a new initiative by the Chancellor’s Office of Georgia. The initiative, proposed in the spring of 2018, requires Georgia universities to allow students to see whether a course is low or no-cost for course materials, excluding supplies and lab fees. Under the initiative, a course will qualify as low-cost if materials are $40 or less. These qualifications will be prominently displayed in Banner, the program used by Georgia universities for course selection. Two codes will correspond to the courses with “ZNCM” for no-cost and “ZLCM” for low-cost. Following the initial proposal,
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EIC@KSUSENTINEL.COM and she cited her connection to this university in her presentations. “I have a deep love and appreciation for this institution having served here for just under 17 years,” Schwaig said. “I have seen KSU in various stages of its history and feel that I can bring that perspective and experience to the Provost’s Office.” Tubman, vice provost for research and dean of graduate studies at American University, cited his many years of experience in higher education regarding his work with graduate students. Although Tubman said his “view is that of an outsider rather than an insider,” he said that he believes this position for provost and vice president of
insurgant groups such as Abu Sayyaf that have been blamed in the past for terror attacks on civilians and the kidnappings of foreign nationals.
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Two finalists in Kennesaw State’s search for the next provost and vice president of academic affairs presented on the Marietta and Kennesaw campuses on Jan. 22 and Jan. 24. Dr. Kathy Schwaig and Dr. Jonathan Tubman displayed their qualifications for the open provost position in public presentations which were open to all KSU faculty, staff and students, according to KSU’s website. Each candidate held two presentations, one on the Marietta campus and one on the Kennesaw campus. Schwaig, the current dean of the Michael J. Coles College of Business, presented on Jan. 22. Schwaig has served at KSU for almost 17 years,
statement, CNN reported. “As we convey our sincerest condolences to the families and friends of the victims and offer our sympathy to the peace-loving people of Sulu who are severely affected by this dastardly act, we assure our people that we will use the full force of the law to bring to justice the perpetrators behind this incident,” Lorenzana said.
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Page 4 | Kennesaw State University | The Sentinel | January 29, 2019
OPINION
SUPER BOWL BRINGS ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO ATLANTA Tyhi Conley | Staff Writer
Not every Super Bowl memory has to be a traumatic one for the city of Atlanta. After the upsetting 2017 Super Bowl loss against the Patriots, Atlanta is back in the heat of the Super Bowl. Yet, this time it’s as a host. With the Super Bowl in town, it will financially benefit Atlanta and put the city further into the spotlight. Atlanta has hosted the Super Bowl two previous times, once in 1994 and in 2000. However, parts of Atlanta were not what they are now, and in 2000, the city was unfortunately struck by an ice storm. Unlike the past two Super Bowls played in the Georgia Dome, this year Atlanta will host the 2019 Super Bowl in the new $1.5 billion Mercedes-Benz stadium. With a luxurious stadium and reasonable weather, Atlanta is looking for the third time to be a charm. According to Dave Orrick of the Twin City Pioneer Press, when Minneapolis, Minnesota, hosted the 2018 Super Bowl, it grossed an additional $400 million. Aligning
with its former host, The Metro Atlanta Chamber estimated that Atlanta will generate around $400 million as well. The Super Bowl is said to primarily benefit the hospitality industry. Given an opportunity to show what the city has to offer, the restaurants, hotels and entertainment venues that will be flooded will have the potential for significant gains by simply increasing their reputational strength. Along with tough sports losses, Atlanta is also well-known for its airport, the busiest in the world. On average, Hartsfield-Jackson handles around 270,000 passengers a day. For the Super Bowl, an extra 125,000 passengers are expected to infiltrate, with about 110,000 expected to leave the day after the game. The expected earnings coupled with the fact that the Super Bowl is seen as just a 10-day event, the temporary chaos should be worth it for the airport and its employees. The $400 million projections are still heavily debated and often rejected by independent economists. On Jan. 25, Kennesaw State economics professor J. C. Bradbury led a symposium on the economic impact of the Super Bowl and said economic predictions can be overblown. “A lot of times what you’re doing is displacing people who would
have been there anyway,” Bradbury said. “When you look at hotels and you estimate how many people are coming to stay at the hotel, you assume the hotel is empty without having the Super Bowl.” While the impact remains significant, the boost is expected to be lower than initially claimed. Brett Daniels, Atlanta Super Bowl Host Committee Chief Operating Officer, addressed the Atlanta Convention and Visitors’ Bureau Executive Committee on Jan. 24. He estimates $185 million to be a more realistic range. Regardless of the exact amount of money, the Super Bowl will bring an enormous amount of business for stores, restaurants and hotels. Atlanta employees could see an increase in work hours and pay due to the influx of visitors, and the potential to make more could relieve some families of post-holiday spending stress, especially if they are federal works recovering from the shutdown. For a time of the season that’s typically dull in Atlanta, this Super Bowl will provide a celebratory vibe — quite the opposite of the crushing effects that the 2017 Super Bowl loss had on the city. With the game coming to Atlanta, the city will profit financially and make its mark on the map again. Super Bowl LIII is set to be in Atlanta on Feb. 2, and may pose a huge financial boost for the city.
Kevin Barrett | The Sentinel
Students facing mental illnesses need further Masculinity can be healthy, positive support, specialized university courses Anderson John | Staff Writer
Sean Eikhoff | Staff Writer Learning practical skills to handle anxiety and stress would be an invaluable resource to all college students, especially for those living with mental illness who do not seek treatment for fear of being stigmatized. Kennesaw State should do more to fight the stigma around mental illness by offering a course focused on providing students with the tools they need to build and maintain mental wellness. According to a 2014 study by the National Institute of Health, 11.9 percent of college students suffer from an anxiety disorder, with 6.7 percent having suicidal thoughts. Despite this, only 36 percent of students with depression, panic disorder, suicidal thoughts or
self-injury received any kind of treatment. In another study by the institute, it was found that due to the stigma surrounding mental illness, nearly 20 percent of people aged 16 to 24 avoid seeking treatment. These people need help, and colleges are in the perfect position to provide it. While schools offer general wellness courses, a class focused specifically on learning skills such as mindfulness and stress tolerance would give students the tools to handle emotional crises before they happen. “I definitely think schools should have education surrounding mental health, both with general awareness as well as resources for people who need help or are struggling,” junior political science major April Friedman said. As a place of higher learning, KSU should be working to dispel incorrect or incomplete information, and yet a look at the school’s Student Disabilities Services site reveals that KSU is only furthering the stigma of
mental illness. KSU’s page discussing psychological disorders grossly misinterprets and belittles those with personality disorders, reading, “Persons with a personality disorder respond poorly to stress and change and are seriously deficient in their capacity for love and work. To others, they often seem disconcerting, obnoxious, or even enraging.” This is extremely damaging language, especially when considering that common symptoms of personality disorders include selfloathing and unstable identity. “The language used by Kennesaw State regarding personality disorders is polarizing, incorrect, and likely discourages students who are showing symptoms of a personality disorder from seeking the assistance they need,” Becca Burgette, a licensed professional counselor, said. “In addition, it has the potential to cause further discrimination towards those with mental illness. The only difference between those
with personality disorders and those without is the way that they interpret the world around them into inner thoughts and emotions.” KSU’s false and cruel misrepresentation of people with personality disorders is an insulting disservice to both professors and students. Professors seeking to better understand their mentally ill students are shown an incorrect and harmful stigma being presented as fact, and students are less inclined to seek treatment, fearing that terrible labels like those used by KSU will be tied to their identity. Mental illness is a problem that affects everyone, and the best solution to a problem begins by understanding it. By educating students on how to maintain their mental health and providing respectful and accurate resources to faculty and students, colleges can pave the way for future generations to grow beyond the stigma of mental illness.
Cutting back on screen time leads to healthier habits, better mental health Haneefa Walton | Contributor It is not unusual for students to become distracted with text messages during homework or scroll through social media and play games on their devices before falling asleep. However, as relaxing as it may seem, the effects of scrolling are more harmful than good. While scrolling to relax at bedtime, the backlight from screens negatively affects the quality of sleep and overall health of these individuals. According to Scripps Health, not only is eye strain a health risk, but
other parts of the body and mental health are also affected. Some of the most common risks include increased stress and decreased sleep. According to TechCrunch, adults spend an average of five hours on mobile devices using various apps. Due to convenience, adults use their mobile devices for shopping, reading e-books, checking email, playing games, using social media and more. Increased screen time can cause users to become overwhelmed by the number of melancholy headlines or the pressure to look a certain way on social media. Tendinitis, carpal tunnel and weight gain are also some of the physical risks of overusing technology. “I scroll during the day and at night I play games,” senior journalism and emerging media major Meghan Cooper said. “I notice that when
I limit screen time, it allows me to focus on school work and not complete assignments at the last minute.” Not only does limiting screen time help students get homework completed on time, but it also increases awareness and creativity. While many psychiatrists are hesitant to give adults advice on how much screen time is too much due to work and school requirements, they do recommend monitoring screen time when possible. “Everyone’s frontal lobe functions better with less screen time, so planning and problem-solving will come more easily,” according to Psychology Today. “Improved frontal lobe function helps us sustain efforts and be self-disciplined.” The makers behind these products have even made it easier for users
to check their technology usage. In recent iOS updates, monitoring screen time is now an automatic function, and Android users can download apps available from the Google Play Store that monitor users’ screen time. Students should start limiting their screen time and give themselves a break from constant scrolling and blaring screens. Take the time to read a book, have a face-to-face conversation and exercise while charging your phone in a room other than the bedroom. Limiting screen time may be challenging at first, but it is not impossible. It takes a conscious effort to do what may seem like the old-fashioned way of doing things.
Historically, societies that have succeeded embodied discipline, valor and self-control. It is important that we cultivate these characteristics in ourselves and in younger generations, especially in men, and remember that masculinity can still be positive and healthy. On Jan. 15, terrorists associated with Al-Shabaab attacked a business complex in Nairobi, Kenya. Hearing the sound of gunfire, a lone, off-duty SAS member that was shopping in the area took quick and decisive action by grabbing his weapons, body armor and medical supplies out of his vehicle and rushed toward the armed assailants. In an act of complete disregard for personal well-being, this hero engaged several enemy combatants by himself and helped people escape until backup arrived. This level of valor and altruism is hard to find nowadays. It is crucial that we develop these characteristics of fearlessness and selflessness in ourselves and the younger generations, particularly in boys. There’s been a lot of buzz around the phrase “toxic masculinity” lately. The American Psychological Association published a report stating that traits such as self-reliance, competitiveness, emotional stoicism and other characteristics that are deemed traditionally masculine are counterproductive to forming relationships between male peers. To an extent this is true. Anything in excess is bound to be destructive. However, in many ways, this is simply how men build each other up. Unlike women, who generally offer encouragement, men tend to constantly compete with one another. Rather than tender
encouragement, you will likely observe that they are probably ragging on each other pretty hard. Understandably, it seems brutal at first glance, but it is important to understand that men thrive on that. In his opinion piece on the subject, retired Navy Seal Jocko Willink states that “competitive spirit drives success.” Even for characteristics such as aggression that typically have a negative connotation, we must be deliberate in choosing to program that out of our men. Aggression in and of itself is neutral — it is a tool that can be used for commendable or malicious purposes. When developed in a healthy manner, aggression gives young men the means to stick up for others, dominate in the athletic arena and even charge towards the sound of gunfire, as the SAS member did. Willink suggests in his aforementioned opinion piece that “if you are not aggressive, you will not be able to capitalize on opportunities.” Teaching our young men to be dominant and aggressive is not a skill that only lends itself well in athletic and combat venues, but in the classroom and workplace as well. With the knowledge that he can dominate in any situation that may come his way, a man is inevitably going to be more self-confident and secure in his own abilities. The world is a harsh and unforgiving place. Letting ourselves and the younger generations become soft and comfortable will inevitably lead to hard times. It is of utmost importance that we as a generation work to prevent this by becoming people of iron-clad resolve, discipline, courage and care for our fellow men.
Kennesaw State University | The Sentinel | January 29, 2019 | Page 5
Page 6 | Kennesaw State University | The Sentinel | January 29, 2019
ARTS AND LIVING CLUB OF THE WEEK: NEEDLE CRAFTS CLUB Luke Gardner | A&L Editor The art of crochet is still very much alive and can be found at KSU — just ask someone from Needle Crafts Club. Every Wednesday at Kennesaw State, students have the opportunity to create scarves, hats and stuffed animals made from a simple ball of yarn. The Needle Crafts Club at KSU is a space where community members of varying skill levels can gather, socialize and create hands-on art. The club meets every Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. in room 2026 of the social sciences building, aside from the weeks of spring break and finals. While the Needle Crafts Club only meets on the Kennesaw campus, club members encourage students from the Marietta campus and non-students to join. Jamie Radaker started the Needle Crafts Club when she noticed there were no crafty clubs among the hundreds of clubs at KSU. Since then, the club has grown to encompass long-time knitters and those completely new to the craft. Club members bring their own supplies, which include items like crochet hooks, small needles for sewing, large needles for knitting and of course, lots of yarn. Cassandra Brown, a junior majoring in video game design, now serves as the club’s president. Brown explained that she was drawn to the club because she had wanted to learn how to crochet for a long time and felt that she needed a hobby. “I joined the club as a beginner with no experience and now I’ve progressed into making things such as hats, scarves, and lots of amigurumi,” Brown said. “Overall, crocheting helps me to relax and de-stress after a long day. It always feels amazing to see
a completed project that I’ve handmade myself.” Brown expressed that by not having club dues, individual members are empowered to work on whatever art projects they like. Members have made teddy bears, tablecloths, hats, scarves and stuffed-animal art called amigurumi. Brown proudly displayed her own amigurumi, a palm-sized orange octopus with googly eyes that she had been working on. Amigurumi are small stuffed yarn creatures made by knitting or crocheting, and they originated in Japan. “My first experience with amigurumi was actually with the club. We all made little Pikachus,” Brown said. “That’s when I discovered that I enjoyed amigurumi more than clothing. Ever since then I’ve been making little stuffed creatures for fun. I believe my favorite amigurumi is a bumblebee.” Not all the members of Needle Crafts Club are as advanced to work on something as complicated as amigurumi, which members view as a good thing, because the club has allowed them to learn from each other and gradually develop their skill sets, even while working on separate projects. “Having an experienced eye helps,” junior psychology major Kelsey Ruckert said. Club members expressed that there is no shame in needing help as many members joined the club as beginners. “I got really frustrated with it for my first month,” Brown said. “You have to stick with it.” Those interested in learning more about the Needle Crafts Club can visit its OwlLife page at owllife.kennesaw.edu/ organization/ncc.
KSU comedy trio expands brand to YouTube, podcast Zack Hill | Staff Writer These Kennesaw State students are establishing themselves as a comedy trio by expanding their content to new types of media. Kennesaw State’s in-residence comedians are building their unique comedy brand while seeking to transition into an entertainment business. Seniors Zacchaeus Towner, Himie Freeman and Meshach Young, all communications majors, started the “Brothas is Broke” YouTube channel in the summer of 2018 and have made several videos since. Videos on the channel include news, infomercial and reality TV-inspired comedy sketches, blooper reels and full music videos of comedic songs. Each of the members of “Brothas is Broke” has past experience with comedy, theater or performance. “What got me into comedy was my family — I feel like I grew up in a house full of comedians,” Young said. “My mom taught me everything I knew about comedy. We used to watch a lot of stand-up together.” The trio said the comedic influence behind their videos and style comes from performers like Martin Lawrence, Will Smith, Dave Chappelle and Eddie Murphy. “Martin Lawrence and Will Smith were my favorite comedians growing up,” Towner said. “Our community was an all-white community and Will Smith came from an all-white school.” The inspiration for “Brothas is Broke” videos usually comes from bouncing around ideas, having conversations and reflecting on life experiences. “The planning process is a lot more detailed than you’d expect,” Towner said. “There’s location scouting, there’s casting, there’s getting crew — and this stuff has to be planned at least two weeks in advance.” The comedy trio plans to create a podcast in the near future and hopes to grow “Brothas is Broke” as a brand by getting the name
trademarked and copyrighted, by working on merchandise and by evolving their content across several entertainment platforms. “What I want [is for] ‘Brothas is Broke’ to be seen as an actual entertainment company,” Towner said. “What we believe separates us from other people who do skits is that our content is bigger than just Instagram and YouTube.”
The inspiration for “Brothas is Broke” videos usually comes from bouncing around ideas, having conversations and reflecting on life experiences. Throughout their journey, the trio has learned to appreciate each other as both friends and artists, creating unique chemistry which they believe helps elevate the quality of their videos. “[Young] has the ability to bring in a crowd even if it’s not meant to be comedic,” Towner said. “He’s not trying to be funny, it’s just who he is.” Since starting the “Brothas Is Broke” YouTube channel, making videos has taught each member of the group something new, whether it be about content creation or about each other. “I’ve learned it’s not always the people closest to you that are going to support you,” Freeman said. “There are close friends who may not watch every video, but there are strangers who subscribe and watch every new video.” To find out more information about “Brothas is Broke” and to get updates on future content visit their YouTube channel @BrothasisBrokeEntertainment and their Instagram @brothasisbroke.
Sophomore Cassandra Brown works on a knitted octopus during a club meeting.
Tomi Krepps | The Sentinel
ARTS
Kennesaw State University | The Sentinel | January 29, 2019 | Page 7 ACROSS
DATA SCIENCE GRAD CREATES POSITIVE SOCIAL CHANGE Luke Gardner | A&L Editor
One Kennesaw State researcher is using data science to help address social issues like discrimination and hunger. Mizzani Walker-Holmes began her college journey at Southern Polytechnic College in 2015. “When the merger occurred, I decided to continue my studies at KSU and took on leadership roles that allowed me to actively work towards helping bridge the gap between the two campuses,” Walker-Holmes said. Walker-Holmes was introduced to KSU when she attended a summer advanced college prep program on campus at 15 years old. She described the program, which focused on mentorship and research methods, as “immersive, dynamic and selective.” When she graduated high school, Walker-Holmes chose KSU because its scholarship programs allowed her to finish college without debt. At KSU, Walker-Holmes served as an SGA senator. “Being a member of this student lead student driven organization reinforced the importance of teamwork, the value of constructive communication and what it means to be a community leader and serve others,” Walker-Holmes said. While at KSU, she worked on classified projects for Google, ADP and IBM. She also presented at multiple conferences, including the Bloomberg Data for Good Exchange in New York, the ASEE Engineering Southeastern Conference in Florida,
the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students, or ABRCMS, in Indiana and several others. “During my time as an undergraduate researcher, I was able to attend and present my work at thirteen conferences fully funded, my most recent being ABRCMS,” Walker-Holmes said. “At ABRCMS I presented my research that dealt with Biomedical Data Visualization and focused on using Machine Learning and AI to analyze large scale biomedical data sets and harness key knowledge in order to better understand disease mechanisms and automate the detection of genomic irregularities. I believe college teaches you how to think but research gives you the opportunity to take what you have learned and apply it to creating something meaningful. I firmly believe that the greatest research experiences are those that make you think beyond your present understanding and push you to drive impactful change within your field and the world.” Throughout her work, Walker-Holmes has used data science to tackle various social issues, and she believes that the field’s duty is to directly address these issues. “When it comes to solving and addressing social issues, I think it is crucial for scientists to listen to what is needed and ask what they can do to help possibly solve it instead of innovating just for the
sake of it,” Walker-Holmes said. One project Walker-Holmes worked on was “Food for Thought,” a project in collaboration with the Atlanta Community Food Bank. “In this project, my colleagues and I took an interdisciplinary approach [by] incorporating decision science, public health, policy, math and stats, economics and political science to further help non-profit organizations and community partners to address and solve debilitating social issues such as hunger, discrimination in housing and urban development and gaps in environmental sustainability,” Walker-Holmes said. Walker-Holmes has no plans of slowing down after her graduation last semester, stating that she is already working on multiple publications and projects, but make no mistake — Walker-Holmes always makes time for fun. “I have always valued balancing my academic, personal, and professional pursuits,” Walker-Holmes said. “I think people really can have it all and shouldn’t have to choose being something over another. I am passionate about the outdoors, I’m an avid traveler, I enjoy riding my motorcycles — I have a Harley & Ducati — to and from school, I’m an active community leader and I even recently completed flight school to receive my sport pilots license. There are no limitations, just the ones that we place on ourselves.”
KSU professor publishes years of research in “The Georgia Peach” Lily Merriman | Contributor What started out as one Kennesaw State professor’s graduate school dissertation quickly became a decade-long exploration into Georgia’s most evasive edible icon, the peach. When Dr. Tom Okie was awarded the Georgia Historical Society’s highest publication award for his dissertation-turned-book, “The Georgia Peach: Culture, Agriculture, and Environment in the American South,” he said he was filled with excitement and gratitude. “The Georgia Peach” is an exploration into the peach fruit and how it grew to become a cultural symbol of life in Georgia. Considering Okie’s father was a peach breeder for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it seems fitting that this iconic fruit would later become the subject of his first book. Having been raised in a world surrounded by peaches, Okie was surprised to find out that so little had been written about them. “For a crop with such a large cultural footprint, this was a glaring omission,” Okie said. As a result, peaches were the first thing that came to mind when it came time to decide on a topic for his dissertation. A tremendous amount of research went into the project before Okie
could even begin to formulate the book’s narrative. He gathered personal papers found in various archives, researched periodicals and gathered oral histories from interviews with peach farmers. Okie said that what struck him the most throughout the research process was the role aesthetics play in shaping the things people talk about and how people talk about them. Many of the passages that Okie references in his book speak about peaches in a surreal and beautiful way. It is this connection between history and beauty that quickly became an inspiring force for Okie as he continued to work on the project. For Okie, the process of researching and writing took nine years from start to finish, and because of this, the book is scattered with pieces of him throughout. “Every book is a kind of snapshot of a process,” Okie said. However, this wasn’t always the case. When Kate Brown, a professor of history at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, read a part of Okie’s manuscript and felt he was hiding something, Okie realized that his personal stories were an integral means of illustrating the importance of an otherwise overlooked fruit.
While he was reluctant to reveal his own past with peach production early in the writing process, Okie eventually accepted that the book would ultimately be shaped by his experiences, whether or not he overtly included them in the text. While the book is complete with anecdotes from Okie’s childhood, it was also greatly influenced by his career as a professor of history. Okie is currently in his sixth year of teaching at KSU and his seventh year of teaching college full-time. He considers the book to be an outworking of becoming a historian and refers to “The Georgia Peach” as his “academic calling card.” As for the future, Okie has already begun to work on a new historical book which will weave together the connections between southern history and native plants. Still, Georgia peaches, in all their symbolism, lessons and cultural significance, will always be something special to Okie. “[‘The Georgia Peach’] pays homage to the fact that we depend on the earth for our survival and also for the things that are maybe beyond our survival, like beauty and joy and pleasure,” Okie said.
Civil Rights
DOWN 1. *”The ____ of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice” 2. Lena Dunham or Allison Williams, 2012-2017 3. Red carpet purse 4. The Brady Bunch children, e.g. 5. Permission for absence from a college 6. Smart ____, pl 7. Be dependent 8. *____ Housing Act 9. Climber’s destination 10. “____ the season ...” 12. *Mandela presided over its southernmost country 13. Perpendicular to the keel 14. French bun 19. Authoritative proclamation 22. Not to be given to those in authority 23. Manhattan Project invention 24. Chocolate tree 25. “Dear Diary...” note 26. Cup of joe 27. Happen again 28. Do like Demosthenes 29. What moon did 32. Not this 33. Bupkis 36. Oscillator, e.g. 38. ‘70s Ford model 40. Farm pen 41. Meat grinder, e.g. 44. For all to see 46. Model-builder’s wood of choice, pl. 48. *____ on Washington 49. Blue-Green scum 50. *Nobel Peace Prize winner 51. Light bulb 52. Necessary thing 53. Office dispatch 54. Roentgen’s machine 55. Langley, VA org. 58. “Eureka!”
Jan. 22 Solution
Photo Courtesy of David Caselli
Jan. 22 Solution
CROSSWORD:
SUDOKU
KSU graduate Mizzani Walker-Holmes uses her knowledge of data science to address important social issues.
1. Forever and a day 5. Organ of balance 8. What Jack Sprat couldn’t eat 11. Quinceanera or bat mitzvah 12. Wagon part 13. You can count on these 15. Heart of the matter 16. Perceive by touch 17. Fedora part, pl. 18. *Voter test, now illegal 20. Ireland’s other name 21. Written corrections 22. One from Laos 23. Kind of acid 26. *Segregation laws 30. *Stop segregation, e.g. 31. 40 winks 34. Zeus’ wife 35. Nadya Suleman’s children, e.g. 37. Subject of “Philadelphia” movie 38. Kind of southern pie 39. Chico or Groucho 40. Cured sausage 42. Member of Shoshonean people 43. *Montgomery Bus ____ 45. Produced by inbreeding 47. Brown league 48. Kind of ray 50. Flying toy 52. *He challenged nonviolence 55. Juice alternative 56. Craving 57. Evening in Italy 59. Dead to the world 60. Harry Potter’s mark 61. Wet nurse 62. Ottoman officer title 63. CafÈ alternative 64. Kind of bean
The solutions to this week’s puzzles will be in the next issue of the Sentinel.
Listen to Owl Radio! Check them out on the RadioFX app and online at ksuradio.com!
Get involved with The Peak! Apply online at studentmedia.kennesaw.edu!
Page 8 | Kennesaw State University | The Sentinel | January 29, 2019
Kennesaw State University | The Sentinel | January 29, 2019 | Page 9
SPORTS
Hooker earns career high, losses continue for basketball teams Rio White | Sports Editor
Junior Tyler Hooker has a determined attitude to score against his opponents at all costs.
Jaylan Smith | The Sentinel
THE HEART OF IVERSON, A UNIQUE DRIVE: TYLER HOOKER Tyhi Conley | Staff Writer
Redshirt junior Tyler Hooker is a six-foot-tall scoring guard who plays bigger than he is for Kennesaw State’s basketball team. For him, failure is not defined by losing or winning, but by not reaching his full potential. In pursuit of reaching his potential, he enjoys mimicking his idol, Allen Iverson. Hooker has been the leader for the Owls this season, finding ways to score against any opponent. He currently leads the team in scoring and minutes played, often finding himself as the only player creating opportunities and taking them. Often overlooked in Iverson’s career was his defining moment, which came during the 2001 NBA Finals as Iverson’s Philadelphia 76ers team played the Los Angeles Lakers. Playing as an underdog and standing at exactly six feet tall, Iverson had a natural chip on his shoulder. He went on to score 48 points in 52 minutes as the 76ers won game one in overtime. The world instantly saw who Iverson was. Fresh off a career-high 33-point game against North Alabama the night before, Hooker seemed in good spirits during our courtside interview in the Convocation Center. Still, it was not always like this. Like many elite athletes, it took obstacles to push Hooker to become the player he is today. His story begins in Simpsonville, South Carolina, where he led Hillcrest High School to back-
to-back state championship appearances. Hooker committed to East Tennessee State for the next chapter in his career. With the coach getting fired, however, he was forced to attend Moravian Prep School in 2015. With Hooker back on the market after leaving Moravian, Owls assistant coach Stephen Cox sought him out. Hooker was anxious for an opportunity, joining the Owls as a redshirt freshman in 2016. “Basketball has really meant everything for me,” Hooker said. “I don’t know where I’d be if I wasn’t playing. It opened doors for me. It helped me look at life differently, both on and off the court.” On the court, his effort and natural skill have allowed him to account for over 31 percent of the team’s points this season. Consequently, he is ranked second in scoring in the Atlantic Sun Conference, averaging 19.2 points per game. Hooker’s innate scoring ability may still pale in comparison to his drive. He takes pride in the work that he puts in during the offseason and considers himself as self-motivated. Like Iverson, there is no doubt of effort when watching Hooker. “I come in and I get it on my own,” he said. “I don’t need a coach to tell me to get up shots or to play hard.” Nonetheless, he is only human, and at times what he loves most can
be a hindrance. Hooker says that the feeling recently arose this season. “There’ve been many times where I wanted to give up,” Hooker said. “All successful people probably have those moments. There were a couple times where I didn’t want to come to practice or give it all I got, but I still showed up and gave my teammates all I have.” The Owls are struggling this year, posting a 3-18 record and have yet to win a conference game. “Even though we’re not having the success that we want, it’s still fun. I still get to wake up and play basketball and do what I love,” Hooker said. Although his talent shines, there is no perfect basketball player. Hooker emphasized he still has room to grow with shot selection and his leadership abilities. To turn the season around, Hooker believes it is important for his team to maintain faith. Knowing what the Owls need to improve on, he is looking to grow as a leader for the young squad. As true as it was for Allen Iverson, it remains true for Hooker — a chance is not something that is given, it is often taken. For the team to reach their full potential, Hooker says they must block out the outside noise and play within themselves. “At the end of the day, I want to win more than I want to do anything,” Hooker said.
The Kennesaw State men’s and women’s basketball teams endured a difficult week, as the men fell at Lipscomb on Monday, Jan. 21, before both teams lost at North Alabama later in the week. During the stretch of difficult road games, the highlight of the week was Tyler Hooker’s career-best performance of 33 points. An 86-57 loss began last week for the men’s team, as the Owls traveled to Nashville to play the Bisons on Wednesday, Jan. 23. Hooker led the way with 18 points, as he continued to play a crucial role for the team throughout the game. The Owls kept it close in the first half, trailing by eight points at halftime. Hooker had scored 12 of his points by the midway point, but he was the only player who found shooting success early on as the Owls relied on the free-throw line to stay close. Junior Bobby Parker scored nine points in the second half, but the bench could not keep KSU in the game as Lipscomb’s lead steadily increased. Hooker’s best game of the season came two days later, but despite his efforts, the Owls still lost 76-71 to
North Alabama on Friday. The redshirt junior extended his run of double-digit performances to 20 consecutive games and led the way for his team in every way possible, but only nine bench points thwarted the completion of a comeback victory for the Owls. Down by 15 points at halftime, KSU rallied in the second half as Parker and redshirt freshman Danny Tyler Hooker: 19.1 points per game 404 points overall 35.6 minutes per game 84.4 percent on free throws
Lewis helped the Owls start scoring consistently. The final margin of five points would be the closest KSU would get, as they fell to a 3-18 record on the season. For the women’s team, freshman Amani Johnson and sophomore Alexis Poole led the way with 14 points each against North Alabama in an 80-55 loss on Tuesday, Jan. 22.
Both players found success rebounding as well as scoring, but the rest of the team’s scoring struggles prevented a collective effort to combat North Alabama’s efficient shooting percentage. The first half saw a positive performance from junior Carlotta Gianolla, who contributed eight points in just 12 minutes. After halftime, she played only two minutes and did not pick up any more points. Usual scoring leader Kamiyah Street scored just eight points for the entire game, uncharacteristically making less than a quarter of her shots. Johnson’s performance, particularly in the second half, was an improvement from a tough game a week earlier. The five-time conference freshman of the week has now scored a double-digit total in 11 games this season. Up next, the basketball teams come home this week, as the women’s team faces North Florida on Tuesday, Jan. 29, at 11 a.m. while the men also play the Osprey on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in the Convocation Center.
Track duo wins awards, Ayuk sets school record at Samford Rio White | Sports Editor After the Kennesaw State track and field teams had two meets in recent weeks, two athletes won major awards for their athletic performance last calendar year on Sunday, Jan. 27. Dayo Akindele and Jocselyn Powell won Male and Female Athletes of the Year, as chosen by members of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee at the annual Owls Choice Awards Banquet. Both players won All-Atlantic Sun Conference honors, as they set records and helped their teams win conference championships. Now in his senior year, Akindele has been a leader of the men’s team for his entire Owls career, helping them finish at the top of the conference in both indoor and outdoor competitions. For the past two seasons, Akindele has been named as the most outstanding performer of the ASUN Conference Championships for the indoor season, where he excelled in the long jump, triple
jump and the 60-meter hurdles. During the outdoor season last year, he set the school record for the 100-meter hurdles. Powell similarly found success during the indoor season, performing well in multiple hurdle distances and relays. A senior last season, she has been an allconference selection every year of her KSU career. At the end of the season, Powell ranked thirteenth in the nation for the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 57.28. She led the team to an outdoor championship. In the weeks prior to the awards ceremony, both track teams traveled to meets at Samford on Jan. 18, before heading to Liberty the next week. At Samford, freshman star Brenda Ayuk continued the momentum she had from the cross country season when she frequently finished as the top finisher for the school. A distance runner by trade, the Cameroonian participated in the 1000-meter race where she broke a
school record with a time of 2:51.54. At Liberty, three Owls won events while several others placed top-three finishes. Akindele and Powell (combined) 7x First Team All-Conference 9 Conference Championships
Senior throw specialist Chuck McConville won the weight throw, Latvian jumper Julija Tarvide cleared 1.7 meters in the high jump to win and distance runner Chase Kennedy was victorious in the 3K race. The Owls return to Samford for a meet on Feb. 8 before heading to the ASUN Conference Championships on Feb. 22.
Football hires four new coaches to fill recently vacated positions Rio White | Sports Editor Kennesaw State’s football team announced on Friday, Jan. 28, that three new assistant coaches were added to the staff, in addition to another coach who was hired three days earlier. Head coach Brian Bohannon revealed the first of his new hires on Tuesday, Jan. 22, with the confirmation of Blake Harrell as the new defensive coordinator. Following the departure of Brian Newberry, Harrell is coming to KSU with a breadth of defensive experience from his time at The Citadel. Harrell spent five seasons with the Bulldogs, helping them earn two Southern Conference championships and FCS playoff appearances in 2015 and 2016. Last season, the Bulldogs held national champions Alabama to 10 points at halftime, their lowest first-half total all year. After presiding over a defense that forced 83 turnovers in the past four seasons, Harrell will be tasked with continuing and expanding the success of the KSU defense. He will also be responsible for specifically coaching
linebackers for the Owls. “My family and I are thrilled to join this standard of excellence and help bring more championships to Kennesaw State,” Harrell said. “The culture Coach Bohannon has built speaks to his leadership and I look forward to continuing the tremendous success the Owls have had.” Also joining the KSU staff are three individuals who will replace the remainder of the previously vacant positions. Unlike some other current and previous coaches on staff, all three new hires have exclusively coached in Georgia. Cornerbacks coach Darius Safford comes to the Owls from Mercer, where he coached the same position. He previously worked as an assistant at West Georgia and Georgia Southern. Last year, Mercer played several close games against similar opposition to KSU. Their season highlight was an upset victory over Samford, a familiar foe to the Owls.
Defensive ends coach Rico Zackery comes to the Atlanta area from the western side of Georgia, where he has been a successful high school coach. He spent the last two seasons as head coach of Villa Rica High School and prior to that, he coached at Central Carroll High School. In his first two seasons at Central Carroll, Zackery worked under current KSU offensive coordinator Grant Chesnut. Later on as head coach, Zackery led his school to a regional title and was named the region’s coach of the year. Safties coach Danny Verpaele will also be joining the football program. Verpaele spent the past three seasons as the defensive coordinator at Valdosta State, where he helped lead them to a Division II National Championship in 2018. The Blazers went undefeated last season on the way to their success, and the Owls hope that Verpaele can bring that energy and mindset to KSU this fall. Head coach Brian Bohannon welcomes new faces to KSU football.
Photo courtesy KSU Athletics
Page 10 | Kennesaw State University | The Sentinel | January 29, 2019
LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE. LIVE KSU. February Dates to Know LIVE
Sign up to live on campus for the 2019-20 academic year. Space is limited! Complete your Housing Application today at ksuhousing.kennesaw.edu. February 1 – 28 | SkyFactor Survey Residential students can complete this survey for cool prizes!
LEARN
February 9 | Excursion
Museum of Civil and Human Rights Residential students will receive an email with more information. February 10 | Financial Boot Camp Marietta Community Center, 6:30 PM February 24 | Financial Boot Camp ARC MPR, 6:30 PM
PLAY
February 11 | RHA’s Tasty Arousal University Village Center, 6 PM February 27 | KSU Farmers Market The grassy area next to The Commons 10 AM – 2 PM February 22 | RHA’s Ice Formal University Village Suites, 6:30 PM
CampusServices.kennesaw.edu January29SentinelAd-new_KW Edits.indd 1
EAT
Meal Plan swipes and Dining Dollars expire on May 7. Use your Meal Plan and attend these events! February 5 | Stingers Steakhouse Stingers dining hall, 5 PM February 6 | Karaoke The Commons dining hall, 7 PM February 12 | Karaoke Stingers, 7 PM February 13 | Stingers Steakhouse The Commons, 5 PM February 19 | Stingers Steakhouse Stingers, 5 PM February 20 | Team Trivia The Commons, 7 PM February 26 | Team Trivia Stingers, 7 PM February 27 | Stingers Steakhouse The Commons, 5 PM
T LON ONE SERVICE CENTER
Questions? Visit the Talon One Service Center Call (470) 578-8663 (T-ONE) Email talonone@kennesaw.edu
@KSUCampusServ
1/25/19 4:49 PM