Marquette Tribune | February, 25

NMD fallout sparks concern in MU leaders

By Sophia Tiedge sophia.tiedge@marquette.edu

There were 29 alcoholrelated calls to MUPD on National Marquette Day this year. Out of those 29 calls, 14 students were taken to the hospital. This does not include students who took themselves to the emergency room, were taken to the hospital from Fiserv Forum or other offcampus locations.

Some of the transports

happened without contact between Marquette staff, MUPD or the Office of Residence Life, because they were overwhelmed by calls.

At one point, there was an hour wait for an ambulance, and Marquette staff was triaging students in the lobbies of dorms.

At the residence halls, staff confiscated 47 BORGs (black out rage gallons)

— gallon jugs filled with hard alcohol and flavored water — and had to start telling dozens of students to go outside and dump them once it became too overwhelming to confiscate all of them.

Christine Navia, acting vice president for Belonging and Student Affairs, Erin Gannon, dean of Students and Rick Arcuri, executive director for Business

Operations, presented all this information through a presentation created by MUPD at the University Academic Senate meeting Feb. 17.

The UAS consists of 38 members, including faculty, graduate and undergraduate students — and acts as an advisory body for the university leadership.

Incidents at the

party on 17th Street and MUPD response:

The NMD men's basketball game tipped off at 7 p.m., giving students all day to drink. Arcuri referenced a party that takes place annually in the alley at 800 block of 17th Street.

"Our understanding this year is that it's the parents

President Ah Yun speaks at Ignite meeting

Ah Yun shared his personal faith journey with MU students

By Ruby Mulvaney ruby.mulvaney@marquette.edu

Students gathered at the Alumni Memorial Union on Feb. 12 to fill their plates with food and to connect over prayer. Marquette University President Kimo Ah Yun spoke to students at Ignite, a group that highlights Catholic faith and

prayer over dinner.

Ah Yun shared his personal faith story and spoke about the importance of developing one's moral compass, especially as a college student. He said Marquette is an institution that enables students to take this journey.

“People walk away with a refined compass, what’s right and what's wrong, and always wanting to move to the side of right,” Ah Yun said. His speech was a testament to his Catholic faith. Ah Yun said Marquette

has given him the ability to practice his faith every day, and that he is grateful to work for an institution where religion is not left at home.

“As a Catholic institution, anytime we're gathering around our faith and have the opportunity to share with one another to grow and be part of the community, that's always a great thing,” Ah Yun said.

Marquette has a long history of priests serving as presidents. The late Michael Lovell was the first lay president, and his suc-

cessor Ah Yun is the second. Despite this fact, Ah Yun said he shows a strong devotion to the students and their faith.

Ah Yun said that although he is not a priest, he takes guidance from those who are in order to keep Marquette's faith traditions alive.

“We're fortunate to be able to have a lot of Jesuits on our campus, and I take a lot of guidance from them about how we are supposed to lead. At the end of the day, we understand what we're called to

do, how we're called to embrace others and care for others and support others,” Ah Yun said.

Ah Yun's presence seemed to be well-received by a number of Ignite students.

Nick Gross, a first-year student in the College of Communication, said having Ah Yun speak at the event brought an uplifting and positive atmosphere. He said that it shows his dedication to Marquette.

“At a lot of institutions, the president might say, ‘Oh, I'm too busy to

Photo by Sophia Tiedge sophia.tiedge@marquette.edu

BORGs were confiscated in dorms.

NMD: Hour-long wait for ambulances

Continued from page 1

of the students that live in these houses that sponsor the party. There were about 1,000 students that were there," Arcuri said.

The Wire is actively working to confirm who sponsors the party.

Arcuri pointed to a place in a photo of the party where students were standing on someone's car. He said they totaled the car and crushed the roof. The owner of the car was a student, who parked behind his apartment building. A WISN 12 news story reported that MUPD officers made arrests after escorting the car out of the party, but the arrested students' identities have not been made public.

A party this size is difficult for MUPD to manage.

Arcuri said MUPD officers were worried about going into that crowd because if the students turned on them, one, they would have to deal with students in a way they do not want to deal with them, or two, the students will run, either running onto Wells or 17th Street where they could get in the way of traffic.

"It's a different kind of drinking we're seeing now, and it's drinking to be drunk to the point of excess. It's more dangerous than what we've seen in the past. I've been here for almost 40 years now, and I've never seen anything like I've seen this year on National Marquette Day,"

Arcuri said.

The Marquette Wire has requested records for the number of emergency calls to MUPD for the past five NMDs, and we are currently waiting for a response. Reports of disrespect and reactions on social media:

Not only were students being taken to the hospital, before staff were able to transport them, 14 students were disrespecting either staff or MUPD in the residence halls.

"It's notable to also recognize that the behavior towards staff is something we don't like to see from our students. Our custodial staff, FPNM staff, Sodexo employees, they don't come to work to be treated the way they were treated by students on that day," Gannon said.

The events of NMD were being shared on social media by individual students and on Instagram by the "Barstool Marquette" account.

"I was particularly struck by the comments upon comments about 'entitled spoiled Marquette students,' in terms of destroying a peer's car because they were so intoxicated," Gannon said.

Not only were there incidents of disrespectful behavior, but Arcuri said he was in a situation where a student's life was in danger. He said he was directed to a bathroom in the Commons where a

student was passed out, and his friends were trying to take the student back to his dorm.

"I opened his eye, and it was rolled back into his head. I've never seen a student that drunk before," Arcuri said.

Arcuri said the student's friends were being aggressive with authorities, not wanting them to take the student to the hospital.

"When the paramedics showed up, the thing that settled the students down was one of the paramedics turned to the other one and said, 'Go get the defibrillator,' and that's when the students turned to us and said, 'Wait, what are they talking about?' and that's when I said, 'He could die. You have to let them take him,"' Arcuri said.

Ambulance response delay and emergency calls to dorms:

Arcuri presented photos of students in stretchers in the lobbies of dorms and students passed out and receiving care in dining halls. At one point, ORL was told to triage, assess and call MUPD who then called for an ambulance to help regulate calls for ambulances.

"One of the things that was different than in the past was we were overrun because of the amount of people that were drunk beyond the point of being able to take care of themselves," Arcuri said.

When the wait for an

ambulance became an hour, MUPD called Bell Ambulances and told them to just park ambulances on campus. Gannon said they would drive students to the hospital and then immediately turn around to come get another student.

Response from university leadership and next steps:

Moving forward, Gannon, Arcuri and Navia presented a list of possible ways to mitigate some of these issues in the future.

They want to create more planning around the selection of the date and time for the NMD basketball game and send messages to students about responsible behavior.

The team said they could create a response plan or crisis team and see if they can have more support staff on campus throughout the day.

To fix issues with emergency response times, they talked about having Bell Ambulance's on site to assist with triage, and to decrease excessive drinking and possibly increase fines for student conduct violations.

To control parties off campus, they suggested preemptively meeting with off-campus housing to discuss repercussions of hosting parties and potential consequences for doing so.

Navia said they are hoping to spark some discussion about how to

keep students safe, which Gannon said will be an ongoing conversation across campus.

"This is exponentially worse than what we saw last year, but it's just an evolution. My concern is if this continues or goes any further, students are going to continue to get really hurt, and God forbid we would lose a student," Gannon said.

Other colleges across the country have similar days where drinking is heightened. Gannon brought up the "Mifflin Street Block Party" at UWMadison as an example, but she said Marquette just has not seen parties reach this level.

At last year's "Mifflin Street Block Party," a car was flipped and dozens of students were arrested. 150 officers worked the event, some of which got trained in crowd control beforehand.

An alcohol task force was created at Marquette in 2019 to find solutions to alcohol and drug use on campus, and faculty members at UAS brought this up to see if it could be reinstated to deal with situations like this. It is unclear if the task force is currently active.

"It's fair to say we've been put on notice," Gannon said. "I think we have an obligation both moral, ethical and probably legal to do something to ensure this behavior stops."

AH YUN: Taking guidance from Jesuits

Continued from page 1

come,' right?

But President Ah Yun thankfully had time for us tonight and I'm really thankful," Gross said. "It illustrates the mission of Marquette too, because

"Anytime we're gathering around our faith and have the opportunity to share with one another...that's always a great thing."

Kimo Ah Yun President of Marquette University

you have the president coming, inspiring the youth and the students in the future generations of Marquette to be the differ-

ence.”

Another student attendee, Katarina D’Amico, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said that Ignite offers her a strong faith community and that having Ah Yun speak reinforced her belief that he cares about the students.

“I think it's really important that Ah Yun is here tonight because it shows that Marquette really cares, in the sense that it's not just this institution that we're all giving our money to for our education, but he wants to see what we think is so cool about this. I feel like it's really nice and kind of down to earth that he's here,” D’Amico said.

Marquette Campus Ministry, in addition to students, highlights the importance of events like these. Stephen Blaha, director of Campus Ministry, said that it is clear Ah Yun enjoys connecting with students along with growing his personal faith.

“It's wonderful to see his joy in being with students and wanting to spend time

MU students and staff from California are recovering from the damage while living far away.

and to connect, and it's great for students to be able to connect with the president. It just strengthens us as the university community. But also for him to share his personal

journey, his faith, it helps encourage each of us to deepen our relationship with God,” Blaha said. Ignite is hosted every Wednesday from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Lunda Room at

the AMU. The weekly meetings host a new speaker or theme, all with the goal of helping students connect with their faith.

Photo by Owen Weis

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Ah Yun's updates on capital projects

By Sophia Tiedge sophia.tiedge@marquette.edu

Marquette University

President Kimo Ah Yun addressed University Academic Senate Feb. 17 to provide updates on possible capital projects, President Trump's executive orders and $31 million budget cuts.

Here's what to know:

BioDiscovery building or science district project

Ah Yun said there has been discussion about improving the current biological and biomedical sciences facilities.

A master plan was created in 2017 detailing campus improvement plans, including a "BioDiscovery District."

The science district is the only capital project on Marquette's $600 million campus master plan that hasn't been completed.

"We've been talking about BioDiscovery or a science district. As I get further into that, it's clear that we need to start thinking about this in smaller chunks and figure out what the most important chunk is that we need to go after first,"

Ah Yun said.

Ah Yun said if this were to be a standalone building it could cost upwards of $250 million.

"I just didn't see the pathway for us to do that, so we went out and started talking to donors to see if we have interest. It's not going to be able to generate enough money for that building,"

Ah Yun said.

That is why Ah Yun said looking at this in smaller pieces will be the best way to address it. He said that labs and teaching spaces seem to be a priority, so he said they are doing an audit of those spaces.

"Can we renovate some of the labs? Do we have to have a separate structure and what kind of structure does it need to be?"

Ah Yun said.

Ah Yun said students and faculty who utilize the labs said they are insufficient

and that some high schools have better lab spaces.

"As I think about thriving students, that's one of the ways I think we could help our students to thrive," Ah Yun said.

AHPRC II

In 2023, the Wire reported a second Athletic and Human Performance Research Center was in the works with plans to create another building in the parking lot adjacent to the current facility.

As of our 2023 reporting, the second building would include new homes for the soccer, tennis, cross country and track & field programs, practice facilities for men’s basketball, new academic spaces for student-athletes and more sports medicine space.

As of 2023, the building was listed in the university's annual report under "construction in progress," but didn't have enough funding. Ah Yun said since then, there hasn't been much progress.

For the Board of Trustees to approve construction, Ah Yun said the university has to have 100% or close to 100% funding or a plan to get full funding, and for this project, it needs to be fully donor-funded.

"Then if we can generate enough of a pathway for them to see we can make this happen, then they approve that building," Ah Yun said.

But the pathway isn't there yet.

"There is some money that has been raised because donors have come forward for AHPRC II and said, 'We'd like to give to that cause', but it's not the point yet where that building is fully funded," Ah Yun said.

Jennifer Ohlendorf, vice chair of UAS, asked if UAS could see a full fiscal analysis of the success of AHPRC I, if at any point it looks like AHPRC II will be approved.

Ah Yun said he would look into this, but he said they haven't started putting a proposal together for

what they hope to see in AHPRC II.

Executive orders

Ralph Weber, vice president and general counsel, gave an update on President Donald Trump's executive orders and how they will impact Marquette. To read our coverage of his address, click here.

But Ah Yun gave his own remarks, saying evaluating the executive orders is at the forefront of his mind. He is working with administration and other institutions to come up with a plan to address them.

On a national level, Ah Yun said has met with the presidents of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and the Wisconsin Independent Colleges and Universities to discuss the executive orders.

"Please know that this is something that's constantly on my mind and constantly in conversations, and it will continue to move forward," Ah Yun said.

Marquette 2031:

Securing Our Future plan

Last March, Marquette announced a plan to make $31 million in budget cuts and reinvest 40% of that back into the university.

Ah Yun said the steering committee for the plan has identified $14 million dollars to make possible cuts.

"We sketched it out and said, 'Here are some things we can be looking at,' but I would say, nothing is fixed, meaning we have work to do," Ah Yun said.

In terms of academic cuts, Marquette has proposed to cut or modify 15 programs so far in alignment with the plan.

But Ah Yun said aside from academics, they are looking into cuts or revenue-generating ideas in advancement, athletics and enrollment.

"We're talking about things like 'What are we going to do in enrollment?' And there's some good signs there, but we're earlier on in that process," Ah Yun said. In order to make changes in enrollment, Ah Yun said they are looking to increase the number of applications in order to change the net tuition revenue, which is the money they would receive from tuition after financial aid and other discounts on tuition.

As for tuition, Ah Yun said he is also working to make sure it stays affordable for students.

"That's part of the work we need to do," Ah Yun said. For athletics and advancement, Ah Yun said he is looking at ways to increase immediate use dollars, so they are able to fund initiatives faster.

"I think about all the great things we do, and our university has so much momentum, and I think sometimes when we look at the day-to-day things we're trying to address, we miss the larger picture," Ah Yun said. "Marquette is really doing well."

Feb. 25

Lemonis

Ideas Sandpit session for Explorer Chal- lenge 2.0

Details: - 1-4 p.m. - 707 hub

Feb. 26

Rev. Francis Wade SJ lecture

Details: - 4 p.m. - Raynor Library Beaumier Suites BC

Soup with Substance: Justice in Action

Details: - 12-1 p.m. - AMU Lunda room

Feb. 27

Conversation with Michael Grabner and John McKinnon

Details: - 6-9 p.m. - Haggerty Museum of Art

Feb. 28

Law school get to know with Susan Crawford

Details: - 12:15 p.m. - Eckstein Hall's Lubar Center

Designing equitable high impact flipped chemistry classrooms

Details: - 4 p.m. - Wehr Chemistry room 121

The BioDiscovery district was on the campus masterplan in 2017.

Rendering courtesy of Magazines at Marquette

By Lance Schulteis lance.schulteis@marquette.edu

For a number of Marquette students, their social media diets do not just consist of the “Big 4” of Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and X. They also include an app whose icon is a cartoon yak head on a seafoam background, known as Yik Yak.

The platform allows users to post messages anonymously within the Marquette community, letting students scroll through posts about Marquette basketball, dining hall food and campus life without knowing who started the conversation.

However, on an app designed to be anonymous, there is one person that chooses to have his identity known. Andy Hendrix, a senior in the College of Education, navigates the app throughout the day under the username “muyikyaks,” upvoting, commenting and interacting with other users— all of which are hidden behind the veil of anonymity.

“If I’m the person behind the actual Instagram account, why not be public with it? Why not stand behind what I’m proud of, and the account is definitely something I’m proud of,” Hendrix said. “It’s a passion project.”

From the beginning of his tenure in February 2022 to March 2024, the identity of muyikyaks was a mystery to Marquette. Finally, on April 1, 2023, Hendrix and his signature mustache were revealed.

“I got a few texts personally from people that didn’t know and were like, ‘Dude, what are you talking about? This is you?’” Hendrix said. Most nights, Hendrix then takes the most popular posts from the day and compiles them into a post on his Instagram account under the same “muyikyaks” username, set to music with a caption underneath. When he took over the account in 2022, it had under 500 followers. Almost three years later, it has amassed a fanbase of over 3,700 followers.

The routine Instagram posts summarize what Hendrix considers the most important events and conversations of the Yik Yak community on a given day, often making the days of students that see their posts jump from one platform to the other.

Originally, Hendrix took over the account from a friend that wasn’t interested in maintaining it long-term. Knowing he was active on Yik Yak, his friend asked if he wanted to run the show.

The rest, as they say, is history.

“It's a pretty easy Instagram account to run. I just find my favorite posts of

"Not quite anonymous"

the day, post them on the Instagram account, include a cute little caption, a song that I think either fits the theme or something that I've been listening to a lot lately, and once I’ve gotten to this repetition, it’s actually pretty easy. I don’t feel a whole lot of pressure,” Hendrix said.

So, what is the criteria for posts to be featured on the illustrious account?

According to Hendrix, the most-upvoted posts often get the spotlight. But on slower days, he looks for posts he likes that may have slipped through the cracks.

“I definitely try to reward a lot of the ones that do really well. It’s a lot of what I think are funny, what other people thought were funny, appreciated or liked,” Hendrix said.

While dependent on their content, the success of posts is also tied to accounts that have established themselves with alternate usernames,

“If I'm the person behind the actual Instagram account, why not be public with it?”

Andy

Hendrix Creator of "muyikyaks" College of Education c/o 2025

including the official Marquette University Yik Yak account.

“Our social media team utilizes the Marquette Yik Yak account to keep a pulse on the conversation and discussions happening in the campus community, while allowing for playful interactions. The official account also exists to provide accurate information when rumors or speculation mounts on social media platforms,” the university said in a statement.

The playfulness of the app was exemplified in recent efforts to get a live mascot at basketball games. As part of the Marquette social media team’s promotional work around National Marquette Day, a user posted on Jan. 28, “upvote for a real eagle at home games.” The official Marquette University account then reposted it, saying the idea would be brought to the desk of President Kimo Ah Yun if it received 300 upvotes.

Over 500 upvotes after the initial teaser, Valkyrie spread her wings at the National Marquette Day outing against UConn on Feb. 1

“There’s a community behind [Yik Yak],” Hendrix said. “There’s a community enjoying it, and there’s a good receptive audience as well.”

From 2022 to early 2024, Hendrix had the opportunity to expand that audience, partnering with Yik Yak itself as part of an advertising and marketing platoon as the company assembled a team that included managers from other universities.

As part of the deal, the first day of school in August 2023 was spent handing out donuts, cookies and Yik Yak-branded socks.

“I’ve got a pair of Yik Yak socks somewhere in my drawer,” Hendrix said. “And that’s exclusive— they don’t make those things anymore.”

The manager program dissolved in early 2024, and while the small paychecks stopped reaching managers, so did access to their Instagram accounts. Many managers were locked out without a way to regain access, losing their ability to share their favorite posts— but muyikyaks persevered.

“It’s something that the Marquette community loves, so I fought for it back early on in that process,” Hendrix said.

Two days later, the account information was returned, and Hendrix changed the password instantly to make sure Marquette’s beloved profile wasn’t taken away again.

Even without deals from Yik Yak itself, he has still managed to find ways to engage the community, including with giveaways of cash and chocolate.

“What I’ve really realized is even if you’re not forward-facing, doing the most you can with a club, organization, any of those

things— you can still make an impact,” Hendrix said. “You don’t have to be on the basketball team to do something important. You don’t have to be on the volleyball team, on any sort of sports or athletics teams to do something important. You don’t have to be in a sorority, you don’t have to be in a fraternity. You can just be an everyday joe and do something cool and do something important within your community.”

Recently, Hendrix has taken his desire to give back and build community at Marquette out of the virtual world. He held the inaugural Marquette Community Hour on Feb. 19, which was an opportunity for students, faculty and staff to gather in the Lemonis Center for Student Success and discuss their thoughts on current issues to better understand perspectives.

“I talked with some professors and talked with some friends about some ways that we can come up with something where it’s within the Marquette community and people can really come together and be like, ‘All right, enough aside. Let’s actually talk about these issues,’” Hendrix said. “If it’s not completely eye-to-eye and [bridging] those gaps in perspective, let’s at least start the bridge. Let’s build a hill a little bit so we can see each other on where people are coming from.”

The first installment had a limited attendance but still produced constructive conversations about the selected topic: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The discussion, led by Hendrix, moved from national founding principles to DEI initiatives to immigrant backgrounds, all in the name of broadening perspective

within the campus community.

“You never see anything but a smile on his face no matter what you’re saying, even when he’s asking difficult questions,” Julianne Browne, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences and attendee at Marquette Community Hour, said.

The in-person event created a space for a community that largely discusses issues online to speak with one another face-to-face. Hendrix cited tense political discussions on Yik Yak as part of his motivation in creating the Marquette Community Hour, which aims to foster real, productive conversations.

“[Being] anonymous is nice because you can say those very difficult things without being tied to them, but also be able to create face-to-face relationships and network with people who hold different ideas [and] who hold the same ones,” Browne said. “That's even more important, because being able to actually sit down and have conversations with someone goes beyond what you can say in just stating your opinion on Yik Yak or any platform.”

Ultimately, the Marquette Community Hour and muyikyaks pages work to build Hendrix’s vision of fellowship at Marquette, idealizing cura personalis– caring for the whole person— as a community.

“Yik Yak is its own community that I'm very happy is built into what it is today,” Hendrix said. “But at the end of the day, it's an online platform— someday it's gonna go away. But the skills we learn and the community we can build in-person and as a school, that's something that can have a lasting impact.”

In 2023, Andy Hendrix and his signnature mustache were revealed as the brains behind "muyikyaks"

Photo by Jack Belmont

Springing to new heights

Forbes' gymnastics background fuels her

success

By Trevor Hilson trevor.hilson@marquette.edu

Skylar Forbes' somersaulting during games is not by accident — it's in her nature.

The sophomore forward's basketball career started later than others. Forbes was balancing on beams and jumping through the air before she grew and picked up a basketball in her first year of high school.

"I was a gymnast from ages four to thirteen or fourteen," Forbes said. "I stuck with it, got a little too tall, so I had to quit."

Yet, her rapid development since committing to play at Marquette has her on track to being a surefire All-Big East nod after this season.

In Marquette head coach Cara Consuegra's opinion, that's just the tip of the iceberg.

"Sky was a gymnast for a long time, which is hard to believe because she's 6-3, and then she grew and became a basketball player,"

Chones' No. 22 goes to the rafters

By Matthew Baltz matthew.baltz@marquette.edu

In February of 2007, Marquette men's basketball retired Dwyane Wade's No. 3 jersey. Since then, nobody else had been added to the rafters of Fiserv Forum, until last Tuesday night. Jim Chones became the 10th player in MU history to have his jersey retired, as

Consuegra said. "For that reason, look at her build, look at her skillset, she's just going to keep getting better."

Forbes's consistent improvement is paying dividends on the floor after picking up nearly 13 minutes per game more this season. She's averaging 10.9 points and two more rebounds per game more than she did in her first season in the blue and gold, and is the leading shot-blocker in the conference, averaging 1.7 per contest. She has more than doubled her 3-point percentage from last season, shooting 32.8 percent compared to 15 percent.

"I didn't really shoot that much, and I don't think I had enough confidence to shoot the ball the way I'm doing now," Forbes said.

That confidence has been the catalyst to six 20-point performances this season, including a new career-high of 26 points in an 82-72 victory over DePaul at the Al McGuire Center on Feb. 15, where she made three triples.

Consuegra said she knows Forbes wants to live on the perimeter and shoot threes,

his No. 22 jersey was sent to the rafters during halftime of Marquette's game against Seton Hall. A look back at Chones' MU career Chones is one of the most accomplished players in program history. Across his two seasons with Marquette, the Racine, Wisconsin native scored 952 points and pulled down 583 rebounds. MU went 49-1 in the games that Chones ap-

but she believes Forbes can continue to grow on her interior offense.

"We've tried to get her to embrace she's 6-3, she's stronger than she looks," Consuegra said. "She's done a really good job embracing that physicality, being willing to get down on the block and put pressure on a defense that way, then she can step out to the perimeter and create from there."

Forbes works with Chaz Franklin, the team's director of player development who joined the team this season from the Chicago Sky, on embracing her post potential.

"We've been working on her playing more with her back to the basket," Franklin said. "She's been getting a lot of double teams as we go into Big East play, so learning how to read double teams and how to pivot away and find her open shooters on the backside and really use her strength to overpower her defenders."

Forbes said she has tapped into her gymnast background when it comes to her interior offense.

"We've been working on my footwork and being able

peared in with the only loss in that span coming in the 1971 NCAA Tournament to Ohio State. In 1972, MU was 21-0 and was coming off a 70-61 win over Creighton at Milwaukee Arena. After the game, Chones was told to go downtown Milwaukee, where a pro-offer worth over a million dollars would be waiting for him from the New York Nets.

to maneuver through people," Forbes said. Her stronger presence inside is already paying off. In her first seven games of conference play, Forbes averaged 4.3 turnovers per game, and in her last seven, she's cut that number down to 2.3 turnovers per contest. In turn, her assist to turnover ratio was 0.45 over the first seven games, and in the last seven, it's 1.2.

"She's had some tough moments where we've held her to a really high standard," Consuegra said. "Every time, she's responded and has come out on the other side a better player. She's very accountable and she wants to be good."

Forbes's intangibles and shooting ability have set her up to play a stretch-four role as a professional, and Franklin said she sees that translating into the next level.

"She's going to be a professional somewhere if she continues to develop in the way she's developing right now," Franklin said. "The sky's the limit."

No pun intended when talking about Marquette's leading scorer.

The end of an era

Theis leaves MU after 11 years as head coach

By Ben Hanson benjamin.hanson@marquette.edu

After 11 seasons at Marquette, women's volleyball head coach Ryan Theis has accepted a position at the University of Florida.

Volleyball assistant coach LJ Marx will serve as interim head coach as the national search for a new head coach begins immediately.

Theis had a .748 winning percentage at Marquette (258-87), one of the best in program history. The Madison, Wisconsin native led the Golden Eagles to three Big East regular season titles. His overall record in conference play was 15431.

Most recently, Theis led Marquette in its third trip to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tournament this past fall.

"We are deeply grateful for Ryan's leadership and dedication during his time with us," Marquette Vice President and Director of Athletics Mike Broeker said. "His contributions have been instrumental in elevating our volleyball program and expanding its national presence. As we look back on the significant accomplishments of the past decade-plus, we are confident that our program is well-positioned for continued success in the future."

Theis served as an assistant at Florida from 200607. During his two seasons in Gainesville, the Gators compiled a 59-6 record, won a pair of conference titles and advanced to the NCAA regional semifinals.

Theis is married to former Florida great Jenny Manz.

Photo by Amelia Halverson

The sophomore forward is averaging 15.2 points a game, which leads Marquette women's basketball.

Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics

Chones gave his acceptance speech at halftime last Tuesday.

SPORTS COLUMN THIS WEEK: PEACOCK ON Super Bowl Ads

In a nationwide event centered around men, women held much of the spotlight in the advertisements for Super Bowl LIX. This year’s ads were very in tune with the rise of women’s sports, spreading highly impactful messages in an incredibly short amount of time.

The NFL, Nike and Dove had very strong spots that put women in athletics at the front of the conversation. The advertisements were inspiring and empowering, but they also challenged many of the notions and language surrounding women’s sports. Too many expectations are set on girls and women; how to behave, how to feel, how to look, how to do or be anything.

Nike’s spot hit the bullseye of representation and empowerment in its inclusion of Jordan Chiles, Sha’Carri Richardson, Sophia Wilson, Aryna Sabalenka, Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, Sabrina Ionescu and JuJu Watkins, and narrated by recent Grammy winner Doechii. Serving as the new brand anthem, “So Win” upholds the standard of defying expectations and ignoring limitations.

This push to defy expectations mirrors the explosion of women’s sports and the unstoppable force they’re becoming. The resilience of women in sports has been overlooked for years as they fought for visibility and equity, only to be met with continued hardships in a male-dominated industry.

Airing right before Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show, this ad was the first time Nike had a spot during the Super Bowl since 1998. The

final words of the campaign will undoubtedly instill confidence in female athletes everywhere; “Whatever you do, you can’t win. So win.”

Dove has surrounded its brand with female empowerment and instilling confidence in young girls for over 20 years. The Keep Her Confident campaign made an impact during the Super Bowl with an ad highlighting that one in two girls who quit sports have been criticized for their body type. The main message is that we should “change the way we talk to our girls.”

The NFL used its spot to promote the goal of bringing girls’ flag football to all 50 US states, the ad humorously challenging the stereotype that "girls don't play football."

These ads made statements that reflect the rapid rise of women’s sports and the cultural shift toward giving female athletes the recognition and respect they deserve. Taking advantage of this specific stage to amplify messages of empowerment, resilience and confidence only solidifies women's place in the sports world.

Nike highlights Chiles and her mentality that winning isn’t always about medals. For some, overcoming barriers and exceeding expectations when told it's impossible is the embodiment of power. Female athletes are constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s expected, proving that confidence, winning and success come in many forms.

Lilly Peacock is a sports columnist. She can be reached at lilly.peacock@marquette.edu or on Twitter/X @LillyPeacockMU.

WOMEN'S TENNIS

Duo embracing new roles

Team leaders are seizing opportunities with WTEN

By Kaylynn Wright kaylynn.wright@marquette.edu

When graduate student Andie Weise and senior Tiera Jarmond started their season this past fall, they knew they would have big shoes to fill.

The veteran-laden Marquette women’s tennis team from the previous season was no more. With the roster featuring four first-years, the duo was more than ready to the rise to the occasion this year — on and off the court.

“Tiera and I both knew going into this year that we were both going to have to step up,” Weise said. “Our lineup last year was all upperclassmen except for Emma Davis, so we kind of knew with all of them gone were going to have to step up.”

On the court, the pair is playing as doubles partners for the first time at the No. 1 spot, going 11-5 so far. Although this is a new partnership, Jarmond said it has been an easy transition because of their friendship.

“Last year, my partner was very different playing style-wise than Andie, so it’s been a nice change,” Jarmond said. “We get along really well, which makes it easy. We’re not super in each other’s face like mad at each other. We play pretty lighthearted, and if we’re laughing and smiling, things are going well."

Director of tennis Jud Shaufler said Weise and Jarmond were not just given the No. 1 spot — they have earned it.

"They earn that position by being our strongest two performers to this point,” Shaufler said. “It started back in the fall where they had some good results. At that point, it didn’t make a lot of sense to not have them as our number one doubles team...

"They’ve got good chemistry, they enjoy playing

with each other, they’ve got certain strengths that are compatible with each other... They’ve seized the opportunity from the very first tournament in the fall when we went up to Minnesota.”

During the Gopher Invite Tournament in September, the duo notched three doubles wins including a 6-4 victory over Minnesota.

As for singles play, Weise and Jarmond are both playing higher in the singles lineup, switching off between the No. 1 and No. 2 spots. Weise — who played at the No. 4 and No. 5 positions in singles last season — said she prefers playing where she is now.

“I just feel better in those matches,” Weise said. “It’s definitely been a change, but I’m happy for it.”

The Mequon, Wisconsin native was named Big East Singles Players of the Week Jan. 27, earning victories at No. 2 and No. 1, respectively, with her latter performance clinching Marquette’s first win of the season that week.

“She’s played the role well,” Jarmond said. “She has a good style for playing higher in the lineup, which is something that’s important and doesn’t really matter what year you are... She’s aggressive with how she plays, so it’s been working for her... It takes off a lot of pressure for the people lower in the lineup to do well.”

Jarmond — who transferred from Missouri State in 2023 — played at the No. 6 position in singles prior to this year, and currently leads the team in singles wins with 12.

“She always has great energy and just is super competitive,” Weise said. “She is very analytical, so you know she’s going to be in that match one way or the other, which really helps me and the whole team.

Everybody’s point throughout the lineup matters just the same, but the type of player you’re getting from one to six is so different...

Adjusting to that and just being able to change and step up has been really big and really needed this season.”

Shaufler said that Jarmond and Weise's contrasting approaches to leadership help bring out the best of both worlds in the rest of the team.

“Andie, by nature, has a quiet approach and I like to use the word stoic,” Shaufler said. “She’s got a little bit of a quiet, stoic look about her and the way she takes care of her business. That filters down to everybody that she has certain expectations as to how people do things. That’s all based on experience because after being in the program for five years, she has seen some different leadership styles... "Tiera on the other hand has a little bit more emotion to her, more external emotion. She’s going to get fired up a little bit more out there... At the end of the day, if you have that energy that Tiera brings and that stoic approach that Andie brings, you’re really bringing the best of both leadership styles to the top of your team, and you hope that filters down to everybody beneath you.”

Heading into the last half of the season, Shaufler said he has high expectations for the pair, but he is confident that they will be up for the challenge.

"They have to stick to the task of performing at a high level for them in the high position that they’re playing, but at the same time, breed a little bit of that sense of goodwill and leadership that is going to filter down to everyone else,” Shaufler said. “In some regards, they have their hands full...

"They have to do it on the court and they have to set a tone off the court for the rest of them and do a good job there. That’s not easy at all, so their plate is full, but in a good way.”

Photo courtesy of Reuters Images.

Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics

Andie Weise and Tiera Jarmond are 11-5 as doubles partners.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

ONE: Chones leaves MU early for the ABA

Continued from page 5

"Here I am, my daddy went bankrupt three times before I was 18," Chones said with a laugh in an interview with the Marquette Wire. "I didn't have any idea what to do."

Chones called former MU head coach Al McGuire seeking advice, and was immediately met with a hard answer.

"Before I can say anything, Al says, 'You got to go.' He said, 'Jimmy, if you get hurt or something, I couldn't live with that, you've got to go. Here's a chance to help your family, millions of dollars.'"

He ultimately decided to accept the offer, and the rest was history.

Chones played 10 seasons professionally and was named to the ABA All-Rookie team in 1973. He also won an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1980 during the early days of the 'Showtime era'.

The first game after Chones's departure in 1972, Marquette lost by 21 points to Detroit Mercy. MU finished the season 25-4 and lost to Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament. The team was clearly not the same without Chones, leaving the 1972 season as one of the biggest "what-if's" in program history.

"We would've been undefeated, we had a great team," Chones said. "We had every answer, person-

nel wise, for any situation. We were athletic, we could shoot, I was a tough matchup because of my mobility and ability to shoot from the outside and jump and block shots in the traditional manner. We just had a little bit of everything."

Smart talks about having the opportunity to honor the greats

Over the course of his tenure at Marquette, Smart has made it a point to honor those who have previously worn the jersey.

"Every game when they play that video before the starting lineup, I've seen

MEN'S BASKETBALL

that video a thousand times, so I don't watch the video," head coach Smart said. "I just look up in the rafters and I think about those guys.

"And I think about the coaches as well, Al McGuire and Hank Raymonds, that are up there. Just what they put into this program. How

they created success. The fact that they went through adversity just like we do. The fact that their road wasn't always a smooth one. They all come from different backgrounds.

"And so, it's great that he's up there next to Dwyane Wade because it's two of the best guys, two of the most accomplished guys to ever play here."

Chones got a chance to share some words with the team Tuesday night before the game.

“First of all, it’s an honor to be here,” Chones said to the team. “I speak all the time, but I had never spoken to a Marquette team, first of all, I don’t interfere because Marquette was the best stop for me. It gave me a chance to grow up, a chance to be around other people. It had its challenges and its struggles, and we made it through.”

Chones has served as a radio analyst for the Cleveland Cavaliers Radio Network since 2010. That means the next time the Cavs play the Bucks in Milwaukee, Chones will get to call a game under the same roof from which his collegiate jersey is hanging.

"It's a great thing," Chones said. "I've been thinking about it, I'm excited. I just want to thank Marquette wholeheartedly for the opportunity, I'm humbled by it."

Marquette looking for third win of February

The

Golden

Eagles are 2-4 this month

By Raquel Ruiz raquel.ruiz@marquette.edu

If we take a trip down memory lane, now No. 21 Marquette men's basketball (20-7, 11-5 Big East) was once ranked fifth in the country after a win against

in-state rival the Wisconsin Badgers. It is no lie that the season has fluctuated for the Golden Eagles. After that long sought out win over thenNo. 11 Wisconsin, Marquette has yet to claw its way back to a top five spot. Coming off an unresponsive loss against the Villanova Wildcats Friday, Marquette will now need to find

a way to seek another Big East triumph as the clock ticks down to tournament play.

“We did not have the requisite fire and passion required — particularly our starting lineup — to be able to come in here on the road and then come back from a deficit,” head coach Shaka Smart said after the loss. “We have a lot to figure out

with our starting group in terms of coming into the game with a level of hunger and passion that we have to have.”

Flying into Milwaukee to face off against Marquette will be the Providence Friars (12-15, 6-10 Big East), who are coming off a 72-93 loss against Georgetown. Recapping the last conquest

Out in Rhode Island, the Golden Eagles had handed the Friars their worst home game loss since 1990, and for the first time since 2019, MU left Amica Mutual Pavilion in a 78-50 victory despite the obscenities of the crowd.

In Marquette's 21-0 run over a span of six minutes, it held Providence to 0-for-5 shooting, six minutes with zero points, and forced eight turnovers. Leading the way on the run were senior guards Stevie Mitchell and Kam Jones, who weren't seen as much in the Villanova loss on Friday.

But the past is in the past Marquette has proven that just because the outcome was in their favor last time, it doesn't mean it can happen again. Xavi-

er, Creighton and Villanova are all examples of this.

Looking ahead, the Golden Eagles need to cultivate energy on the court, find a way to make plays and continue to have other players step up.

Sophomore guard Zaide Lowery, who averages 15.2 minutes per game, had a career-high night against the Wildcats. The Springfield, Missouri native was Marquette's bright spot, netting 25 points and grabbing eight boards, while shooting 9-for-10 from the field and 5-for-5 from beyond the arc in 26 minutes of action. How to follow Who will step up for the Golden Eagles? Tip-off at Fiserv Forum is scheduled for 6 p.m. CST Tuesday night. Watch: The game will be broadcasted on FS1 with Jason Benetti (play-by-play) and Bill Raftery (analyst) calling the action.

Listen: 94.5 ESPN radio and tune into Marquette Wire Radio where Matt Baltz (play-by-play) and Max Mullin (analyst) will have the call for you.

Kam Jones finished with 18 points and 10 assists in MU's 78-50 victory over Providence on Dec. 31.

Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics

Chones is the first MU player to have his jersey retired since Dwayne Wade back in 2007.

Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics

The Suns rookie is the 78th winner in Marquette

Ighodaro said about what he learned at Marquette.

history

By Matthew Baltz matthew.baltz@marquette.edu

Oso Ighodaro never expected any of this.

The 6-foot-9 forward showed up to Marquette's campus as a 205-pound boy in 2020, but left as a 235-pound, 6-foot-11 man in the spring of 2024. From playing 38 total minutes his first year with the program, to playing 32.5 minutes a night his senior season, Ighodaro's career has been a living testimony to what happens when you put your head down and work.

"I didn't really have any expectations when I got here," he said. "I didn't know who I was yet, I didn't know what kind of player I was going to be, just got here and had some incredible people in my life to help me along the way."

Despite the Big East championships, the thousands of points, All-Big East selections and countless notable moments Ighodaro had during his time with the Golden Eagles, it's the process that he will remember the most.

"Everything, honestly,"

"From learning how not to play and how to be when you're not playing, how to work, how to interact with your teammates, how to be coachable.

"[I] feel like I learned everything as a player here. I went through all four phases of being a player, not playing, starter, role player, so, super grateful for my experiences here."

Marquette announced in December that Ighodaro would be the school's 79th Annual McCahill Award winner, the highest honor an MU student-athlete can receive.

The Phoenix Suns rookie, who had some free time on his hands with the NBA being on its all-star break, was honored on the court Tuesday night during Marquette's 80-56 win over Seton Hall.

"He didn't come in here and necessarily get anointed anything," Marquette head coach Shaka Smart said. "He was playing behind Theo John, he was playing behind Dawson Garcia, he was playing behind Justin Lewis. He played 38 minutes total his entire freshman year, and he certainly had his version of hell week with us in April

of 2021 when he was deciding whether this was the place for him with the new coaching staff, and we're obviously so grateful that he decided that it was, but he's a special player.

"Throughout the year, I think about him and Tyler [Kolek] all the time. You know, we don't have them, and we have to move on. You try to be the best you can be with who you have, but you don't necessarily replace guys like that because they're just, they're unique guys."

Ighodaro reflects on his first five months in the NBA

The Chandler, Arizona native went from playing around 34 games a year to the grind of an 82-game season in the NBA.

"The number of games is something that, as a fan or someone that's not in the NBA, you kind of think, 'Yeah, 82, that's a lot of games,'" Ighodaro said. "You kind of glaze over that, but when you're in the moment and on the team, it's a lot more games than you think.

"Just being mentally tough enough to go through a whole season is something that I respect every guy in the NBA for so, being a part of that and knowing what my job entails is definitely

something different that I wasn't expecting."

Ighodaro has appeared in 41 of Phoenix's 54 games so far this season, averaging 3.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.

Oso talks about playing Tyler Kolek for the first time

On Nov. 20, the Suns welcomed the New York Knicks to the PHX Arena. It was the first time that Ighodaro would face his former teammate Tyler Kolek.

"It was definitely funny," Ighodaro said. "Even in warmups, he was trying to look at me and I was trying not to look at him, I was trying to be locked in. Then, we ended up being on the floor at the same time and he was talking to me of course, you know how Tyler is. I was trying to avoid interacting with him so I could be locked in because

we were losing. He was trying to make me laugh."

There is no doubt the duo of Kolek and Ighodaro will be remembered fondly by Marquette fans. The pair teamed up to help the Golden Eagles to a 75-30 record across their three years together, including earning a pair of two seeds in the NCAA Tournament and capturing Big East regular season and tournament championships in 2022-23.

"It's special, sharing the court with him at that level after all the battles we went through at Marquette," Ighodaro said. "That's a bond that will never be broken, so it's super special, I'm proud of him.

"I'm probably gonna see him soon I'm assuming. Hopefully, we can do a jersey swap, that'd be cool."

2/19

St. John's 82 DePaul 58

2/21

Hanna Bodner

No. 2

66 Villanova 81

2/22 Butler 84 DePaul 72 2/23 UConn 73 St. John's 89 2/23 Xavier 73 Seton Hall 66

2/23 G-Town 69 Creighton 80

Former All-Big East forward Oso Ighodaro was honored during the under-12 media timeout during Marquette's 80-56 win over Seton Hall last Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics

Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro teamed up for 75 total wins.

Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics

Opinions

Musk poses major security threat

By Rachel Lopera rachel.lopera@marquette.edu

The White House should be trying to minimize any influence from powerful billionaires, but right now, the exact opposite is happening. President Donald Trump has given an enormous amount of power to Elon Musk, making him the lead of the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk is the world’s wealthiest person who owns multiple companies such as SpaceX, Tesla and X, formerly known as Twitter. His overwhelming presence in the tech industry should not overlap or interfere with governmental actions. He is what is considered to be a “special government employee,” an Executive Branch employee who is recruited by the federal government for their outside expertise.

Trump created DOGE on Jan. 20 with the goal to drastically cut federal spending on “wasteful” initiatives. He wants to eliminate programs that differ from his own policies and reduce the federal workforce. The temporary organization plans to spend 18 months carrying out its mission and has already canceled diversity, equity and inclusion con-

tracts, which is a major setback for minorities and people of color.

To make matters more extreme, Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday, giving Musk even more control over the federal workforce. The order states that federal agencies must consult with DOGE about cutting jobs and limiting hiring in order to pursue large-scale reductions.

As Trump signed the order in the Oval Office, the tech billionaire stood next to him and defended DOGE’s objectives.

“The people voted for major government reform, and that’s what the people are going to get,” he stated. “They’re going to get what they voted for.”

Musk claimed that it is essential that the federal government cuts spending, but someone who proceeds to do so at the expense of others is not a trustworthy person. He also said that some of his statements he issues will be incorrect, referencing his false utterance about the U.S. sending $50 million dollars worth of condoms to Gaza.

It has been speculated that Musk may be engaging in conflicts of interest with his private businesses, such as SpaceX, that

receive billions in government contracts. Without transparency, the true operations of DOGE will not be fully known. Musk said the answer to whether he is benefitting from the organization or not can be left up to the public, claiming that it is obvious.

Along with the scrutinization, the rapid reduction of government programs has led to several lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the new, temporary organization and its leader.

Two unions and an advocacy group filed a lawsuit on Feb. 3 stating that the Treasury Department had unlawfully granted Musk

and DOGE access to U.S. taxpayers’ private personal data. Since then, a federal judge in New York has blocked them from accessing those records.

Musk’s unmerited authority is creating disastrous predicaments for our country and setting unprecedented situations. His actions leading DOGE pose a national threat to citizens’ equality, privacy and security. This partnership between Trump and Musk is one that will leave Americans crying for salvation.

Kicking off great year of Black film

By Christopher Hayden christopher.i.hayden@marquette.edu

2025 is looking like a great year for Black filmmakers. We are just two months in, and we have already seen some great examples of Black excellence displayed on the silver screen.

"One of Them Days," a comedy starring Keke Palmer and SZA, released Jan. 17 and received positive critic ratings. The film made $11.6 million domestically during its opening weekend with a budget of $14 million.

The film focuses on the characters of Dreux and Alyssa, played by Palmer and SZA respectively. After Alyssa’s boyfriend spends all their rent money, she and Dreux go on an adventure, and, through hilarious tribulations, try to make the money back in time to pay their rent.

The film’s success is well deserved. The chemistry between Keke Palmer and SZA was solid, and SZA's acting debut really impressed me. While it was nothing Oscar-worthy or groundbreaking, the singer could hold her own on screen and made a very believable comedic duo with Palmer. I

completely bought them as friends who loved each other but had different ways of looking at life. This characterization led to some of the film’s funniest but also most heartfelt scenes.

Even though "One of Them Days" portrayed urban African American life in a low-income neighborhood, it did not feel negatively stereotypical. Sure, the film involved gangsters and its characters acting “ghetto," but these aspects of the film were done in ways that did not feel like the film was talking down to Black people and our culture. It showed the realities of life but in a genuinely funny and charming way. The overall vibe was positive and lighthearted. Even though the film was geared toward Black audiences, its story felt widely relatable.

Despite its small budget, "One of Them Days" has grossed almost $44.6 million worldwide, so it is safe to say that the film triumphed. I hope the same can be said for "Captain America: Brave New World" at the end of its theatrical run.

"Captain America: Brave New World" is the fourth in-

stallment in Marvel Studios’ "Captain America" franchise. It is also the first installment starring Anthony Mackie instead of Chris Evans as Captain America. Mackie plays Sam Wilson, who became Captain America in Marvel Comics, and I was very surprised to see them introduce this plot point at the end of "Avengers: Endgame."

A Black man taking up the mantle of Captain America may make audiences uncomfortable considering the historic mistreatment African Americans have endured in America. Due to this new role portrayal in the current political climate, the mere existence of "Captain America: Brave New World" could be called a miracle.

The story of Captain America has always been rooted in real-life politics. After all, his first comic in 1940 showed him punching Adolf Hitler.

"Captain America: Brave New World" opened number one at the box office on the weekend of Feb. 14 and earned $100 million domestically. Judging by the positive reception to the previous "Captain America" films and this film's initial success, "Brave New World" looks like

Editorial Board

Joey Schamber

Executive Opinions Editor

Izzy Fonfara Drewel, Executive Director

Clara Lebrón, Print Production Manager

Trinity Zapotocky, Assistant Print Production Manager

Shannyn Donohue, General Manager of Marquette University Radio

Mia Thurow, Executive News Editor

Sophie Goldstein, Executive A&E Editor

Matt Baltz, Executive Sports Editor

Emma Fishback, Copy Chief

Online Exclusives

Find more Marquette Wire opinion columns online by going to www.marquettewire.org or scanning this QR code!

it will be another successful, Black-led film this year.

Ryan Coogler's "Sinners" may be another unique film that demonstrates the excellence of Black filmmaking. Its plot description on its own is enough to make moviegoers raise their eyebrows out of curiosity.

"Sinners" is an upcoming gritty period piece starring Michael B. Jordan, who plays a set of twin brothers who battle vampires in 20th-century Mississippi.

If the successes of "Black Panther," "Creed" and "Fruitvale Station" are anything to go by, "Sinners" will be another great collaboration between director Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan. They have not made a bad film yet, and I expect that streak to continue when this film releases on April 18.

For all I know, "One of Them Days" could be lightning in a bottle when it comes to successful Black films in 2025. However, based on the initial success of "Brave New World" and the promise of "Sinners," we are in for a great year.

Statement of Opinion Policy

The opinions expressed on the Opinions page reflect the opinions of the Opinions staff. The editorials do not represent the opinions of Marquette University nor its administrators, but those of the editorial board.

The Marquette Tribune prints guest submissions at its discretion. The Tribune strives to give all sides of an issue an equal voice over the course of a reasonable time period. An author’s contribution will not be published more than once in a fourweek period. Submissions with obvious relevance to the Marquette community will be given priority consideration. Full Opinions submissions should be limited to 600 words. Letters to the editor should be between 150 to 300 words. The Tribune reserves the right to edit submissions for length and content. Please e-mail submissions to: joseph.schamber@ marquette.edu. If you are a current student, include the college in which you are enrolled and your year in school. If not, please note any affliations to Marquette or your current city of residence.

Rachel Lopera is the assistant opinions editor. She is a first-year studying journalism.

Christopher Hayden is an opinions columnist. He is a junior studying journalism.

Photo courtesy of Reuters

Graphic designed by Joseph Schamber

Fun & Games

CROSSWORD

Women's History Month

Across

3. First Jesuit Institution to accept women

4. Where Women’s History Month began

5. Queen _______

6. Primary color associated with International Women’s Day

7. Last name of the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

8. This year’s theme is Moving Forward _____!

Down

1. State where the first International Women’s Day celebration was held

2. Last name of the first women to earn a medical degree in the U.S. 3. Scientist that discovered radium

9. First female vice president Kamala

Last Tribune’s answers: 1 (down) festival, 2 (across) roses, 3 (down) valentine, 4 (down) romans, 5 (across) lovebirds, 6 (across) chocolate, 7 (down) cupid 8 (down) galentine, 9 (across) conversation, 10 (across) Juliet. 11 (across) love.

Submit finished puzzles to clara.lebron@marquette.edu by May 6. Most accurate crossword submissions wins the grand prize.

Design by Adriana Vazquez adriana.vazquezherrero@marquette.edu

Arts & Entertainment

REVIEW: 'SNL's 50th Anniversary Special'

The three-hour special aired on Peacock Feb. 16

By MaryKate Stepchuk marykate.stepchuk@marquette.edu

NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” also known as SNL, celebrated their 50th anniversary on Feb.16 with a three-hour special. The night was jam packed with live performances, returns of old sketches and many celebrity appearances. The show had so many iconic moments that it would be almost impossible to highlight them all, but here are some of my personal favorites.

Opening musical performance and Steve Martin’s monologue

Contrary to the normal “Cold Open” of SNL, Sabrina Carpenter and Paul Simon opened the show with “Homeward Bound,” by Simon & Garfunkel. The performance was done on what is known to be “home base,” or where the monologue occurs for the show.

I loved how SNL changed it up and started with a live performance instead, because the symbolism created by singing “Homeward Bound” is truly irreplaceable. It created a wholesome start to a show that has changed so many lives.

Right after the performance, Steve Martin performed a monologue, making jabs at the current political environment of the United States while acknowledging SNL’s past. He mentions how he only had a few days’ notice that he was doing the monologue, receiving the notice from Lorne while vacationing on his friend’s boat in the “Gulf of Steve Martin.”

Later in the monologue, Martin gave a shoutout to the writers, “Who have always been the heart and soul of SNL,” telling them to stand up and take a bow, but then a clip is shown of them standing outside with umbrellas in the rain. Then, to wrap up the joke, he goes, “By the way, that tribute to the writers was written by AI.”

To close the monologue, Martin Short appears on stage, claiming they were supposed to host together. Martin then asks, “Do you have your passport on you?” Short, being a Canadian, responds “No,” and Martin goes “ICE, get him!” Mikey Day and Kenan Thompson appear on stage, dressed as ICE officers, to drag Short offstage. Is that Dooneese?

After the monologue, much of the show focuses on recreating and revamping iconic sketches, starting off with the Maharelle sisters on the Law-

rence Welk show.

The sketch has Robert Goulet — Will Ferrell — flirting with three of the Maharelle sisters — Scarlett Johansson, Kim Kardashian and Ana Gasteyer — apparently looking for a bride. After the three sisters sing their names in the perfect pitch, the camera pans to the fourth Maharelle sister with a receding hairline — Kristen Wiig — sitting in the side car of Goulet’s motorcycle, repeating the iconic line in an out-of-pitch voice, “And I’m Dooneese.”

The sketch grew in popularity on TikTok in the past few years, and I was happy they brought it back. Wiig’s acting as Dooneese is truly impeccable and makes the audience bend over laughing every time.

“Domingo” strikes again Now, to take us to a more present time, it is time to talk about everyone’s favorite affair, “Domingo.” Even though the character Domingo — Marcello Hernández — just debuted this past fall, he has already proven to be an iconic SNL sketch, so it makes sense that they would do another recreation of it for a “Vow Renewal.”

This time around, it is the groomsmen — Bowen Yang, Andy Samburg, Kyle Mooney and Beck Bennett — who sing a parody of “Espresso,” — with a little help from Sabrina Carpenter. It is revealed that the groom Matt — Andrew Dismukes — had an affair with a man named Renaldo — Pedro Pascal — during their boy’s weekend.

Renaldo happens to be the brother of Domingo, and it tied the story together perfectly. It made for some great commentary from the family and friends involved, and I was impressed on how these sketches keep getting better — especially when recurring sketches can feel repetitive at times.

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler Q/A

Would it really be a SNL special without a Tina Fey and Amy Poehler moment? In short, it would not, and a Q/A was a perfect way to highlight this dynamic duo.

With celebrity features from Quinta Brunson, Ryan Reynolds, Seth Myers and Tim Meadows, the duo addressed common questions about SNL, both on and off topic. Nevertheless, when Ryan Reynolds asks a question, he hints at the current lawsuits between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively, drawing a strong reaction from Lively — his wife.

At one point, Peyton Manning asks if Lorne is retiring — the hot question of the night — and once he discov-

ers he is not, Manning encourages him to not retire. He complains about all the public appearances and commercials he partakes in, and retirement is not as glamourous as it is made out to be.

Miley Cyrus, Brittany Howard and The Roots perform “Nothing Compares 2 U”

Introduced by Aubrey Plaza — who was wearing a tie dye shirt in honor of her husband, Jeff Baena, who recently passed away — Miley Cyrus, Brittany Howard and The Roots sang “Nothing Compares 2 U,” by the late Sinead O’Connor.

This performance was monumental for SNL’s history. In 1992, when Sinead O’Connor was the musical guest, instead of singing her hit song, “Nothing Compares 2 U,” — written by Prince, but made famous by her second studio album — she sang “War” by Bob Marley acapella.

Once she finished her performance, she ripped a photo of Pope John Paul II into pieces, stating “Fight the real enemy.” O’Connor completed the act with the hope of bringing awareness to sexual abuse in the Catholic Church but was met with much public backlash. She was banned from the show and often mocked during the show for years to come. Many people saw this as a way of SNL apologizing for the way they treated her after the incident.

Weekend Update

What better way to transition from that symbol-filled performance than with a Weekend Update with Michael Che and Colin Jost?

This Weekend Update was filled with many classic Che and Jost jokes, but more importantly, the return of some iconic characters. “Drunk Uncle” — Bobby Moynihan — and “The Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation With” — Cecily Strong — both made an appearance. They even had a crossover moment when it was revealed that “Drunk Uncle” is the father of “The Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation Withs'” child.

Alongside that, Seth Myers took a seat at the Update Desk, interviewing “Lorne’s Best Friends from Growing Up” for old times sake.

Even with these iconic update guests, I could not help but long for Stefon — Bill Hader. Hader did not make an appearance in the entire show, and I have to say, I was very disappointed. He shaped such a large time period of SNL, especially with Stefon, and without him, it felt as if the special was missing a little piece.

Kate McKinnon returns with “A Close Encounter”

Next up, we had yet another return of a classic series: “A Close Encounter.“

Kate McKinnon returned with some of her best work, also known for trying her hardest to make the host break by violating their personal space for the sack of the bit.

This time around, Meryl Streep came out as McKinnon’s mother, and it was perfection. Their mannerisms perfectly mirrored each other from the manspreading, tapping the ashes out of the cigarette and describing their experiences of how the alien abduction ended with each of them losing their pants.

It is pretty impossible to mess this sketch up, as it has become a SNL classic, and it still makes my stomach hurt from laughing every time I watch it.

Adam Sandler’s “50 Years” This next one was a tear-jerker to say the least.

Adam Sandler performed a song called “50 Years,” highlighting the common experiences of SNL cast members over the past 50 years in a tribute to Lorne Michaels.

Although some lines received strong reactions from the audience, the tributes within the song led to emotional responses from many people, including Sandler himself.

Sandler specifically provided tributes to Norm Macdonald and Marquette Alumni Chris Farley — two of his fellow cast members from his time on the show. Sandler sings, “Six years of our boy Farley; Five of our buddy Norm,” appearing slightly choked up at the mention of their names.

At the end of the song, a series of clips are played with cast members, musical guests and hosts saying “Goodnight” from home base, and Farley can be seen wearing a gray Marquette Sweatshirt.

Undoubtedly, in my opinion, this was the best part of the show. Sandler had an incredible performance and was able to perfectly encapsulate the impact of SNL on so many people’s lives — even if they were never on the show. I have found myself rewatching the song multiples times, as it was an amazing tribute to such an iconic show.

New York Through the Decades: A Musical

After Sandler’s song had people pulling out the tissue box, John Mulaney quickly had us laughing again with one of his iconic musical parodies.

The ten-minute sketch takes the audiences through five decades of New York City, highlighting songs from “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Fame,”

“The Lion King” and so many more. There were celebrities and cast members from almost every decade, from David Spade to Chloe Fineman. People are offered hot dogs with heroin, speak about the 80s obsession with cocaine and vodka and Kristin Wiig dresses up as the green M&M. It does not get more chaotic and SNL than that.

The Bronx Beat

“The Bronx Beat” with Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph is BACK and they are chattier than ever.

With this iconic sketch, Miles Teller and Mike Myers both made appearances — and barely spoke a few words with how chatty the talk show hosts were.

This sketch felt like a warm hug, not only because they talked about “Sweater Weather,” but because it is such a classic sketch, and provided such a large sense of nostalgia as I watched it. How can you not love Poehler and Rudolph together?

Debbie Downer

Something the general public often fails to acknowledge is that the term “Debbie Downer” was created by SNL, so it was only fitting that they brought her back for the 50thanniversary special.

In the sketch, Jimmy Fallon, Ayo Edebiri, Drew Barrymore and Robert De Niro all attempt to enjoy a peaceful night, but Debbie Downer — Rachel Dratch — bartended at the event, kept bringing the mood down with her depressing topics from microplastics to even one of her oldest jokes, where she announces that she cannot have kids.

“Don’t Look Back in Anger” In the final flashback of the show, Garrett Morris introduces “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” a 1978 film shot by Tom Schiller, highlighting all of the original cast and their achievements — or lack thereof.

It was the most SNL-way to honor the people who started it all, by slightly making fun of them and acknowledging that this show would be nothing without them.

In its entirety, “SNL’s 50th Anniversary Special” was truly spectacular. They did a phenomenal job of recreating many of the sketches that people have continued to love for years, while adding a modern twist to a few of them.

This show has created so many stars and legends through iconic moments and characters that it was only fair that the show’s anniversary special was iconic within itself, even if it did premiere on a Sunday night.

“SNL’s 50th Anniversary Special” is available for streaming on Peacock.

The MarqueTTe Tribune

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Marquette Radio to host 'Radio Roulette'

Concert will be Feb. 28 at Third Space

Brewing

By Ellie Nelsen-Freund elizabeth.nelson-freund @marquette.edu

Marquette Radio is set to put on their third “Radio Roulette” Feb. 28. This year, they have partnered with Third Space Brewing to host the concert a few blocks from campus at 1505 W. Saint Paul Ave. in the Menomonee River Valley. This will be the first time a Marquette Radio event has been held off campus, and the show is for all ages and open to the public with no cover fee.

Marquette Radio rebranded their annual battle of the bands to “Radio Roulette” in 2023 in order to draw in a wider variety of performers — rather than just rock bands. Their goal is to showcase a multidimensionally diverse group of local artists, with previous “Radio Roulette” concerts highlighting Milwaukee-based musicians like Palestinian R&B sing-

er-songwriter *aya, local alternative hip-hop legend NilexNile and rising rock stars BUG MOMENT, among many others.

The event is judged by a panel of experts in the field, which has been previously manned by local record store owners, radio station directors and even John Sparrow — drummer for Milwaukee-based superstars the Violent Femmes. This year’s panel will be a surprise but be on the lookout because a few familiar faces might be spotted.

Traditionally, the winner of the battle gets the chance to headline Marquette Radio’s annual Spring Concert — with previous winners including: Chicago rock band Rotundos and the enigmatic, genre-ascending Spider Creek. The pressure is on this year, as the lineup is packed with incredibly talented musicians and bands.

Kicking off this year’s Radio Roulette is indie pop artist dak duBois. In his application to perform,

dak duBois said he takes pride in recording, mixing and mastering all of his own music and uses his platform to showcase local Milwaukee musicians in his rotating band for every performance. He is heavily inspired by the funk and soul movement of the 70s, the psychedelia phenomenon of the 60s and70s as well as modern indie pop, he added.

dak duBois’ live performances are electric, with high crowd engagement and melodic improvisation. He weaves intricate guitar work and layered instrumentals into his songs to create his iconic funky, psychedelic sound. His most recent album “TWO” is on streaming platforms. Next in the lineup, hailing from Champaign, IL, is the Dominic Gomes Jazz Collective. The jazz quartet aims to “create a fiery joy through jazz,” they said in their application to perform. The Collective is made up of drummer Dominic Gomes, bassist Connor LaSalle, pianist/keyboard-

ist Alina Loewenstein and guitarist Liam Kelly.

The Collective is defined by “driving grooves, dynamic performances and stellar musicianship,” they added. Their original arrangements of beloved jazz classics are uniquely beautiful, with improvised melodies at every concert. Each of their sets is different and can’t be found on streaming services, so make sure to catch their performance.

Wrapping up the night is, Milwaukee-native indie rock band The Taxmen — made up of guitarist and vocalist Will Maher, bassist and vocalist Anthony Kopczynski, lead guitarist and vocalist Jeff Dz and drummer Will Martin. They take inspiration from a wide range of genres, including rock classics from the 50s to the 70s, they shared in their application.

The Taxmen has an impossibly bright future in the music industry, having just announced a tour and plans to travel to New York City and Florida to

perform in various music festivals. Their most recent album, Dead Man’s Float, is a perfect union of their many influences, and their new music coming in 2025 is sure to set the bar even higher.

This year’s “Radio Roulette” is guaranteed to impress with a stacked lineup and a new, exciting venue. Make sure you mark your calendars for Feb. 28 and prepare for a night of local music and fun.

MU student attends New York Fashion Week

First-year student worked with Art Hearts Fashion

By Sophie Goldstein sophie.goldstein@marquette.edu

Through Art Hearts Fashion, first-year in the College of Communication Esperanza Molina Rodriguez-Lepina attended and assisted at New York Fashion Week from Feb. 3-9. New York Fashion Week is one of the “big four” international fashion weeks, and Art Hearts Fashion is a platform dedicated to bringing innovative designers and artists to the forefront of fashion week, according to their website. According to Forbes, this year’s show included over 300 designers from 50 countries who showcased their Spring/Summer 2025 collection.

Esperanza spoke with the Marquette Wire about her experience assisting at New York Fashion Week, her passion for fashion and goals for the future. This interview has been edited for clarity. How were you able to attend New York Fashion Week?

I really love fashion, and I’m actually looking for a job related to marketing and advertising in the fashion world. I started asking around on campus and David Hanneken [professor in the College of

Communication] connected me with some people who work in the fashion world.

Then a model sent me different associations that did shows for Fashion Week and connected me through that. I started reaching out to a lot of people — some of them required an application, and others they didn’t. I picked my favorite [Art Hearts Fashion] and volunteered with them for the whole week.

Take us through that week. What did it look like?

I got to New York on Monday [Feb. 3]. I didn’t help that day since I just got there, but on Tuesday, I was mainly sitting backstage and setting everything up. We were preparing makeup, skin care and gift bags. On Wednesday, we set up the whole beauty room — we had tables, mirrors, lighting and the steaming all done. Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday were the shows. I was assigned to one or two designers per day, and had to be there for them with anything they needed. I was mostly steaming the clothes, styling the outfits, getting the models changed or helping with hair and makeup. A few of the times I was backstage doing social media. For that I was in charge of recording and taking pictures for design-

ers’ social media accounts and posting on them. What designers did you work for?

I worked with a lot, but my favorite was Carlos Pineda. I’ve followed him for a long time because I love his designs — and I was so happy that I met him. He is just a great person to work with. A few of my other favorites were Glaudi, Mister Triple X, Bad Pinkand Raúl Peñaranda.

Where did you get your passion for fashion?

I’ve always drawn since I was a little kid, and I would always play “Top Model.” In it, you would have a model and could create her clothes, which I really loved doing. When I was 17, during the summer, my parents signed me up for fashion designer classes. I learned how to do fashion design patterns, and I really, really loved it.

That following year was Covid. So, I would start creating my own clothes and I realized that I really, really liked it. I decided that I wanted to create a brand where I could post on my design. I started my brand [“Zephyritis”] with an Instagram but wanted to make it bigger. So, I created my web page and TikTok account. Right now, it’s a hobby, because I still have to graduate, but I would love to continue to do that in the future as a job.

Where does your design

inspiration come from?

I get asked this question a lot, but I don’t have an inspiration — the ideas just come to my head. I see a fabric, picture an outfit in my head and make the design. Or maybe I see something but have ideas on how I would change it, then I create that. The ideas just come to my head and I make them. I really like Dior in general; but, I don’t think it’s like my style of clothing — It’s similar though, and I just really love their brand.

What potential events do you have coming up?

Right now, I am working with the Center for Peacemaking on a potential collaboration with ReWearIt MU. Last year, people gave used clothing that they didn’t want anymore and those who attended could come get it for free. I actually was able to get really, really great things. We have a few ideas in mind right now but will share it once we have confirmation.

Art Hearts Fashion is also doing LA Fashion Week, and if everything goes right, I would love to attend and volunteer again in March.

You can see more of Esperanza’s work on her website, espelepina.wixsite.com, or Instagram, zephyriitis.thebrand.

Graphic created by Marquette Radio

Photos courtesy of Esperanza Molina Rodriguez-Lepina

This is the third "Radio Roulette." Student assisted from Feb. 3-9.