The Miami Student | February 28, 2025 by The Miami Student

Miami survey responses reveal objections to proposed arena on Cook Field

Voted Best College Newspaper in 2023 at the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists Awards.

KASEY TURMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

OLIVIA PATEL

MANAGING EDITOR

TAYLOR STUMBAUGH

SENIOR CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR

CHLOE MCKINNEY

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY

EDITOR

KETHAN BABU

SPORTS EDITOR

SAM NORTON

OPINION EDITOR

CHLOE SOUTHARD

CULTURE EDITOR

TEDDY JOHNSON

HUMOR EDITOR

SAM NORTON

GREENHAWKS EDITOR

OLIVIA MICHELSEN

DESIGN EDITOR

SARAH FROSCH

DIGITAL MEDIA EDITOR

KISER YOUNG

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

ADAM SMITH

BUSINESS MANAGER

MADELINE BUECKER

ASST. DESIGN EDITOR

JESSICA MONAHAN

PHOTO EDITOR

STELLA POWERS

ANNA REIER

AUSTIN SMITH

SHANNON MAHONEY

PARKER GREEN

ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITORS

STELLA POWERS

ASST. CULTURE EDITOR

JEFFREY MIDDLETON

ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

TAYLOR POWERS

ASST. OPINION EDITOR

SARAH KENNEL

ASST. GREENHAWKS EDITOR

FRED REEDER JR.

FACULTY ADVISER

SACHA BELLMAN

BUSINESS ADVISER

AIM MEDIA MIDWEST

Our Awards

2023 and 2024 Corbin Gwaltney Award Best AllAround Student Newspaper in the large school category

2023 Ohio Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Best Journalism Contest — First Place in the Best College Newspaper category

2024 Ohio Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Best Journalism Contest — Second Place in the Best College Newspaper category

2024 Ohio News Media Association Awards – First Place in Collegiate Opinion Writing

2024 Ohio News Media Association Awards – First Place in Collegiate Sports Coverage in the large school category

Cars stolen and damaged in Oxford Miami and Faculty Alliance of Miami, Librarian

sive male was called in by a local restaurant. The male was found to be highly intoxicated, underage and in possession of a fake ID. He then became ill and was taken to the hospital where he was cited and released.

incidents, according to Oxford Police Department reports.

100 block of Randall Drive, a subject reported that someone stole her motor vehicle.

200 block of S. Poplar St., a 2012 Subaru Outback had its passenger side mirror damaged while it was parked in the street.

30 block of E. High St., an unrespon-

found to have multiple warrants out of Butler County. He was taken into custody without incident and transferred to Butler County Jail.

were dispatched for an intoxicatedmale was located and transported by

The agreement includes annual wage increases of more than 7% over the course of the contract, according

cited for underage consumption and disorderly conduct.

sponded to a call for an unwanted person. The man was removed from the premises of the business and cited for disorderly conduct.

5000 block of College Corner Pike,

sault that occurred that morning. A male suspect allegedly struck a female on the hand. A report was taken and the investigation is ongoing.

smith646@miamioh.edu

ASG debates Internal Operating Budget items

GRACE GROVER STAFF

WRITER

Miami University’s Associated Student Government (ASG) discussed its Internal Operating Budget (IOB) and denied certain funding for the spring semester during its meetto a presentation on sustainability at Miami and elected a new parliamentarian.

Secretary of the Treasury Hunter Rode presented an amended IOB to ASG, outlining the budget requests from cabinet members, secretaries and senate leadership.

Senators questioned requests of Infrastructure & Sustainability and Student Body President Will Brinley.

“Budgets are budgets,” Pro Tempore Nicholas Barry said. “People are people. Don’t take anything personal. It’s just an issue with the budget.”

Senator Victoria Rivas enterof the requests from Houlihan, Day, Hodge and Brinley. Senators voted in favor of this motion, meaning those portions of the budget now majority. If the items were denied under Senate Shelby Alford said the secretaries, senate leadership or cabinet members could not request the money again for the same items until next semester.

Rivas said there was not enough explanation given in the budget requests.

“We deserve accountability and transparency when it comes to the things we are passing on the budget,” Rivas said.

Senators entered executive sesitems outside the presence of secretaries.

As a result, senators denied Brinley’s funding requests for cabinet appreciation gifts and food for cabinet members. They also denied Day’s requests for green event funding fortainable t-shirt fund, an initiative to incentivize student organizations to purchase recycled t-shirts.

Senators tabled Hodge’s requests Houlihan’s requests for door hangers, an outreach initiative to inform opportunities, and food for committee meetings were tabled until next week. Senators passed the rest of the IOB.

Senators also passed legislation to remove inconsistencies between the Workday application and ASG’s bylaws. Rode said ASG needs to update the language of the bylaws to be less restrictive.

“It’s important our documents are as consistent as possible,” Senator Duke Buckalew said.

Senators voted to create an ad hoc committee to oversee the changes set forth by the passed legislation. Rode said the committee will add

Alex Miller, Miami’s sustainability engagement coordinator, gave a presentation on sustainability initiatives at Miami. Miller said her newly-formed position is a result of the climate action plan, but only two people are working at Miami’s sus-

Miller said ASG could help with big-picture planning, such as increasing knowledge on sustainability.

ing to ramp up student engagement now that my position is in place,” she said. Senators elected Aiden Bryant as parliamentarian in a special election after Jackson Abrams resigned from the position.

Daniel Martin reported back on student concerns about e-vehicles. He said his committee is working on an initiative with a Miami student to put e-scooter chargers on campus. Senators brought up concerns about the end of the Victory Bell rivalry between the University of Cincinnati and Miami and plans to build

Both concerns were committed to the On-Campus committee.

Alford said the student body president and student body vice president debate will be March 11 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. following ASG’s meeting. ASG’s next meeting is at 6 p.m. Chamber. grovergc@miamioh.edu

Kulbaga said that in addition to compensation, the contract is also important for academic freedom.

“It might not seem like much, but with the way the university could change things, we didn’t have a whole lot of power,” Kulbaga said. “That in and of itself is a huge win.” Cathy Wagner, a professor of English and contract action team lead, she is incredibly proud of the bargaining team.

“It was our collective power that did it,” Wagner said. “ I think admin realized that the pressure was not going to let up. I’m proud of our faculty and librarians that got this done.” Additionally, negotiations for the 25, with Miami librarians agreeing to a tentative contract.

“We’ve all been putting a lot of Rachel Makarowski, alternate lead negotiator for the librarian unit. “We’re really hopeful that this will create better working conditions for our librarians, but will also create better student learning conditions.” Although the agreements will helpal response as well. an agreement had been reached], I just started crying,” Wagner said. “I couldn’t believe this had actually happened.”

reieram@miamioh.edu

University Senate discusses DEI, new engineering programs

SHANNON MAHONEY

ASST. CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY EDITOR

At the University Senate meetingators convened to vote on two new programs in the College of Engineering on Monday. Senator Cathy Wagner, an English professor, addressed the senate regarding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in light of recent federal actions, including the executive order enacted on Jan. 21 targeting DEI, a letter from the Department of Education and Ohio Senate Bill 1 (S.B. 1). Universities across the country, including Miami, received a letter from the Department of Education Department of Education’s stance on DEI programs. S.B. 1, which passed the Ohio Senate, also seeks to dismantle DEI programs in schools across the state.

“The thing I want to share with you is that much expert legal opinion

says these bans are illegal,” Wagner said during the meeting. “I’m here to encourage all of you, and also our administration, not to jump to conforming to these illegal bans.”

The senate voted to pass two new programs within the College of program for electrical and computer engineering, and the second is an engineering doctor of philosophy (PhD). Additionally, Tim Cameron, associate dean for the College of Engineering and Computing; Marnie Saunders, associate dean for Graduate Studies, Research and Innovation; and Beena Sukumaran, The Dinesh and Ila Paliwal dean of the College of Engineering and Computing, gave a presentation on a new PhD for computer science. The senate is expected to vote on the program at the next meeting.

University Senate’s next meeting is at 3:30 p.m. on March 10 in 111 Harrison Hall.

mahones5@miamioh.edu

ADAM SMITH BUSINESS MANAGER

SENATORS. PHOTO BY GRACE GROVER

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY

Workday begins its second phase

SHANNON MAHONEY

ASST. CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY EDITOR

After more than six months of using Workday for human resources and payroll, Miami University is beginning its second phase of the Workday transition from BannerWeb and Buyway.

Randy Hollowell, manager for IT communications and communications sublead for Organizational Change Management, said Miami chose to switch to Workday to allow for a more consistent interface across various programs.

Additionally, the Workday app will allow students to access all programs on a mobile platform.

“Banner is a little bit antiquated,”

Hollowell said. “We wanted a cloudbased system, and Workday provides us that.”

The Workday transition is broken the transition of human resources, to Workday. This initial phase was completed on schedule and went live on July 1, 2024. Since the new system went live over the summer, many university employees had to adapt quickly as the fall semester began. Some expressed frustration with the new system and processes.

“It’s been a lot of lessons learned about things that went right or went

ect to make sure that we can have a smooth transition on the student side,” said Duane Drake, senior direc-

tor for Enrollment Management and Student Success.

The second part of the transition involves all the remaining programs currently running through BannerWeb, including course registration, grades, degree audits and transcripts. 2026, according to Miami’s website. Certain features will be available before then. For example, registration will become available on Workday in spring, allowing students to register for their classes in the coming fall. Recruitment systems will also transition to Workday in spring 2025, meaning students enrolling for the 2026 academic year will use the new platform. However, not everyone sees BannerWeb as something that needs updating.

‘This is a lifelong fraternity’: Black Miami students ﬁnd community in Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

Service and philanthropy

Like many Greek organizations, service and philanthropy are pillars of Alpha Phi Alpha.

David Claytor, who serves as Alpha Phi Alpha’s treasurer, historian and chaplain, said service is one of the most important traditions of the fraternity, especially around Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of our fraternity brothers, so we try to honor him and make sure that we are able to uplift and hold his goals and aspirations,” Claytor said. “This is one of the main reasons we host our silent march.”

This year, the frat held its Silent March on the evening of Jan. 29 through Uptown and concluded with a keynote speech from Judy Alston, the chair of the Department of Educational Leadership, titled “A Change to Keep I Have: A Call to Courageous Leadership, Change and Community.” Additionally, every spring, the organization hosts the Miss Black and Gold Pageant, where women from across the university community partake in a formal talent show and pageant-style event.

“We do these events to try and rally the community around our organization,” Claytor said. “It’s also great because all of the money the women raise is able to be given to them as a scholarship.”

Social experience

Enders said the experience of be-

ing in a historically Black fraternity, especially on Miami’s campus, is veryties.

“For one, we don’t have houses,” Enders said. “We’d throw parties and A lot smaller, for sure. Not better orent.”

Claytor said the fraternity’s goal is ultimately to promote brotherhood among its members.

my brothers on campus,” Claytor said. “That’s one of the main parts of our register statements, and we really hold true to that.” Barker echoed a similar sentiment.

“This is a lifelong fraternity,” Barker said. “Once you’re in it, you’re in it; literally till the day you die.”

reieram@miamioh.edu

thought BannerWeb was easy to navigate. However, she added that course registration, a main feature of the BannerWeb services, could be tricky to navigate but didn’t believe it directly correlated to BannerWeb.

ent way.” student in the sociology and gerontology department, has only used Workday during her time as a graduate student since she enrolled after the transition. She said the Workday program receiving promotional messages from the platform.

The transition will only be noticeable for a few cohorts of students, Hollowell said. Many currently enrolled students will graduate before Workday is fully implemented, while incoming students will use Workday from the start.

For students who use both systems, Hollowell emphasized that training videos and resources will be provided to help with the transition. Miami also has an email address where students can direct questions about Workday.

“Students are welcome to send us any questions that they have,” Hollowell said. “We’ll be communicating more directly to them in the coming months.”

mahones5@miamioh.edu

OLIVIA PATEL MANAGING EDITOR

As the era of Millett Hall draws to a close, with the potential construction of the new sports arena on Cook Field, memories of the hall are represented through Millett’s iconopened its doors on Dec. 2, 1968, to welcome the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team, who defeated Miami in front of 9,135 spectators, 86-77.

The arena welcomed more than Mayer, 50 Cent, Barry Manilow, James Taylor and so many other iconic artists performed in its hallowed halls to bring students together over a shared love of a wide variety of music. But those who remember the highs and lows of Millett may be tempted to forget the one person who made the arena what it came to be: the namesake himself.

John D. Millett, 16th president of Miami from 1953 to 1964, is most

well-known for serving as the university’s president during a noteworthy period of growth. During his time as president, enrollment at the university doubled and new residence and academic halls were constructed, including Collins and Culler Halls.

Millett received his undergraduate degree from Depauw University in Indiana and his master’s and doctorate degrees from Columbia University. Prior to his arrival at Miami, Millett served in the Pentagon, taught in the graduate faculty at Co-

Nearly 20 years after serving as the university president, Millett returned to Miami in 1980 as a part-time professor of educational political science. He died at age 81 on Nov. 14, 1993.

As the physical remembrance of Millett may be destroyed, Miami’s 16th president’s memory will live on through his contributions to the university. patelou@miamioh.edu

JESSICA MONAHAN

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY

Survey responses oppose arena location recommendation

Other responses included critiques about Miami getting rid of the space students use for intramural sports. In the recommendation announcement, the committee announced that $13 million will be used the location the university said was too far for students to be involved in games.

Supporters of the Cook area said and student interaction at games.

“I like this location a lot,” one person wrote. “The proximity of the Ditmer Lot is nice, and this is an area that seems easier to access. Clearly, the students are in and around this area a lot as well.” Who is on the committee?

The committee is made up of 11 individuals with various titles.

David Budig and Don Crain are co-chairs of the committee. They both graduated from Miami, Budig in 1984 and Crain in 1970, and are former chairs of the Board of Trustees.

Budig is the president of Parsec Inc., an intermodal transportation company and was a member of Beta Theta Phi as a student. He has previously served on many boards and councils as an alumnus, including the Miami Foundation Board, which is made up of “prominent business leaders, alumni, friends and university leaders,” according to the website.

Crain is a lawyer and partner at Frost Brown Todd in Cincinnati, where he focuses on labor, employment and governmental law. While at Miami, Crain was a member of Sigma Chi and played on the baseball team.

Brad Bundy is the current senior associate vice president of university advancement for Miami, a position he’s held since 2013.

Michael Crowder is Miami’s associate provost, dean of the graduate school and a professor of chemistry.

assistant professor.

Zac Haines is a current member of the Board of Trustees. He was appointed by Ohio Governor John Kain 2027. He graduated from Miami in 2005 and is now the CEO of DPA Buying Group, a group of independent distributors and national suppliers in the janitorial, sanitary, safety equipment and clothing, industrial, packaging and restoration industries.

Kelly Knollman-Porter is an associate professor of speech pathology and audiology. She is the chair of the Campus Planning Committee.

David Sayler is Miami’s director of athletics. Sayler won the Cartwright Award, an award given to the best athletic department in the Mid-American Conference in the areas of academics, community service and competitive results, in 2018, year contract extension in 2021. Andrea Simpson graduated fromey during her time in Oxford before becoming a teacher in Hamilton.

Chase Speaks is the assistant athletic director for sport and facility services and has been at Miami since 2012.

Scott Walter is the assistant vicetion he has held since 2010. Walter works to establish collaborations beChauncey Winbush is the deputy athletic director and has had this position since 2023. He formerly worked at Shepherd University in West Virginia.

Senior Director of Communications Seth Bauguess wrote in an email to The Student that there will be time for public comments at the Board of Trustees meeting on Feb. 28. turmankd@miamioh.edu

How the site of an asylum became Cook Field

Myaamia Center receives $2.1 million grant

AUSTIN SMITH ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR

The Mellon Foundation awarded the Myaamia Center a $2.1 million grant to expand the National Breath of Life Archival Institute for Indigenous Languages (National BoL). The institute helps tribal communities revitalize their language by using archives and technology.

This grant marks the largest external grant in the Myaamia Center’s history.

The Advocates for Indigenous California Language Survival to revitalize Indigenous languages in California inspired the National BoL Institute to start a similar program. Members of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and other Indigenous communities wanted to take a similar approach at the national level.

According to the United Nations, one Indigenous language is estimated to disappear every two weeks. Indigenous languages are essential to cultural identity and preservation, yet the consequences of colonialism and assimilation practices have caused many communities to lose their language.

National BoL is looking to change that. Since its inception, the institute has worked with 65 tribal communities to help revitalize their languages, teaching them how to locate, analyze and digitize archival documents. They are currently working with approximately 13 communities, with 10 participating in their community archivist apprenticeship program.

workshop for the national program in 2011. In 2014, the Myaamia Center became the institutional home of National BoL, where it utilized the same techniques from the revitalization of its own language.

The Myaamia Center previously received a $510,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation in 2021 to sup-

port National BoL programming. The grant helped support the development of the ILDA, the software National BoL uses to assemble primary source material and facilitate analysis.

“After working with the foundation through that initial funding period and learning more about it, Myaamia Center that the Mellon Foundation is dedicated to supporting research developments in Native American communities,” wrote Stella Beerman, communications specialist at the Myaamia Center, in an email to The Miami Student. “This encouraged us to apply for this more recent funding.”

Beerman said the center has been dedicated to revitalizing its language for the past 30 years and has built software and technology that can

“After we built [the software], we were like, ‘Oh, that was kind of a lot of work,’” Beerman said. “We think other communities could use this communities so that every community engaging in this work wasn’t starting over from scratch.”

Through the grant, National BoL plans to double the size of its apprenticeship program from 10 to 20 apprentices and initiate a fellowship program for advanced revitalization help apprentices turn archival documents and research into educational resources for their communities.

The institute is also seeking to advancing its technology, supporting the Indigenous Language Digital Archive (ILDA) and creating an educational portal for community language learning.

Beerman said the time and dedication it takes to engage in cultural revitalization is equivalent to a fulltime job in itself.

“What this grant money allows

us to do is fund people to spend the time that it takes to do this,” Beerman said. “I think that’s really important to have a foundation like Mellon say this work is so important we will help you.”

Jerome Viles, National BoL archives development trainer, said he has felt the positive impact of language revitalization in his own community, the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, primarily located in Oregon. He said he began learning his language in his 20s, while his son has spoken it since birth due to increased revitalization and educa-

“Language revitalization is a lot it starts with a spark, but then you add fuel, and it gets bigger and bigger. We’re starting to see it in my community and the tribes that share our language, there are more people getting interested.”

Viles said much of the narrative around Indigenous languages is negative, centered around language loss and extinction.

“We’re really trying to tell a difdedicated people in your community, you can revitalize your language, and with it, your culture, histories and community. It’s a positive vision of health, community connection and continuing in the future as tribal people.”

Indigenous communities have historically been misrepresented and inaccurately reported on by the press, including The Miami Student. To address this history, we work with Stella Beerman and occasionally Kara Strass, Myaamia Advisers to The Miami Student, to ensure that each story, including the Myaamia Center and the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, is accurate.

smith854@miamioh.edu

THE MYAAMIA CENTER HELPS TO PROMOTE

LANGUAGE AND CULTURE OF THE MYAAMIA PEOPLE. PHOTO BY SARAH FROSCH

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

allowed Suder to step up as a leader and a role model for the RedHawks. Even as a junior, he is one of the more lacks four-year players.

the court as well,” Smith said. “I think that kind of bleeds into our guys. They see one of the top guys on our team doing the right things, and they see how successful he is at doing it.”

Red and White, Suder has averaged 13.6 points per game, the highest on goals, a 7% increase from his percentage at Bellarmine (43.0%).

With Suder’s help, the RedHawks soar

in almost every aspect of his game.son, he credits the team as a whole for this massive improvement.

ers push me every single day,” Sudevery single day, rebounding for us. Whatever we need, they give us.”

tempts and brought in 22 points, pushing him over 1,000 career points.

Despite these accolades, one of the most notable moments for Suder this season was playing against the Indiana University Hoosiers, the team he used to cheer for.

gotta just want to stay at a consistent balance throughout the whole season. My family helps me with that, [as well as] the players and coaches. My circle

been doing.”

said. “Obviously I grew up watching Indiana basketball. I know all about it. Playing in Assembly Hall [was] a dream come true.”

ideology about peaking at the right of the season comes in March with the MAC tournament, where they need to win three games in three days to advance to March Madness.

Miami. The RedHawks recently since 1999, when the team featured Wally Szczerbiak and was led by head coach Charlie Coles and made a run all the way to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament.

This season has already marked several milestones for Suder. In a non-conference win against Air Force, he contributed 42 points, tied program history. He posted more than 20 points in four games this season, including two matchups in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play.

In a game against the Kent State University Golden Flashes, Suder

For now, however, the team is focused on closing out the regular season with three-straight wins, which would tie the program record for wins in a season at 24.

jollifvm@miamioh.edu CONTINUED FROM FRONT

been visible for all to see. His success has made it easier for teammates to gravitate towards him and follow his performance distract him from the

“You never want your ego to get too high or too low,” Suder said. “You

sential for the RedHawks as they hit the backstretch of their season. With his production, the RedHawks look under Steele.

talked about March a lot,” Smith said.

“We know when that time comes

Enjulina Gonzalez is bringing excitement back to Miami women’s basketball

LILY WAHL SENIOR STAFF WRITER

On Tuesday nights, long past when most Miamians have gone home for the day and tucked into group of students meet in the engifor a study group or to catch up on homework.

course load that engineering students face, type away on sticker-covered laptops and discuss Chipotle fundraisers, but their goal is clear.

RedHawk Racing has not competed in a formal competition since the fall of 2022 due to multiple factors, including funding issues and low participation. However, they plan to return to the track soon, and until then,

There are two sub-teams within RedHawk Racing– Formula and Baja. Both are categories under the Society of Automotive Engineers, an industry standards organization that also organizes competitions at the collegiate level.

The Formula team builds cars to those racing in Formula 1 or INDYCAR. RedHawk Racing competes in the electric category, where the car is powered by an electric battery rather than an internal combustion engine. The Baja team is centered around a challenging endurance course. The races typically last four hours and are typically split between three drivers. speed. The real focus in student racing categories is the construction of the car. The work that goes into designing and building these cars is brutal, especially when combined with the challenging engineering courses that most team members are in.

A big challenge for the team is get-

ting the funds necessary to go racing. They estimate that $30,000 is needed to design and build new cars for each category.

The team has one major sponsor, but without university funding, it must look for other sources

currently receive any funding from Associated Student Government.

from yearly grants. This is, in some ways, part of the process for student racing teams. At Baja competitions,ten proposal as if it was a real company manufacturing the car.

Regan Jones, a sophomore business economics major with a minor in sports management and leadership, participates in the team on the business side of things.

but I love cars and motorsports,” she said.

Part of the $30,000 valuation derives from the frame of the car, which costs about $5,000 to order, cut and electric batteries for the Formula car

While it is cheaper to run an internal combustion engine, the team

tem because it believes it aligns realistically with the automotive industry, where electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular.

The suspension assembly, motor mounts and other smaller hardware for the cars have to be built in-house.er-aided design softwares and later built and attached to the car.

level of attention to detail required to prepare a project of this magnitude, but the team members take it one step at a time, doing what they can to make progress.

ANDREW RELVAS STAFF WRITER

The Miami University RedHawks one of its most successful seasons in recent years.

2018-19 season when Miami went

National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) but fell to the Western Kentucky University Lady Toppers 67-63

This RedHawks team hopes to emulate its success in years past and make a deep run in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament

Miami currently has a 16-9 record and is 8-6 in MAC play. This is a major turnaround from last season, when the RedHawks were 9-20 and record.

What has changed from last year?turning talent and the transfer portal. squad include senior forward Katey Richason, sophomore forward Amber Tretter and sophomore guards Lakresha Edwards and Núria Jurjo. year players, including guard Tamar Singer and forwards Ilse de Vries and Emily Bratton.

Additionally, second-year headfers from the transfer portal: graduate student guard Maya Chandler from the Southern Methodist University Mustangs, junior guard Camille Jackson from the University of Illinois Fighting Illini and sophomore guard

Enjulina Gonzalez from the Mercer University Bears.

Gonzalez, in particular, has seen her collegiate career soar to new heights.

The Miami, Florida, native currently averages 17 points (third best in the MAC), four rebounds, two assists and one block per game with the RedHawks. She also shoots 47% from MAC) and 73% from the free-throw line.

As a transfer, Gonzalez was surgery and looked for some familiarity, which came in the form of second-year associate head coach Ben Wierzba. Wierzba was an assistant coach with the Bears during Gonzafor her coming out of Mercer.

“Her athleticism and her ability to make plays were some of the things we were looking into,” Wierzba said. pull-up jumper.”

helped make the decision to transfer to Miami an easy one.

“Ben reached out, [and] it was pretty easy to be convinced that coming here would not only help me, but push me to be my best,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez has put up career highs in points, rebounds and steals per game and has been named MAC player of the week three times this season.

Outside of basketball, Gonzalezcially appreciated spending time with her teammates over the past year at Miami.

court.”

translated into success on the court,

“They are really motivated,” Wierzba said. “Everyone comes in and wants to see each other get better. We take a lot of pride in player development.”

For Gonzalez, her journey to becoming a collegiate basketball player out as a football player in third grade and eventually started playing basketball in the summer of her freshman year of high school.

As a sophomore and junior, she really became driven to play at the

“I was doing whatever I could to get better,” Gonzalez said. “I worked really hard in the 10th and 11th grade to get recruited and trying to be the best version of myself.”

Her hard work has paid dividends on the court, as she is one of the most

With her skillset, Gonzalez is leading the RedHawks to new heights not seen in a long time. Miami last made the MAC tournament in 2018 andence.

With four games left in the regular season, the path to the postseason is clear for the RedHawks.

“We have gotten so much betterting in the work,” Gonzalez said. “We want to win the MAC championship.” relvasaj@miamioh.edu

ical engineering major, credits her interest in motorsport to her family attending the Indianapolis 500 each May. The race is the crowning jewel of the NTT INDYCAR series, and considered one of the parts of the Triple Crown of Motorsport. Racing is a male-dominated sport, with only nine female drivers in the history of the Indy 500. Klein like Emma Flower, a co-captain of the team, at RedHawk Racing is a nice change.

“I try not to let it get me down too much,” Klein said. “I try to say that

I know not just as a friend but as a smart and is in a club full of guys.

Juan Moya, a senior mechanical

engineering major and captain of the Formula team, found out about the club at Mega Fair. Through his time in the organization, he has risen to a leadership position.

“The main thing that kept me here something that nobody knew at that point,” Moya said. “In terms of the leadership skills and everything, I learned a lot because I had to step out from nowhere.”

Moya also shared that participating in RedHawk Racing has taught him skills that he feels will prepare him for a professional career in the automotive industry or engineering more broadly.

engineering major, emphasized how the design process creates a unique challenge for student racing teams. He cited problem-solving with limited resources as a key skill that the team cultivates.

“We want to do something specif-

do it,” Ivanov said. “We want to make have to go with a plastic route.” RedHawk Racing continues to every student organization, members will graduate and leave the team behind as they start their professionalbe built through the long hours they dedicate to the team.cause in class you can have things constrained to a rubric or things that you already know are impossible to do,” Moya said. “But here, every-

wahllm@miamioh.edu

ENJULINA GONZALEZ

Miami Skating heads to National Championships

“It’s exciting to be back with a new team, new coaches and to prove to the skating world that we are still Miami,” senior Caroline Yaeger said.

The Miami University synchronized skating teams are renowned in the skating world for their precision and success. The collegiate team has won three-straight national titles,

This year, the senior and collegiate teams will travel to Colorado Springs for the national competition starting Feb. 28.

To make nationals, the collegiate team competed in two “classic” events: sectionals and regionals. Afits classic events, the team regrouped and was able to win both competitions.

ton Classic and the Dr. Porter Classic, the collegiate team scored 95.03 and season before nationals, the team won both the Midwestern Sectional Championship and the Tri-State

ent for the collegiate team, with different coaches and a third of the team changes and challenges of the season, it’s evident the team is eager to be back at nationals with something to prove.

“This year, it’s taken a shift in our mental mindset.”

With all the change, the collegiate team is hoping to add its fourthdivision.

The senior team will also compete at nationals, hoping to place in the top two in order to make the world championships. If they perform well enough, the RedHawks will make Championships.

The senior and collegiate teams often practice similarly, but the structure of their competitions is much

“They are competing in entirely coach Sammie Levine. “They’re comtraining is of a similar caliber.”

The team feels great going into nationals with a staunch support system. The coaches play a big role as a support for them, but another factor is the popularity the team has gained over so many successful seasons.

“Hitting that ending position, seeing Sammy and Katie on the other side of the rink and hearing the cheers behind us is amazing,” sophomore just knowing that all of our hard work went into this one moment.”

Miami skating is a huge name for this sport and recruits at a high level.

from varying high level backgrounds in synchronized skating.

Imagineably, this atmosphere seems daunting to enter for younger girls who may have never competed at this level. The team promotes culture, trust and understanding to enthe ice.

“Growing up, I would always be watching Miami skate from the other side, and seeing the whole stadium

Grinfeld said. “It’s been a crazy experience to actually be on the ice while everyone is cheering for you.”

The pressure is greatly outweighed by the support of fans of the RedHawks and synchronized skating as a whole. The team values this encouragement greatly and hopes for a good show out on the national stage to support the RedHawks as they aim to bring another national championship back to Oxford.

The senior and collegiate teams will both compete on Friday, Feb. 28tional champions will be announced at awards after 8:30 p.m. the same night. The senior team will get another chance to compete if it lands in the top seven teams.

rosente2@miamioh.edu

KETHAN BABU SPORTS EDITOR

Miami University announced intentions to build a proposed arena on Cook Field for men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball. The project would replace Millett Hall as the venue for all three sports.

One reason for the new arena is said to be a search to increase attendance at Miami athletic events. Millett Hall sits nestled in the northeast corner of the campus away from the university’s academic buildings. The site survey committee that recommended Cook as the location of the proposed arena cited a centralized location as a way to “promote greater student access and participation at campus events held at the location.” The attendance at a Millett ath-ketball game against the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. Since openattendance. Fans used to pack Millett, but basketball games has steadily debasketball team has ranked in the bottom half of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in average home attendance, except for this season.

A growing number of fans have attended men’s basketball games each year. The RedHawks aver-ond-lowest in the MAC. So far in the been 2,306, the fourth-highest in the conference.

The Miami faithful have shown out several times this season. The men’s basketball matchup against the Ohio University Bobcats on One fans. Three weeks later, 6,339 fans showed up for an overtime thriller against the Kent State University Golden Flashes on Love.Honor.Care Day.

Despite this increase in attendance, Miami fans fail to meet the capacity at Millett. The men’s basketball team currently sits at its best

Hawks average about a third of the capacity at home games.

Men’s basketball isn’t the only team that fails to meet attendance expectations. The women’s basketball team, even with its best record home games, the second-lowest in the MAC.

Eight teams in the conference women’s basketball games. Even place in the standings, they only draw in more fans to home games than the University of Akron Zips. Attendance at women’s basketball home games has increased averaged 356 fans. However, theirerage might show that performance isn’t the only factor.

A centrally-located arena could make Miami fans more willing to attend basketball games, especially considering the attendance at Goggin Ice Center. The Miami hockey team hasn’t Despite that, attendance at hockey games has held steady for the last around 2,500 fans at Goggin Ice Center each year until 2020. Attendance dropped after the continued to average around 2,000 fans at hockey games. So far in thegin on average. With a capacity ofpression of a mostly-full crowd even with declining attendance. closer to the center of campus. Unless Miami students prefer watching hockey over any other sport, a primary reason for the steady attendance at hockey games may be because of the proximity to dorms and student housing. There is no clear answer to the attendance problem at men’s and women’s basketball games. However, with the steady increase in attendance each year and a potential arena located closer to campus, Miami may be able to boast a strong and proud fanbase once again.

‘The season is a lifetime’: How men’s basketball battled back against Kent State

babukc2@miamioh.edu

KETHAN BABU SPORTS EDITOR

Less than three minutes remained on the clock.

A 3-pointer from redshirt senior forward VonCameron Davis widened Kent State’s lead to seven over the Miami University men’s basketball team. Head coach Travis Steele called a timeout and brought the RedHawks to a huddle.

Miami battled hard against the Golden Flashes, outscoring them in half minutes left, a seven-point comeback seemed out of reach.

Steele wasn’t ready to throw in the towel just yet, not with more than 6,000 fans packing Millett Hall.

“You could tell our group was really down,” Steele said. “I said, ‘Fellas, we’re not gonna win this game if we don’t believe. There’s a ton of time.’

We’re at a fork in the road. We can do one of two things: We can get tighter with our togetherness, with our execution, or we can splinter and lay down.” The RedHawks recently lost two road games against the Western Michigan University Broncos and the Eastern Michigan University Ea-son that they have lost back-to-back matchups.

“Obviously, we weren’t expecting

to lose,” said junior guard Peter Suder. “But the main thing was to handle adversity. We are the same team when we did go on those big streaks. Even though we did lose [those] two games … We had to still believe that we were as good as we are.” The season so far has been very year. Miami dropped consecutive three-game losing streak to conclude the season brought its record under .500. One revolution around the sun later, the RedHawks posted their best record with Steele at the helm and positioned themselves as a serious contender in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play. Besides one loss to the University of Akron Zips, Miami defeated its conference rivals decisively, outscoring MAC opponents by an average of their loss to Akron, the RedHawks streak, including a 92-80 statementledo Rockets. This success made the losses on the road in Michigan hurt that much more for the RedHawks. However, Steele emphasized the importance of facing adversity and viewing the season on a wider scale. “I told our guys: The season is a lifetime,” Steele said. “There’s going

We didn’t play well. I said, ‘Fellas, we just got to get back to what we do.’” Miami returned to Oxford and braced for the arrival of the No. 3 Golden Flashes. Kent State hadn’t lost in almost a -

ing Green State University Falcons.

Senior guard Jalen Sullinger played his best game of the season with 32 points against the Falcons, while Davis brought in another 22 points. With the Golden Flashes on a hot streak and boasting two of the best scorers in the MAC, the pressure was on for Miami to defend home court. For Suder, this meant putting forth a strong defense and limiting Sullinger and Davis’ impact.

“The focus for our defense was defensive rebounding,” Suder said. “Sullinger and Davis are all-league guys. They put up numbers that can win games even if their defense isn’t good. We have to keep them under control.” Both teams engaged in a back-

Kent State to outscore them 38-28 regulation. With 30 combined points from

Sullinger and junior forward Del-

recco Gillespie, the Golden Flashes cushioned its lead with a three-score advantage. The RedHawks needed toute battle.

“I remember in the second half, I had two back-to-back turnovers,” can’t become hesitant with my reads. If I’m trying to make a play, I still got

The RedHawks began to crawl back, with junior forward Antwone Woolfolk adding three followed by a layup. Suder converted a deep shot to close the gap to 82-80 with a minute to go. Fifty seconds later, Suder found himself at the free throw line with an opportunity to tie the game.

Two swishes later, and the RedHawks brought themselves back in on the clock, Kent State still had a chance to run down and take a last-second victory. Sophomore guard Cian Medley went for the game-winning jumpshot, but sophomore wing Eian Elmer reached up and ensured the ball wouldn’t make it to the rim.

“That’s a moment I’m not afraid of,” Elmer said. “I saw him coming down, and I knew they were trying to get a switch. I just knew [that] he can’t score this ball right here. I knew

I was gonna get a block right there.”

The RedHawks prepared themkept the score even, but after two Elmer 3-pointers from the left side, Miami held the advantage for two

“He likes the left side, analytically,” Steele said. “If you look at his shots, he shoots better from that side side. He made two big ones, and he earned the right to make that through his work. The more he spends time in the gym, the more he’ll be ready in those moments.” With the MAC tournament com-

season appearance with the new while the team focuses on each regular season matchup, he wants Miami to peak at the right time in Cleveland.

“We have to be able to win,” Steele said. “Ultimately, my goal is to get [us] to win three games in three days at Cleveland. [This game] shows the when [our] back’s against the wall. We responded the right way. I think that’s going to really serve us well here moving forward.”

babukc2@miamioh.edu

ELISA ROSENTHAL

THE MIAMI STUDENT

CULTURE

AYLA PEDEN THE MIAMI STUDENT

As February and Black History

Month come to a close, one can look back on this month and see the amazing accomplishments that Black artists have made, especially in the music industry. From Kendrick Lamar’s iconic performance at the Super Bowl the Year award for “COWBOY CARTER,” this month has been stacked with excellent performances and historic wins.

That being said, I have spent most of this month listening to my favorite artists as well as discovering the music of those I cannot believe I’d never heard of – many of these including those from the Black community.

Although these Black artists come special place in my heart, where only my best-loved artists reside. I have compiled a list of my favorite Black artists who have made an impact on

CHLOE SOUTHARD

CULTURE EDITOR

This week, I’ve really toned down the vibe in terms of music.

When I need something to soothe turning to what some people would call “grandma music.” I’m talking about anything from the late ’30s to ’70s, and a few from the modern day.

This week, it’s all about the classics, or songs that sound reminiscent of the eras that produced such great music.

‘Heaven Knows’ — 54 Ultra

This song was released last year. When I found that out, I couldn’t believe it. It fully sounds like something much older, but it’s absolutely perfect.

It’s one of the most beautiful songs I’ve heard in a long time, and I accidentally stumbled upon it while waiting for my English class to begin. It’s been on repeat since.

‘Ooo Baby Baby’ — Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

This song. There are no words for this song, but just know that it was in Wrapped. It’s just too good.

‘You Make Me Feel Brand New’ — The Stylistics

This song was introduced to me by my mother when I was in high school.

I should have. But now, I’ve been listening to it at least once a day.

It reminds me a bit of the Bee Gees, which I’m a big fan of, so that makes me love it even more.

‘Will I See You Again?’

me and the music industry.

Note: I love all of these artists dearly, and the order of this list does not mean that any of them are better than the others. They all have their own voice and sound that is so unique to them that it is hard even to compare.

Rihanna

What can I say about Rihanna that hasn’t already been said? She’s incredible. From being a pop icon to a businesswoman and a mother, I do it all. Rihanna has been a staple in my musical rotation for years, going back to 2008, when her album “Good Girl Gone Bad” was released. The album included classics like “Umbrella,” “Don’t Stop The Music” and “Shut Up And Drive,” which I listened to on repeat while I rode in the car with my mom. Now, was I far too young to be listening to these songs? Absolutely!

But Rihanna has a way of making her music sound so fun and upbeat; how could you not love it?

Bill Withers

— Thee Sacred Souls

Thee Sacred Souls is a trio that sounds straight out of the ’60s soul scene, but it actually formed in 2019. This song is catchy, mellow and a real treat for your ears. It’s one of those songs you could listen to on repeat and never get sick of — I speak from experience.

‘No No No’ — Dawn Penn

This track is also a bit of an outlithe vibe. I can’t help but bop my head along whenever I’m listening to it; the chorus is an absolute earworm and is guaranteed to get stuck in your head, where it will linger all day.

‘This Bitter Earth’ — Dinah Washington

I recently discovered this song through a movie I watched for my has an amazing soundtrack, but this song was the true standout. The lyrics are straightforward but impactful, and the instrumental is stunning.

‘I Only Have Eyes for You’ — The Flamingos

This is the type of song that makes me feel like my body should begin levitating. From beginning to end, it’s this song has become a classic and remained popular.

‘Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got)’ — Four Tops

I can’t remember where exactly my mother was somehow involved. Regardless, I do recall falling in love

It’s such an endearing love song; how could you not like it?

‘Wedding Bell Blues’ — The 5th Dimension

Compared to Rihanna, my love for Bill Withers started fairly recently. With his music dating back to the ’70s, Withers has proven to be a legend in the soul and R&B genres.

As I Am’ and “Still Bill,” you can hear the emotions that the singer carries through his voice, and that emotion is what made me fall for his songs. Hits like “Lean on Me” and “Ain’t No Sunshine” must be listened to.

Prince Now, how could I possibly make this list without including Prince himself? If anyone reading this grew up with parents from the ’80s, or if you grew up in the ’80s yourself, you know Prince is legendary and, albeit, slightly weird. But that’s what’s so cool about him!

also making catchy music. Prince wouldn’t be Prince without his look and sound, which is exactly why I love him.

Jon Batiste

recently introduced to, and let’s just

ent genres of music to create an entirely new sound. In his 2021 album “WE ARE,” the artist uses rap to convey his lyrics while providing a bluesy instrumental.

Sampa the Great While Sampa the Great is technically considered underground, shetiste, Sampa does an incredible job of something unique. In her songs, she blends hip-hop with classic African sounds, and after listening to her music, I can assert that we need to hear more of it.

I hope that Sampa will soon get the recognition she deserves because she is nothing short of incredible.

Doechii

Doechii has had a pivotal year in her career. With the release of her Grammy-winning album, “ALLIGATOR BITES NEVER HEAL,” the rising star has snuck into the hearts of thousands of new fans (including myself).

Doechii is so witty with every line

she writes, especially in the song “NISSAN ALTIMA,” where, in the referencing cultural moments in history, including “Wicked,” “Sex and the City” and Madonna. The award-winning singer has swiftly made it into my list of favorite artists, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Etta James I just have one thing to say: I love to her sing, I have been enraptured. The “Queen of Blues” is just as the name suggests. From songs such as “At Last,” “Something’s Got A Hold powerful voice shines through as she sings about love in such a way that I am able to feel just as she does.

Kendrick Lamar

While Kendrick is not my favorite artist, there is no denying that he knows how to write a diss track, especially when directed at Drake. Lamar’s song “Not Like Us” has left everyone either hating Drake for his alleged actions or obsessively rewatching the rapper’s halftime performance simply because it is iconic (I can’t say I haven’t done the latter once or twice).

Beyoncé

And to end the list, we have Queen Bey herself.

Since her time in the girl group Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé has solidimodel for many women worldwide. I have always been a fan of the artist, “Beyhive” was her newest album, “COWBOY CARTER,” which just Year Grammy award. This is such an amazing moment album by a Black woman to win Album of the Year since 1999. Getting another Black woman in the spotlight for this award should never have taken that long.

I hope this is not the last one we see, and I also hope Beyoncé continues to receive the recognition she deserves for her albums.

pedenae@miamioh.edu

I heard this song in “Gilmore Girls,” and it instantly secured a place in my liked songs on Spotify. It’s such a cute and fun song, and it always serves as a pick-me-up.

‘Easy Living (with Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra)’ and ‘I’ll Be Seeing You’ — Billie Holiday Billie Holiday unarguably has one of the most gorgeous voices to grace the music industry.

“Easy Living” appears on the soundtrack to one of my consequently wormed its way right into my heart.

“I’ll Be Seeing You” is perhaps Holiday’s most well-known song, and for good reason. It’s the kind of song you should dance in the kitchen to;

Hope performed during parents’ weekend in 1980 and was a guest speaker at commencement in 1969.

However, according to setlist.fm, O.A.R and Widespread Panic hold the record for most performances at Millett with four performances each. of his top songs: “Piano Man” and,ami 2017 (Seen the Lights go out on Broadway).”

The Goo Goo Dolls performance was much longer in comparison — –with 22 songs played in total. Here, the group they played top hits such as “Iris” and “Here is Gone.”

Simon and Garfunkel played their popular song “Bridge Over Troubled Water” for only the second time before it was released at Millett for a crowd of around 11,000 people — –this was the largest crowd hosted at the time.

Millett multiple times.

“Bridge Over Troubled Water” went on to win Best Song at the Grammys in 1971. At that concert, Si-

that’s the only way I can describe it.

‘Only You (And You Alone)’ — The Platters

This song has been covered plenty of times by artists such as Ringo Starr, The Stylistics, Louis Armstong, Elvis Presley and even Alvin and the Chipmunks, but nothing beats the original recording. The Platters’s version will remain superior, as the song was performed exactly how it should be.

‘This Magic Moment’ — The Drifters

Like a lot of the songs on this list, this one will probably be familiar to you. The vocals are great, but the instrumental is really what does it for me. ‘Baby I’m Yours’ — Cass Elliot

mon and Garfunkel played four songs from the unreleased album “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”

They also played the original song “Cuba Si, Nixon No” which they never released. All in all, the concert lasted an hour and 10 minutes and Simon and Garfunkel played 25 songs. Now, audio recordings of the concert are commonly bootlegged because of the high quality of the sound. The concert is also commonly thought to have happened on Nov. 11, 1969, but unbeknownst to popular belief, it the concert took place on Nov. 9, 1969.

Another notable performer was 50 Cent in 2003. Before coming to Miami, 50 Cent had controversies with violence at concerts. This led Miami to cancel the concert because of public safety concerns. However, a representative from Miami said the concert would continue as planned and that the university was not anticipating any problems.

“This event is putting the entire community at risk, an action that I

I’m a big fan of The Mamas & The Papas, but Cass Elliot’s solo work is also excellent. She was a true talent, and I desperately wish her life wouldn’t have ended so early on. performed by Elliot (Barbara Lewis is the original recording artist), I prefer her version.

‘Try a Little Tenderness’ — Otis Redding This was mine and my best friend’s song in high school. And yes, every time we performed it in the car, we channeled our inner Duckie from “Pretty in Pink.”

southacr@miamioh.edu

most vehemently oppose,” Howington wrote. “If any problems occur, Miami will be accountable in answering to the community, the student body and their parents.”

Ray Charles performed in 1989, and a student noted that he came on Taylor performed a year later in 1990, the same student said that Taylor told the audience, “Thanks, you make it easy” at the end.

Millett is a staple at Miami University for basketball, volleyball, plays and concerts. While there are plenty of basketball games scheduled for the next few weeks, Millett will also host 14. It will host Pan Rocks/Steel Band on April 5, where the Miami Student and Alumni Steel band will perform rock and roll classics with guest artist Tracy Thorton.

mulforsj@miamioh.edu

SYDNEY MULFORD THE MIAMI STUDENT

Millett Hall opened on Dec. 2, 1968 when the basketball team played against the Kentucky Wildcats; unfortunately, the Wildcats won. Since then, among many other basketball

games, Millett has hosted numerous well-known performers.

A few notable performers are Billy

Goo Dolls, Barry Manilow, Hootie

Bill Cosby and Bob Hope have both performed at

GRAPHIC BY STELLA POWERS.

GRAPHIC BY CHLOE SOUTHARD.

PARKER GREEN

ASST. CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY EDITOR

Jesse Tyler Ferguson, the award-winning actor, podcaster, activist and business owner, best known for his role on the hit sitcom “Modern Family,” visited Oxford as part of Miami University’s lecture series on Feb. 24. The Miami Student sat down with him before the event in an exclusive interview that includes humor, heart and fearless authenticity.

Questions and answers have been edited for concision and clarity.

The interview started, as always, with a warm-up question.

So many of your most famous lines live rent-free in our minds as TikTok audios. Do you have any lines that you can’t keep out of your head?

Ferguson was mostly just shocked

“Oh my God,” Ferguson said. “Do they really live there? I can’t believe it.”

He answered the question by launching into a story, an abrupt transition that would soon become

characteristic of the interview as a whole.

“Someone came up to me the other day, and she [went], ‘how’s the pigeon?’” Ferguson said. “I was obviously not eating pigeon, but then I thought, ‘Ooh it’s from the show,’ and I responded, ‘Pigéon?’ It’s been living in my head after that.”

Other memorable lines include

“Modern Family” classics like “no my God!” and “shaaame” (both of which were said in a delightful character impersonation).

But Ferguson is more than just a few snappy one-liners. As an openly gay man and activist, Ferguson has become a face for the LGBTQ+ rights movement, a cause that has recently been under attack in Ohio with the imminent passage of Senate Bill 1.

Miami are feeling anxious and upset about the threat recent legislation and current social dynamics pose to DEI initiain times like these? Ferguson is full of blunt realism, but also hope.

“I look for that answer as well,” Ferguson said. “But I also look to

the people who have been through these things before, and they always say that it’s a few steps forward and a few steps back. That’s how it’s always fact that progress happens with disappointment as well.”

He acknowledged that it’s hard for him as a member of the queer community, but that it’s also a hard time for women and other minority groups.

“I wanted a daughter so badly,. bBut this world is not kind to women at all,” Fergusonsaid . “I wouldn’t know how to raise a daughter in this environment, how to protect [her]. I just have to lean a lot on other people who feel the same way as I do, because I think power in numbers is important.”

Still, Ferguson attempted to end on a positive note.

“I have faith in humankind,” Ferfuson said. “I have faith that a lot of people don’t want these [rights reversals] to happen. This won’t be forever, but in the moment, it’s incredibly frustrating.”

Ferguson’s work in the LGBTQ+ community, as well his own openness on his sexuality and commitment to displaying realistic gay characters, has made him what many consider a “gay icon.”

Does the pressure of being a representative of the LGBTQ+ community ever get to you?

“It used to get to me a lot more known person playing a famous gay part, because I felt a great responsibility, [like] a kind of weight on my shoulders,” Ferguson said. “I felt like there was very little room for me to misstep, like there was very little room for me to make mistakes and not be blamed forblamed for for them.”

Thankfully, Ferguson has learnedself.

STELLA POWERS

ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY AND ASST. CULTURE EDITOR

It started out as a normal Wednesday — on Feb. 12, I woke up, went to friend and went back to my apartment to take a nap before weekly The Miami Student production.

Before I got the chance to go to known as Twitter) I never would have expected in a million years: “Saturday Night Live – SNL shared a photo.”

some sort of promo for the upcoming 50th Anniversary Special. I clicked on was a direct message to me. Why wascount messaging me?

Attached was a lengthy message and a photo invitation to the “SNL50” red carpet. I immediately called my three days. My friend Kaylene was also invited, so we were able to coordinate staying together and splitting the cost of a hotel room.

on Earth did I, a random fangirl from Ohio, get invited to the red carpet for the 50th anniversary of the most beloved late night show, “Saturday Night Live”? The answer: I’m vocal about my

it multiple times a day and have met a variety of other superfans online who are about as abnormal as I am. Coincidentally, a lot of them also got invited to the carpet, so we got to share the experience together.

NBC teamed up with a company called Fanmade to get real fans of the show on the carpet, and I was fortunate enough to be one of the fans selected. Nicole, the woman who selected us all, said that going so deep into “SNL stan Twitter (a name for a community of online fans)” destroyed for all of us.

Feb. 15, which was a nightmare of its own (I now hate LaGuardia), checked into my hotel and made my way straight to Rockefeller Center, home of pretty much everything NBC or “Saturday Night Live” related in the city. I met up with some other fans

NBC Studios, got dinner and waited for my friend Kaylene to land.

When Kaylene got to the city, we met at the hotel and were going to

head to Macy’s. I needed a new winbetter place to look than the legend-ever, by the time we were ready to to close. My friend had never been to the city before, so I proposed that we head to Rockefeller Center – where I spent the majority of my trip – so she could see everything they had set up for “SNL50” and get some pictures in the area.

bow Room Observation Deck sign. We took turns posing underneath and a long, black car pulled up alongside us. Men in suits with umbrellas left the building and made their way toward the car, opening the doors.

Chloe Fineman and Olivia Munn got out of the car, followed by John Mulaney. They were going into rehearsal for the upcoming special. The carpet wasn’t even until the next day, and we had already accidentally stumbled upon Mulaney himself. We were lucky enough to get a photo and to stay in the area for a while.

We spent the next few hours in the and were fortunate enough to meet and get photos with Aidy Bryant, Vanessa Bayer, Kenan Thompson, Jane Wickline, Jon Hamm, Marcello -

“I’’m letting a lot of that pressure go,” Ferguson said. “I think mistakes obviously happen to everyone, [but] they’re an opportunity to show humanity and show that we are all

For Ferguson, the possibility of the LGBTQ+ community in a positive way makes any potential mistakes worth the risk.

“When you are given the great privilege of playing a gay character on television, you know that [the character] is going to be in people’s living rooms and exposing audiences

want to do a good job, but at the same time, it’s about being truthful to yourself and not letting the pressure of that get to you, because no one works well under pressure.”

While Ferguson made a household name for himself with “Modern theater. Among other iconic Broadway performances, Ferguson won a Tony for his performance in “Take Me Out.”

His love for the humanities and live theater inspired the next question.

There is a lot of talk about how the humanities and live theater are under pressure or even dying. How do you perceive this decline, if you see it happening at all?

“We’re in a very tricky place politically, and I think it’s OK to also self-preserve and to take care of ourselves, and step away from the presthe time,” Ferguson said. “We have to self-preserve and we have to take care of ourselves.”

Much like his previous response value in community.

“There are so many people who are also in the same boat [...] it’s go-

Hammond and Devon Walker. Laraine Newman, Michael Che, Steve Martin, Paul Rudd, Tom Hanks, Chevy Chase, Jason Momoa, Chris Pine, Peyton Manning, Sarah Sherman, Quinta Brunson and more also came out, but they weren’t able to stop and chat with fans for various, absolutely valid reasons. Adam Sandler came out and I asked him for a photo, but he was in a hurry and had say I’ve been rejected by the Adam Sandler.

Conan O’Brien also left through that exit, yelling at all of us to go home and get sleep because of how important it is to get eight hours every night.

Anyone who knows me knows how much Kate McKinnon means to me, so seeing her in person was one of the coolest things to ever happen to me. Pretty much everyone there had a private car or Uber to get into. McKinnon, on the other hand, ran outside to catch a cab. Because of this, she wasn’t able to chat, but I told her how much she meant to me and she blew a kiss in response. This was already the most insane night of my life, and the event we were there for wasn’t even until the next day. We went home, absolutely rain, and called it a night. For the red carpet, we had to meetself started at 5 p.m. We got our wristbands, lined up and were given a row to head to. The “fan pit” was seated behind a barricade, with three rows of clear chairs and a small bottle of water underneath. I was seated next to by the time the event actually began, no one was in their seats. Leslie Jones, Willie Geist and Matt Rogers hosted the main carpet for NBC, and Amelia Dimoldenberg, host of “Chicken Shop Date,” hostedpet was David Harbour of “Stranger Things” fame. A fan complimented his moustache, and Harbour was so excited that he loudly exclaimed, “Thank you!” He was followed by Garrett Morris, Tina Fey, Heidi Gardner, Whoopi Goldberg, Rachel Dratch,

ing to take a village to help keep those things alive,” Ferguson said. “But there will always be people that care so deeply about them too, and that’s something I have to remind myself: I’m not on an island as the only person who cares about humanity and the arts.”

Part of being in the humanhats, and Ferguson is no stranger to branching out. His podcast, “Dinner’s On Me,” hosts celebrity guests in a more intimate, restaurant setting, and fosters deep conversations with

How do you gain more meaningful connections with those around you?

“I mean we’re all put on this Earth to learn from one another, and other people’s experiences are so valuable to us,” Ferguson said. “There’s such

another is a really powerful thing.”

He credited his ability to put guests at ease to his openness to having hard conversations, while remaining non-judgmental above all.

“If you could speak from a place of authenticity, I think that it is a great privilege to be able to do so,” Fergu-versations. I love having open conversations. I love not agreeing with people. The only way we’re going to move forward, certainly in this world that we’re in now, is by hearing other people’s thoughts and opinions and learning how to be compassionate where our commonalities and ouralize you were funny?

Though the question wasn’t a joke, Ferguson laughed.

“It’s actually funny, because I was a very shy kid,” Ferguson said. got a laugh from my family. I guess [during] speech and debate, when I was doing comedic interpretation, and I had people laughing at me. That that I understood how to get a laugh.” From shy kid to now, it’s worked out pretty well for Ferguson. greenpt@miamioh.edu

Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Amy Poehler, Fred Armisen, Jimmy Fallon, Lin-Manuel Miranda and more. Laura Dern didn’t walk the carpet, but she did pass directly behind us. I got the opportunity to get a photo with Michael Longfellow, who was followed not long after by Molly Shannon. Shannon was unbelievably sweet, and initiated an entire conversation with me. She asked how I got invited and was saying how hard of an invite it was to get. She wasn’t wrong — I don’t know an exact number, but it looked like there couldn’t have been more than 100 people in the fan pit. She also shared how nervous she was because she had to go do a show (“SNL”) right after. She was so downto-earth and honest, and even put her hands under her armpits when talking about being nervous, a reference to her iconic “Saturday Night Live” character, Mary Katherine Gallagher.

Bobby Moynihan also stopped to chat, and we talked about his appearance in the David S. Pumpkins sketch on “SNL.” Another highlight was Alex wearing the same gold necklace. I told him we were “twinning,” to which he replied, “Twinning!”

Other people who walked the carpet included Tracy Morgan, the entirety of Please Don’t Destroy,dashian, Jenna Ortega, Pedro Pascal, Natasha Lyonne, Harper Steele, Will Ferrell, Sasheer Zamata, Keke Palmer, Alec Baldwin, Anya Taylor-Joy, Catherine O’Hara, Colin Jost, Scarlett Johansson, Lady Gaga and so many more. The last person to walk the carpet was the icon Cher herself. After the carpet, two friends and I went to a restaurant around a blockisode together. We couldn’t hear much, but hey, the vibes were absolutely there.

As cool and unbelievable as this experience was, the moral of the story is: being a chronically online fangirl actually can get you somewhere, and, in my case, it got me to one of the most exclusive celebrity events of the year. powers40@miamioh.edu

SAVANA SCOTT THE MIAMI STUDENT

“Everything you do makes a statement.” If you have taken a course with Jim Friedman, you’ve surely heard this phrase.

Ranked the eighth-best undergraduate entrepreneurship program in the world by Princeton Review 2025, Miami University holds a top 10 ranking for its 17th year in a row. gotten so much value from declaring my co-major and diving into the earlier content within the entrepreneurship courses.

Early hands-on experience

Last semester, I took the honors section of ESP 201 with Professor Kylie Heales. The course content tested me beyond limits I hadn’t crossed before. Three other students and I worked together in a group, creating an email optimization software venture that was eventually pitched to judges for a monetary prize.

Heales guided us throughout the semester right until the end, where we competed against other groups within all the sections of 201. Pitches were time-limited and subject to questions afterward, meaning we had to be prepared.

This thrown-into-the-deep-end Miami was the epitome of hands-on experience and the thrill that comes from the entrepreneurship world.

Highlight reel: Professors who care and prove ranks true

The John W. Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship at Miami is stacked with professors who genuinely care about your growth as a person, student and entrepreneur. Notable impacts have been left on me by the following ESP professors so far: Jim Friedman, Kylie Heales, Anna Katharina-Lenz and Theresa Sedlack. Jim Friedman Friedman is the most shocking professor I have ever had. His lessons and personal life, through authentic leadership and taking personal accountability in every circumstance. The structure of his ESP 252 class gives me the worst headache, but also the best ignition to create and achieve

American Dream

When did the rhetoric of American business change from the individual to the corporation?

Well, a restaurant napkin may be the culprit. Arthur Laufer is said to have come up with a supply-side theory that

le down theory in 1974. Georgetown Law reports Laufer scribbled on a napkin,“We’ve been taxing work, output, and income and subsidizing nonwork, leisure and unemployment. The consequences are obvious!”

This theory of trickle-down economics was supposed to bring benepeople are ethical entrepreneurs and businesses care about the communities they are arriving in when we give them massive tax breaks. Supply-side economics, at its core, cuts tax rates for the wealthy and theorizes that the nation’s wealthy will reinvest that money. Unfortunately, this is not our reality, and this thinking has left us to deal with the consequences for 50 years in the United States.

Reports from the Center for American Progress show how taxed Americans. Tax breaks put into place by Ronald Regan and again by George W. Bush did not bring perks to the middle class; wages for workers fell lower than before the tax policy enactment. And when Bill Clinton enacted reforms that raised taxes for the rich in 1993, the economy did not slow down, it boomed and middle class incomes increased. Supply side showed that it in fact didn’t work

ity. My grandmother worked at Kentucky. Nowadays, Cynthiana doesn’t boast many stores other than Walmart. A town once bustling with a beautiful downtown is a ghost town today. Beautiful empty storefronts tell a story of an America where you could have a shop of your own. But the su-

perstores beat them in pricing, rent went up and people went in droves to the exciting “supercenter.” Now the supercenter is the only choice.

This is the reality of America in many towns. Towns full of greed, back-door tax breaks and the promise of the American Dream. A dream that has been repacked and rebrandaway. These companies care about a body making money, paying you the lowest wage possible so one day they can be let go based on impersonal data sets.

Gone are the days when you knew every place you shopped, where the product came from and who sold it, the days when your boss was your friend and understood your struggles. Days where there was no corporate ladder, no barriers to entry. A time when empathy and the workplace could co-exist and when entrepreneurs opened businesses to make change in their communities.

Let’s make one thing clear: entrepreneurship can be ethical. I have learned this at Miami University, through IMS 585 with Mark Lacker. Business can build communities and give back in ways such as philanthropic giving and the taxes generated from their existence. Businesses sponsor your local sports team, help build parks and partner to put on events in the community.

To be an ethical entrepreneur is to understand that your growth and strategy should make positive change in your community, not your pockets. Earnings are a perk of being an entrepreneur, not a guarantee. We must teach people that the American dream is about building businesses to make change for all, not one group or individual. We have let corporations “grow our communities” by pillaging talent where local entrepreneurs can not compete all while paying middle class Americans pennies to their dollars.

The American Dream has become unattainable and contributed to the “brain drain” across our country. People are angry, frustrated and lost. Unfortunately, much of America has forgotten about ethical entrepreneurs in the pursuit of wealth and the aggressive actions we see coming from Washington, D.C. Our government is cutting the taxes for the top and raising them for the bottom. So you can work for the elite from 9 to 5 for the rest of your life while the top 1% line their pockets. While we argue about the price of eggs, they control it. The American Dream is to own a shop, be the brand and live a life free of the constraints of a ruling class. We once explored the West, mined for gold and created our own communities for religious freedom. Now America is starting to look like a baron dystopia of mega brands owned by one conglomerate, something reminiscent of a George Orwell novel. The dream should never be to sit at the desk for a company that couldfortunate reality. We need to step up to greedy oligarchs and restore the ethical entrepreneurial spirit of the American dream.

morri390@miamioh.edu

About

Landon Morrison

Landon Morrison is a senior at Miami University purand masters degree in entrepreneurship and emergingber of 2024. He has aspirations to work in journalism

Political cultural shifts are harming our youth

ASST. OPINION EDITOR

President Donald Trump has signed more than 70 executive orders

Out of those 70, at least 16 impact marginalized communities. The orders enforce discriminatory policies, from barring transgender people from serving in the military and eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, to stopping immi-

grants from gaining citizenship.

This contributes to an attempted culture shift in the United States: To be normal and accepted, you must be white, male, Christian, cisgender and heterosexual.

This ideology greatly impacts our youth. From the moment they can comprehend it, they learn there’s something wrong with them if they don’t fall under culture that forbids children from experiencing, accepting and expressing other ways of life.

One enforcer of this culture is book bans. PEN America, a nonfor free expression through the advancement of literature and human rights, recorded 10,046 instances of book bans in the 2023-2024 school year.

Of the most commonly banned, 44% featured people of color and 39% featured LGBTQ+ people. The reason these books are targeted is because themes of social injustice, racial diversity, LGBTQ+ experiences and more are considered “inappropriate.”

I agree some topics, such as excessive violence and sexual content, shouldn’t be exposed to young children. But I don’t believe a memoir about exploring your gender identity or a teen’s guide to sex and relationships should be removed from middle school libraries.

They need to learn what it’s like to be gay or Black from such an au-

thor to learn how to support their gay or Black friends. They need to learn about someone’s experience with gender identity and expression in case they feel uncomfortable with their own. They need to learn about relationships and sexual health for when such topics arise in their lives.

We also shouldn’t stop drag queens from reading stories to kids. state to ban people dressed in drag from reading to children at public schools and libraries. This ban was Tennessee, which targeted performances considered sexual.

Although this bill was temporarily blocked, the fact it was proposed and considered is disgusting. Why are we more concerned about drag queens reading to children than we are about for children in the U.S.?

It shouldn’t matter if someone in drag is reading to children because at least they’re promoting literature and community – that’s more than the politicians trying to ban books are doing.

And when politicians do enforce books, it’s religious texts that shouldn’t be in schools. Last year, Oklahoma’s State Superintendent Ryan Walters said all public schools would be required to teach the Bible. His guidelines said students would analyze literary elements of biblical stories and identify how they’ve impacted Western culture. Classrooms were also required to have a physical copy of the Bible, the Ten Command-

THE EDITORIAL BOARD

When it comes to Miami University’s strengths, people often call to mind the beauty of Miami’s campus, its nationally-ranked study abroad program or the Farmer School of Business, consistently placed in the top 20 in the nation. Very few people think of Miami as a “sports school.”

With the recent developments coming out about Miami’s decision to potentially place a new arena on Cook

Miami’s basketball team has rarely packed the house into Millett Hall’s 9,200-seat arena, with the highest-attended game being on Dec. 15, 1976, with 10,634 fans in attendance, when the RedHawks played the University of Cincinnati.

Now, Miami men’s basketball games average 2,307 spectators per the construction of a new multi-million dollar facility, especially if the

ments, the United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

Did we forget about the First Amendment? “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” What message do these guidelines send to children who don’t practice Christianity? Their religion isn’t as important for their classmates and the U.S. to learn about.

These instances contribute to a culture where we have set harmful norms. Where it’s OK to call something “gay” if it’s weird or ugly. Where immigrants from other countries free.” Where our constitution says to not enforce a religion, but we have “In God, We Trust” written on our money. Children need to learn about experiences other than their own to develop empathy and self-awareness. Children need to learn about other cultures and identities in case the ones they align with begin to feel foreign to them.

But why has all this been allowed to happen? Because we’ve let it. Politicians can make these decisions because we give them power. We vote for people who don’t have the public’s best interest in mind, giving them the power to harm – and your children watch you make these decisions. against their rights to reproductive against his right to marry his boyvote against the recognition of their

new arena overtakes an iconic piece of Miami’s campus: Cook Field. With the price and potential location of the new arena up for discussion on Friday, Feb. 28, it is very clear priorities lie. So the question we at The Miami Student would like to pose to the Miami administration is,

Will this new arena bolster attendance at RedHawk basketball and volleyball games? Will attendance numbers soar at the mention of a newly constructed arena? How will this support a “vibrant and reinvigorated campus experience” when little of students’ current campus experience is centered around an indoor arena?

Millett is notorious for being far from campus, which partially leads to low attendance at games and understandably is a reason to move an arena. Ironically, the plan is now to move the university’s primary stuField currently holds, to the Millett

identity.

Not all of us, but enough of us –enough people believe in these ideals and push people into the government who can enforce them.

The irony of it all is children learn “The Golden Rule” very early in their education, “treat others how you want to be treated,” but the adults have forgotten this rule. Treat others how you want to be treated, unless they’re a woman, person of color, LGBTQ+, an immigrant or not Christian. In which case, treat them with the most disrespect you can.

Let’s remind ourselves of this rule. Not just when we’re interacting with others, but also at the polls. Would you want your politicians to take away your rights? Then don’t let them take away others.

powerstj@miamioh.edu

About Taylor Powers

Taylor Powers is a sophomore double majoring in journalism and meShe is the assistant opinion editor for The Student and edits for The Miami Student Magazine. She’s

site on the outskirts of campus. Casual pick-up soccer games will become harder to coordinate. First year students without cars on campus will have to walk much farther to moving an actual important part of many students’ experiences in favor of a theoretical, multi-million dolmore from a new, closer arena and hotel. At least our opponents will stay closer to their games, right? We simply ask for more transparency from the university. What speof sports? Will there be new activities or ways for students to get involved at the site? Perhaps the university the arena, but we struggle to see how taking away Cook Field and enduring years of construction in the center of campus. Don’t forget about us if the dollars start rolling in. The Miami Student’s editorial board is made up of Editor-in-Chief Kasey Turman, Managing Editor Olivia Patel and Opinion Editor Sam

A response to the climate-denying Senate Bill 1

PARKER GREEN ASST. CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY EDITOR

A climate disaster is brewing in Ohio’s state legislature, and its name is Senate Bill 1.

S.B. 1, marketed as a reform bill for higher education, was born from the ashes of the failed Senate Bill 83 and touches on a staggering array of subjects. From banning diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to forbidding faculty strikes, S.B. 1 would fundamentally change the educational landscape of Ohio’s universities. If passed, S.B. 1 would bar universities and faculty from taking sides on any “controversial belief or policy,” including explicitly mentioned beliefs of climate change, DEI programming, abortion stances and foreign policy as a whole.

But one of these things is not like the other.

Let’s address the elephant in the room: climate change is not a controprocess that is, in this instance, triggered by humans.

While I’m saddened by Ohio Republican’s blatant disregard for science, educational norms and the environment, I’m not surprised. After all, this is the same party that allowed fracking in Ohio’s state parks. The same politicians sponsoring S.B. 1 are taking money from both the energy and oil and gas industries.

It makes me worried about Mi-

ami University. Despite the bevy of shocking and generally distasteful decisions the administration makes, I can trust (for now) that my school is not only taking science seriously, but doing its part to reduce our environmental impact.

If S.B. 1 passes, what will happen to Miami’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2040? Many majors have classes related to sustainability, a lot of which are extremely relevant to real-world jobs. What will happen to these classes? Or even sustainability co-majors?

Our entire futures will be shaped ways we are only beginning to try to understand and predict. Cutting the will directly shape the latter half of this century is clearly dangerous and short-sighted.

I write this not as an alarmist poscience-backed pragmatism.

But if you want a political opinion, here you go: Ohio Republicans fail to understand that, much like gun violence, climate change will not go away through refusing to talk about it and wishful thinking.

Thankfully, there is hope.

S.B. 1 has not passed in the House yet, meaning it is not law yet. There is still time to call your state representative and tell them to vote “No.” There is still time to write opinion letters and give testimony. There is still time. But even in the presence of hope, I am not hopeful. The current political climate, especially in Ohio, is not looking good. Instead, I turn to Miami’s administration and current

students.

If, or more likely when, S.B. 1 passes, Miami must stay committed to science and climate goals. Rebrand, rename and do whatever is necessary to stay compliant with the law, but don’t give up. We should continue to promote sustainability, and

equitable sustainability at that. We should invest in our future, and make it a green one. We cannot let years of progress and growth be diminished by state senators with fossil fuel ties and an agenda of oppression.

S.B. 1 is an unfortunate wake-up

How the proposed arena can damage, or improve, Miami’s Natural Areas

GREENHAWKS AND OPINION EDITOR

Students and faculty alike received news on Wednesday, Feb. 19 that Cook Field was going to be recommended as the site for a new multi-purpose arena. While Cook is a popular “green space” for student activities, damage to a more vulnerable green space nearby could cause problems for another realm of Miami recreation.

Miami’s Natural Areas run right along the northeast edge of campus, close to the Cook site. This includes Marcum Woods and a section of Four Mile Creek, as well as the area surrounding Miami’s equestrian center.

Some concern has arisen about the proximity of these protected areas to such a large-scale construction project.

Miami’s Natural Areas, said she is especially concerned about the potential for increased pollution in the creek. With the removal of grass and trees in and around Cook, Feakes fertilizer will have a quicker downhill path to the creek and could pick up contaminants from the construction.

She said she believes these concerns should be considered in design plans. “I don’t know if the natural areas are on the radar of [the planning committee],” Feakes said. “... but I want the impacts considered.”

She also explained that litter and

excess material could blow into the waterway, which sits at the bottom of a steep embankment on the edge of campus. However, Feakes believes that pollution into the natural areas can be minimized with proper measures in place during construction, such as drainage ditches and fence screens.

During the planning phase of the paved trails near DeWitt Cabin, the Natural Areas Committee was included in the design phase. Feakes explained that she suggested adding drainage spots along the trail to minimize erosion, which were included in that her committee will eventually be included in the new arena plans.

Natural Areas Committee chair David Gorchov, a professor of biolo-

gy, sent an email to the planning committee expressing this desire. Other departments have also been excluded from preemptive planning, includingtor of Sustainability Olivia Herron said in an email to The Miami Stufacilities will be involved once a design is commissioned. However, Feakes said she hopes the natural areas will eventually be considered during construction, and that new infrastructure could improve access to the trails. An old, washed-out road goes down the hill next to where Cook Place used to stand, and she sees that as a way for Miami to improve the natural areas right next to the arena by reconstructing it as a walking trail.

“Through this project, there is a potential for things to be improved,” Feakes said. With the likelihood of increased said she sees it as an opportunity to add map kiosks and trail signs to increase the visibility of the natural areas. A resource that she says is not utilized by many students and could see more visitors. Ultimately, Feakes said she hopes that she and other departments around campus will be included in design talks. Only with collaboration does she see the construction having a minimal ecological impact, and posand forest.

nortonsm@miamioh.edu

EPA attorney ﬁnds community in Oxford amid political turbulence

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

Vinch specializes in enforcing the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Act. He said this work is much more fulpeople’s lives – some of whom are deprived of basic sanitation.

Working under the Trump administration

While at the EPA, Vinch experienced shifts in presidential administration several times. However, he says that as an attorney most of these shifts felt inconsequential – until the Trump administration. He said he experienced frequent ethics violations and inappropriate interference with his enforcement cases from administration. He said that he and many of his colleagues frequently had to report who acts as a neutral watchdog.

“[The administration] didn’t care about the law,” Vinch said. “They didn’t

care about ethics.”

Vinch said a second term has again slowed work at the EPA. He also said he and his colleagues received emails that Elon Musk sent to federal workers, calling their work unproductive and suggesting sector.

“They’re just indiscriminately cutting federal programs with a meat axe,” he said. “Not with a scalpel.”

Vinch said the consequences of gutting federal programs, such as the EPA, will take a while to feel – but are on the horizon.

Optimism for the next generation

Despite these recent career hardships, Vinch said he is optimistic about the future for young people. He said he believes the next generation, looking for careers and opportunities, will be able to step in and help solve complex environmental and legal problems.

Nicolas Hollander, a second-year law student at Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law and former student of

Vinch’s, says he and his classmates have been challenged and asked what they think of current issues in the legal world.

“I think the conclusion of our class was very much that part of being a lawyer is you’re able to promote change – be it slow – but case by case, client by client,” he said.

Hollander said he was disappointed to hear about Vinch having to leave the EPA. He said Vinch was passionate about his work there, and is someone who has inspired him.

Giving the new generation the guidproblems has been a big factor in Vinch’s decision to lean into his role as a professor. He also has fond memories of the university, as a member of the class of 1984.

“I remembered how awesome my Miami days were, and I felt like I really needed to give back to Miami,” he said.

student at Washington University, also said her experience as a student and undergraduate assistant in his classes at

Miami helped prepare her for law school by improving her case briefs and public speaking skills. Chapman said she often reaches out as she navigates law school.

“He has become like a mentor,” she said. Reconnecting with the community As well as the university, Vinch holds a love for the City of Oxford. He says the strong community feel has been a nice change of pace from the bustling environment of D.C. Along with teaching, Vinch said he plans to run for city council, where he can increase his community involvement and exercise his passion for policy. He currently serves on the city’s board of environmental commission, but said the council position would allow him to do more. Luke Rose, a sophomore political science major at Miami, said he’s excited about Vinch’s

SAM NORTON

GRAPHIC BY MADDIE GIALLORETO

AUTHOR RAQUEL HIRSCH LEARNED HOW TO COOK FONDUE IN COLUMN

Navigating college with a stuﬀed dinosaur

TEDDY JOHNSON HUMOR EDITOR

Growing up, I was a dinosaur trucks or boats – but not me. I was a dinosaur kid. Recognizing this, my parents gifted me with the best gift a dino-loving-6-year-old could want: a ticket to “Dozin’ with the Dinos” at Chicago’s Field Museum.

This meant I got to spend a night at the museum! Just like the movies! Better yet, the Field Museum was avorite dead dinos, birds, mammals and people (mummies). I was in heaven. Since that day, I’ve never looked back and my love for the dinos endures. I even wear clothes with a dinosaur logo on it. Naturally, I had to bring a dinosaur to college with me as well (thanks Mom!) – here’s how it went. For mesaur kind of feels like a swiss-army knife. Most of the time, I use the dinosaur to squeeze after watching Mi-

ami become the worst team in NCAA

D1 hockey. But it can also be used as a pillow, something to throw at your neighbor, a cuddle buddy, a bomb or room decor (for a vintage look).

I could not ask for a better friend to guide me through college.

For my wallet, my dinosaur truly saved my wallet in college. In order to succeed, I need an emotional support entity: whether that

a President Crawford … you get the idea. However, all the latter options require a salary that I do not have! So instead, I got blessed with a pink for a one-time payment. It’s all the

For talking to women, the dinosaur helps tremendously in illustrating who I am to others. Admitting

ripe old age of 22 takes courage and vulnerability-which girls are supposed to like in a guy right? That’s what all those YouTube videos said! But if those are wrong that might ex-

plain why I haven’t found my Miami Merger. For making friends, it’s really just like, “What the f—?” then they move on. It certainly hasn’t hurt my situation but hasn’t made it any better – just like me deciding between choosing a shot of Rumple Minze over a shot of Jaeger. But overall, most people are starting to become very accepting of dinosaurs. It’s the least we can do after leaving all those dinos on Isla Nublar. For travel, nothing looks cool-

hotel room on a well-earned spring break vacation. Honestly, I kind of bring their pets with them. Like sorry loser, you have to pay extra to bring a dog and no, it does not count as a personal item for the overhead bin. Also, with all these plane crashes, no way I am traveling with my REAL DOG on a plane right now.

john1595@miamioh.edu

A humor columnist’s pitch: Renovations at

SHANNON MAHONEY

ASST. CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY EDITOR

As most students have probably heard by now, Miami University might destroy Cook Field and build an arena, shopping center and parking garage in its place (who knew a pocket dimension in the space-time continuum existed right on our campus? I had no idea that space was so big!). Since President Crawford seems to be slapping his approval on every project the committee hands him, I thought I’d throw my hat into the

on campus I think we should change: Slantwalk

Earlier in the year, administrationna on the beloved Slantwalk. Surprisingly, I’m with admin on this one, I just disagree on what kind of arena it should be.

Here’s the deal: with Cook Field gone, all the intramural kids are going to be looking for a new source of entertainment. For years, entertainment has fallen to the jocks, the sporty top-of-the-hierarchy-coolkids, who can’t spell the word “hierarchy” to save their lives (kind of

like the humor section editor). I say it’s time to change that. I propose we build a large, state-of-the-art lab with spectator seating, and have the STEM kids compete to see who can get the most accurate experiment results, kind of like Hell’s Kitchen or The

Additionally, we can use money from ticket entry to the event to help cover the cost of Miami’s research, since we might lose some of our grants next year due to Trump’s medical research budget cuts.

“But wait,” I hear you say, “isn’t it kind of unethical to rely on science for entertainment and funding?” To which I reply, “It’s also probably unethical to deny faculty raises for the past three years, but Miami does that too! The university’s moral standBishop Woods

Honestly, I don’t even know why this is still here. I’m told it’s a nice natural space for students to take a walk and clear their heads, it’s a habitat for native bird species and the site of the Poet’s Shack, a historic landmark, but what’s all that when you think of the the area into a bunch of Airbnb’s!

Parents are always complaining about the lack of lodging for visitors. How else are they supposed to obses-

MICHAEL PATTEE STAFF WRITER EXTRAORDINAIRE

Congratulations Miami students, if you’re reading this then month of the spring semester. To be quite frank (which can be difFrank) I wasn’t sure we’d make it this far. But here we are, so, I have a little check-in and chat with everyone about some things we have to start, stop, and keep doing as Miami students.

Start One thing we need to do is to start talking to your class crushes. For example, I have classes with across all of my classes, but not even one person has approached me! I mean honestly, I need the ego-boost, and I’m sure many others do too, so take one for the team and talk to your class crush.ami merger! Now, spring doesn’t which coincidentally, happens to correspond with a certain… local celebration of sorts. But, if you start talking to that class cutie now, and you forgo the local celebrations for uno in Vegas, you might just have a ring by spring. Stop Now there are a couple of things we’ve got to put an end to. Firstly, and this one’s mostly for walk signal to cross the street! I’d like to say that for legal reasons, I’m not endorsing jaywalking. But even with that being said, when I’m trying to cross from Western Campus to get to Armstrong, it seems like there is always a gaggle -

sively helicopter-parent? Obviously the university should concern itself with the convenience of parents and non-students. After all, that’s what educational institutions are all about!

You’re probably thinking: isn’t a Airbnb’s? You’re right, it is! But, if Miami built a hotel, it would have to be three stories tall and made of brick (how else would you even build something?). In the past, parents and visitors have expressed confusion about where they are, due to the identical nature of literally every building on campus. By building Airbnb’s, the lodgings would be much easier for

Central Quad

Everyone who’s walked through Central Quad on a hot, sunny day can tell you, those sorority girls love to tan. Stroll through the area when it’s above 65 degrees, and you’ll see them face down on the lawn like they’ve accidentally passed out after one too many shots at Brick. These poor girls will do anything to achieve that perfect tan, including sprawling heada total stranger.

It’s clear we need a solution. I prowith those big heat lamps, like the ones used in reptile enclosures. Unfortunately, it may also attract someent kind of cold-blooded snake, but as any sorority girl will tell you: the tan will be worth it.

walk, with no cars in sight.

Look, if there’s not a car within remember, even if you get your timing wrong, so long as it’s a university vehicle, that’s free tuition! Just make sure to grab a snapshot of the license plate as you’re being clipped by that fender.

Another thing, we’ve got to stop posting Deans and President’s List awards on LinkedIn after January ends. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a time and place for it. But that time and place is BEFORE the month of February. Let me just say that despite what you may think, there is no one clinging to the edge of their seat, waiting to see if you made one of those lists come February. Just like how you don’t care if Sally Lou from your class Canvas discussion is actualno one cares about the award six weeks after it’s announced.

Keep Now for what we need to keep doing, we need to keep giving up on New Year’s and “new semester” resolutions. The reality is that the rec center just isn’t big enough for all of us. While some of the trafdown, I’m starting to get worried that some of you are in it for the long haul! Don’t get me wrong, I love people improving their physical health, but I also love it when I don’t have to wait 15 minutes for a spot to bench press to open up. So, keep giving up on those resolutions. I hope this little check-in has been helpful. Hopefully, at least this can take action in one of these areas. Let’s make the rest of this semester even better.

patteemj@miamioh.edu

South Quad You know, I don’t think Miami really has enough bell towers. We have a great big campus, and only two measly bell towers? I, like most Miami students, want to be able to hear bells ringing all day long, not just 17 minutes past the hour (and a bonus, if the bells are loud enough, you won’t be forced to listen to your abysmal lecture class ever again!). a lack of bell towers, which is why South Quad would be the perfect location for one! Who needs a volleyball court when you can have a big honking bell tower instead!

McKie Field

Let’s be honest, who really cares about baseball? Sure, it’s America’s favorite pastime, an undeniable historical activity for our nation, but Cook Field is also an important and cherished part of Miami’s legacy, and we’re destroying that too! What Miami really needs is an outdoor swimming pool. Sure, it’ll only be good for about half the year, if that, but so are the dining halls, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. I’m not just saying this because I’m a swimmer, I think everyone would have fun with it, and after completely ignoring student input on the Cook Field project, we deserve to have a little fun.

mahones5@miamioh.edu

GRAPHIC BY MADELINE BUECKER