January 24, 2023

MSU ranks 9th in international student population

By AMALIA SHARAF Staff Writer

Minnesota State ranks ninth in the international student population for 2021-2022 academic year, according to the annual “Open Doors Report” published by the Institute of International Education.

According to Dean Anne Dahlman, who was also an international student in the U.S., the achievement speaks a lot about the programs and type of education at MSU.

“(It) means that we have been successful in attracting global talent to our university. And that means that we are offering a world-class education that is attractive to the smartest and the most capable of young people in the world,” said Dahlman.

International students are recruited to the university with the help of the Kearney International Center staff, who travel around the world and introduce MSU to schools and parents.

“Our main focus in terms of recruitment is retention. We want to make sure that the student who has come here from far away that we provide the support so that they can graduate,” Dahlman said.

Moreover, Dahlman states that the international student population grows at MSU because of recommendations of prior students who had a good college experience.

“So someone taps them on the shoulders and says: ‘Have you heard about Mankato? They have amazing programs. They have lots of other international students. It’s a very warm community, you will feel at home and have great career opportunities afterward.’ We are recommended by others and so that’s why they come,” said Dahlman.

MSU provides new international students with support in academic and personal routines to help them succeed in college and feel at home. According to Dahlman, Kearney International

Congressman Finstad visits campus

Mankato and SPC adopts first polytech institute

By CARLY BAHR Staff Writer

Universities have been adapting “polytechnic” schools for the past few decades. Several states have adopted polytechnic institutes into their universities, and now, Minnesota State will offer the first and only polytechnic institute in the state.

Polytechnic refers to an educational approach with a focus on applied and experiential learning, meaning the curriculum is more project-based than a traditional lecture environment.

By JACKSON JIRIK Staff Writer

It is no secret mental health has become a growing problem since the start of COVID-19.

From elderly people to high school and college students people of all ages struggle with their mental health.

The Center for Rural Behavioral Health at Minnesota State University, Mankato has opened a door to people who lack access to a mental health services.

Thad Shunkwiler, director of

the Center for Rural Behavioral Health, has started something that looks to help people struggling with mental health both in rural southern Minnesota and at MSU.

Shunkwiler had the opportunity last week to give a presentation to District 1 Congressman Brad Finstad in hopes to shed light on the situation that many Minnesotans are dealing with.

Shunkweiler wanted to focus on the rural areas of Minnesota, especially farmers who may be affected by mental health issues.

Shunkweiler’s presentation laid out a multitude of facts including, “Suicide rates are six times higher among farmers and COVID is making it even worse,” an alarming rate for anybody involved but most importantly our neighbors within southern Minnesota who are the ones suffering.

The Center for Rural Behavioral Health gives farmers and so many other people who live in rural areas and don’t have access to a mental health provid-

FINSTAD on page 3 

KMSU celebrates 60 years on-air with new app

By JULIA LIN Editor in Chief

Celebrating 60 years on air, KMSU launched a new app that allows users to listen to their favorite shows on demand.

First licensed in 1963, KMSU is one of Minnesota’s oldest, non-commercial and educational FM stations. Starting out operating at 10-watts, the station has grown into a 20,000-watt station that can be heard across southern Minnesota and northern Iowa.

The station grew in popularity during its first year when KMSU became the first station in the U.S. to provide Russian language lessons over the air.

Jan. 7, 1963, was its first broadcast under John Hodowanic, who was known for going above and beyond to make the station a success, according to a

former student worker.

Dwayne Megaw, general manager at KMSU, hopes to make the same impact as they

branch out into the multimedia space with their new app.

“The other piece was getting

The Minnesota Polytechnic and Applied Learning Institute (MinnPoly) partners with other colleges in the state, notably Saint Paul College.

MSU President Edward Inch cut a ceremonial ribbon at the college with SPC President Deidra Peaslee on Jan. 11 to celebrate the launch of the partnership.

The campus has a recently renovated engineering laboratory where students can complete an MSU fouryear degree on the SPC campus.

This will allow a broader range of students from different areas to get MSU degrees without needing to be in Mankato, as well as travel opportunities for MSU staff.

Other MinnPoly partnership locations are Twin Cities Engineering in Bloomington and Iron Range Engineering and Bell Engineering in Virginia, MN.

Although MinnPoly is not exclusively an engineering institute, this major is one of the more prominent in the program due to its project-based nature in the field.

“It’s built off of our engineering program, but it goes beyond engineering,” Dr. Brian Martensen, executive director of MinnPoly, said.

Martensen said MinnPoly’s development, which has been in the works for roughly five years, is based on Industry 4.0, or the Fourth Industrial Revolu-

LILLY ANDERSON • The Reporter

Congressman Brad Finstad visited MSU Thursday, Jan. 19 to talk about accessibility for mental health resources.

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

Karen Wright (right) hosts Minnesota Mornings at KMSU. After 60 years on air, an app launched to let users listen to their favorite shows.

Provost hears out student’s academic problems at MSU

By EMMA JOHNSON News Director

On Thursday, Provost David Hood sat down to discuss academic problems with students and potential solutions at Minnesota State.

Hood said the monthly conversations were started after Hood met Student Government President Emma Zellmer as a way to have authentic dialogue with students.

‘I asked [Emma] to come up with some suggestions on how we might facilitate conversation and we landed on coffee,” said Hood. “I think it’s been an amazing way for me to stay grounded and connect with students to understand their true experience.”

Thursday’s talk was heavily focused on students’ concerns regarding graduating on time and what obstacles can hinder that.

Senior James Ziegeweid attended the meeting as a way to follow-up with a concern at a previous meeting. Ziegeweid

mentioned faculty has not been submitting required textbooks on time.

“In our last meeting, we kind of talked about that and asked him if you’d be able to more or less send that out and make sure that that was being enforced,” said Ziegeweid.

Senior Tyler Pickel raised awareness about the aviation program limiting course availability, making it difficult for students to graduate on time. Pickel said speaking with the provost is important for letting students get to know higher faculty.

“I’m sure there’s some schools where you have no idea who your provost is, and they aren’t ever out and about outside their office,” said Pickel.

“The fact that Provost Hood is even willing to make his face known, sit in a public area and receive criticism and complaints is amazing.”

Hood said having these discussions ensures everyone’s voice counts.

“I think it really reinforc-

es that MSU is a community. If we’re not connecting with them intentionally all the time, then we could very easily lose touch,” said Hood.

Ziegeweid said that being able to speak with the provost is an opportunity to share his perspective and to be heard by individuals in power.

“It almost adds more of a human element to them because oftentimes, we think of them as just individuals who are at the top of the university and are just kind of making the decisions, but having actual input from students is something that’s so beneficial and overall is really great for the university,” said Ziegeweid.

Coffee with the Provost meets the third Thursday of the month, alternating between the CSU Lounge areas located by the Student Government office and the LGBT Center from 2-3 p.m.

The next meeting will be Thursday, Feb. 16 outside the Student Government office.

Center is the home base for international students where they can receive support.

“Each international student has their immigration advisor, they have staff providing support in terms of referring them to financial support, we have some emergency assistance for students,” Dahlman said. “We also have staff that works with student organizations and peer mentors that help other international students. When students don’t know where to go, always go to KIC and sign up for their newsletters.”

According to Dahlman, the plan for MSU in terms of the international student population is to recruit students from every country in the world.

“The university is committed to welcoming more and more international students here. We have plans to go to different locations in the world. Right now we have 97 countries but we don’t put any limits on the number of how many countries we have. We would like to have students from every country in the world, which is about 200,” said Dahlman.

tion. Industry 4.0 is a conceptualization of the technological needs of the near future, which rely heavily on collaboration and rapidly developing digital technology.

“So, a lot of that will be computer fields, manufacturing, and other areas. But really polytech is any program that is career focused with a technical component. So that could include, and I would say especially where the humanities overlap with technology. Our approach

is we typically are looking at programs that do project-based learning,” Martensen said.

Martensen said the need for project-based learning is necessary for modern college students because it offers real industry experience and connections that will ultimately stand out to employers more.

“Traditionally, higher education has not deviated too much from classroom and siloed learning. But there has been growing evidence that greater integration across dis-

ciplines with hands-on learning and practical applications creates a new kind of graduate that is able to adapt to the fast pace of change in technology and society,” he said.

“Employers are looking for graduates with particular skills who can immediately contribute to their organizations and quickly advance in their careers. MinnPoly programs contribute to that in a way that blurs the lines between academia and industry.”

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

LILLY ANDERSON • The Reporter

Provost David Hood (far right) listens to students concerns related to the university. These monthly conversations were started as a way to have dialogue between faculty and students.

Recently, MSU was ranked ninth in international student population. Dean Anne Dahlman said the goal is to eventually recruit students from every country in the world to attend the university.

African American Affairs aiming to unify students at MSU

Legal, political strategy in letting FBI search Biden’s home

By ZEKE MILLER The Associated Press

President Joe Biden’s decision allowing the FBI to search his home in Delaware last week is laying him open to fresh negative attention and embarrassment following the earlier discoveries of classified documents at that home and a former office. But it’s a legal and political calculation that

aides hope will pay off in the long run as he prepares to seek reelection.

The remarkable, nearly 13hour search by FBI agents of the sitting president’s Wilmington home is the latest political black eye for Biden, who promised to restore propriety to the office after the tumultuous tenure of his predecessor, Donald Trump.

By AMALIA SHARAF Staff Writer

On Jan. 19, there was a takeover at MavAve.

Students from African American Affairs, Asian American Affairs and American Indian Affairs took over the area and introduced themselves to new students, explaining their goals and sharing gifts with guests.

According to BalenciaSariah Crosby, Interim Director of African American Affairs, they are working closely with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

“We run parallel programs, sometimes even co-produced programs in advance for students along with Asian American Affairs and American Indian Affairs. So we are very close to the Multicultural Center upstairs,” said Crosby.

The organization’s tasks are to help and advise students who seek support in different aspects of their college experience.

“I support the organization

er the hope that, in the future, there will be someone they can go to.

One of the main reasons why Shunkwiler wanted to grab Finstad’s attention was because Finstad comes from a rural southern Minnesota background and knows a crisis like this needs to be looked at and taken care of because of how serious it has become.

“You’ve all had to live through and go through unique time, my heart aches for so many people that have had that isolation and that unique moment in time in their life that

and help students make some decisions, minor decisions. Any students who walk through my door or Multicultural Center at large will be serviced. That’s why we are here for the institution,” said Crosby. “We have all those different ports of connection so if we don’t know the answer we do our very best to give a student information that they need.”

Moreover, African American Affairs wants to create a safe space for not only specific populations within the university, but for every student at Minnesota State.

“We do try to do our very best to create programs within African American Affairs and the other areas, affinity groups if you will, that cater to our different specific populations but it’s open to everyone because we recognize that all of our allies don’t look like us,” said Crosby.

The goal of the recognized organization is to bring together the community of African American students and unify

they lost due to COVID and so we have to heal from that and part of healing from that is probably have to do business not as usual anymore,” Finstad said.

In Shunkwiler’s presentation one of the alarming facts he spoke on was: “In Jackson County Minnesota, there were zero mental health providers,” according to Minnesota Department of Health workforce data.

Looking past just Jackson County, many mental health providers are going to be gone in five years causing a shortage.

“Things have to change a

other groups by sharing their culture.

“I am doing my very best, along with some phenomenal graduates and one new undergraduate assistant to work to unify. And I say that not to try to create the impression that it’s not already unified, but you know how you’re making a quilt, right, metaphorically speaking? And you want to bring together these different patterns and things. I want to help to bring together the fabric of the black community at MSU,” said Crosby. “We want to share that in a way that will help to benefit and improve the culture of the college at large.”

Students who want to contribute and connect with African American Affairs can connect with them via social media or by attending one of several events this semester.

“Contribute in the sense of attending programs, supporting, and interacting with us on social media. There is always something going on,” Crosby said.

little bit, so I love the fact that you are willing to look at that from a different lens that to understand the uniqueness of rural versus metro setting access is always a big issue but even furthermore you know where to look at,” Finstad said.

At the end of the meeting, Finstad spoke on how his generation and farmers have to be OK with being vulnerable, and that having a conversation about mental health allows the opportunity for connection with younger generations — especially those focused on college kids who’ve also had to go through COVID-19.

LILLY ANDERSON • The Reporter

MavAve was taken over by a multitude of organizations Thursday to promote students to join their clubs. Interim Director of African American Affairs BalenciaSariah Crosby promoted events coming up spring semester.

EVAN VUCCI • The Associated Press Biden’s decision to allow the FBI to search his home in Delaware last week is laying him open to fresh negative attention.

Editorials represent the opinions of The Reporter editorial board. The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of the college, university or student body.

Julia Lin Editor In Chief Emma Johnson News Director Joey Erickson Variety Editor

Alicia Reed Sports Editor Dylan Engel Photo Editor

The benefits of joining RSOs

With the Recognized Student Organization (RSO) fair going on this week, it’s time to realize the importance of being involved on campus. RSOs offer students benefits that might not initially be discovered in the classroom. We, as students, believe that getting involved with clubs on campus presents the opportunity to improve the college experience.

There are many benefits that come along with being involved on campus that many may not realize. Simply joining a club offers up plenty of networking opportunities that can make job hunting easier. In today’s world, it often comes down to the connections you make and there is no better or easier way to connect than by meeting up with students with your same interests.

The one thing about college that everyone dreads is schoolwork. Schoolwork can be tedious, stressful and a total vibe killer. At times, it can completely consume us students. Although studying is the primary reason to attend college, it’s also important to know when to take a break. By becoming a part of a student organization, it provides the perfect excuse to get away from your studies, while still doing something productive and school related. I know there are moments we need to cram, but giving yourself a break is a part of what it takes to succeed.

Getting a degree is obviously an important part of college, but another important aspect is socialization. College is the perfect place to meet the most significant people in your life. Joining an organization makes meeting these people that much easier. It also pushes you to put yourself out there when you wouldn’t usually have the confidence to. Some people are able to simply walk up to someone and introduce themselves; however, meeting new people isn’t easy for everyone. RSOs can make first time interactions much less intimidating and also provide students with a safe space.

To go along with networking, student organizations are also a great resume builder. Plenty of clubs can help you obtain and learn certain skills, as well as give you a great deal of experience to take with you to your future endeavors. It is much easier to get hired when companies can see you’re involved and have a high experience level.

There are so many positive takeaways from being a part of a RSO. At Minnesota State, there are so many organizations, it’s not hard to find one that shares your same interests. MSU also provides the possibility of starting a new club if you aren’t impressed with the current organizations.

Find the time to join an RSO and be a part of the community. Becoming involved will only set you up for a successful future.

Made in China: When is it enough?

By JULIA LIN Editor in Chief

Like many of you who may read this, you may have heard the horrific news Saturday that involved a gunman who killed 10 people and injured 10 more in a deadly mass shooting in Monterey Park, California.

The suspect who was identified as 72-year-old Huu Can Tran opened fired into a crowded dance studio where all of the deceased were in their 50s, 60s and 70s.

This act of violence irrupted the day before the Lunar new year, one of the most popular holidays celebrated in Chinese culture.

However, it is hard to celebrate at a time when we as a society almost start feeling numb to mass shootings as such.

According to California’s state report, hate crimes against Asian Americans saw another year of a triple-digit percentage increase. 2021 there has been an increase of 177.5% from 2020 to 2021.

When is it enough? Not only the increase in Asian hate crimes but also mass shootings becoming a regular occurrence?

And I know I’ll sound like a broken record but as someone who was born in 2001, I have never not been terrified

that something like this may happen at my school.

As a child who grew up in a public school one of the first drills I remember learning in elementary school is the scenario in case a shooter was in our building. We would hide in corners, barricade the door and stay as quiet as possible.

Transitioning to high school we were taught to run, hide, and fight which was our protocol in case a shooter was in that building. Thinking about I always wondered if other kids from different countries had this same worry, or protocol in place.

When is it enough?

“Is a hot dog a sandwich?”

Compiled by Dominic Bothe

JOSEPH IVERSEN, SENIOR

“No, it’s its own thing.”

CHRISTIAN

WORNER, SENIOR “Yes, it’s similar to a chicken and parm and other similar sandwiches.”

KYLIE HENSCH, SOPHOMORE

“According to the definition of a sandwich, yes.”

INYKA JOHNSON, FRESHMAN

“Yes, half sandwich because it’s only one piece of bread.”

LAURA

GEBUR, JUNIOR

“No, the bread is on the sides and not stacked on the top and bottom.”

WILFRED

SATO, JUNIOR

“No, because it doesn’t have two pieces of bread.”

Letter to the Editor: I’ve met a real-life

superhero through Scholars

Serving Time

7 killed in California community; suspect arrested

Hi, my name is Mika Myron Keali Dalbec and I am currently incarcerated at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Faribault.

Two years ago, when I first entered the Scholars Serving Time program through Minnesota State University, Mankato, let me be the first to say: I was intimidated. On one hand, I knew I was smart. On the other hand, I still battled with the thoughts of whether or not I was ready to turn my life around. All it took was one meeting with Dr. Vicki Hunter, and the rest is history.

I can officially say I’ve met a real-life superhero. Well, many superheroes for that matter. Every single professor brought a degree of excellence and beauty that only made me want to learn even more. Even when I disagreed with certain philosophies or modes of learning, I was still treated like I’m a student. Most of all, I was treated like a human who was loved.

To the outside world. I was considered a menace. Actually, let me rephrase that, I was

a menace. I’ll be the first to admit I’ve harmed many innocent people.

I could go down and list all the childhood traumas and the ways in which the system let me down, yada, yada, yada… we all have a story. But it came down to choices and personal agency.

Through MNSU, I’ve learned that there are other choices than the ones I’ve been taught. I’ve learned that my personal agency is in my hands and that while systems of oppression will always exist, we as a community have the collective power to change that. We have the collective power to make a difference and it starts with: communication.

As a December 2022 graduate, this is by far one of my most proud accomplishments. I’ve gained new family and camaraderie among my fellow incarcerated persons. I’ve been humbled and woken up. I now have something to believe in.

And to the women of the federal facility in Waseca: We

are all rooting for you because we know how life changing it is! Congratulations on pursuing a higher education!

To the men I’ve had the pleasure of graduating with: We did it! All that hard work has now paid off. Some of you are going home and some of you are still here with me. Let’s keep going and pursue our bachelor’s degrees.

To the professors: A thank you could never describe how much impact and joy we’ve had. You all took time out of your days and your lives to come to prison. Not many people can say they’ve done that by choice and on purpose and on a weekly basis. But most of all, you’ve changed a lot of lives for the better. We all make the promise to show our thanks by being better brothers and sisters, better men and women, but mostly, better humans in general.

The one thing that I can honestly say I’m glad I had the opportunity to walk away with: hope.

things available as an on-demand option,” Megaw said. “We know consumers want to consume content on their schedule, not just when we happen to be playing it over the radio.”

All of KMSU’s shows are now listenable on demand anytime, anywhere and live inside your pocket. The app has been in the works for the past year, ultimately making it a possibility after reaching their pledge drive goal.

Equipped with a variety of shows with various topics, students are able to tune in at

KMSU and host a show of their own every week.

“Check out Radio a la Mav because that’s students. And if you like what you do, they can come be a part of a show like that,” Megaw said.

However, KMSU is not like your typical station playing the top hits on repeat.

“If you want to listen to hits, you don’t listen to us,” Karen Wright, operations director and host of Minnesota Mornings at KMSU, said.

“For example, I’m talking about music because we play everything. One hour you

could be listening to reggae, the next you could have folk music and the next you might have local artists.”

Regarding the future of radio, Wright — who has worked for KMSU for 18 years — said she thinks the new app is a step in the right direction.

“It’s gonna be more podcasting, more on demand, which is what I think the future will be and what’s happening with everything now,” Wright said. “I think it’s going to be more of a niche and local programming and student-focused because there’s so much out there with all the digital varieties.”

Seven people were killed in two related shootings Monday at a mushroom farm and a trucking firm in a coastal community south of San Francisco, and a suspect was in custody, officials said.

San Mateo County Board of Supervisors President Dave Pine says four people were killed at the farm and three at the trucking business on the outskirts of Half Moon Bay, a city about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of San Francisco.

The police have arrested 67-year-old Zhao Chunli in connection with the shooting, Pine said.

It wasn’t immediately clear how the locations were connected, though Pine said the suspect worked for one of the

businesses. He called the suspect a “disgruntled worker.”

California state Sen. Josh Becker, who represents the area, said people were killed in separate shootings. San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa tweeted that one shooting happened at a mushroom farm.

The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office tweeted just before 5 p.m. that a suspect was in custody.

“There is no ongoing threat to the community at this time,” the sheriff’s office said.

Television footage from the area showed officers taking a man into custody without incident.

Aerial television images also showed police officers collecting evidence from a farm with dozens of greenhouses.

Photo courtesy of Rachael Hanel

JEFF CHIU • The Associated Press

Mika Myron Keali Dalbec (above) considers Dr. Vicki Hunter a super-hero for her work at the Minnesota Correctional Facility with the Scholars Serving Time program.

Seven people were killed in two related shootings Monday at a mushroom farm and a trucking firm in a coastal community south of San Francisco, and officials say a suspect is in custody.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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Shifts are 2-4 hours (generally) in length. Experience not required; will train. Must be willing to learn. Generally no holidays are required.

SPORTS S

Mavericks jump to No. 14 in USCHO poll

By KARSON BUELOW Staff Writer

The Minnesota State University, Mankato Men’s Hockey team, who came into last weekend riding a four-game win-streak, successfully completed the series sweep against unranked Lake Superior State this past weekend. The sweep improves the win-streak to six games and bumps them up to No. 14 in the USCHO poll.

Junior defenseman, Akito Hirose, who’s had a hot stick as of late, picked up the game-winning goal in overtime as the Mavericks defeated the Lakers 3-2 in game one. Junior forward and Hobey Baker nominee for the Mavericks, David Silye, picked up two goals in game two, leading the Mavericks to a 3-1 victory over the Lakers.

“At this time in the year, garnering points in our league will be difficult,” said Minnesota State Head Coach, Mike Hastings. “It’s not perfect, but it’s an important weekend for us and I’m glad it turned out the way it did.”

The first period of game one started out all too familiar for the Mavericks as they were able to outshoot their opponent, but with little to show for it.

Freshman forward, Christian Fitzgerald, kicked off the scoring for the Mavericks just five minutes into the second as he buried a one-timer from a great pass from freshman forward, Simon Tassy, who registered his first collegiate

point.

Tassy, a native of Montreal, P.Q., was sidelined during the first half of the year after a knee injury he suffered last year in juniors. Hastings spoke briefly about what he saw from Tassy in his debut as a Maverick.

“This is a long time coming for him,” said Hastings. “He’s a good

hockey player. He makes other players around him better.”

The second period remained scoreless until about four minutes remaining as sophomore forward, Dawson Tritt, netted the equalizer to put the game at 1-1 heading into the third period.

About halfway through the third, the Mavericks were able to

regain the lead as junior defenseman, Jake Livingstone, found senior forward, Ryan Sandelin, in front of the net for a go-ahead powerplay goal.

About five minutes later, however, it was the Lakers who picked up their second goal and were able to tie the game up once again. The game remained scoreless in the

third period and both teams found themselves clawing away at an important overtime win.

It was the Mavericks who were able to convert just over two minutes into the closing frame as Hirose tapped in the loose change to propel the Mavericks to the 3-2 win. Minnesota State and Lake Superior returned to the ice on Saturday for the series finale.

The Mavericks found themselves in a similar situation during the first period of Saturday’s game. Though they outshot the Lakers by a 7-1 margin, the score remained deadlocked at zeroes heading into the second period.

Much to the dismay of Minnesota State, it was Lake Superior who got on the board first just over two minutes into the second period. The game remained in favor of the Lakers until 1:28 remaining in the second when Silye picked up a second deflection on a shot from Hirose.

Hirose continued his hot streak as he picked up the Mavericks’ second goal of the game just under 4 minutes into the third period.

The Mavericks remained in control for the rest of the game and picked up an empty-net goal to seal the deal.

With their two wins this past weekend, the Mavericks improve to 16-9-1 overall and 11-6-1 in CCHA play. Minnesota State will be back in action this weekend as they travel to Ferris State for another conference matchup.

Women’s hockey falls victim of season sweep

By KOLE BUELOW Staff Writer

Heading into this weekend’s series, the Minnesota State Women’s Hockey team was on a roll. The Mavericks won six straight games, including a series sweep of St. Cloud State, who had previously held the No. 14 ranking nationally before MSU handed them two losses on Jan. 13 and 14.

The two wins were a huge momentum boost for the Mavericks, who had six-straight top-10 matchups ahead of them following the St. Cloud State series. First up on that docket were the No. 8 Wisconsin Badgers.

NCAA Champions just two seasons ago, the Badgers were a tall task for an up-and-coming Mavericks team who have improved slightly every year, since former 1980s U.S. Men’s National Team player, John Harrington, took over as head coach in 2015.

The Badgers had motivation of their own building toward the series with the Mavericks, as they had been struggling as of late, losing five straight games. On top of that, Wisconsin had yet to win on home ice since Nov. 20.

The two teams battled it out this past weekend Jan. 21 and 22, with Wisconsin coming out on top 2-1 and 6-0. Game one started off slow, with no team finding a goal until the second period.

The Badgers struck first, coming off the stick of senior forward, Britta Curl. Wisconsin tacked on another at the 3:36 mark of the third, but the Mavericks responded with a goal of their own just under five minutes later.

Senior forward, Kelsey King, notched the MSU tally, marking her team-leading ninth goal of the season.

King benefited from a four-onthree break, weaving behind teammates and eventually receiving a nice drop pass from freshman, Whitney Tuttle, burying the puck blocker-side.

As time wound down the Mavericks were unable to find another goal, but a valiant effort would go down in the history books against a top contender year in and year out.

The following night wasn’t very kind to Minnesota State, where a balanced scoring approach and a three-goal second period helped the Badgers run away with a 6-0

win on Sunday. Wisconsin distributed the puck well against the Mavericks, with no player scoring more than one goal on the night.

14 Badgers recorded a point in the contest, totaling an astounding 16

points across all Badger skaters.

Next up for the Mavs is another away series where the team will be heading to Columbus, Ohio to take on the reigning National Champion Buckeyes.

Ohio State currently sits No. 1 in the nation according to the USCHO poll and will have home-ice advantage this Friday and Saturday against a desperate Mavericks team.

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

MSU men’s hockey team sweeps Lake Superior State with scores of 3-2 Friday, Jan. 20 and 3-1 Saturday, Jan. 21, extending their streak to six-straight wins.

LILLY ANDERSON • The Reporter

MSU women’s hockey team returns home in defeat after a two-game away series in Wisconsin last weekend.

Women’s hoops hot and cold

By LUKE JACKSON Staff Writer

Minnesota State Women’s Basketball’s tiring road game stretch showed as they finished the second week of games 1-1. Friday’s game ended in a loss for the Mavs when they played the now 11-8 Northern St. Wolves, while Saturday’s game was a close call versus the 9-9 MSU Moorhead Dragons.

The Wolves showed they were hungrier as the pack was able to finish out the nail-biter with their 11th victory under their belt. The first quarter ended uneventfully as the Wolves were up by nine with a score of 19-10. At the 3:18 mark in the second quarter, NSU continued to show their dominance as they went up by 13 at 31-18.

Natalie Bremer gave Mankato the boost they needed before the half and recorded 10 points as the Mavs went on a 15-4 run. This cut down NSU’s lead to 35-33 at half.

Coming out of the half, junior, Emily Herzberg, continued the momentum the Mavs ended the half with and hit a three-pointer to start the quarter. This gave Mankato their first lead of the game, which they held until the end of the third. This momentum continued to be led by Bremer as she put up 10 of MSU’s 19 points.

The fourth quarter started with a tight score of 52-51. The Wolves found a couple of baskets to start the last quarter of regulation.

The Mavs only found themselves in the lead one more time throughout the game when Joey Batt hit a clutch layup at the five minute mark. The lead diminished once again and this time, the Wolves kept it.

The game ended 72-69, with Northern St. on top. The pack of Wolves outrebounded the Mavs by 19 and exposed them by shooting 42.6% from the field to MSU’s 29.9%.

The Mavs looked to recuperate against MSU Moorehead Saturday, a team that had already beaten Northern State 60-53, despite the .500 record. The 5:30 tipoff started strong as they scored 10 points to the Dragon’s two, right from the start; six came from Herzberg.

MSU Mankato couldn’t hold them back for long as the Dragons found themselves on a 21-9 run to take the lead at the end of the first quarter. The Dragons built a lead of 11 points throughout the second quarter, but the Mavs were able to find their footing. They slowly chipped away at the score and were able to come within seven to finish the half with a score of 48-41.

Mankato could not keep up with the momentum that the Dragons produced, as they had 25 rebounds, shot a skillful 60% from the field and let their star senior center, Peyton Boom, put up 17 points. The Mavs were letting their mistakes from Friday’s game happen again Saturday.

The Mavs continued to chip slowly but surely throughout the third quarter, until they made a breakthrough happen.

At the seven-minute mark they were down by four points with the score at 52-48. Then, they went on a 17-8 run to end the quarter strong. Nine of these points came from Destinee Bursch.

The quarter ended with the Mavs up 65-60 as they doubled MSU Moorehead’s points 24-12.

MSU Mankato’s defense finally clicked as they learned from their recent mistakes. The final score was 77-70 Mavericks.

Bursch was able to notch 19 points, while Herzberg recorded a

double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. With Boom putting up 17 in the first half, they held her to only seven in the second, giving her 24 points and 12 rebounds. Despite the Dragons shooting 45%, the Mavs were able to walk away with a win due to 21 turnovers and 14 points created from them.

Injuries starting to heal for Minnesota State

By HAYDEN LEE Staff Writer

The Mavs played their third and fourth consecutive road games Friday and Saturday and were unable to come out victorious in either game. However, Friday saw star guard, Malik Willingham, make his return to the starting lineup, playing 23 minutes in the team’s 104-87 loss at Northern State. The following day, the Mavs kept it close against No. 22 Moorhead State, eventually falling to the Dragons 86-76.

After two tough road games Friday and Saturday, going 1-3 in their stretch of road games, the Mavs now hold a 13-7 record and are slowly falling behind in the NSIC conference standings.

NSU was on fire early in Friday night’s matchup, connecting on their first five threes and took an 18-5 lead three minutes into the game. The Mavs fought back with five straight points, but were unable to bring the game back within eight points for the rest of the game, as NSU held a 31-16 lead midway through the first period.

The Mavs got back within nine points of NSU late in the half, but gave up a 14-4 Wolves’ run to make the halftime score 58-39. Kyreese Willingham’s 17 points led the Mavs in scoring at the break, while Tyrell Stuttley added nine points of his own. The Mavs shot just over

40% in the first half, while allowing the Wolves to shoot over 70% in their own right.

The second half was mostly filler, as the Mavs were only able to cut the Wolves’ lead to 14 at 12:32, with a score of 70-56, but would get no closer for the rest of the night.

The final score of 104-87 marked another loss for Minnesota State, but with M. Willingham back in the lineup, things did not seem like

they were all that bad.

K. Willingham finished with 26 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block and 1 steal. Trevor Moore, who has quietly been very consistent for the Mavs this season, finished with 22 points, including 4 makes from beyond the arc. In his return, M. Willingham finished with 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists.

After the loss, the Mavs had no choice but to pick themselves up

and move on to face No. 22 ranked Dragons. The Mavs got out to a 14-8 lead by hitting their first four threes, including Moore going 3-3 from downtown. The lead changed six times before the game reached 10:00 left in the first, as the Mavs led 28-25.

With the Mavs leading 38-30 and 6:27 left in the half, the Wolves were on upset watch. However, the Wolves flipped a switch and went

on a 20-4 run to close out the first half up by eight, 50-42.

M. Willingham’s 16 points led the Mavs at half, and the three three-pointers by Moore were enough to place him second among the Mavs’ first half scorers with nine points.

The Mavs shot a slightly better 51.6% from the field, compared to the Dragons’ 50%, and a win for MSU Mankato was not looking impossible.

The first half of the second period was run by the Dragons as they built up a 15 point lead, 65-50, with just under 12 minutes to go. The resilient Mavs refused to give up, going on their own 9-2 run to cut the Dragon lead to just eight points at 67-59.

The Dragons held strong for the remainder of the game and were able to best the Mavs, 86-76.

M. Willingham led the team in scoring, putting up 25 points while also adding 5 rebounds and 5 assists on the night. Again, it was Moore with 22 points and 4 threes, but in this game he shot 7-10 from the field, 4-5 from three and 4-4 from the free throw line. An efficient game, despite the loss.

With M. Willingham back, the Mavs are now just waiting for Harrison Braudis and Brady Williams to return as they play out their final eight regular season games and head into the playoffs, hopefully with a fully healthy roster.

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

MSU women’s basketball team secures the win against MSU Moorhead Saturday, Jan. 21 with a 77-70 score.

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

Upon Malik Willingham’s return, MSU Men’s Basketball team loses 76-86 against No. 22 MSU Moorhead Saturday, Jan. 21.

Huskies lineup devastates Mavs on the mat

By CHARLIE GROEBNER Staff Writer

Once again, Minnesota State is unable to solve the puzzle known as Saint Cloud State, getting dominated by the number five team in the conference 40-0. This marks the Mavs fourteenth straight loss to SCSU and the first time that MSU did not score a single point against them.

Following the loss, Head Coach, Jim Makovsky, thought it was a great learning experience for the less experienced guys. It allows them to know what it is like to go up against one of the best teams in the state.

“To win, you need to perform at your highest level. We had seven guys who have not been in the lineup throughout their careers and Saint Clouds has a much older team. Our technical and management flaws got exposed and that’s what we want. So now they know what it’s like to go up against a top team and what level we need them to be at,” said Makovsky.

Starting at the 165 Ibs, freshman, Kole Marko, lost a unanimous decision to give the Huskies a 3-0 lead. It was followed by the number one ranked 174 Ibs, senior, Abner Romano, defeating MSU junior, Mike Smith, to give them a 9-0 lead. The aggression from the Huskies continued as none of the other members of the Mavs could spark momentum. Nic Leo would lose the decision to sophomore

Bryce Fitzpatrick, which was followed by senior, Max Villnow, being pinned by number ten 194 Ibs junior, Dominic Murphy. This gave the Huskies a lead of 16-0 going into the heavyweight matchup.

MSU senior, Darrell Mason, fell to the Huskies’ own Elijah Novak. Now with a score of 19-0 in

favor of SCSU, it felt like the dagger to seal the match for the Mavs. Paxton Creese won via forfeit and was followed by sophomore, Isiah Mlsna, senior, Brock Luthens, and freshman, Caeleb Meunier, all losing by decision. Giving the Huskies a 34-0 lead entering the final match and half the Huskie fans creeping

toward the exit.

The final match was a 157 bout between MSU sophomore, Drake Hayward, and SCSU sophomore, Nick Novak. Like a majority of the afternoon’s matches, it ended in a loss for the Mavs after Novak pinned Hayward to complete the shutout for the Huskies. Coach

Makhovsky following the game mentioned they have a lot to work on.

“Same as usual in what we need to work on. Every guy is different and there are some team things. Right now, we are playing checkers when we need to be playing chess,” said Makovsky.

THE CRAZY GAME: How I Survived in the Crease and Beyond

Clint Malarchuk- Former NHL Goaltender and Mental Health Advocate

No job in the world of sports is as intimidating, exhilarating, and stressful as that of a hockey goaltender. Now imagine doing that job while suffering from high anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, and depression, and having your career nearly cut short when a skate sliced across your neck.

Clint Malarchuk, the famed former NHL goaltender, shares his extraordinary and heart wrenching life story — which includes his long battle with alcoholism and almost ending his life by a gunshot to the head — in his relentless effort to help end the stigma of mental illness and to help others who may suffer as well.

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

The MSU wrestling team fell short this weekend against St. Cloud State with a 40-0 loss Saturday, Jan. 21. Their next dual is set to be Jan. 27 against Northern St.

VA RI ET Y

Campus rings in the Lunar New Year

By LAUREN VISKA Staff Writer

The year of the tiger has shifted to the year of the rabbit as the Lunar New Year rung in Jan. 22.

“In Vietnam, the zodiac animal is the cat, which represents good luck and smooth sailing. In other countries, the zodiac animal for this year is the rabbit,” said Emily Vo, president of Asian Students in America. “The rabbit symbolizes mercy, elegance, and beauty. Other zodiac signs, in order starting in 2024, include the dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, pig, rat, ox, and tiger.”

The holiday marks the first new moon on the lunisolar calendar. A lunisolar calendar is a calendar that is used in many cultures that combines lunar and solar calendars.

The lunar phase and the solar year, or the sun’s position in the sky above Earth, are indicated by the date in Lunisolar calendars.

“The Lunar New Year actually changes every year since it is based on the lunisolar calendar,” said Vo. “Last year, the Lunar New Year was on February 1st and the year before, February 23rd. The celebration usually lasts about a month long.”

Lunar New Year is a great way for students to learn about other cultures on campus.

“It’s always great to know what cultural aspects are important to everyone. Especially

coming to school in Mankato, where Mankato itself isn’t as diverse,” said Pakou Lee, the director of Asian American and Multicultural Affairs and the Multicultural Center.

“So any opportunity that all of our students and faculty staff can get to learn about the diversity on our campus, we welcome them to join our events. That is also why we host those events.”

To help celebrate this hol-

iday, ASIA is having an event Saturday, Jan. 28, from 6 - 9 p.m. in the Centennial Student Union Ballroom.

“We will have panels on different Asian cultures surrounding the edge of the ballroom. In addition, we will have DTG Lions, an amazing lion-dancing team; Kinsmen, our talented Asian American Urban Dance Crew; and so many more performances to share throughout

the evening,” said Vo.

Lee explained what events and festivities are planned for the Lunar New Year celebration.

“We are bringing in lion dancers for celebrations for Lunar New Year. Lion dancers are kind of the key performers. Their movements and acts are very symbolic, like chasing away the evils of the past year and bringing in good luck,” Lee

said. “We’ll have cultures from all over Asia, and these are our students who are representative of those cultures. It is also open to everyone and is free admission. Come at any time, and there’s even an opportunity to do karaoke as well, so you’ll get to be a part of the show.”

Students can learn more about this holiday by doing their own research.

“There are many postings about the Lunar New Year on social media. The best way to experience this holiday is to go to one of many Lunar New Year events, which can be found online,” said Vo. “Our ASIA Night Market is a nice gateway to experiencing just a small amount of the holiday. DTG Lions will also share a little about the holiday at their booth this Saturday.”

This holiday is not just one singular culture, it is many other Asian cultures.

“Oftentimes, people refer to the Lunar New Year as ‘Chinese New Year,’ when many other countries celebrate this holiday: Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and more,” said Vo. “A major tradition for this holiday is having children wish their elders a happy new year, wishing them happiness, wealth, health, and prosperity. In return, the elders gift money in red envelopes that are considered lucky for the children to hold onto.”

Indigenous film showing proves true for Mankato locals

By JOEY ERICKSON Variety Editor

Students escaped the cold weather Monday to watch a screening of “Our Fires Still Burn: The Native American Experience” in the Centennial Student Union. The film serves as a compelling one-hour documentary, offering its viewers a vis-à-vis look at the experiences contemporary Native Americans go through in the Midwest.

The film also confronts and promptly dispels the myth that American Indians have faded out of the country’s picture, showing firsthand how they continue to survive, thrive and keep their culture alive.

North America’s past of genocide is a stain that will forever stay imprinted on the country’s record, and the painful deletion of Native Americans from their land and from the history of the country’s beginnings should never be forgotten or downplayed.

“When the (white) people came from Europe, there were a

hundred million Native Americans in North and South America, and today there’s a handful. I mean, it was an American Holocaust,” said Scott Badenoch, one of the speakers in the film, a part of the Bo Chunk tribe.

Recalling his childhood, Badenoch spent his childhood living in the Chicago suburbs with his father as well as the Ojibwa reservation with his mother. For him, this was the best of both worlds,

“Being able to go back and forth and be able to move through the different cultures was something that was really ingrained in me. It was the perfect thing for a little boy,” Badenoch said.

Despite his enjoyment of being able to transition between the two different cultures, Badenoch still had his reservations about identifying with his Native American culture. For him, being out and proud with his culture could mean being captured, and forcibly stripped of their identity.

September 16, 2022, the

The event has been continuously

lynched in 1862. FILM on page 12

DYLAN

• The Reporter

File Photo

Minnesota State has been home to many a Lunar New Year’s celebration. The Lunar New Year was rung in, Sunday, shifting from the year of the tiger to the year of the rabbit.

ENGEL

On

50th Annual Traditional Mahkato Wacipi was held at the Land Of Memories Park.

put on in honor of the Dakota 38, the 38 Dakota members who were unjustly

Natasha Lyonne stars in ‘Poker Face,’ a Peacock howdunit

By ALICIA RANCILIO The Associated Press

Known for her wise-cracking, quick delivery, Natasha Lyonne’s newest role in the Peacock series “ Poker Face ” grants her an opportunity to play a character with a personality trait she’s never played before. Lyonne’s character, Charlie, likes people.

Charlie’s still got zingers, but Lyonne says the character is partly inspired by Jeff Bridge’s famed character, The Dude, in

“The Big Lebowski.”

She’s “a person a little bit set back who’s kind of got sun on their face,” said Lyonne, “I’m usually more of a city slicker and someone who avoids getting hit by taxis and runs down in a subway.”

Adds creator Rian Johnson, “Charlie’s very open. She’s very sunny. That kind of blew Natasha’s mind. She’s like, ‘Oh, this will be a new thing for me to play. I like people.’

‘Avatar’ marks 6 straight weeks at No. 1, crosses $2 billion

 FILM from page 11

“They went out and collected hundreds of Indian children from all the tribes, and brought them to Carlisle. They were going to, as they said, ‘take the Indian out of them.’ A couple things that were ingrained in me were that you could always be picked up by the federal government, and removed from the house,” Badenoch said.

On a local note, Mankato has been the home of its fair share of racism towards indigenous peoples, specifically towards the Dakota and Winnebago tribes. The largest mass execution in American history happened here in 1862, where 38 members of the Dakota tribe were hanged.

It’s easy to feel removed from events of the past, and act as

though bigoted actions such as those don’t happen anymore. However, that’s far from true. According to graduate student and head of the Women’s Center, BriShaun Kearns, the problem is still very prevalent.

Kearns is one of the head speakers at Brave Hearts, a series of discussions held on campus that tackle taboo topics such as Native American injustice.

“It’s the reality of the world. Half of Native women will experience domestic violence, and four out of five Native women will be sex trafficked in their lives. I personally know multiple people in my life growing up who experienced sex trafficking. So we hope to educate people,” Kearns said.

By JAKE COYLE The Associated Press

James Cameron’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” led ticket sales in movie theaters for the sixth straight weekend, making it the first film to have such a sustained reign atop the box office since 2009’s “Avatar.”

The Walt Disney Co.’s “The Way of Water” added $19.7 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. Its global total has now surpassed $2 billion, putting it

sixth all-time and just ahead of “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”

Domestically, “The Way of Water” is up to $598 million. Continued robust international sales ($56.3 million for the weekend) has helped push the “Avatar” sequel to $2.024 billion worldwide.

A year ago, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” also topped the box office for six weekends, but did it over the course of seven weeks. You have to go back to Cameron’s original “Avatar” to find a movie that stayed No.

1 for such a long span. (“Avatar” ultimately topped out at seven weeks.)

Before that, the only film in the past 25 years to manage the feat was another Cameron film; “Titanic” (1997) went undefeated for 15 weeks.

“The Way of Water” has now reached a target that Cameron himself set for the very expensive sequel. Ahead of its release, Cameron said becoming “the third or fourth highest-grossing film in history” was “your break even.”

JAE C. HONG • The Associated Press

Actor Natasha Lyonne poses for photos to promote the series “Poker Face,” in West Hollywood, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023.

20TH CENTURY STUDIOS VIA THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

This image released by 20th Century Studios shows Jake Sully, portrayed by Sam Worthington, in “Avatar: The Way of Water.”