March 29, 2022 by MSU Reporter

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Words have Impact event share how it affects students By HAFSA PEERZADA Staff Writer

The Maverick Diversity Institute at Minnesota State University, Mankato hosted the ‘MicroAggressions: Words have impact’ workshop this past Thursday. The workshop aimed at educating the audience on racial microaggressions and their impact on people of color as well as the means to prevent those situations from unfolding in the classroom. Discussions on microaggressions and their consequent impacts on students were led by panelists Timothy Berry, Kevin Dover, Dani Scott, and Kenneth Reid. Dani Scott, Assistant Professor in Communication Sciences and Disorders, started the discussion by defining microaggressions and their inherent intent. “There are many different types of microaggressions. They can DISCUSSION on page 2 

Minnesota State hockey defeated Harvard and Notre Dame in the Albany Regional of the 2022 NCAA men’s ice hockey tournament to advance to the Frozen Four in Boston, Mass. The Mavericks are set to play Minnesota on April 7 in the hopes of advancing to the national championship. Photo by MATT DEWKETT • Maverick Athletics

Research talk showcases how river are born By ALEXANDRA TOSTRUD Staff Writer

Indo-Bangla Night honor various cultures at MSU By ALEXANDRA TOSTRUD Staff Writer

This past Saturday the Centennial Student Union Ballroom at Minnesota State University Mankato hosted Indo-Bangla Night, a celebration of Indian and Bangladeshi culture. The event was hosted by the India and Bangladesh student organizations on campus after a planning period of many months. Admission was $10, and the event was open for community members, MSU alumni, and MSU students. The night featured buffet-style food, trivia, and various performances by members of the two student organizations. Shreyam Ranjan is the vice president of the Indian Student Association and participated in dances throughout the night. “We wanted to do a collab.

EMILY LANSMAN • The Reporter

Students a part of the India and Bangladesh student organizations on campus shared their traditional dances while celebrating their culture.

Both cultures are very similar,” Ranjan said. Saturday night’s event also coincided with the Independence Day of Bangladesh, which marks Bangladesh’s dec-

laration of independence from Pakistan in 1971. Abeer, a student at MSU, participated in the fashion show with her brothers during the event. “The semester has

been creating too much pressure on students, and this event gave everyone time to relax and have peace of mind. It brought the two cultures together, but people of other cultures are also present,” Abeer said. The event took place in the CSU Ballroom, but the lobby outside was decorated with brightly colored streamers and other decorations as well. The ballroom itself was alight with vibrant projections and colored overhead lights, along with a selfie spot for attendees. Anyone who set foot inside this area of the CSU between 5 and 8 p.m. was met with the aroma of food being served upstairs, such as the potato-filled samosas. Crowd participation was high for each performance of the night. Nearly every seat was filled at multiple points of CELEBRATION on page 2 

Ostrander Auditorium hosted the ‘How Rivers are Born and Evolve: A Paradigm Shift in Earth Science’ lecture by Douglas R. Moore Faculty Research last week featuring earth science research by Phillip H. Larson. Larson is a professor of geography here at Minnesota State University, Mankato. His Lecture attracted many faculty, students, and community members. The lecture began with an introduction from Teri Wallace, the Interim Associate Vice President for Research, and a welcome address from MSU President Edward Inch. Inch also closed the event by announcing the 2023 Moore award recipient, David Sharlin of the department of biological sciences. “It’s important that we showcase the great talents that are going on, on this campus,” Inch said in his closing RIVERS on page 4 

2 • MSU Reporter

News

Annual drag show marks traditon By JEREMY REDLIEN Staff Writer

For over 20 years, the Minnesota State University, Mankato Drag Show has been an annual staple in the area. Put on by the Jim Chalgren LGBT Center and the Students Events Team, this year’s drag show will take place this Saturday at 7 p.m. featuring eight performers in the Centennial Student Union Ballroom. “This has been a super exciting process for me getting to meet with the drag queens and drag king,” said Atlas James, student events team education board member and the person in charge of organizing the upcoming drag show. The purposes of the drag show is to provide both support and education on the transgender and drag communities. This upcoming drag show will include giving away free makeup and other items to help support drag performers in need. One important aspect of the MSU Mankato drag show is that it predominantly features local talent. “For the show we try to keep it close to Mankato, so a lot of our people we are bringing are from Mankato or Minneapolis. So we pulled in people from Minnesota because that is the talent we want to

File photo

MSU’s annual drag show has been a tradition for decades. This year there will be eight featured drag queens performing at this year’s show.

show off,” said James. Miss Ava Cado, played by MSU Mankato alumni Alec Otto, will be one of the performers at this year’s show, “She’s a fancy old lady, like a fun wine aunt who’s having too much fun at the family gathering. She’s the aunt who sings too much karaoke,” said Otto. “She’s a flirty lounge singer, that’s her whole thing.” Another performer for this year’s show will be Princess Bluerose, who is played by Stephen Thomas who is an admissions officer for MSU. Thomas got into drag to support his brother when his brother was just starting to do

drag. “I got into drag because of my brother and his fear of doing things by himself,’’ said Thomas. “We went on the stage and it just stuck from there. The first number was just phenomenal and I knew I was going to do this for the rest of my life.” Trading cards of individual drag performers will be available for students to pick up at the LGBT Center and the Students Events Team office. Those who collect all of the trading cards will get VIP seating at the drag show. There will be opportunities after the show for audience DRAG on page 3 

Tuesday, March 29, 2022 DISCUSSION from page 1 look different, the micro part describes the subtle nature of the offense, but the intent shows that it is indeed meant as an offense and is a type of symbolic violence,” said Scott. “Just because they are subtle does not mean they are not impactful.” Timothy Berry, the interim associate vice president of Faculty Affairs & Equity Initiatives, also added to the discussion and introduced the phycological and physical impact these snubs and remarks can have on the body. “If we’re going to understand microaggressions in any of its forms, we are going to start with the assumption that it’s assaulting somebody’s physical nervous system. Any assault, any discomfort that triggers the central nervous system to go out whack is not micro,” Berry said. Recounting his own experiences with racially charged microaggressions Kenneth Reid, the director of African American and Multicultural Affairs, went over the impact microaggressions have and how they influence the way students perform in classes. “People say in certain areas that you speak so eloquently. As a student, I was asked which school I came from. Why do I have to come from a unique foreign school in order to be able to perform well?” Reid shared. Reid explained that these types of remarks impact stu

dents of color because they end up questioning their ability to perform well academically and lead students to second guess themselves on whether they in fact belong in such academic environments. It creates this mindset that people of color are not expected to perform well and if they do end up performing well then, their success is treated as an unexpected surprise. Students that deal with such racial microaggressions undergo constant physiological stress that is imposed on them from continuously trying to break the mindset that individuals have towards people of color. “It does take a mental toll on students. To constantly maneuver around what is accepted or the stereotypes around what people of color should or should not act like. It can be tiring to constantly live up to people’s expectations,” said Reid. Adding to that discussion, the panelists spoke on the improvements that can be made at the individual level to ensure that students are better educated on microaggressions. The panelists stressed the importance of students expanding their own knowledge base about different cultural backgrounds and encouraged having open conversations to address their own unconscious biases. So, it’s about understanding that it’s not just about a person’s skin color,” added Berry.

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

News

‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill signed by Governor Ron DeSantis

MSU Reporter • 3

FDA skeptical of trial ALS drug By MATTHEW PERRONE Associated Press

DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD • Tampa Bay Times via AP

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs the Parental Rights in Education bill at Classical Preparatory school Monday, March 28, 2022 in Shady Hills, Fla.

By ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE Associated Press

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law on Monday that forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, a policy that has drawn intense national scrutiny from critics who argue it marginalizes LGBTQ people. The legislation has pushed Florida and DeSantis, an ascending Republican and potential 2024 presidential candidate, to the forefront of the country’s culture wars. LGBTQ advocates, students, Democrats, the entertainment industry and the White House have dubbed the measure the “Don’t Say Gay” law. DeSantis and other Republicans have repeatedly said the measure is reasonable and that parents, not teachers, should be broaching subjects of sexual orientation and gender identity with their children. The law went into effect just days after DeSantis signed a separate bill that potentially restricts what books elementary schools can keep in their libraries or use for instruction. “We will make sure that parents can send their

kids to school to get an education, not an indoctrination,” DeSantis said to applause before he signed the sexual orientation and gender identity measure during a ceremony at a preparatory school outside Tampa. The law states: “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.” Parents would be able to sue districts over violations. Public backlash began almost immediately after the bill was introduced, with early criticism lobbed by Chasten Buttigieg, the husband of U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Democratic President Joe Biden called it “hateful.” As the bill moved through the legislature, celebrities mobilized against it on social media, and criticized it at this year’s Academy Awards. Florida students staged walkouts and packed into committee rooms and statehouse halls to protest the measure, often with booming chants of “We say gay!”

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Federal health regulators issued a negative review Monday of a closely watched experimental drug for the debilitating illness known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, after months of lobbying by patient advocates urging approval. The drug from Amylyx Pharmaceuticals has become a rallying cause for patients with the deadly neurodegenerative disease ALS, their families and members of Congress who’ve joined in pushing the Food and Drug Administration to greenlight the drug. But regulators said in a review that the company’s small study was “not persuasive,” due to missing data, errors in enrolling patients and other problems. On Wednesday, a panel of FDA advisers will take a non-binding vote on whether the drug should be approved. The meeting is being closely watched as an indicator of the FDA’s approach to experimental drugs with imperfect data and its ability to withstand outside pressure. The FDA’s negative stance on the drug sets up a tense scenario at Wednesday’s public session, where several dozen ALS patients and advocates are scheduled to speak. The agency will consider the input from its advisory panel before making a final decision

DRAG from page 2 members to meet the drag performers and take photos and get autographs. Tickets can be found online 

on the drug, expected by June. ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, destroys nerve cells needed to walk, talk, swallow and — eventually — breathe. There is no cure and most people die within three to five years. Amylyx’s drug is a combination of two older drugs: a prescription medication for liver disorders and a dietary supplement associated with traditional Chinese medicine. Amylyx has patented the combination in a powder and says the chemicals help protect cells from early death. But the reviewers found the drug had “only a modest” effect on slowing the disease’s progres-

sion in a 137-patient, mid-stage study, which reviewers said was plagued with implementation and analysis problems. Typically, FDA approval requires two large studies or one study with a “very persuasive” effect on survival. According to the FDA document, regulators had “strongly suggested” Amylyx complete a large, late-stage trial to establish the drug’s effectiveness before applying. That study is due to be finished in 2024. After further discussions with regulators last summer, Amylyx decided to submit its drug for approval based on the initial study plus survival data gathered afterwards.

with prices for students being $3 and for the public $10. The modern iteration of the MSU Mankato drag show can be traced back to the ‘Come as

you are’ Drag Ball that was first put on in March 2001. In years past, tickets have often sold out in advance.

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The Food and Drug Administration has issued a negative review of a closely watched experimental drug for the debilitating illness known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

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4 • MSU Reporter

News

Indigenous tell pope of abuses at Canada residential schools

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Smith’s hair loss from alopecia at center of spat

CHRIS PIZZELLO • Associated Press

Jada Pinkett Smith, left, and Will Smith appear at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

By LINDSEY TANNER Associated Press

GREGORIO BORGIA • Associated Press

President of the Metis community, Cassidy Caron, speaks to the media in St. Peter’s Square after their meeting with Pope Francis at The Vatican, Monday, March 28, 2022.

By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press

Indigenous leaders from Canada and survivors of the country’s notorious residential schools met with Pope Francis on Monday and told him of the abuses they suffered at the hands of Catholic priests and school workers. They came hoping to secure a papal apology and a commitment by the church to repair the harm done. “While the time for acknowledgement, apology and atonement is long overdue, it is never too late to do the right thing,” Cassidy Caron, president of the Metis National Council, told reporters in St. Peter’s Square after the audience. This week’s meetings, postponed from December because of the pandemic, are part of the Canadian church and government’s efforts to re-

 RIVERS from page 1 speech. The annual Moore research lecture aims to celebrate the work being done by faculty here at MSU Mankato, and share it with the public. Larson’s lecture illustrated his research to date, which centers on the formation and evolution of rivers in the southwest United States. “This work has gone on for twelve years or so, since I was a PhD student at Arizona State University. I’d always loved the southwestern United States. Arizona State was one of my dream schools. When I got out there, my professor encouraged me to study rivers in that part of the world. I fell in love with those landscapes, the rivers and the scenery. Trying to understand how the rivers are the way they are and why they

spond to Indigenous demands for justice, reconciliation and reparations — long-standing demands that gained traction last year after the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves outside some of the schools. More than 150,000 native children in Canada were forced to attend state-funded Christian schools from the 19th century until the 1970s in an effort to isolate them from the influence of their homes and culture, and Christianize and assimilate them into mainstream society, which previous Canadian governments considered superior. Francis set aside several hours this week to meet privately with the delegations from the Metis and Inuit on Monday, and First Nations on Thursday, with a mental health counselor in the room for each session. The delegates then gather Friday as a group for a more

look the way they do was really intriguing,” Larson said. Much of Larson’s research aimed to correct the concept of stream piracy, which explains how rivers across the world may have formed or changed course over time. “If you spend enough time studying landscapes you start to get an intuition for how they work, and what’s happening. It became obvious to me that there was a problem there,” Larson said. “I talked to other people doing similar work who were also recognizing this problem.” This idea directed him to take a closer look at the systems. “Ultimately, it led to suggesting that maybe we need to rethink how we think about river systems. There are other ways to think about these pro-

formal audience, with Francis delivering an address. The encounters Monday included prayers in the Metis and Inuit languages and other gestures of deep symbolic significance. The Inuit delegation brought a traditional oil lamp, or qulliq, that is lit whenever Inuit gather and stayed lit in the pope’s library throughout the meeting. The Inuit delegates presented Francis with a sealskin stole and a sealskin rosary case. The Metis offered Francis a pair of red beaded moccasins, “a sign of the willingness of the Metis people to forgive if there is meaningful action from the church,” the group explained. The red dye “represents that even though Pope Francis does not wear the traditional red papal shoes, he walks with the legacy of those who came before him, the good, the great and the terrible.”

cesses and how landscapes with rivers in them came to be. I think we need a paradigm shift, and to get out of the dogma of how we think rivers evolve,” Larson added. Ben Garadz,a junior at MSU, is an advisee of Larson’s who was in attendance. “I think I learned a good amount about the river basins.” Jayda Rowen, junior, also has Larson as an advisor,“I’m taking a class called natural disasters, and the professor talked about how rivers and flooding works. He mentioned this seminar, and I thought it was interesting so I attended.” As he continues his study on rivers and the landscape around them, Larson plans to shift his focus to rivers of the upper midwest region.

A disease that causes hair loss is at the center of the most talked-about moment at Sunday’s Oscars ceremony. Actress Jada Pinkett Smith disclosed four years ago that she has alopecia and it’s the reason she has shaved her head or worn turbans in public. It’s unclear if comedian Chris Rock knew that when he joked about her baldness during Sunday night’s ceremony, but Smith grimaced and her husband, actor Will Smith, strode to the stage, smacked Rock in the face and profanely told him not to talk about his wife. Jada Pinkett Smith’s condition is called alopecia areata, a disease that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks hair follicles, often on the scalp

DRIVERS • • • • •

or face, but sometimes on other parts of the body. Sometimes hair falls out in chunks and only partial baldness results. Sometimes hair grows back but repeated bouts of baldness can also occur. According to the National Institutes of Health, it affects all racial and ethnic groups, men and women equally. There is no cure, but sometimes doctors recommend treating it with steroids, medications that suppress the immune system, or drugs that work to stimulate hair growth. The National Alopecia Areata Foundation says the condition affects about 2% of the population, or as many as almost 7 million Americans. It can occur at any age, but most often during the teen years or young adulthood. Jada Pinkett Smith is 50.

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Tuesday, March 29, 2022

News

Holocaust survivors flee from Ukraine to Germany for safety

MSU Reporter • 5

Walmart to end cigarette sales in some stores

STEVEN SENNE • Associated Press

Walmart Inc. will no longer be selling cigarettes in some U.S. stores, a complicated move since tobacco is a money driver for many retailers.

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO Associated Press

MICHAEL PROBST • Associated Press

Ukrainian Holocaust survivor Tatyana Zhuravliova reacts during an AP interview in an old people’s home in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, March 27, 2022.

By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER Associated Press

When the bombs started falling on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, last month, Tatyana Zhuravliova had a horrible deja vu: the 83-year-old Ukrainian Jew felt the same panic she suffered as a little girl when the Nazis were flying air attacks on her hometown of Odesa. “My whole body was shaking, and those fears crept up again through my entire body — fears which I didn’t even know were still hidden inside me,” Zhuravliova said. Her eyes welled up with tears as she remembered how she hid under the table from the bombs during World War II, and eventually fled with her mother to Kazakhstan when the Nazis and their henchmen started massacring ten of thousands of Jews in Odesa. “Now I’m too old to run to the bunker. So I just stayed inside my apartment and prayed that the bombs would not kill me,” Zhuravliova, a retired doctor, told The Associated Press on Sunday. But as Russia’s military attacks on Ukraine become even more brutal and demolished residential apartment blocks, she realized that she

CELEBRATION from page 1 the event, with many people standing during dance features. Attendees often danced along with the students onstage as students invited the crowd on stage during wellknown songs. Some even performed live music which some audience members sang along to while cheering on the musicians. “We sang traditional Bangla songs, picked at random,” said a first-semester 

had to flee again if she didn’t want to die. So Zhuravliova accepted an offer from a Jewish organization to bring her out of Ukraine to safety. In an unexpected twist of history, some of the 10,000 Holocaust survivors who had been living in Ukraine have now been taken to safety in Germany — the country that unleashed World War II and organized the murder of 6 million Jews across Europe. Zhuravliova was part of the first group of four Jewish Holocaust survivors evacuated from Ukraine by the New York-based Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, also referred to as the Claims Conference. The group represents the world’s Jews in negotiating for compensation and restitution for victims of Nazi persecution and their heirs, and provides welfare for Holocaust survivors around the globe. A second group of 14 Holocaust survivors, many of them ill and bed-ridden, were brought out of Ukraine on Sunday. The Claims Conference is working with its partners, among them the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, or JDC, to get as many Holocaust survivors out of Ukraine as possible. Around

student that’s a member of the Bangladesh student organization and performed live music with a small group.“Everyone had so much fun, and that was the most exciting part.” Throughout the night, lead student organizers held trivia between performances about Indian and Bangladeshi culture, with questions about geography, food and sports. One question asked about the most commonly served fish,

500 Holocaust survivors in Ukraine are especially in need of help because of their ailing health — their evacuation is a top priority, says the JDC. It’s a highly difficult and complex operation to transport such frail people out of Ukraine, where constant shelling and artillery fire make any evacuation very dangerous. It involves finding medical staff and ambulances in numerous war zones, crossing international borders and even convincing survivors, who are ill and unable to leave their homes without help, to flee into uncertainty again, this time without the vigor of youth. However, the risks of staying behind are also very high. This month, 96-year-old Boris Romanchenko, who survived several Nazi concentration camps during World War II, was killed during an attack in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. It is not known if any other survivors have been killed in the war in Ukraine, but several have had their homes hit by shelling, says Amos Lev-Ran from the JDC. “No one can imagine the nightmare survivors have lived through during the Holocaust,” said Ruediger Mahlo.

the Hilsa, otherwise known as the Ilish. Participants who were chosen for a question and answered correctly were given a gift bag with various prizes. “After covid, they were able to program this event. I liked the fashion show because everybody has different clothes which represent their state or country,” said a MSU student in attendance.

Walmart will no longer sell cigarettes in some of its stores though tobacco sales can be a significant revenue generator. Wall Street Journal was the first to report the development Monday. It noted some stores in California, Florida, Arkansas and New Mexico were on the list, citing anonymous sources and store visits. Walmart is not the first national retail chain to cut off cigarette sales even on a trial basis, but it is the largest. Target ended cigarette sales in 1996 and the drugstore chain CVS Health did the same in 2014. CVS Health sales in areas outside the pharmacy fell for a few quarters after it

pulled tobacco products, and the company had predicted that missing tobacco products would hurt annual earnings by 7 to 8 cents per share. Overall revenue has grown every year at CVS, however, after a number of acquisitions and changes to its stores bolstered the company’s health care offerings. CVS Health bought the health insurer Aetna in 2017. Decisions about removing cigarettes at Walmart will be made on a store-by-store basis according to the business and particular market, the company said Monday. “We are always looking at ways to meet our customers’ needs while still operating an efficient business,” Walmart said in a prepared statement.

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Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Editorial

Perspectives

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

Julia Barton News Director

Mansoor Ahmad Media Director

Kole Buelow Sports Editor

Emma Johnson Variety Editor

Jenna Peterson Copy Editor

The Oscars need more drama

Let’s push through the last few weeks It’s hard to believe that there are only four weeks remaining in the school year. While we may be in the home stretch, there are still plenty of assignments to be done. A lot of students, especially seniors, start hitting their slump at this time of year. It’s important to keep your work ethic strong and to finish the school year out strong. It’s been said a few times, but utilize the abundance of resources that are offered to you. Make sure to check in with your advisors around this time of year, especially if you will be returning to campus in the fall. They can help you pick classes that you need to take and keep you on the right path for graduating on time. If you are struggling in any classes, reach out to your professors. They want to help you succeed any way they can. It can sound a bit intimidating, but it’s easier to ask for help than having to retake a class because you didn’t reach out for help. It can be hard to pay attention to work when you’ve been cooped up all winter. If you find yourself struggling to focus with the nice weather (or the Minnesota days when it’s above 50 degrees), change your surrounding scenery. Find a place outside, on or off campus and study there for a few hours. Just because midterms are over, it doesn’t mean that students shouldn’t take time for themselves. College students are expected to spend two to three hours studying for each hour they are in class, and for those with a heavy class load, it can be overkill. If you find that you are overworking yourself through school and a job, you won’t be able to mentally recharge to prepare yourself for the next week. If you can’t waste an entire day taking time for yourself, dedicate a few hours doing activities you enjoy, even if this means you sleep in a couple extra hours. Treat yourself for balancing all of these tasks that you’ve accomplished Going with taking time for yourself, get involved on campus. Attend events on campus and show off your school spirit. Attend meetings of a couple clubs that pique your interest. If you find a passion through the club, it can be something to look forward to during the summer months. You can make some of the best memories that can be made when you aren’t holed up in your dorm room or apartment. We’ve made it this far through the school year, and if we can keep pushing through, the weeks will fly by in a flash. I know that it seems like summer will never come, but the sooner we can push through the long days and late nights of studying, it will make us appreciate our summer a thousand times more.

EVAN AGOSTINI • Invision via AP

Jada Pinkett Smith, from left, Willow Smith, Will Smith, Jaden Smith and Trey Smith arrive at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.

By MAX MAYLEBEN Editor in Chief

Unless you live under a rock (no pun intended) you have seen the clip from Sunday’s Oscars Awards show where a joke made by Chris Rock resulted in a violent slap from best actor nominee, later winner, Will Smith. The joke was made at the expense of Smith’s wife, Jada, and referenced her going bald. The baldness was a result of a condition called “Alopecia”. After Smith heard the joke, he laughed first, but then stood up, walked on stage, and slapped the comedian. Once he stepped down from the stage, he could be heard screaming “Keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth,” in a very angry fashion. I am not here to argue whether or not the

joke was too offensive, and I am not here to even argue whether or not the slap was warranted. What I am here to talk about was that it was interesting. I used to be an avid watcher of the Oscars. There was something about the live performances and jokes that inspired excitement, while also congratulating that year’s best films. After the Kevin Hart debacle of a few years ago, I have been left with a deep rooted disinterest in the Oscars. Not for a lack of interest in the movies, but if I am going to watch a show that is hours long, I want it to at least be interesting. And oh boy, do I wish that I had been watching on Sunday night live. Sunday night offered something that the Oscars has been missing, and

could honestly really benefit from, and that is drama. Award shows are and always have been stuffy environments where the pretentious Hollywood elite try their best to look and act as refined as possible. They are in essence, a massive joke. Imagine if the entire night was based around the dramatic moments and leaned into the immaturity that is obviously apparent in the top rated actors. The intrigue and interest in watching the entire award show would be so heightened, as people would invest in the stars as the producers incite an absurd level of heightened anticipation and shock. The Oscars ceremony on Sunday gave us a taste of the melodrama that can be played out at an award show, and we should want more.

“What was your reaction when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars?” Compiled by Maddie Behrens

MEGHANN REEDY, SENIOR

CAMERON LARSON, JUNIOR

“I was surprised, but he was trying to defend his wife.”

“I saw the memes about it and thought it was funny.”

HUNTER SUTHERLANDWHITMORE, SENIOR “I was baffled and found it awkward.”

JESSICA BURSCH, JUNIOR

KEB SPEAR, JUNIOR

FAHMI NURU, SOPHOMORE

“I was impressed, I thought good for him for standing up.”

“I thought it was amusing, but he did commit assault.”

“I thought it was fake at first, but then I heard the audience’s reaction.”

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

MSU Reporter • 7

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8 • MSU Reporter

Tuesday, Ma

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MSU Reporter • 9

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SPORTS

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

TICKET PUNCHED

Minnesota State reaches second straight Frozen Four following 1-0 win over Notre Dame.

By KOLE BUELOW • Sports Editor Following two heart-clenching one-goal wins, the Minnesota State men’s hockey team has punched their ticket to the 2022 NCAA Frozen Four. The Mavericks clinched their bid to the NCAA ice hockey tournament following their Central Collegiate Hockey Association tournament championship, which spotted the team the second overall seed and No. 1 spot in the Albany Regional. The Mavs drew Harvard for their semifinal game of the Albany Regional, and following a win, would play the winner of North Dakota and Notre Dame. A third period top-shelf snipe by Minnesota State sophomore center Ondrej Pavel would prove to be the game winner, as the Mavericks went on to defeat the Harvard Crimson 4-3 on Mar. 24. MSU then awaited the winner of the bottom portion of their region, which was claimed by Notre Dame af-

The Mavericks advanced to their second straight Frozen Four following their 4-3 and 1-0 wins over Harvard and Notre Dame in the Albany Regional this past weekend. Photos by MATT DEWKETT • Maverick Athletics

ter an overtime goal by the Fighting Irish’s captain Graham Slaggert. Slaggert beat the North Dakota netminder blocker side, as Notre Dame downed the Fighting Hawks 2-1. All it took was one in the Albany finals on Mar. 26, as a defensive battle between the Mavericks and Fighting Irish decided who would advance to the Frozen Four in Boston. In the waning seconds of the first period, MSU’s junior center Nathan Smith buried his 19th goal of the season and 50th point of the year on a rebound off Notre Dame goaltender Matthew Galajda’s left pad. Smith’s lone goal stood for the remainder of the contest, helping the Mavericks advance to their second straight Frozen Four. The next day Minnesota State awaited the winner of the Worcester Regional, which was claimed by the University of Minnesota with their 3-0 regulation win over HOCKEY on page 12 

Baseball improves to 13-4, set to host Huskies By KARSON BUELOW • Staff Writer

MADDIE BEHRENS • The Reporter

Junior Colin Denk has allowed a 2.35 ERA in 23 innings.

The Minnesota State University, Mankato baseball team completed a successful series last week as they took on Bemidji State in a Thursday night double-header in Sioux Falls, S.D. MSU returned to action that weekend taking on UMary in a three game series in Sioux City, Iowa. The Mavs came into the first series with a 9-3 overall record and 2-1 record in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play. The Mavericks opened their five-game week taking on the Beavers, who have struggled so far this season, owning a 3-14 overall record and 0-3 record in NSIC play.

MSU opened the scoring in the second inning of Thursday’s first game as sophomore infielders Adam Schneider and Jackson Hauge both scored on wild pitches. Junior infielder and pitcher Nick Altermatt continued his strong season going the distance in the third inning for his fourth homerun of the season. Bemidji would get on the board in the fifth inning as sophomore infielder Wyatt Hamann potted an RBI-single to cut the Mavs lead to 3-1. The Mavericks would respond in a large way, tallying six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and gaining a 9-1 lead. The Mavs would add three more runs in the sixth inning as they domBASEBALL on page 12 

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Sports

MSU Reporter • 11

Softball improves to 18-6 with sweep Softball finishes nonconference play 18-6 and begins NSIC action today By KARSON BUELOW • Staff Writer The Minnesota State University, Mankato softball team played host to Southwest Minnesota State last Thursday in a pair of non-conference games at the Maverick All-Sports Dome in Mankato. The Mavericks came into the games with a 16-6 overall record and have yet to play in any Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) games. The Mavericks got things rolling in the first inning of game one as sophomore infielder and catcher Sydney Neilsen and freshman infielder Cheyenne Behrends tallied RBIs on sacrifice bunts to claim a 2-0 lead. Nielsen would score again later that inning on an error by the Mustangs’ center-fielder Emily Tatur as the Mavs took a 3-0 lead after the first inning. The Mustangs got one back in the second inning, cutting the Mavericks’ lead to 3-1. MSU responded in the third inning tallying three runs which were highlighted by a two-run RBI single by sophomore utility Madi Newman. SMSU would get another run back in the top of the fourth inning, cutting the Mavs’ lead to 6-2. The floodgates would open in the bottom of the fourth as MSU added nine runs and put the run rule into effect with a dominant 15-2 lead. Senior pitcher Mackenzie Ward picked up her 12th win on the season, pitching four innings in game one and allowing two runs off four hits. Sophomore pitcher Katie Bracken had two strikeouts and a groundout in the closing inning.

Maverick Athletics

Sophomore Sydney Nielsen has proved to be a solid batter this season, maintaining a .368 average at the plate. Nielsen has batted in 15 RBIs on 28 hits while also collecting four homeruns, which is second on the team only behind sophomore Madi Newman.

MSU and SMSU returned to action at 1:20 p.m. for the second game of their double-header. Senior infielder Torey Richards got the Mavericks on the board first in the second inning as she picked up the run while Behrends was caught stealing at second. Richards would add to the MSU lead in the fourth with an RBI single up the middle, giving them a 2-0 lead. Tatur would tie the game up 2-2 for the Mustangs in the fifth with a two-run RBI single to left field. In the bottom of the fifth, sophomore outfielder Kylie Sullivan would give the Mavs a 3-2 lead with an RBI double that brought sophomore Haley Forret across home plate. The Mavericks were able to add to their lead in the sixth as freshman infielder Marina Carter scored off a throwing error by the Mustangs. Both teams were kept off the score-

sheet for the remainder of the game as the Mavericks would pick up the series sweep in a 4-2 final. Sophomore pitcher McKayla Armbruster picked up her first win of the season, allowing only two runs on seven hits. Nielsen and Ward were recently named NSIC Player and Pitcher of the week for their performances against the Mustangs. Minnesota State will be back in action today as they take on Concordia-St. Paul in their first NSIC games of the season. CSP comes into the games today with a 17-2-1 overall record and haven’t played any conference games. The Mavericks own the all-time record against the Golden Bears at 56-20-2 including a 166-2 home record. Concordia’s hitting has proven to be a strong-point for them this season as they have three batters with batting aver-

ages over .400. Sophomore infielder and catcher Grace Beseman leads the team with .467 batting average and has tallied 19 runs and five homeruns on 28 hits this season. Sophomore Bryanna Olson leads the pitching crew this season for the Golden Bears with an 11-1 overall record and 1.66 earned run average (ERA). Sophomore Kristi Pilz has also had a successful season so far for CSP with a 3-0 overall record and a 1.42 ERA. Senior catcher Amanda Parsons leads the Golden Bears’ gloves this season with 107 putouts and zero errors. Senior infielder Cam Veenbaas has also had a busy season with 29 putouts and zero errors. The Mavericks will take on the Golden Bears in a pair of games today at the Maverick All-Sports Dome in Mankato. Start times for these games are 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Mavericks soccer begins exhibition games, defeat Vikings By AYAN MUHAMMAD Staff Writer

The Minnesota State University, Mankato women’s soccer team played against Augustana this past Sunday at 11 a.m. and won the match 3-1. Junior Jenny Vetter and sophomore Tia Martin began the match for the Mavericks, as the whistle blew for the team’s third spring exhibition game. In the beginning minutes of the game Mavs sophomore Allie Williams struck and gave MSU a 1-0 lead. Later, the Vikings fought back on the attack sending the ball near the goal post, but Williams snatched away their scoring opportunity. The Mavericks flipped the field and kept attacking, not letting the ball slide in their half. As the game went on the Mavericks were granted a free kick off an Augustana foul. Williams took the chance but missed wide. Augustana kept shutting down the Mavs on their attack, but the Vikings did not give the Mavs a chance to strike back.

MADDIE BEHRENS • The Reporter

Junior Jenny Vetter remained dominant in the Mavericks’ Spring exhibition game, scoring two goals against Augustana. Vetter ended the Mavs’ 2021 season with 19 goals.

Vetter found the second goal of the match, assisted by sophomore Tia Martin to give the Maverick a 2-0 lead. After a long struggle with Minnesota State defenders, the Vikings managed to score by sliding the ball into the goal. With that, the first half of the match concluded with a score of 2-1. Augustana and MSU came back to the field with a lot of energy after the intermission, as the sides switched. Augustana started the match on kick off. After some time, Minnesota State found a scoring opportunity on the attack and Vetter scored another goal with the assist by freshman Maille Mathis. The Mavs now led 3-1. Not too long later, junior Brynn Desens took a corner opportunity and Mathis went for the goal but missed the chance. The Vikings flipped the field, sending a ball to sophomore Lily Petersen, but unfortunately the header chance banked off the goal post. With that, the half concluded and Minnesota State took the win against Augustana 3-1.

12 • MSU Reporter

Sports

Celtics beat T’Wolves 134-112, take over top spot in East

STEVEN SENNE • Associated Press

Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) passes the ball as Minnesota Timberwolves forward Anthony Edwards (1) tries to defend in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, March 27, 2022, in Boston.

By JIMMY GOLEN Celtics coach Ime Udoka has his priorities set for the final push to the playoffs, and trying to figure out Boston’s best matchup isn’t among them. “Teams manipulate where they want to play. We’re not concerned about that,” the rookie head coach said on Sunday after the Celtics cruised past the Minnesota Timberwolves 134-112 and climbed to the top of the Eastern Conference. “There’s too much closeness to try to manipulate things and pick an opponent,” Udoka said. “Home court advantage is the main thing, and let the chops fall where they’re going to fall.” Jayson Tatum scored 34 and Jaylen Brown had 31 points and 10 rebounds to lead Boston to its sixth straight win. The Celtics won for the 24th time in their last 28 games and, combined with the 76ers loss to Phoenix, took over the No. 1 spot in the East. Boston and Miami have the same record at 47-28. The Celtics have beaten

the Heattwice this season, and the teams meet again Wednesday. “It’s been a journey,” Tatum said. “We had to find our identity. Lost some teammates; got some new guys. We’ve had to battle, but it’s been fun. We had some tougher times, but we’ve benefited from it, and made us better.” This win came at the expense of the team that until recently had been the one of the hottest in the NBA: Minnesota is 12-5 since the All-Star break, winning 10 of 11 before backto-back losses to Phoenix and Dallas this week. Anthony Edwards scored 24 and Karl-Anthony Towns added 19 as the Timberwolves opened a fourgame road trip with a loss — their third in four games. The Celtics scored 13 of the first 15 points in the second quarter to open a double-digit lead they never relinquished. It was 72-49 at halftime. By that point, the only question was whether Tatum would move into the NBA lead in scoring. He did, finishing the day with 1,923 points to pass Atlanta’s

Trae Young (1,915) for the top spot. The Celtics star already has one of the top 15 scoring seasons in Celtics history and has seven games left to become the seventh player in franchise history to top 2,000 points in a season. He would join John Havlicek, Paul Pierce, Larry Bird, Isaiah Thomas, Kevin McHale, Sam Jones. The C’s were without forward Al Horford, who missed the game for undisclosed personal reasons and is unlikely for Monday night in Toronto. Minnesota missed Malik Beasley, who left Friday night’s game with a sprained ankle. Brown and Tatum both tested their sore knees before the game and were cleared to play. Robert Williams III, who had 13 points and 10 rebounds, limped off the court at the end of the third quarter with the Celtics up 26, and did not return. The team said he had a left knee sprain. Udoka said Williams had “quite a bit of pain” but the team would know more after seeing a scan on Monday.

HOCKEY from page 10 the Western Michigan Broncos. After all the Regional games wrapped up on Mar. 27, the Frozen Four became set with Michigan and Denver as the two teams battling for their chance at a national title on the opposite side of the bracket. Minnesota State started with a strong showing against Harvard, which included three unanswered goals. Junior center Brendan Furry buried the Mavericks’ third unanswered goal of the game at the 17:54 mark of the second period, giving the team a 3-0 lead. Nearly the entire period

went by until Harvard responded, and the Crimson made it a game. Sophomore Sean Farrell began the scoring for Harvard, banking a shot off the back of MSU senior goaltender Dryden McKay’s leg. It was an untraditional way to score the puck, but it gave the Crimson all the momentum they needed to close in on the Mavericks’ lead. Just 48 seconds later, freshman Alex Gaffney beat McKay through his five-hole to cut the lead to one. MSU held on, and later extended their lead to four with Pavel’s goal in the opening minutes of the third. Another Harvard goal

would bring the lead to one once again, but the Mavericks held on to claim their first win of the tournament and advance to the Regional finals. “If there is a guarantee you can get at this tournament, it is that it is never easy, and tonight wasn’t easy. I thought we had a real good start and then we got a little loose, but I want to give Harvard credit on making it happen,” said MSU head coach Mike Hastings postgame. The Mavs then took on Notre Dame, where Smith’s first period goal at the 16 second mark stood tall as the only goal HOCKEY on page 13 

Associated Press



Tuesday, March 29, 2022 BASEBALL from page 10 inated the Beavers by a final score of 12-1. Junior pitcher Jack Zigan improved to 2-0 on the season and tallied 11 strikeouts in game one of their double-header. MSU and BSU made their way back to the field moments later for game two of their double-header. Altermatt gave the Mavericks their first runs of the game as he opened with a three-run moonshot in the bottom of the first. Altermatt added to the Mavs’ lead in the bottom of the second inning with a two-run RBI double. Minnesota State would add five more runs across the second and third innings and shut out Bemidji State by a final score of 10-0. Sophomore pitcher Nathan Culley was credited with his first win of the season and tallied eight strikeouts in his four innings pitched. MSU returned to action taking on UMary in a three-game weekend series in Sioux City. The Marauders got on the board first in Saturday’s game, as senior infielder James Martin hit an RBI single up the middle to gain the 1-0 lead. UMary would add to their lead in the third as sophomore infielder Calvin James scored on a passed ball. The Marauders would tally four more runs in the sixth, holding a commanding 6-0 lead. An RBI double by Altermatt started a comeback effort for the Mavericks as they cut the Marauder lead to 6-3. However it was too little too late as MSU fell to UMary 3-6 in the series opener. Minnesota State and UMary completed their series on Sunday with an afternoon double-header. Senior outfielder Ty Jones opened the scoring for UMary in the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly-out RBI to center-field. MSU tied the game 1-1 in the fourth as senior outfielder and pitcher Cam Kline scored on a wild pitch. The Mavericks grabbed the 2-1 lead in the fifth inning as Altermatt tallied an RBI single through the left side. The rest of the game remained scoreless as the Mavs took game two 2-1. Altermatt improved to 4-0 on the season, pitching seven innings and allowing one run on four hits. 

Minnesota State opened game two of their double-header with four runs through the first four innings, highlighted by Altermatt’s fifth homerun of the season. James was able to tie the game in the top of the sixth inning for UMary with one swing of the bat, as he went the distance for a grand slam. The Mavericks and Marauders traded runs in the remaining two innings and had the game tied 6-6 heading into extra innings. The Mavs were able to prevail in the bottom of the 10th inning as junior catcher Mikey Fredrickson scored the game-winning run on a balk. This means the pitcher moved illegally on the mound, and by rule, any runners on base are awarded the next base. Junior pitcher Kyle Nordby gained his first win of the season as he pitched two innings in relief and registered three strikeouts. The Mavericks return to action Mar. 30 taking on St. Cloud State in an afternoon double-header at Bowyer Field in Mankato. The Huskies come into Wednesday’s double-header with a 13-9 overall record and 5-3 in NSIC play. The Mavericks lead the all-time record between the two clubs at 24-21 including a 10-8 home record. Redshirt-junior infielder and pitcher Sam Riola leads the Huskies’ bats this season with a consistent .361 batting average and has seven homeruns on the season, including 30 hits. Redshirt-sophomore infielder Tate Wallat will also be a hitter to watch as the Federal Way, Wash. native owns a .325 batting average and has 21 runs this season. Senior Nick Brauns leads the Huskies’ pitching crew this season with 2.03 earned run average and has allowed four runs through two games pitched. Redshirt-freshman Luke Tupy has also made a name for himself this season posting a 2-0 record while tallying 34 strikeouts so far. Minnesota State will take on St. Cloud State in a Wednesday afternoon double-header at Bowyer Field in Mankato. Start-times are set for 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

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Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Sports

Fiala scores in OT to send Wild to 3-2 win over Avalanche

MSU Reporter • 13

Familiar Four prove NCAA tourney is not ‘Hoosiers’

CHRIS SZAGOLA • Associated Press

North Carolina’s Leaky Black celebrates after North Carolina won a college basketball game against St. Peter’s in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA tournament, Sunday, March 27, 2022, in Philadelphia.

By JIM LITKE

Associated Press

STACY BENGS • Associated Press

Minnesota Wild left wing Kevin Fiala (22) reacts with right wing Mats Zuccarello (36) after scoring the game winning goal in overtime against the Colorado Avalanche during an NHL hockey game March 27.

By BRIAN HALL Associated Press

Kevin Fiala scored 15 seconds into overtime to send the Minnesota Wild to a 3-2 win over the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche on Sunday night for their sixth straight victory. Kirill Kaprizov and Ryan Hartman also scored for Minnesota, which is the only team this season with at least three six-game winning streaks. Hartman’s tying goal with 5:27 left in regulation sent the game into overtime. Cam Talbot made 40 saves for Minnesota, extending his own personal win streak to six games. “You look forward to these game,” Talbot said. “The way we’ve been playing and where they are in the standings, you kind of had this one circled. It’s a good measuring stick, especially after we’ve been rolling here pretty well lately and we need some points in our division. “These are big games right now and there’s no bigger game than against the No. 1 team in the league.” The Wild trail Central-leading Colorado by 14 points in the division, but extended their advantage for second place over Nashville to four points. St. Louis is five points behind Minnesota. “If you want to get to the Stanley Cup Final, you have to go through them,”

HOCKEY from page 10 in the contest. It was a battle of who could play better defense, which the Mavericks won with the help of McKay’s 23-save shutout. A third-period scramble in front of the MSU net after a shot rang off the post would be the closest the Fighting Irish would get to getting past McK

Fiala said. “So, we don’t really care how many points they have. We can beat anybody and that’s what we know, not just think. It was just a good test for us and now we can keep going forward.” Nazem Kadri and Mikko Rantanen scored in the third period for the Avalanche, who had won five of their previous six. Colorado, which leads the league in points, wins and point percentage, won the first two meetings in Denver this season. Darcy Kuemper, the former Minnesota draft pick who spent his first five NHL seasons with the team, stopped 27 shots. “I like the way our team played,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “I liked it a lot. I thought it was a good hockey game. I thought our checking game was really good, didn’t give up a lot against a dangerous offensive team.” A matchup between two of the top-three teams in goals per game had a playoff-type feel, but lacked explosive offense until the third. Minnesota went more than 10 minutes of game clock between the first and second periods without a shot, but opened the scoring in the second on the power play. Jared Spurgeon saved the puck at the blue line to keep the Wild in the zone. Ryan Hartman eventually skated around the back of the net and passed

ay, but the senior netminder stood tall to claim his 10th shutout of the season. The shutout extended his NCAA Division I men’s shutout record to 34 and NCAA Division I men’s single-season victories record to 37. One sentence explained the Notre Dame game, as Hastings stated postgame, “That’s a regional final game, as far as how

to Kaprizov, who was crashing the net and fit a shot in a small spot between Kuemper and the post. Linemate Mats Zuccarello had three assists Sunday and has two goals and 12 assists in his past 12 games. Colorado hadn’t allowed a goal in 22 straight penalty-kill situations. Talbot, whose struggles in February and early March led Minnesota to trade for Marc-Andre Fleury at the deadline, stood strong as the Avalanche controlled play. Colorado outshot the Wild 28-14 through two periods and 42-29 for the game. Talbot has allowed seven goals in his past five starts. “Everybody talks about games being playoff atmosphere, but that truly was,” Minnesota coach Dean Evason said. Kadri finally beat Talbot 6:21 into the third for his 26th goal. Kadri’s faceoff win started a power play and led to Rantanen’s 33rd goal less than four minutes later. “I think we outplayed them most of the game,” Rantanen said. “We had a lot of chances in the first two that we didn’t capitalize. We couldn’t do it and then we fight back and they get one goal in the final five and two power-play goals. I don’t know if you look at those penalties. If I comment too much I will be in big trouble, so I’m not going to say anything.”

hard it was on both sides.” The Mavericks’ head coach went on to say, “We’re happy to be going to Boston. It was a goal of this group since day one. We’re excited.” Minnesota State’s Frozen Four game against Minnesota is slated for 7:30 p.m. on Apr. 7, and the championship awaits the winner on Apr. 9 at 7 p.m.

For all the talk of college basketball’s brave new world, it suddenly looks a lot like the old one. So anyone asking why the same dozen programs are still playing musical chairs at the Final Four every year — Duke, North Carolina, Kansas and Villanova this time around — would do well to recall how Willie Sutton answered the feds when they asked why he kept robbing banks: “Because that’s where the money is.” Grit and gumption are great, but as the Saint Peter’s Peacocks were reminded in a hurry Sunday, they take you only so far. Yes, the Peacocks beat long odds and three bigger, much better-funded programs to book their Elite Eight spot opposite North Carolina. But the NCAA Tournament is nothing like the movie “Hoosiers.” The Peacocks fell behind 7-0 after less than three minutes, 21-7 a few minutes after that and 69-49 when the final buzzer mercifully ushered them off the court. “They hang their hat on punching teams in the mouth, being the underdog, that kind of thing,” North

Carolina’s Leaky Black said. “We just had to let them know it wasn’t going to happen tonight.” Or maybe ever. College basketball’s powers that be, dragged into court and facing the threat of even more lawsuits, spent the last decade paying lip service to the idea of leveling the playing field. Because of the chaos wrought by the pandemic, players were granted an extra year of eligibility. And because of the transfer portal — a rough equivalent of free agency — more players than ever switched programs in the past few years. All that movement should have benefitted mid-major programs, which recruit second-tier players and keep them longer, hoping that experience and teamwork can make up what they lack in talent and resources. Occasionally it does, mostly during the regular season and every so often, in the early rounds of the tournament. But as the games pile up, it’s not just the tough who get going, the talented ones do, too. The rosters at Duke, North Carolina and Kansas are loaded with the kind of prospects, practice facilities and support staffs that would turn any NBA G League team green with envy.

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14 • MSU Reporter

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

VARIETY

Hend Al-Mansour’s powerful feminine art By EMMA JOHNSON • Variety Editor Art allows people to connect with the most vulnerable parts of themselves and to fully express themselves. Minnesota artist Hend Al-Mansour’s upcoming exhibition at the 410 Project in downtown Mankato allowed her to do just that. Al-Mansour found out that she was compelled to make art at a very young age and as she grew up, her passion for art did too. “I was inclined towards art when I was a child and that continued with me as I made art all the time,” said Al-Mansour. “I was born with the desire to make art.” Al-Mansour uses a variety of patterns in her artwork. Her favorite type of art is creating and designing lines, such as contour drawings of humans. While she started by drawing and painting, she later shifted over to installation pieces with raw canvas and burlap. “I started to paint inside the lines with watercolors and acrylics and oils and played with all these mediums. Later on, I gravitated towards… making prints and covering them with fabric which is another use of lines,” said Al-Mansour. “The skills with lines are versatile.” Born and raised in Saudi Arabia, Al-Mansour’s inspiration comes from Islamic art. Al-Mansour’s physical inspiration comes from Sadu, woven tent designs, and Qatt, a type of mural making; both art styles specifically created by women. She finds spiritual inspiration from celebrating the power of women. “I tend to go back and study about powerful women in Islam and goddesses and the positive images of the feminine and bring it to today’s life,” shared Al-Mansour. “Coming from Saudi Arabia, I felt the oppression first hand and women’s oppression. Where I came from, it was intolerable which is why I left.” One of Al-Mansour’s favorite pieces that will be displayed in the gallery is called “Khadijah,” a blue and gold piece that represents the prophet Muhammad’s first wife pregnant with their daughter, Fatima. The piece is what is commonly seen in mosques and other Islamic mo-

Courtesy photos

St. Paul artist Hend Al-Mansour will be displaying her exhibit of prints and paintings at the 410 Project from April 1 through April 16. Most of her artwork is inspired by Saudi Arabian art styles and the power of femininity from ancient Islamic women whom she considers role models.

“I want viewers to empathize and identify with women of color, especially ArabAmerican women and feel the comradery.” Artist Hend Al-Mansour on what she wishes viewers get from the show saics. Both Khadijah and Fatima are role models to Al-Mansour. “In my opinion, without [Khadijah], there would be no Islam, no religion. She was a great support to [Muhammad] and a wise woman who was very generous,” shared Al-Mansour. “They are very pow-

erful and they were leaders to their community.” Coming from St. Paul, Al-Mansour was drawn to exhibiting her art at the 410 Project as she’s never displayed her work in Southern Minnesota before. “I’ve been to Mankato a few times,

but I’ve never interacted with a Mankato crowd, so I’m very excited to see how they will receive me and how I will interact with them,” shared Al-Mansour. “I like to meet audiences and it’s an opportunity [to meet] new people.” ARTWORK on page 15 

WOW events bring summer fun to MSU’s cold campus By SYD BERGGREN • Staff Writer After a winter full of cold temperatures, Minnesota State University, Mankato’s What’s On Wednesday events this week are focused on bringing students together through both games and art. First, the Stadium Heights residence community is doing their annual Dome Night, a night full of games and fun hosted in the Mavericks All Sports Dome. Community Advisor Susan Simonis mentioned the event is a way to let students experience more of MSU’s campus. “We have been doing this event since the dome opened as a way to get students to see the facility and all it has to offer,” said Simonis. The Stadium Heights residential life staff have worked with the dome staff to provide frisbees, soccer balls, and footballs. They will also have bean bag toss and spikeball out for students to participate in along with a planned kickball game. “We usually have a large number of students who want to play kickball, so we will coordinate a game of that,” mentioned Simonis. The Stadium Heights WOW will run from 7:30 to

MADDIE BEHRENS • The Reporter

Julia Sears (above) is hosting a Bob Ross paint event for WOW.

9:30 p.m. on Wednesday night. Games and refreshments will be provided at the field farthest from the dome entrance. Meanwhile, the Julia Sears residence community is putting on a Bob Ross themed painting night. There will be screens set up in the Julia Sears lobby playing some of

Bob Ross’ famed painting videos. Canvases and paint will be provided for residents to follow along or to create their own portraits. Refreshments will be served at this event too. “We will be providing them with snacks and drinks to enjoy while they paint,” said CA and WOW lead Elizabeth Sazma. “Snacks will include juice boxes, chips, and candy.” The Julia Sears WOW is occurring from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the lobby of the residence hall. For more summer action, the McElroy and Preska residence communities are teaming up to create a volleyball tournament in the Myers Field House. Community Advisor and WOW lead Mikayla Witter explained the event was supposed to be held outside but, due to the weather, they had to switch locations. “Ideally, we wanted it outdoors, but with the colder weather right now we’d rather be safe than sorry,” said Witter. The tournament will run bracket style, with residents free to choose their teams. Both residence communities will be facing off in the end for the ultimate winner. WOW on page 15 

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Variety

Academy condemns Will Smith’s actions after Chris Rock slap

MSU Reporter • 15

Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins dead at 50

AL WAGNER • Associated Press

Taylor Hawkins, the longtime drummer for the rock band Foo Fighters, has died, according to reports, Friday, March 25, 2022. He was 50. The investigations on his cause of death are still continuing.

By ANDREW DALTON

Associated Press CHRIS PIZZELLO • Associated Press

Will Smith, right, hits presenter Chris Rock on stage while presenting the award for best documentary feature at the Oscars. The event occured after Rock’s joke directed at Jada Pinkett Smith who suffers from alopecia.

By JAKE COYLE The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Monday condemned the actions of Will Smith during Sunday night’s Oscars and launched an inquiry into his slapping of presenter Chris Rock. In a statement Monday, the film academy said: “The Academy condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last night’s show. We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our bylaws, standards of conduct and California law.” The fallout from Smith’s onstage assault continued Monday, as Hollywood and the public continued to wrestle with a moment that stunned the Dolby Theatre crowd and viewers at home, and may have passed all others — even that gold-standard flub, EnvelopeGate — in Academy Awards infamy. Smith stunned the Dolby Theatre crowd and viewers at home when he took the stage

during Rock’s remarks after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, Smith’s wife. Rock said, “Jada, I love you. ‘G.I. Jane 2,’ can’t wait to see it.” The joke touched a nerve. Pinkett Smith, whose head is shaved, has spoken publicly about her alopecia diagnosis. Smith strode on stage and slapped Rock across the face. Back in his seat, Smith twice shouted for Rock to “get my wife’s name out your (expletive) mouth.” His words echoed clearly throughout the Dolby, though ABC cut the audio for about 15 seconds. Within an hour, Smith won best actor. During his acceptance speech, Smith apologized to the academy. After the show Sunday night, the academy posted a statement condemning violence. The Los Angeles Police Department said Sunday it was aware of the incident but not pursuing an investigation because the person involved declined to file a police report. Some academy members, like writer-producer Marshall Herskovitz, called for the academy to take disciplinary action

against Smith. “He disgraced our entire community tonight,” wrote Herskovitz on Twitter. Whoopi Goldberg, a member of the Academy’s board of governors, said Monday on “The View”: “We’re not going to take that Oscar from him. There will be consequences, I’m sure.” A sense of disbelief hung in the air at the Dolby Theatre after Smith’s assault, and it didn’t dissipate Monday. Not only was it a hard-tofathom break with decorum on live national television — an incident so dramatic, even movie-like, that many initially assumed it was a staged bit — it seemed wildly out of character for one of Hollywood’s most relentlessly upbeat stars. All of this less than an hour before Smith reached possibly the climactic moment of his career, winning his first Oscar, for best actor. Some questioned whether Smith should have been allowed to continue to sit front and center after smacking Rock. The joke that provoked Smith was not part of Rock’s routine during the rehearsals.

ARTWORK from page 14 Al-Mansour hopes that viewers of her gallery will gain a sense of unity and understanding through her artwork. “I want viewers to empathize and identify with women

of color, especially Arab-American women and feel the comradery between women everywhere in their calling,” shared Al-Mansour. “I want men and other audiences to recognize and make

them think about other people and other cultures as equal.” Hend Al-Mansour’s painting and prints exhibition opens April 1 and will be open at the 410 Project through April 16.

Associated Press

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WOW from page 14 “We will have prizes for the winning team which will be giftcards,” said Witter. “For snacks, we’ll be doing fruit snacks, gatorade and granola bars.” There will be CAs in both 

lobbies at 6:50 and 7:10 to walk over to Myers Field House with residents, but they are also welcome to walk over themselves at any point after 6:50. The event will run from approximately 7 to 8 p.m. Lastly, for this week’s

WOW, the Crawford residence community is hosting a Crawford Game Night in the lobby from 7 to 8 p.m. Games will be provided from the Crawford front desk, but residents are also encouraged to bring their own.

Taylor Hawkins, for 25 years the drummer for Foo Fighters and best friend of frontman Dave Grohl, has died during a South American tour with the rock band. He was 50. There were few immediate details on how Hawkins died, although the band said in a statement Friday that his death was a “tragic and untimely loss.” Colombia’s Prosecutor’s Office released a statement Saturday saying toxicological tests on urine from Hawkins’ body preliminarily found 10 psychoactive substances and medicines, including marijuana, opioids, tricyclic antidepressants and benzodiazepines. It did not provide a cause of death and investigations are continuing. Foo Fighters had been scheduled to play at a festival in Bogota, Colombia, on Friday night. Hawkins’ final concert was Sunday at another festival in San Isidro, Argentina. “His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever,” said a message on the band’s official Twitter account that was also emailed to reporters. “Our hearts go out to his wife, children and family.” The Bogota municipal government issued a statement Saturday that the city’s emergency center had received a report of a patient with “chest pain” and sent an ambulance, though a private ambulance had already arrived at the hotel

in northern Bogota. Health workers tried to revive him, but were unable to do so. “It was a band I grew up with. This leaves me empty,” Juan Sebastian Anchique, 23, told The Associated Press as he mourned Hawkins outside the hotel. The U.S. Embassy in Bogota also expressed its condolences in a tweet. After Grohl, Hawkins was the most recognizable member of the group, appearing alongside the lead singer in interviews and playing prominent, usually comic, roles in the band’s memorable videos and their recent horror-comedy film, “Studio 666.” Hawkins was Alanis Morissette’s touring drummer when he joined Foo Fighters in 1997. He played on the band’s biggest albums including “One by One” and “In Your Honor,” and on hit singles like “Best of You.” In Grohl’s 2021 book “The Storyteller,” he called Hawkins his “brother from another mother, my best friend, a man for whom I would take a bullet.” “Upon first meeting, our bond was immediate, and we grew closer with every day, every song, every note that we ever played together,” Grohl wrote. “We are absolutely meant to be, and I am grateful that we found each other in this lifetime.” It’s the second time Grohl has experienced the death of a close bandmate. Grohl was the drummer for Nirvana when Kurt Cobain died in 1994.

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16 • MSU Reporter

Tuesday, March 29, 2022