October 13, 2023 by The Wichitan and Wai Kun

October 13, 2023

Vol. 88 No. 3

ALLIANCE SOARS ON

Nationally ranked soccer on page 7

2 October 13, 2023

SGA SHIFTS TO LEGISLATIVE GROUPS CECIL WITHERSPOON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF he Student Government Association closed its second student senate meeting of the semester with a new, more inclusive look for the legislative process. As the meeting wound down during the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 3, senators gathered into “breakout groups” to discuss what issues they felt might need to be addressed with legislation. Senators from colleges formed one group, while student organization representatives filled out the rest of the groups. SGA President and political science senior Zetta Cannedy said that previously, the cabinet and executives handled drafting legislation. Now, the legislative branch has a chance to take the lead. “One thing we’re introducing back to student government this year is legislative committees,” Cannedy said, adding, “Basically what they do is we give them freedom to address whatever problem they see on campus, and they’re expected to produce one piece of legislation per semester.” Sigma Tau Delta senator and English education senior Tiffany Nguyen said the group discussion format allows students to share and refine their ideas without the pressure of attempting to create legislation on their own. “I really appreciate it because it helps a lot

of new senators such as me kind of develop new legislations and get an idea of it without completely going off on our own,” Nguyen said, later adding “It is very intimidating to have one individual create their own idea and explain their idea. And with a collaborative group they’re able to discuss more, gain more ideas and perspectives when formatting this legislation.” Cannedy said the groups discussed topics like adding a fall break, bringing in worldwide career readiness studies, stocking menstrual products in dorm bathrooms and adding more vending machines on campus. She added that having senators draft legislation allows for a broader spectrum of perspectives. “Generally only executives or cabinet members have written legislation, and that’s not really fair for like 15 people to be speaking for the whole student body, especially when we have senators that are supposed to represent every little facet of our student population,” Cannedy said. Accompanying the new format is a new speaker of the senate, music education junior and Fain College senator Gage Oliver. Oliver said part of the reason he hoped to be speaker was to keep order in how the senate operates. “I also really just wanted to be Speaker of the Senate because, really, honestly I spoke about it in the meeting, I think the rules and

PHOTO BY CECIL WITHERSPOON | THE WICHITAN

Students work in groups to address school-related issues and draft legislation, Oct. 3.

Vol. 88 | No. 3 Midwestern State University Fain Fine Arts Bldg., Room D201 3410 Taft Blvd. | Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 (940) 397-4704 wichitan@msutexas.edu | thewichitan.com @wichitanonline

how things are run are very important to keep things flowing, and that’s just something I’m really passionate about,” Oliver said, adding, “If those rules aren’t enforced then our senators can’t properly do their job, which means we’re also taking a voice from our students.” Oliver added that the new format of legislating helps students not get too stressed, which aids in running things in an orderly fashion. “We had those small breakout sessions and

committees just to give groups of students the ability to work together and collaborate so that a single student isn’t put with all that stress. That’s where the bulk of our work actually comes from is those legislative breakout sessions, because they give students the opportunity to actually implement what their constituents need,” Oliver said. The next student senate meeting will be Oct. 17 in BAC Lone Star.

PHOTO BY CECIL WITHERSPOON | THE WICHITAN

SGA President and political science senior Zetta Cannedy talks to Associate Vice President and Dean of student affairs Matt Park, Oct. 3.

PHOTO BY CECIL WITHERSPOON | THE WICHITAN

Students from various organizations engage in discussions about the current issues at MSU, Oct. 3.

Editor-in-Chief: Cecil Witherspoon Design Editor: Emily Copeland Photography Editor: Stephanie Garcia Business Manager: Tiffany Haggard Social Media Manager: Rebekah Gardner Issue Staff: George Svoboda, Sam Difiore, Abby Turner, Gabbi Enriquez, Sabrina Harrison, Raudel Zamudio Advisor: Jonathon Quam

Copyright ©2023. First copy free. Additional copies $1.00 each. The Wichitan is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press. The Wichitan reserves the right to edit any material submitted for publication. Opinions expressed in The Wichitan do not necessarily reflect those of the students, staff, faculty, administration or Board of Regents of Midwestern State University. The Wichitan welcomes letters of opinion from students, faculty and staff submitted by the Friday before intended publication. Letters should be brief (250 words or fewer) and without abusive language or personal attacks. Letters must be typed and signed by the writer and include an email address, telephone number and address.

October 13, 2023

ESTUDIANTE DE DACA VIVE A FUERA DE LAS SOMBRAS EMILY COPELAND REPORTER ariana Vela recuerda una camioneta roja y llorar por su madre. Ella tenía solo dos años cuando vino a Estados Unidos. Pero ahora, ella tiene que luchar por su derecho a estar aquí, en el único hogar que ha conocido. Vela, estudiante de comunicación de masas del cuarto año, es una de los 578,780 beneficiarios de DACA, o “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals''. DACA es un reglamento de inmigración que permite a algunas personas que han sido traídos al país cuando eran niños, recibir un permiso renovable de dos años de acción diferida de deportación y ser elegible para obtener un documento de autorización de empleo. “Yo pago impuestos como todos los americanos” dijo Vela. “No es algo fácil de obtener.” Para ser considerado elegible para DACA, hay varios requisitos. Además de ser menores de cierta edad, tanto ahora como cuando entraron en el país, los solicitantes deben estar graduados o matriculados en la escuela o haber sido dados de baja con honores del ejército de los Estados Unidos. Tampoco pueden haber sido condenados por un delito grave, un delito menor significativo, varios delitos menores o suponer una amenaza para la seguridad pública o nacional. Si se encontraran con algún problema legal, se

arriesgarían a que se rescindiera su DACA y a la amenaza de deportación. De acuerdo con la página de la organización “United We Dream”, además de los muchos criterios que se deben cumplir, los solicitantes también tienen que pagar una elevada tarifa, cuya renovación asciende este año a $495 dólares. Y eso sin contar con un asesor jurídico que se asegure de que la documentación que se presenta sea correcta. "No todos somos delincuentes", dijo Vela. "No estamos aquí sólo para reproducirnos y aprovecharnos de los beneficios". Vela recibió su número de la seguridad social y el derecho a solicitar la licencia de conducir cuando tenía diecisiete años. Desde entonces ha tenido varios empleos, ha trabajado para obtener su título e incluso ha sido ascendida a supervisora en su trabajo. Es una hija, una compañera de clase, una compañera de trabajo, una amiga, pero aun así, dijo que vive con miedo. Durante la administración de Donald Trump, cuando DACA fue rescindido, Vela estaba en su primer semestre de universidad. Ella dijo que recuerda el día como si fuera ayer, esperando ansiosamente los resultados de la audiencia. "Saqué Twitter porque pensé ‘Oh, necesito saber qué está pasando’ y estaba en todas partes que DACA

había sido rescindido y cuáles eran los próximos pasos. Empecé a llorar y tuve que correr al baño porque mi primer pensamiento fue mis padres. Sus sacrificios al venir a Estados Unidos fueron arrancados. Renunciaron a todo para darnos todo, o incluso solo una pequeña parte de algo." Mientras que esa rescisión no se mantuvo, múltiples apelaciones y demandas desde entonces han pedido poner fin a DACA. Cada uno, trayendo un poco más de miedo en las vidas de las personas que lo reciben y aquellos que los conocen y cuidan. Tan reciente como el 13 de Septiembre de este año, cuando un juez federal del Distrito Sur de Texas dictaminó que DACA era ilegal, las sentencias de nuevos casos apenas sorprenden a Vela. "Sólo quiero terminar mi carrera en este momento", dijo Vela, añadiendo que eventualmente buscaría la ciudadanía. "Pero eso viene con su propio conjunto de complicaciones", explicó. “Me alegro de poder llevar una vida seminormal, a diferencia de tantos indocumentados que tienen que vivir en la sombra.” Mientras que MSU no ofrece un programa de este tipo, las universidades de todo el país, incluyendo la Universidad de California, Berkeley, la Universidad Estatal de Arizona, la Universidad Atlántica de Florida y la Universidad Estatal de Ohio están

PHOTO BY SAM DIFIORE | THE WICHITAN

Mariana Vela posa para una fotografía, Oct. 11. ofreciendo recursos y capacitación a los estudiantes interesados en ser un aliado de los beneficiarios de DACA. Se pueden encontrar

recursos en línea para cualquier persona interesada en aprender cómo apoyar a estos compañeros.

SPANISH CLUB, LOS MUERTOS TEAM UP FOR LOTERIA SABRINA HARRISON REPORTER he Spanish Club collaborated with Los Muertos to hold a loteria night on Thursday at the Sikes Lake Center. The loteria was held as a community outreach event for both groups. The event was buzzing with life as people from all over the community talked, ate and listened to upbeat music as they played to win prizes donated by Los Muertos. Los Muertos was an event created seven years ago in order to celebrate and showcase the art and culture of the Hispanic community, as well as educate those in the community who may not understand the cultural significance of Días de Las Muertos. They do this through

PHOTO BY SAM DIFIORE | THE WICHITAN

Community members and students come together for an evening of playing lotería, Oct. 12.

small outreach events like the Loteria Night held as well as their main event which is held the last weekend of October every year. On Oct. 28, Los Muertos will hold their sixth annual event which will include a colorful showcase of music, dance, and culture. There will be different booths from local businesses and artists that people can shop at as well as different food and different drink options. Though the fun, upbeat atmosphere of Loteria Night may lead someone to believe that Los Muertos is just a giant party, it is much more. One of the founders of Los Muertos, Alicia Duran, said, “We don’t just want to throw a party, we want it to be authentic as possible.” She explained the different ways

Los Muertos works to educate the population about Dia De Los Muertos, including holding workshops about the different parts of the holiday. One of the newest workshops is the Catrina Workshop that will be happening this Sunday at Backdoor Theater. In this workshop, people will be learning about both the traditional and commercialized skeleton that is synonymous with El Dia De Los Muertos. Duran maintained that the goal of Los Muertos is to provide a cultural experience that anyone can learn from. “That’s the purpose, to put yourself in a situation or an environment where you’re learning something different,” said Duran.

4 October 13, 2023

ITAF-MSU ALLIANCE SOARS ON GEORGE SVOBODA REPORTER or 40 years, MSU and Sheppard Air Force Base have partnered with NATO to provide English classes to NATO pilots, including the Italian Air Force. The ITAF held an exhibition celebrating its centennial in the Clark Student Center from Oct. 2 to Oct. 6, with a presentation showcasing ItalianAmerican friendship on Oct. 6. The ITAF sends 34 pilots to Sheppard for the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program annually. Each of these pilots comes through MSU for a seven-week-long English program where they learn aviation terminology. Mauro Lorenzini, the Console General of Italy in Houston, visited MSU for the exhibition and presentation and spoke about the relationship between the U.S. and Italy. “So it was thought as a way to establish a partnership between all the pilots of the alliance in a way that they can operate, like, in an integrated manner. And still today, I mean this experiment, as shown, it’s important. Still today, 50% of Italian pilots, they come to train here at the Sheppard base,” Lorenzini said. “I would like the audience to hear about the relationship between the U.S. and Italy. This relationship, this bilateral relationship, is really the strongest we have with another country. It’s a historic one, and it’s a strategic one, but it’s also about friendship,” he added. The Global Education Office, headed by Michael Mills, is responsible for the Intensive English Language Institute. The GEO employs certified instructors to teach NATO pilots

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN

Members of Italian Air Force stand in honor of the Italian national anthem, Oct. 6. English. The GEO also works to immerse international pilots in American culture. Mills said introducing pilots to local events helps with immersion. “Then, as part of those classes, we encour-

PHOTO BY CECIL WITHERSPOON | THE WICHITAN

Mass communication junior Stephen Parr practices using a flight simulator in CSC Commanche Friday, Oct. 6.

age them to participate in things like trivia night, local restaurants, because we feel like that helps additional language training, and also getting to know Wichita Falls and the local community,” Mills said.

Colonel Andrea Cerri is in charge of the ITAF personnel on Sheppard AFB. He is an experienced pilot who completed the GEO’s language program in 2001. “It has been really good. The partnership with MSU was really, really good. I also have been a part of this experience myself twice. So it was good. And when I came first time as a student, I think half of this campus was not here,” Cerri said. For many pilots, training in Wichita Falls is their first experience in the U.S. Cerri said many pilots experience culture shock upon arrival. “So they’re kind of amazed when they depart Italy; they don’t know what to expect. We tell them it’s in Texas, we tell them about cowboys and stuff, so some of them come with an idea which is more wild than what it is,” Cerri said. Cardboard cutouts displaying every major historical event in ITAF history from 19232023 covered the CSC atrium, while pilots set up a VR flight simulator where participants flew a plane using the same equipment, skills and techniques professionals use. Cerri gave a presentation in BAC Lonestar about the alliance between NATO nations, explicitly focusing on the United States and Italy. All of the events served as a reminder to the campus community of the ties between MSU and the pilots. The ITAF ended its weeklong exhibition by flying fighter jets over MSU’s promenade, further solidifying the partnership between the ITAF, Sheppard and MSU.

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN

The Italian Air Force performs a flyover above Jesse Rogers Promenade, Oct. 6.

October 13, 2023

ALUM SPEAKS ON STUDENT ORGS, WOMEN IN ENGINEERING GEORGE SVOBODA REPORTER imberley Telemacque is an MSU alumnus and Global Ambassador for the Society of Women Engineers. Since graduating, Telemacque’s career has made her a world traveler, moving from Texas to Florida, Florida to Indiana and finally from Indiana to the United Kingdom. Telemacque graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from MSU in 2020. In her freshman year, she learned about SWE and quickly joined. She began working for Cummins Inc., where her manager encouraged her to take a leadership role in SWE. “All the females on the team, she ensured that we were part of SWE, and encouraged us to all of the virtual conferences because you learn so much, that you have so many opportunities out there. You get to advocate; you get to support women instead, women in places like you,” Telemacque said. Telemacque said she wants women to know that the engineering field is a safe space and they should not be intimidated. She said that she is frequently the only woman in the room or the Zoom meeting, but she’s used to it now.

“It’s almost like a norm now. That the same qualifications a man can have in the engineering field, a woman can have the exact same qualifications as well. Same skills, same thing we can bring to the team, so I feel very comfortable in the position that I’m at in engineering… As a woman, you don’t see a lot of other women in those spaces, but you know they’re out there,” Telemacque said. SWE is based in the United States but has global ambassadors like Telemacque in several countries, including India, China and Germany. Global ambassadors work with women across the world to inspire and aid them in joining the engineering field. Ambassadors help develop their mentees’ passions and skills so they can find a career they enjoy. Telemacque participated in a panel with other global ambassadors and advised newer members about what a mentor can do to help them. She spoke about how women must speak up and make their presence known if they feel unheard, and how a mentor can help. She said she is concerned that many college students never join an organization or club, closing off opportunities for the rest of their lives. “I would advise our MSU students to not just join any club, but to have a

purpose. Know what an organization supports. Know if your abilities and your values align with that,” Telemacque said. Telemacque said she believes students should join organizations and rise to bring those behind them along. “For me, I feel like it is my purpose to let other students know like, ‘Hey, don’t take these things for granted,’” Telemacque said. Telemacque’s involvement in SWE sent her worldwide to conferences, panels and jobs she would not otherwise have considered. MSU has various clubs and organizations for all majors and interests. According to Telemacque, it never hurts to consider joining an organization, as it could open up opportunities students may have never had before. “You can be the change that you want to see in the world. Make it start with you,” Telemacque said. Students interested in joining an organization can visit the student involvement section of the MSU website, and students interested specifically in the Society of Women Engineers can contact the organization at swe. mwsutexas@gmail.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF KIMBERLEY TELAMACQUE

Kimberley Telemacque delivers a speech encouraging women to pursue their passions and join organizations like Society of Women Engineers, June 2023.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KIMBERLEY TELAMACQUE

Kimberly Telemacque continues to advocate for students to get involved on campus even after graduating, Feb. 3.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KIMBERLEY TELAMACQUE

Kimberley Telemacque, far right, an MSU graduate, advocates for all students to engage in clubs and organizations, as they can open up numerous opportunities, June 2023.

6 October 13, 2023

HOOD'S HYPOTHETICAL LAST LECTURE CECIL WITHERSPOON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF year is a quarter of college for most students; four years is the complete experience. But there’s another side to that timeframe; there are those whose college experiences stretch from four years to six, eight or more, and from there into decades. Jeff Hood has taught mathematics for over 20 years. In that time, he has interacted with hundreds of students. While Hood has stayed steady in one place at a time for most of that timeframe, his students have come and gone, rarely staying in his life for more than four years at a time. Hood spoke Tuesday, Oct. 3, about the brief intersections he experiences with students before they part ways. True to form, he described the phenomena with a mathematical term: tangents, or the point where two lines briefly touch before parting ways. Hood said he tries to focus on making sure students get what they need rather than what he thinks might be best. “I’ve been teaching for over 20 years. And when you teach, you gotta remember, you gotta constantly remind yourself that it’s about the students. It’s not about me, it’s not about what I want. It’s about what they need, what they want,” Hood said. In keeping with the theme of prioritizing students, Hood’s talk conveyed what he thought students have taken from his classes as they went out into the world to pursue their goals.

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN

Students, faculty and attendees come together for the Last Lecture Series "Tangents: The Connections We Make" with Jeff Hood, Oct. 3. “From their own perspective, they’ve taken what I’ve been able to give them and what all of our faculty have been able to give them and they’ve done what they wanted to do. And so honestly, if you can say that at the end of the day, you’ve probably done okay,” Hood said. The talk Hood gave was part of the Last Lectures series, which asks the speakers to prepare a hypothetical “last lecture” - what the speaker would want to present if they could only give one more talk in their life.

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN

Jeff Hood introduces himself to the audience, Oct. 3.

Hood said he chose his topic because he wanted to share how passionate he was about cherishing the time people have with each other. He added that teaching is a bittersweet experience, with the highs of imparting a lifetime of knowledge followed by the lows of saying goodbye. “It’s the most beautiful, profound thing to give someone what you’ve studied your entire life to have, and then they can do with it what-

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN

The audience listens as Jeff Hood shares his memories of the people who have left their mark on his life over the years, Oct. 3.

ever they want,” Hood said, adding, “All you can do is give it to them, and then they leave. And so it’s beautiful, it’s terrifying and it’s the dichotomy of being a teacher.” Around 60 people attended the lecture, comprised mostly of professors and students. Hood said he hoped people enjoyed the lecture and took away some meaning from it. “I hope it went okay. But the impression that I’m getting from the folks that I’ve talked to just since it finished is that they’ve enjoyed it, and I’m glad they did. Did I notice things that I could have done better? Yep! But I’m a perfectionist, and I think if I could do it a hundred times, would this have been the best one? No, but would it have been the worst one? Certainly not. So I’m happy with the talk, I’m happy with the turnout. I think a lot of people enjoyed it, and I hope that’s the case,” Hood said. Overall, Hood said sharing his expertise in mathematics with students for over two decades has been a deeply emotional and joyful experience because of the beauty he sees in the subject. “The perspective of math from the outside is that it’s hard. It’s logical, it’s cold and calculating. When you’re on the inside, it is a profoundly beautiful art. It’s a profoundly wondrous thing,” Hood said, later adding “Mathematics, the higher up you go, the less it becomes about numbers and calculation, and the more it becomes about truth, which is a profoundly beautiful thing. So, the higher up you go, the more you study it, the more artistic and the more open-hearted you become.”

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN

Jeff Hood discusses the profound influence students and individuals have had on shaping his life, Oct. 3.

October 13, 2023

No. 2 ranked Mustangs stay undefeated ABBY TURNER REPORTER ith an overall record of 11-0-1 and a conference record of 3-0, the MSU men's soccer team looks to hold on to its undefeated record and No. 2 ranking in the nation. Last season, the Mustangs finished 5th in the conference with an overall record of 13-6-3 and a conference record of 4-5-0. While the Mustangs did make it to the second round in playoffs, their run ended with a 1-0 loss to St. Mary’s. The team looks to bounce back from its short playoff run in the 2023 season. Master's Business Administration student and team captain Jack Larkin attributed the team’s success so far this year to the players' attitudes. “It’s not about being afraid of being great,” Larkin said. The team is not letting the title of being undefeated or their ranking in the nation distract them from the game they constantly show up to play. “Pressure is a privilege, and we just have to keep working hard every day and not taking any days off,” Larkin said. “Everyone accepts the pressure, but we all understand that we are here to keep the tradition going,” social work sophomore Conner Lewis added. With the team practicing 4-5 times a week, there is always room to improve individual skills. “Each practice is different with a different point of focus,” Lewis said. Since MSU hired Michael Meachum as head coach in 2018, the Mustangs have ranked in the top five of their conference every season. Business Management senior and forward Mere Escobar said maintaining that winning tradition is important to the team. “When you come to MSU, it’s expected, so it’s pretty much living up to it, and hopefully, we can continue to keep going strong,” senior forward Mere Escobar said. Marketing senior and middle fielder Daniel Yu echoed Escobar’s sentiment, and added that the team is constantly trying

to elevate its performance. “Coming to MSU, you always want to be the best, and I think it’s something we all wanted to do. We aren’t surprised by it, but every game, we are just trying to do better and be better,” Yu said. One factor the team attributes its success to is a strong team dynamic. Team bonding activities are one of the most common ways to build a solid foundation within a team. With most of the team having played during the 2022 season, the Mustangs already had a solid foundation to work with. Escobar said Meachum had been adamant from the beginning on continuing to build team unity. “Off the field, we had some pool parties and stuff, or our coach would host, so I think they definitely helped us play better as a team on the field,” Escobar said. Yu added that the activities have aided the team’s on-field chemistry. “We always have our team bondings, and I think it helps us to get along. The boys get along really well on the field and off the field. I feel like it shows we get along on the field,” Yu said. Throughout the team’s undefeated streak, the Mustangs have had some memorable victories. St. Mary’s beat the Mustangs in the playoffs last season, but in September the Mustangs had the opportunity to repay the favor. Lewis said getting revenge on St. Mary’s was his standout moment of the season so far. “My favorite memory from this year is going to St. Mary’s and beating them at their home field,” Lewis said. Larkin said a different road trip stood out to him. “I think the first win. It’s always nice to get off the mark with a win. So I think the first win up in Utah, especially since we were the away team and we had to fly up there, and it was a nice two days. I think that would have to be it,” Larkin said. Moving forward, Larkin said the team is taking nothing for granted, and treating each of its opponents equally. “I’m not going to say one and give them the big head, but I

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN

Midfielder Samuele Muroni (17) is congratulated by his teammates for scoring the game's first goal, Oct. 11.

think every team is decent, and every game is going to be difficult, especially since we are one of the better teams in it. I think they will play us better than anyone else,” Larkin said.

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN

At the end of the game, team members share hugs as the MSU men's soccer team remains undefeated, Oct. 11.

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN

Liam Pritchard (22) joins in with Jack Larkin (6) and Johan Juarez (24) to celebrate after netting the second goal of the game, Oct. 11.

8 October 13, 2023

“The Nightmare Before Christmas”: la única película de Halloween y Navidad RAUDEL A. ZAMUDIO REPORTER strenada en Octubre 29 de 1993 y creada por Disney, “Tim Burton 's The Nightmare Before Christmas” es perfecta para la ocasión. Aunque fue hecha en los primeros años de las animaciones tiene calidad comparable a las películas de hoy. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” empezó como una parodia hecha por Tim Burton de un poema famoso llamado “Twas the Night Before Christmas”. Disney vio poemas hechos por Tim Burton y decidieron hacer varias películas basadas en ellos, una siendo “The Nightmare Before Christmas”. Al principio somos introducidos a todos los personajes de Halloween-town y a Jack, quien es el protagonista de la historia. También nos explican que ninguno de los residentes es verdaderamente malvado, sino que simplemente les gusta asustar a la gente. Después de que todos glorifican a Jack por su trabajo durante Halloween, él le revela a la audiencia que

PHOTO CORTESIA DE WALT DISNEY

The Nightmare Before Christmas fue estrenada en 1993 por Touchstone Pictures.

está aburrido de Halloween porque es lo mismo cada año, y trata de huir de la ciudad para encontrar algo nuevo, Así encuentra Christmas-town, una ciudad llena de vida y felicidad, algo que Jack nunca ha visto. Jack regresa a Halloween-town y les dice a todos sobre lo que acaba de ver y trata de replicar la Navidad en su propia manera con la ayuda de los residentes en Halloween-town, causando problemas para las personas del mundo y a Papa Noel. La película fue hecha en un estilo de animación que requiere poner al personaje en una pose, tomar una fotografía, y luego posar al personaje nuevamente y así se repite hasta que la animación está completa. La película entera tiene 109,440 fotos diferentes, las imágenes pasan rápidamente haciendo que parezca un video fluido que solo dura una hora y 16 minutos. Gracias a la ayuda de Rick Heinrichs, quien es el director de la película, y también el creador de los modelos para los personajes originales, Shelley Daniels y Randy Dutra crearon las expresiones de los personajes en arcilla. Gracias a Mike Belzer y otros en el equipo los movimientos de los personajes son tan pequeños que hacen que la animación sea suave y fluya perfectamente. La iluminación y la cinematografía definen una película. Puedes tener la mejor película pero esto no importa si la película es muy oscura o si la cámara enseña las cosas incorrectas; o podrías tener una película triste pero la luz hace que parezca feliz. “The nightmare Before Christmas” tiene iluminación y cinematografía perfecta, cada luz, cada detalle, y cada movimiento de la cámara está calculado. La iluminación en Halloween town es muy oscura y gris, las plantas están muertas y no tienen hojas, exactamente como Halloween debería ser, pero cuando Jack va a Christmas-town es completamente lo contrario, el ambiente está lleno de luces de varios colores y todos están felices. Hay momentos en la película que te preguntas cómo tomaron fotos en ciertos ángulos y varias veces

PHOTO CORTESIA DE WALT DISNEY

Jack Skellington intenta asustar a los niños. hacen escenarios que van a usar simplemente para una sola serie de fotos y nunca más se repite, el ejemplo es Christmastown, el escenario no es usado más que unas pocas veces; pero los creadores decidieron hacer no solo el pueblo pero también diseñaron las montañas alrededor. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” tiene mucho para todos, como mensajes con los que gran parte de la audiencia puede identificarse pero no es perfecta. La película es genial, pero baja el ritmo cerca de la mitad debido a todas las canciones, luego se recupera al final cuando cambian el estilo y ritmo de música. Yo le daría a “The Nightmare Before Christmas” 4.5 estrellas de 5, si las canciones no sonaran tan similares no serían aburridas y le podría dar puntuación perfecta.

"False Witness" leaves questions KATELYNN WRIGHT REPORTER ooking for a law enforcement thriller? Look no further! Karin Slaughter's "False Witness" starts out with a bang in the most literal sense. Under the mask of a normal life as a lawyer, Leigh had a horrible childhood filled with sexual abuse and consequently a devastating act of violence that changed her life forever. When Leigh finds herself defending a man accused of rape, it is almost too much for her to bear and old secrets begin to bring themselves to the surface. "False Witness" is the ultimate thriller about sisterhood and some of the secrets they keep. "False Witness" is a reminder that not all wounds heal and relationships can be repaired

PHOTO COURTESY OF KARIN SLAUGHTER

Slaughter has written 24 novels, which have sold more than 40 million copies.

in the most dire of circumstances. There is no limit on how far family members will go to save one another, and this book proves to be no exception. The treatment of women and children in this book was appalling and it is sad that their bond is rebuilt because of experiencing more trauma. By the way that the book was written, you can tell that the author took into account recent events like the drug epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot of this book hinges on the fact that Leigh took on a client who is accused of rape whom she actually knew personally. As a lawyer, she had the right to refuse him as a client and the whole story probably would have been null.

The book flows beautifully and builds up in intensity up until the very last page. While some of the book is disagreeable, the good outweighs the bad because in the end, everyone gets want they hoped for or deserved. This is the third book that I've read by Karin Slaughter and I still continue to be impressed and will read more of her books in the future. Overall, Slaughter really knows how to tell a story, and she even made me shed tears over this novel. After reading it, "False Witness" leaves readers with a lingering question: how far would you go to keep a secret?

October 13, 2023

The new and improved FAFSA

ANNE AKPABIO REPORTER hange, as we know, is the only constant factor in our lives. This comes as no surprise because it is commonly reiterated within our society. There is no changing the fact that we cannot stop change, but instead must prepare or adapt. True reflection surrounding change should be centered around our preparedness for incumbent changes to our lives, our plans and our financial prospects. As students, one of the most important financial aspects of our lives in college is focused on funding our college experience. For most students, funding college is done through the assistance of financial aid in whatever way it may come. This is why discussing the changes that have been made to the financial aid process is of the utmost importance. This change in policy, alongside the others announced throughout this year, have created room for enlightenment on the path of students. A huge part of the growing pains that come with attaining a higher education degree is financial literacy and understanding the policies that can impact our finances.

The changes made to FAFSA for the school year starting July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 were passed by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022. The application process for the 2024-2025 school year will begin no sooner than December 2023 and must be submitted no later than June 30, 2025. The FAFSA form has five sections : Student, Student Spouse, Parent, Parent Spouse or Partner and Preparer. Considerable changes have been made to most of the sections within the form. One of the major changes expands eligibility for federal student aid. This includes more students being Pell Grant eligible and the grant formula being recalculated to make students eligible to receive more funding. The majority of the updates are about the filing and processing of financial aid. There will be fewer questions to answer on the form, dropping from 108 questions to 46 questions. Applications will also no longer grab information from the IRS without approval of the parties involved. If the parties do not consent, the student’s federal aid cannot be calculated; this is being enforced because of changes of the legislation created by the IRS. Also, students will

now have to identify their race or ethnic background; this data is collected only for the use of the Department of Education and will not affect students eligibility for funding. In the past, dependent students - students who have their parents involved in their financial aid process and are under the age of 24 and are single - used to pick a parent to file with based on who they lived with for the most months in the tax year. Now, dependent students will have to file with the parent who has provided the most financial support within the last tax year. Student can no longer claim additional siblings in college when filing, so the number in college will no longer impact Pell Grant eligibility. Finally the Family Contribution Section will now be called the Student Aid Index. Changes like this have been known to be made to FAFSA within the span of about five to twenty years. The changes made are to ensure that the filing process is user friendly and that students are getting the financial assistance they need.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ISTOCK

FAFSA's new rule changes are set to take effect in December.

The Wichitan’s Song of the Week:

“SWEET CHILD O' MINE”

JOEY ARTHUR REPORTER elcome back to this week’s edition of the Wichitan’s Song of the Week. This week’s pick is “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by American rock band Guns N’ Roses. Released June 21, 1988, as the ninth track of their debut studio album “Appetite for De-

PHOTO COURTESY OF GEFFEN RECORDS

Guns N' Roses released their debut studio album "Appetite for Destruction" in 1988.

struction," "Sweet Child O' Mine" is a love song for the band’s lead vocalist and lyricist, Axl Rose’s girlfriend Erin Everly. In the song, Axl Rose sings about his love and affection for his then girlfriend. Axl Rose utilizes poetry to express his deep affection for Erin Everly and even after their divorce, he is still very grateful for the song and her. During the song’s production, the band saw the potential for the song to be their greatest hit and centered their debut album around it. In the album, “Appetite for Destruction,” the band drew inspiration from previous rock legends like Aerosmith and the Rolling Stones, and “Sweet Child O’ Mine" is inspired by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Formed in Los Angeles, Guns N’ Roses is an American rock band that originally consisted of lead vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan, and drummer Steven Adler. The band now consists of guitarist Richard Fortus, drummer Frank Ferrer and keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Melissa Reese. The band is well known for several hits, including “Sweet Child O’ Mine” which has won several awards and nominations. In 1985, the band formed from the combination of two previous rock bands, Hollywood Rose and L.A. Guns. In 1984, Axl Rose, who was lead singer for the Hollywood Rose, merged L.A. Guns with his band after a fight with his manager led to him get-

ting fired. Following the formation of Guns N’ Roses, the band only did covers as they tried to finalize their lineup. On June 4, 1985, the band finalized its lineup with the addition of Adler and Slash. After the completion of the band’s lineup, they started to grow their name through impromptu tours, playing to the Hollywood club scene and focusing on their debut album. Their debut album was a huge success and gained them a spot in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Guns N Roses’s entire discography has always been heavily influenced by their passion for rock legends and their personal life and “Sweet Child O’ Mine” is a perfect blend of that discographic style. “Sweet Child O’ Mine” is my favorite song from Guns N’ Roses’s entire discography. In “Sweet Child O’ Mine” Axl Rose sings about the love he has for his former fiancée. The creation of the song began during one of the band’s practice sessions. Slash, the band’s lead guitarist, was playing one of his guitar warm ups to his fellow bandmates and Izzy Stadlin, obsessed with it, added some chords to the guitar warm up. Then, Duff McKagan added a bassline and finally, Adler added a beat and gave it a steady tempo. Axl Rose heard what the band came up with and it made him think of his at-the-time girlfriend, Erin Everly. At the same time, Axl Rose started to write lyrics for the song. He wrote the song for Erin, but he

wrote it so vaguely that anyone could present it to someone they loved and it would be heartfelt. His biggest hope for the song was that it would be a love song for the ages. “Sweet Child O’ Mine'' is a song about love and affection and all that comes with it, but it is also a caution and warning about falling in love. As stated in previous editions of the Song of the Week, lyricism is an important aspect of any song and Axl Rose understood that when writing “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” In the song, Rose utilizes storytelling, personal memories, metaphor and pathos to narrate his love for Erin Everly. My favorite lyric in the entire song is:

“She's got eyes of the bluest skies As if they thought of rain I'd hate to look into those eyes and see an ounce of pain Her hair reminds me of a warm safe place Where as a child I'd hide And pray for the thunder and the rain to quietly pass me by” Telling personal stories through music is a recurring theme in Guns N’ Roses’s discography. In “Sweet Child O’ Child,” they sing about the great joy of love and admiration. They created a song about their lead singer’s love for his girlfriend but a love song for everyone. The song is a great listen with a powerful message.