January 24, 2018 by The Wichitan and Wai Kun

Dining Director

Lasana O. Hotep, dean of Student Equity at Skyline College in San Bruno, California, speaks about his unique background as a scholar of African-American studies and the Black Freedom Movement in the United States to examine the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. He takes a look at key events of the past 50 years. Hotep provided insight and commentary through the lens of King’s teachings and activism in Akin Auditorium Monday.

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Kevin Chafins is the new director of dining services. His goal is to keep more students on campus through improved dining services.

PostSecret

Progress is a process: MLK’s legacy 50 years later 5 ALEX RIOS REPORTER

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Frank Warren discussed his 13 year long art project. He highlighted the power of secrets on people and relationships.

KA Blood Drive

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KA members urge students to donate blood. Those who donate will receive a free shirt.

0 years since the death of Martin Luther King Jr., Lasana O. Hotep, dean of Student Equity at Skyline College in San Bruno, California, delivered a lecture discussing economic injustice and King’s legacy in Akin Auditorium on Jan. 22. To begin, Hotep explained what he believes is the root of racism. “The foundation of racism is hatred and ignorance,” said Hotep. He then spoke about King’s achievements and how they have helped shape America, but also explained how America is nowhere near where it should be, partially because what he refers to as “economic exploitation.” Hotep said, “[Dr. King] was clear about the economic injustices perpetuated in this country.” Hotep referred to economic injustice across races, specifically white to black. He included statistics that showcased the different economic statuses of white and black people. Students voiced their favorite parts of the talk and parts they found most interesting. “I found a lot of things interesting. [Hotep] talks a lot about culture and Martin Luther King Jr. and how it’s heavily regarded that he fought for economic injustice rather than just social. A lot of the things that common

culture wants you to believe is that he fought for civil rights only. He fought for economic injustice.” RJ Saylor, accounting sophomore, said. Other students said they liked Hotep’s presentation in discussing topics that are difficult to address. “He’s clearly well-read, well researched. He makes a point that racism is not a talk that’s gonna be easy.”Damian de Silva, MBA candidate said. Hotep was introduced by Syreeta Greene, director of the Office of Equity, Inclusion and Multicultural Affairs. She is a colleague of Hotep and has known him for several years. Greene said, “It’s important that we remember to fight for [economic justice]. [Hotep] always reveals new information in different perspectives.” At the end of the talk, students stood up to ask Hotep questions regarding his research on the topic. Hotep provided a variety of thoughts and ideas relating to the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., including ideas about the economic disadvantages people of color have.

ADDITIONAL LASANA HOTEP QUOTES:

“A lot of times, people assume Dr. King’s legacy to be a legacy about bringing around

racial reconciliation and racial harmony. That was an aspect, but he also had an aspect about economic justice. And if we look at the lens of economic justice, we’ll see that we’re further away from his legacy than we actually thought we were in terms of examining from a lens of racial harmony.” “If you think that racism is hatred and ignorance than you’re going to approach it one particular way, but if you understand that racism came out of exploitation of population and that racism was used to justify the exploitation, then you’re going to approach it a different kind of way.” “How do we frame and contextualize racism? If we contextualize racism as a series of misunderstandings between groups, then it’s an approach that’s not really going to the root of it... As professor Jelani Cobb, who’s at Columbia University has said, slavery isn’t a result of miscommunication. Jim Crow wasn’t a result of people who couldn’t get along as far as a conversation. It was about creating a class and cast systems to say one group can have experiences and the other group can’t have experiences and did that based on this notion called race.” “We are further apart now economically than we were 50 years ago because of the policies that have been able to take people who have wealth and give them more wealth.”

2 | Jan. 24, 2018 | STAF F E DI T O R I A L

Changes to D2L disappoint students OUR VIEW: While D2L is a necessary evil, the changes that administrators bragged about are disappointing.

esire 2 Learn, also known as D2L, is the nagging voice in the back of all students’ minds. It reminds us how much homework we have left to do, how many tests we need to study for and just how annoying it is to have a professor that won’t curve a 79.9 to an 80. Last semester, administrators boasted about the new changes coming to D2L in the spring — but now that it’s here, we can confidently say that it’s mediocre at best. One student went as far as tweeting, “Yo @MidwesternState change D2L back to how it was.” The old layout, while not visually appealing, was more user-friendly and didn’t look like the digital version of the kid who tries way too hard to be cool. We know MSU administrators don’t necessarily have any control over the design of D2L because it’s created by a company called Brightspace, but they can certainly pass along the message that its students are underwhelmed. Oh, and Brightspace employees, if you’re listening, bring back the old D2L.

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Vol. 82 | No. 16

Midwestern State University Fain Fine Arts Bldg., Room D201 3410 Taft Blvd. Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 (940) 397-4704 wichitan@mwsu.edu thewichitan.com @wichitanonline

‘Reshape how we see beauty’

icture this: You are watching TV with your friends or significant other and a Victoria’s Secret commercial pops up on the screen. You can’t help but notice how beautiful the girls modeling underwear and lingerie are, but you also feel insecure and fold your arms on your belly. This is how many of us girls feel when anything that shows today’s beauty Alex standards comes on television or in real life. Rios The beauty standards in America for girls and women is difficult enough to reach. The expectation is that your body is perfectly healthy or even slightly underweight, that you are not too tall or too short, and that you dress attractively and apply makeup. Men seem to be attracted more frequently to girls of these categories. But it is not just men that judge and evaluate women’s attractiveness: other women do it as well. When a woman is auditioning for a reality television show such as “The Bachelor”, they are expected to not only look their best, but are ultimately judged on these outside factors. There are always those less conventionally attractive women who will be cast for the sake of not having 27 clones in the cast of the show. However, you rarely see overweight or with a defining height difference from other contestants cast.

Another example specifically relating to collegiate women is sorority recruitment. Girls are told to look their best and behave their best, putting forward their best qualities that will get them noticed by their favorite chapters. But sometimes looks take on a larger role in deciding which potential new member is a better fit for the sorority, and that is a shame. Looks often overpower a talent or extracurricular activity that a certain girl has under her belt, getting her cut or “released” from houses during recruitment. Processes such as these are often reasons why women disagree with the unspoken “standards” that have been solidified by our culture. These beauty standards are on a path to getting reshaped by the younger generations of today, and not necessarily in the best way. Girls as young as 12 are beginning to use social media to gain approval from peers when it comes to how they look. Young girls are wearing makeup since the age of 11 and dieting since an even younger age. Girls are told how to look and how to present themselves to look older and more mature when they are just kids and should be enjoying things like going to the park and playing video games. I truthfully think these standards won’t change any time soon, but it is our job as women to attempt to reshape how we see beauty and how to practice self love. Alex Rios is a English secondary education sophomore.

Artist-Lecture Series alone won’t change this campus

et me just say out of the over three I’ve been at MSU, I’ve attended at least 10 Artist-Lecture Series. I enjoyed almost all of them and took something away from each. It’s a great concept: bring in well-known speakers from around the world to talk about a certain message, usually with an endgame of bringing unity to those who attended. ConsidRachel ering all the hate that is spread so fast through Johnson social media and technology, I am for loving your neighbors and spreading peace. However, one Artist-Lecture Series won’t change that. I left almost every lecture with a sense of hope that people around me would change and that we wouldn’t let this lecture be the start and end of the change we need on campus. Yet every time, I was disappointed. We all went back to our own lives, got wrapped up in our own bubble again and eventually forgot the message we all were so passionate about. This Artist-Lecture Series with Frank Warren was intense. People were given a chance to open up about themselves and secrets they had never shared with anyone before. For the few that shared, all of them felt as if a weight had been lifted off their shoulders, and those that listened, their love went out to them. For those few hours, ev-

EDITOR: Tyler Manning MANAGING EDITOR: Cortney Wood VISUALS EDITOR: Justin Marquart PHOTO EDITOR: Francisco Martinez ISSUE STAFF: Alex Rios, Rachel Johnson, Latoya Fondren, Brittni Vilandre, Mia Heck, Chloe Phillips, Makayla Scheck

PHOTOGRAPHERS: Joanne Ortega, Elias Maki, Leah Bryce

ADVISER: Bradley Wilson

eryone who attended was a friend to one another and showed genuine feelings of caring for a stranger. The thing is, the next day everything went back to the same. No one continued that same caring for a stranger we all were apart of the night before. An artist lecture alone won’t change this campus. It’s going to have to be you, me and everyone else to change how we think, act and do things toward one another. If we want to see genuine unity around campus, then make the change within yourself. If you want to see people around you love on strangers the way we do at Artist-Lecture Series, then be more friendly. People around this campus tend to be in their own world walking from class to class, so stop avoiding reality, and embrace the people around you for who they are. Smile, wave, maybe even say ‘hi.’ If you want to be proud of this campus, then take pride in it, and make it something you can be proud to say you are apart of. Listening to an Artist-Lecture Series won’t change this campus alone. The change has to come from ourselves. The message is to love your neighbors, embrace each other’s differences and be unified together. Stop going in the same circle over and over again because maybe the reason they continue to bring people with similar messages to this campus is that we aren’t being receptive to it when we really should. Rachel Johnson is a mass communication senior. Copyright ©2018. 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 a email address, telephone number and address.

| Jan. 24, 2018 | 3

PHOTO BY FRANCISCO MARTINEZ | THE WICHITAN

Keiaena Williams, kinesiology freshman, Lachele Donn, biology freshman, and Kayla McDade, radiology freshman, enjoy their food at Mesquite Dining Hall Jan. 16.

New director of dining to set goals to benefit students LATOYA FONDREN REPORTER

he sound of fresh fruit blending and the warm smell of grilled chili lime chicken fill the air in Mesquite Dining Hall as chefs prepare for the spring semester under the leadership of the new director of dining hall services, Kevin Chafins. “I’ve been doing food service since I was 16 years old. I started in a restaurant as a host and a buffer, went from there to serving and bartending hourly, managing shifts. Went through several different restaurants back in Albuquerque. That’s where I from,” Chafins said. “You don’t choose food service, food service chooses you. Nobody grows up saying, ‘I want to be a restaurant manager.’ It just happens.” Trevonne Bradford, psychology junior, said she expects the dining hall staff to be open to feedback from students. “The food could use more flavor and [I hope the dining hall staff] actually ask students what they’d like to see and prefer to eat so food won’t be wasted,” Bradford said.”I liked the opportunity given for students to showcase their cooking skills in Mavericks Corner of their favorite cultural dishes.” Terron Mccullough, art senior, said he would like the Mesquite Dining Hall to have televisions and for both dining halls to serve the same menu of food. “When the school split the dining halls,

sometimes the better tasting food is only in one dining hall rather than both,” Mccullough said.”I like the salad bar in Mesquite because everything you need for a salad is there and there’s always a chef there when you need one.” Chafins said his marketing team will send out surveys for students to voice their opinions about the dining halls within the next month. “We’ve put some new residential standards in place with Mesquite, which is presentation,” Chafins said.”Our focus now is really fresh ingredients with fresh garnishes we don’t want to do fake plastic foods or anything like that out there just to fill up a space. If it’s going to be something, it’s going to be something that’s real and edible,” Chafins said. Kristi Schulte, director of residence life and housing, said she would like to merge dining and Residence Life together so that students can have experiences connecting with other students and faculty members on campus. Schulte said, “Students have a few options that they can to share their feedback about the dining services, such as a number on the napkin holders in the dining halls called ‘Chatback.’ [This is] where students can send [access] instant feedback, a dining survey that launches every semester and a food committee for students to take a look at the trends of the dining hall as a whole.” Schulte echoed Chafins and said there is

a greater emphasis on presentation that students have to look forward to with the new changes to dining. “The biggest thing students will notice is the presentation of what their seeing in the dining hall. There is a smoothie bar. There are more fresh options so, visually, you see more bright colors and things that are visually more appealing overall,” Schulte said. Chafins said the biggest strengths of the dining hall is the staff because everyone is invested in their roles and they strive to ensure students that they’re working as a team. However, Chafins said one of the weaknesses of the dining hall staff is the lack of challenge and direction. “Everybody here is invested in what their doing, which I think is an awesome thing because any challenge that I can put out to them, they’re going to meet and exceed,” Chafin said. “The ultimate goal is good food because we need students to want to eat and if they don’t eat here and we don’t have a job. If the students aren’t happy, were not going to be here so it’s doing what we can to reach out.” Jim Summers, supervisor of Mesquite Dining Hall, encourages students to give feedback on the smoothies at the smoothie bar. “I hope everyone likes it. This is new and it’s a little different, we’re taking suggestions from everyone,” Summers said. Chafins said he wants students to explore different foods and have the positive experi-

ence of trying something new. “Food is one of those things that can give people such a huge positive feeling,” Chafins said. “They don’t call it comfort food for no reason, food is comforting. So being able to do that and potentially open up the boundaries of people who may have not eaten middle eastern cuisine, or mediterranean cuisine and being able to give them the opportunity to go that direction and try something brand new is always fun.” With all of the new changes that students can expect, Chafins said his focus is on putting the students first and making sure they’re happy. Chafins said one of his goals is to make sure that students are staying on campus through improving the dining hall experience in the areas of credit card machines and satisfactory service. “Parking is always a challenge everywhere you go. So not having to leave campus to go get food because you can’t use your card or because you don’t like the service [is what we want],” Chafins said. “It’s bringing the value back to everybody, which is going to be the biggest push this semester.” Bradford said the way to getting better food is by a happy staff. Bradford said, “I want to see happy chefs and nothing else. When you’re happy the food tastes better.”

4 | Jan. 24, 2018 |

UPB craft craze helps students take a break BRITTNI VILANDRE REPORTER

o help take away the stress of the first week of classes, about 50 students gathered in the Clark Student Center to create crafts for the University Programming Board’s Craft Craze Jan. 17. Ruby Arriaga, activities coordinator for Student Affairs, said the craft craze went well. “It went really good surprisingly,” Arriaga said. “I guess because it’s crafts and certain crafts draw people in... Everyone was like, ‘Oh my God,’ so they just came.” Low-budget, No-budget committee chair Angelica Symonette said she noticed the increase in attendees and was also shocked with the turnout. “It went really well,” said Symonette. “It actually turned out better than expected. I mean usually our events are well-attended, but this is crazy.” Arriaga said she believes it may be one of UPB’s best craft event. Arriaga said. “It’s one of the best. We have a lot of good craft events, but this is probably one of the best ones.” With the increase in the turnout of students compared to previous events, Symonette said she was forced to let students who came late know there was a shortage of supplies for the crafts. Out of all of the crafts provided for the students, Arriaga said she was proud to admit it cost the school close to nothing.

PHOTO BY BRITTNI VILANDRE | THE WICHITAN

Annique Vidal (right), biology of psychology senior, and three other students create their stuffed animals at the UPB craft craze in the Clark Student Center Atrium on Jan. 17. “All this stuff we’ve had, so basically we’re purging from crafts, other crafts basically,” Arriaga said. “All the stuffed animals, the name art, everything we’ve had in house, so it was nothing. The only thing I bought were the mugs and it was less than $100.” Arriaga said she hopes the event helped students take a break from the stress of the first week of classes and meet new people

around campus. “It’s all free so I think that they need a break, and it’s the first week of school. And even though it’s the first week of school, they still need a break because they feel quite overwhelmed of what’s going on,” Arriaga said. “So just have some fun and go with some friends. I heard a lot of people were meeting each other for the first time, so I thought that

was awesome.” Zarya Maiato, mass communication sophomore, said she enjoyed craft craze and believes it was great way for students to get creative without spending a dime. “This is a cool event because they’re allowing us to create things and be creative for free,” Maiato said. “And often college students don’t have access to creative things without spending a lot of money so this is a cool event.” Out of all the crafts at Craft Craze, Symonette said she admits the Sharpie mugs were her favorite and hopes to help plan future crafts for this semester’s events. “That was my original idea and then all this other stuff got added on,” Symonette said. “I’m thinking for February we’re probably gonna be making snow globes, but I’m not sure yet. I have a lot of other things planned, but I’m not sure how they’re gonna go yet.” Arriaga hopes to get the future events planned at next week’s UPB meeting though she is unsure of what future crafts they will provide for the students. “We’re actually meeting next week to talk about what exactly is going to happen the rest of the semester,” Arriaga said. Arriaga encourages interested students to make sure to check their social media and the campus calendar. Arriaga said, “It’s in the Stampede Week calendar, we advertise through social media.”

75 students attend UPB grocery bingo night LATOYA FONDREN REPORTER

ide Pods, fruit snacks, ramen noodles and toiletries were just some of the prizes presented to 75 students as they gathered in the Clark Student Center to play grocery bingo hosted by the University Programming Board on Jan 17. Ruby Arriaga, activities coordinator of Student Involvement, said there was a good turn out of students. “Whenever we do bingo in the fall, we have a better turn out because more freshman come in and they want to see what we’re doing,” Arriaga said. Zander Leary, nursing freshman, said he was invited by his friends and would’ve loved to have won Tide Pods. “I’m better off with the groceries, but I would’ve loved to win the Tide Pods. Not to eat them, but to use them normally or to play dodgeball,” Leary said. Leary said he had his eyes on the toilet paper and snacks because he’s a starving child. “Bingo being as easy as it is it brings a lot of people out. There were a lot more than I expected to be here which is nice. It’s easy to do. It doesn’t take a lot of skill, just all luck and you win stuff,” Leary said. Arriaga said the purpose of bingo night is for students who choose not to go out or go home and, instead, have a fun activity to to do on campus. “Bingo gets the community together,” Leary said. “I wasn’t

going to come here, but my friends dragged me out so getting people out here and doing stuff is nice.” Dierrica Smith, mass communication senior, said “My favorite moment during bingo night would have to be being with my friends and anticipating a win.” Leary said it’s important for students to get out and play because it causes people to make new friends. “All the events are to welcome students back and remind them, ‘Don’t forget to have a great week back to school,’” Arriaga said. “I know it kind of sucks that you’re back to school, but think about the fun things that are happening throughout.” Casey Albrikes, radiology sophomore, said he enjoys being able to take a nap as he plays bingo. “The game tonight is semi-competitive depending on how much you got going and I had my eyes on the chips and the cereal,” Albrikes said. “I was hoping to win the Tide Pods, but I won the bean bag chair and it feels great to have won something useful.” Smith said, “I would have loved to win the toilet paper and paper towels or even the goody bag that had Tide Pods and washing powder.” Arriaga said she brainstormed prize ideas with other UPB members to see what students would like. “We bought more groceries for necessities and I think everyone was surprised that there were a lot of things they could

use,” Arriaga said. “Giving away chips, Capri Suns, and fruit snacks were a huge part that we did differently from the fall.” Arriaga said her team budgeted about $200 for prizes that were worth about an hour and a half of playtime. Nursing sophomore, Madelyn Eckeberger, said, “Bingo is kind of relaxing to play and you can win free stuff. I won a laundry package, some Tide Pods, dryer sheets, and a laundry hamper.” Eckeberger said she felt happy the moment she won a prize and will be sharing her Tide Pods with friends. “I think the prizes will be useful for college students and I think the event is pretty cool,” Eckeberger said. “UPB puts a lot of programs on campus and it helps people get involved and keeps them from being cooped up in the room all day in college.” Eckeberger said it’s important to focus on your school work, but it’s also important to have some fun while you’re here in college . She also said kids come back kind of stressed because they are starting all new classes and Stampede Week gives them things to do besides just being worried about classes. Arriaga said, “You hear a lot of students that are with their friends and that’s really important. They come together to play bingo. These events are therapeutic and also a way to get back with their friends because they’re like, ‘I haven’t seen you in forever.’ Even though it’s just been like a month that feels like forever, so I think that’s the point.”

| Jan. 24, 2018 | 5

UPB hosts karaoke and nacho night LATOYA FONDREN REPORTER

PHOTO BY RACHEL JOHNSON | THE WICHITAN

Frank Warren, Artist-Lecture Series guest speaker, speaks to the audience about some of the more serious secrets he received. One was a postcard he received with a picture of a door with a hole made in it, with a note on the back saying that the hole was from their mother trying to get in to finish beating them. Warren said when he posted this secret, about a dozen more photos followed with more doors with holes in it at the Artist-Lecture Series in Akin Auditorium on Jan. 18.

Frank Warren shares the secrets of others MIA HECK REPORTER

rank Warren, founder of PostSecret and the man who knows the secrets of millions of people from all over the world, spoke in Akin Auditorium with a compelling message of the power secrets hold on Jan. 18. “Secrets are the currency of intimacy,” Warren said. “And by sharing them with those we trust and love, it not only allows us to deepen that channel of intimacy that we share with others, but it gives them permission to tells us one of their true secrets too.” Warren created PostSecret in November of 2004 by handing out blank postcards to strangers on the streets of Washington D.C. “When I started the project, I didn’t know why I was doing it,” Warren said. “I was just searching for something fun or meaningful on the side. Later on, looking back at my life, I started it because I needed a place to share my secrets.” Warren said that his goal for PostSecret was to receive 365 cards, but has now received over a million cards. “I don’t really plan the future of PostSecret, I just follow where it leads me,” Warren said. “So right now, I still enjoy

and take satisfaction in receiving and reading the secrets today as much as I did on day one.” After the PostSecret website was created, 100 people visited the page. The website then reached 100,000 visitors by its third week. “Secrets relate to personal relationships because it lets you share your intimacy with others and it brings you closer to each other. Secrets show what that person has been through,“ Maria Caudillo, nursing freshman, said. “You may think they’re living a regular or easy life, but deep down they have a story you may not know about.” Warren’s collection became so popular that is was featured in the Smithsonian Institution and on shows such as Good Morning America and the Today show. “It was interesting to learn about a large community, with such an impact on so many others, that I had no idea about. It’s awesome to see it as an outsider. I procrastinate too much to participate myself, but I would like to see what everyone else has to say,” Casey Albrikes, radiology sophomore, said. “In the end, people need to know that it is okay to share their secrets because their secrets are likely to be very similar to someone else’s.”

averick’s Corner filled with laughter and loud vocals as students performed their favorite songs on the karaoke machine. The smell of nachos filled the atmosphere as 75 students stood in line to make themselves a plate. To end the first week of the semester, the University Programming Board hosted its nacho karaoke night on Jan. 19. Carvel St. John, social work sophomore, said, “I love karaoke because my aunt was a karaoke singer so I would help her with her sound and stuff.” Dante Thomas, mass communication senior, said he likes rap because of its poetry, rhythm and beat. Ruby Arriaga, activities coordinator of Student Affairs, said her student assistant came up with the idea for nachos, and their budget was less than $150 which was enough for the number of students that attended. Terron Mccullough, art senior, said, “I wanted to know what it was like. Not bad, but

[the nachos] needs some queso though.” While some students enjoyed the nachos, Thomas enjoyed the company of connecting with friends. “I don’t like karaoke because I can’t sing, but I enjoy the event tonight,” Thomas said. Mccullough said it’s fun to watch people do karaoke in a fun environment while everyone gets acquainted with each other. “UPB does a good job of bringing life to a campus that’s dead,” Thomas said. Thomas said he was able to bond with one of his football teammates about anime during karaoke night. Tatum Hines, undecided freshman, said, “This is my first semester and it [college] has been an adjustment, UPB has helped me go out and do things by myself which I’m not used to doing.” UPB members informed students that the purpose of their events is to get an escape from class. Mccullough said, “It’s about you enjoying yourself. “The reason for UPB events is so you won’t feel so uptight and worried about class.”

Stampede Week ends with Saturday cartoons CHLOE PHILLIPS REPORTER

aughter, and cartoons blaring in the background filled the Legacy Hall Multipurpose Room. To close Stampede Week 2018, the university programming board (UPB) hosted Saturday Morning Cartoons with a free cereal bar on Jan. 20. While Carvel St. John, social work sophomore, did not get to see his favorite cartoons, St. John still enjoyed the event. “They didn’t really show my favorites because I did like the USA cartoon express cartoons when I was a kid,” he said. “I played baseball and after [playing] baseball, I would be at my grandma’s house and watch cartoons all morning long.” St. John heard about Saturday Morning Cartoons after attending Karaoke night - his favorite Stampede Week activity because of the “Nachos and Karaoke”- the day before. “I liked it, I really didn’t think it would turn out this good and didn’t expect all this cereal to be there,” he said. In contrast, St. John but thought more people would have shown up. To resolve this, he says UPB should “get the word out there more.”

Mallory Hall, accounting junior, heard about the event from a friend and attended because there was food served “earlier than the cafeteria.” “I liked watching the cartoons,” Hall said. “I haven’t seen most of them in about 10 years.” Terron McCullough, graphic design senior and upb member, also wanted a higher attendance but, knows that having the event early in the morning may have been a disadvantage. “Well, it’s much harder for early morning events because a lot of people are just doing the day type thing, if they don’t have to wake up in the morning, they will not do it,” McCullough said. McCullough said the university programming board created this event for nostalgic reasons. “Usually growing up,” he said, “[Students] would wake up on Saturday mornings to just watch cartoons.” McCullough’s favorite activity during stampede week was the Craft Craze. “I finally got to make one for those sign boards, but other than that, I really like this one because I like Saturday morning cartoons.”

6 | Jan. 24, 2018 | PHOTOS BY JUSTIN MARQUART AND CORTNEY WOOD | THE WICHITAN

Emilie Harris, education senior, checks in at the Kappa Alpha hosted blood drive in the Clark Student Center Comanche Room on Jan. 23. | Lauren Tisdale, special education junior, gets her blood drawn for the first time by Sean Batiste, mobile phlebotomist.

PHOTO BY CHLOE PHILLIPS | THE WICHITAN

Health Science dean candidate Tim Laurent proposes to faculty why he is a good fit for Gunn College of Health Sciences and Human Services on Friday, Jan. 19.

Kappa Alpha blood drive continues Thursday

CORTNEY WOOD MANAGING EDITOR

he blood drive, hosted by Kappa Alpha Order, will continue on Jan. 25 from 10 a.m. — 3 p.m. in the Clark Student Center in the Comanche suites. Since the blood drive kicked off on Jan. 23, 22 people have donated either pints, plasma or platelets. Texas Blood Institute staff facilitate the donations while KA members and volunteers run the donations registration. For every pint of blood donated up to three lives can be saved, and according to Jordan Nieto, nursing freshman and philanthropy chair of KA, the event not only helps save lives, but adds purpose to the people who donate. “This is a ripple affect, and I want to affect people out from this,” Nieto said. “This takes time and it takes effort, but think about all the good you’re doing. I’m definitely excited to see where this goes not just from a fraternity standpoint, but from an organizational standpoint for the campus.” According to Kristin Roberts, mobile blood institute supervisor, about 30 people donate a day when organization members hold blood drives on campus, and Nieto said KA members have a goal to reach 50 students on Thursday. “We are here for a cause, so we came in with a bunch of ideas with my rush class, so I really want to build on top of those,” Nieto said. “Students don’t have to make an appointment, but we have that as an option.” Because few students make appointments, Roberts said sometimes the job falls on the staff to reach students to donate. “It’s hard to get students to make appointments because they have class and they have different things to do, but we try to get people in and out as quickly as possible,” Roberts said. “A lot of times, the free shirt is the catch for them. We tell people there are lives being saved and that will change their mind if they are on the fence about donating, but the free shirt really brings people in.”

According to Lauren Tisdale, special education junior, she liked knowing that if she donated she would help people in need. “This was my first time, and I thought it was going to be worse than it was. I was pretty nervous, but the nurses were so kind to me, and that helps a lot,” Tisdale said. “I never got to donate blood before, and so when this opportunity came up, I was glad I was able to be confident enough to do it. You just have to remember where this is going and who it helps.” With the support of her friend Avery Trevino, biology freshman, and Jessica Hernandez, nursing sophomore, Tisdale said the process was easier than she expected. According to Trevino, she has donated blood several times over the last few years and said she is proud of the students that choose to take the step to donate. “Every once in awhile, I will get a call from Texas Blood Institute saying they need me to donate, and I feel good about saving lives. It’s not as scary as it seems. You don’t see the needle, you don’t really feel it, it doesn’t hurt and it’s not as big of a deal as you might think it is. A lot of people hear the horror stories of passing out, but they don’t hear the good stories because they aren’t as memorable since they went smoothly.” The time it takes to donate varies depending on the wait and demand on each blood type, but Roberts said it normally takes between 45 minutes to an hour. Because AB red blood cells are only accepted by other AB blood, Roberts said they suggest students with that blood consider donating their plasma because it is universally accepted. O-neg blood types can be accepted by any types, so Roberts said they suggest they donate red blood cells. Should students choose to donate, Roberts said there are a few health reminders to be aware of for Thursday. “Eating is really important, especially if people are wanting to donate,” Roberts said. “You want to stay hydrated from day to day, and that can affect your veins and how able we are to draw.”

Health Science Dean Candidate visits faculty Jan. 19 CHLOE PHILLIPS REPORTER

im Laurent, who has gone through the path of athletic trainer, faculty member, and administrator for 25 years, wants to become the next dean for the Gunn College of Health Sciences and Human Services. “I was very impressed with Midwestern State University as an entity and I was also impressed with the Gunn College. Not all schools plan, communicate and share as openly as what I could find,” Laurent said. “For the presentation that you saw, most of the information was what I could get from looking. That was important because that shows me that the institution is interested in planning, interested in sharing and, therefore, can continue to offer quality education.” Kathleen Williamson, chair of the Williamson School of Nursing, said they are looking for someone with experience, opportunities for growth and shares the same vision the health science department to help grow the program. “[Laurent] can articulate the mission of the university, how he has experience and a vision to see how that can be utilized and forward thinking, not just growth but to live the mission to put it into action,” Williamson said. Laurent said he believes that he’s a good candidate by connecting his background to challenges the institution has and in high education in general, calling it a “very practical approach that works.” He gave an exam-

ple of an institution that was not, in his opinion, practical by developing a 17 step assessment plan. “They were trying to be so perfect with every little increment,” Laurent said. “Well, the bottom line is that they did nothing because it was this big task that, on paper, looked good and they didn’t do anything.” However, there are some concerns from faculty when it comes to retention. Because of small class offerings, students in the health sciences department are being sent to junior colleges to finish their core. “It’s a problem for us, because we’re losing money in our department, we’re losing money in our university and our students and faculty,”Jessyca Wagner, assistant professor of radiologic sciences, said. “Our students get frustrated because our students want to be apart of our program because of our reputation and good faculty, but for their core to be able to graduate, we’re saying you have to go somewhere else. “ While there are concerns from faculty on retention, Laurent stated that there is not a clear-cut answer to this problem. “What we have to do is be as clear with what we’re offering as possible. So that’s not just another year. Some of the that frustration has to do with students that you heard from, the students that need a course and we’re not offering it. That just gives students an excuse and I want to take those excuses away. To do that, we have to do the best job we can to make sure what we have is what are giving students.”

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Soccer players further youth development through sports TYLER MANNING EDITOR

heir time spent on the field only enticed them more. Between hours of practice and game time, Steve Pondeca, winger and finance sophomore, and Alex Dimitriu, midfielder and business management sophomore, wanted to share their passion for soccer through private clinics with local children to earn a small income from their love of the sport while strengthening skills in the youth. Empire Development is a youth development program that charges $5 an hour for private clinics teaching students how to play soccer. There is not an age requirement for students. The clinics typically last from an hour to two hours at a time and are aimed at improving each child’s skills individually. “It is the first development program for soccer in Wichita Falls,” Pondeca said. “We’re not exclusive to any team, but we take any individuals of all age groups, boys or girls, from whatever team. We teach them how to play soccer properly,” Both players said their passions for soccer have started early on in their lives. Dimitriu is from Toronto, Canada and has been playing soccer since he was around four years old. Pondeca is from Dallas, Texas, and has been playing since he was 14 years old. Despite being from two different ends of North America, the two friends and business partners said they met at Niagara University.

According to Dimitriu, it was through knowing Pondeca that he found out about this university. Pondeca planted the seed for Empire Development when working for Select FC, a local independent soccer club in Wichita Falls. According to Pondeca, the coach of the team he was assisting put him in charge of training while the coach was working full-time in Dallas. “[The coaching job] didn’t work out because the parents were used to the way [the coach] was running it, and I completely changed things to the way I wanted to do things. But then I had a few of the parents come up to me and say that they liked what I was doing,” Pondeca said. Some parents noticed how he played at the MSU soccer games and were encouraged to bring their children to his trainings. It wasn’t until August of 2017 that he said he was inspired to put his brand on his clinics. “[Last] year we really put our name on it and said, ‘This is what we’re going to do. We’re going to put our name on it,’” Pondeca said. “We’re giving a lot to the community. They’re loving what we’re doing. They’re saying that you can’t get that kind of training around here.” Like many businesses, Empire Development started with a low number of customers. “When we first started out, we were there with three or four girls and we were there

[training] for an hour and a half to two hours,” Dimitriu said. According to Dimitriu, from a financial standpoint, a $5 charge is significantly less than what major clinics are charging in bigger metropolitan areas, such as Dallas. Dimitriu said, “[Dallas] is pricey. [Clinics] charge $75 an hour and they are doing the exact same thing we do.” What distinguishes them from other coaches, aside from the cost of the clinic, is their emphasis on development rather than winning. “Why you win with us is because we know what worked along our development... You’re [other coaches] pushing children in the completely wrong direction. They are motivated by winning and not the game,” Dimitriu said. Pondeca and Dimitriu said because they are playing soccer for the university, they have a passion for the sport that is transferable to their clinics, while other coaches have no experience playing the sport for a professional team. “It’s like a fat doctor trying to tell you how to eat right,” Pondeca said. When discussing the future of Empire Development, Pondeca said he hopes to expand his business to reach out to all of the kids in Wichita Falls. Pondeca said, “I want to coach ever kid in Wichita Falls. As it is right now, the only clubs, as far as playing at a high level, are Liv-

erpool or another independent organization. There is certainly nothing like what we are doing here.” Pondeca also said that he hopes to give other athletes on campus an opportunity for work through Empire Development. “We have two and a half more years left here and what I eventually want to do is build this [organization] up so that all the MSU soccer players, men and women, have a thing to do. Nobody is hiring student athletes around the area.” Pondeca said he also wants to use Empire Development to give back to the community and hopefully help more kids interested in playing soccer have a chance at “making it big.” “We get a lot of people out at our games and they seem excited to see us play. It lets us know that [kids interested in soccer] want to be where we’re at, but it is hard to get there,” Pondeca said. “Maybe one or two kids are going to [make it to the college level with soccer] out of 200-300 kids that want to play. They don’t have the opportunity to do it. Doing this gives them the opportunity to do it.” As for the ultimate goal of the business, Pondeca said he hopes for Empire Development to be a major player in youth development in Wichita Falls. “I want Empire Development to be the face of youth development in Wichita Falls,” Pondeca said.

URINETOWN

PHOTOS BY JOANNE ORTEGA | THE WICHITAN

Brea Solis, theater education freshman, sits on the edge of the auditorium stage while watching cast members practice lines during Urinetown rehearsals. | The cast of Urinetown sings while Dale Heidebrecht, associate music professor, leads them through the song “Don’t be the Bunny” during rehearsal in Fain Fine Arts auditorium on Jan. 23.

8 | Jan. 24, 2018 | PHOTOS BY ELIAS MAKI AND LEAH BRYCE | THE WICHITAN

Leanna James, undecided sophomore, dribbles the ball down the court during the MSU vs. Texas Woman’s University game at D.L. Ligon Coliseum, where MSU won 79-65 on Jan. 18. | Lauren Lindgren, freshman outfielder, runs to first base during the MSU vs Oklahoma Panhandle State game at Mustang Park Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017.

New semester, new sports seasons MAKAYLA SCHECK SPORTS REPORTER

s the new semester and the new year starts off, the winter sports continue while the spring sports kick off. The women’s and men’s basketball teams will continue their seasons with the second half of conference. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

The women’s basketball team has a 9-5 record with 12 regular season games left. The 2016-17 season ended with a 8-18 record, and the team ranked ninth in the conference. Noel Johnson, head coach, has led the team for nine seasons and was just named the program’s all-time coaching wins leader with her 133rd win against Eastern New Mexico University on Jan 13. Following that, Johnson lead her team to victory against Texas Women’s University with a 79-65 score on Jan. 18. “To be in this profession, it is a great honor to be the all-time coaching wins leader. It is a tribute to the support MSU has for athletics, and I am blessed to be apart of something so special,” Johnson said. The women’s basketball team has score 910 points with 182 assists. Whitney Taylor, forward and education senior, has made a total of 152 points. This is including 28 three-point shots. Micheline Mercelita, forward and kinesiology senior, leads rebounds with 41 offensive and 58 defensive rebounds. “We definitely want to finish the second round of conference stronger than the first round. We were 7-3, and we really want to try to improve that this next round,” Kristin Rydell, guard and nursing senior said. The women’s basketball team will return to D.L. Ligon Coliseum on Feb. 1 at 5:30 p.m. against Texas A&M Kingsville.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

The men’s basketball team holds a 6-11 re-

cord, with 11 regular season games left to in the sixth season for Nelson Haggerty, head coach. The 2016-17 record was 14-14 and finished seventh in the conference. “We’ve faced a lot of adversity as a team, and our strength has been being able to persevere and stick together throughout the season,” Brandon Neel, senior guard said. “We’ve dealt with some injuries, but getting everyone back healthy and getting ready for the second half of conference is only going to make us deeper and better moving forward.” The team has scored 1,375 points with 204 assists. Logan Hicks, sophomore guard, has made 32 three-pointers and scored a total of 198 points. Brandon Neel, senior guard, is the scoring leader with 306 total points, meaning he scores, on average, 18 points per game. Devante Pullum, guard and business senior, has averaged 12.9 points per game with a total of 84 assists. “My expectations are to keep practicing and working hard as a team and be the best leader I can for this basketball team,” Pullum said. The men’s basketball team will return to D.L. Ligon Coliseum on Jan. 29 at 6 p.m. against St. Mary’s University.

INDOOR TRACK

The indoor track season will begin at the Texas Tech Invitational on Jan. 26. In the 2017 season, the track team finished seventh at the Lone Star Conference championship. This event took place in Alamosa, Colorado on

Just a few days away, the indoor track season will begin with the Texas Tech Invitational on Jan. 26. On Feb. 2 the Lubbock Classic will start softball pre-season as their conference season begins on Feb 16. The outdoor track season will start with the Texas Christian University Invitational on March 7. Feb. 18 and 19. Bridget Reilly, criminal justice junior and 2016 LSC indoor mile champion, finished at second place in 2017 with a time of 5:29:37. Stefanie Blaine, chemistry junior, also competed in the mile and placed 10th with a time of 6:01:58. All of the indoor track meets will take place at the TTU Sports Performance Center in Lubbock.

OUTDOOR TRACK

The outdoor track season will begin on March 17 at the TCU Invitational. The team placed seventh in the LSC championships for outdoor track as well. Michelle Rieves, exercise physiology junior, finished in ninth for the 5,000 meter with a time of 18:58:56. Reilly competed in the 4x400 meter relay with 2017 graduates April Pena, Ana Lopez, and Maranda Rodriguez. They placed sixth with a time of 4:02:81 making a university program mark. The outdoor track meets will all take place outside of Wichita Falls, starting in Fort Worth at the Lowden Track & Field Complex.

SOFTBALL

The softball team will begin their 2018 season at the Lubbock Classic on Feb. 2. The 2017 season ended with a record of 19-27 and the team was ranked ninth in the conference. This is the Mark Ryal’s, head coach, second season with the softball team. He has taken the position of former head coach of thirteen seasons, Brady Tigert. “Since I was here before I became head

coach, I knew the girls, so it was an easier transition,” Ryal said. “This season we have a lot more depth on the team, especially in pitching. Last season we got down to one or two pitchers at times, but we now have four pitchers and have some girls from D1 organizations coming on the team. As long as we get out of the gate fast we will be alright.” Last season, the softball team had a total of 31 home-runs, 890 put-outs, and 166 runs batted in. Lauren Lindgren, outfielder and education sophomore, had a total of 54 homeruns and 33 complete runs. With a total of 70 put-outs and67 assists, Kelcee Thompson, third baseman and mechanical engineering senior, made the most assists for the team in 2017. Amanda Thomas, catcher and sports & leisure senior, totaled 171 put-outs last season. “I feel really confident and excited because I feel that this year we have such a better team than all the years I have been here. We have stronger pitching, hitting, and all around a great talented group of girls,” Misty Muniz, infielder and exercise physiology junior, said. “Ryal is an outstanding coach. He knows so much about the game and loves to teach it. His passion for the game is transferred on to us, making it a much better vibe when we’re out there on the field.” The softball team will play at Mustangs Park on Feb. 23 at 5 p.m. against Texas A&M Kingsville. “The Maniacs hope to see everyone out to support the sports this semester,” Ariana Farris, junior tribe leader and social work sophomore, said.