9-27-23

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

600 feet under Reaching new heights

Since 2021, UNI students and faculty conducting research that would help locate extraterrestrial life have been reaching new heights in science – by looking 600 feet underground.

OPINION

Bailey Klinkhammer puts the local cafes head to head in a quest to determine the best chai in the area.

SEE PAGES 5

As part of a $200,000 grant from the Iowa Space Grant Consortium (ISGC) and NASA, a team of UNI researchers are studying the isolated types of life that can be found in Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota, and the extreme subsurface conditions found there.

News briefs

International Engagement Clothing Drive

The Office of International Engagement is organizing a winter clothing drive for international students at UNI. Any extra winter clothes that can be donated are highly appreciated, and can be dropped off at the Office of International Engagement located in the plaza level of Maucker Union. Coats, jackets, hats and gloves, boots, scarves and other winter gear will be accepted.

Green Dot Action Week

UNI’s Office of Compliance and Equity Management is hosting a week of activities Sept. 25-30 for Green Dot Action Week. Green Dot is a gender violence prevention iniative. Join them for trivia at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday outside of Maucker Union. They will also be hosting trauma responsive yoga on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Student Health Center and Destress Pets at 10 a.m. on Friday in the Maucker Union ballrooms.

UNI alum first woman to lead United States Army Chorus

CAMPUS LIFE

UNI Theatre gears up for opening night of “The Play that Goes Wrong.”

SEE PAGE 6

The runway narrows for future of TAPP

Textiles and Apparels

The lights are dwindling on UNI’s Textiles and Apparel Program (TAPP) as faculty retirements and low student interest have led to the program not accepting new students.

SPORTS

Soccer beats UIC Flames and Southern Illinos Salukis, improving to 9-1-1 season record.

SEE PAGE 11

“Due to faculty retirements, we have paused recruitment of new students into the program,” said Brenda Bass, Dean of the College of Behavioral Sciences, over email. “While the program is not officially ‘closed,’ our top priority is to

provide the current students with the coursework and educational experience they need to complete the major and be successful post-graduation.”

There are currently 14 declared students majoring in Textiles and Apparels. By the end of the fall semester, six of them are expected to

complete their major coursework, according to Bass. Two are expected to complete the coursework during the spring 2024 semester, with the remaining six expected to be done in the summer or fall 2024.

2010 UNI graduate Bonnie Alger is the first female Officer in Charge of The United States Army Chorus, which is part of The United States Army Band in Washington, D.C. The primary responsibility of The United States Army Chorus is to “ensure the Chorus’ music readiness to support senior government and military leadership.”

Women in Politics Scholarship Benefit

UNI’s Department of Political Science has scheduled a Bipartisan Scholarship Benefit for Tuesday, Oct. 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn in Cedar Falls. The benefit will celebrate contributions of Iowa women in public service while raising money for the Women in Politics Scholarship fund which is awarded to UNI students studying political science or public administration.

COURTESY/JOSHUA SEBREE

Junior biology and biochemistry double-major Jacqueline Heggen collects a sample from Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota. UNI students and faculty are using the research to explore how life survives in extreme environments.

NI ARCHIVES

UNI’s Textiles and Apparel Program was designed to give students handson experience in the fashion and merchandising industry. One of these opportunuties is in their annual CatWalk fashion show.

Program

not accepting new students, cites lack of faculty

MALLORY SCHMITZ News Editor

KORBYN RYAN Staff Writer

continued from page 1

Faculty from four separate UNI departments and collaborators from Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) have teamed up and are currently undertaking three targeted projects, as well as the creation of documentaries and other digital content for public education.

The researchers hope to develop a deeper understanding of what conditions allow life to live in such extreme environments, and to use this newfound knowledge to understand how and where life might be outside of earth.

“In the deepest parts of the cave, down at the Lake District, we think might be an analog or a similar environment, to some of the caves in the icy moons of planets like Jupiter and Saturn in the solar system,” said Dr. Justin Peters, assistant professor of

biochemistry.

Dr. Peters, along with Dr. Marek Sliwinski, associateprofessor of biology, have been tasked with the creation of a genetic map of the Wind Caves microbial system. They explore the caves and look for life to collect. They then take small samples off, coming back with more ideas and refined methods each trip.

“We just kind of dove in head first,” said Dr. Peters. “The National Park Service has gotten more and more comfortable with how dedicated we are and how conscientious we are of the environment.”

With this trust from the National Park Service, they’ve been able to go deeper into the caves, which in turn lets them find more interesting information.

“In some of the areas that we conducted research in, fewer than 20 people have been to due to its tight squeeze,” said Jacqueline Heggen, a biochemistry and biology double major at UNI. “One area, specifically, that the astrobi-

ological underground team explored consisted of a nine inch squeeze that lasted an hour and a half. The squeeze was so tight that we had to take off our bags and push them above our heads.”

They’ve been able to determine what may be human contaminants, things that are more commonplace in the area, as well as the extremophiles—microscopic organisms—that live deep in the cave.

One such example is the information they’re finding about Pseudogymnoascus Destructans, a fungus that causes White Nose Syndrome in bats. This fungus is devastating bat populations across the U.S. and parts of Canada, making it harder for the bats to hibernate.

The UNI research team has been able to locate where this fungus is most commonly found, mostly the public tour routes, and turn that information into the National Park Service, so they can act appropriately to help protect the bats.

According to Dr. Peters and Heggen, the skills the teams have range from niche field skills to much more commonplace procedures, but that’s not to say there isn’t a physical aspect to the research either.

 See CAVING, page 3

COURTESY/JOSHUA SEBREE

Heggen said that her time on the rock wall in the Wellness and Recreation Center helped prepare her to maneuver her way through the caves during her research.

CORRECTIONS

Two articles in the Sept. 19 issue of the Northern Iowan contained inaccuracies.

In the article titled “Meet the Candidates: City Council,” an incorrect date was printed. The Ward 4 City Council debate will be Wednesday, Oct. 18.

In the article titled “The history behind Lang Hall’s cannons” the Northern Iowan reported the cannons were dated from 1565. However, Professor Thomas Connors of the UNI History Department brought to the Northern Iowan’s attention the cannons were dated in 2021 by alumni Jared Parker as being dated much later than that. Parker concluded, “the only time guns of this size and made of iron existed only during the British occupation of the fort.” This was corroborated by historian N. Geoffrey Parker at Ohio State.

L011 Maucker Union Cedar Falls, IA 50614 www.northerniowan.com northern-iowan@uni.edu

319.273.2157

NORTHERN IOWAN CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN

Executive Editor

chriscbi@uni.edu

515.418.2024

SOPHIE HOFFMEIER

Managing Editor

hoffmeis@uni.edu

515.795.6066

EDITORIAL STAFF MALLORY SCHMITZ News Editor schmimbt@uni.edu

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER Campus Life Editor klinkbaa@uni.edu

CADEN SHEA Sports Editor sheacad@uni.edu

ANTONIA GOODWIN Copy Editor goodwaab@uni.edu

KARINA ORTIZ Spanish Editor ortizkac@uni.edu

PRODUCTION STAFF

SOPHIE HOFFMEIER

Webmaster

JORDAN JUNGE

Social Media Manager

jjunge@uni.edu

ADVISERS ANELIA DIMITROVA anelia.dimitrova@uni.edu

CHRIS MARTIN

christopher.martin@uni.edu

CIRCULATION NOAH BRITTEN Circulation Manager

The Northern Iowan is published semi-weekly on Monday and Thursday during the academic year, except for holidays and examination periods, by the University of Northern Iowa, L011 Maucker Union, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0166 under the auspices of the Board of Student Publications.

Advertising errors that are the fault of the Northern Iowan will be corrected at no cost to the advertiser only if the Northern Iowan office is notified within seven days of the original publication. Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement at any time.

The Northern Iowan is funded in part with student activity fees.

All material is © 2023 by the Northern Iowan and may not be used without permission.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letters must be less than 300 words in length and are subject to editing. Not all submissions will be printed. Send submissions to northern-iowan@uni.edu.

SEND US STORY IDEAS

Tell us what’s happening on campus. Email submissions to northern-iowan@uni.edu.

Do you want to have an event listed here? Email us at northern-iowan@uni.edu with information about the event to have it featured.

COURTESY/JOSHUA SEBREE

One of the accomplishments of the team’s research has been helping locate the fungus that causes White Nose Syndrome, which is devastating bat populations across the U.S. and Canada. They’ve been turning their findings in to the National Park Service so they can take measures to protect the bats.

In the deepest parts of the cave ... we think might be an analog or a similar environment, to some of the caves in the icy moons of planets like Jupiter and Saturn in the solar system.

Justin Peters

Assistant Professor of Biochemistry

MALLORY SCHMITZ News Editor

TEXTILES

AND APPAREL

continued from page 1

One of those students is Lily Munnik. She is a sophomore in the program, making her one of the youngest students in the major.

“Everyone kind of assumes it’s just like fashion and styling, but it’s so much more than that,” she said. “There’s sustainability within the fashion industry. There’s culture, there’s ethnicity. I mean, you know, a lot of people identify themselves with how they dress.”

When she came to visit UNI during her senior year of high school, she took a tour of the department with former UNI professor Annette Lynch.

“When I found out this was an opportunity at UNI I was totally in, like, no second guessing,” Munnik said.

Lynch retired in May of 2022, and she hasn’t been alone. The only remaining fulltime professor in the program is set to retire after this semester. Bass anticipates that five part-time faculty will teach the remaining classes in the spring.

Department Head Bill Henninger commented via email on the opportunities the program was designed to offer students.

“The program has always focused on providing handson experiences,” he said. “This includes the materials testing lab, apparel construction (i.e., sewing) lab and fabric printer (to design fabric). In addition, there has been the annual CatWalk show, where students display their fashion designs.”

Henninger said that the program was designed to capture various aspects of the fashion and merchandising industries. Alums have gone on to work at companies including Adidas, Amazon Fashion, Cabelas, North Face, Target and more.

While Munnik has had a wide variety of experiences in classes, her options for courses have become a lot narrower as the university struggles to have faculty to teach in the program.

A good portion of Munnik’s classes have been instructed online, taught by faculty who no longer live in the Cedar Falls area. She has also had a number of classes that intertwine multi-

ple concepts. For example, she had a class last year that covered both fashion event planning and marketing all in one. The number of courses offered has also been very limited.

“A lot of [course offerings] were just completely cut so that we could finish our major as soon as possible, which is disappointing, but I mean, I’m also done with my major after this year, and then I can work on my minors and stuff,” she said. “So that’s exciting for me, personally, but sometimes I’m worried I’m not getting the entire

amount of education that I was hoping for, or that I need for the industry.”

While Munnik’s time at UNI has looked a lot different than she had originally expected, she is hopeful that eventually the program will be able to rebound.

“I always feel like in every school setting, not just at UNI, arts and creative fields are underfunded and not really looked up upon,” she said. “I think the fashion industry is such an important thing, and it’s so broad, and it’s always going

to be a thing in the world.”

“I know Iowa State offers a great fashion program, so there’s always that option, but for people like me, who grew up here in Cedar Falls and kind of wanted to stay home in a smaller, tighter community instead of going to a big city it is really disappointing.”

As far as the future goes, Bass says the university will continue looking at “different options based on available resources, level of prospective student interest, and the shifting landscape of the industry.”

CAVING

“One niche skill that helped in the caves was rock climbing,” said Heggen. “Gaining experience at the rock climbing wall at WRC helped underground to climb up and down boxwork chim-

neys and over chert breakdown.”

“In an isolated environment, there’s more factors to consider for safety,” she said. “Having trust within the team is mandatory to ensure the safety for everyone.”

The research has expanded to include Coldwater Cave,

roughly 90 minutes from Cedar Falls. Wind Cave is a very unique environment on earth, which is why it was selected as the original subject of research for this project.

“The reason that Wind Cave was so attractive is that you can actually go 600

feet underground down to the lakes,” said Dr. Peters. “You’re touching an aquifer, right? It’s very rare on this planet to be able to get down to an aquifer directly.”

continued from page 2 NEWS

In the upper parts of the cave, the more surface level, bats, pack rats, and other small mammals are very common. As they get deeper into the cave, and close to the Lake District, they started seeing more single-celled organisms, which include bacteria, fungus and archaea, and they’re mapping them all.

This project is a five year long endeavor, and started in 2021. Because of this, there is turnover on every aspect of the project. As the initial students graduate, more jump in to fill the spaces. With roughly a year and half left, the project is approaching the tail end of the research.

According to Heggen, the project has a variety of incorporated aspects, meaning there isn’t just one major that checks every box. Because of this, freshman to seniors have gotten involved, encouraging all levels of education to join.

“We’re always looking for more people. If this topic fascinates you, come talk to me or my colleagues if you’re chemistry, biochemistry, or interested in the media aspect,” said Dr. Peters. “You could be a part of the team too.”

continued from page 1

$1 million gift given UNI’s Gerontology program

A gift from the Gerdin Charitable Foundation will allow for the expansion of faculty teaching, research and outreach for UNI’s gerontology program. In honor of this donation, UNI is set to establish the Gerdin Family Chair in Gerontology. The gift was made through the UNI Foundation for the Our Tomorrow campaign.

Historical photo geolocation project awarded grant Mainstreet 360-degree is a mapping application which aims to upload and display superimposed geolocated historical photos onto a modern day streetscape. UNI faculty members Bettina Fabos and John DeGroote received a $150,000 grant to develop augmented reality environments for UNI’s campus and the city of Ottumwa, Iowa.

U.S. Marine Band to visit GBPAC

“The President’s Own” United States Marine Band will perform a free concert Saturday, October 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. The Marine Band is the United States’ oldest continuously active professional organization founded in 1798.

NI ARCHIVES

The only full-time professor in the Textiles and Apparel Program is retiring at the end of the semester. Out of the 14 students in the major, six will graduate this fall, with the remaining students completing their major courses over the next two to three semesters. It is anticipated that their courses will be taught by part-time faculty.

COURTESY/JOSHUA SEBREE

The caves included some areas that had been previously explored by as few as 20 people because of the tight squeezes. Heggen passed through one nine-inch squeeze that lasted an hour and a half.

... Sometimes I’m worried I’m not getting the entire amount of education that I was hoping for, or that I need for the industry.

Lily Munnik

Sophomore Textiles and Apparels major

Harvest Conference: Reset, refocus, renew

CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN Executive Editor

UNI students, faculty, staff and community members will have the opportunity to “refocus, renew and reset” this Thursday, Sept. 28 at the third annual Harvest Conference.

Presented by UNI’s Diversity, Inclusion and Social Justice department, the conference will host breakout sessions, keynote addresses and 19 speakers each selected to encourage personal and professional growth.

Chiquita Loveless, the Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Social Justice at UNI, has spearheaded the initiative to organize the conference, and hopes it will provide attendees with an opportunity to foster their well-being and refresh their mindsets.

“This conference will not disappoint if you’re on the path to success, and you need a boost,” Loveless said. “The knowledge that you gain from this one day conference will benefit you and your future. When you leave the conference you will be at a transitional point where either you’re going to stay and continue to do what you do, or you’re going to want to become a better person.”

UNI student Chamya Adams attended the conference last year, and highly recommends attending.

“You’re going to be in a space where you’re learning

something new,” Adams said. “When we break out into rooms, you’re able to choose which of these you want to go in, so it’s more personalized. The speakers answer your questions and they connect to your interests.”

The conference will cover topics ranging from mental health, managing finances, how to become a successful professional to being a person of color at a predominantly white institution. Loveless notes that although the Harvest Conference was initially created for marginalized students,

If you come to the conference and you go to one of these breakout sessions, it may be just what you need... That’s what makes this conference so unique and needed.

CHIQUITA LOVELESS Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Social Justice

they are opening it up to everyone this year – including people from the Cedar Falls community.

The keynote speakers

include Gary Kroeger, who currently serves as the CEO of Outlier Creative Solutions, Shalaya Morissette who is the chief of the minority Business

and Workplace Division in the U.S. Department of Energy, and JJ Moses, who started his football career at Waterloo East High and joined the NFL in 2001 as a kick and punt returner.

Other special guest speakers include Dr. Janel Alleyne, Joy Briscoe, Lindsay Cannaday, Sashay Carroll, Shantila Caston, Mike Finley, Tiffany Dodd, Carlos Frazier, Dr. Clovia Hamilton, Juana Hollingsworth, Dr. C. Douglas Johnson, Kimbertly Jones, Trisha Rivers, Nilvia Reyes Rodriquez, Nichole Sallis, Dr. Loneshia Shelton, Gina Weekley and Jamal White.

Loveless began planning for this conference about a year ago, and hopes these speakers can provide attendees with fresh perspectives and insight.

“If you come to the conference and you go to one of these breakout sessions, it may be just what you need,” Loveless said. “That’s what makes this conference so unique and needed.”

Loveless also expressed special gratitude to the conference’s sponsors, and to the Harvest Conference planning committee for helping hosting this event.

Registration for the conference is free of charge, and food will be provided. To register, visit dis.uni.edu, and email dis@uni.edu with any questions.

Conferencia de cosecha: Reiniciarse, reenforcarse, renovarse

Estudiantes, facultad, personal administrativo y miembros de la comunidad tendrán la oportunidad de “reenfocarse, renovarse y reiniciarse” este jueves, el 28 de septiembre, en la tercera Conferencia anual de Cosecha.

Presentada por el departamento de Diversidad, Inclusión y Justicia Social de UNI, la conferencia albergará sesiones en grupo, discursos de apertura y 19 conferenciantes invitados para motivar el crecimiento personal y profesional.

Chiquita Loveless, directora de Diversidad, Inclusión y Justicia Social de UNI, ha tomado la iniciativa para organizar la conferencia y espera que provea a los asistentes la oportunidad de cuidar sus bienestares y revitalizar sus mentalidades.

“Esta conferencia no te

va a decepcionar si estás en un camino de éxito y quieres apoyo”, dijo Loveless. “La información que ganarás de esta conferencia de un día te beneficiará a ti y tu futuro. Cuando la conferencia se termine vas a estar en un punto transicional donde vas a contemplar si quieres seguir haciendo lo que estás haciendo ahorita o si quieres volverte una persona mejor”.

Una estudiante de UNI, Chamya Adams, asistió a la conferencia el año pasado y dijo que es altamente recomendable ir.

“Vas a estar en un espacio donde vas a aprender algo nuevo”, dijo Adams.

“Cuando nos separemos y vayamos a las secciones en grupo, vas a poder tomar tu propia decisión de a cuál quieres ir, así que es más personalizada. Los conferenciantes contestan tus preguntas y conectan con tus intereses”.

La conferencia cubrirá

Si vienes a la conferencia y vas a alguna sesión en grupo, quizás tendrás algo que te faltaba... Eso es lo que hace que la conferencia sea necesaria y única. CHIQUITA LOVELESS Directora de Diversidad, Inclusión y Justicia Social de UNI

temas desde salud mental, organizar finanzas, cómo puedes convertirte en un profesional existoso hasta ser una persona de color en una institucion predominantemente de raza caucasiana. Loveless nota que, aunque la Conferencia de Cosecha estuvo creada para estudiantes marginados, están abriendo sus puertas para todos este año, incluyendo personas de la comunidad de

Cedar Falls Los conferenciantes invitados incluyen a Gary Kroeger, quien sirve como el director ejecutivo de Outlier Creative Solutions , Shalaya Morissette quien es la jefa de la minoría División de Negocios y Lugar de Trabajo del Departamento de Energía de Estados Unidos y JJ Moses, quien empezó su carrera de fútbol americano en la preparatoria de Waterloo Este y se unió a la Liga Nacional de Fútbol Americano ( NFL ) en 2001 como un regresador de patadas.

Otros conferenciantes invitados incluyen a la Dra. Janel Alleyne, Joy Briscoe, Lindsay Cannaday, Sashay Carroll, Shantila Caston, Mike Finley, Tiffany Dodd, Carlos Frazier, Dra. Clovia Hamilton, Juana Hollingsworth, Dr. C. Douglas Johnson, Kimberly Jones, Trisha Rivers, Nilvia Reyes Rodriquez, Nichole Sallis, Dra. Loneshia

Shelton, Gina Weekley y Jamal White.

Hace un año desde que Loveless empezó a prepararse para esta conferencia y espera que los conferenciantes puedan dar a los asistentes nuevas perspectivas y entendimientos.

“Si vienes a la conferencia y vas a alguna sesión en grupo, quizás tendrás algo que te faltaba”, dijo Loveless. “Eso es lo que hace que la conferencia sea necesaria y única”.

Loveless también demostró un aprecio especial para los patrocinadores de la conferencia y a la junta de planificación de la Conferencia de Cosecha por ayudar a albergar este evento.

La inscripción para la conferencia está libre de costos y habrá comida. Para registrarte visita la página web de dis.uni.edu y si tienes alguna pregunta puedes mandar un correo electrónico a dis@uni.edu.

KARINA ORTIZ Editoria en español CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN Escritora

JORDAN JUNGE

The third annual Harvest Conference will be held in Maucker Union this Thursday, Sept. 28.

JORDAN JUNGE

La tercera Conferencia anual de Cosecha será presentada en Maucker Union este jueves, el 28 de septiembre.

Battle of the chai

A quest to find the best chai offered in the Cedar Valley

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER

Opinion Columnist included Sidecar, Cottonwood Canyon, Sarah’s Espresso, Cup of Joe and The Savvy Bean. Each shops’ chai will be rated out of 15, giving an ‘out of five’ rating for each of the categories will find who in the Cedar-loo area has the best fall chai.

As of Saturday, Sept. 23, fall has officially arrived. This means that fall favorite drinks are returning to coffee shop menus around the Cedar Falls/ Waterloo area. For years, fall menus have revolved around coffee, and for those who don’t enjoy coffee, prevented fall drink festivities. But, as more and more people demand chai at coffee shops, the more fall chai menu offerings there are. I am not a coffee drinker, but I am a big fan of all things chai. So, to kick off fall, I took it upon myself to tour the local coffee shops and find the best fall chai.

For the sake of science, I tried to make my orders as similar as possible. At its core, my order is an iced black chai with oat milk. Whatever a coffee shop decides to do beyond that for their fall chai is just a plus. I’m only visiting local coffee shops in Cedar Falls and Waterloo, so larger companies like Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts don’t have any pull in this experiment.

The criteria for the best fall chai falls into three categories:

1. Taste. Arguably the most important. How sweet is it? Can you taste the pumpkin? How is it made? How do the fall flavors compliment the chai? 2. Presentation. I love the look of a chai, no matter what cup it’s in. This is more subjective than the rest of the criteria, so take this category with a grain of salt. 3. Price. The price of a chai can make all the difference. How much does it cost, and is it worth it? These are the categories by which a chai will be judged. The coffee shops I visited

Sidecar - Small Iced Pumpkin Chai Latte with Oat Milk

I visited the Sidecar on College Hill before class on Wednesday morning. I ordered a small iced pumpkin chai latte with oat milk, which was recommended to me by Northern Iowan Sports Editor, Caden Shea. The chai ran about $5.50, and the oat milk cost extra (this will be a running theme throughout this experiment). I can’t lie, I don’t frequent Sidecar as much as some UNI students. But recently, Sidecar has changed my mind solely with their chai.

Their chai is sweet, I will say. But, the pumpkin they use adds a really nice nutty flavor that balances out the sweetness and brings out a great flavor in the tea. The fact that Sidecar also uses a chai powder that they made in house rather than a concentrate also gives them a couple brownie points in my book. Overall, Sidecar really surprised me with their chai. I’d give their pumpkin chai a 14/15.

Cottonwood Canyon - Small

Iced Chai with Oat Milk

As a newcomer to Cottonwood Canyon, I didn’t know what to expect. But, I did know that I was excited. While I didn’t get a pumpkin chai here, I did thoroughly enjoy the chai I did pur-

chase, which was $4.50. It wasn’t severely great, but it also wasn’t a disappointing chai! Overall, the Cottonwood Canyon had a very pleasing chai that wasn’t too sweet but still smooth. But, there isn’t much to say about this chai. It was just a chai. I enjoyed it, but there wasn’t really much special about it.

Right now, Cottonwood Canyon is sitting at the solid middle of my list at a 10/15. It’s just missing that “oomf” to bring it up to the top of the list.

Sarah’s Espresso - Small Iced Maple Pumpkin Chai with Oat Milk

I’m a longtime fan of Sarah’s Espresso and their Energy Brews. I have been going to Sarah’s Espresso since I was a freshman three years ago, and have loved almost everything I’ve gotten from Sarah’s. This is why I expected to love Sarah’s fall chai, their Maple Pumpkin Chai. I ordered this on Thursday, after a long day of class. I was really excited to try this fall chai in particular because of how much I love Sarah’s Espresso, the fact that they added maple in, and how many people have told me they’re obsessed with it. Unfortunately, I just didn’t jive with this chai. The maple was thick and overbearing, oversweetening the chai for me and putting a damper on the pumpkin. It also cost $7, and the oat milk cost a dollar extra. They also make their chai with a concentrate, similar to Starbucks, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but I, personally, would rather drink a chai made from an actual tea leaf.

Maybe it’s just me, because

my roommates (who I pawned off the $7 tea to) were obsessed with it. If I were to go back for a fall chai from Sarah’s, I would probably order an Iced Chai with pumpkin, no maple. Overall, Sarah’s chai is sitting towards the middle-bottom of my list at a 7/15.

Cup of Joe - Small Iced Pumpkin Chai with Oat Milk

Cup of Joe is an acclaimed Cedar Falls coffee shop. But, as someone who doesn’t enjoy coffee, I don’t find myself frequenting Cup of Joe often. But this past Saturday, I think the Cup of Joe changed that. Their Pumpkin Chai was phenomenal, and sipping it in the environment that is Cup of Joe just made it all the better. It was sweet and nutty, the pumpkin flavors were present and abundant, and I just overall loved the flavors. I believe they also make their chai via tea powder, not through a concentrate. It was around $5.50, similar to Sidecar, but in my book, that wasn’t too pricey for the chai I received.

Cup of Joe did a great job with their fall chai. I’d rank them pretty high on my list, and it’s definitely one of the places I’ll be returning to when I am in need of a pick me up. I’d give Cup of Joe a 13/15.

The Savvy Bean - Small Iced Pumpkin Chai with Oat Milk

Oh, The Savvy Bean. I was so excited to venture to Waterloo’s downtown to enjoy a cup of chai from the new local shop. The atmosphere was great, the shop was beautiful, and I was really excited to try their chai.

Unfortunately, My experience wasn’t what I was hoping for. Upon receiving my chai, which I believe was made from a tea powder, it looked extremely milky to me. Upon further inspection in my car, it was almost just milk. I paid about $6.15 for a cup of iced milk. When sipping, I could not taste chai, I could not taste pumpkin, I could only really taste…milk. I brought it home to my roommate, who corroborated my feelings. I had essentially received a chai that was solely milk. I could see some powder at the bottom, but it wouldn’t mix with the large amount of milk in my cup.

Overall, I would like to return to The Savvy Bean and maybe experience something else. But, for right now, in my rankings, The Savvy Bean is unfortunately sitting at the bottom of my list at a 4/15, simply because I liked the cup and the shop.

My standings for the best fall chai are as follows:

Sidecar - 14/15

Cup of Joe - 13/15

Cottonwood Canyon - 10/15

Sarah’s Espresso - 7/15

The Savvy Bean - 4/15

Obviously everyone has different tastes and styles for their chai, but for me, Sidecar comes out on top. If you feel as passionately about chai as I do, feel free to contact me with more recommendations for chai in the Cedar Valley area at klinkbaa@uni.edu.

With fall officially upon us, Bailey Klinkhammer took to the Cedar Valley to find the best chai in town. From Cottonwood Canyon to The Savvy Bean, Klinkhammer decided Sidecar’s pumpkin chai latte with oat milk was the winner.

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER Campus Life Editor

“The Play That Goes Wrong” goes right

The technical rehearsal for TheatreUNI’s latest production, “The Play That Goes Wrong” begins with a fight call. The ensemble cast of eight gathers to practice the many stunts that occur in the show, including a sword fight, many a stage slap and hair pulling. The production team for TheatreUNI’s latest production, “The Play That Goes Wrong” was kind enough to give the Northern Iowan a look into the prep work that goes into creating a show from the ground up, and a glimpse at the exciting play coming to the Strayer-Wood Theater.

The premise of the play is a bit complicated. It’s a play within a play, or more specifically, a play

about a play. The play within “The Play That Goes Wrong” is titled “Murder at Haversham Manor,” and follows a Clue-like scenario about a murder mystery. But, the only thing is, everything within said play goes horribly wrong. “This is my directorial debut,” Crows the director, played by Sam Trumpold, at the top of Act I. This is one of the only things to go correctly in the play.

What ensues is an almost

two hour run of laughter at the horrors the actors within the play are facing, and in some instances, withstanding. What makes “The Play That Goes Wrong” so complex is that the actors in the play are also playing actors in a play. On the cast list, they are listed as the character’s name, then their role in “Murder at Haversham Manor,”. While it makes for a more complex show, it truly gives the actors a chance to shine and really push their acting abilities. The ensemble cast of eight runs a seamlessly entertaining show, all while, quite literally, having walls fall down around them. The ensemble is made up of an array of UNI students. They include Braden Hoyer, Kira Manuel, Eric Schutt, Trumpold, Holden McGraw, Peyton Robbins, Lauren Steelman and Annie

O’Connell. The amount of complexity within their characters can be caught in glimpses throughout the show, in glances, facial expressions and whispered, heated conversations. “Of course they didn’t notice, I improvised!” shouts Hoyer’s character from backstage at one point in the show.

Beyond the complexity of the characters, the intricacies of the set cannot be overstated. Since the play goes horribly wrong, the set crew has clearly worked hard to make a set that implodes on itself while providing the cast and crew with plenty of safety precautions. While they are built into the show, the mistakes are also precariously planned out by the crew.

“Last night was a strong, clean, run. I want to keep that energy going. We’re

locking it in,” coaches director Matthew Weedman before the full run through began. The show is composed of two acts, with a fifteen minute intermission in the middle. The first act ends with a bang (quite literally) and the second act builds off of the energy of the first act, taking it a few steps further.

TheatreUNI is prepared for a swath of shows for their '23-'24 season, and “The Play That Goes Wrong” just scratches the surface of that. “The Play That Goes Wrong” shows at Strayer-Wood Theater Sept. 29 and Sept. 30, as well as Oct. 6 & 7 at 7:30p.m. TheatreUNI’s matinee showings for “The Play That Goes Wrong” will be on Oct. 1 and 8 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through the UNITix website or through the box office at Strayer-Wood Theater.

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER Campus Life Editor

Of course they didn’t notice, I improvised!

COURTESY/THEATREUNI

Holden McGraw’s character, Perkins, “takes” Peyton Robbin’s pulse.

COURTESY/THEATREUNI Eric Schutt and Braden Hoyer’s characters struggle to keep the set together as they execute their scene.

Hoyer’s character performs a spit take.

Braden Hoyer Cast Member

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER Campus Life Editor

Panther Profile: Moussa Barry

CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN Executive Editor

With his home in Burkina Faso, West Africa, international student Moussa Barry packed up his belongings and made the almost 24 hour long journey to UNI’s campus this summer. A Fulbright Scholar, Barry is receiving his graduate degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and is a graduate assistant for the Department of Language and Literatures.

While he was nervous about flying to a country halfway across the world, he has found that the people at UNI have helped ease his transition.

“When I came to UNI people were really welcoming,” Barry said. “Someone drove me from the Cedar Rapids airport to UNI, and then they helped me check in my house, settle in, then guided me to get food and showed me around the campus. People were really helpful in my first days here which really surprised me a lot in a positive way.”

Barry is hoping to teach,

get accepted into a Ph.D program or do translations after receiving his graduate degree at UNI. Barry speaks seven languages, including English, French and five local languages from Burkina Faso: Fulani, Dyula, Mooré, Bobo and Dafi. He also noted he can read and write in German and knows some Spanish, but he does not “count” these languages as ones he can speak since he is not completely fluent.

The biggest difference Barry has noticed between his home country and the United States is the educational infrastructure provided at universities.

“The universities here are way bigger than the universities back home,” Barry said.

“UNI is not that big compared to some universities here in the U.S, but as for my experience back home, I consider UNI a big campus because we don’t have such big campuses at home.”

He has enjoyed studying at Rod Library and utilizing online materials which were not available in Burkina Faso. While Barry has began to set-

tle into life at UNI, he misses his wife, who he married in January.

We are keeping in touch, and I call her everyday over video or voice calls when I am available,” Barry said.

In regards to adjusting to American culture, he admits the food has been difficult to get used to. Barry is eating at Piazza and Rialto, UNI’s two on campus dining halls.

“Food has been my biggest challenge since I came here,” He said. “I am used to eating very spicy food, and here it is just tasteless. You just boil things and you eat it? I feel like there is no spice added.”

Although eating American food is not something he has gotten used to quite yet, he does like the Spanish rice offered by the dining centers as it reminds him of food from his home country.

Barry hopes to share his culture with the UNI community during his time here, and is looking forward to learning more about American culture while educating people about his country.

The Mohair Pear Fair Returns

CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN Moussa Barry is a Fulbright Scholar who hails from Burkina Faso, West Africa.

ISABELLE BRADLEY

ISABELLE BRADLEY

ISABELLE BRADLEY

UNI students attend CAB’s craft fair in the Maucker Union ballrooms.

ISABELLE BRADLEY

Students were able to paint old records for decor.

ISABELLE BRADLEY

One student adorned their records with flowers.

VOLLEYBALL

Panthers bash Braves

DREW HILL Sports Writer

The Panther volleyball team started conference play off strong with a win against a gritty Bradley team. The Panthers started out the first set strong with Layanna Green, Emily Holterhaus, and Olivia Tjernagel setting the pace for the panthers and putting them up six points half way through the set. Bradley answered back with a 4-0 run to tie the game up at 19-19. The Braves would force their way to a lead of 23-22, and the fun wouldn’t stop there. The set would continue on until the Panthers won 32-30, thanks to 21 kills from the team.

The Panthers kept that momentum heading into the second set, jumping out to a 5-0 lead. They were able to keep it going throughout the set because of nine attack errors by Bradley and three service errors. But Bradley did not give up easily; they pushed their way back and started chipping at the Panther lead, cutting it to just two on a late run of 5-0. The Panthers would finish the set strong, despite the late push from the Braves, because of two errors and a kill by Holterhaus, giving them the set 25-21.

The Braves started out the

set strong, but the Panthers would make their way back with a strong service game. The Panthers trailed most of the third set, but would make their way back and tie the game up at 13-13. UNI found

their groove as the set went on, scoring four of their last seven points off of kills, finishing the set with 15 and taking the third set 25-20 and sweeping the Bradley Braves.

Holterhaus would finish the set with a match high 15 kills, followed along with two aces and three blocks. Tjernagel would finish the match with nine kills and five blocks. Fallert had seven

kills and two blocks in the set, and Green also added seven kills and one block. The Panthers aim to keep this momentum going as they continue the start of their conference play.

UNI continues sweep streak

NICOLE WATERS Sports Writer

The UNI women’s volleyball team faced the Illinois State Redbirds for their second conference matchup on Saturday, Sept. 23, in Normal, Illinois.

Following their 3-0 win over Bradley, UNI won again at Illinois State. This was their third-straight sweep of an opponent, improving UNI’s record to 8-6 overall and 2-0 in Missouri Valley play.

Illinois State came into the game 2-11, but having won two of their last four games. The first set began with both teams trading blows, unable to get the upper hand. Neither team got up by more than two for nearly half of the game. Finally, after Illinois State took a 13-12 lead, a pair of kills from Emily Holterhaus sparked a 7-0 run that gave UNI a 19-13 lead. The Redbirds scored a couple to make it 19-15, but a 6-0

run by the Panthers sealed the win 25-15.

The momentum carried over for the Panthers into the next set. After Illinois State took a brief 2-0 lead, UNI rattled off an 8-1 run to lead 8-3. The Redbirds clawed back within three at 9-6, but another 8-1 run put UNI ahead 17-7. UNI eventually cruised on to a 25-16 win.

The final set was the closest of the day. There were times early on when the Panthers looked like they might start pulling away again, but Illinois State would respond and come back. UNI’s biggest lead early on was 11-8, but Illinois State would soon take the lead 16-15. UNI used a 4-1 run to regain the lead at 19-17, but the Redbirds soon tied it back up at 20 apiece. A pair of kills each from Holterhaus and Layanna Green helped get UNI over the finish line for a 25-22 win to complete the sweep.

Holterhaus led the way

with 10 kills for UNI. Erin Powers led the way in digs with 16. Kira Fallert contributed eight kills and 10 digs. Green led the team in blocks with three while also contributing nine kills. Tayler Alden again led the Panthers in assists, with 31.

UNI returns home this week for conference games on Friday, Sept. 29, against Valparaiso and Saturday, Sept. 30, against UIC. The game against Valparaiso will be the “Gold Out” game. The games will be available on ESPN+.

The Panthers celebrate a sweep over the Bradley Braves.

JORDAN JUNGE

Panthers continue their winning streak against the Redbirds.

Panthers place fourth in “The Velvet”

BRADEN ELTON Sports Writer

The UNI women’s golf team traveled to Paducah, Kentucky early last week to compete in Murray State’s “The Velvet” at the Country Club of Paducah. The Panthers performed well and placed third out of 12 teams present.

UNI had three top ten finishers, which was their most top ten finishers since their 2021 MVC Championship. The Panthers finished six strokes behind Belmont who took first place with 921 points. Belmont’s Chloe Tarkany took home the individual championship after beating Murray State’s Payton Carter in a playoff hole. Tarkany and Carter both carded a 226 (+13) over the course of the two day event.

Anna Jensen was the frontrunner for the Panthers with a fourth place finish carding 228 (+15) over the two days. Jensen also tallied nine birdies throughout the match. Anna Nacos recorded her first top ten finish of her career coming in a tie for fifth place.

Nacos carded 229 (+16) and carded a career best round of 74 (+3). Victoria Hualde finished in eighth place with a 231 (+18), while shooting a career best 73 (+2) in the

SPORTS OPINION

The Panthers had three golfers place in the top ten.

second round of the match. Rounding out the third place score for the Panthers, Allison Nuss finished with a 246 (+33) while carding a 78 (+7) in round two. Nuss finished in a tie for 39th place. McKenna Mallow, competing as an individual, finished with 248 (+35), which result-

ed in a tie for 43rd place. Addison Berg finished her second collegiate tournament for the Panthers with a 252 (+39). Berg tied her season best round carding a 78 (+7) in the third round and placed 53rd in the match.

UNI was in the hunt throughout the match, fin-

ishing just six points behind Belmont (921) and four behind Murray State (924). The Panthers third place score of 927 was 11 points better than the fourth place team of Murray State’s B team.

Their next match will be Monday, Oct. 2nd and Tuesday, Oct. 3rd at

Creighton’s “Big O Classic” in Omaha, Nebraska. Following that, they will travel to Bartonville, Illinois to compete in the “Bradley Coyote Creek Classic” on Saturday, Oct. 7 and Sunday, Oct. 8.

Loving him is Red: Taylor Swift attends Kansas City Chiefs game

Sports Editor

Ciara and Russell Wilson. Hailey Steinfeld and Josh Allen. Shailene Woodley and Aaron Rodgers. There have been a multitude of NFL players who have dated celebrities.

None, I repeat NONE, have broken the internet quite like the reported relationship of pop icon Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs Tight End Travis Kelce. Rumors have been circulating ever since Swift performed during her famed “Eras Tour” at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, the home field of the Chiefs. Kelce attempted to give the pop star a bracelet with his phone number on it to no avail. He then asked her again and was reportedly shut down.

Reports recently resurfaced that Swift and Kelce were quietly hanging out in a romantic context. These rumors seemed to be nothing more than falsities made by the media in order to stir up controversy.

I thought nothing of it and believed that it was just a stu-

pid tabloid rumor that would blow over in a couple of days. And then I saw the Bears VS. Chiefs game on Sunday. Taylor Swift was front and center on my TV in box seats with Travis’s family, namely his mother, Donna.

My mind was blown. The rumors were true. Swift had a brand new “Love Story” and it was with one of the most electric players in the NFL.

The internet exploded upon this revelation. I couldn’t scroll Twitter or Instagram without seeing Swift or Kelce’s face on my feed. The news was filled with love for this new couple.

Kelce’s jersey sales increased by 400%. Thousands of people who have never seen a football game in their life tuned in to watch the Chiefs annihilate the Bears. The “Taylor Swift” effect has fully hit the NFL.

I will use this final paragraph to exhaust every Taylor Swift pun I can come up with.

“Karma” is no longer Swift’s boyfriend, it’s Travis Kelce.

Taylor Swift could not come up with a better “Lover” in

her “Wildest Dreams.” She was “Enchanted” to meet him when he walked in. Don’t blame her for choosing Kelce over other players in the NFL, he’s a player that never goes out of “Style.” He can score any touchdown easily by fearlessly shaking off opponents and finding a “Blank Space”

in the end zone. She’s trading in her “Cardigan” for a jersey even though it is made of a more “Delicate” material. Instead of “Paper Rings” she’s chasing Super Bowl rings which Kelce has two of. Kelce doesn’t have to worry aboutChampagne Problems except for deciding which bottles to

open when he eventually wins his third Super Bowl with Swift by his side. Sparks are flying between these two lovers and if anyone has a problem with it or thinks that it’s fake I have one thing to say to you: You need to calm down.

Taylor Swift watches Travis Kelce alongside his mother, Donna, on Sunday.

WOMEN’S GOLF

CADEN SHEA

Panthers extinguish Flames

ADAM JOHNSON Sports Writer

On Thursday, Sep. 21, the UNI women’s soccer team played host to the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). The Panthers came into the game with a record of 7-1-1 trying to continue the strong start to the season. The Flames had a record of 2-4-2 and were trying to get their season on track. It was a close matchup, but the Panthers were able to pull through for the win.

Early on in the first period, things were quiet, with the only action near the goals being a couple of shots by the Flames that never made it to UNI goalkeeper Caitlin Richards. It was not until the 14:04 mark in the first period that the first shot on goal was made. The Flames got a clear look at the goal, but Richards was able to make the save. The rest of the period the Flames managed a few more shots on the goal but Richards let nothing by. The Panthers never really got a good look, as at the break they only had two shots and neither of them made it to the UIC goalkeeper.

Although a rough first

SOCCER

period for the Panthers, the game was tied 0-0 at the start of the second. The Panthers attacked the goal early and often, managing four shots. Three of them were on goal, and one of them by Maddie Eastus made its way through for the score. The Panthers took a 1-0 lead at the 59:17 mark. The rest of the period was relatively quiet, as both teams played a solid defensive game. Way late in the game, with just under three minutes left, the Flames Hannah Gryzik had a chance for a goal, but Richards came up clutch for the Panthers once again, getting her fifth save of the game. That would be the last shot the flames would get, and the Panthers came away with the 1-0 victory.

The Panthers moved to 8-1-1 on the season, continuing the reign of terror that they have been on for the 2023 season. UNI has one of their best records in the history of the program and will only improve as they continue in this season.

UNI Silences Salukis

MICHAEL SPAHN Sports Writer

The Northern Iowa women’s soccer team welcomed Southern Illinois for their third conference game of the season.

The Salukis had an opportunity early with a shot on goal, but missed high over the net. Nine minutes into the match, the Panthers struck first thanks to a goal by Olivia Knoepfle to make it 1-0. Olivia Bohl account -

ed for the assist with a great upfield pass.

Towards the middle of the half, The Panthers kept the momentum going on offense with two shots on goal by Knoepfle and Ashley Harrington. Towards

the end of the first half, the two teams traded shots on goal but couldn’t capitalize.

The Panthers came out firing early offensively.

Lauren Heinsch had back to back shots on goal missing them high. Soon after, Denise Camarena fired a high-arching shot past the Suluki goalie to extend the Panther lead to 2-0.

The Panthers didn’t let up, putting up three consecutive shot on goal attempts by Heinsch and Caroline Hazen. Eventually, Knoepfle got her second goal of the day to make it 3-0 Panthers. Allison Groothuis assisted her with a great pass.

The Salukis failed to get a shot on goal attempt the rest of the game, while the Panthers added four more. The score remained the same the rest of the game, as the Panthers defeated the Salukis 3-0.

The Panthers finished with six shots on goal as opposed to the Saluki’s one.

Caitlyn Richards finished with ine save on the day, while the Salukis totaled three of them as a team.

Knoepfle now sits at five goals on the season which is tied for second on the team. Camarena scored her first goal of the season. Bohl extended her assists on the year to two, while Groothuis added her first of the season.

The Panthers notched their third victory all time against the Salukis, improving their record to 3-0-1. They continue their hot start improving their overall record to 9-1-1. The team is back in action this Sunday at home versus the Indiana State Sycamores at 12:00 p.m. on ESPN+.

JORDAN JUNGE

Panthers continue their winning ways with 1-0 win against the Flames.

JORDAN JUNGE

Olivia Knoepfle led the Panthers in scoring with two goals.

CROSSWORD

SOPHIE HOFFMEIER Managing Editor