10-16-24 by Northern Iowan

UNI Homecoming celebrates Panthers on Parade

CAMPUS LIFE

Campus Life editor Estelle Johnson discusses the recent TheatreUNI production of “Ordinary Days.”

SEE PAGE 6

SPORTS Michael Spahn highlights UNI men’s basketball managers. SEE PAGE 11

With homecoming just around the corner, students across campus may be wondering exactly what the theme “Panthers on Parade” means. Originally Panthers on Parade was a collaboration between UNI and Cedar Falls Tourism. The TC sculptures were designed by local artists to be placed around Cedar Falls.

In March of 29=024, the Northern Iowan met with Jennifer Pickar, the tourism and cultural programs manager for Cedar Falls, she said “Panthers on Parade is really a community pride project. Cedar Falls Tourism is working with the University of Northern Iowa to bring … 26 new, six foot tall fiberglass TC statues that will be showcased around the community from May through Oct. of 2024.”

Each statue is completely unique. Pickar explained that each mascot was created by local artists, saying “We have 20 local or area artists that are embellishing each of the TC mascots in a different way. Each mascot has a sponsor, so the artists have paired up with a sponsor to customize them, or to, you know, select a specific design. So

they’re all going to be very different, very colorful and fun, and they’ll be placed at the sponsor locations on the very first of May.”

Pickar continued on to explain how the idea came about, “So, you know, our other large state universities in Iowa have done this. They have their mascots on display throughout their communities and we thought it was time to have that here in Cedar Falls. So the planning for this project, you know, to get it going, took a year. There’s a lot of pieces to it, but we’re really excited to see it come to be. We want TC to be showcased throughout the community. We just want Cedar Falls to, you know, step up a little bit and do a little more to show their pride for UNI. The university is super important to the community, and the community here in Cedar Falls is super important to UNI.”

Pickar touched on the community-wide effort behind the project, emphasizing the importance of both the artists and the sponsors. “We have such great local artists in this community. I can’t wait for their work to be on display in such a fun way. There are UNI alumni that are participating. There are UNI students participating as artists. So it’s just

a really cool thing to see all of this come together. And, you know, this project wouldn’t be possible without our local sponsors. A lot of local businesses just jumped at the chance to be involved. We’ve got a great variety of businesses that came on board, and so I just really always want to thank them for helping us make this happen.”

Rachel Heine, the artist behind two of the TC mascots and a 2024 UNI graduate, spoke about the process she went through to create the pieces she called “Aqua Cat,” made for the Falls Aquatic Center and “TC Moneybags,” made for UNITE Credit Union.

“I just kind of keep my eye out for different little commissions they do around Cedar Falls, and so this came up, and I thought I’d be qualified, because I work in a variety of mediums. So from there, I just sent in some proposals, like of designs and stuff which weren’t like final but that was just so they could see who’s qualified. Then they paired me up with different businesses around Cedar Falls, and then from there, I worked with the business to come up with a different design for them.”

See UNI HOMECOMING , page 3

News briefs

Early Voting availble in Maucker Union

Wednesday, Oct. 16 through Friday, Oct. 18 from 9am to 3pm Black Hawk county registered voters can vote early in Maucker Union. For more information, check out https://panthersvote.uni. edu

UNI Department of Communication & Media to host annual Fast Forward Conference

Friday, Oct. 18 will be the annual Fast Forward Media Workshop. This event is free to participants, with a meal coupon toward lunch provided. This annual event is sponsored by the UNI Department of Communication and Media, with the generous support of the Iowa Broadcasters Association Foundation. Registration is open now, online. Any questions can be forwarded to Eric Braley, eric.braley@uni.edu

JO BRAHMS News Editor

Northern Iowan/JO BRAHMS

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER Executive Editor

Olivia Chambers named 2024 UNI Homecoming parade grand marshal

COURTESY/INSIDE UNI

NI STAFF

The University of Northern Iowa announced the grand marshal for the 2024 Homecoming parade will be Paralympic gold medalist and UNI senior Olivia Chambers. Chambers, a biology major from Little Rock, Ark., is UNI’s first swimmer in school history to be named to the United States team for the Paralympic Games. UNI believes that through her “hard work, determination and fearlessness, she exemplifies the Panther spirit, making her the perfect person to lead the Homecoming parade.” At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, Chambers captured a gold medal and two siver medals, marking UNI’s first gold medal since 1952. Not far behind will be parade dignitaries, fellow Paralympians

and UNI alums Jessica Heims and Erin Kerkhoff.

“We are proud that Olivia Chambers will be representing her university and UNI Athletics as the grand marshal of this year’s UNI Homecoming Parade,” said UNI Director of Athletics Megan Franklin. “Olivia’s performance in the Paris Paralympic Games was truly exceptional. I encourage the community and Panthers everywhere to join us in celebrating her accomplishments. We are grateful that the university is also honoring Olivia’s fellow Paralympic competitors from UNI as Heims and Kerkhoff will be among the many Homecoming parade dignitaries.

Other dignitaries for this year’s parade include Franklin, President Mark Nook, Waterloo Mayor

Quentin Hart and Cedar Falls Mayor Danny Laudick, and the 2024 Gold Star Award recipients for outstanding teaching.

The 2024 UNI Homecoming parade will march down Cedar Falls Main Street on Saturday, Oct. 26 beginning at 11 a.m. This year’s theme is “Panthers on Parade,” celebrating the more than two dozen statues of UNI’s mascot TC displayed throughout the Cedar Valley. The parade will begin at 9th and Main streets, travel north on Main Street to 2nd Street, then end at River Place Plaza.

UNI graduates Brad Wells and David Warrington will emcee the parade, which will also be livestreamed on YouTube. Wells, a video producer at Around The Corner Productions, co-hosts the

TV show “Panther Sports Talk” and has served as a broadcast announcer for UNI Athletics.

Olivia’s

performance in the Paris Paralympic Games was truly exceptional.

Megan

Warrington, a multimedia journalist at KWWL-TV is also no stranger to being behind the microphone, having also announced broadcasts for the UNI Panthers and high school teams around the Cedar Valley. Warrington also served as a sports editor for the

Northern Iowan during his time at UNI.

The parade is just one way to celebrate UNI’s Homecoming. On Friday, Oct. 25, The Pork Tornadoes will perform a free concert on central campus. UNI Volleyball plays at home in the McLeod Center both Friday and Saturday nights, along with UNI Football in the UNI-Dome on Saturday. Three performances of “The Music Man” will take shape on stage of the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, a collaboration with Cedar Falls Community Theatre, Waterloo Community Playhouse and WaterlooCedar Falls Symphony. For complete details on this year’s Homecoming events, check out the Homecoming website at homecoming.uni. edu.

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NORTHERN IOWAN BAILEY KLINKHAMMER Executive Editor klinkbaa@uni.edu

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SOPHIE HOFFMEIER Managing Editor hoffmeis@uni.edu 515.795.6066

EDITORIAL STAFF

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ESTELLE JOHNSON Campus Life Editor johnsecr@uni.edu

COHEN KAMAUS Sports Editor kamausc@uni.edu

ANTONIA GOODWIN Copy Editor goodwaab@uni.edu

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The Northern Iowan is published weekly on Wednesday 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.

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After her historic run at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, UNI has announced that senior Olivia Chambers will serve as the Homecoming parade grand marshal. Chambers captured a gold medal and two silver medals for Team USA this summer. Chambers will be honored alongside fellow Paralympian Panthers Jessica Heims and Erin Kerkhoff.

Franklin UNI Athletic Director

Hinson, Corkery participate in 2nd Congressional District Debate

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER Executive Editor

On Monday, Oct. 14, Representative Ashley Hinson and small business owner Sarah Corkery grappled in a debate over the issues that affect Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, which encapsulates Cedar Falls and the rest of the Northeast Iowa area. The debate, hosted by Iowa Public Broadcasting, covered topics like abortion, immigration, the economy and healthcare.

The debate began with Republican incumbent Hinson and Democratic challenger Corkery discussing immigration and how it can impact Iowans at home.

“We have 10 million illegal immigrants that have come across the border under the Harris border czar situation we’ve had, it’s been an absolute disgrace … I was just at a small school district where they’ve had several dozen new students come in that don’t speak the language … I think we need to deport the dangerous illegals in our country first,

UNI HOMECOMING

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Heine noted her favorite part of her creative processes. She said, “Just having it completed, I guess and seeing the sculptures around Cedar Falls like in front of the businesses, or wherever they want to put them. Hopefully people like them take pictures with them, but just like seeing my work in Cedar Falls in general, because I already have a public art piece on Main Street, so these will be my second and third.”

This project was a large undertaking, but at the unveiling ceremony in April of 2024, the hard work paid off. UNI President Mark Nook spoke highly of the relationship between the university and the city of Cedar Falls, and admired the efforts supporting the creation of TC statues.

“My wife, Cheryl, and I always raid the art collection here on campus, and bring art to our home and try to beautify our home, to make it an extension of the art gallery. So, we’re very excited to have our whole community turn into an art gallery through this project

COURTESY

During Monday night’s debate, candidates Hinson and Corkery debated topics such as immigration, abortion rights and TikTok.

that should be our top priority,” said Hinson. Corkery pushed Hinson, stating that Hinson should have supported a bipartisan immigration package. Corkery argued that “73% of people working in agriculture” weren’t born in America, and that Iowa relies on those people to sup -

… Really is a community that takes great businesses, great sponsors – people willing to step up and say, ‘I want to make a difference in this community and help beautify it.’ I think this is one of those things that is going to get some attention.”

Nook added, “Some people are going to want to come to just see the statues, and then they’re going to buy a burger, have a beer and stay in our hotels and really help our cities’ economy as well. So, thank you very much. Lastly, to the

port the farming industry. Corkery also noted that she solely supports legal immigration.

Hinson and Corkery also applied pressure to one another while debating abortion on both a state and national level. While Hinson argued that she is pro-life but

city of Cedar Falls, to the City Council, to the mayor, to the city staff, thank you for partnering on this. The partnership between the university and the community is so important. We know we’re an important part of this community, but what the community gives back to us, the way that they support this university and come out and help us get things done, recruit students, what a tremendous outpouring of support for this university, and what we try to do for the community.”

Cedar Falls mayor Danny

supports exceptions for rape and incest, Corkery brought up that Hinson cosponsored the Life at Conception Act, which does not include specific language regarding exceptions for rape and incest. “It’s about valuing life,” said Hinson. Corkery pressed Iowans to not just listen to Hinson, but to look specifically at how she votes.

“This is what I believe –I believe Ashley Hinson would rather you be dead than have an abortion. She signed the Life at Conception Act which has no exceptions for rape or incest, or life of the mother. She says she supports women, but she would rather they die than have an abortion,” argued Corkery. Corkery was firm in her belief that there should be no gestational period laws, and that decisions around pregnancy should be strictly between the mother and her medical care team.

TikTok also became a point of debate between the two nominees, with Hinson being an adamant supporter of the Protecting Americans from Adversary Controlled

Laudick, echoed President Nook’s sentiments regarding the relationship between UNI and Cedar Falls

“Cedar Falls would not be the town, that is, if it wasn’t the fact that we are a university town. MSN had an article about a couple of the top towns that are expected to be much bigger than 50 years from now that could be boomtown. Cedar Falls was one of them, largely because of that relationship with the university and the fact that we have a community that people want to live in and raise their kids in, grow their families in, go to school in, and stay around. I always say I grew up here, so I have some personal connection here. But if it wasn’t for UNI, and the fact that I went to there for college, I don’t know if I would have stayed here. You know, I probably would have gone to college somewhere else. Probably would have gotten connected with another town, because those years in college is where you really start to engage with your community, with the businesses, nonprofits, whatever you get involved with if it wasn’t for the university, I don’t know if

Applications Act, the act that failed to ban TikTok. Corkery argues that the data gathered from TikTok will not be used to cause harm and has been used as a “fear tactic.” Hinson argued that China’s ownership of TikTok is similar to a “spy balloon on 200 million American phones,” and that data security is at stake and is a “threat that needs to be eliminated.”

Both Hinson and Corkery will be on the ballot this coming November for Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District seat in the U.S House of Representatives. The 2nd District encapsulates Cedar Falls, Waterloo, Dubuque and Cedar Rapids. Iowa Public Broadcasting is set to host a second congressional debate on Oct. 21 at 8 p.m. for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, which encompasses Iowa City, Davenport, Newton and Burlington. Republican incumbent Marianette Miller-Meeks will debate Democratic challenger Christina Bohannan. To register to vote, visit mymvd.iowadot.gov.

this would still be my hometown. So thank you to UNI for being such a partner in the community. We’ve talked a lot, you know, since coming on, about the importance of that relationship … We have to have each other, but actually leaning into and working with each other on the proactive basis.”

He continued, saying “So just as a chance for us to, as a community, rally to invest in our creatives, in a way, that brings people to the community, engages the quality of life, aspect of looking to attract talent here, and hopefully just build a little more pride with our university and for our students who call this home. So just thank you again to everyone who’s been involved this project. I know for staff, it’s been a lot of staff time, but into this before I was around, and I know this is a project has been very passionate for quite a few of our staff. Thank you to staff sponsors, everybody here for coming out, for the artist, families, for supporting the artists through this whole project.”

For more information, go to panthersonparade.com to learn about the TC statues before the end of October.

NORTHERN IOWAN/JO BRAHMS

TC Moneybags, designed by Rachel Heine, is located at UNITE Credit Union.

NORTHERN IOWAN/JO BRAHMS Aqua Cat, designed by Rachel Heine, is located at The Falls Aquatic Center.

EN ESPAÑOL

El subsecretario de Estado de Gestión y Recursos analiza deberes y sueños

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER

Editora ejecutiva ESTEPHANY PEREZ

Traductora invitada

El subsecretario de Estado para Gestión y Recursos Richard R. Verma, visitó el Auditorio Lang de la Universidad del Norte de Iowa para dar un discurso a los estudiantes sobre las relaciones internacionales y la cercanía con la que impactan a los iowanos. Verma también habló de sus estrechos vínculos personales con UNI y de cómo se aprecia a los habitantes de Iowa en el mundo de las relaciones internacionales.

Verma comenzó su conferencia con un comentario sobre su difunto padre, Kamal Verma, quien era un ex alumno de UNI, graduado con un título de especialista en educación. Verma señaló que su padre dejó a su esposa e hijos en la India para estudiar en el extranjero con la esperanza de un futuro mejor a principios de la década de 1960.

“Solía contarnos todo el tiempo sobre los $15 dólares que tenía en el bolsillo y el boleto de autobús Greyhound con los que vino a Estados Unidos, a veces esa cantidad de dólares cambiaba, pero el sentimiento era el mismo”, bromeó. Verma explicó cómo su padre contaba la gente de Cedar Falls le abrió los brazos y cómo Iowa se convirtió en el “campo de los sueños de la vida real” de su padre. Durante su visita Verma continuó hablando de su difunto padre y de cómo su tiempo en UNI lo había guiado. “Ha sido maravilloso caminar por el campus y pensar en cómo mi padre también caminaba por estas aceras”, dijo.

Verma ha desempeñado muchos cargos antes de convertirse en subsecretario de Estado. Es un veterano de la Fuerza Aérea de los EE. UU., ex embajador de los EE. UU. en la India y tuvo una fructífera carrera en el sector privado antes de trabajar para el gobierno. Su trabajo para el gobierno le ha llevado a la idea de que el trabajo internacional comienza en ciudades, condados y estados. “Todos tenemos un papel que desempeñar en la política exterior”, afirmó Verma.

El Departamento de Estado abarca muchas facetas de la política interior y exterior de Estados Unidos, y cuenta con miles de empleados trabajando en el país y en el

CORTESÍA

CORTESÍA/INSIDEUNI

El presidente de UNI, Mark Nook, y el subsecretario Richard R. Verma discuten el impacto global de la comunidad de Iowa durante la visita de Verma a la universidad.

extranjero. “Nuestros empleados trabajan en embajadas de todo el mundo y en comandos combatientes”, dijo Verma. También señaló que empleados clave como los funcionarios del servicio exterior y los funcionarios públicos también están destinados en estaciones de todo el mundo. El presidente de la universidad, Mark Nook, y Verma también confirmaron que hay al menos 10 antiguos alumnos de UNI que trabajan para el Departamento de Estado. Verma analizó cómo, al abordar cuestiones tan importantes en todo el mundo, los desafíos son casi de esperar. Hizo referencia a la guerra en curso en Ucrania y los conflictos en el Medio Oriente como algo en lo que se está centrando el Departamento de Estado.

“Cuestiones como el cambio climático, las pandemias,

la salud global y la tecnología son problemas sin pasaporte”, afirmó Verma. Estos desafíos no sólo se abordan a nivel global, sino que conducen a otro foco de la conferencia de Verma: la diplomacia subnacional. “El Departamento de Estado es sólo una pieza de la primera línea diplomática”, dijo Verma. Advirtió de la importancia de los alcaldes y el papel de las ciudades a la hora de asumir los desafíos globales, haciendo referencia al programa de ciudades hermanadas de Eisenhower, que ayuda a desarrollar las ciudades económicamente.

Verma expresó lo importante que es poder compartir información y ayudarse mutuamente por todo el mundo. El Dr. Borlaug, un científico de Iowa, se propuso tomar sus conocimientos sobre cultivos y utilizar esa información para ayudar a otros científi-

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER/NORTHERN IOWAN

Inicio a la conferencia ‘Iowans and the World.’

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER/NORTHERN IOWAN

“El subsecretario Richard R. Verma habla en la UNI, compartiendo ideas sobre la diplomacia global y sus profundos lazos personales con Iowa.”

cos de todo el mundo a descubrir cómo alimentar a sus comunidades. Verma señaló que Borlaug es sólo uno de los habitantes de Iowa que ha tenido un impacto en todo el mundo con “su conocimiento y amabilidad”.

“Los iowanos tienen un impacto global”, dijo Verma. “El Departamento de Estado y el mundo necesitan ingenieros, contadores, escritores y científicos”, dijo. “Sé que UNI es conocida por su programa de educación, y he visto a personas con títulos en educación convertirse en grandes oficiales de política exterior”.

En el centro de la discusión de Verma estaban la bondad y las gracias. Mencionó una anécdota sobre la Serie Mundial de Pequeñas Ligas de 2024, en la que los jugadores de un equipo de Florida consolaron al equipo de China

que había perdido el campeonato.

“Si bien muchos esperaban que estos jóvenes jugadores comenzarán a celebrar, vimos cómo consolaban a los jugadores contrarios, abrazándolos y acompañándolos en un momento de necesidad”, dijo Verma. “Nunca se sabe cuándo un poco de gracia o de bondad afectará a alguien, incluso a nivel mundial”. Más allá de los desafíos globales y la diplomacia subnacional, Verma expresó que sigue mirando al futuro con esperanza. “Cuando continuamos aprendiendo y construyendo sobre nuestro pasado, el futuro es muy brillante”, afirmó.

La visita de Verma a Cedar Falls también incluirá visitas al alcalde de Cedar Falls, Danny Laudick, y al de Waterloo, Quentin Hart, así como al exgobernador de Iowa, Terry Branstad.

Richard R. Verma fue invitado a la Universidad del Norte de Iowa.

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER

Disclaimer: The following opinion articles featured do not reflect the opinion of the Northern Iowan newspaper or staff as a whole.

Who will win the 2024 WNBA Finals?

the

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER Executive Editor

The New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx continue to clash in the WNBA Finals as both teams look to capture the title. The teams are tied 1-1 in the Finals series so far, each capturing a win in New York’s own Barcaly’s Center. The Liberty hit the road on Wednesday, Oct. 16 for their first game in Minnesota this series. The Liberty have yet to win in the Lynx’s Target Center this season.

The Lynx defeated the Connecticut Sun in five games for their semi-finals run, and the Liberty toppled the reigning WNBA champions, the Las Vegas Aces, in four games, avenging their 2023 Finals loss. Many sports journalists thought it impossible for the Lynx to capture a game one win. Sabreena Merchant of the New York Times’s Athletic thought the Lynx had “less than a 10% chance” of capturing game one, facing a 48 hour turnaround after defeat-

ing the Sun in five.

About 35 minutes into the game, most people would agree with Merchant, as the Lynx’s chances of winning game one seemed to be slim.

The Liberty held a 15 point advantage against the Lynx

“If Collier can have explosive games like she had against Connecticut, the Lynx are sitting in a very good position to win the 2024 championship.”

- Bailey Klinkhammer

with just 5 minutes left in the fourth quarter, until the Lynx flipped the game on its head. In just five minutes, the Lynx not only clawed their way back within just three points of the Liberty,

but the Lynx’s Courtney Williams hit a game-defining four point play to push the Lynx to take the lead.

The Liberty forced the game into overtime, but the Lynx still came out on top with a shocking 95-93 win over the Liberty on their home court.

The Liberty shifted the tone of the Finals series after a defining win over the Lynx in game two, with a much-needed win of 80-66. The Liberty’s lead shrunk to just two points with under four minutes left in the fourth quarter. Unlike game one, the Liberty refused to fade away, with forward Breanna Stewart capturing seven steals, three occurring in the fourth quarter. Liberty forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton played a large role offensively, collecting 20 points on 57% field goal shooting.

The question remains now: which team will capture the title? As the Liberty play on the road for game three, I predict the Lynx will win, pulling them to lead the series 2-1. The fourth game

will also be at the Target Center in Minnesota. While the Liberty are an incredibly strong and disciplined team, I don’t see them capturing the title on the road. I expect WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, Napheesa Collier, to show up and show out in games three and four. If Collier can have explosive games like she had against Connecticut, the Lynx are sitting in a very good position to win the 2024 championship. When Collier has 20+ point games, the Lynx are primed to seal the win.

On the other hand, the Liberty have to be nearly perfect to win. Even in their loss to Minnesota, the Liberty’s Jonquel Jones boasted a double double with 24 points and 10 rebounds, and Stewart had 18 points on 28% field goal scoring. For the Liberty to capture games on the road, Sabrina Ionescu needs to have games like she did against the Aces in the semi-finals. The Liberty absolutely dominated in the semi-finals, only giving up one game to the Aces.

The Lynx have been a completely different story. With defensive locks like Collier and Alanna Smith,

and an offensive juggernaut in Williams, the Lynx have been a different beast entirely for the Liberty. With the next do-or-die games in the series being in Minnesota, where the Liberty haven’t won all season, I find it hard to argue that the Liberty could take the series in four games. On the other hand, with their home court advantage, the Lynx have almost perfectly positioned themselves to win the series in four.

If the Liberty do manage to pull out a win in Minnesota and take the series to a game five, I still believe that the Lynx can pull off a win in Barclays Center. After watching Kayla McBride and William’s performance when the Lynx found themselves under pressure time and time again, I think that the Lynx will win this series, whether it’s in four or five games.

The Liberty and the Lynx will face off again in game three on Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. Game four will take place on Friday, Oct. 18 at 8 p.m., and both games can be streamed on Fubo or ESPN.

COURTESY

After defeating

reigning WNBA champions, the New York Liberty face the grueling task of defeating the Minneasota Lynx in the 2024 WNBA Finals. After games one and two, the Finals series is tied, 1-1, with the Lynx capturing game one and the Liberty winning game two. The Lynx have proven that they’re ready to continue the series, challenging the Liberty on every possesion. Now, as the series heads to Minneasota’s turf, which team will take how the 2024 WNBA championship?

Ordinary Days: An extraordinary performance

ESTELLE JOHNSON Campus Life Editor

TheatreUNI has done it again with a stunning, heartwarming performance of Adam Gwon’s “Ordinary Days”. The musical paints a story of four main characters; “Claire”, played by Aria Jensen, “Deb,” played by Grace Hamann, “Jason”, played by Andrew Breitsprecher, and “Warren”, played by Sam Trumpold. Claire and Jason are a young couple struggling to navigate their lives in New York, learning how to live on their own but also with one another. Deb and Warren find themselves unlikely friends, meeting through odd circumstances that ends up teaching them both a valuable lesson. Through each characters’ trials and tribulations, the audience learns that sometimes things happen for a reason.

er current student, was the production’s stage manager. Many of the leading positions were held by UNI students, providing them opportunities in directing. Some alumni who were once involved in TheatreUNI understand the necessity of experience, and they work together to help students in the ways of organization and production.

Hannah Tibbs, assistant director of “Ordinary Days,” has spent hours of her time working with the cast and crew to direct this musical perfectly. The musical was supremely successful this semester, with lots of audience engagement and positive comments. “I think we had a really successful two weekends of runs,” Tibbs said. “The first weekend was completely sold out!”

I think we had a really successful two weekends of runs, the first weekend was completely sold out!

HANNAH TIBBS Assistant Director, “Ordinary Days”

In a beautiful testimony to the unknown, this production of “Ordinary Days” took the audience on a journey. The story that is presented in the musical is easily relatable, and composed in a hard-hitting way. Seth Butler, UNI School of Music alumni, was the Music Director and sole orchestra for the show. Butler’s performance added musical and emotional depth to the scripts and songs of the actors. Not only is Butler incredibly talented, but his underscoring of the music positively added to the show. As the characters spoke, piano was played along with them, adding an emotional aspect to the total performance. Lighting was essential to this production, lights followed the characters during their songs, and highlighted the important parts of the musical. Each technological piece added up to make this a heartwarming production with an eye-opening message. The production team and actors consistently collaborated and created these beautiful scenes that were ultimately memorable to audiences.

Many alumni of TheatreUNI participate in the production of these shows. Alumi Scott Olinger was head of projection design. Aidan Smith, a recent graduate, was in charge of scenic design. Costume design was by current student Megan Hedtke. Eric Chen, anoth

“Ordinary Days” shows how everyone’s story is different. Though two characters may be the same age, they have different issues. How these characters work to find commonality in a dark time is a wonderful representation of friendship. Deb, a graduate student, finds herself overwhelmed with her thesis, and with all of her research in general. Hamann put her emotions into this character. Not only were the vocals absolutely incredible, but the audience could relate to the emotions portrayed. The relationship that is formed between Deb and Warren starts by Warren finding Deb’s notebook, and

emailing her to return it. Deb was at first hesitant and angry about the situation, but Warren approached Deb with an open mind, which resulted in a friendship that allowed both characters to finally feel free.

Claire and Jason represent the struggles many young couples have. The two lived together in a small New York apartment, sharing their items and space with each other. For these characters, it was only a matter of time before one of them emotionally broke. Claire had rightful doubts about the relationship, as she wanted to learn how to truly live on her own. Jason was a very empathic character, constantly trying to prove his love to Claire, which ended up pushing her away. The two got into an argument

in the production about wine for an event, which is deeply relatable to the stories that two people could tell. Jensen and Breitsprecher played this story in an unimaginable way, with beauty and emotion. It was as if they were their characters, which is a gorgeous testament to the education TheatreUNI has to offer.

In a captivating performance, these four main characters gave the audience a sense of place. The feelings represented by the cast are those many of us understand, and have experienced ourselves. From steaming anger to exponential anxieties, the characters have a way of reasoning with the viewers. The story behind “Ordinary Days” is one of love, friendship and uncer-

tainty. At the end of the show, the script puts an emphasis on letting things go. Whether that be Deb’s thesis research or Warren’s unsuccessful art, sometimes understanding your why is the key to joy. One of the more memorable moments of the musical was when Warren throws his art off of the side of a building, where it reaches the hands of Claire and Jason. By witnessing Warren’s act of letting go, Claire and Jacon were able to figure things out within their relationship. Deb decided she hated Virginia Woolf, Warren decided he disliked the artist he worked for, Claire and Jason decided to love each other. “Ordinary Days” was a lovely story that paints the way for viewers to look upon their own lives, and decide what they would like.

TheatreUNI’s performance of “Ordinary Days” was nothing less than extraordinary. The cast worked together in a beautiful way that truly benefited the entirety of the show. The positive chemistry this cast held was a reason the show was so entertaining, as the smiling faces and nervous paces captured the audience’s attention. This musical was a spectacular production, which is a strong exemplification of the vitality of TheatreUNI. Within the walls of the Bertha Martin Theatre, these students showed courage as they performed. With an audience full of staring eyes, these actors committed and gave viewers a delightfully memorable experience. From diverse vocal ranges to incredible costumes, there was always something for every audience member to observe.

ESTELLE JOHNSON Campus Life Editor

NORTHERN IOWAN/ESTELLE JOHNSON

“Ordinary Days” was accompanied by positive anecdotes. Some audience members took their favorite messages off of the floor.

NORTHERN IOWAN/ESTELLE JOHNSON

The set of “Ordinary Days” featured screens that changed along with scripts. It was attention-grabbing for the audience present.

Falling for autumn on campus

NORTHERN IOWAN/ESTELLE JOHNSON

The Campanile beautifully peeks through the pine trees on campus, but an almost perfectly golden fall tree takes the spotlight. The yellow and orange leaves sway gently in the wind, and more leaves come trickling down as the wind picks up.

NORTHERN IOWAN/ESTELLE JOHNSON

The infamous campus chairs, sitting together just as students do. These chairs move all over, some even ending up in trees.

NORTHERN IOWAN/ESTELLE JOHNSON Fall on campus is a sight to see. Colorful leaves appear and fall, and the cool breeze whisks them away. Autumn may not last long, but students here enjoy the beauty.

NORTHERN IOWAN/JO BRAHMS

An almost-domesticated campus squirrel munches on a quick snack under a tree.

NORTHERN IOWAN/ESTELLE JOHNSON

Soon enough, the trees will be covered in snow, and sidewalks covered in salt. Students can still feel the warm sun, but the cool breeze is prominent.

NORTHERN IOWAN/ESTELLE JOHNSON A beautiful representation of the different leaves on campus.

Gatsby: Affairs and love in the ’20s

ESTELLE JOHNSON Campus Life Editor

“The Great Gatsby,” a stunning motion picture directed by Baz Luhrmann, is based on the 1925 novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Luhrmann is wellknown for “Moulin Rouge” and the 1996 “Romeo and Juliet” film that featured a young Leonardo DiCaprio.

“The Great Gatsby” was released in 2013, starring popular actors Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway, and Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby. In Luhrmann’s films, the screen is filled with bright colors, motion and beauty.

The sporadic movement of camera angles can turn away an audience, but for some it is intriguing. The soundtrack of the movie revealed a wave of now timeless songs, such as “Young and Beautiful” by Lana Del Rey.

“The Great Gatsby” is set in the roaring ’20s, where drinking cheap alcohol and going to parties was a nightly activity. Main character Nick Carraway moved to New York to work on Wall Street, as the stockbroking field became a gold mine. Just across the water lives Carraway’s cousin, Daisy Buchanan. Daisy is played by Carey Mulligan, and Joel Edgerton acts as Tom. Daisy is married to Tom, a wealthy polo player. The two have an unhealthy relationship as Tom has consistent affairs with various women, and

Daisy loathes Tom’s personality and behavior. Carraway found himself overly interested in his billionaire next-door neighbor, Jay Gatsby. Gatsby was known for his luxurious parties, where varieties of New Yorkers gather. Carraway eventually received an invitation to one of Gatsby’s parties, and found himself amazed at the lavish glamor of Gatsby’s home. This party is where Carraway became unlikely friends with Daisy’s friend Jordan Baker, a pro golfer. Gatsby is known as an illusive character, as many of the

partygoers admitted they’d never seen nor met Gatsby. As Carraway became distracted by liquor and music, a stately man approached him. Carraway asked if this man knew of Gatsby, to which the man replied, “I’m afraid I haven’t been a very good host, old sport … you see, I’m Gatsby.”

In a gorgeous snapshot of fireworks, Gatsby raises his glass in celebration.

Carraway is stunned at the reveal of Gatsby, as it was not what he necessarily expected, considering the rumors about Gatsby. An associate

of time. of Gatsby approaches Baker, and requests that she speak with Gatsby immediately. As Carraway leaves the mansion, Baker runs to Carraway and says “I’ve just heard the most shocking thing, I’m simply amazed … it all makes sense” Gatsby had shared that he moved to New York to be closer to Daisy. Gatsby hosted all of his parties in hopes that Daisy would come to one, but it never came true. Carraway was initially angry with Gatsby when Carraway learned this, as Carraway was upset about the secrets that were being told. At Gatsby’s

request, Baker and Carraway met for tea. Baker explained how Gatsby and Daisy had known each other many years ago. After Gatsby fought in the war, Daisy waited, but she was eventually swept away by Tom. The essence of time is represented beautifully in this film.

While this film leads viewers into thinking this story plays out positively, it is in fact a tragedy. The remainder of the movie is a love story between Gatsby and Daisy, which is riddled with secrets and emotion. The love that Gatsby has for Daisy is incomparable to many other film romances, as Gatsby paused his entire life to rekindle their once-beloved feelings for each other. In a heartbreaking end, Gatsby is shot and killed by the husband of Tom’s mistress, as Tom believed Gatsby was the one who had ruined the marriage. In an alluring testament to love and life, “The Great Gatsby” is visually stunning and brimming with life lessons. While the film isn’t necessarily identical to the novel, the message that is portrayed still shines through. It’s impossible to recreate the past, or to predict the future. The love that Gatsby and Daisy share is a damning illustration of actions that have consequences. Gatsby wanted to completely start over, to rekindle what their relationship once was.

COURTESY

Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan share romantic moments throughout the film, but their romance failed to stand the test

NFC North reigns supreme in early action

BRODY LOVELL Sports Writer

After six weeks of action in the NFL, one division has clearly been above the rest. With a 17-5 cumulative record between the four and a whopping +211 point differential, the NFC North has proven itself to be the best division in the NFL according to statistics.

At the top are the Minnesota Vikings, who are still undefeated despite having one of the hardest schedules through the first six weeks. Wins over the 49ers, Texans, and Packers have solidified this team as legit contenders, but they will be in for a tough challenge next week against the second-place team in the division, the Detroit Lions.

The Lions, led by head coach Dan Campbell and the two-headed monster of running backs, Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, absolutely dominated the Cowboys in Dallas this past Sunday, winning the game 47-9. The team moved so far ahead that they tried to get the linemen a score, attempting a pass to Taylor Decker and having Dan Skipper reported as eligible.

However, it was not all sunshine and rainbows for Detroit, as in the game star Edge Rusher Aidan Hutchinson went down with a gruesome injury in which he broke his fibula. Hutchinson, who led the league in sacks before week 6, has undergone a suc-

cessful surgery but will likely not be able to return this season. Although a crushing blow to the Lions, they will look to keep the strength of their defense despite Hutchinson’s absence.

The Green Bay Packers also put on a show this past

Sunday, beating the Cardinals in dominant fashion 34-13.

After an ankle injury in week 1, quarterback Jordan Love ran a clinic, throwing for four touchdowns and 258 yards. The defense was just as impressive, recovering three fumbles and holding the Cardinals to just one touchdown and three field goals. With a 4-2 record, the Packers are in a good position to face a talented Texans team next week.

Last in the NFC North, though could be first in any other NFC division, the Chicago Bears are also sitting nice with a 4-2 record.

Following suit with the two other NFC North teams that played Sunday, the Bears beat the struggling Jaguars 35-16, with rookie Caleb Williams playing like a first-overall pick and throwing for four touchdowns and 226 yards.

Like the Packers, the defense also showed out, holding the Jaguars to 278 total yards of offense. Though some argue their strength of schedule has been meager, the Bears can only beat the teams on their schedule, and be a strong unit through six

weeks of action. For the rest of the year, they will have their work cut out for them as they have their six divisional matchups and games against the 49ers and Commanders. Despite this, fans should look forward to seeing the young talent of this Bears team on the big stage.

Since the Divisional merger in 2002, the 2024 NFC North is the first division where all four teams have at least four wins after six weeks of play in the NFL. Thanks to the new playoff rules, there is a possibility that all four teams in the same division can make the playoffs, and, as of right now, the Vikings, Packers, and Lions are in with the Bears first in the hunt. Even with their record of 4-2 however, they only hold a 31% chance of making the playoffs in January.

It will be interesting to see how it plays out for the NFC North this year, with every team having at least a strong defense to accommodate at least decent offenses. If all four teams keep it up, they may achieve what no division in NFL history has ever

COURTESY

Jared Goff threw three touchdowns in the Lions’ 47-9 win on Sunday.

UNI Football falls to South Dakota

ADAM JOHNSON Sports Writer

On Saturday, Oct. 12, the UNI football team played South Dakota State on the road. The Panthers came into the game on a three game losing streak, and off of a crushing defeat to No. 1 South Dakota State the week before at home. Getting back in the win column would not be an easy task however, as South Dakota came into the game ranked No. 4 in the country. In what was an offensive explosion from the Coyotes, the Panthers lost their fourth game in a row, 42-17.

The Panthers opened the game up with the ball, and could not have asked for a better drive. Matthew Schecklman, getting the start at quarterback over Aidan Dunne, completed his first pass of the day for 49 yards to Desmond Hutson. A few plays later he completed another pass to Hutson for 23 yards, and

then Tye Edwards finished off the drive with a touchdown run. The Panthers led 7-0, but the Coyotes quickly responded. They scored when quarterback Aidan Bouman connected with JJ Galbreath on a 27-yard score. At the end of the first quarter the score was 7-7.

The Panthers started the second quarter with a field goal from Caden Palmer, but it was all Coyotes after that. They scored on their next three drives to end the half, while the Panthers last three drives ended on a punt, turnover on downs and an interception. After the Panthers solid start to the game, things were not looking good going into the break. They trailed 28-10.

The Coyotes opened up the second half with another scoring drive, that was capped off by a 1 yard touchdown run from Charles Pierre Jr. The Panthers got back on the board on their next drive,

when Schecklman threw a 50 yard touchdown pass to Jayden Ellis-Lahey.

The Coyotes scored another touchdown late in the third quarter, to put the score at 42-17. That is where the score would remain throughout the rest of the game, and the Panthers lost their fourth game in a row. They now have a record of 2-4.

Bouman threw for 284 yards and 2 touchdowns for the Coyotes, while Pierre Jr. ran for 105 and a touchdown. A.J. Coons and Galbreath each had 61 yards receiving and a touchdown. For the Panthers, Schecklman threw for 250 and had a touchdown, while Edwards ran for 53 yards and a touchdown. Hutson led the Panthers in receiving with 94 yards.

The Panthers will be on the road again next weekend, when they travel to Grand Forks, N.D. for a matchup with #9 North Dakota.

Caitlin Clark shines in her rookie campaign

CARTER LUST Sports Writer

What does it mean to be generational? In sports, being generational is equated with the types of athletes only emerging once during a person’s lifetime. These athletes have become a worldwide phenomenon, reaching those outside the sports sphere — special people bringing deserved recognition and appreciation for their sport and its athletes. Almost every major form of athletics has its generational figure, sometimes multiple. Yet, women’s basketball was still searching for its game-changing player, the woman who can reshape the outlook of their beautiful game.

And then, they found her. Born in the humble state of Iowa, Caitlin Clark left an unprecedented mark on women’s college basketball. In her senior season at the University of Iowa, Clark led the Hawkeyes to a national championship appearance, helping captivate almost 19 million viewers in her final game, and rightfully so. Spectators across the globe wanted to see the logo threes and mind-boggling passes synonymous with Clark, the types of plays never seen before from women’s hoops. Basketball enthusiasts hoped these eyes would follow Clark and the women’s game to the professional level. Still, no one wished

more for the fame and notoriety that accompanied Clark than the WNBA, an underappreciated that’s been association since its inception. With the world watching, the Indiana Fever selected Clark with the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. The organization and the league hoped they were getting a generational player, an athlete who would transcend their sport. And they were.

Caitlin Clark would live up to the most unfathomable expectations placed on an athlete since Lebron James. She would even surpass them. Like anyone’s success, the regular critics and detractors followed her journey. But so did malicious analysts and

bitter parties. A look back on Clark’s record-breaking rookie season reveals a deeply rooted, vindictive culture among the WNBA and its contemporaries that hinders women’s basketball expansion.

On the court, Clark’s rookie season opened with a shaky start. The Fever began 1-8 on the year, and Clark struggled with turnover issues and scoring inefficiencies. Many cited that she needed to adjust to the professional game’s physicality, evidenced by a ruptured eardrum Clark received from a hard (but legal) screen set by veteran Jonquel Jones on June 2. However, Clark began to show signs of progression approaching the

season’s halfway mark. She recorded the first triple-double by a rookie in WNBA history on July 6 and followed it up with a WBNA record 19-assist game on July 17.

Nearing the Olympic break, the Fever sat at 11-15, poised to make a playoff push for the first time since 2016.

After a controversial decision left Clark off Team USA’s Paris Olympics roster, she returned to the WNBA with a vengeance. Indiana Fever head coach Christie Sides even revealed that Clark had sent a private message to her claiming the Olympic committee “woke a monster.” Judging by her play, one would certainly agree. Clark averaged 24.6 points, 9.0

assists, and 5.0 rebounds after the break, helping the Fever finish with a 20-20 record and secure their first playoff appearance in eight years.

Clark captured a laundry list of rookie and WNBA records over her season, resulting in being named Rookie of the Year. This decision was almost unanimous amongst league officials, yet one voter concurred Clark was not worthy of this award. This unnamed figure sparked immense controversy across social media, ultimately overshadowing the work of other young women competing for the award. An honor intended to be won based on athletic performance now held a narrative written on racial privilege, just one of the controversies surrounding Clark and the WNBA.

Women’s basketball has found its generational player. Finally, millions of people are tuning in to give WBNA athletes the credit they’ve earned. Unfortunately, media-driven agendas surrounding racism and bigotry threaten to take eyes away from the league. For the WBNA to thrive, the league and its community must build up all its stars rather than tear them down. Consequently, this will pave the way for future standouts to grow the game and its fans further. If this current issue is resolved, the association will be one step closer to giving women’s basketball the spotlight it deserves.

COURTESY/UNI

The Panthers have lost their last four games. They look to bounce back this week as they take on North Dakota.

COURTESY

Caitlin Clark scored the most points (769) and dished the most assists (337) by a rookie ever. She was selected as thr WNBA Rookie fo the Year.

UNSUNG HEROES : MBB managers keep team spirit alive on and off the court

MICHAEL SPAHN Sports Writer

When you think of college basketball teams, you think about the exciting players, the big victories, and the successful coaches. However, there are unsung heroes within every program: The student managers.

The University of Northern Iowa men’s basketball team has ten of them. Their job is to assist the players and coaches in any way they can, whether it’s rebounding for players throughout the day, mopping the sweat off the floors, cutting up game-films for coaches, and many more tasks.

Managers are a crucial part of the program and without them it wouldn’t operate as smoothly. James Pollard has been the head basketball manager at Northern Iowa for two years, and has been a part of the program for four.

“Without managers, programs wouldn’t be as efficient,” said Pollard. “More work would be put on the assistants which is less time that they have to help our team be better.”

COURTESY/UNI.MANAGERS Student managers help with drills during practice as well as assisting players with individual wokrouts to help sharpen their skills.

The day in the life of a manager varies based on what the team needs. There’s not one day that is going to be the same. Managers must stay ready throughout the course of the school day, as they may be called upon to do a task.

“If I’m not in class I’m kind of on call if a player needs to workout or if a coach would like to run a workout they can call or text me,” said Northern Iowa senior manager Alex Buttenhoff.

It is strongly encouraged that players on the basketball team get shots up at some point during the week. Some players even have a go-to manager to call or text when they need to practice.

The managers have to embrace a “first one in, last one out” mentality. The job includes early morning practices and cleaning up after games.

“Some mornings we have to get there at 5:45 or 6,” sophomore manager Colin Cronin said. “For afternoon practices we usually get out around 6 or 6:30 p.m.”

Being a manager is a tough task that contains doing a lot of the dirty work. You may ask why dothey do it? There’s a deeper meaning involved.

“I want to get into coaching,” said Cronin. “Being a manager for the basketball team helps me out a lot with that aspiration by getting to learn the game and how the ins and outs of college basketball work.”

When asked about their long term goals, current Northern Iowa managers James Pollard and Alex Buttenhoff also mentioned they want to get into some aspect of coaching. Having manager experience can play a huge role in getting into the coaching world, as head-managers often get offered graduate assistant positions.

Through all the time spent watching practice, rebounding for players, cutting film, the night before the game is when the managers get to show off their basketball

skills.

They call it “The Manager Games.” Two managers from Michigan State started it back in 2016, and it has become a nationwide phenomenon throughout the college basketball world.

“Manager games are a super fun and creative way to give back to managers as a whole,” said Northern Iowa Buttenhoff. “Being able to interact with managers and staff members of other programs is very cool.”

Throughout the season records are kept track of. At the end of the top sixty-four teams in the country get put into a bracket. The first few rounds are fan voting on X. The remaining eight teams get the opportunity to play it out at the Final Four fan fest for a chance at the title.

Being a student manager means something more than just a job title. To them, it’s meeting new people, gaining experience, and being a part of something bigger than themselves.

“There’s some days I wonder what I would do if I wasn’t a manager,” said Pollard. “Just being a part of the program and being a small tiny part of winning is a special feeling.”

UNI volleyball cruises past weekend competition

NICOLE WATERS

Sports Writer

The Panthers started their weekend action off against the Belmont Bruins. UNI started off hot in the set capitalizing on an early block and continued to have 19 blocks overall in the set. To assist with the lead, Kaitlyn Sellner had a service ace to help build the lead, while Cassidy Hartman and Kira Fallert each contributed five kills. The Bruins would make their way back within three, at 23-20, but the Panthers closed out the set with back-to-back kills from Olivia Tjernagel to take the set 25-20. Belmont would continue their momentum from the end of the first set to score the first four out of the five points. UNI quickly made their way back in the set and had 18 kills in the second set. Hartman had six kills, followed by

NORTHERN IOWAN/FAITH HATCH

The Panthers currently sit atop of the Mississippi Valley Conference standings with a 7-0 record in conference play.

Lily Dykstra and Kacie Rewerts adding three each to help boost the Panthers to a 10-0 run. Reese Booth and Fallert added some aces for Northern Iowa to boost them to a convincing 25-12 win over Belmont.

After an early tie, the Panthers stormed on in the

set notching 26 kills total. Erin Powers notched an ace to set UNI on a 7-0 run to take the lead on the Bruins. Fallert added four kills while Hartman added three, while Sellner contributed four blocks to boost Northern Iowa to a third set 25-14 win and 3-0

match win.

UNI continued on with the weekend hosting the Murray State Racers. The Panthers had just 13 kills in the match along with 10 attack errors. They got the lead to 17-16, but Murray State found their way to a 25-22 set one win. The

second set tells a different story as the Panthers found their groove. UNI had 17 kills in the set with Olivia Tjernagel notching five kills and three blocks from Kacie Rewerts and an ace from Sydney Golden. Tjernagel finished off the set with her seventh kills of the night leading Northern Iowa to a set two 25-22 win.

Momentum was flowing for UNI as they kept it going into the third set. The Panthers had 20 kills in the match, six of those coming from Rewerts and five coming from Fallert. This helped them cruise to a set three win of 25-13 and 2-1 match lead. The fourth set stood no match for the Racers as UNI continued to move. The Panthers had 12 kills and grabbed an early 7-1 lead which marched them on to a 25-10 set four victory and 3-1 match win.