The Northwest Missourian

A2 Run 4 Jen

A7 Unapologetically him

A11 Welcome to the spotlight

The Phi Mu memorial run raises $4,500 for asthma research and treatment.

How a Northwest student uses his identity to promote open dialogue with LGBTQ.

Following his brother’s departure, Maryville junior finds his own way to success.

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Thursday

October 10, 2019 @TheMissourian

VOL. 108, NO. 8

THE SEARCH IS OVER

Mallett hired for new administrative position

UPD debuts app for late night Safe Rides Home SAMANTHA COLLISON Campus News Editor | @SammieCollison

SYDNEY GARNER | NW MISSOURIAN

The University named Justin Mallet the associate provost of diversity and inclusion Oct. 1.

SAMANTHA COLLISON Campus News Editor | @SammieCollison

A

fter a nearly two-month search, Northwest named Justin Mallett the associate provost of diversity and inclusion.

Mallett was the second candidate considered for the position.

The hiring committee held two forums in August with Ade Oredein, director of diversity and inclusion and coordinator of international student affairs at Owensboro Community and Technical College in Owensboro, Kentucky.

Forums were held for students and employees to consider Mallett for the position Sept. 23.

He began operating in his new role Oct. 1, but it was not officially announced until Oct. 8.

During forums, Mallett said he aims to have a more intersection-

al approach to helping underrepresented students and focus on issues of pronoun and name usage in classrooms for transgender and nonbinary students.

Mallett said he hopes this change will allow students’ concerns with diversity and inclusion to more directly reach the administration and initiate change.

“I think it’s going to create more of a visible pipeline for our students as it relates to diversity and inclusion,” Mallett said. “Being the type of person that I am, I’ll make myself very visible and open to students, so if they want to have open and honest dialogue about things that they may see, my door is always going to be open.”

In a functional capacity, Mallett said the main change is being more in touch with the administrative side of the University.

“The objectives that we do have for our office, we’re able to have those conversations at a higher level,” Mallett said. “To be able to make sure that our University leaders are continuously thinking about diversity and inclusion as we move forward and progress with the University plan.”

The Board of Regents established the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as part of Student Affairs in April 2016. The board unanimously voted to create the vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion position, according to a 2016 University press release.

Northwest hired Juanita Simmons to fill the position later that year.

SEE MALLETT | A4

The University Police Department launched the Safe Ride Home app, which serves both shuttle and late night users, through the platform TapRide.

TapRide tracks Safe Ride Home shuttle vans live on their routes during the day — previously supported through an app called Ride System — and allows students to request rides back to campus during late night hours.

University Police Chief Clarence Green said the Safe Ride Home team has been working on an app for two to three years, testing different app providers.

In January, the team decided on TapRide and began developing the app.

Safe Ride and Student Dispatching Supervisor Brooke Richards said beta testing began in July to work out any flaws in the system.

The team initiated a soft launch in August, having riders who heard about the app through word of mouth test the app.

The official launch was announced on UPD’s Twitter Oct. 2.

Richards said one of the reasons UPD chose TapRide is the ability to change routes, boundaries and times directly without going through the company.

“As we got feedback about that, we could kind of learn what areas are kind of considered hot spots,” Richards said. “The system can track that for us so that we know to have more vans in those areas so wait times are reduced.”

In her two years as Safe Ride supervisor, Richards has placed an emphasis on reducing wait times.

Achieving that goal, the average wait time is down to 9 minutes and 15 seconds this semester from 13 minutes when she first started.

SEE SAFE RIDE | A4

MO Hope trains students for tornado relief KENDRICK CALFEE Community News Editor | @KoalaCalfee

Emergency responders and trainees in disaster management practiced and applied skills in a midwest disaster simulation with realistic scenarios at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park over three days.

Missouri Hope provides emergency management professionals and students an opportunity to gain real-life experience in the stress-inducing situation of a mass casualty disaster.

The focus this year was on managing the aftermath of a fictional tornado that displaced, injured and killed role-playing volunteer actors. Northwest hosted the exercise at the Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area and Mozingo Youth Camp.

The three-day event, which is in its seventh year of operation, lasted from Oct. 4 through Oct. 6, where agency personnel from police, fire and rescue assisted students in logistics, prioritizing of assistance and other important aspects of responding to a crisis.

The set up is different year to year at Missouri Hope, and this year presented two additions from pre-

vious years. Life Net in St. Joseph, Missouri, and Clarinda, Iowa, held an aviation safety class Oct. 4 and the Midwest Regional Dive Team led over-water rescues.

Senior Savannah Baker volunteered as a logistics team member, helping get supplies and make sure responders had what they needed through resource management.

“We are the ‘stuff getters,’ so anything anybody would need in order to make the exercise function well,” Baker said. “If participants call for certain things, we take it out to them, usually supplies from the trailer EDM brings.”

The EDM program at Northwest encourages profession-based learning and provides its students with opportunities like Missouri Hope to expand their experience and familiarity with crisis prior to graduation.

Campus Community Emergency Response Team Training is part one aspect of Missouri Hope, where the exercises are expected to meet certain standards set out by professionals in the area of EDM. In this year’s exercise, participants gained experience in five different tracks or approaches to disaster management and rescue: a

JUSANI JACKSON | NW MISSOURIAN

Northwest hosted the Seventh annual Missouri Hope exercise event at Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area and Mozingo Youth Camp Oct. 4-6.

high-angle rescue, response to a mass casualty incident, an over-water rescue, knowledge of emergency operation centers and experience in a field hospital.

Northwest-Kansas City Marketing and Recruitment Coordinator Michael McVinua volunteered at the event, helping oversee the triage response areas and driving the victims from the scene to the field

hospital. He said the process as getting victims in a common area, prioritizing who needs the most attention and transporting victims to the hospital in order of importance.

“This track is one of the most hands-on of them all,” McVinua said. “This is the initial screaming, yelling, all that kind of blood and gore, which if they’re not ready for it, it’ll wake them up.”

Earlier this year, the Missouri National Guard built a lookout tower in partnership with Northwest to help facilitate the high-angle rescue and overall training regimen. The tower sits near the triage response area.

Baker said participants got to feel, in a surreal way, how responders do in those situations of being the first on a disaster scene. She credited the role players for their work in fitting the role they were assigned by the moulage and casualty simulation artists.

Senior biomedical sciences major Infiniti Anderson participated as a role player who was cut in the abdomen, resulting in intestines hanging out of her body. The makeup artists made it appear realistic, creating a macabre situation for responders and the role she volunteered to fill.

“My role is to be in denial of the situation and unaware of the severity of my injury,” Anderson said. “It has been a really good experience; you really see all sides of the situation by doing this.”

SEE MO HOPE | A4

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A2

NEWS

GABI BROOKS | NW MISSOURIAN

Maryville community members participate in Phi Mu’s 12th annual Run 4 Jen 5K at Northwest’s Pavilion Oct. 5. The memorial walk/run is in honor of former Northwest alumnus and Phi Mu member Jennifer Shaw Suhr, who died from asthma in 2000. Suhr graduated from Northwest in 1992 with a degree in fashion merchandising.

Phi Mu memorial run raises $4,500 KEJI AKINMOLADUN Chief Reporter | @OluwatoyinKeji

Dark clouds and rolls of thunder delayed, but didn’t stop, Phi Mu from hosting their 12th annual Run 4 Jen Memorial Walk/Run Oct. 5.

In remembrance of Northwest alumnus and Phi Mu member Jennifer Shaw Suhr died from asthma Dec. 12, 2000.

This year Phi Mu raised $4,500, which includes a $350 donation from Student Senate.

Julie Shaw, sister-in-law of Suhr, helped begin the fundraising tradition with the help of some Phi Mu members in 2008. She said they raised about $5,000 last year and over $60,000 the past 12 years combined.

“It was really small the first year; there were like 50 of us. It was basically family and friends,” Shaw said. “We brought in more Phi Mus, and then the Phi Mus have just taken off and have made it part of their annual philanthropy.”

Northwest Alumnus Anne Deaver, who was Suhr’s roommate and sorority sister, said Suhr always ran.

“She was an athlete – she was a runner,” Deaver said. “I came from a little town, (and) she was the first per-

son that I ever saw carrying an inhaler. I said, ‘What is that thing?’ She’d go for a run and pump on her inhaler.”

Deaver said she came to every Run for Jen except one.

“I would say the first couple of years were the biggest show ups, but we had good weather,” Deaver said. “It’s just a special day that I bring my family to now, and we just wouldn’t miss it.”

Phi Mu Philanthropy Chair senior Addison Taylor said although the weather wasn’t the best for running, she was still pleased with the turnout.

“A lot of good positive attitudes and a lot of people who were super enthused to be here this year,” Taylor said.

Taylor said the event was worth the stress since it was her first time hosting the event as the philanthropy chair.

“We’re raising money for a really good cause and remembering an alumni who passed, which is super unfortunate,” Taylor said. “It’s fun to put that on, keep the memory alive and keep helping others.”

Phi Mu gave half the money they raised to Mosaic Life Care Center and the other half to the University of Kansas Research Center for asthma research.

Phi Mu raffled off tickets for

GABI BROOKS | NW MISSOURIAN

The annual Run 4 Jen 5,000-meter run hosted by Phi Mu was delayed for rain but continued on with a shortened race on campus. This year’s event raised $4,500, all of which is going toward asthma research and care.

Kansas City Chiefs and Royals games and other items. They also gifted the top ten men and women who had the fastest times with

miscellaneous items after the event.

Wyatt Suhr said he was in the fifth grade when they started the memorial walk/run for his mom.

“You’re here to run (and) you’re here for the cause,” Wyatt Suhr said. “Our cause is her. We use the run to sort of illustrate her cause.”

Safe Zone training discusses LGBTQ issues KENDRICK CALFFE Community News Editor | @KoalaCalfee

As a part of the LGBTQ+ history month series, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion hosted a Safe Zone training discussion and presentation.

Adam Gonzales, coordinator of diversity and inclusion, led a presentation with the assistance of sophomore Levi Bradley, who shared information on what Safe Zones are, a brief history of the LGBTQ+ community and answered any questions attendees had throughout the three-hour training. Six faculty members and three Northwest students attended the

event Oct. 5.

The presentation included an open-discussion style approach to five different topics: first impressions of LGBTQ+, inclusive language, gender and sex, core vocabulary and the four levels of ally development.

Bradley said the discussion aimed at bringing people with many differences together to share an understanding of how to deal with current issues and be an inclusive ally.

“Even I have a different privilege as a white trans person,” Bradley said. “It’s all a balancing act where we listen to each other and

Lead

Green

will be hosting the following events...

Emotional Intelligence Thursday, September 26th at 1 p.m.

Decision Making: Critical Thinking & Managing Information Thursday, October 10th at 1 p.m.

Resilience & Grit/Innovation, Multiplicity of Effect Thursday, October 17th at 1 p.m.

Leadership, Team Building, Trust & Motivation Thursday, October 31st at 1 p.m.

Student Union Ballroom

learn to accommodate one another.”

Bradley, a transgender man living in the historically conservative midwest, faces challenges daily.

However, he said he chose Northwest because of the DEI, which he said represents the University’s efforts to unify students while celebrating differences.

Gonzales said he has hosted many Safe Zone training events throughout his time at Northwest, and the turnout is usually about the same every time. A group of around 10 to 15 is typical and often more faculty than students show.

Attendees came equipped with numerous questions for Gonzales, who encouraged them to ask as many as they had. He said it is normal for people who want to be more aware about the information being presented to come with more questions and concerns.

In an attempt to resolve any confusion, Gonzales and Bradley provided a paper packet of 27 vocabulary terms and answers to some of the questions people had at the event along with methods of approach to situations individuals are typically unfamiliar with.

One discussion topic the group lingered on is the use of the word “queer.”

Historically, it was used as a derogatory term to demean and belittle individuals. It is now used as an umbrella term to describe those who don’t identify as straight or cisgender. According to the packet, the term “queer” can often be used interchangeably with LGBTQ+, using the rhetoric “queer people” the same as “LGBTQ people.”

Freshman Jonna McDermed, a biomedical science major, attended the event and said it was important to be informed in order to be more unified as a community.

“I learned vocabulary that was really important, how to be an ally for somebody and how to approach

JUSANI JACKSON | NW MISSOURIAN

Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion Adam Gonzales speaks to students and faculty at the Oct. 5 Safe Zone workshop in the J.W. Jones Student Union.

someone and respect their pronouns,” McDermed said. “I just feel like it’s really important for others to come. There wasn’t as many people here as I thought there would be today, but I think it’s really important for people, on campus especially, to do this.

Gonzales hosts Safe Zone training events for specific faculty departments upon request. He said organizing meetings with faculty is usually better for everyone’s schedules and is likely the reason other presentations see low numbers.

Even with lower numbers, the event saw a diverse group of individuals, some being faculty from a campus outside of Maryville.

Two members of faculty from Northwest-Kansas City drove to observe the presentation.

Northwest-Kansas City Student Services Specialist Gina Mumpower-Turner said she was motivated to attend the event to broaden her

awareness of issues, and she said she wants to help students fill any needs that are not met.

“It just reaffirmed that we are all human and we just want to be treated with respect– respect and dignity,” Mumpower-Turner said.

“How we can help support our students, I think, was the biggest takeaway for me.”

Mumpower-Turner said she would like to see a similar presentation take place on the Northwest-Kansas City campus.

“I think we would like to implement a training for the staff that couldn’t make it today from an advisor perspective or student services perspective,” Mumpower-Turner said. “I would like to have a version of this for our new students in the fall.”

LEVI BRADLEY: Human of Northwest | A7

NEWS

Oct. 10, 2019 @TheMissourian

A SCIENTIFIC FEAT

A3

Student named lead author on paper funded by national grant

$756,000

SAMANTHA COLLISON Campus News Editor | @SammieCollison

Every year, a few Northwest students have the opportunity to co-author physics research papers through a National Science Foundation grant, but this year, a student had the opportunity to be the lead author on a paper that is being considered for publication in a national physics journal.

Senior Dakota Shields is the lead author on “Photoemission from hybrid states of Cl@C60 before and after a stabilizing charge transfer,” a paper that is in the last stages of the evaluation process for publication in Physical Review.

Shields said what drew him in to this research was its theoretical nature and how researchers can get ideas about how the universe works from computer models and virtual experiments.

“This code interacts to make a hollow shell of carbon atoms, and then you put something in between, and you model an electronic structure,” Shields said. “Then you model how it interacts with each other, and then you hit it with light, and then some electrons bounce off away from the shell.”

Shields worked on the paper with adjunct faculty member Ruma De, professor Himadri Chakraborty, Hamad Bin Khalifa University professor Mohamed El-Amine Madjet and Georgia State University professor Steven Manson.

The U.S. Congress created NSF in 1950 as an independent agency to promote progress in science, healthcare, national welfare and defense, according to the NSF website. NSF spends more than $8 million a year supporting scientific research, comprising around 24% of all federally supported research in American colleges and universities.

Chakraborty received his first grant from NSF in 2008 and has renewed funding three times since.

In that time, 42 students have worked on research through the grant, 15 of which were lead authors on papers that were published and/or presented at national conferences.

The order of authors on research papers is decided by the quantity of work done by each writer in terms of performing calculations, writing computer programs and interpreting data. If a student is named lead author, they conduct more work on the project

overall granted from National Science Foundation over 11 years

42

156

Resulted in

undergraduate student researchers

completed research papers

42

international peer-reviewed journals

15

20

students named lead authors

students given co-author credit SOURCE: HIMADRI CHAKRABORTY

than any other collaborator, including faculty.

Shields said he ran most of the computer coding and created graphs from the data, with his other collaborators assisting and Chakraborty creating a publishable paper from their findings.

Shields said his love of physics is based on a desire to learn about the relationships of the universe and how different energies interact with each other. Because physics is such a broad field, he said he chose the smallest possible scale he could study, which is atoms and how they interact.

“These things aren’t intuitive; they don’t make a lot of sense,” Shields said. “But also science is structured and logical, and it builds off of itself, and it’s why we have all this amazing stuff around us.”

AJ BRADBURY | NW MISSOURIAN

SYDNEY GARNER | NW MISSOURIAN

Senior Dakota Shields works on graphing Oct. 8 in Garrett-Strong.

Shields said he initially got involved in Chakraborty’s research program through a Phi Delta The-

ta brother who was graduating and knew Chakraborty would need a student to take his place

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in physics research.

“It was a challenge for sure,” Shields said. “I’d never done anything of the sort before, never done any computer programming. I was really just getting started in my physics classes, and Dr. Chakraborty took me under his wing.”

After graduation, Shields is looking to pursue a graduate degree in electrical engineering at the Missouri University of Science and Technology.

Chakraborty said Northwest is unique in inviting undergraduate students in physics, chemistry and nanoscience to work with faculty and outside collaborators on publication-worthy research in their fields.

The NSF grant also gives the funds necessary to pay undergraduate researchers over the summer, allowing students to complete their research requirements for their degrees on campus rather than seeking research internships with other graduate programs.

Students can continue to work on research beyond summers, which is also unique to a program like Northwest’s.

“It eventually goes into their CV when they go out for jobs or go for higher studies,” Chakraborty said. “This always gives them a good edge compared to other students with the same GPA.” Chakraborty said while students do not come with the experience and knowledge of their faculty collaborators, he said sometimes their unbiased minds can offer abstract ideas that lead to unique solutions.

“With their computational knowledge, sometimes they will come up with smart, quick, but very effective and efficient programming approach, which probably would not come into my mind,” Chakraborty said.

Chakraborty said the fun of doing science and discovery is what keeps him going in spite of how intense competition for grants can get.

“In that two to three months time when you discovered something until when you told others, you are the only person on this planet who knows something completely new,” Chakraborty said. “You feel like you are the boss of that particular effect.”

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A4

POLICE BLOTTERS for the week of Oct. 10 Northwest Missouri State University Police Department Oct. 6 There was a closed investigation for a liquor law violation on West 7th Street.

Oct. 7 A summons was issued to Skyla Wingfield, 19, for possession of marijuana at Dieterich Hall.

Oct. 8 A summons was issued to Ryan Persson, 18, for driving while impaired at Lot 42.

Maryville Department of Public Safety Sept. 18 There is an ongoing investigation for a hit and run on the 700 block of South Main Street.

Oct. 2 There is an ongoing investigation for property damage on the 700 block of North Fillmore Street.

Oct. 3 A summons was issued to Samantha R. Miller, for minor in possession on the 400 block of West 7th Street.

A summons was issued to Maia C. Moss, 19, for minor in possession on the 400 block of West 7th Street.

A summons was issued to Dylan G. Good, 19, for minor in possession on the 200 block of East 4th Street.

Oct. 4 There is an ongoing investigation for property damage on the 300 block of East Cooper Street.

A summons was issued to Todd A. Willis, 52, of Clearmont, Missouri, for a city code violation on the 300 block of Park Avenue.

A summons was issued to Lisa A. Songer, 52, for driving while intoxicated and careless and imprudent driving on the 300 block of South Prairie Street.

A summons was issued to Natasha V. Nichols, 33, for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia on the 200 block of West 12th Street.

A summons was issued to Chatur V.V. Kurma, 22, for no valid driver’s license and failure to maintain right half of roadway on the 1600 block of East 1st Street.

Oct. 5 A summons was issued to Sydney D. Eddins, 20, of Cameron, Missouri, for possession of a fake ID on the 300 block of North Market Street.

Oct. 6 A summons was issued to Benjamin T. Moran, 23, for driving while intoxicated and an equipment violation on the 700 block of North Main Street.

A summons was issued to Julian A. Parras, 19, for minor in possession on the 300 block of East Thompson Street.

A summons was issued to Travis M. Haag, 36, of Raymore, Missouri, for no valid driver’s license on the 100 block of East 4th Street.

Oct. 8 A summons was issued to William R. Johnston, 53, for displaying the plates of another on the 800 block of East 1st Street.

A summons was issued to Matthew D. Gruender, 19, of Tipton, Missouri, for minor in possession, possession of a fake ID and improper display of license plates.

MALLETT

CONTINUED FROM A1 In 2017, DEI separated from Student Affairs and became its own department and Mallett was brought in as director of diversity and inclusion.

Before coming to Northwest, Mallett served as the director of the American Intercultural Center at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, the director of diversity and multicultural affairs at Illinois College and an admissions counselor and coordinator of new student orientation at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

During forums as a candidate for the position, Mallett said diversity and inclusion at Northwest needs to extend beyond race.

“There are white students who go through some of the same things

that a lot of the black students go through,” Mallett said at the employee forum. “There are white students who are poor; there are white students that are underprepared; there are white students that struggle in their day-to-day life.”

During his time as director of DEI, Mallett said the office’s biggest failure was centering funding and programming on the black student population, which did not have a tangible impact on graduation and retention rates of those students.

Simmons resigned from her position in February, and University Police Chief Clarence Green was named interim vice president of DEI. Soon after, the position was eliminated and Green was named vice president of culture in May. University President John Jasinksi announced the creation of the new position in August. He said it was created in an effort to improve grad-

NEWS JUMPS

uation and retention rates of underrepresented students; the University created the new position in order to bring Diversity and Inclusion under the Provost’s Office.

“What I’m looking forward to is being able to sit in the room and have conversations about ways that we can work together and collaborate to help improve the retention and graduation rates of our underrepresented students to get it at or at a higher level than what our majority students are at right now,” Mallett said.

DEI has one coordinator of diversity and inclusion, Adam Gonzales, who will continue to work under Mallett in the Provost’s office.

The Office of Human Resources posted a coordinator of diversity and inclusion opening Oct. 4, which has been vacant since Gabrielle Fields resigned in January.

Mallett said resource distribu-

tion will remain the same, but after a strategic plan for the office is developed, that may change.

Equity will fall under the Office of Student Affairs, which is in the process of hiring a new Title IX coordinator.

“The equity piece is still within the diversity and inclusion umbrella,” Mallett said. “We’ve embedded it within the inclusion piece because if we’re going to be an inclusive campus, we’re going to be an equitable campus as well.”

In a Northwest news release, Provost Jamie Hooyman said she is looking forward to seeing Mallet’s vision for the future of diversity and inclusion.

“With his background, education and experience, Dr. Mallett will add support to Northwest’s continued efforts to embrace inclusion across the campus and community,” Hooyman said.

Executive models equal hiring KEJI AKINMOLADUN Chief Reporter | @OluwatoyinKeji

Northwest welcomed disability advocate and Fortune 500 executive Randy Lewis for the annual Ploghoft Diversity Lecture at the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts.

Associate professor for the School of Education and Ploghoft Chair David Kiene said Lewis spoke at Mozingo Conference Center for the Maryville community prior to his lecture on campus Oct. 3.

When Lewis and his wife found out their son, Austin, was autistic, the Walgreens executive said he thought to himself, “How is Austin going to get a job?”

Lewis then built a new Walgreens distribution center in South Carolina and announced of the 600 people he would hire, 200 of them would be people with disabilities.

“If we’re going to go big, let’s go high,” Lewis said.

He promoted equality by hiring employees regardless of ability. Lewis put a sign on the inside of the distribution center that read “Them” crossed out, which represented people with disabilities.

Lewis said he had to believe in people with disabilities and their strength to make his project happen.

“It’s not the number of people who are involved in a movement, it’s how big the dedication of the people that are in it,” Lewis said.

“It’s the people who hang in there, and that means sometimes you have to be other people’s strength when they don’t have it – that’s what I had to do. When they didn’t believe, I had to believe for them.”

Lewis shared stories of people who worked their way up to manager positions.

The Walgreens distribution centers now employs 2,000 people with disabilities overall.

“Truth be told, we have not found a single disability that we automatically exclude,” Lewis said.

Horace Mann Laboratory School

SAFE RIDE

CONTINUED FROM A1 Green said getting wait time down is key because the more time students are waiting, the more likely they are to make an unsafe choice or be put in an unsafe position.

He said his main goal for the program, outside of the app, is to gain as much external funding through grants and donations as possible to keep expanding and support more riders.

“My goal is to make sure that we keep pushing the resources so that the program can be taken to the next level,” Greens said. “I want a program that’s going to help us reduce DWI’s (driving while intoxicated), and that’s what we know that this program is doing.”

MO HOPE

CONTINUED FROM A1 According to the moulage casualty simulation organizer and associate professor in the Behavioral Sciences Department Lauren Leach-Steffens the realism in the exercises throughout Missouri Hope is essential to participants’ legitimate reactions and ability to conduct effective crisis management.

“This practice is aimed to train people with the most realism possible,” Leach-Steffens said. “It takes a certain amount of art and a certain amount of science. You have to know how bruises bruise and you have to know how things bleed.”

The moulage crew of five amateur artists kept busy throughout the weekend, doing special effects

GABI BROOKS | NW MISSOURIAN

Fortune 500 executive and disability advocate and consultant Randy Lewis discusses how individuals with disabilities can be supported and helped by educators Oct. 3 in the Mary Linn Auditorium of the Ron Houston Center.

Principal Laura King attended the lecture with her two sons Robby and Eric King.

At the end of the lecture, Laura King asked her son, Eric King, if he wanted to speak to Lewis after the lecture. She said it was because of people like him that Eric has a job today.

“He is a part of a new program

in St. Joseph at Mosaic Hospital, where he is actually doing his senior year through Mosaic in a program called ‘All Students Achieve,’” Laura King said. “He goes to the hospital everyday, does an internship and gets job training, so when he graduates from high school, he can then be employable.”

Kiene said his main takeaway

from the lecture was for people to see potential in others.

“Who do you see when you look at somebody?” Kiene said. “Do you see someone with a disability? Or do you see somebody who has potential? It’s not looking at their disability but looking at what they’re capable of doing.”

Green said since the implementation of the Safe Ride Home program in 2004, DWIs have dropped 65%.

In the past year, Safe Ride Home has given 20,000 rides to students.

Richards said her goal for the app was to have 35% of Safe Ride Home riders using the app by Jan. 1, but during the soft launch, 32% of ride requests came from the app rather than calls. In the week since the official launch, 58% of ride requests have come through the app.

Aiming even higher, Richards said she wants 70% of riders using the app by the end of the spring 2020 semester.

“We’re hoping to get people as excited about it as we are,” Richards said. “I think that it’s such a unique program for our University, so if we can get as many peo-

ple to use it as possible, that works for me.”

Richards said the app allows the Safe Ride Home system to be more efficient and more accurate. By having access to a student’s GPS location on their phone, Richards said the driver does not have to rely on students who may be lost, intoxicated or unfamiliar with Maryville to give their location.

She said the app also allows users to track their ride when it’s on its way, similar to rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft, so they have a better idea of when it will arrive and where.

Richards and Green gave credit to the Safe Ride Home team, which consists of more than 30 students, for helping decide on which platform to use and getting the app

ready to launch.

“I think we have a tremendous amount of folks who really work with (Richards) and support all of the efforts that she’s doing to really make it go,” Green said.

Green specifically pointed out the two student managers, Westley Bertha and Joshua Williams, for working so closely with Richards since January on development and marketing.

“We have a very diverse team that really represents all sections of the institution, whether that be from on campus to international to domestic minorities to majority students,” Green said. “With those students giving us feedback, we have a rich representation of our student body just in talking with our 30-40 members who work for our team.”

makeup on eight people per hour for Missouri Hope. They completed work on more than 40 role players throughout one day.

Close to 200 students played the role of victims throughout the weekend. A field hospital with medical students from the University of Missouri-Kansas City was set up near the triage area, where students treated victims from top to lowest priority.

Assistant Professor at the UMKC School of Nursing and Health Studies Sharon White-Lewis led students in the field hospital, officially known as the Disaster Medical Operations Module. She said the hospital was provided by partnering organizations of Missouri Hope.

“They set it up in our triage colors of green, yellow and red, meaning walking and wounded, those in

need of hospital attention and the critically ill,” White-Lewis said.

“We will get close to 40 victims for four nursing students to take care of.”

Jace Pine, deputy exercise director at Missouri Hope and senior in Northwest’s emergency and disaster management program, said local agencies bring supplies and people to provide a good, diverse platform for trainees to experience.

“Every year, we learn a little bit more about how we can set up,” Pine said. “We provide a platform for them to use this stuff.”

Each year, Missouri Hope is sponsored by Northwest’s Consortium for Humanitarian Service and Education. Hope training events take place around the country at different times throughout the year, and the NCHSE helps make

Northwest Missouri another place on that list.

Other participants in the exercises at MOERA unavailable for comment were students from the State University of New York-Albany, Northern Oklahoma University, the Atchison-Holt County Ambulance District, Buchanan County EMS, NTA Ambulance District-Bethany and Maryville Fire Department.

Executive Director and Coordinator of the University’s EDM program said what made 2019 different was the expertise of the staff.

“We have EDM students that have graduated, gone on to do awesome things, and are coming back to help make the exercise better,” Carr said. “This is our seventh year offering this exercise and we continue to up the standard.”

OPINION

Oct. 10, 2019 @TheMissourian

Athletes own their image NATHAN ENGLISH Opinion Columnist @ThananEnglish

The usual “college athletes shouldn’t be paid” arguments will be ramping up as a result of SB 206, the Fair Pay to Play Act, aimed at allowing college athletes to make money while playing college sports.

“It’s the beginning of the end of college sports,” “kids these days are too entitled” and “don’t they get paid in a scholarship?” all will be heard in between complaints about how there are no more NCAA football games.

The bill is not trying to bring about the rapture on college sports; it’s giving college athletes a fundamental American right that they have been denied.

The ability to make money off of one’s own likeness is a right that nearly every American today be-

sides college athletes have. It can be as simple as monetizing a Youtube channel to make ad revenue or using Instagram to market a certain company.

The bill, which was passed unanimously in both California state houses, does not go so far as to force colleges to pay student-athletes a salary. It will just give them the fundamental freedom to make money off of their hard work — something the NCAA did to the tune of more than $1 billion in 2016-2017, according to ESPN’s Darren Rovell.

One of the key arguments against paying college athletes is how the pie will be divided up.

The sports that rake in more money would get paid more which could raise some Title IX issues when it comes to unequal pay between genders. The Fair Pay to Play Act will not be affected by this because the schools themselves would not be supplying the money; it would come from outside sources.

SB 206 does not just aid big Division I athletes either. College athletes at smaller schools like Northwest could appear in local advertisements for area businesses and get compensation for their participation.

“They get a scholarship; that’s their payment,” many opposed to paying college athletes will say. The average scholarship for men in Division II Athletics was $6,211 and a bit higher for women at $7,558 during the 2017 fiscal school year, according to Scholarship Stats.

Varying sports can have wide ranges of money given to athletes, but even when using the average cost, it normally won’t even support a semester at college much less a year. Northwest estimates the cost to attend with room and board in state and take 30 credit hours at $19,861. The average scholarships do not close in on half of that cost.

Another argument against SB 206 is that it will make recruiting unfair and that certain schools will

be able to use marketing opportunities to leverage students. Spoiler alert: recruiting is not fair to begin with.

Schools have varying amounts of athletic donors, varying quality in facilities and varying degrees of success in program history, not to mention those pesky bag men that have been found paying players on athletic departments’ orders. No matter how hard the NCAA tries, recruiting will never be an even playing field, and athletes should be able to make the decision of where to play based on their ability to market themselves.

The Fair Pay to Play Act is not the doom and gloom of college sports. It’s giving a small amount of power back to the workers who keep the system working. That’s not entitlement — that’s capitalism.

College athletes should be allowed to profit off of their skills and not be punished for wanting to use them.

CHRIS YOUNG | NW MISSOURIAN

In wake of Hong Kong chaos, value democracy

OUR VIEW:

A fight for democracy is unfolding in Hong Kong — a fight many involved consider a fight for life or death.

More than a million people in Hong Kong marched peacefully against an extradition bill June 9, according to the Washington Post.

Two months later, protesters took over the Hong Kong airport Aug. 12; the police reacted with force.

Each subsequent protest has been met with increasing force from the Hong Kong Police, and the protesters have risen to meet it.

This fight for democracy may seem distant and irrelevant; however, it provides a call to reflect on our own democracy and ensure we acknowledge just how valuable it is.

The brutally long protest, spanning four months now, shows no signs of wavering and stems from the initial reaction to the proposed amendments to the Hong Kong extradition law.

Hong Kong’s government proposed an amendment in February which would enable extradition from Hong Kong to Mainland China.

Seen as another move in a long game of chess by Chinese President Xi Jinping to chip away at Hong Kong’s independence, proEDITORIAL STAFF Rachel Adamson Andrew Wegley Abbey Hugo Aaron Stahl Kendrick Calfee Samantha Collison Jon Walker Sarah von Seggern Jesse Reed Gabi Brooks Emily Noyes Chris Young

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testers organized to stop the legislation from passing.

As a result of the protests, the Hong Kong Government decided to indefinitely suspend the legislation.

The people of Hong Kong viewed this decision as an attempt to simply delay the legislation’s passage however, and the protests continued.

Outside of the legislation, the Hong Kong government coined the peaceful protests as riots, resulting in 10 years of prison for anyone arrested while protesting, according to Business Insider.

Alongside a demand from the Hong Kong people to stop calling their protests riots so the government can’t simply arrest and silence them, the people are calling for universal suffrage. As of now, the Chinese government in Beijing selects the leaders the people of Hong Kong can vote for to hold office in the Hong Kong government.

History lesson and recent event recap aside, the protests in Hong Kong show just how valuable democracy is and exactly why we need to ensure we value it.

With election season right around the corner, we need to make the most of our democracy, both through valuing it and protecting it. While our democracy certain-

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ly isn’t facing the same daunting threat Hong Kong’s is facing, it’s always at risk of slipping through our fingers like sand on a beach.

One example is the GOP preemptively canceling caucuses and primaries. A Politico article reported that South Carolina, Kansas, Nevada and Arizona are slated to not hold their primaries/caucuses.

This stifles the voice of republicans wanting to push for a republican candidate other than President Donald Trump and hinders our democracy.

Faithless electors pose a problem for democracy as well. CBS news reported in 2016, the year of the last presidential election that took place, seven electors were faithless and voted for a candidate opposite of the popular vote in their district.

These are just a couple of example areas where our democracy is slipping, and while they don’t compare to what the people of Hong Kong face, we need to act now to prevent the issue from getting any worse.

The Hong Kong conflict may feel distant and irrelevant, but it serves as a warning to ensure we keep our own democracy in check — a warning we shouldn’t ignore.

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A5

Only women can be feminists ZION CHAMBLE Opinion Columnist @ChambleZion

A contentious photo of male actor Benedict Cumberbatch has surfaced recently of him rocking a fashionable t-shirt that reads, “This is what a feminist looks like.” I chuckled initially, but it made me wonder if men can support a cause that doesn’t need them.

Now, the definition of feminism, according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is “the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social and economic equality to men.”

Even though I am in full support of everything feminism claims to advocate for, I am not a feminist and do not claim to be one.

By me claiming to be a feminist, I am debasing what feminism stands for. To combat this, I use the term “ally of women’s rights and feminist beliefs.” Although many have considered me as a feminist, I do not feel I have the right to have that title.

To identify as a feminist, you have to experience the life of a woman and the hardships a woman encounters in life.

Feminism is not a fad, nor has it ever been. But for men to step in now after decades of hardships unbeknownst to them and claim to have a full understanding of what feminism entails is preposterous.

A white person cannot claim to be “black” after standing against racial injustice just like a straight person can’t claim to be “LGBT” while supporting gender equality. Just the same, men can not claim to be feminist and suddenly gain an understanding for what have women endured.

All men are sexist in someway or another. In a report published by the University of California San Francisco, people of all sexes and ages experience unconscious bias.

The report also states that even if our conscious belief is to support women and respect their wishes, our unconscious bias will not always believe the same ideas.

It also supports the idea that every white person is somewhat racist, and that every straight person is a little homophobic.

That’s not to say that all men are sexist, mostly because I am one.

But I do know that discrimination against women and their beliefs is rampant in our society and is closer to us than we like to admit.

A quick glance at the top music charts and we can see how women are objectified and degraded at the expense of male fantasy and greed.

Hundreds of women daily will post on social media of #everydaysexism and the encounters they have with the discrimination they face.

There isn’t a viral Twitter handle relating to men’s everyday sexist struggles; there wasn’t a movement to give men the rights of women and there never will be.

Feminism is not a man’s fight.

Men do not share the burden that women experience everyday and will continue to encounter if nothing changes.

The only thing we can do as men is to be a helping hand in the fight against female oppression and be in support of the same beliefs. This is the only way.

So, male feminists everywhere, join me in removing your title of feminist and begin using the term “ally of women’s rights and feminist beliefs.” It’s not your fight, but you can be there to help.

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Oct. 10, 2019 @TheMissourian

A6

SUDOKU

By MetroCreative

HOROSCOPE ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 Take advantage of an opportunity that you have been considering, Aries. If you know what you want, go out and make it happen. Do what it takes to impress others.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, you are always ready to defend your own turf and quick to offer your opinions, even if it means being blunt.

You may have to play it a little cool this week.

GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, hiding your feelings for some time is a recipe for unhealthy pressure. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind when your input is sought.

CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, it is a good idea to give people the benefit of the doubt, but don’t overlook your gut instincts. It is always a good idea to be cautious when meeting new people.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 You may have to make a tough choice this week, Leo. It involves choosing to engage in some recreational activities or head to work to put in extra credit. Trust your judgment.

VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, you don’t have to have superhero levels of energy each and every day. If you are not feeling fully up to the tasks at hand this week, give yourself a well-earned breather.

DIVERSIONS

Dog Days

By MetroCreative

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 You are typically deft at keeping your emotions on a short leash, Libra. But every once in a while you can’t fully rein things in. Others will understand an outburst is out of character.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 There is a fine line between being a devoted employee and a workaholic, Scorpio. Scale back some of your hours, especially if work is affecting your home life.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21

You may have been spreading your wings to see just how many new things you can accomplish, Sagittarius. This week one of your goals really gets traction.

CHRIS YOUNG | NW MISSOURIAN

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20

Capricorn, you may be feeling footloose and flirty over the next couple of days. This is the perfect time to spend with a significant other or find a romantic interest if you are single.

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Aquarius, you may be asked to be a peace-keeping referee when two people on the job need a mediator. Your thoughtful approach makes you an ideal person to handle the task.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Volatile feelings can be calmed with the help of some good companionship this week, Pisces. Channel your energy into something fun.

Last Week’s Solutions

THE NORTHWEST MISSOURIAN IS *STILL* HIRING NEWS REPORTERS AND DESIGNERS. For more information, email r.adamson.missourian@gmail.com

CROSSWORD CLUES ACROSS 1. Computer key 4. Periodical (abbr.)

7. Hot beverage 8. Capital of Ghana 10. Shrek is one 12. Behemoth 13. Good friend 14. Form of “to be” 16. Where travelers rest 17. European country 19. Everyone has one 20. Pop 21. Feelings of anxiety 25. Small amount 26. Moved quickly 27. Common name for a type of frog 29. Free from psychological disorder 30. 8th month (abbr.)

31. Basics 32. Transcending national boundaries 39. Natives of Kashmir 41. Returned material authorization (abbr.)

42. Cigar wrapper 43. Brew 44. Popular video game series 45. Abba __, Israeli politician 46. Jewelled headdress 48. French cleric 49. Bizarre 50. Unit of measurement 51. Foul-mouthed Hollywood bear 52. “Partridge Family” actress CLUES DOWN 1. Type of bomb 2. Smooth 3. Clothing pattern 4. Defunct phone company 5. Something to take 6. Type of piano 8. Consumed 9. “Pitch Perfect” actress Kendrick 11. Ray-finned fish

14. Heat storage stove 15. Shrink back 18. Yukon Territory 19. Connects words 20. Sound unit 22. Furniture with open shelves 23. Cool!

24. 007’s creator 27. Source of the Nile River 28. Not safe, but …

29. Helps little firms 31. Comedienne Gasteyer 32. Conceptualize 33. Root mean square (abbr.)

34. Integrated circuit 35. Evergreen trees and shrubs genus 36. Apprehended

By MetroCreative

37. Suitable for growing crops 38. Isolated 39. Footwear company 40. Electronic intelligence gathering 44. Political action committee 47. Free of

HUMANS OF NORTHWEST

1

Oct. 10, 2019 @NWM_AE

An open book

A7

2

Transgender student embraces identity

3

SARAH VON SEGGERN A&E Editor | @SeggernSarah

N

estled on a beige shelf sits a worn-out book sophomore Levi Bradley read when he was in sixth grade. The book, “The Drowning Girl” by Caitlin R. Kiernan still stands as a testament to his life.

“I’m not even sure whether it was a good book or not,” Levi Bradley said. “It was one of my initial experiences learning about trans people existing, so I latched onto that, and then it talked about mental illness, so I latched onto that. It’s this sort of nostalgic literature that I just fall back into.”

Levi Bradley knew he was transgender when he was eight-yearsold, but he just didn’t have the proper vocabulary to identify who he was. It was through his avid book reading habits that he was able to properly come to terms with who he was and who he wanted to be.

4

his mom struggled sometimes, she has made an effort to understand and learn about her son. She was even there with him when he began his testosterone, which has been an important part of his transition.

“It’s been a road and lots of things to try to adapt to,” Lorena Bradley said. “Overall, I want the most happiness for him and his life, and so whatever that looks like and whatever that brings, I’m 1000% at his side and excited to see what the future brings.”

Even though Levi Bradley had his mother on his side, his father and some extended family were another case. He came out to his father during Thanksgiving break last year and he said it’s been an emotional ride.

“He’s only known me as his little girl,” Levi Bradley said. “He’s trying to adjust himself, and it’s his own growing process; there’s going to be growing pains. … I understand that everyone is a human

GABI BROOKS | NW MISSOURIAN

Newly appointed Inclusion Representative of the Northwest Student Senate Levi Bradley is a sophomore from Papillion, Nebraska. Bradley eventually landed his current job as a student inclusivity coordinator in the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Northwest.

Along with the help of this book, Levi Bradley said the biggest inspiration in his life is his mom for the amount of hard work she puts into everything. He said he aspires to be as passionate and generous as she is.

While many students face a multitude of problems when they come out to their family, such as homelessness and disownment, Levi Bradley said he was fortunate to have the support of his mom, Lorena Bradley.

Levi Bradley said even though

being and that he is doing his best in the way he knows how. He’s not doing anything out of malicious intent.”

Despite his father not understanding, Levi Bradley still loves him. He knows other transgender and LGBTQ people are valid in not wanting to forgive those who disown them for simply being themselves, but he wants to allow his father room to grow.

“He’s loving me in the way that he thinks is right, even if it isn’t particularly helpful, so I try to be for-

giving in that sense,” Levi Bradley said. “He loves me. He’s trying, and I love him as another human being and I appreciate him and respect him for what he’s done for me.”

Levi Bradley said being transgender has affected his mental health in the sense that he felt like he needed to prove himself and justify his existence. College and the support he’s received has made him more confident and happier with who he is.

“I love being me, and there’s not really anyone else that I’d rather be,” Levi Bradley said. “I think that being trans has made me reevaluate everything about myself.

I think it’s opened me up to lots of self introspection. I think that it’s not an easy journey and there are things about it that are hard, but it’s something that is worthwhile and it’s something that I’m proud of in the end, just like I’m proud of any other part of me.”

Living in the Midwest as a transgender man, Levi Bradley said he chose Northwest for more than just the education program or the beautiful campus. He chose it because of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Office.

“I loved that there was this effort that the University was making to unify students to make sure that not only everyone was safe but that we have this education between us, this dialogue, where we get to learn more about diversity and each other and we get to celebrate those differences,” Levi Bradley said.

When Levi Bradley was a freshman, Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion Adam Gonzales said he remembers him coming to his office unprompted to simply introduce himself and who he was.

“What I noticed with Levi was that he very much knew who he was, who he is,” Gonzales said. “He had no problem coming into a complete stranger’s office and just saying, ‘Hey, I’m Levi. This is who I am. I’m here.’”

As Levi Bradley eventually joined other organizations such as the LGBTQ organization Helping Everyone Regardless of Orientation and Student Senate as the inclusion representative, he also ended up landing his dream job as one of the student inclusivity coordinators in the DEI Office.

Levi Bradley has a passion and love for the job that he said he would have done for free.

“Levi goes above and beyond to make sure we as an office are connecting with people across campus, especially with people whose voices aren’t always heard,” Gonzales said. “People who might be feeling like they’re left out of conversations, dialogue, policy making and things like that. “ Along with scheduling podcast interviews for Gonzales, sending out thank you emails and other clerical tasks, Levi Bradley has helped

with Safe Zone training.

Gonzales described Safe Zone training as an educational opportunity for people to interact in candid dialogue surrounding LGBTQ populations.

As an English education major, Levi Bradley also loves educating others, whether it be about the English language or the various information in the LGBTQ communities. One of his goals is to teach through one of his greatest loves: literature.

“I hope in teaching I can make reading fun and passionate for students again and that I can build that relationship where students understand how powerful they are,” Levi Bradley said. “I think everybody has a lot of potential and abilities,

“

spend it on my friends.”

Isaiah Bourland has known Levi Bradley since they were in Papillion La Vista High School creating the monthly magazine together, Bourland as a writer and Levi Bradley as the artist. It was through their motley team that they got to know each other better as friends, and it wasn’t until last April that Bourland asked him on a date.

“He really goes out of his way to make somebody’s day better,” Bourland said with a wide grin.

“He’s literally the nicest person I’ve met. Levi out-niced Jesus.”

With such a long history together, Bourland said he is still in awe at the capacity for kindness one person can hold.

I love being me, and there’s not really anyone else that I’d rather be.” and I think that everyone has an incredible capacity for goodness, and I really want to empower other people as much as I can to utilize that.”

Levi Bradley’s love for teaching feeds into his work in Safe Zone training and wanting an open dialogue. He tries to attend as many trainings as his schedule can allow, especially with his 18-credit-hour schedule. “(Levi) became sort of my sidekick at the trainings,” Gonzales said. “He goes with me to some of the trainings and he gives his student perspective, and that’s very powerful for him to be able to share his experience, his journey with many of the faculty and staff who are in some of the trainings.”

Levi Bradley exemplifies the word caring through simple actions like stopping to greet an old lab partner he hasn’t seen since last year and opening doors for students who are 10 feet away.

Gonzales recognized it especially at the coming out day table DEI hosted for LGBTQ history month Sept. 7-8.

“It was kind of awesome to see Levi be able to stop someone in their tracks just by saying, ‘Hey, how are you today?’ It’s not what he says, it’s more how he says it and the vibe he gives off,” Gonzales said. “People just kind of stop. It’s almost like people don’t know how to deal with people as nice as Levi.

It’s like, are you talking to me?”

Even in simple, everyday interactions, Levi Bradley can’t help but care for everybody, especially his closest friends.

“If I won the lottery, I would be poor so fast,” Levi Bradley said with a chuckle. “Because I would

- LEVI BRADLEY

Even with Levi Bradley’s hectic schedule with work, school and other organizations, he always makes time to play with the cats and dogs at the New Nodaway Humane Society.

“I love getting to spend time with them. They’re so sweet and cute. I mean part of it is a little bittersweet because I do want to take them home and I feel so bad. I love them,” Levi Bradley said in a coddling voice as he rubbed the belly of Colt, a Boxer mix breed.

“They deserve the best,” Levi Bradley said. “I wish I could just give them everything.”

Through the undeniable kindness to the leadership and drive Levi Bradley has shown, he said his biggest hope is that people will find value in more open dialogue with those they don’t understand.

“Levi’s a great example at how Bearcats can be leaders and examples for others. Levi’s doing things just by being himself. Levi’s doing things that are paving the way for future students and even some of our present students,” Gonzales said. “He’s making himself visible and, he may not realize it, but he is making a difference in the lives of a lot of students.”

GABI BROOKS | NW MISSOURIAN

1. Bradley showing Northwest faculty member Helen Konstantopoulos a diagram of various gender pronouns at the Oct. 5 Safe Zone training.

2. Bradley visits the Nodaway Humane Society as often as he can to play with the cats and dogs.

3. Bradley feeds a treat to Colt, a dog at the Nodaway Humane Society Oct. 5.

4. Northwest’s commitment to diversity and open dialogue has helped Bradley feel safe on campus.

Oct. 10, 2019 @NWM_AE

A8

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

JUSANI JACKSON | NW MISSOURIAN

Wellness Services hosts Sex in the Ballroom to bring awareness to safe sex, sexual health, consent and social justice in the J.W. Jones Student Union Oct. 2.

CORIE HERTZOG A&E Reporter | @Miss_Kitten1067

Sex. ​It’s something Midwestern parents told their children that “mommies and daddies do when they’re in love.”

L ​ ittle did they know that “daddies” would take on a whole new meaning in the context of sex. ​Sex often carries a sense of taboo or dirtiness in conversation. It’ws a topic reserved for only select groups in people’s lives. However, sex plays an important role in a healthy life. ​Many people can spout out the physical benefits of sex: lower blood pressure, higher immune system and a better sleep cycle, but sex can also impact a person’s mental health in a positive way. ​Sophomore Kevin Nguyen is the diversity and inclusion representative on Student Senate and said exploring sexual diversity is important for students. ​“Unfortunately, sex education is a taboo subject,” Nguyen said. “But it’s really important.” ​According to The Women’s Health Organization, sex can decrease depression and anxiety and provide stress releif. ​When people have sex, it releases endorphins and other “reward” chemicals like dopamine, the same chemicals that are released when someone eats sugar and oxytocin, also known as the “cuddle hormone.” This helps reduce the levels of cortisol, which is the chemical linked to stress.

Since mental health is one of the six pillars of a

Let’s talk Sex

Acts of intimacy create happier, healthier lifestyles for students

THE STROLLER:

healthy lifestyle, according to Wellness Services, finding ways to lessen disorders such as anxiety and depression can lead to a better college career. ​“As college students, as people figuring out who they want to be, a big thing a lot of people experiment with is sexual activity,” Nguyen said. “Being comfortable with that is especially important when talking about consent, and if you’re not comfortable, then consent is much harder to validate.” ​Sex also helps with rest and sleep. After an orgasm, not only are the reward hormones released, but also prolactin, a hormone that relaxes the body. According to CNN, if a person wants a better night’s rest, it’s best to get it on with a partner right before bedtime. ​Sex, and exploring what turns a person on, can also have mental health benefits to fight depression.

P ​ sychological researcher, Samuel Hughes has done research on how being open about sexuality and sexual desires can improve the mental health of certain groups of people. ​“Identity development is critically important for sexual minority mental health,” Hughes said.

“Failure to overcome stigma, and especially internalizing that stigma, can lead to anxiety, depression and suicidality.”

FULL STORY ONLINE:

NWMISSOURINEWS.COM

Your Bearcat wants you to clear the peanut butter aisle Going to Walmart Inc. is, by itself, a rough experience. The parking lot makes no sense. The Subway to the left of the grocery entrance is just begging me to spend money. There are employees everywhere, except when you actually need one.

Somehow, though, the worst part of my shopping experience is you, my fellow shopper. And no, this doesn’t apply to every single shopper in Walmart Inc., but it sure

seems like it applies to most of you.

Why are you constantly oblivious to the fact that you’re in my way? Why have you been scanning the peanut butter shelves for 48 seconds like the options have suddenly changed since the last time you bought peanut butter? I promise, nothing’s changed.

I honestly can’t tell who’s worse. Is it the local’s ill-fitting tank tops clogging the canned goods aisles, filling the baskets on ~Bearccat at At Att tta tt ack ack c Sp S eci ec al~ a Show w you yourr B Bearca rcatt Card rca d for

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quor section being a brisk 10-minute walk from the door. And I love how the bathrooms inspire me to buy enough hand sanitizer to go home and bathe in it.

But lately, my trips are taking too long.

I’m going to Walmart Inc. to shop and avoid eye contact. I’m going to Walmart Inc. to steal half my groceries at the self-checkout.

I’m not going to Walmart Inc. to get lectured by one stranger on

the importance of buying dairyfree dairy products and told by another stranger to make sure I vote Republican.

I’ve got AirPods on for a reason, so don’t talk to me. Just get the groceries you came for, go get those free samples, and, please, get the hell out of the way.

The Stroller has been a tradition since 1918 and does not reflect the views of The Northwest Missourian.

Coming Out Day promotes LGBTQ pride, acceptance ZION CHAMBLE A&E Reporter | @ChambleZion

106 S. Main 660-582-4900 66 660 6 582 8 490 82 4900

221 S. Main St. Maryville, MO

their electric carts with low-quality Great Values?

Or is it the college students filling their carts with frozen pizza, almond milk and Busch Light, because fresh produce is clearly overpriced, overrated and always gets stolen out of the fridge at the frat house.

I appreciate all the commodities that the superstore offers. I like how the parking lot is, like, entirely one-way. Big fan of the li-

‘When quality counts!’

Students and staff came together at the National Coming Out Day table Oct. 7-8 in the J.W. Jones Student Union to write encouraging messages for their peers as a way to kick off LGBTQ History Month on a positive note.

National Coming Out Day is celebrated Oct. 11 every year and coincides with LGBTQ History Month.

Ryan Miller, a junior who identifies as pansexual, remembers National Coming Out Day as a life-defining moment. ​“ I came out on NCOD a couple years ago and I remember every second of that day,” Miller said.

“There was just love from people I didn’t expect it from, and it just felt right to me.”

M ​ iller came out as a freshman at Northwest and said it was the best decision he ever made. He said he lost many friends because of his decision but gained more meaningful relationships. ​M iller is not the only student who has come out during their time at Northwest. Senior Emma Johnson came out while studying abroad in London. ​“My roommate at the time just

SYDNEY GARNER | NW MISSOURIAN

Northwest celebrates LGBTQ History Month with events and open arms.

The LGBTQ rainbow awareness ribbon serves as a symbol of love, pride and support for individuals in the community.

told me it’s OK to be who you are,” Johnson said. “I still talk to her to this day, and I tell her thank you every chance I get because I needed help to come out.” ​Johnson is pursuing a career in mass communications and plans to inform people on how to address sexuality properly.

Johnson also feels that Northwest

has been very accepting of her decision to come out. “​ I thought people wouldn’t treat me the same because of Northwest being in a pretty rural place and their beliefs being kind of outdated,” Johnson said.

FULL STORY ONLINE:

NWMISSOURINEWS.COM

SPORTS JUMPS

Oct. 10, 2019 @NWMSports

SOCCER

FOOTBALL

Despite the Bearcats’ Sunday struggles this season, coach Marc Gordon said his team is on the rise and credits it to the trust his players have been able to build with each other.

Gordon and his players have shown that they have become a much-improved team this season as opposed to last, with considerably more goals scored to this point in the season (15). They have moved to 3-6-1 this season, which is an improvement from last season’s underwhelming 2-15 record.

Junior center midfielder Bri Wawiorka was just one of the six Bearcats that logged all 97 minutes in the overtime victory over Washburn. Wawiorka said she likes the direction her team is going and knows the team is in a much better position to succeed now.

“We have a lot of young players that can come in and they can match our play, they can match our experience in some ways,” Wawiorka said. “The younger players have helped with chemistry. We know we can trust them to do what’s best for the team, and that alone makes us better.”

Northwest is tied for eighth in the MIAA but will have a chance to move its way up the standings if the team can piece together wins against its next four opponents.

Out of the Bearcats’ next four opponents, three of them hold a winning record and are sitting in the middle of the pack amongst the MIAA standings.

The upcoming four-game home stretch for the Bearcats will be against Nebraska-Kearney, who sits at last in the MIAA, Fort Hays State, Roger State and Northeastern State; the latter three all hold winning records this season.

This home stand for the Northwest is one of the most important stretches of the season in the eyes of Gordon, but he said it shouldn’t change the way his team plays.

“I think every game goes a long way in determining how our postseason chances look,” Gordon said.

“They want to succeed and we want to be one of those teams competing for a championship at the end of the season. These next four games will show how much fight we have as a group.”

The stakes heighten every week, Wright said. This is Northwest’s most important game yet.

The Week 6 showdown will pit two of the nation’s highest-scoring offenses against one another.

Northwest sits at No. 5 in the country in the category, averaging 48.4 points per contest, while Pitt State comes in at No. 6, scoring 47 points per game.

In a conference that Northwest has historically dominated, Pitt State is one of the few teams that has traditionally rivaled Northwest.

The Bearcats own a narrow 27-25 lead over Pitt State in the all-time series. The two teams have combined for 29 conference or co-conference titles since 1989.

Wright said the Bearcats’ annual matchup with the Gorillas has

CONTINUED FROM A12

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A9 grown into Northwest’s fiercest rivalry in his time with the program.

“I’ve lost to Pittsburg State more than I’ve lost to any other team since 2004,” Wright said. “Usually when we play them, the stakes are pretty high. … It’s always two teams that are contending for a conference championship; it’s always two teams that are looking forward to trying to get to the postseason and ultimately win a national championship.”

While the season is just reaching its midway point, the upcoming game carries with it playoff implications.

The two teams, grouped with Central Missouri (5-0) atop the MIAA standings, know that all three teams won’t finish undefeated, and it’s unlikely all three teams will appear in the postseason.

Both the Gorillas and Bearcats have trekked their way to 5-0 on the backs of similar schedules.

They’ve earned victories over middle-of-the-road teams like Central Oklahoma and Emporia State, while mowing over conference bottom-feeders.

Northwest scored a blowout win over Missouri Southern (1-4), while Pitt State has found relatively easy wins in matchups with Lincoln (0-5) and Northeastern State (0-5). The Bearcats and Gorillas have both remained undefeated inpart because they’ve avoided each other — until now.

“We’re going to go play at Arrowhead Stadium and there’s gonna be a ton of people there,” Wright said. “Is it a big game? Obviously it’s a big game. It’s that next step in the test. … As you go throughout your season, and I don’t care what week it is, the games get bigger and bigger because the stakes get higher and higher.”

Entering the Week 6 matchup, the stakes are as high as they

have been all season and the lowest they’ll be for the remainder of the year. Pitt State, with its unyielding defense and complex, flexible offensive system, will serve as both a challenge and a litmus test for Northwest’s progress this season.

After dominating Central Oklahoma in Week 4 and struggling with Emporia in Week 5, Wright said he needs the Bearcats to play to their capabilities against the Gorillas at Arrowhead.

“There is nothing else,” Wright said. “I need your best. I need you to do your job. I need you to do your one-eleventh — I don’t need anything more, I don’t need anything less. … I talk to our guys all the time; ‘This is why you come to Northwest Missouri State, to take these tests.’ Our guys don’t have to do anything special. …

If we just play our game the way we’re capable of, then I’ll put us up against anyone.”

SAMPSON

CONTINUED FROM A12 Northwest never broadcast the team’s appearance at the event. It only became publicized when an attendee pointed out the act of kindness on Twitter.

Wright said it wasn’t about the team. It was about supporting Sampson and his family in the wake of tragedy because Sampson, Wright said, is family.

“We talk about family all the time, and that’s what families do,” Wright said. “I don’t want our kids to just hear about family; I want them to feel family.”

“

I don’t want our kids to just hear about family; I want them to feel family.”

-RICH WRIGHT So close to 80 football players, dressed identically in their travel apparel, sporting green sweat jackets and black pants, piled into a cramped room in Platte City in an act of kindness and support.

ANDREW WEGLEY | NW MISSOURIAN

Northwest kicker Parker Sampson penned a tribute to his late half-brother James Sampson onto the instep of his cleats Oct. 5 against Emporia State. Sampson drained a career-long 53-yard field goal in the matchup.

Wright said he was impressed with how the players carried themselves and said he hopes the moment was as “powerful” as it seemed to him.

The moment, Wright said, served as a teaching tool for the coaching staff, one he hopes will stick with his players well-past their playing days.

“Everybody on our team could

have sent Parker a text, but to actually, physically be there — and we weren’t there for very long…”

Wright said. “To be able to go do that and spend the personal time with him and his family, you know, the lessons these guys learn from football are great, but hopefully one or two life lessons along the way go with it.”

In an age where dozens of foot-

ball programs across the country preach family values, it’s unclear how many others would have done what Wright and company did Oct. 7, ending practice early to drive an hour to a visitation. Wright himself isn’t sure how many other programs would have done the same.

That doesn’t really matter to him.

“Don’t know,” Wright said. “I know ours always will.”

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SPORTS

Seniors recognized for efforts MADDISYN GERHARDT Sports Reporter | @maddigerhardt

As Maryville soccer took the pitch Oct. 3 against Bishop LeBlond, that night’s game was the most significant game they team has had this season. It was Senior Night, an evening that shed light onto the seniors that have been dedicated to the program and determined to leave a mark on the school. The five seniors include Jaden Hayes, Jaxon Pettlon, Wade Wallace, Wesly Wallace and Connor Nielson.

With the seniors’ parents lining up to walk them out on the field, spectators saw that the team practices what they preach: family. For many of the players, coach Dale Reuter was their youth coach, high school coach and mentor. This is the connection that is rarely seen, but when developed, has an impact on all of those involved.

“It’s always sentimental. I’m a sentimental person,” Reuter said.

“To have that feeling, you have to have that love. If you don’t have that, then life just really isn’t spicy. Every day is your last when it comes to Maryville High School.

It may be the last time you play on the field or put on a uniform. It’s always a sad day.”

While the anticipation of Senior Night can bring out a variety of emotions for both the players and coaches, the parents are the biggest part of the night as they walk their players out on the field one last time. This is a time that brings out excitement and raw emotions as both the parents and players realize that their high school career is nearing an end.

“It was definitely awesome,” senior midfielder Jaden Hayes said. “Me and my parents are really close, and it’s nice for them to be able to walk me down. I’m the youngest of five kids, so I’m sure it’s pretty sad for then too.”

Though Hayes is the only one of the five seniors that plans to play collegiately, all of them have been revered as the faces of the soccer program and the many achievements that have come out of the Maryville community.

As many of the seniors have played soccer since they were young, throughout the years they’ve grown and matured, all while adding certain aspects to their lives that make them well rounded, standout members of the community, Reuter said.

“They’re all ambassadors for the program,” Reuter said. “My hope for them and my prayer for them

UP NEXT Maryville @ STEM Charter Swope Soccer Village 7 p.m. Sept. 27

as we move forward is for them to be good leaders — to be great leaders actually. I want to see those five seniors be those leaders and watch them grow. That’s what I want to see their legacy. That’s my hope; I want to see them be those great leaders.”

Looking back on the 4-3 record the ’Hounds have right now, and the five games coming up within the next two weeks, the seniors have to start preparing for their next sport and eventually graduation. Many of the seniors plan to attend college in a variety of locations and focus on their future goals.

Though they will inevitably move on from Maryville High School, many aspects of their lives like soccer knowledge, leadership skills and how to be a good and caring person, can all be traced back to the man that coached them in youth soccer.

“Especially having Dale as a coach, he’s kind of a role model for me,” Hayes said. “He has definitely built me as a player. Dale has been a big part of this journey, and I couldn’t ask for a better coach.”

SYDNEY GARNER | NW MISSOURIAN

Senior defender Conner Nielson practice passing Oct. 7 at Donaldson Westside Park to help prepare for their game against Benton.

Bearcats look to avenge first conference loss CALVIN SILVERS Missourian Reporter | @CalvinSilvers

GABI BROOKS | NW MISSOURIAN

Junior outside hitter Hallie Sidney serves the ball to Fort Hays State in Bearcat Arena Oct. 4. Sidney recorded 11 kills in the game and claimed her third 2019 MIAA Hitter of the Week award this week.

The Northwest volleyball team experienced a bittersweet weekend Oct. 5-6 as the ’Cats battled Fort Hays State and the No. 4 ranked Nebraska-Kearney Lopers.

Northwest began the weekend Oct. 4 in Bearcat Arena against Fort Hays. They won in three sets by scores of 25-12, 25-11 and 25-9.

The Bearcat’s offense overwhelmed the Tigers as Fort Hays only led once throughout the entire matchup. Northwest averaged a hitting percentage of .327%.

Juniors Hallie Sidney, Morgan Lewis and Maddy Ahrens led the team to sizeable victories. Sidney tallied a double-double with 11 kills and 11 digs while Lewis threw down 11 kills and hit .474%.

Ahrens found herself helping her teammates out by having 35 assists.

Coach Amy Woerth praised the juniors’ commitment and leadership this far into the season.

“They want to be the best that they can be and they’ve really worked on their relationships with each other. They’re constantly pushing each other to be better,” Woerth said. “They’re not going to accept anything but the best. I feel like they do a phenomenal job being themselves and figuring out how to do it at such a high level.”

Northwest can also credit its defense for the margins of victory by forcing the Tigers to have a hitting percentage of -.099%. Fort Hays also had 25 errors and could never find an offensive rhythm.

Sidney believes their gameplan heading into the game was executed all across the board, leading to the ’Cats never losing momentum.

“We executed the game plan that the coaches gave us and the focus on that throughout every set and every point was high,” Sidney said. “We never lost focus on what we needed to do to win the match.”

Northwest then welcomed No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney to Bearcat Arena on Oct 5. This was the first top 10 matchup in program history and 655 Bearcat fans came to support.

Sidney took charge and rallied the players before the big match.

“My message to the players before the game was to be aggressive.

Kearney is a good team but so are we,” Sidney said. “We just need to really execute what our game plan is and to do it in an aggressive way. There’s nothing that we can lose here.”

The Bearcats plan to play aggressive was somewhat executed as they took the Lopers to four sets. The ’Cats fell short as they were beaten by scores of 25-20, 31-33, 25-20 and 25-20. The teams saw eye-to-eye with 23 ties in the game, along with eight lead changes throughout the evening. Woerth credited the Lopers’ offense for their ability to pull away in tight situations.

“They just got their offense going at a higher level than we did,” Woerth said. “The longer you’re playing in a set, the more looks

UP NEXT NW vs Central Oklahoma 6 p.m. Oct. 11

MIAA STANDINGS 1. Nebraksa-Kearney 2. Washburn 3. NORTHWEST 4. Central Missouri 5. Central Oklahoma 6. Missouri Western 7. Pittsburg State 8. Fort Hays State 9. Missouri Southern 10. Emporia State 11. Newman

you’re able to show. They controlled their controllables at a higher level.”

Northwest kept the sets rather close with Boise State transfer Hannah Koechl posting a matchhigh 30 digs. Sophomore middle hitter Rachel Sturdevant and Sidney both secured double-doubles with 10 and 17 kills and 18 and 21 digs, respectively. Ahrens moved up to No. 8 on Northwest’s all-time assists list, now tallying 2,192 career assists.

Woerth mentioned that while the hype surrounding the game was huge, the Bearcats never felt pressured heading into the game.

“Internally, no, we were not pressured. I think what Nebraska-Kearney did well was put pressure on us,” Woerth said. “So from that standpoint we need to get better at leaning in on each other and figuring out how to work on that pressure.”

The Lopers played a complete game and got the ball to their star players. They averaged a hitting percentage of .251% and sided out at or over 70% in sets three and four. The ability of the Lopers to get into their transitions helped and only lead to 15 errors.

This moves the Bearcats to 12-2 overall and 5-1 in the MIAA. Northwest stayed at No. 10 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 Poll. This now marks the 14th time that Northwest has been ranked in the AVCA top 25.

Northwest continues its home stretch with two games Oct. 1112. They will play host to Central Oklahoma Oct. 11, then face Newman Oct. 12. Woerth doesn’t see the loss to Nebraska-Kearney as a setback for the Bearcats.

“It was a good team, so what can we learn from it?” Woerth said. “I don’t think that we’re off track, so how can we continue to get 1% better and how can we focus and improve this week?”

Sidney has already begun preparing for the next two games and has shared this mindset with her teammates.

“I think it was a game we can learn from. It’s still early in the season and just using what we learned in the previous game to get better at it,” Sidney added. “There’s still a lot of season left to be played.”

SPORTS

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Oct. 10, 2019 @NWMSports

A11

After his older brother’s championship run, Maryville football’s quarterback emerges into his own spotlight

JON WALKER Sports Editor | @ByJonWalker

Growing up in the footsteps of a rather successful older brother can leave younger siblings in the wake of a shadowed path. Maryville football junior Ben Walker found himself in the aforementioned situation when he took over as the program’s quarterback last season.

And instead of sitting in that wake, he found himself emerging into the spotlight for the Spoofhounds’ football program.

Ben Walker’s older brother, Will, graduated in spring 2018. Seven months prior to his commencement from Maryville, Will Walker led the Spoofhounds to a 47-9 state championship win over Mt. Vernon High School. The fall after his departure, Ben Walker performed well enough to be named the next quarterback of the Spoofhounds.

“The tradition here at Maryville is unlike any other,” Ben Walker said. “It’s incredible to grow up and watch my brother and his team have the success that they had.”

In pursuit of outperforming the success that his brother brought to the program, his journey started in his sophomore year, the fall of 2018. As the new face of the franchise, Ben Walker’s Maryville career started with a 38-35 loss to eventual MSHSAA Class 2 State Champions Blair Oaks.

After 12 consecutive wins proceeding the Week 1 loss, his first year at the helm of Maryville’s offense was put to a halt in the MSHSAA Class 3 Semifinals by Trinity Catholic High School. That loss, coupled with a 12-2 record on the year for the Spoofhounds, primed Ben Walker for a revenge tour to start his junior campaign.

Fast forward a year later, the quarterback found himself in a similar situation: trailing Blair Oaks late in the fourth quarter of an eventual 23-14 Week 1 loss. In the inaugural game of the season, Ben Walker started a streak that has held up through the first six weeks of the season — six consecutive games with a touchdown pass.

Typically, the goal of the quarterback is to lead your team to a state championship, Maryville coach Matt Webb said. In Webb’s

JON WALKER | NW MISSOURIAN

Maryville football is 17-3 in junior quarterback Ben Walker’s time at the helm of the Spoofhounds’ offense.

2019 SEASON STATS (6 GAMES)

YARDS

COMP/ATT

719 43/76 (56%)

BEN WALKER JUNIOR #2

eyes, his quarterback has done what he can to help the Spoofhounds attain that goal.

“That’s a part of what being a quarterback in Maryville is — is leading our offense,” Webb said.

“And Ben is doing a great job of

TOUCHDOWNS

12

2018 SEASON STATS (6 GAMES)

YARDS

COMP/ATT

772 31/58 (53%)

that right now.”

“It’s been awesome seeing Ben grow into the role he’s in now. He’s really stepped up this year,” Will Walker added. “Ben has always been the type of quarterback that can make something out of noth-

TOUCHDOWNS

11

ing. He’s always been very athletic and talented at scrambling while still keeping his eyes downfield.”

Since the Week 1 loss to Blair Oaks, the gunslinger has been a nightmare to game plan against for opposing teams. The fact that he’s

added mobility to his skillset this season has given a new dimension to the type of player Ben Walker has become, Webb said.

“Coach Webb is a really great coach,” Ben Walker said. “For him to compliment me, it really boosts my confidence and helps me on the field.”

Compared to last season, the confidence boost been apparent in the box scores. To this point, Ben Walker has led the offense by throwing for 12 touchdowns, one interception and 719 yards while completing 56% of his passes. Those marks have already surpassed the number of touchdowns he threw all of last season. He’s just 53 yards shy of eclipsing the total number of passing yards last season.

Despite changing the year, the record stands the same for the Spoofhounds this season throughout the first six weeks. Along with Ben Walker, one of the carryover pieces from the offense is his wideouts, specifically senior Tate Oglesby.

“We’re just constantly working, and I mean, to see it finally pay off — it’s good for all of us,” Oglesby said about his quarterback’s success. “But I mean, we’re hungry, so we just have to keep doing what we’re doing.”

Seeing the quarterback progress has been something that has opened up the whole offense, making the unit more efficient and dangerous, Oglesby said. Ben Walker has coupled a high-powered, dual-threat offense with Maryville’s traditionally stout defense.

The duo that the Spoofhounds now carry in both phases of the game primes the team for a chance to complete the regular season with a mere one loss, and to make another deep postseason run.

The quarterback’s arm will have a week off Oct. 11 via a bye week due to Bishop LeBlond joining the 8-man football ranks. But when the Spoofhounds resume their final two games of regular-season action against MEC rival Savannah, Maryville’s quarterback will be ready for the task at hand.

“The praise has been pretty nice but as a team our sights are set on the game ahead of us,” Ben Walker said. “We realized that we can’t overlook any team; we have to game plan and focus every week as if it was the state championship.”

Transfer runner sets new all-time mark JON WALKER Sports Editor | @ByJonWalker

Ahead of the Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Oct. 5, Northwest cross country coach Nick Gibson expected the Bearcats to perform well. To everyone’s surprise, Gibson said, a 44-year-old record would fall via the legs of junior Jhordan Ccope.

At the Pizza Ranch Media Luncheon Oct. 3, Gibson noted how fast the course at the meet was going to be. With that, “we’ll see” was Gibson’s thoughts on how the Bearcats would perform. For Gibson and both the men’s and women’s teams, they saw.

What they saw was Ccope place sixth individually in the midst of a meet that consisted of all levels of NCAA competition. In doing so, a 44-year-old record at Northwest — predating the birth of Gibson — was broken. The new mark for the 8,000-meter race is set at 23 minutes and 57 seconds, something that should hold its place for a while, Gibson said.

“It was obviously unexpected,” Gibson said. “We were hoping that the team would run fast and they did. (Ccope) breaking the school record was just really an added bonus.”

Among the likes of Division I programs like Texas, Oklahoma State and Arkansas, the men found themselves placing seventh with a total of 228 points.

The men’s counterpart, the women’s team, placed 45th overall. In the same field of competition, sophomore Keely Danielsen spearheaded the women with a 5,000-meter race time of 19:30.2.

Danielsen’s finish was good enough for an individual placing of 45th.

Proceeding the rather successful meet, more so for the men than for the women’s squad, the Bearcats were pegged to compete in the Lewis Crossover Oct. 12. In the aftermath of Chile Pepper, Gibson found that it would be within best interest to pull the ’Cats out of the lone tournament that stands be-

GABI BROOKS | NW MISSOURIAN

Junior Jhordan Ccope competes in the Missouri Southern Stampede Sept. 21, where he placed second overall in the men’s 8,000-meter race. Ccope recently broke Northwest’s record for the 8,000-meter at the Chile Pepper Festival Oct. 5 with a time of 23:57.1.

tween Chile Pepper and the MIAA Championships Oct. 26.

“I think having the Missouri Western meet off served us well, I really do,” Gibson said. “I don’t think that Chile Pepper would have gone as well if we had ran that meet. … We’re going into these races knowing that you’re not going to be fresh, but once you start to taper off and get breaks, your legs start to get fresh and you run so fast.”

Where most programs think that the more frequently you run the bet-

ter you get, the Bearcats, plagued with injuries, will benefit from the pattern of off-weeks down the stretch, Gibson said.

Relatively speaking to the results from Chile Pepper, Gibson said, he believes the women have been progressing more and more to this point in the season. Sophomore Caroline Ross has been a big part of that. Along with Danielsen, Ross has been back and forth with her teammate when it comes to leading the team at meets. The sophomore duo has served as a bright spot for

the side of the overall team that has struggled in recent years.

“It’s really fun knowing that we can be better in the future,” Ross said. “Watching the guys be so successful this year is encouraging to the women’s team. Just seeing what they’re doing and saying that, ‘We can be there.’”

The weekend off will leave both teams with three weeks in between Chile Pepper and the MIAA Championships Oct. 26. Both the men and women, coupled with the rest that they have on their body, will

have to spend the 21 days thinking about the opportunity of doing something that hasn’t been done in nearly half of a century “We’re just getting ready to try and go do well at conference,” Gibson said. “On the men’s side, we’re hopefully going to try and bring home a conference championship — something that hasn’t been done in 47 years — which would be a huge accomplishment for these guys.”

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Oct. 10, 2019 @NWMSports

Football supports kicker in wake of tragedy ANDREW WEGLEY Managing Editor | @andrewwegley

Parker Sampson delivered the best performance of this career Oct. 5, as Northwest football earned a hard-fought 3423 win over Emporia State in Emporia, Kansas.

Northwest’s junior placekicker went 4-for-4 on field goal tries. He drained a 53-yarder, the longest of his career and the second-longest in program history. He was named MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week.

And Sampson did so in the wake of a family tragedy. While Northwest was fighting through a close game with the Hornets, Sampson was fighting his emotions, with the weight of the tragedy on his shoulders.

Sampson’s half brother, James, died Sept. 28, a week before the matchup with Emporia in what Sampson described as a “tragic accident.” He was 40 years old. After spending the early parts of the week away from the team, Sampson returned, a tribute to his half brother

penned on his cleats, and accounted for 12 points in a game Northwest won by 11.

In the aftermath of the performance, Sampson thanked Northwest’s coaching staff for sending him out to try the 53-yard field goal. He said Northwest’s win over Emporia meant more to him than most.

“It means a lot to me and my family,” Sampson said. “The best thing for me was just to come back and be with my teammates, and I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else.

… I don’t want to get emotional, but I just — I think he was with me today. I’m kind of just lost for words right now.”

On a Saturday in Emporia, emotionally drained, Sampson gave the Bearcats his all. And Oct. 7, the Bearcats did what they could to return the favor.

Coach Rich Wright and his team loaded into two busses after practice Oct. 7 and headed toward Platte City, Missouri, to the site of Sampson’s half brother’s memorial service. Wright, after consulting with

Northwest’s captains who agreed unanimously, altered the Bearcats’ practice schedule in order to make the trip.

The team wanted to be there for Sampson, Wright said.

“Parker’s a part of our family,” Wright said. “There was never really a question. When I found out where it was and that we could make it work … (We) drove down to support him and his parents. It was just a really hard deal.”

SEE SAMPSON | A9

ANDREW WEGLEY | NW MISSOURIAN

Sophomore quarterback Braden Wright threw for 87 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception on 6-of-20 passing in Northwest’s 34-23 win over Emporia State Oct. 5 in Emporia, Kansas. Wright will compete in his first game at Arrowhead Stadium Oct. 12 against Pittsburg State. The Gorillas are tied with Northwest and Central Missouri at 5-0 atop the conference standings.

‘Obviously, it’s a big game’

ANDREW WEGLEY Managing Editor | @andrewwegley

O

n the heels of a shaky showing Oct. 5 in Emporia, Kansas, Northwest football is looking forward while coming to grips with the reality of the MIAA. The No. 7 Bearcats (5-0) are marching toward a matchup with No. 13 Pittsburg State (5-0), one of two other remaining undefeated teams in the MIAA. And they’re doing so in the aftermath of a somewhat narrow escape.

Northwest squared off with Emporia State (2-3) in Week 5 and walked away with a 34-23 win despite trailing the Hornets 17-12 at halftime. After picking apart Central Oklahoma for four quarters Sept. 28, demolishing the Bronchos for a 59-10 win in Week 4, the Bearcats played a closer game against a less formidable opponent.

The Hornets gave the Bearcats their best shot, Northwest coach Rich Wright said. Wright expects Pitt State to do the same. This is the actuality of the MIAA. “What I don’t think our younger kids have an understanding of yet is that when you wear green

Following a close Week 5 win over Emporia State, Northwest football gets set to take on undefeated Pittsburg State at Arrowhead Stadium

in this conference, you’re going to get everyone’s best shot,” Wright said. “With the history of Northwest Missouri and Emporia State in the playoffs and things like that, I mean, I knew they were going to throw everything but the kitchen sink at us. And they kind of tried.”

The Bearcats, Wright said, didn’t play to their own standard.

But they left Kansas with a victory in hand. Wright cares less about the particulars of the win and more about the win itself.

“Let’s face it, there’s going to be days — and I don’t care what sport you play — one side or the other isn’t gonna play as well,” Wright said. “I think the mark of a good football team is that you figure out

a way to ultimately get it done.”

The performance in Emporia is in the rearview. What lies ahead is Northwest’s toughest test of the season thus far, one set to transpire in the largest venue the team will play in.

Northwest’s upcoming Oct. 12 Fall Classic matchup with Pitt State at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, is the latest in a line of anticipated matchups between the Bearcats and Gorillas.

The territory is both familiar and unfamiliar for both Northwest and Pitt State. Arrowhead, home of the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, played host to 12 matchups between the two teams from 2002-2013, providing a historical backdrop for the venue that no active player on ei-

a win over Sioux Falls Sept. 13.

They would go on to drop their match against Augustana later in the weekend Sept. 15.

The trend continued as the Bearcats found a way to upend the Missouri Southern Lions 3-1 in the fourth weekend of the season Sept.

27, which was fueled by freshman midfielder Tegan Blackburn’s hat trick.

The win was followed by a matchup against then No. 7 Central Missouri where the Bearcats were controlled from start, all the way to the end, losing 4-0.

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In its recent string of hot-and-cold games, Northwest soccer picked up a thrilling win against Washburn Oct. 4, followed by another loss, the latest coming to Emporia State Oct. 6.

The Bearcats have struggled to find their identity this season in the MIAA as they’ve split a weekend series three times this year. Northwest found itself in the win column back in the second weekend of the season with

ther roster was a part of.

Northwest owns a 9-3 advantage over Pitt State in Kansas City, the last win coming in 2013 while Wright still served as defensive coordinator. The Bearcats took a break from the Fall Classic, then squared off with Central Missouri at Arrowhead in 2016 and 2017, the latter of which marked the last time Northwest played at the stadium.

Northwest’s last appearance at Arrowhead came in Wright’s first year at the helm and ended in dramatic fashion. Then-quarterback Zach Martin led the No. 1 Bearcats to a comeback win via a last-second touchdown drive. The Bearcats have played in historic games at Arrowhead, Wright said. He’s ready

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NW vs Pittsburg State 12 p.m. Oct. 12

to pick up where the team left off.

“I’ve (coached) in a lot of those cardiac games at Arrowhead,” Wright said. “Love it. Absolutely love it. To the kids on our football team — most of them grew up in the midwest, a lot of them are Chiefs fans — it’s a really cool deal. … It’s a great venue, it’s always loud inside that stadium … it’s a fun, big-time atmosphere.”

Sophomore defensive tackle Zach Howard is one of those players Wright mentioned. A native of Bolivar, Missouri, Howard grew up rooting for the Chiefs. The opportunity to play at Arrowhead is something he’s looking forward to.

“I’ve never been inside an NFL stadium, let alone to Arrowhead,” Howard said. “So this is going to be an experience for me.”

The venue, of course, is big, but the challenge ahead for Northwest may be bigger.

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NW vs Nebraska-Kearney 3 p.m. Oct. 11

Northwest would again follow that trend into its recent weekend stint starting Oct 4. by defeating Washburn 1-0 in overtime. But the ’Cats would not be able to get anything going against Emporia State in a 4-0 loss.

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GABI BROOKS | NW MISSOURIAN

Northwest freshman midfielder Kaitlyn Case dribbles the ball down the field at the Bearcat Pitch Sept. 20 against Central Missouri.