An all-female band earns the top spot at Student Association’s Battle of the Bands Tuesday. PAGE 16
Leap Year Birthday Sophomore accounting major turns five. PAGE 8
Baseball Brotherhood Whatley and Howe tell their story. PAGE 13
Redefining Dance Opinion: Are dancers athletes? PAGE 18
Oral Roberts University · Feb. 26, 2016 · Tulsa, Oklahoma · Vol 50, No. 11 · www.oruoracle.com · @oruoracle @oruoraclesports
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FEATURES
PROFESSOR NAMED ONE OF TOP 30 THINKERS IN THE WORLD
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SPORTS
JUMPING HURDLES
PAGE 15
News
Photo by Wyatt Bullard
Reagan Tifft adjusts main router cables on the ORU campus. ORU IT spends 10 percent of its budget on security. JADYN WATSON-FISHER Editor-in-Chief
@jwatsonfisher President Barack Obama signed Executive Order 13636 last week implementing a Cybersecurity National Action Plan. It establishes a commission which will bring in outside sources to make recommendations on solutions, better protecting the country and its organizations from digital intrusion. A $22 billion proposal for an IT Modernization fund and cybersecurity budget was included in the order.
Trader Joe’s now open Trader Joe’s welcomes Tulsa natives as the neighborhood grocery store opens its doors today. The new location will be nestled off of Brookside on 3702 S. Peoria Ave. The 50-year-old market offers a variety of innovative, gluten-free, vegan and kosher foods at reduced costs. Trader Joe’s opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 9 p.m. daily.
While most users will not notice any changes, multiple organizations are working to protect citizens from cybercrime. “In cyberspace, people have access to an unprecedented volume and variety of information at an increased velocity,” said FBI Spokesperson Nora Scheland. “Tremendous amounts of information can be carried out the door on removable media in a matter of minutes. Our national security can be compromised in the blink of an eye.” Microsoft recently began a marketing campaign to update technology in its Digital Crimes Unit [DCU] at the Cybercrime Center, founded in 2013. The highly technological algorithms, knowledgeable IT professionals and legal experts are utilized to keep individuals and institutions safe from hackers. The cloud is referred to as a digital communications network where information is stored on servers and accessible via devices connected to the Internet. Microsoft aims to use this technology to better collect and store data on criminal activity in real time, allowing government agencies such as the FBI to track users behind attacks more efficiently. “Malware, botnets, intellectual property theft and technology-facilitated child exploitation” are the primary criminal focuses of the DCU. Cybercrime, such as security and data breaches, costs the United States $450 billion annually due to malware and pirated software, according to the International Data Corporation.
“National security cyber incidents are increasing in frequency, sophistication and scope,” Scheland said. “These threats come in many forms. State-sponsored malicious actors seek to penetrate our networks and steal our information. Fraudsters and organized criminal syndicates seek to rob us of our money and our identities. Each of these threats has the potential to do tremendous harm to our nation’s security and economy, and to impact Americans’ health and safety.” ORU Chief Information Officer Mike Mathews said students will not be impacted by the updated tracking or the executive order on an educational level due to the Family Educational Rights and Protection Act and the steps the university takes to protect it. “We haven’t had any break-ins,” said Mathews. “We are very pleased that nothing has happened, but it is hard for people to get into our systems because of how it’s all laid out and the protections that are promised to each student.” He said while it’s difficult to break through the firewall, the IT department takes protection seriously, spending 10 percent of its budget on security. “When you think about cybercrime at its largest level, it’s about espionage,” said Mathews. “[We don’t] have any trade secrets behind our Vision. We’re doing homework and grades. Even to make sure that’s protected, we slice apart the data and then its encrypted so anything that people could see is already encrypted before it could ever leave.”
Swipe and Sip
Study Abroad Apps due
The ORU vending machines have received a technological update. They are now able to read credit cards, Eagle cards, ApplePay and Android Pay. The update makes the vending machines more user friendly and allows students without cash to use the machines.
Study abroad applications for summer and fall semesters are due March 1. The completed study abroad app, study abroad proposal and faculty recommendation are expected when the application is turned in. Students can find all the information to complete the study abroad application at studyabroad.oru.edu. THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 26, 2016 • 3
CHRISTEN LATINI Staff Writer
@jellybnspeaking
Photo by Jeremy Luczak
Planned Parenthood has three metro locations, including two in Tulsa and one in Broken Arrow. A state official says the Oklahoma legislature has no plans to defund $300,000 allocated annually to the organization.
ALYSSA LACOURSE News Editor
@AlyssaLaCourse Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced on Dec. 2, 2015 that the Department of Defense will lift gender-based restrictions on military service. Mac Thornberry and John McCain, Armed Services Committee chairmen, responded to this announcement by giving Congress a 30-day period to review the statement and the implications of the decision. After the 30-day period, January 2016, no decision was made as to whether females would be subject to future military drafts. This lack of definitive action has since become the center of controversy. The Selective Service has not called a draft since Dec. 7, 1972. Since 1981, all male Americans citizens are required to register after their 18th birthday. Politicians have debated whether the Selective Service should require women to register or if the draft should be eliminated altogether. This topic has become a key point of 4 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 26, 2016
The Ohio House of Representatives passed a bill earlier this month withdrawing government funds from Planned Parenthood, and should Governor John Kasich sign the bill, about $1.3 million in benefits will be cut from the organization. The bill, which passed through the House on Feb. 10, is part of a nationwide effort to defund organizations involved with abortions. Should Kasich sign the Ohio bill, the revoked funds will be redirected to community health centers without abortion affiliations. The bill also restricts the Department of Health from involving itself with any institution affiliated with abortions that do not threaten the life of the mother or child. Ohio is the ninth state to withdraw funding for Planned Parenthood since allegations of the illegal sale of fetal parts were brought against the organization by the Center for Medical Progress. Indiana and Wisconsin are currently in the process of drawing up legislation to defund the organization. In January, a grand jury in Houston determined
discussion among presidential hopefuls. “I have no problem whatsoever with people of either gender serving in combat so long as the minimum requirements necessary to do the job are not compromised,” said presidential candidate Marco Rubio during South Carolina’s Republican primary debate on Feb. 13. “I do believe Selective Service should be opened up for both men and women.” Jeb Bush and Chris Christie, before suspending their campaigns, also supported requiring women to register for the military draft. Ted Cruz, however, opposed the idea during a South Carolina rally, saying the other candidates are “so addled by political correctness that they think we should put our little girls on the front line. That’s crazy.” This topic has been shrouded by controversy since Jan. 24, 2013, when Defense Secretary Leon Panetta ended direct ground combat exclusions for women in the service. The Supreme Court made a decision in 1981 to exempt women from the draft because
Planned Parenthood was not involved in any illegal practices, and indicted two people involved in the undercover operation from the Center for Medical Progress for tampering with government documents and attempting to buy human fetal parts. The money the government provides to Planned Parenthood goes through Medicaid and is used to provide birth control, STD testing, well-baby checkups and other reproductive medicines and programs. Oklahoma State Senator Nathan Dahm said similar legislation to defund Planned Parenthood isn’t in the works for the state. According to Dahm, approximately $300,000 is diverted to the organization each year and is matched by the federal government, resulting in $1 million in funds. The money is used to provide birth control and women’s healthcare in six centers across the state, none of which are equipped to provide abortion services. “Some [legislation] to decrease the number of and get rid of abortion is being written up including outlawing abortion when a heartbeat is present and delicensing doctors who perform abortions,” said Dahm.
of their restriction from combat. The exemption for female conscription are no longer accurate since the combat restriction was lifted. “If we wish to uphold and promote gender equality, then women should also be required to enroll in the Selective Service,” Brooke Stedman of the Women in International Security told CNN on Feb. 19. “Arguments that the American people don’t want to see their daughters and sisters drafted are offensive and ignorant.” According to a U.S. Marines’ yearlong study released in 2015, teams with female members performed at lower overall levels, completed tasks more slowly and fired weapons with less accuracy than their all-male counterparts. Female Marines also sustained higher injury rates and demonstrated lower levels of physical performance capacity overall, officials reported. One bill has been introduced, but Congress has yet to make a decision on whether they will require females to register for the draft.
Graphic by Jesse Paul Turner
Exploring the Issues: Healthcare ALYSSA LACOURSE News Editor
@AlyssaLaCourse
Donald Trump
Donald Trump wants to repeal and replace Obamacare. He believes all Americans should have health care, but not one that gives money to illegal immigrants. He wants to create a plan allowing people to keep their insurance policies. Trump believes hospitals and doctors are struggling because of Obamacare, and his plan will take care of them through Medicare. “We have to create competition,” said Trump in the CNN town hall on Feb. 18. “When you do that you will have the best health care you’ve ever, ever had. And it’ll be at a reasonable cost. They almost got rid of the lines when they were doing Obamacare but it didn’t happen.”
Donald Trump
Hillary Clinton
Ted Cruz
Ted Cruz became the face of the anti-Obamacare movement in 2013 when the House Republicans caused a government shut down. He has since tried to repeal the act and replace it with his own plan. “If I am elected president, I will repeal Obamacare and propose commonsense reform that makes health care personal, portable and affordable,” said Cruz on Jan. 8. “I will expand competition in the marketplace, empower consumers and patients to make healthcare decisions with their doctors, and disempower the government from getting in between doctors and their patients.”
Burkus recently earned international recognition for leadership.
JADYN WATSON-FISHER Editor-In-Chief
@jwatsonfisher Assistant professor David Burkus was recently named one of the top 30 “management thinkers” in the world by
Ted Cruz
Photo by Wyatt Bullard
Thinkers50 in London. “It’s a validation to me that the work that I’m doing is making a contribution, so that’s hugely meaningful to me,” said Burkus. “If you think about it, there are several thousand management
Bernie Sanders
Courtesy photos
Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton has fought for affordable health care, and as president will defend and strengthen affordable health care. She wants to lower out-of-pocket costs and prescription drug prices while increasing the value and quality of the health care system. Within her health care plan, Clinton will continue to fight for women’s rights to access reproductive health care. “I’ve fought for quality, affordable health care my entire career,” said Clinton on Jan. 6. “As president, I’ll defend the Affordable Care Act, build on its successes and go even further to reduce costs. My plan will crack down on drug companies charging excessive prices, slow the growth of out-of-pocket costs and provide a new credit to those facing high health expenses.”
Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders believes all Americans should have access to health care no matter their income. Under his plan, patients will only have to show their insurance card at the doctor’s office. There will be no co-pay and no deductibles. He plans for health care to be paid for by employers, households and tax dollars. “My view is simple: health care is a right, not a privilege,” said Sanders on Dec. 30, 2015. “We spend far more than any other country on healthcare, but 29 million Americans remain uninsured and millions more are under-insured. That is unacceptable. The time has come for a Medicare-for-all universal health care system that provides every American with affordable, quality care.”
professors and another set of several thousand management writers and consultants, so even making the smaller list, is really cool.” Thinkers50 is a London-based organization seeking to recognize those in the business world for their management ideas. They hold an awards banquet and conference every other year. Burkus was notified last summer and attended the event in November. “[I was able] to make plans to be at the event, which is really cool, but I couldn’t run around promoting it until I went there,” he said. Burkus said he hopes this will allow people to see what ORU is doing in the business sector. “We know we have a great College of Business, but now we’re making
an effort to make sure everybody else knows it too; and this is a step in that direction.” Burkus has been an instructor at ORU since 2011, released “The Myths of Creativity” in 2013 and spoken at the University of Oklahoma TEDx event in 2013. “Inside the classroom we’re trying to make an impact, but professors are different than teachers,” said Burkus. They are simultaneously trying to make an impact in the classroom and also on the field that they teach in at the same time so this is a really cool validation.” “Under New Management,” Burkus’ second book, will be available next month and he plans to speak at the University of Nevada TEDx event later this year.
THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 26, 2016 • 5
Features People of ORU:
THE RESTITUTION OF A WORTHY MAN
Photo by Abby Friedman
“Life has rules and life has guidelines, but life has love,” said Courtney Houston. His life changed in an instant when arrested for driving while intoxicated and he claims he’s all the better for it. SYDNEY ILG Online Editor
@findingsydney She tickled him. That’s where it all ended. It wasn’t the mixed drink or the beer at the bar. He was alert. He was driving his friends home. He was 21. He thought he was being responsible. But suddenly the blue and red lights screaming in his rearview mirror said otherwise. She tickled him, he swerved, and the boys in blue did their job. “Do you know why I pulled you over, sir?” the officer asked, shining a light into the car. “Yeah!” He laughed. “She was tickling me; I ended up swerving.” His friends laughed along with him. “Have you been drinking?” the officer probed. “Oh, yeah!” he laughed. He wasn’t drunk – he had nothing to hide. Three sobriety tests later, cold hand6 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 26, 2016
cuffs linked around his wrists and he was led into the back of a cop car. “You’re under arrest for driving while intoxicated,” the police officer said. Suddenly, in the span of 10 minutes, Courtney became the kid from Chicago whose mom was tripping terribly on drugs, and the kid with the story of being homeless and blaming everybody for the mistakes they’ve been through. He was no longer the star of the high school football team, he was no longer the leader at his church and he was no longer the fun guy at a party. He was what he could have been according to his background - and it was exactly the opposite of what he wanted to be. Courtney Houston was going to jail. The orange jumpsuit was awkward and just as embarrassing as television makes it seem. He made two phone calls – one to his mom, and the other to his best friend. After officers led him to a room with other criminals of petty crimes--people awaiting bail or await-
ing something in life to change. Courtney was so out of place. He was young. Fresh. Everyone else was old. They looked sad. Depressed. Terrible. He was a vivid heartbeat pulsing through a room of corpses, a new car in a junkyard. He didn’t belong. A man asked him for his breakfast and he quickly offered it up. He didn’t need it, he wasn’t meant to stay there. A thought tickled his brain: “this is who you could be if you keep messing up.” It was terrifying. “It felt like 40 hours,” he recalls. He hadn’t slept in over 24 hours and he was scared. He was scared of what life could look like. But an officer arrived saying his bail had been posted. He was free to go home. His mom was waiting for him in the lobby. He changed into his plain clothes and walked out. Outside, 10 people were waiting for him. Ten people dropped everything to come to the county jail at 5 a.m. to be there for him when he was released. Nobody was coming for the old men in
the building. No one was going to bail them out. And he had 10. “How’d you know I’d be getting out right now?” Courtney asked his best friend, tears brimming in his eyes. “Man, I’ve been waiting here since you called,” he responded. Courtney was reprimanded by the school, he completed the program required by the state, but his decision was made before then: he would make a change. “[I realized then] that life has rules and life has guidelines, but life has love,” Courtney said leaning back. “I’d never cried so many times in a day. I’d never felt so much guilt and so much pain and so much weariness. I was lost. I need[ed] to figure it out. I can’t take back the things that I’ve done and I don’t want to… the reward for making a mistake is you learn from it.” She tickled him. That’s where Courtney Houston’s life began.
MADISON MCDANIEL Features Editor
@madisonjmcd As a young girl in Zimbabwe, Carol Shereni was mercilessly teased for her appearance. She was taunted, talked about and criticized for her small frame. Her insecurity followed her throughout her childhood, into early adolescence and even throughout college. The years of mocking and self-doubt inspired the ORU alumna’s second book, released in January. “Rise Above It” challenges women of all ages to overcome the insecurities they have faced their entire lives and to learn how to embrace the unique qualities the Lord has instilled in them. “If you embrace low self-esteem it will limit your potential in life,” Shereni said. “It will limit the height in which you can go to.” Shereni received her masters in business at ORU in 2013 and is currently working on her diploma in Practical Ministry at Victory Bible College. The inspiration for her book came from a personal blog she started three years ago, around the time she published her first book, “The Advantage.” Her blog flourished from a few posts on the Internet to a collection of bound pages on a bookshelf. “I would post
self-esteem posts for women and after about a year, and gathering quite a following, women told me how inspired they were,” Shereni said. “So my pastor encouraged me to write a book.” The purpose of “Rise Above It” is to help women achieve their true “north,” a quality Shereni believes can rescue women from the trenches of their deepest insecurities. “Achieving the true north is being the very best you can be. It’s being the most powerful version of you, the most exquisite version of you,” Shereni said. “Us women, we go through so much in society. We’re trying to look so beautiful, we’re trying to fit in, we’re trying to be intelligent; we balance so much.” To help women come out of what Shereni calls “self-limiting attitudes” such as low self-esteem, rejection, self-loathing, insecurity, self pity and inferiority, Shereni uses personal anecdotes from her own life and the lives of characters in the Bible to show the triumph of women. “These seven self-limiting attitudes are something that I’ve personally walked through and gained some deliverance from, but also I talk about different people of the Bible.” Shereni realized her own insecurity came from her childhood. She witnessed domestic violence and experienced firsthand bullying in school, leaving her emotionally traumatized and consumed by self-loathing. “I was probably in second
grade, and I’ve always been really small, but I hated it completely because I was made fun of and given all sorts of names by other kids,” Shereni recalls. “Words are so powerful and I did not realize that self-loathing came from there. I really wanted to be big. I [felt like] I just needed to gain weight, but I was just so small. So that started bringing in insecurity.” The collection of negative experiences early in her life accumulated into a lost identity in which Shereni grappled to understand her beauty. “I then went through different sequences in my adolescence of being verbally abused for things I did not have, for not being the prettiest girl, for not being the coolest or the best dressed,” Shereni said. “I had a lot of attacks on that.” At the age of 17, Shereni experienced her own salvation moment. Two weeks after becoming saved, the Lord put it on her heart to start a women’s prayer meeting. She began to gather women every week for prayer. This moment sparked Shereni’s passion for women’s ministry. Despite the progress in embracing her worth, Shereni still struggled with identity. Shereni recalls a time in her early twenties when she gained weight for the first time in her life. Yet, even when she combatted the taunting of her childhood, she still never felt worthy of herself. “I went back home to
Zimbabwe and everyone was like ‘what has happened to you?’ I had people say things to my face like ‘you were better when you were smaller,’” Shereni said. “I had all sorts of things said. I went through about three years of trying to lose weight. And the more I tried to lose the more I gained. In every woman there is that little girl. And as much as I was secure in the love of God you don’t want negativity around you.” After dealing with insecurity for the majority of her childhood and trickling into her early adult years, Shereni began to feel the impression on her heart to help women embrace their beauty for the way God made them. “I’m determined to change the world, one woman at a time,” Shereni said. “Just having that intimate relationship with the Lord, you look at yourself differently. You see beauty that you thought you didn’t have just by being connected and affirmed by God. The point of this book is to connect-it’s to encourage women to rise above it.” “Rise Above It” is now available on Amazon and in the Victory Christian Center bookstore.
2013 alumna Carol Shereni released her second book “Rise Above It” last month. The book empowers women to achieve confidence in their identity.
Photos by Mishya Rowe
THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 26, 2016 • 7
RACHEL FRAZER Contributing Writer
@rachelfrazer_
Four million: it’s the number of miles NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope is able to travel in 12 days; it’s the number of people living in Lebanon; it’s the number of worldwide queries Google processes in two minutes. Four million is also the number of people in the world with Leap Day birthdays, and Caleb Cammack, a sophomore accounting major, is one of them. This small portion of the world equates to just 0.2 percent of the overall population. For astronomers, Leap Day ensures that the dates and times on calendars and clocks correlate with the alignment of the stars and the planets. This is necessary because the Earth’s rotation around the sun takes about 365.25 days. The Gregorian calendar, instituted in 1582, includes the occurrence of an intercalary (or additional inserted) day on Feb. 29, every four years, to account for this imbalance. Leap Day holds a slightly less scientific significance for Cammack. It’s the reason he’s celebrated only four birthdays in his 20 years of life. He’ll celebrate his fifth this Monday, Feb. 29. “My due date was a couple of days away from the 29th, but I came on Leap Day,” Cammack said. “My mom didn’t want it to happen, but I was born that morning. I guess when it happened, [my mom and dad] decided to make it fun. Some individuals who have birthdates taking place on Leap Day may choose to throw a big celebration only once every four years, while others choose to celebrate a bit more on the years Leap Day occurs. “Growing up, when I was younger my mom tried to
8 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 26, 2016
celebrate every year,” Cammack said. “But when I got older I didn’t really even like celebrating birthdays so I’d just hang out with my friends on my birthday. But she always tried to celebrate to make memories.” This self-proclaimed introvert did not express too much disappointment toward having a large, official group celebration only once every four years. “I’d follow the same tradition with the same friends all the way until high school [on Leap Years],” said Cammack. “We’d just do some random fun stuff. Usually our tradition [during other years] is just doing something with family on the weekend closest to my birthday.” Cammack did admit while his unique birthday didn’t always seem particularly special, it caused a few unique situations from time to time. “When I’m setting up accounts online, and they ask your birthday, sometimes if it doesn’t register with the year it won’t let you choose the 29th,” Cammack said. “Other than that there are no real issues. But sometimes it confuses other people. I’ll get texts either the 28th or the 1st, on non-leap years, and some people text me two days in a row.”
Cammack will celebrate his 20th year of life, and his fifth birthday. “My parents are coming into town this weekend,” Cammack said. “I’m just hanging out with friends; I have to work but we’ll go to dinner or something.” While this Monday will be insignificant for most students on campus, Cammack will celebrate a new decade. “I’ve never met anyone with a Leap Day birthday,” he said. “I feel pretty special, I guess, knowing I’m one of four million. Photo bottom right by Abby Friedman; courtesy photos from the Cammack family
Left: With friends, Cammack celebrates his second birthday at age eight; top: Cammack visits ORU in 2004 with his brother Adam, a 2012 ORU alumnus.
THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 26, 2016 • 9
The Big Short Bridge of Spies Brooklyn Mad Max: Fury Road The Martian The Revenant Room Spotlight
“Earned It” - Fifty Shades of Grey “Manta Ray” - Racing Extinction “Simple Song #3” - Youth “Til It Happens To You” - The Hunting Writing’s On The Wall” - Spectre
Cate Blanchett - Carol Brie Larson - Room Jennifer Lawrence - Joy Charlotte Rampling - 45 Years Saoirse Ronan - Brooklyn
Bryan Cranston -Trumbo Matt Damon - The Martian Leonardo DiCaprio - The Revenant Michael Fassbender - Steve Jobs Eddie Redmayne - The Danish Girl
Carol - Sandy Powell Cinderella - Sandy Powell The Danish Girl - Paco Delgado Mad Max: Fury Road - Jenny Beavan The Revenant - Jaqueline West
Check out the Oracle’s Oscar predictions in augmented reality. 1. Download the Aurasma app. 2. Follow oruoracle. 3. Hold mobile device over designated photo to view videos and photos.
10 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 26, 2016
THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 26, 2016 • 11
New worship director assumes role MADISON MCDANIEL Features Editor
@madisonjmcd The countdown begins and a group of musicians enters the chapel stage. They pick up instruments, grip their mics and adjust last-minute tuning. Kristen
Photo by Wyatt Bullard
Worship director Kristen Thomas leads the student body during chapel.
Thomas settles behind the piano, peering out into the sea of faces, seconds away from leading the day’s set. Recently appointed Worship Director Kristen Thomas is the new face of the ORU Worship department; she follows Daniel Tsubota who served in the assistant director and director’s positions for over four years. Thomas earned her master’s degree in Practical Theology at ORU and was an enrollment counselor in the Admissions department. “When there was an opening in the Worship Center I applied,” Thomas said. “It was one of those God moments because I didn’t hear anything at all for a month and no feedback, and then all of a sudden somebody called me up and invited me to join the team.” Thomas is now stepping into her position as worship director, but she has been planted in musical roots since her childhood. “My grandma was a really beautiful pianist and so she would come over and would play for us, and I just loved it,” said Thomas. “So because of her I told my mom I wanted to start taking piano lessons. I started taking lessons in first grade and played all through high school.” It was in middle school when Thomas joined choir and realized her love for singing. She looks back on those foundational memories smiling at the years to follow. She recalls her high school years when she led
the church worship team and chuckles at the thought of leading her youth band. “I have felt called to worship leading since I was about 13 and God just spoke to me out of the blue one day,” Thomas said. “I was at a worship concert and I heard God speak to me and said ‘This is what I have for you.’ I’ve known for a long time that’s what I’ve been called to and that’s what I wanted to do.” Thomas received her bachelor’s degree from Southwestern Assemblies of God University and attended the school of worship at Christ for the Nations in Dallas. She gained more experience at CFNI leading worship and being involved in band recordings before settling in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Thomas led worship at her church while working in admissions, allowing the passion instilled in her at a young age to keep thriving. “I’m really grateful for my season in Admissions,” said Thomas. “And I learned a lot while I was there but a few months before this position opened up God really kind of started stirring my heart to just remind me of the things that I was called to and the dreams He had placed in my heart.” Thomas now steps into a role the Lord spoke of so many years before. She has taken the baton of past directors and continues the journey in leading the student body into worship.
Jesus Jesus said, said, Jesus said,
“HEAVEN AND EARTH WILL PASS AWAY, “HEAVEN AND EARTH WILL PASS AWAY, BUT MY WORDS WILL NEVER PASS AWAY.” BUT MY WORDS WILL NEVER PASS AWAY.” Matthew Matthew 24:35 24:35 Matthew 24:35
Read the RED letters. Read the RED letters.
Visit Visit ‘Teachings ‘Teachings from from JESUS’ JESUS’ on on Facebook. Facebook. Visit ‘Teachings from JESUS’ on Facebook. www.jesusworldview.net www.jesusworldview.net www.jesusworldview.net Paid Advertisement Paid Advertisement Paid Advertisement 12 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 26, 2016
Sports My Brother’s Keeper RUSSELL DORSEY Sports Editor
@AfroBroRD It’s rare for best friends to play their entire career together. It’s even rarer for them to be talented enough to play on the same Div. I baseball team. Little league and travel ball took Matt Whatley and Bryce Howe from teammates to friends. High school took them from friends to best friends. College has made them brothers. The chemistry they’ve always had carried over into to their collegiate careers. When the duo started together for the first time against Oklahoma on March 10, 2015, the emotions were overwhelming. “It was unbelievable. It’s one of those things you dream about when you’re younger. I was stoked that it was with Bryce,” said Whatley. “I think the first game Bryce got to start was against OU last year and it was awesome getting to see him in that moment and see him have success.” Whatley and Howe’s success started at their hometown Claremore High School. The duo thrived at Claremore making two Oklahoma state championship appearances in the process. Success came as easily as their friendship. Whatley and Howe’s competitiveness made them strive to be better. Not just better than their competition, but better
than each other. Whatley’s .404 batting average as a senior was second only to Howe. Howe hit .625 as a senior even though he was primarily a pitcher--a stat he still laughs about at Whatley’s expense. “I can say there was some competition between them to see who could outperform the other, but it never became a distraction to the team,” said former Claremore High School varsity baseball coach Brent Payne. “I think it made them both better.” Howe and Whatley continue to have success as the relationship they’ve built since 2005 has helped them on the field. Their personalities are different and some would even say completely opposite, but together they are inseparable. “[Matt] is extremely talkative, and he’s very outgoing and extremely energetic,” Howe said. “He’s a good guy.” Whatley appreciates the more complex personality of his best friend. “He’s kind of shy at first, but once you get underneath the skin, he’s a [funny guy],” Whatley said. “I love him to death and I’m glad he’s my best friend.” Whatley earned All-American honors last season as one of the country’s best
freshman and Howe went 4-3 with a 3.93 ERA and leads the Golden Eagles’ 2016 starting rotation. Playing baseball together for 10-plus years creates life-long friendships. Taking pride in each other’s successes is an important part of making the friendship last, but staying close even during the tough times is what turns close friends into family. “I think they’re a lot like brothers,” said Payne. “They get frustrated at each other at times, but they’ve never let anything split their relationship.”
For continuing coverage of ORU baseball, log on to oruoracle.com and follow baseball beat reporter Russell Dorsey @AfroBroRD on Twitter. Photo by Wyatt Bullard
Photos courtesy of Tempest Whatley
Left: Howe and Whatley ,age 8, pose at the pool. Top Center: Whatley lettered in football and wrestling at Claremore. Bottom Center: Howe and Whatley signing their National Letters of intent to play for ORU in 2014. Top Right: Howe and Whatley model the four-seam fastball at Media Day. ORU baseball’s next home game is Friday, March 4 at J.L. Johnson Stadium.
THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 26, 2016 • 13
ly to the head, happen naturally during a game. The argument can also be made that fighting is a major part of the sport, but some people think it should be stopped. They believe fans will recognize the value of hockey as a whole without the unnecessary throwing off of the gloves just to land a couple of punches. It is important for the health of the players to be the top priority, but if the NHL does not want to be held responsible for players like Montador dying from the effects of head and brain injuries, then the NHL needs to end fighting in hockey.
JORDAN JONES Staff Writer
@jonesman14 What comes to mind when the word hockey is mentioned? Fighting. Grown men wearing ice skates with missing teeth and misshapen noses from years of fist fights, grueling hits into the glass and even the stray puck to the face make up the National Hockey League. It’s the injuries people do not see that are causing some hockey fans to question fighting in the NHL. Hockey players have started to show signs of brain trauma and damage due to their years of playing such a physical sport. These are similar to the recent developments shown in the NFL with players enduring multiple concussions during their career and then dealing with the toll it takes after the years of football are over. Football has a more concentrated study on the effects of its sport on the brain, but there is no doubt hockey players are dealing with a similar plight.
Steve Montador’s death has changed the ways head injuries are evaluated in the NHL. Former NHL defenseman Steve Montador died in February of 2015 at the age of 35. His family is now suing the NHL claiming the league did not warn Montador of the possibility of long-term brain damage. The lawsuit states Montador participated in close to 70 on-ice fights and sustained 15 documented concussions within a nine-year time period. The question then arises, is fighting the real cause of the brain damage? Or is it just acquired through the natural course of the game? Hockey, by itself, is an intense and physically demanding game most people do not take the time to appreciate. Not to mention, it is played on ice. Evidence is definitely there to support injuries, specifical-
2015 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Chris Pronger’s career ended due to the effects of head injuries and concussions.
ORU Sports Shorts
Men’s Basketball
Baseball is back
The ORU men’s basketball team will finish its season tomorrow night when it takes on South Dakota State in Brookings, South Dakota. The conference tournament begins March 5.
The ORU baseball team begins a fourgame road trip tonight against Dallas Baptist. The Golden Eagles will travel to Springfield, Missouri to take on Missouri State on Tuesday, March 1. The team is currently 1-2 this season.
14 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 26, 2016
Men’s Golf
The men’s golf team finished seventh at the Desert Intercollegiate this past weekend. Three Golden Eagles finished in the top 50 including freshman Cody Burrows who tied for 11th overall, senior Trevor Torgerson tied for 14th, freshman Will Starkey tied for 45th. Starkey shot a 69 in the final round Sunday.
Athlete of the Week Junior pole vaulter Justin Estala earned Summit League Athlete of the Week honors for Feb. 15-21. Estala set a new personal best clearing 5.42 meters at the Arkansas Qualifier this past weekend. Estala is now tied for 10th in the national pole vaulting rankings.
Photos by Wyatt Bullard
Israel Nelson was named Summit League athlete of the week three times this season and received male athlete of the month honors in January.
Grant Holcomb Staff Writer
@grantholcombORU Israel Nelson, the fifth fastest 60-meter hurdler in the world still misses home sometimes. The Port St. Lucie, Florida native would trade the erratic weather of Oklahoma for sunny South Florida any day of the week. Rest assured, even if he was home, he would still be running or maybe even taking some time to go fishing. Nelson is a preacher’s kid, so his story of winding up at ORU is similar to many others within the student body. His older sister lured him to ORU despite being recruited by the University of South Florida, Mississippi State and track and field powerhouse Louisiana State University. Nelson grew up in a Christian family. His strong family structure growing up molded him into the person he
has become and provided the support needed to become an elite athlete. Nelson started running when he was 10 years old. He was encouraged to “just give it a try,” and then everyone realized how good he really was. His height (6’2”) and long-legged frame coupled with his extraordinary speed made him a versatile weapon on the gridiron, but it was on the track surrounding the football field where he found his true calling. Nelson’s event is the 60-meter hurdles. Nelson has won the event every single time this season with the exceptions being the Bob Timmons Challenge and a second place finish at the Arkansas Invitational. Only three times has Nelson run anything but the 60-meter hurdles this season, and those were relays where ORU finished in the top three. The talent Israel has is a God-given
gift, but it has also taken a lot of work. “You have to run even when you’re tired; you have to push yourself. Even when you don’t want to run, you gotta run,” Nelson said. His two hour daily workout regimen is full of sprints and sometimes hurdles. While he is almost always physically exhausted, he believes that the mind-set of a runner is the catalyst for success. “It’s a big mind-set, because you can quit if you don’t want to,” said Nelson. “But if you want to see your goal you just have to put your mind to it.” In athletics, there is only so much that a person can physically do, and Nelson is giving credit where credit is due. “I look to God when I run,” he said. “Every time I run, I pray. I look toward Heaven instead of my own abilities.” Nelson is seeing his faithfulness
come to fruition. The ORU track and field team traveled to Pittsburg, Kansas to participate in the Pittsburg State Invitational on Jan. 29. Nelson ran in the 60-meter hurdles. “It was a normal day. I just had a really, really good start and just finished the race,” Nelson said. He finished the 60-meter hurdles in 7.69 seconds, which equated to the fifth fastest time in the world. The celebration only lasted for about an hour before he began thinking about the next race. Nelson has the ability to win a conference championship, national championship and possibly even make the Olympic team. All of these accomplishments would be tremendous, but ultimately he wants to inspire others and use his platform to share his testimony. THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 26, 2016 • 15
Scene REJOICE NWADIUKO
styles with Motown and soft shoe dancing, theatrical singing and plenty of comedy. @rejoiceck3 “It’s a great show. It’s really going to be a different Godspell rehearsals are coming to an end and the genre for people that love theatre, because it’s not a opening date is only six days away. Excitement, sweat normal musical for the most part. It has a real mesand hard work has brought all the participants of the sage that could possibly change someone’s life in the Godspell production to this point and soon students, process of just doing what we love as actors and singers and dancers,” said Alisa Moss, who plays Joanne. faculty, staff, friends and family will all have the opGodspell opens Thurs., March 3 at 7:30 p.m. portunity to enjoy the art of theatre. Additional performances are Fri., March 4 and Sat., “If nobody has seen the show then it’s a startling surprise, because these are a group of theatrical March 5 at 7:30 p.m. and Sun., March 6 at 2 p.m. Individual tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for clowns and the idea is, ‘What if Jesus came to clowns, students at a cash-only box office. and what language would He use to teach them?’” said Laura Holland, Godspell director and chair of the Communication, Arts and Media department. Most of the action is exaggerated and dramatic. For a review of the Holland incorporated multiple bits from current movies. opening night of “Our challenge is for the audience to understand “Godspell,” logon to that they are not going to see realism,” said Holland. oru.oracle.com/scene “They are going to see bold funny bits, and people going from parable to parable to parable.” The show is a diverse combination of musical Staff Writer
The cast of “Godspell” rehearses at Howard Auditorium last Saturday.
‘Chick Band’ wins Battle of the Bands RACHEL ANDERSON
Executive Managing Editor
@RachelLee66
Girls rule and boys drool according to “Chick Band,”the new reigning champ of ORU’s Battle of the Bands. “Chick Band” was the last group to perform in Student Association’s annual event going up against five other talented bands including “Realeza,” “The Roommates,” “The Nanna Republic,” “Gibraltar” and “Space Pod For Two.” “It feels surreal, I mean we had a lot of good talent and it was just great to enjoy the moment with your friends and family and we just had a great band,” said vocalist Starlencia Hoye. After only six practices, Chick Band was able to give the ORU audience a memorable performance as they played popular songs such as Taylor Swift’s “Trouble,” John Mayer’s “Gravity” and “All I do is Win” by DJ Khaled. Drummer Sterling Ray and lead vo16 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 26, 2016
calist Kimberlyn Simon interacted between songs in a creative skit-like way. Instead of just playing the music, the group incorporated these bits of acting between sets to spice up the energy. “I think honestly our music was first and the act just came through spontaneous, hilarious, joking around,” Ray said. The audience tuned into their fun energy, responding especially well to the finale sung by guest star, Sarah Haag and accompanied by hip-hop choreography. Bass player Elizabeth Badsen admitted the group had high nerves before they performed, but once they got on stage they remembered to just have fun. Ray chimed in on the subject. “I just thought, ‘You know what? Let’s just go in and have fun. If we make it-awesome, if we don’t make it-awesome.’” All six members took away a positive experience and admit to creating
lasting memories. Badsen specifically appreciated being able to collaborate as fellow musicians. “Chick Band” will receive a $500 award and a chance to record a song of their choice with KORU, ORU’s
official radio station. They are open to performing again, even though three members will graduate this May. “Just thanks for letting us be a part of SA; it’s definitely one to cross off the bucket list,” said Ray.
Photos by Sydney Steover
“Chick Band” lead vocalist Kimberlyn Simon sings “Gravity” by John Mayer.
Conquer the senior paper 3. SCHEDULE TIME TO WRITE
KELSEY LUETJEN Contributing Writer
It’s the most stressful time of senior year. Tears may even be shed once or twice. This is the dreaded senior paper, and everyone has to do it in some variation. No matter if it is fall semester or spring semester senior paper, here are some tips to help ensure a job well done without having a mental breakdown.
Being a college student isn’t easy and comes with a lot of dedication. It can be hard to work on senior paper the whole semester while balancing multiple assignments. Setting aside specific days and times to work on it and practicing discipline in utilizing those designated times will provide availability to work on it. Students also won’t be in the mess of writing the paper the week it’s due.
1. OUTLINE: MOST IMPORTANT
4. CITE SOURCES ALONG THE WAY
2. UTILIZE ADVISERS
5. DON’T GET DOWN
@kelsey_luetjen
Having an outline will give clear and concise direction. Many people do not use outlines and end up feeling lost along the way. An outline supplies a fluid format to follow, and this process won’t seem as hopeless, especially for bigger papers like this one. Department advisers want to help students as much as they can and should be willing to answer any questions about the process, such as researching, formatting and writing. Periodically having an adviser check the paper will make the student feel more at ease with this stressful process. Also, being in constant communication with an adviser guarantees no misunderstanding of the expectations for the paper.
The longest process of senior paper is the research. Seniors acquire many sources needing to be cited at the end of the paper, so they need to make sure to cite their sources along the way. In doing this, they won’t lose sources during the chaos of the semester. Senior paper is hard, but not impossible. A good attitude will make this experience more enjoyable for the senior. Students should be excited to do this because it’s a chance for them to write about whatever topic they want in relation to their major. Once they complete senior paper, they’re one step closer to graduating. Illustration by Jesse Paul Turner
Original cast members reunite for “Full House” reboot. MADISON MCDANIEL Features Editor
@madisonjmcd A new wave of nostalgia is about to set in as the “Full House” reboot hits Netflix today. “Fuller House” is the continuation of the popular ‘80s sitcom which ran for eight seasons, airing from 1987-1995. Whether audience members watched the original show as it aired, or
Courtesy photo
remained loyal to Nick at Nite reruns years later, fans from all generations can now enjoy the entire season as the Netflix original releases all 13 episodes at one time. The reboot will spark memories of childhood for most. Senior Kayla Hanohano reminisces on watching episodes of “Full House” as part of her Saturday morning routine growing up. “I used to watch it with my sister
every Saturday,” Hanohano said. “We would watch all the episodes. Obviously I was too young to watch it consistently when it actually came out, but we used to watch reruns every Saturday, and it was our thing.” The new show stars several members of the original cast and invites back cast members for at least one episode to make an appearance and tie loose ends from the last 20 years. “I’m excited to see the characters and how they have evolved since the last time,” Hanohano said. “I want to know if Danny or Joey ever got married, and I want Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen to come back on.” The highly anticipated reboot takes on the inverted plot of the original show. A widowed D.J. Tanner-Fuller (Candace Cameron Bure) returns to her childhood home to raise her three sons with the help of her sister Stephanie ( Jodie Sweetin) and best friend Kimmy Gibbler (Andrea Bar-
ber). Along with the familiar faces of Bure, Sweetin and Barber, many of the original cast members will be joining the reboot even if only for one episode. John Stamos and Lori Loughlin will reprise their roles as the ever-crushable Uncle Jesse and the endearing Aunt Becky. Bob Saget reprises his role as Danny Tanner and Dave Coulier steps back into the goofy and loveable character of Joey. The large following “Full House” cultivated during its eight-year airing creates big expectation for “Fuller House.” “I’m nervous that it won’t live up to ‘Full House’ and that I’ll absolutely hate it and it will ruin my childhood memories,” Hanohano exaggerates in anticipation for the reboot. The full season of “Fuller House” is now available on Netflix. Find those fellow fans, get ready to swoon over an older John Stamos and camp out for the ultimate throwback binge watching. THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 26, 2016 • 17
Muse
Photos by Wyatt Bullard
Dance: Balancing art and athleticism
From left: Brandon Conley goes for a layup against Omaha on Jan. 18 in the Mabee Center; Angelyn Moura rehearses in Howard Auditorium on Jan. 23; Laura Milos jumps for the ball during volleyball practice in the Aerobics Center in August 2015. EMERALD DEAN Staff Writer
@et_dean The strength of a dancer is often hidden behind the gentle grace in which she performs, but unquestionably it is still there. The degree of athleticism needed to make dance look easy can become underestimated because dancing is considered a performing art, rather than a sport. Most athletes engage in daily practice sessions lasting a little more than a few hours, but dancers routinely participate in technique classes during the day, followed by rehearsals in the afternoons and evenings. They feel an obligation to perfect their art. Healthcare professionals corroborate the intense psyche these athletic artists possess. Ballet dancers, in particular, exhibit a passion for dance, which makes a decision to stop dancing for injury exceedingly difficult, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. 18 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 26, 2016
The comparison of whether standard sports or dance is harder or more difficult should not be argued; rather, both athletes and dancers should be praised for their technical feats. Therefore, ORU should allow dance majors to count dancing as HPE, even though they are not NCAA Division I athletes, and not require them to register for elementary physical education classes. “If you tried to get a basketball player to do what a dancer does, it would be laughable,” said Fritz Huber, chair of the Health, Leisure, and Sport Science department. “They are both demanding, and it takes lots of practice to be great at either.” Huber encourages any physical activity, including house cleaning, to be counted as aerobic points as long as students check their heart rate periodically. Dance can be used for the 50 aerobic points students need to get a week, but dancers, unlike volleyball or soccer players, cannot receive class credit for
dancing alone. Because dancers are required to enroll in HPE courses, they have to run the two-mile field test. “I think the key to running for dancers is moderation,” said former professional dancer Allison Pringle. “Dancers are physically and mentally strong athletes and look for other forms of exercise to challenge themselves. Dancers have to be so well-rounded. We have to be physically strong. We have to be mentally strong, and we have to have endurance. We are half physical strength, half flexibility.” A ballet enthusiast will watch the perfected steps dancers take as they cross the stage, but what the audience won’t see is the stark contrast between performance and rehearsals. They won’t hear the sharp criticisms from choreographers or see the sweat-soaked leotards and quivering muscles from repeated combinations. They don’t realize the pain a female ballet dancer
goes through just to be en pointe as she glides her swollen, bleeding feet across a stage as though she is effortlessly floating on air. “As athletes, dancers experience soreness and pain after a long day of rehearsals,” said Pringle. “For me, my best friend became an ice pack for my feet and ankles every single night.” The difference between a dancer and an athlete is the artistic ability to make movements look easy without the extra grunts. Dancers spend years perfecting their trade. A man can hold a 120 pound girl above his head in intricate lifts, and a girl can hold her entire body weight on two toes. They are intense, unrecognized athletes. Dance is as demanding as any other sport, and ORU, along with the HLSS department, should recognize this while also respecting dancers for what they are: artistic athletes.
Binging like it’s 1926
ALYSSA LACOURSE News Editor
@AlyssaLaCourse I have a confession: I am far too obsessed with a fictional British family and its servants. Yes, I am talking about “Downton Abbey.” I started watching the show before its fourth season and quickly became addicted. I have watched the entire series about three times. However, the series is about to end, and I don’t know what I am going to do with two hours of my Sunday nights. Because of streaming sites like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon, people can easily become addicted and obsessed with TV series through a process called binge watching. Binge watching involves watching as many episodes of a series as possible in one sitting. My record is an entire season of “Downton Abbey” in
one day. I did learn a lot from “Downton Abbey.” I learned just how much the sinking of the Titanic, World War I and social class changes affected people. History became more tangible to me because I could envision real life situations as they touched “Downton Abbey.” Binge watching has affected my life. After watching many episodes, I act as if I have been transported to England in the 1920s, and I begin to shape my words and actions as if I were a character in the show. I start drinking tea, making scones and pronouncing words differently because of the show. After my favorite character dramatically left the show, I cried for hours. I am not joking. “Downton Abbey” emotionally affected me. When something happened to the family, something happened to me. Whatever the family felt, I felt. Binge watching doesn’t just affect my lifestyle, but also my choices. Obviously, when I am binge watching, I am neglecting something else. I am choosing not to do homework, not to sleep or not to hang out with friends. I can get so sucked into a show that I forget I live in the real world — not the TV world. This is wrong. I will never live in 1920s England so I need to participate in life today. This shouldn’t just apply to “Downton Abbey,” but to anything that is
removing me from the world. Escaping for an hour or two is OK, but choosing to live completely in the TV world means choosing not to live in the real world.
Illustration by Jesse Paul Turner
Legends of design. through May 1, 2016
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THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 26, 2016 • 19
Oral Roberts University’s Theatre and Music Departments present
We’re giving away tickets to Godspell. Follow us on Twitter @ORUOracle for details on how to win!
Written by John-Michael Tebelak Composed by Steven Swartz Performed with special permission by Musical Theatre International 20 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 26, 2016
Howard Auditorium March 3th-5th 7:30 pm March 6th 2:00 pm Cash Only | $10 Adults | $5 Students