ICE at UIndy: What to know
By Olivia Pastrick MANAGING EDITOR & CO-NEWS EDITOR
An executive order signed Jan. 20 by President Donald Trump states it is the policy of the United States to execute its immigration laws against all “inadmissible and removable aliens.”
According to the order, the Biden-Harris administration “invited,administered and oversaw” an unprecedented number of illegal immigrants entering the country. Trump has made immigration one of the focal points of his administration since his campaign and has followed through with actions such as the “Protecting the American People Against Invasion” executive order.
UIndy Chief of Police and Director of Public Safety Brandon Pate said any officer would need a warrant to arrest someone, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has already stated it will be prioritizing the arrests of undocumented people with a criminal background. Additionally, he said one of the most important things to know about ICE “raids” is that an individual’s rights do not change in the presence of law enforcement officers.
“ Tere's no pause on your rights, and there's no restriction of your rights,” Pate said. “If they're going to ask you questions, they need a reason to be doing so, and if they're going to detain you, they have to have a warrant to detain you. But they're not going to come do that and bypass our police department or bypass our General Counsel.”
Section five of the order states that the Attorney General must prioritize the prosecution of criminal offenses related to
unauthorized immigration into the U.S. According to ICE, approximately 25% of the people they removed from the U.S. had an existing criminal charge against them, and an additional 7.5% had pending charges.
Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security
Benjamine Huffman issued a directive Jan. 21 that allows ICE and Customs and Border Patrol to make arrests in formerly designated “sensitive locations”such as schools and churches, according to AP News. Although this overturns guidance ICE and CBP have given as far back as 2011 and 2013 about immigration enforcement, the DHS said in a statement that this
... Law enforcement can't just come up to you and ask your immigration status."
action “empowers the brave men and women in CBP and ICE to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliens …,”according to AP News.
The National Immigration Law Center says immigration agents are only allowed to enter a private area if they have a judicial warrant that has been signed by a judge or they are given permission to. Pate said private spaces on campus include dorm buildings, but immigration agents, like anyone, could enter public spaces like Krannert Memorial Library. Although ICE or CBP could enter a public space, the National Immigration Law Center says that does not give them the authority
to stop, question or arrest anyone without a warrant.
“That’s been the case and will always be the case, that law enforcement can't just come up to you and ask you your immigration status,” Pate said. “ Tis process has always existed ….”
In addition to ICE or CBP being present in public spaces, Pate pointed out that ICE interacts with the University of Indianapolis regularly to review records regarding visas for international students, faculty and staff. In an email sent to faculty, UIPD said its officers would only assist ICE officers in enforcing a valid criminal warrant.
Pate said if an officer had a warrant for someone at UIndy they would have to go through the police department directly. He said anyone who may encounter ICE officers at UIndy should immediately call him or UIndy’s general counsel, Cyndi Carrasco.
“We benefit greatly from the fact that we have a police department in the university,” Pate said.“ Teir first stop is always going to be to my office, they’re going to come and say, ‘Hey, we've got this warrant, or we have this concern, we need to check out this person, or we believe this person may be here.’ If someone from federal law enforcement were to just come on campus and say,‘Hey, we're looking for XYZ,’ they need to be directed back to the police department or to our General Counsel.”
Anyone who sees or interacts with ICE on UIndy’s campus should call Pate at 317-788-3386 or UIndy’s General Counsel Cyndi Carrasco at 317-791-5611. Pate said people can also make reports on the Rave Guardian app, which UIPD has recently started using as an alternate means to contact them 24/7 for non-emergency situations.
Celebrating Black History
By Ella Harner STAFF WRITER
February is Black History Month in the United States, giving everyone an opportunity for celebration and education.
Black History Month has been officially recognized since 1976, although Americans have been celebrating Black history in February since 1925, according to Black History Month. According to the Association for the Study of African American Life and history, Black History Month highlights achievements, contributions and history of Black people each year by following a different theme. The theme for 2025 is African Americans and Labor, which reflects on Black people’s work throughout history and gives people an opportunity to learn and appreciate their contributions and struggles.
Throughout this month the University of Indianapolis’ Office of Inclusive Excellence and Retention Strategy hosted four events to celebrate Black
history. According to an email sent by Student Affairs, OIE hosted Barbershop Talk, Anthony Davis’ Concert Series, Mad Love Poetry Slam and the Black Excellence Dinner. These events, according to OIE’s Instagram, aimed to uplift and amplify Black voices during Black History Month.
Black voices
about Black History through celebration with her family.
“Black History, specifically for my family, is a month of celebration for not only just us now, but our ancestors and our rich history and culture,” Johnson said. “My family takes Black History very seriously. I've been raised on a lot of books and my sister's really interested in all the hidden history that we don't learn in college or in school and stuff, so Black History to us is something that's really deep. I mean, it's us, literally.”
Sophomore political science major Clint Simmons believes Black History Month is a time for opening your eyes to Black History outside of the United States. For Simmons, it is a time for learning about all different Black cultures and beating societal norms.
“We're showing that there's more to it, the complex history that Black people have in America and even in other places,” Simmons said.
Black History Month is a time for celebration, awareness
People can also use this month to honor the impact of African Americans across the nation, according to History.com. According to Visit Indy, many of these contributions come from people in Indianapolis such as Murvin S. Enders, a civic leader and UIndy alumni, who the university’s Student Engagement Space is named after, according to UIndy’s website. The Student Engagement Space, among many other places on campus, is set to provide support for belonging and inclusion, according to UIndy’s website. Black History Month can be celebrated in many different ways from art and music to education. Sophomore criminal justice major Lavita Johnson has grown up learning > See BHM on Page 3
Photo by Allison Cook
A protestor stands in the rain with a sign against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during an organized protest by PSL Indianapolis Feb. 8, 2025.
Graphic by Olivia Pastrick
Photo by Allison Dininger
UIndy junior Florence Lee reads her poem at the Mad Love Poetry Slam on Feb. 13, 2025. The event was one of the ways UIndy celebrated Black History Month.
OPINION
By Mia Lehmkuhl EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & CO-NEWS EDITOR
When it comes to gaming, I consider myself somewhat of an expert — I had a controller and a mouse in my hands before I could read.
The first indie game I ever played was a creepy, campy journey into the mind of little “Fran Bow” as she confronts the demon tormenting her.The game holds a special place in my heart despite its macabre nature and features a rich landscape with even richer themes. Killmonday Games, the studio behind “Fran Bow,” developed its debut title through an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign, according to its website. One might expect the quality of games developed by indie studios like Killmonday to not compare to its larger, big-budget counterparts; however, I prefer the former.
AAA games, or the “corporate” entities of game developing, are losing our interest and garnering criticism in its place. Electronic Arts, for example, creates one of my favorite game franchises of all time: “The Sims.” I have spent nearly 2,000 hours, according to my EA App, playing “The Sims.” However, I always gravitate toward the older Sims games like “The Sims 2” and “The Sims 3” due to EA’s failures in “The Sims 4.” Even EA sees the divide — it recently released “Legacy Editions” of both The Sims 1 and 2 — with a hefty price tag, of course. Between having to spend over $1,000 to own all the packs and said packs being released with a laundry list of bugs to fix — the Sims community is over it.
Many Sims fans, including myself, anxiously await an indie competitor in “Paralives,” developed by indie Paralives Studio. Even years ago before “Paralives” gained some hype,
Stop making liveaction movies a poor advocacy attempt
By Caroline Krauch SPORTS EDITOR
When it comes to live action remakes of decades-old movie classics we loved as kids, there are high expectations to maintain the level of affection we had for those films as when they came out. Since I was a kid, “The Little Mermaid” was one of my favorite movies. I had the VHS tape and would watch it on repeat, patiently awaiting the day I sprouted a tail and became a mermaid myself. I even had the VHS tape of the second movie, “The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea” (not many people know about that one, I would highly recommend it), and would watch that movie again and again. When I went to Disney World and got to go to the Bippity-Boppity Boutique, I chose Ariel as who I got to pretend to be for the day. I even started waving at random strangers as if I were in a parade.
white complexion but because her description is a key part of what makes Snow White distinct.
Disney did a great thing in diversifying the cast and giving the story a new look. The idea of adding people of color to a cast is something that is becoming more popular, and it is allowing people who felt marginally discluded from a predominantly white industry to feel seen. “Hamilton” is my favorite musical, and I cannot imagine if they had cast anyone different to star in it. The difference to me between what “Hamilton”did and what Disney did is that there were no expectations for “Hamilton;” that cast was the only version of those characters to take the stage.
For movies like “The Princess and The Frog,” “Mulan” and “Pocohantas,” there is no question that those roles need to match what was in the animated movie.
Do not repackage the representation people ask for, make it its own.
I was elated the moment I heard the live action version was coming out. There had been other live-action remakes done before like “Mulan” and “The Jungle Book,” but those were not movies I felt a particular connection to. I watched them and liked them well enough, but, finally, here was a movie that seemed like it would bring me straight back into my childhood — when life was good and I was not in a constant state of stress. When it was announced that Halle Bailey would be starring as Ariel, I cannot lie, I felt disappointed. While Bailey is an amazing actress, singer and beautiful person, she looks nothing like the Ariel I grew up with. She did not have the vibrant, flowing, firetruck-red hair that Ariel was known for, the epitome of what made Ariel stand out amongst a cast of princesses with the typical blonde and brunette hair. Bailey did an amazing job, and the movie was great. It hit all the right points, the music was top-notch, but it did not produce the nostalgia that I was hoping for. The same thing can be said for the upcoming, live action “Snow White” casting. Rachel Zegler is a top-notch actress and deserves all the recognition in the world. However, the character Snow White is known for her pale, almost-translucent skin. This is not something against Rachel Zegler because she does not have a pale-
The culture in Louisiana and Tiana’s background makes it practically impossible for anyone not of color to play that role. There are staples of culture in those movies that cannot be altered because it would change the movie and not make sense to those who had seen the original. But when it comes to remakes of other movies, I think the same standards should be held. It would be remiss not to mention that some people advocating for story-oriented casting do it out of bias against people of color — this is different.
The goal of a live action movie is to recreate the nostalgia these movies provided when we were younger and revive a story that is somewhat tired. To do this, the cast needs to be able to give the audience what they knew from when the movie came out, and I think this can be done even with casting people of color in those traditionally white roles. However, there needs to be some effort to recreate the look and feel of the movie as it was originally produced, and there needs to be a standard upheld across the board. The best solution, in my opinion, would be to write these underrepresented people their own stories. Everyone deserves to have representation and a story that lasts through generations, and it should not be by trying to force other stories to fit around them. Do not repackage the representation people ask for, make it its own.
the game looked as if more thought was put into players’ experiences versus selling a product — a tired tactic EA does not seem to grasp. Not to mention, Paralives is crowdfunded through Patreon, and the game is set to release in early access this year.
AAA studios prioritize highend graphics and repackaging the same games to disappointing sequels or, my favorite, the “remastered” version of the game. Take Bethesda for example — “Skyrim” released over a decade ago; however, there are three standalone versions of the same game — give or take some extra content. “Skyrim,” another Game of the Year recipient, is a testament to what AAA studios can deliver: a great narrative, engrossing visuals and a replayability “it” factor not many games can imitate. This creates a unique dilemma for studios akin to Bethesda in bettering what many
consider a near-perfect game. Bruce Nesmith, former game designer at Bethesda, said it is a struggle to meet fan expectations for an “Elder Scrolls VI” title, and it will be meticulously compared to its predecessors. I can see the overwhelm, but it highlights an overarching problem with AAA studio games that give indie studios an unforeseen advantage: constricting game development to a box instead of pursuing innovative ways to tell a story that connects with an audience. Also, can we stop making new games that cost players nearly $100 to play?
Now, with the debut of “Poppy Playtime 4” and “Baldur’s Gate 3” winning 2023 Game of the Year (Larian Studios actually took home all five major Game of the Year awards, surpassing the records of huge studio titles like “Elden Ring,” and “Breath of the Wild”), indie studios are getting a much deserved
pat on the back. Set in a “Five Nights at Freddy’s”esque (another indie standout) setting, “Poppy Playtime,” is an indie survival horror game series released on an episodic basis — meaning each standalone sequel to the game is another “episode” of the same story.This creates a unique and terrifying experience for the player as they navigate through the horrors of Playtime Co.’s abandoned toy factory. It is kooky, horrifying and media literate; it tells a haunting story on top of delivering an unforgettable player experience.This is the cheat code AAA studios have lost, and it shows through these bigname titles that scream “corporate” game development. Where AAA studios fail, indie games pick up the slack with unique narratives, art styles and a love for fans. Indie games bolster the player experience for the love of the game, not for the love of profit margins and stressing my GPU.
The separation has been broken In today’s politics, church and state are combined
By Gabriel Tice STAFF WRITER
The First Amendment of the Constitution states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion” meaning that the government cannot make any law favoring one religion over another or establish a national religion. This is further expanded in the 14th Amendment, which requires states to guarantee the same rights as the federal government. This means that no state or federal government can make a law telling the people what religion they can or cannot practice. However, to say that the United States of America is a religiously ambiguous nation would be a downright lie. We are a Christian nation; we just do not admit to it. If you do not believe me, look at any piece of U.S. currency from the penny to the $100 bill and you will see in capital letters “IN GOD WE TRUST.” In fact, it is our nation’s motto. Congress made it our motto in 1956 and reaffirmed it in 2011.
to practice any religion as long as it is Christianity, and, if you want to practice something else, do not do it around me.”
In Indiana, a bill was introduced that would require the Ten Commandments be displayed in every school library and classroom. If you think that is a violation of the First Amendment, you would be right, but it is still being introduced anyway. We are a Christian nation in everything but name. We are not the only state to
other non-Christian holy books?
Why are the five pillars of Islam or the five precepts of Buddhism not displayed? Why does it have to be the Ten Commandments?
The answer is simple: We are a Christian nation, or our lawmakers want us to be, even if that means violating the very document they took an oath to uphold. Because the hard truth is we do not have a separation of church and state in this country. We have a document that says we do, and we may have settled court cases saying that we do. But the fact that these laws are introduced, much less passed, means that we do not really have freedom of religion. We have religious conformity which violates everything our Founding Fathers wanted for our nation. If our lawmakers are willing to violate our First Amendment rights, who is to say what rights they will come
If our government is not supposed to have a national religion, how are we allowed to slap a religious motto on every piece of currency and government building? The courts say that because it does not reference a specific god, it is not violating the First Amendment — which is total nonsense. The result of a Christian nation in denial. We claim that all people have the freedom to practice any religion in this country, and, according to the constitution, they should. However, in practice, religious “freedom” is really “free
like this — Oklahoma just announced that the Bible and Ten Commandments must be taught in all public schools. Louisiana just passed a law doing the same. In fact, the state superintendent of Oklahoma called the Bible “one of the most foundational documents used for the Constitution and the birth of our country.” That is odd; the First Amendment says the exact opposite. And if the argument is to teach good values, why are the Ten Commandments and the Bible the only viable options? Why not teach the Torah, Quran, Bhagavad Gita, Tripitaka or any lessons from
The Reflector acknowledges its mistakes. When a mistake occurs, we will print corrections here on the Opinion page. If you catch a mistake, please contact us at reflector@uindy.edu.
In the Februaray 5 issue, Allison Cook took the baseball photo on Page 4.
The opinions in this section do not necessarily reflect those of The Reflector staff.
What do you think?
Send your letters to the editor or other correspondence to reflector@uindy.edu
Graphic by Olivia Pastrick
Headline graphic by Jona Hogle
INSPIRING WOMEN TO LEAD
UIndy hosts institute to empower women to take on the C-Suite
By Allison Cook PHOTO EDITOR
For University of Indianapolis
President Tanuja Singh, creating a Women’s Executive Leadership Institute has been a goal since beginning her role at UIndy.
Upon coming to the city, Singh said she noticed several women in leadership positions but saw a need for training to equip Indianapolis with the necessary tools that would enable women for opportunities in such roles. Being a mentor to women in and out of academia, creating a program at the university to showcase and encouraging leadership skills among women have been a part of Singh’s strategic plan for some time now, she said.
“From a local community when I first arrived here, I saw in Indiana lots of senior women leaders,” Singh said. “ Tere's a lot of participation of women here … And I felt that if we could come together, if we could bring some of these women leaders to talk to the next generation of leaders, we will be building a bench for the next generation of leaders.”
Now, almost a year after the original announcement, the
Women’s Executive Leadership Institute is set to have its first session on Feb. 28, Vice President for Corporate and Community Strategy Andrew Kocher said. T e sessions will consist of a keynote speaker beginning each day, such as President and Chief Operating Officer of Pacers Sports & Entertainment Mel Raines and Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court Loretta Rush, according to the website. Having a diverse board of women speakers for the institute is important, Singh said, and she hopes it gives those involved in this year’s a sense of confidence in their abilities and become more comfortable with themselves to be able to take future risks.
men may not have all the requisite requirements for a job, but they would still apply for a job. So what keeps women behind sometimes is not their lack of talent, but a lack of confidence in their talent.”
I've been a big believer that women need ... a role model."
“I've been a big believer that women need, in addition to their innate skill sets, also need a role model, some motivation and the need to invest in their skill development,” Singh said.
“Because women, if they're not 100% qualified for a job they will not take, they will not even apply for a job. Whereas, in general,
While the current cohort was open to executive-style leaders and those growing in their leadership journey, Singh said she hopes to grow the institute in the future by opening it up for an even broader audience of young people. She said she was surprised by how many applicants there were for this year and sees a high demand for more programs such as this one. Singh said she hopes by establishing the Women’s Executive Leadership Institute, it will put the university on the map as a forerunner for this type of program.
“I wanted to first experiment with it, see how well we did, and I'm blown away by the interest people have shown as of today,” Singh said. “I mean, we are oversubscribed.”
As part of the curriculum for this year, Kocher, who worked
as the executive sponsor for the project, said the leaders in attendance will get to hear from CEOs in the local city and beyond, workshop in groups, have opportunities for mentorship and network to build skill sets.
“Universities play an important role in expanding the skill sets, really, of everyone, including women,” Kocher said. “We have in our strategic plan a goal to deliver education for life. And, it's important that we provide people opportunities, not just when they're coming in as 18-yearolds, but throughout their career to reach that next milestone, and that's what we're doing here. Tis is a program that is targeted to help those individuals who have ambition to reach that C-level position, who are women, or who are helping promote women, but would maybe not have had these kinds of skill sets available to them and these networks available to them if we hadn't put this program in place.”
Programming will end in November for a total of ten sessions for the attendees, according to the website, where they will receive a University of Indianapolis Certificate of Completion.
CELL receives $10 million
By Allison Dininger STAFF WRITER
The Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning at the University of Indianapolis received a $10 million donation from the U.S. Department of Education which will impact 20 rural high schools in Indiana. CELL is an education nonprofit that works across the state of Indiana to bring leadership and progressive learning to schools, Director of the Rural Early College Network at CELL Janet Boyle said. The U.S. Department of Education gave CELL a grant in 2019 to start the first iteration of RECN in five high schools. This program aims to help first-generation students, English language learners and disadvantaged students. The first grant provided ninth and tenth grade students with extra help in math and English so they could succeed in college
BHM from Page 1
and reflection. Student Experience Designer at OIE Selena Jackson-King said one of her favorite ways to engage in Black culture in February is through arts and theatre.
“Black History Month is really this time that I get to indulge in my history buff side and I dive into all things Black and it’s just a celebration of culture,” Jackson-King said. “I love it. It's my favorite month of the year.
Though February is over soon, there are still ways to engage and educate yourself about Black history. According to Johnson, it is extremely important to celebrate history at all times of the year.
“I always say indulge in and immerse yourself into the community,” Jackson-King said. “Our office is a very
classes their junior and senior years, Boyle said. The program also equipped students with financial planning and workload management skills. Director of Early College at CELL Steve Combs said he was a principal during RECN 1.0. His school got $150,000 over five years due to the program, he said. The second iteration began Jan. 1 and will last five years. The five original high schools will serve as mentors to the 15 new high schools added in RECN 2.0, Boyle said.
“The 15 partner schools that will be selected are all going to be working toward becoming endorsed and setting up a robust early college program in their high schools for their students,” Boyle said.
There are three additions to RECN 2.0. Boyle said they will be adding a teacher leadership academy program to help teachers learn effective teaching and leadership. They will also start a program called
open space, a very open forum. We'll have students come in and like, come and talk with us … our office has a really unique position as being kind of like a resource center, so we'll like connect them with other resources in and around Indianapolis and they can have a nice opportunity to get connected with Black people that way.”
According to the National Black Cultural Information Trust, there are many different ways to celebrate Black History. From storytelling to museum visits, you can find history in the smallest of things.
“It's important to know where you came from and who you are and what shaped us and the way we are today,” Johnson said.
CART, or Counselor Action and Renewal Team. Members of CART meet four times a year to help provide support to the counselors. Boyle said Indiana has one of the worst ratios of school counselors to students, with 695 students per one high school counselor on average. She said the recommended ratio is 250 students per counselor. To decrease the pressure on counselors, Combs said the funds will also go toward ensuring teachers and counselors are properly paid for the work they are doing.
The third prong, Boyle said, is a partnership between Ivy Tech and CELL. Ivy Tech will hire “college connection coaches” to go to the schools once or twice a week. They will assist the students in enrolling for classes and financial management so they can afford college when they graduate.
“Most of the kids that leave this program earn the 30-credit Indiana College Core [degree],
which is equivalent to their first year or their general education core, and some will even have associate degrees,” Boyle said.
“But they are the kinds of kids that finish college and even stick around for graduate school, so UIndy would be smart to market to those kids going forward.”
Boyle and Combs both said they have high hopes for RECN 2.0 after the success of the first grant. Boyle said RECN 1.0 helped save students and their families over $15 million in tuition costs. She said Indiana is experiencing declining rates of students who go to college, especially in rural areas, and this program will provide further support for these students to access college and succeed there.
“I just think it’s a great opportunity because more education is good for the students, their families, their schools and their communities,” Combs said. “Ultimately it’s good for our state and the nation.”
Trump targeted DEI. What does this mean?
By Elyssa Merrill OPINION EDITOR
President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders entering office,and on Jan.22,he signed an order ending federally protected and funded diversity,equity and inclusion practices.
More locally, Indiana Senate Bill 289, “Nondiscrimination in Employment and Education,” passed in the Indiana Senate and is making its way to be read in the Indiana House of Representatives. It was approved to be heard by the Committee on Judiciary Feb.3.SenatorTyler Johnson (R),a coauthor of the bill and original author of the withdrawn Indiana Senate Bill 235, which also concerned DEI declined an interview.
SB 289 restricts DEI practices for “state agencies, state education institutionsormedicallicensingboards.” Te proposed bill states educational institutions must post training and curricular materials concerning nondiscrimination, diversity, equity, inclusion, race, ethnicity, sex and bias on its website. Additionally, it can only implement policies or procedures that referencerace,sex,colororethnicitythat have been approved, in writing, by the attorney general.
According to Academy Health and the Greenlining Institute, DEI practices became more normalized after the Civil Rights Movement pushed for tolerance and inclusion of diversity in “workplaces, schools and communities.” As time progressed and other groups felt there was a lack of representation, DEI began to incorporate“gender,sexual orientation, religion, country of origin and other identities.”
State universities such as Ivy Tech havealreadyannounceditwillbeclosing its DEI offices in compliance with the executive order and anticipation of SB 289 passing. Although the University of Indianapolis is a private institution, DEI initiatives impact the university as well.Vice President,Chief Inclusion Officer and Interim Vice President of Student Affairs Amber Smith did not respond to a request for an interview.
Te United States Department of Education sent out a letter on Feb. 14 now recognized as the “Dear Colleague” letter. Te statement discusses that discrimination within schooling based on race is “illegal and morally apprehensible.” Te discrimination highlighted in the letter is that against “white and Asian students.” Furthermore, it states “Educational institutions have toxically indoctrinated students with the false premise that the United States is built upon ‘systemic and structural racism’ and advanced discriminatory policies and practices.” It states that educational institutions will have 14 days to ensure its policies, procedures and regulations follow what is said in the letter.
In President Tanuja Singh’s statement on Feb. 21, she assured students that there will be a minimal impact on what they see through scholarships and funding. In the statement, she said the university’s ethics will not be compromised.
“Belonging is a byproduct of who we are as Greyhounds,” Singh wrote in the statement. “And, we all belong here no matter where we come from or how we got here. Te relationships, mentorship, and learning and life experiences that shape students’ lives at UIndy are untouchable — that cannot be legislated away.”
Graphic by Allison Cook
Swimming into success UIndy swim and dive compete at conference finals
By Allison Dininger STAFF WRITER
The University of Indianapolis swim and dive teams is headed for the end of its season after their GLVC conference championships Feb. 11-16 where the women’s team came in second and the men’s team landed third.
The swim team trains all season for the GLVC conference championship, senior swimmer Andile Bekker said. While part of the team works to achieve the best swimming speeds and diving scores for the national championship in March, the other half works on beating their personal records, Bekker said. The men’s team placed third behind Drury University and McKendree University, and the women’s team placed second behind Drury by 70 points, equivalent to one relay event, sophomore swimmer Audrey Axton said. GLVC awarded Cedric Buessing Swimmer of the Year, making him the first-ever student-athlete awarded four of these. UIndy’s Alexis Lumaj won Diver of the Year and set a new GLVC record of 521.05 points for 3-meter diving, according to UIndy Athletics.
Despite recent wins, Axton said the swim teams struggled throughout the season, particularly at a mid-season meet at Denison University. The mid-season meet was a time for the teams to evaluate if they were prepared and motivated for the postseason, Axton said the team struggled with relays, their speeds were not improving and the teams’ mentalities were slipping.
“But honestly, we needed Denison to be a bad meet to give us a reason to fight harder for conference,” Axton said. “We hit rock bottom. We hit a time where none of us were dropping speeds, and none of us were able to be a bright and happy spirit on the team. When you go from that, you can’t go down any further. You go back to practice, put in the work, put in the grind, because you all now have a common goal to not have conference be how Denison was.”
Bekker said the goal for the swim team is to win nationals and conference, and become the best swimmers in Division II. He said there was still time to improve after the Denison meet with the Last Chance Meet still to come.
“Everyone gears towards peaking their performance either at conference or at nationals,” Bekker said. “ I think that’s why our coach isn’t so worried about the results that we have during the season, because they know that the end of the season is what’s most important.”
Axton said the key to the swim team’s success this season is the support of teammates. She said a lot of people struggled with injuries throughout the season, but were able to put the work in and recover in time for the end of the season thanks to their team’s support system.
“We would not have done as well as we did this season if it wouldn’t have been for people that were picking each other up and encouraging each other,”Axton said.
For Bekker, his swim at GVLC meet was the last of his collegiate career. He finished the competition
with two swims within a 10th of a second of his lifetime best. He could have taken the chance to improve his score at the Last Chance Meet Feb. 21-22, but he said he would rather end the season with his team at GVLC rather than stress out about the numbers. Bekker is not finished with swimming, though, and hopes to swim for his home country, Botswana, in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. Until then, he is working on creating a documentary about Buessing for his honors project.
For the rest of the team, they are focused on improving their scores at the Last Chance Meet and hope to win nationals, Axton said. After that, the swimmers will continue training and preparing for their next season.
“With off-season, we’ll be able to have more events outside of the water once it gets warmer,” Axton said. “We always like to play sand volleyball and remind ourselves why we’re a team, why we chose to be at UIndy and why we chose swimming. We’re all in it together, in and out of the pool.”
Women’s lacrosse kicks off its season
By Ella Shelburn STAFF WRITER
The UIndy women’s lacrosse team has begun its season after making it to regionals last season.
While quite a few of last season’s players have graduated, junior midfielder Sage Da Silva does not think this will hurt the team. The team lost five starters according to Women’s Lacrosse Head Coach Peyton Romig.
“We might be seeing more of a young team this year, … but I don’t think that’s a bad thing,” Da Silva said. “We’re still a small team, but we’re close knit.”
The team ended last season ranked No.13 nationally, and going into this season it is ranked No.16 according to USA Lacrosse polls. In order to continue to advance this season, Romig believes the team should continue to have a strong work ethic and keep their goals in focus.
“Our goals are always to make the conference tournament [and] always make the NCAA tournament,” Romig said.“We challenge ourselves with the games we play during season to reflect how the NCAA will be and who we might play then. Everything we do is essentially preparing us for the NCAA tournament and getting us there.”
According to Da Silva, the team has trained intensely with practices six days a week. Da Silva said practices typically start with more technical skills, such as stick work, and then transition to skills that are more situational to games.
“We’ve just been trying to be very intense and intentional with our training,” Da Silva said.
Since the team is no longer in preseason, they have begun to consider their opponents and their offensive and defensive strategies, according to Romig. However, she first and foremost wants the team to focus on improving themselves.
“We don’t really need to change who we are against who we play,” Romig said. “There’s little adjustments you make, but as a whole, our team just playing how we play will usually help us get the job done. If it doesn’t, then we find out what didn’t work, and we can make adjustments from there.”
Da Silva plans to use each game as a chance to grow both as an individual and as a team. She said there is something to learn from every game.
“I plan to improve by taking each game as a way to learn from it,” Da Silva said. “I think we can do that as a team as well.”
The team plays its next game on Feb. 28 against Alabama Huntsville at 5 p.m. at home.
Softball swings big for spring season
By Logan McInnes FEATURE EDITOR
UIndy softball had a 60-7 overall record with a 25-1 conference record in 2024, according to UIndy Athletics. Now, the team finished up its remaining preseason games and began its 2025 spring season.
Head Coach Melissa Frost said she is happy with the strides the team has made so far in the preseason, and the success they have seen is thanks to the hard work the players put in during the offseason.
“It’s one of the hardest working groups that I’ve had,” Frost said. “I think just their ability to really put their head down and work has been the key.” Frost said the preseason
games are an opportunity for the players to “get their feet wet” before the spring season. She said she is moving around the lineup to find the right combination for the team to gel together again.
Senior Jocelyn Calvin has been a staple and leader for the team at second base, according to Frost. Aside from Frost’s goal to win a trophy in the national tournament, she said she hopes the seniors, including Calvin, learn respect, accountability and trustworthiness to apply to their lives after their time at UIndy softball as well.
“We always tell them walking out of this program, we want you to walk into life thinking that you can conquer anything, and there’s nothing
that’s going to be too big for you to handle,” Frost said.
Calvin said she believes preseason is important to find out who can play what role and what the team’s strengths and weaknesses are. She said the team looks different this year because of all the newcomers and the team being so young, but the goal is to work together as a unit.
It’s one of the hardest working groups that I’ve had.”
“At the end of the day, the goal is of course winning that
big trophy and getting farther than we did the year before,” Calvin said. “But I think those relationships and being close is what brings us closer to that trophy.”
Another goal Calvin said she has for her senior year is to get an All-American selection, which she has been close to in the past. While Calvin is still working towards earning that award, she said she is most proud of the relationships she has made with her teammates over the years.
Calvin said she has become lifelong friends with her teammates and that some will even be in her wedding one day. She said that from her time as a student athlete, she is constantly moving and has learned how to manage her
time between softball, school and social life. Most importantly, Calvin said she understands that hard work pays off and the work you put in affects where you will go later on in life.
UIndy softball begins its spring games on March 10 against Hillsdale College which will be in Florida, and its first home game is on March 22 at noon. Frost said she hopes the team will draw out some big crowds at Baumgartner Field of not only student-athletes but the student body as well.
“We’re pushing to get that trophy this year, and we’re going to continue to work,” Calvin said. “I feel like we’re going to be that big team everyone’s looking out for.”
by
Photo by Allison Cook
Swimmers Hanna Burke and Sharon Semchiy at the UIndy Last Chance Meet on Feb. 28. The women’s team placed second at the GLVC championships.
Graphic
Logan McInnes
Photo by Allison Cook Midfielder Sage Da Silva goes for a groundball during a women’s lacrosse game against Regis University on Feb. 21. The team won the game 9-8.
A ‘Fenix’ rising from the ashes
Wild Champion Wrestling Outlaws seeks to provide fun and intensity in the ring
By Allison Cook PHOTO EDITOR Caroline Krauch SPORTS EDITOR
Even though the “Royal Rumble” has left Indianapolis, wrestling fans still have a chance to experience similar events through the Wild Championship Wrestling Outlaws.
According to Prowrestling Fandom, WCWO is an American professional wrestling promotion in Indianapolis. It is the longest running independent wrestling promotion in Indiana and was founded in 1995.
Although wrestling can be traced back to Ancient Greece, professional wrestling like what people see from the World Wrestling Entertainment came about in the 1980s when Vincent J. McMahon sold Capitol Wrestling Corporation to his son and McMahon Jr. renamed the company WWE, according to its website. With stars like Hulk Hogan and John Cena along with partnerships with MTV, the WWE was able to find more widespread fame. What the WCWO does is similar to the WWE, just on a smaller scale. WCWO is an independent league so they include many more promotions than the WWE will typically run.
During the weekend of the Royal Rumble, the WCWO held its own event for families that included two scheduled shows the Friday before Royal Rumble and sold around 900 tickets according to WCWO promoter Reggie Edwards. While there is not a lot of money involved at this level of wrestling, WCWO Wrestler Fenix said, it is more about the fans’ experiences.
“Whether you’re a heel [bad guy] or baby face [good guy], the important part is the reaction from the crowd,” said Fenix. “They spend their hard earned money to watch you perform.”
Even if the whole audience is booing him, he said that is what it is all about. Hearing any sort of noise from the crowd is the ultimate reward, he said. If they are able to make the crowd hate them as the ‘heel,’then they have succeeded. One of the best ways to do this, Fenix said, is by targeting the most vulnerable people in the crowd.
“So as a heel, the thing that will get you hated the most is if you pick on children,” Fenix said. “Once you find a kid or an old lady in the crowd and you get them to boo, the rest of the crowd just starts.”
Fenix has been training since 2021 and competed in his first match in 2022. He said he was inspired by the wrestlers he saw on television as a kid.
The names they choose, while some seem random, actually hold meaning in some cases.
“I’ve always been infatuated with the Phoenix, the mythological bird, because of what it represents,” Fenix said. “It never dies. It constantly reinvents itself. It comes back
My favorite thing about wrestling is the reactions ... they’re so into it.”
stronger and better than ever. Always. I kind of relate to that in my personal life, because I’ve been through so much, and I take those emotions, that trauma that I may have experienced when I was a kid, and I turn that into something positive for those people out there.”
Unrivaled league is changing the game
By Olivia Pastrick MANAGING EDITOR & CO-NEWS EDITOR
All statistics and records are per Reflector Press Time.
Originally founded in 2023, the inaugural season of Unrivaled basketball finally began back in January. Unrivaled is the first of its kind with its dynamic 3-on-3 format and 1-on-1 in-season tournament.
Unrivaled was founded in 2023 by WNBA and U.S. Olympic stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, wanted to give female basketball players an opportunity to play in the off-season without having to travel abroad. According to its website, Unrivaled has the highest average salary in women’s sports history.
The league was drafted into six basketball clubs back in December 2024: Rose, Laces, Lunar Owls, Mist, Phantom and Vinyl, each team holding six players. From the draft, I thought Mist Basketball Club would be unfairly stacked against the rest of the league with superstars like Stewart and Jewell Lloyed along with the rising stars in Rickea Jackson and Dijonai Carrington. However, through five weeks of games they have only gone 2-6. The other cofounder, Collier, and her team Lunar Owls Basketball Club have been off to a much more dominant start, going 8-0 to start the season.
In addition to the Owls’ regularseason dominance, Collier also took home the 1-on-1 crown after several hardfought battles with Aaliyah Edwards and other forwards in the tournament. This tournament was such an exciting feature of Unrivaled, as it allows each individual player to showcase their individual skill set even more so than in 3-on-3. It was
thrilling to watch upsets like 8-seed
Aaliyah Edwards taking down three top-seeded opponents to reach the finals before falling to Collier. The hype around the tournament was unreal for the fans as well as the players, especially with a total prize pool of $350,000. What was also unique about the prize pool was that the runner-up, quarter-finalists and the winners’ teammates all received some of the winnings which definitely contributed to the competitive nature of the tournament.
In addition to almost two months of in-season play, Unrivaled also have a post-season tournament March 16-17 with the top four teams in the league. The format of this tournament is the only thing about Unrivaled I have found a flaw with. The finals are currently listed as three total games: two semi-final matchups and one final. While there are only six teams in the league total, it is understandable the tournament is small, but I wish the matchups were best two out of three just to make it a little bit more exciting. However, the three-game format will keep the stakes high and the pace of the games fast which has been the theme of Unrivaled so
While the basketball has been incredible to watch, something I can almost appreciate more is the time and care put into developing both the league and the facilities they are using while in Miami. The Unrivaled facility includes a fullyequipped gym, saunas, ice baths, individual club locker rooms and childcare services. Considering the league was founded not only by two women’s basketball players, but also mothers, it is not surprising that they pulled out all the stops to make sure the players are taken care of during their time at Unrivaled.
WCWO wrestler War Ready Maleko has been doing shows for nearly two years since he began training in April of 2023. Part of the uniqueness that comes with professional wrestling is the structure, or lack thereof, Maleko said. Having controlled freedom in the ring to pull moves that will get a reaction from the crowd is part of the setup that comes with professional wrestling.
“With pro wrestling … you can do a lot more,” said Maleko. “You can jump off the top, you can do some dirty things. It’s not point based. It’s whether you pin them [the opponent] or you make them submit. That’s the way to win in professional wrestling.”
WCWO wrestler Logan Myers said one of the biggest misconceptions about professional wrestling is the athletic ability of the athletes involved. Though
there is a performance aspect to the events, Myers said there is also a lot of athleticism and discipline that happens behind the scenes to make the matches come to life. The wrestlers create on-stage personalities to get the most reactions out of the crowd, he said. For Myers, his introvertedness and alternative side that influence his performance are able to get him what he loves most about wrestling: getting booed from the crowd.
“I’ve never really been one to go out of my way to make people like me,” Myers said. “I don’t like coming out and raising my hands and highfiving kids. I kind of like just smirking, talking trash. I shout my own name a lot, and people just boo. It’s nice … This is me turned up to 10. I love rock ‘n’ roll music, so I’m the wrestler with ‘lead singer syndrome.’ I want all the attention and that’s kind of neat, but not in real life. I’m not that piece of crap in real life.”
And, while many of the wrestlers involved in WCWO work full-time jobs elsewhere, being a part of the WCWO is a passion that stems from childhood nostalgia and influence for many of them, according to Myers, Maleko and Fenix. Getting involved is a group effort that requires hours of weekly rehearsals and months of training but the outcome is to please the fans who come out to the events, said Fenix.
“My favorite thing about wrestling is the reaction from the people who paid to come watch us,” Maleko said. “Whether it’s a good reaction to me or a bad reaction, I just like that. They’re so into it, just like I have been since I was a kid.”
WCWO holds shows weekly on Fridays in the Outlaw Arena, a former warehouse near Lucas Oil Stadium, and will be making an appearance at Indiana Comic Con March 14-16 according to their social media.
Photo by Allison Cook
WCWO wrestler War Ready Maleko screams to the crowd as he prepares for a match during the Thunderstorm on
Jan. 31 at the Edison School of Arts. The show was blocks away from Lucas Oil Stadium and Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Graphic by Olivia Pastrick
Dana Benbow makes history
UIndy professor is Indiana Sportswriter of the Year, becoming first woman to win
By Mia Lehmkuhl EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & CO-NEWS EDITOR
After 11 years in sports reporting, Indianapolis Star Sportswriter Dana Benbow not only took home an award but made history.
The National Sports Media Association, founded in 1959, announced Benbow as the recipient of the Indiana Sportswriter of the Year award in January for her sportswriting at the IndyStar, making her the first woman to win the award.
According to the IndyStar, Benbow began at the paper in 1999 covering commercial real estate development, retail and served as a fitness writer. However, for Benbow, her love for storytelling began far before she wanted to pursue journalism. When she was three years old, Benbow rewrote Willie Nelson’s, “On the Road Again,”after receiving a Fisher Price record player — sparking a lifelong love for writing. When she reached third grade, Benbow said she won a national contest for her work.
“I wrote about a jelly bean sitting on President Ronald Reagan’s desk because he loved jelly beans,” Benbow said. “I pretended like I was one of those jelly beans and wrote the story.” Benbow was raised as a big sports fan in Greenfield, Indiana, bonding with her father through watching the Yankees and the Celtics. She and her best friend, Associate Provost at the University of Indianapolis Rebecca Gilliland, made audio tapes
pretending to be sports announcers.
“We rip on the LA Lakers and brag about the Celtics,” Benbow said. “I mean, between writing and sports, they just kind of merged. And when I started at Butler, I didn’t know then that I wanted to go into journalism.”
According to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey, men accounted for 83% of surveyed journalists who cover sports. Behind the scenes, Benbow said there are times when she is treated differently because of her gender.
“It was the Big Ten men’s championships in Indy, and so we were all in the press row,” Benbow said. “It was like all guys, and then after you cover the game, they send you all back to do a press conference with the players and the coaches. And so I stood up and was walking back, and some other reporter that I never met in my life just walked up and said, ‘So what kind of feature fluff piece are you writing today?’ … I was like, ‘I’m here covering the game, you know, I understand fouls and turnovers and baskets. It’s not that difficult.’”
Benbow said winning Sportswriter of the Year is in her top three greatest accomplishments as a journalist. For her, she thinks about inspiring other women who aspire to be in the same male-dominated spaces she was in without secondguessing themselves.
“It [the award] had been given since 1959 and every single winner had been a man,” Benbow said.
“That’s so long to not have one woman win that award. So, it just meant a lot to me to think maybe some little girl might be like, ‘You
Adjunct professor of communication and Indianapolis Star
during Media Writing (COMM 326) on Feb. 18. Benbow recently received the Indiana
can be a sportswriter as a woman, and you can be really good at it; you can beat the men.’”
Benbow currently teaches as an adjunct professor of communication at UIndy, teaching COMM 326 Media Writing. Benbow said her ultimate goal is to teach her students how to write a good article and to
shape young minds; however, she said she is learning from her students as well. Her biggest challenge — making sure her quizzes are not too easy.
“A challenge has been me learning that I’m in charge and not, like, being too easy,” Benbow said.
When she is not writing stories or on the court, Benbow said she likes to unwind with her favorite snack, croutons, with her two pet goats: Herman and Gus the Glorious Goat.
“It’s 2025,” Benbow said. “We shouldn’t even be thinking about whether a woman can write about sports or politics.”
Student-led concert to give audience taste of Italy
By Allison Dininger STAFF WRITER
Two UIndy students will serve their renewed passion for music on a platter, as well as Italian cuisine, through an Italian dinner recital.
The recital, titled “Centurial Walk Through Music In Italy,” is an opportunity to walk through the streets of Italy. Sophomore music education and business major Noah Maple and sophomore music therapy major Lydia May will guide the night by putting their musical passion on display. May said the program will include brief academic insights into the history of the music, offering a
glimpse of what she and Maple will experience during their time in Italy. The recital will feature solo and duet pieces with violin, clarinet and piano, Maple said.
“I mean, as musicians, we all love to perform,” Maple said.
“And I think that doing a recital that’s based on our interests, our goals and a reasoning really kind of puts more fire and fuel behind the flight.”
The money earned at the recital will go toward Maple and May’s study abroad tuition for their trip to Italy with the music department this spring, Maple said. He said it will also serve as their upper divisional project as music students to move further in their coursework.
MARCH
MARCH
“The upper divisional is kind of the halfway point for music students,” Maple said. “It’s an intensive project where you have to spend ‘X’ amount of hours working and preparing something. And then you also are tested on your abilities, theory, aural skills, piano and sight reading ….”
For both Maple and May, the recital is a chance to refuel their love for music. Maple said that as a music major, music can become a job rather than the passion it once was. May said she loves the opportunity to perform with her violin because as a music therapy major, she does not get the chance often.
“I’d always wanted to play Paganini, and that is a huge
motivator for me,” May said. “And there’s a part where there’s a huge cadenza, a violin solo, where the accompaniment cuts out and it seems impressive because it just wows the audience.”
Maple said he will be playing a piano solo called “A Venetian Boat Song” that encapsulates the feeling of Venice. The piece is written in a 6/8 time signature to mimic the movement of water while the gondolier serenades the passengers as they row through Venice.
The two musicians do not get many chances to perform together due to their different majors, May said. She said Maple is an amazing musician and enjoyed helping him improve his performance skills
throughout the recital preparation and rehearsal process.
Maple said the recital will be on March 1 at 12:30 p.m. at he and May’s church, Mount Comfort Church, at 3179 N. 600 W., Greenfield, IN, 46140. They will be playing Italian-inspired music and serving an Italian dinner including pasta, tiramisu, gluten-free items and more provided by their parents. The tickets, available for purchase upon arrival, are $10 for students, $20 for general admission and free for children three and under, May said.
“Students get discounted prices, and it’s just a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon supporting your colleagues and fellow classmates,” Maple said.
MARCH
MARCH
Time!” with Erin Benedict and Mitzi Westra from 7-8:30 p.m. in Ruth Lilly Performance Hall. L/P Credit Available.
MARCH 23
Haydn’s Creation at 2nd Presbyterian Church This is one of the major choral orchestral masterpieces of the classical era. This concert will be at the Second Presbyterian Church located at 7700 N Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN 46260 from 3-4:30 p.m.
Source: UIndy 360 Events Calendar
Photo by Allison Cook
Sportswriter Dana Hunsinger Benbow talks with students
Sportswriter of the Year award
Photo by Allison Dininger
Music therapy major Lydia May plays the violin at a February rehearsal for her upcoming recital, “Centurial Walk Through Music In Italy,” on March 1.
Photo by Allison Dininger
Music education and business major Noah Maple rehearses piano for his upcoming Italian-inspired recital on March 1 at Mount Comfort Church.
& REVIEWS
SHOWCASING TALENT
Cabaret debuts for second time in Studio Theatre
By Pete Roeger DISTRIBUTION MANAGER
The UIndy Theatre Company presented its annual talent showcase, titled “A Cabaret: An Artists’ Showcase,” on Feb. 20-22.
This was the second annual production of the showcase, according to the theatre’s website. Assistant Professor of Theatre and Director of the UIndy Theatre Program Grant Williams said this year’s showcase was similar to last year’s in its overall feel. However, he said the lighting designer for this year created a more in-depth design and there were two emcees to host the show, compared to one last year. Williams said he wants this show to feel like a coffeehouse, complete with catered drinks and snacks.
“I’d love to see it as a studentdriven showcase of talent, mixed talent,” Williams said. “People reading their poems, people dancing, people doing stand up, and yes, doing scenes from acting classes.”
Williams explained some of the types of performers featured. He said he hopes to celebrate the accomplishments of students.
“We had a speech and debate performance last year, and that was wonderful to see,” Williams said. “So just seeing all sorts of artistic talent being showcased in a cabaret-type setting where we can celebrate student achievement, student artistry.”
Junior theatre major and “A Cabaret” Emcee Rae Cook said the showcase featured a variety of performers, including multiple singers, as well as stand-up routines and a musicchoreography performance, which they described as resembling a musical theater scene. Sophomore theatre major and emcee Natalie Sayer also said dramatic readings and theatrical monologues were part of the show. Cook estimated around 20 performers total participated in the showcase, which they said also featured class showcases.
“It’s not just a personal showcase,” Cook said. “It’s kind of showcasing the classes that the theatre program has to offer.”
It’s kind of showcasing the classes that the theatre program has has to offer.”
Cook said this production is more student-led compared to other UIndy Theatre works, such as “Circle Mirror Transformation” and “Tick, Tick… Boom!.” They said that in addition to the emcees being students, the lighting design and stage management were also student-run. This is different from other UIndy productions, which Cook said are mainly faculty-led.
Junior theatre major and lighting designer Axel Osborne
described the process of designing the lights for the “A Cabaret.” They outlined their months-long process of hanging lights, followed by working on light cues and said each act within the talent show was like a “mini-show.”
Osborne said they start with a general plan of hanging the lights in the studio theatre space and looking at its metal poles. For “A Cabaret,” Osborne said their process is based on the venue rather than the performances.
“It’s similar to, like, a map, where you kind of give yourself a key to figure out what symbol means what on your ground plan,” they said. “And then you start hanging up the lights.”
Sayer said she and Cook wrote a script based on information the performers wanted the audience to know. Sayer and Cook also wrote comedic lines in a “buddy comedy” format, as part of the change to having two emcees. Sayer described her preparation of being an emcee in more detail.
“It’s not a very complicated process,” she said. “But we are figuring out how to do it ourselves as we go along, and that’s been a little bit tricky.”
UIndy Theatre’s final production of the year is “Tick, Tick… Boom!” It will be held from April 3-5 and 10-12 in the Studio Theatre of Esch Hall on campus. Tickets, available at Eventbrite, are free for UIndy faculty, staff and students, and are $10 for community members. L/P credit is available for UIndy students.
Composer visits campus
By Gabriel Tice STAFF WRITER
Anthony Davis, a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, visited the university to talk to students about his life experiences as an African-American composer and attend a concert performing his works.
Davis has written orchestral works performed by the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, New York Philharmonic Orchestra and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. According to his website, Davis was inducted into the Opera America Hall of Fame in 2024, graduated from Yale University and is currently a professor of music at the University of California, San Diego. He has composed five operas, the most notable being “The Central Park Five” and “X: The Life and Times
of Malcolm X.” On Feb. 10, Davis gave a public interview about his opera “X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X.”
In the interview, he broke down the musical structure of his opera and how that relates to the life of Malcolm X and why he decided to write an opera over a musical.
“I wanted the storytelling told with music,” Davis said. “To me, music is part of the action. Music is part of one part of the narrative.”
Davis explained that he was not interested in dialogue between musical numbers. He wanted the music to compel it as the “life force.” He also went on to talk about how the opera faced scrutiny and had patrons of the opera hall pull their funding due to the opera being about Malcolm X.
Back in ... inaction
By Caroline Krauch SPORTS EDITOR
Mild spoilers ahead.
Actors Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx put on a great show in their new Netflix movie,“Back in Action.”It was a great family movie, but it was not one I would watch again.
The movie itself was not bad altogether,but the plot was predictable and the ending was expected. The acting was good, as Foxx and Diaz are trained professionals and I enjoy their movies. However, this movie seemed forced.
To start,the plot felt like something that I had already seen before with spy parents giving up their action-packed lives to start a family.This is something that has been done before with the “Spy Kids” series, which is almost the exact same concept, or “Killers,” a similar plot but less family-oriented. The action scenes themselves were great, and the special effects were high-quality — that does not make up for the lack of substance throughout this movie. It felt like I could predict the next move before it actually happened.
The plot twists, while shocking, were not enough to make this movie as original as it needed to be. With a storyline that has been played out before, I expected more from two veteran actors.
The messages in the movie were clear and they were great for families. The movie taps into issues with younger generations, like reliance on the internet and the lack of connection between parents and children. I can definitely see a family with younger kids going to sit down and watch this movie with their kids, but that being said there is a high level of violence in the movie. It felt like the movie was stuck between target audiences. The messaging felt like it was geared towards a family with younger children but the content would have made more sense and more of an impact on older audiences. It showed the importance of connecting with your parents and not letting the internet rule your life.
Overall, this movie was good; it had exciting action, good messages and great actors. It is not something I would deem an instant classic or even recommend to those I know, but it is not something I was upset about watching.
Photo by Allison Cook
UIndy students Rachel Bush and Jordan Weddle perform a scene at “A Cabaret: An Artists’ Showcase” on Feb. 20 in the Studio Theatre.
Photo by Allison Cook Lucas Griffin performs a monologue at “A Cabaret: An Artists’ Showcase” on Feb. 20 in the Studio Theatre. This was the second annual showcase.
Photo by Gabriel Tice
Guest performers from Indiana University Langelihle Mngxati (vocals) and Albert Micheal Newberry (piano) perform Anthony Davis’s works with Davis in attendance in the Ruth Lilly Performance Hall on Feb. 11.
