The O'Colly, Monday, July 10, 2023

Monday, July 10, 2023

Sidwell Enterprises hires OSU alumni, company stays true to its orange roots

individuals available.”

Sidwell Enterprise owner and Oklahoma State University alumni, Brady Sidwell, has recently hired four fellow alumni and current students for various positions across the multi-enterprise company.

Sidwell graduated from OSU in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics.

“I love to hire from OSU, if possible,” Sidwell said. “Being an OSU alumni myself, it has always been a priority of mine to support the college in any way I can. Beyond that, I know if I am hiring from OSU, I am getting the most well-rounded and ambitious

Jaime Hays recently accepted the position of chief financial officer for Sidwell Enterprises.

Hays studied accounting and finance at OSU for over four years before eventually transferring to Northwestern to complete her degree in accounting.

“I would recommend working with or interning at this business to any OSU student or alumni,” Hays said. “There is a variety of different business under Sidwell Enterprises, so it allows for experience in multiple fields. It gives a lot of exposure and is constantly growing, changing and evolving. It is very active and exciting.”

See Sidwell on 5

Year-end review

Does 2022-23 rank as worst year for OSU sports in recent history?

The case can be made, despite OSU posting a third straight Top 25 finish in the Learfield Director’s Cup, which ranks the nation’s schools based on finish across all sports with championships.

OSU names new director of Greenwood School of Music

The OSU Greenwood School of Music has new leadership.

Oklahoma State University’s Greenwood School of Music finally closed a nationwide hunt for its new director concluding with appointing Lucia Unrau.

Unrau brings years of experience and knowledge to OSU as an administrator and wellrespected piano teacher. She also holds degrees in piano performance from Oberlin College of Conservatory Music, Indiana University and the University of Texas at Austin.

“During the interview process, Dr. Unrau projected a fair but no-nonsense management style, while still seeming affable and approachable,”

said Thomas Lanners, a GSM piano professor and search committee member. “Her significant accomplishments as a musician and teacher will surely inform every important decision she will make as director of the Greenwood School, overseeing other likeminded musicians on the OSU faculty.”

Before her appointment at Stillwater, Unrau held the position of chair of the department of music at Murray State University in Kentucky. Her resume is stacked with several roles as an adjudicator, teacher, clinician, collaborator and performer. Unrau helped younger musicians as well while working for years in different college music programs. For example, from 2005 to 2018, Unrau was camp keyboard coordinator at Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan, one of the nation’s preeminent pre-university summer programs.

See Greenwood on 7

A chance to solidify a campaign to a second straight Big 12 championship game awaited the Cowboys football team.

A win against Texas a week earlier eased the sting of a doubleovertime loss to eventual national runner-up TCU. Beat Kansas State and the Cowboys would still be sitting pretty at 7-1.

Didn’t happen.

The ninth-ranked Cowboys left Bill Snyder Family Stadium 48-0 losers – a historic loss that sent the Cowboys spiraling from College Football Playoff contention to a 7-6 finish, tying the program’s worst record in 17 seasons.

Worse, that created a theme for many of OSU’s athletic programs during the 2022-23 school year, especially among the highest-profile sports. Bad finishes, missed NCAA Tournaments and blurry futures kept repeating. Looking back, does 2022-23 rank as the worst for OSU sports in recent history?

A Football Flop Coming off a 12-2 season, OSU returned Spencer Sanders at quarterback, Dominic Richardson at running back, a defensive line that led the Big 12 in sacks and most of the receiving corps.

The program owned momentum.

Through seven games, OSU averaged nearly 45 points, topping the 31-point average from 2021. Production, however, dipped to 14.1 points a game over the final six games, when the Cowboys failed to score more than 20 in any. Prior to that stretch, OSU had scored more than 20 points in 24 of its previous 25 games. The season average of 30.6 points was the lowest since 2014.

The defense also regressed, posting just 26 sacks in 13 games and allowing 178 rushing yards a game. A 12-game winning streak against Kansas dating back to 2007 was snapped, and it was the first loss in Lawrence since 1994

– the same year the TV sitcom Friends premiered. The 48-0 loss to KSU was the worst loss of the Gundy era and the first 40-point

shutout loss by a top-10 team since 1968.

The Cowboys were bound to take a step back after a historic 2021 season, but to fall that far that fast sounded alarms.

Injuries took a toll.

Week 5 against Texas Tech, Sanders hurt his shoulder, and he was never the same. He missed time on and off, and his production dwindled. Sanders’ completion rate went from 66.1% before Tech, to 53.2% after.

“I don’t know if Spencer really, honest to God, had practiced more than once or twice before the OU game,” offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn told The Athletic. “His arm was hurting, and he was struggling, but he wanted to play. He’s a competitor, he’s a gamer, he’s Spencer. But he hadn’t practiced in a long time.”

Defensive ends Trace Ford and Tyler Lacy missed the back half of the season, and defensive tackle Brendon Evers’ Cowboy career ended due to shoulder injuries. The offensive line missed starter Cole Birmingham with a torn ACL, and the unit suffered from leaves of absence from Hunter Woodard and Preston Wilson.

The revolving door on the line hampered the run game, which only had a running back reach 75 yards twice.

Courtesy of Taylor Dowell

Jaime Hays, an OSU alumna, recently accepted the position of chief financial officer for Sidwell Enterprises.

Courtesy of Chase Davis

championship game, the OSU football team tied for its worst record in 17 years -- just one of several OSU teams

Braden Bush

Sports Editor

Taylor Dowell

O’Colly Contributor

Mallory Pool Staff Reporter

Nas’ new home

Anastasiya Komar’s journey to OSU tennis

the approach of gathering up veterans from the transfer portal. In doing so, he managed to score one of the most coveted players in the country in Anastasiya Komar, or simply “Nas,” labeled by her newfound teammates.

Anastasiya Komar’s tennis journey was sort of like a Garth Brooks playlist. One minute, “Callin’ Baton Rouge” is the favorite, but eventually, it gets around to “Friends in Low Places.”

The transfer portal has revolutionized college athletics. With so many athletes looking for new destinations, coaches in all sports have had to reevaluate recruiting priorities. One man who has taken this change and ran with it is Oklahoma State women’s tennis coach Chris Young.

This offseason, Young did not recruit a single freshman, rather he took

In her short time playing for LSU, Komar made herself known as a force in the collegiate tennis scene. Peaking as the 9th-ranked player in college tennis, Komar racked up an impressive 33-7 overall singles record in her time in Baton Rouge. She attained AllAmerican honors in both doubles and singles, as well.

LSU would not remain her home.

After the 2022-23 season concluded, Komar hopped into the transfer portal.

Given her high-caliber play, the messages and phone calls began almost instantaneously, each coach wanting to throw their hat into the ring for the Belarusian baller. Her former LSU teammate and best friend, Safiya Carrington, com-

mitted to OSU before Komar’s decision was made. This was more than enough to give her interest in attending OSU. After a nice talk with Young and a look at the facilities in Stillwater, the Cowgirls found themselves a top-10 player for the squad.

Another major factor in her recruitment came in the form of connections to her home country of Belarus. OSU women’s tennis has had much success with players from Belarus, adding an extra layer of reassurance to her decision. After talking with a few of her friends from back home that have come through the Cowgirl tennis program, she knew OSU was the right fit for her.

While tennis is far out in the distance, Komar has been playing a different game, adapting to life in Stillwater.

“I will say it is similar to Baton Rouge, but less dangerous,” Komar said. “I like it here more because it’s more peaceful for me. The people here

are so nice, too.” Her coaches have also done everything they can to make her time in Oklahoma as enjoyable as possible, whether it be shooting trick shots in the front yard basketball hoop, or just inviting her over for dinner.

While her time in Stillwater has gotten off to a good start, Komar is itching to take the courts of the Greenwood Tennis Center in front of the Cowgirl faithful.

“I’m really excited, because at LSU we didn’t really have that many people,” Komar said. “Having a good crowd is really helpful for you to play when having that support. It’s really exciting.”

And she’s looking to put on a show once the time arises.

“I’ll try to be top five at least,” Komar said. “Just really going to do my best as a team player and show my best game to the fans and everybody.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of Anastasiya Komar

Anastasiya Komar transferred to OSU after becoming an All-American at LSU.

Payton Little Staff Reporter

OSU sports...

Continued from 1

Then came the transfer portal.

OSU had eight starters and 10 others enter the portal. The impactful losses – like Sanders, Richardson, Ford, captain receiver John Paul Richardson and cornerback Jabbar Muhammad – added insult to a 1-5 finish.

Coach Mike Gundy’s only season with a worse record was a 4-7 mark his maiden season in 2005. OSU has finished 7-6 two other times in the last 15 years (2014, 2018), but both seasons ended with optimism. In 2014, OSU beat Washington in a bowl game, and freshman Mason Rudolph emerged as the future quarterback. In 2018, the Cowboys beat Missouri in the Liberty Bowl and had Sanders waiting to take the reins. 2023 ended with a bowl loss, a mass exodus and questions at key positions.

OSU had a chance, after more than a decade near the top, to build on a historic season. Instead, just a year later, it fell into a state of uncertainty just as the Big 12 will soon seek a new prominent program with the departures of Oklahoma and Texas imminent.

Continuing Woes

Other prestigious OSU programs dipped as well –including its most historically rich: wrestling.

The Cowboys have wrestled at the NCAA Championships 91 times, capturing more national titles (34) than finishes outside of the top three (28). Only three times had the Cowboys finished lower than seventh, and never worse than 16th.

Until last season, when the NCAA’s most successful program of all time finished 18th.

“It wasn’t a lack of effort,” said Cowboys coach John Smith. “It wasn’t a lack of wanting. I think just more of a lack of skill a little bit.”

At 125, Reece Witcraft took over the final six duals for Trevor Mastrogiovanni, a No. 7 seed in the 2022 NCAA Championships who didn’t wrestle after Jan. 15. Witcraft’s short-notice performance was commendable – placing third at the Big 12 Championships – but he bowed out of nationals on Day 1 after entering concussion protocol. Following an injury from the Big 12 semifinals, 141-pounder Carter Young also wasn’t 100% in an 0-2 NCAA performance.

Six of OSU’s 10 qualifiers were eliminated within three matches, and only two Cowboys reached All-American status. Daton Fix, a threetime runner-up at 133 and OSU’s best shot at a champion, had only lost four collegiate matches in his career, but lost two bouts at nationals and finished a career-low fourth.

OSU finished 14-3 (8-1 Big 12) with respectable dual wins against Missouri and Michigan, but closed without a Big 12 title for the second consecutive year and an 18th-

place finish a year after landing at 14th.

“I know everything is judged on the national tournament and that’s fine,” Smith said. “I know that we’ve had two poor tournaments in a row. That’s not fine.

“I don’t accept the results, but what I do need is I need to make sure that we don’t beat our program up. We’re to the point where people become very unconformable wrestling with it. We need to gather up our troops and kick ass as we’re going forward.”

Hard Knocks on the Hardwood

By the time the Cowboy basketball team took on Kansas on Valentine’s Day, it seemed secure as an NCAA Tournament team and projected as a single-digit seed.

A month later, the Pokes were left out of March Madness, again.

The Cowboys carried NCAA Tournament potential – showcased during a stretch of seven wins in eight games leading up to the KU game – making the realization of being the first team left out of the tournament all the more frustrating. A solid Cowboy team fell short of tournament inclusion for the fourth time in five years.

“Some of it was outside of control, but there were several things that we could have done better to ensure our position,” coach Mike Boynton said. “And ultimately, that’s on me, and it’s my job to put our program in position where we are not on that line or fighting in the last couple of weeks, but that we have consistent success throughout the year.”

By February, the offense seemed to find its groove with John-Michael Wright at point guard and Kalib Boone in the paint, and the defense was regarded as one of the best in the country. Then the end of conference play happened.

OSU lost five of six down the stretch, crushing the momentum built to begin conference play. The Cowboys went from nearly a lock to a bubble team again, which hasn’t boded well for them. For the third time in the last decade, OSU was left out with an 8-10 conference record.

Five Cowboys who combined for 94 starts – Kalib Boone, Avery Anderson III, Moussa Cisse, Tyreek Smith and Woody Newton – all hit the portal after the season.

The Cowboys have had worse seasons in the last 15 years. They’ve only made the second round of the Big Dance once since 2009. But this team was on the cusp of a tournament appearance and instead became another OSU team with a disappointing finish.

Spring Sprung Leaks Spring sports took a hit, too.

The OSU men’s golf team is a staple at the NCAA Tournament, entering the year having only missed the field once since 1947.

Make that twice.

The Cowboys finished seventh at the Las Vegas Regional, just outside the top-5 qualifying spots for the 2023

NCAA Tournament. A rare occurrence for the second-most successful program at OSU, which claims 11 national titles. One big factor contributed to that.

First-team All-American Eugenio Chacarra announced after the 2021-22 season that he would return for another year, then signed with LIV Golf, leaving OSU without its top player. Then, in November, third-team All-American Brian Stark announced he was transferring midseason to Texas. Stark finished in the top 15 at the NCAAs the year before.

That’s a lot to overcome.

While men’s golf missed NCAA Tournament play, the OSU baseball team made it – but was bounced from its home regional for the secondstraight year.

OSU began playing baseball in O’Brate Stadium in 2021, and the state-of-the-art venue has attracted attention to the program and hosted two regionals. Still, the Cowboys haven’t made it past the regional round since 2019.

Meanwhile, ORU went 3-0 against the Cowboys this season and took part in the Cowboys’ elimination in the Stillwater Regional. OSU has just one College World Series appearance in the last 23 seasons, and this year’s campaign ended with a 14-run loss to Dallas Baptist at home.

Like the men’s basket-

ball team, the baseball team instilled promise, going 14-3 down the stretch of the regular season, even making the Big 12 title game. Then, an abrupt and disappointing ending.

“We’re all disappointed in how it all ended, but I don’t think anyone will ever be satisfied until you go win the final game,” coach Josh Holliday said.

The Bright Spots

So, how did OSU finish 25th in the Learfield Director’s Cup?

Much credit belongs to the track & field and crosscountry teams.

Coach Dave Smith led his programs to great success. Both the men’s and women’s cross-country teams claimed Big 12 titles, and the Cowboys finished second at the NCAA Championships – just a tiebreaker away from a national title. The women’s team finished fourth nationally.

And despite not having an indoor track facility like other Big 12 programs, the Cowgirls won their first Indoor Track & Field Big 12 Championship. Other lower-profile sports also pitched in to save the athletics year.

The Cowgirl softball team overcame a rough end to the regular season and made the Women’s College World Series for a fourth-consecutive year, cementing itself as one of the top programs in the sport.

First-year women’s bas-

ketball coach Jacie Hoyt led the program to a 20-12 record a year after finishing 9-20. The Cowgirls’ success included a win in the Big 12 Tournament and an NCAA Tournament appearance.

Still, when factoring in OSU’s most prominent programs, the 2022-23 athletics year was a dud.

In 2014-15, men’s basketball missed the tournament and football went 7-6, but baseball went to a Super Regional and men’s golf made the NCAA Tournament, too. Wrestling even finished seventh.

In 2011-12, men’s golf missed the tournament, but the football team won a Big 12 title. There hadn’t been a year when each of the five struggled.

In 2022-23, wrestling and men’s golf, both dynasties, experienced their worst NCAA finishes. The Cowboy football team went from 12 wins to seven in one season, its biggest drop-off since going from 10 wins in 1988 to four in 1989. Men’s basketball and baseball continued to struggle in the postseason. It was an all-around struggle for the high-attendance sports in Stillwater.

Now we’re on the verge of a new school year of sports. Will 2022-23 prove to be but a blip? Or a lingering slip?

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of Chase Davis

Kansas fans stormed the field and tore down the goal posts after the Jayhawks beat the Cowboys for the first time since 2007.

Grace Yochum joins OSU soccer staff as player development coach

our fantastic student-athletes and helping them develop in all areas of their college life. Special thanks to Chad Weiberg, Reid Sigmon, and Colin Carmichael for giving me this opportunity, and I can’t wait to get started!”

Calif Poncy Staff Reporter

Oklahoma State soccer has made a slew of changes to its coaching staff.

On Friday, the team announced that program legend Grace Yochum is joining the staff as a player development coach.

Yochum returns to OSU after becoming the program’s all-time leading goal scorer last season, solidifying her place as one of the greatest to ever suit up for the Cowgirls.

“I am super excited to work with the Oklahoma State soccer program in this new role,” Yochum said. “This university has given me so much, and I’m looking forward to giving back and working with

A day earlier, the Cowgirls added Dustin Stein as an assistant coach. Stein comes to Stillwater after spending the past five seasons at the University of Pittsburgh, where he helped the Panthers become a formidable team in what most consider the best conference in college soccer.

“We are very excited to add Dustin to our staff. I’ve known Dustin and his family for many years; he grew up in Oklahoma, and we are delighted he is heading back home,” said OSU coach Colin Carmichael.

Stein and Yochum join Carmichael’s staff as OSU aims to return to postseason play during the upcoming season.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Hinson-Tolchard misses cut at U.S. Women’s Open

Maddison HinsonTolchard’s LPGA major championship debut was shortened after failing to make the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open this weekend. Her 14-over par performance landed her outside of the 6-over score needed to make the cut. Only four amateurs made the cut.

In Round 1, Hinson-Tolchard began steadily at even par through four holes, then

wavered with a triple bogey on the fifth and a pair of bogeys at the end of the front nine. She finished solid on the back nine, shooting only 1-over par. This performance placed her on a decent track to potentially make the cut; however, Round 2 did not go as planned. Hinson-Tolchard started off at even par until the fifth hole, again, gave her trouble, with a double bogey. She birdied the next hole and finished the front nine only 2-over, but the back nine was a roller coaster.

With two double bogeys and three bogeys, her birdie on the 16th hole was not enough to help place her above the cut line. She finished the round 8-over par with a +14 total over 36 holes, eight strokes out of the +6 cut.

Although her LPGA major debut was cut short, HinsonTolchard will be heading back to Pebble Beach in September for the Carmel Cup, the Cowgirls’ first collegiate tournament of the 2023-24 season, with hopes of a different outcome.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of Jaiden Daughty

Grace Yochum, the Cowgirls’ all-time leading goal scorer, joined the OSU staff as a player development coach on Friday.

Courtesy of OSU Athletics

Maddison Hinson-Tolchard missed the cut at the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open, which was her LPGA major championship debut.

Gina Foster Staff Reporter

Sidwell...

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Hays will be overseeing financial operations for each entity as well as business reports and forecasting.

Cade Jenlink accepted the position of licensed commodity broker at Sidwell Strategies. He interned with them for approximately a year as a

-

broker assistant while completing his bachelor’s degree in agribusiness from OSU Jenlink will be working with agricultural producers on risk management solutions and strategies.

Katie Whitfield interned with Sidwell Enterprises before accepting a full-time position upon completion of her bachelor’s degree in animal science with a concentration in business from OSU. She is now the business development coordinator for Sidwell Distribution.

“Going to OSU definitely pre -

pared me for a job in this setting,” Whitfield said. “The animal science program there is the best and it gave me a lot of background to be able to go into this job confidently.”

Whitfield will be handling the local supply chain and developing the Sidwell Distribution Top Shelf Beef Program.

Taylor Dowell recently accepted an intern position for Sidwell Enterprises. She is now the marketing and communications intern while studying agribusiness and agricultural communi-

cations at OSU.

Dowell will be focusing on website and social media development for each entity.

Sidwell Enterprises offers a wide variety of jobs and internships for students and alumni from OSU who are interested in broadening their horizons and immersing themselves in an agriculturally rich environment.

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Courtesy of Taylor Dowell

Cade Jenlink, an OSU alumni, accepted the position of licensed commodity broker at Sidwell Strategies.

Miracles in Motion gives those with disabilities a new sense of mobility

The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Jul. 8—SWISHER — “Up, over, up, over,” instructor Diana Harris said into her headset’s microphone Wednesday night as she moved participants through the motions, encouraging each one by name.

To the untrained ear, the instructions at the barn centering 77 bucolic acres sounded like a typical exercise class. For those participating, it was.

But instead of exercising just their own bodies, participants with physical, development and intellectual disabilities are also commanding another one about 10 times their size. Along with a rigorously certified instructor and many volunteers, the horses at Miracles in Motion make this adaptive riding class a little more different from Jazzercise or Zumba.

Why they ride

Keaton Wright, 32, has been attending the adaptive riding classes at the nonprofit for more than 20 years. With physical and intellectual disabilities, his doctor recommended it to help his balance and mobility.

But over time, the impacts have gone far beyond helping him walk and move.

In about 50 minutes of social time away from his family each week, Keaton is one of the centers of attention for the instructor and volunteers in the small class for three. Over time, Keaton has grown comfortable enough to leave his calming fidgets in the car.

Each week, the Alburnett resident relishes in the attention and the chance to improve skills at his own pace.

“When we turn off the interstate, he says ‘Hats on,’ “ said his mother, Betty Wright, referring to the safety helmets riders wear while on top of the horses. “Even if he doesn’t say it, he understands more than

we give him credit for.”

For someone who is nonverbal, that’s a big deal — and a testament in part to how the relatively simple exercises have helped him over decades.

The only thing they can’t get him to say each week is “whoa,” to stop the horses the way volunteers end the class each week.

That’s because “he doesn’t want to stop,” Betty said.

An unspoken bond

For many parents watching, it’s easy to see how the power of the bond between horses and their riders transcends words.

“Horses are, in a certain sense, like people. It’s amazing to think of the unspoken language a rider shares with a horse — it’s striking,” said Ted Abel, whose son, Seamus, has been attending adaptive riding and hippotherapy for 10 years.

Ted and his wife, Noreen, got Seamus involved in riding horses when he was about 12. Their son, now a junior studying German at the University of Iowa, is able to speak, but has different social preferences as someone on the autism spectrum.

When baseball didn’t pan out the way Ted hoped it would for his son, they hoped horse riding would be something he could enjoy at his own developmental pace. Today, it’s something Seamus finds comfort in.

“One thing important about people with developmental disabilities is they’re on their own unique trajectory throughout life,” said Ted, who is also the chair and executive officer of the Neuroscience and Pharmacology Department at the University of Iowa’s Carver College of Medicine. “Seeing Seamus navigate developmental milestones in a different way, different time and different order ... this has helped him do that.”

Over time, Seamus has gotten comfortable with the pace of regulation that horse riding requires — with changes

in weekly volunteers walking alongside him, the speed of exercises and the way it gently helps riders push their own boundaries.

Moving hands forward to touch the horse’s ears, reaching up, and stretching arms side to side while in motion several feet off the ground bring a new level of accessibility to exercise for those who can’t take traditional forms for granted.

Maneuvering horses left and right, or up and down, instills a sense of communication that speech can’t touch.

A new sense of confidence

Controlling thousandpound animals offers a sense of control that many students have difficulty finding in other areas of life, which translates to a confidence they can apply anywhere.

“Adaptive riding students are there because being on a horse makes them feel independent, strong and in control in a way that nothing else in their life does,” said Harris, who became a certified instructor with the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship in 2020 after several years of volunteering for Miracles in Motion. “You may not be able

to do things the way everybody else does, but you’re able to sit on a horse, get it to stop, lay down — it’s a lot of confidence building.”

For 35 years, the organization has been helping those with a wide range of disabilities find their stride in life through the rhythmic motion of horseback riding — a powerful element not as often recognized by those without disabilities. With only a handful of similar nonprofits around the state, Miracles in Motion serves a large portion of Eastern Iowa.

Like the riders, Harris has adapted her style. She calls each rider in the small group by name, offering constructive feedback sandwiched by positive praise to compel them.

At this week’s session, the horses tired from a hot day needed more encouragement than the riders.

The mature horses, donated to the organization by former owners who used them for other occupations, adapt to the preferences of each rider. Most riders, including nonverbal ones, are very observant about their physical surroundings.

“I think it helps a great deal that horses don’t talk. A

person can communicate with a horse without talking — to non-verbal people, that’s obvious,” Harris explained. “But to the rest of us who spend time with words in our heads and mouths, doing something that doesn’t require words requires a different kind of attention.”

It’s not just about being on horses, she said. It’s about fostering an environment where participants can feel better about themselves, no matter how tepid their individual progress may be.

Like many of her riders, the impact of watching that confidence come to life can be hard for the instructor to put into words.

“So much of it is emotional,” she said. “You go to a situation and see what you’re doing is effective.”

Physically and emotionally, the dividends from each clomp in the dirt arena is what keeps students coming back, and what motivates her and dozens of volunteers each week to hold the lead each step of the way.

Comments: (319) 3988340; elijah.decious@thegazette.com

news.ed@ocolly.com

File Photo

Controlling thousand-pound animals offers a sense of control that many students have difficulty finding in other areas of life, which translates to a confidence they can apply anywhere.

Elijah Decious

that can bring together diverse groups of people to create something beautiful and positive. It transcends spoken language.”

Courtesy of

attributed to the new GSM facility and the school’s recent re-accreditation through the National Association of Schools of Music.

“I have always been passionate about music and arts education for all,” Unrau said. “It needs to be a core subject in our schools, not an extra. The arts provide a means of communication

Her commitment to her field accompanies OSU’s successful arts culture and reputation which was obvious to Unrau even before she and Peter Terry, her husband, came to Stillwater.

said. “When I interviewed, it became obvious that what I had heard was true. There are many challenges in higher education right now and these challenges can lead to mental and emotional fatigue among the faculty. I did not find that to be true at OSU. In particular, the GSM faculty are engaged, energized and motivated.”

“I know many people who have always spoken highly of OSU,” Unrau

HIMALAYAN GROCERY STORE

Unrau continued that there is additional energy in the department

Continued from 1 news.ed@ocolly.com

“We are very clear on where we are and now, we get to choose where we want to go,” Unrau said. “This is a rare combination of elements that only comes along once in a great while. I feel privileged to be part of this exciting time at GSM.”

OSU

Oklahoma State University’s Greenwood School of Music finally closed a nationwide hunt for its new director concluding with appointing Lucia Unrau.

Is Threads the Twitter alternative we’ve been waiting for?

Michael Clark Staff Reporter

Although Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg’s UFC cage match may not have come to fruition, the two billionaires are currently engaged in a different kind of fight on the most prominent battlefield of the 21st century: social media.

As Musk alienates users by making controversial decisions on Twitter, such as limiting the amount of tweets a user can view per day, Mark Zuckerberg is pushing Meta’s new app, “Threads,” as an alternative to Twitter. With this newly launched site, many users are left wondering if it stands a fighting chance against the social media tyrant.

Here is what you need to know about how they compare and contrast.

The User Interface may not be the first thing you notice when using your favorite apps, but a poor Ui will make itself known almost immediately. It’s a bad sign when you spend most of your time trying to navigate an app rather than enjoying it. While Threads does not have a bad User Interface per say, it sure is cluttered.

Threads has a lot of different icons and buttons on its homepage that feels overwhelming as a first impression, which is never good if you want to bring new users. Despite all its flaws, Twitter has an excellent User Interface. The app will guide your eyes from post to post in a way that feels natural and engaging.

With that in mind, Threads simply feels far too similar to Twitter without any notable improvements. Take a look at the transition from Vine to TikTok, a big driving factor of TikTok is its sleek interface, making it easy to enjoy for hours and hours. Undoubtedly, a massive improvement over Vine. On the other hand, Threads hardly brings any innovation or identity to this app outside of being “Not Twitter.”

Some may argue that

all Threads needs to be is a reskin of Twitter, but it’s not just a reskin, it’s a downgrade. It’s much harder to find your community and curate your feed without hashtags, which is a massive driving force of Twitter. There hardly seems to be an algorithm to find content you like either, it’s just what the app suggests. Perhaps this

will change over time, but it’s not a great first impression, and Meta needs to strike while the iron is hot. In terms of content, it is difficult to judge the merits of the app. It’s simply difficult to determine the quality of its community when it’s only been out for a few days. After using Threads for a few hours,

the majority of posts seem to be more advertisements and vague, confused posts by people trying to make something stick. While algorithms can be abused, a basic one is important so you can be given content you enjoy and click with.

At the end of the day, Threads isn’t a terrible alterna-

tive as Musk runs Twitter into the ground. However, it sure feels like a cheap knockoff. As the app develops, you’ll surely find a better sense of community and engagement, but as of now, it’s only worth checking out as an amusing novelty, or perhaps an investment.

entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of HO (Rafael Henrique/Dreamstime/TNS)

Mark Zuckerberg is pushing Meta’s new app, “Threads,” as an alternative to Twitter.

Come check out the wide variety of elegant clothing at Formal Fantasy!

Located on 121 E. 9th Ave, Downtown Stillwater

The best selection of beer, wine and liquor that Stillwater has to offer! Perfect for all your game day needs, come to Brown’s Bottle Shop located on 128 N. Main

“The Original Hideaway, located on the corner of Knoblock and University. Serving quality pizza and more since 1957.”

Murphy’s Department Store

815 S Main, Downtown Open 10-6

Monday thru Saturday

Houses for rent

Spacious 1100 sq. ft

2 bedroom home. Recently remodeled, CH/A, wood

floors, nice yard. 2214 E. 6th Ave., Scarlett Bus Route. 405-372-7107.

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

Edited by

Patti Varol and Joyce Lewis

Daily Horoscope

Nancy Black

Tribune Content Agency

Linda Black Horoscopes

Today’s Birthday (07/10/23). Share, connect and collaborate this year. Faithful investigation reveals the full story. Family fun fills your home with laughter this autumn, before winter social transitions require adaptation. Tackle spring cleaning and domestic repair projects this spring, for professional flowering. Together with friends, you’re unbeatable.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is an 8 — Your labors get results, with Mars entering Virgo for two months. Practice and exercise for growing strength, endurance and skills. Your work feels energized.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 7 — For nearly eight weeks, with Mars in Virgo, creative pursuits flower. Put your actions where your heart is. Follow love, passion, beauty and romance.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — Fix up your place over the next few months, with Mars in Virgo. Physically move stuff around. Action gets satisfying results. Clean, sort and organize.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 7 — Energized communications go viral, with Mars in Virgo for two months. Dig into a fascinating story. Study, research and gather data. Network and share.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 9 — Develop and grow new income sources. Lucrative ventures seem energized by Mars in Virgo over the next two months. Explore fascinating and profitable possibilities.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 9 — Passion projects take center stage, with Mars in Virgo. You’re spurred into action for two months. Develop an exciting possibility. Take charge and shine.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 7 — Begin a contemplative phase. Clean, sort and organize over two months, with Mars in Virgo. Process the past as you clear space for what’s ahead.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 9 — Jump into action. Share efforts for a common cause. Team efforts get supercharged, with Mars in Virgo for two months. Together, anything’s possible.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is an 8 — Move forward boldly. Especially over nearly eight weeks, with Mars in Virgo, your career can advance toward your passions. Energize an exciting professional project.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is an 8 — Discover new frontiers. Educational exploration beckons for about two months, with Mars in Virgo. Expand your horizons. Widen your understanding. Investigate the possibilities.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is an 8 — Strategize to grow family financial strength. With Mars in Virgo, review and organize. Review and revise your budget. Pull together for a lucrative prize.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is an 8 — Collaborate for a common objective. Coordinate your actions for best impact. Over two months, with Mars in Virgo, partnership flourishes. Connect at a deeper level.

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Karen Lurie

Solution to Saturday’s puzzle

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk