Friday | March 18,2022 | Volume 95 | Issue 14
NEWS » PAGE 13
NEWS » PAGE 4
FESTIVAL OF STORIES
WE ARE THE CAREER CHAMPIONS Weber State University
KENNEDY ROBINS| The Signpost
2 | MyWeberMedia.com | March 18, 2022
By BEX BAGGETT Reporter
Harassment of queer student When a student returned to her vehicle in the A10 lot after class on Feb. 25 around 1 p.m., she observed “WWJD,” symbolizing “What Would Jesus Do,” written in the snow on the trunk of her vehicle. The student explained to the officer that she recently left the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after getting into a relationship with her current girlfriend and believes this may have been targeted harassment of her beliefs and sexual orientation. The student mentioned one potential suspect but decided against pursuing charges. No other damage was observed on the vehicle, and no other cars in the proximity of the vehicle had writing on them.
Elevator ding dong ditch An elevator alarm was activated on the WSU Davis Campus on Feb. 25 around 5 p.m. A WSU officer was dispatched to investigate the alarm but was unable to determine which building the alarm came from. The officer used the camera system to check each elevator but did not see anyone in distress. No one was in any of the elevators, and all of the elevators appeared to be in working order. Davis campus hit and run A witness reported a hit and run accident on the Davis campus around noon on Feb. 24. The witness filed a statement that claims she was in her car in the parking lot when she witnessed the incident. A black truck attempted to park in a parking stall but was too close to the car on the passenger side and scraped it. The truck attempted to back out of the stall, but part of the truck was stuck on the other car. When the truck reversed, the truck ripped
off the front bumper of the other car. The driver of the truck got out of the truck, looked at the damage to the other vehicle, got back into the truck and drove away. Public urination A man was seen urinating between two vehicles in parking lot A2 around 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 23. A handful of officers were dispatched to find the suspect who was described to be wearing a tie-dye blanket. He was found walking on the sidewalk between Tracy Hall and Elizabeth Hall. An officer stopped the suspect to discuss the incident. When asked if he had urinated in the parking lot, the suspect confirmed. The officer advised the suspect that he needs to use one of the available bathrooms on campus. Domestic partner assault
and Dixon Parkway around 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 22. Two WSU employees witnessed the incident. A male was seen exiting a vehicle, walking around to the passenger side, striking a woman in the face after she had exited the vehicle. The female was crying and carrying a child and a car seat for an infant. The victim sustained no injuries to the face. Her statement of the incident matched those of the witnesses. The officer attempted to make contact with the suspect by contacting him at home and work. The suspect contacted the victim via email and threatened to blackmail her after claiming she notified the police. An officer attempted to contact the suspect via phone and email, notified him that she did not want to pursue charges and informed him that the department was following up as it was a domestic violence incident.
An officer responded to a report of a domAn officer responded to a report of a domestic violence assault incident near Waterfall Way
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Weber State University Student Body President Ben Ferney explains what a career champion is, the differences they make in students’ lives and how important they are to WSU. By EZRA STRILEY-WEINMAN Reporter
Weber State University Career Services held a Career Championship Banquet honoring 12 faculty and staff members who have contributed to student career and professional development on March 15. The Career Champions Program started in 2020, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, Student Services wasn’t able to put on an in-person banquet. “This is the first of many banquets; we hope to make this an annual thing,” Jacob Wilkey, career counselor for the College of Health Professions and co-organizer of this event, said. Event co-organizers Jenna Kane, marketing and publicity specialist for WSU Career Services, and Callie Oyama, Career Services marketing intern, wrote that “Career Champions go above and beyond to provide students with the necessary tools to further their career prior to graduation.” But as mentors, what do they do for the students at WSU? “Mentors are individuals who invest in students’ lives, wanting what’s best for them outside of the classroom environment,” Kane said. The career champions of 2021-22 dis-
played each of those attributes, and students took the opportunity to recognize it. Students elected the staff and faculty who won these awards. The students left comments on their submissions paying homage to the specific work these mentors have done for their lives. “WSU is the highest ROI institution in the state of Utah because we have dedicated people who really look across all of our disciplines to make individualized impact on our students’ education,” Brad Mortensen, WSU President, said. The individualized impact is what this event is all about. The nominations and kind words from students who nominated these career champions are direct translations of the individualized approach the faculty and staff take at WSU. The following professors and instructors were recognized and awarded with a plaque: Sheila Anderson, associate professor for the Department of Child and Family Studies; George Kvernadze, mathematics professor; Terrilyn Morgan, instructor for the School of Accounting & Taxation at the Goddard School of Business & Economics; Patrick Murphy, adjunct professor of communication for Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities; and Matt Nicholaou, associate professor and Dumke Endowed Chair of the Dumke College of Health Professions. Other award recipients are Tashina Barber,
KENNEDY ROBINS | The Signpost
KENNEDY ROBINS | The Signpost
4 | MyWeberMedia.com | March 18, 2022
Winn Stanger tells the history of the Career Champions banquet and what started the banquet.
multicultural retention counselor for the Center for Multicultural Excellence; Jennifer Bodine, sustainability manager for the Energy & Sustainability Office; Nicholas Downs, athletics marketing and operations coordinator for WSU Athletics; Tim Eck, director of Wildcat Store Operations; and Tara Peris, director of Student Involvement and Leadership. “The three things that come to mind when I think of Career Champions are seeing greatness in students, empowering students and developing trust with students,” Ben Ferney, WSU Student Body President, said. The award-winning individuals above displayed all three of these qualities, and in the following years, more hardworking WSU staff and faculty will be recognized for their work with the student body.
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The Center for Community and Engaged Learning Alternative Breaks team wrapped up a successful and busy week across the nation. According to the Alternative Breaks page on Weber State’s website, this program allows students to participate in mission trips during spring break and gives them a broader view of the world around them. This spring, the students had the option to pick from four different projects focusing on environmental sustainability, health and food insecurity, Native American issues and local youth and civil rights. Students went to San Francisco, California, the Sioux Reservation in North Dakota, Fort Worth, Texas, and O’ahu, Hawaii. There was also a local option for those wanting to stay close to home in Ogden and Salt Lake City. These trips ranged in price from $500 to $1500 and can be broken up into a payment plan. The CCEL Alternative Breaks team said students would experience pre-break, on-break and post-break education and become an active citizen of world and engaged with community issues. The pre-break prepared the students for the experience by providing education and training about site-specific social issues. The
providing after-school meals, tutoring, enrichment activities and more. In addition, the Lincoln Elementary after-school program emphasizes many interest-based clubs for the children to choose from. Working with the youth “was an emotional and supportive environment to see everyone share a bit of their life stories and how we can apply it to our communities to make an impact,” Vazquez said. Students then took to the Utah Refugee Goats 80-acre farm outside downtown Salt Lake City to further their spring break assistance. Utah Refugee Goats runs an independent,
“[It] was an emotional and supportive environment to see everyone share a bit of their life stories and how we can apply it to our communities to make an impact.” ZADOTH VAZQUEZ Director of Alternative Breaks
sustainable, non-profit refugee-led goat farm to empower the refugee communities of Utah while providing a culturally appropriate meat source. The URG was started by three East African communities collaborating with the Interna-
tional Rescue Committee. The URG has since become wholly owned and operated by the refugee communities it is meant to assist. The group kicked off a five-week long project expanding the farm and providing more shelters for the upcoming baby goats. The pregnant goats aren’t due for over a month. However, one of the pregnant goats gave birth while the volunteers assisted. “That was a wild, exhilarating and beyond amazing experience,” Vazquez said. “It was nothing like I’d ever seen before.” Utah Refugee Goats is currently halfway to its goal donation amount of $85,000 raised to provide scholarship funding and assistance to Utah’s refugee communities and refugee students. Utah Refugee Goats is currently seeking volunteers for multiple positions on the farm. People who are interested should fill out the volunteer interest form located on their website. To learn more about community involvement, future service trips and applying for next year’s alternative spring breaks, contact CCEL.
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UTAH REFUGEE GOATS
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students also go through group building and “pre-flect” on their goals and expectations for the trip. During the trip and break, students were encouraged to look at the root cause of social issues and evaluate their roles in the community by getting involved through direct service and reflecting on their work, furthering their education on social issues in the area. Post-break reflection helped students find different ways to continue their supporting their local communities and finding new ways to continue to serve nearby. Zadoth Vazquez, the director of the Alternative Breaks and a member of the CCEL Student Team, participated locally in assisting the Salt Lake City community. Vazquez made it a point to have one of the trips be accessible to all students by having a low-cost and local option with the least time constraint. Students devoted their labor and time to the Volunteers of America Youth Resource Center and the Lincoln Elementary Promise South Salt Lake after-school program on this local trip. The VOA Youth Resource Center provides food, emergency shelter, case management, trauma response and care for homeless and at-risk teens. Donations and volunteer opportunities with the Youth Resource Center are year-round. Promise South Salt Lake is an after-school program consisting of 14 community centers. These community centers focus on
Weber Students put up a flaming W at the goat farm.
Goats and kids are seen enjoying the nice weather.
ZADOTH VAZQUEZ
A glamour shot of a goat perched atop some red rock.
By ADAM MONTGOMERY
ZADOTH VAZQUEZ
UTAH REFUGEE GOATS
6 | MyWeberMedia.com | March 18, 2022
Weber Students are seen cleaning up and prepping the new goat shelter.
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Bassett’s athleticism and quickness on defense paired with his ability to stretch the floor on offense made him a substantial presence on the court. “I always try to be the loudest on the court,” Bassett said. “We see everything so we have to be the ones to talk. I always play hard. I always play physical.” Bassett played his final college game in a Wildcat jersey during Weber State’s loss to Montana State University in the semi-finals of the Big Sky tournament. Wildcat Alex Tew is a contender for Bassett’s starting center role Dontay Bassett, following a limited next season.
CAMRYN JOHNSON | The Signpost
By JACK HAMBLIN
WSU Athletics
Weber State men’s basketball center Dontay Bassett took a chance on himself coming to Ogden this season and he further learned what he’s capable of. Born in Oakland, California, Bassett stands 6-foot-9-inches and is 250 pounds. He was a key piece of the men’s basketball team’s success this season. However, Bassett’s talents weren’t always at Weber State. From 2017-20, Bassett played for the University of Florida in the power-five South season as a result of injury, quickEastern Conference. Bassett was an effective ly became a key component to the Comment on this story at defensive presence off the bench but was not team. signpost.mywebermedia.com given the green light offensively during his tenure. Through three seasons as a Gator, Bassett averaged 8.4 minutes and 1.3 shots per game. Although a talented player, Bassett’s growth was limited in Florida. After the coronavirus pandemic shut down the sports world in March 2020, Bassett had a significant decision before him: finish his college career in a powerful conference or find a smaller Division I school where he could take on a more significant role. Laying his talent and hard work on the line, Bassett made the decision to transfer to Weber State University where he became a key player in coach Randy Rahe’s system. Although Bassett’s time as a Wildcat was limited due to injury, when available, he made key contributions to the team. Bassett started 30 of his 40 games, averaging 9.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1 block through two seasons. He went 33.3% from the field as a Working quick under the pressure from the defense, Dontay Bassett looks Wildcat. for an opening for a pass.
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In a digital era, more employers are going paperless. Due to this change as well as an overall conversion to electronic communication, there is an increasing need for digital options for self-marketing and materials that can be passed onto potential employers. EPortfolio, a resource that is readily accessible through Canvas, provides a way to create a digital portfolio and enhance future applications. Robert Ameling, assistant director of internships and head of the Portfolium Implementation Team, describes the primary goal of EPortfolio. “An EPortfolio is a way for students to tell their story visually by uploading actual samples of their work, whether it’s work they did in a class or an internship or a job while they were going to school,” Ameling said. “But this way when they apply for jobs, they can provide a link to the actual portfolio so employers can actually see what students have done.” EPortfolio provides a way for students to gather and centralize their classwork in an organized fashion. Assistant Professor Stephanie Speicher, Weber State’s Digital Fluency Faculty in Residence, discusses some of the benefits of having a digital portfolio. Speicher said that students can upload work from past class and relevant skills they have learned. “I think that for any student that is interested in pursuing graduate programs, masters and so on, as well as for the job market,”
Speicher said. Speicher helps train faculty and encourages them to use EPortfolio to better prepare their students for life after graduation. “Faculty have to be able to build the assignments to be able to have students showcase what they’re doing and show employers why they are the crème de la crème, why they are the top choice,” Speicher said. EPortfolios can be developed over time and added to as students complete new assignments that demonstrate their skills. To access Portfolium and create an EPortfolio, students can log into their Canvas account, go to the home page, click on their profile picture, and go down the list to “folio.” “It can be a little bit confusing because in Canvas it’s called folio, it’s an EPortfolio platform and the platform is called Portfolium,” Ameling said. Students who create an EPortfolio during their time at Weber will not lose their work when they leave. “After you graduate, what you want to do is go into your settings in your portfolio and just update your email address from your weber.edu address to your personal email that you’re going to use after you graduate. And then you’ll always be able to access it, you’ll just go through porfolium.com instead of going through Canvas,” Ameling said. Additional resources for EPortfolio are available to students and faculty under “Eportfolio” in the index of WSU’s official website. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
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EPortfolio, a resource available through Canvas, provides a way to create a digital portfolio and enhance future applications.
WSU ATHLETICS
MyWeberMedia.com | March 18, 2022 | 11
By Cayden Treasure Reporter
played as a freshman and sophomore at Sheridan College before coming to Weber State in 2019. Her first season was delayed by a medical redshirt season. After, she played two full seasons as a Wildcat, scoring 286 total points for the program. During a press conference on March 8, head coach Velaida Harris said Solovi had been struggling with injuries. “Early mid-season, I tore some critical ligaments in my knee again and made the decision to continue playing and fight to finish my senior season strong,” Solovi said in an Instagram post. “I wouldn’t have been able to press forward without the amount of support I’ve had from such amazing people.” Kori Pentzer spent her entire collegiate career on Weber State’s women’s basketball team. The Idaho native attended Melba High School before her time as a Wildcat. Despite prior medical issues, Pentzer played 91 games at Weber State. She led the Wildcats in minutes per game this year and averaged 11.5 points per game. “4 surgeries and 4 years later and here we are,” Pentzer said. “I’ll remember this team forever.” Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
CAMRYN JOHNSON | The Signpost
As Weber State University’s basketball season comes to a close, graduating seniors on both the men’s and women’s teams are saying their goodbyes on social media. The men’s team has four departing seniors, while the women’s team has two. Koby McEwen transferred to Weber State for his fifth and final season of college basketball. Born in Toronto, Canada, McEwen played high school basketball in Utah at Wasatch Academy before moving to Utah State University to play his first two college seasons. He spent his next two years at Marquette University in Wisconsin before transferring in the summer of 2021 to Weber State. In 33 games this season, McEwen averaged a career high of 18.2 points along with 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists. On Instagram, McEwen opened up about how prior to this year his love for basketball was waning, but he rediscovered his passion for the game as a Wildcat. “A year ago I was done with basketball, I didn’t wanna play it anymore, it wasn’t fun, it wasn’t the game I fell in love with,” McEwen said. “Weber State is my home now and I’m forever indebted to this place, my coaches,
teammates and support staff for helping me reach this point. I’m far from done but wanted to share my moment of gratitude with y’all.” Jamison “JJ” Overton played his first and final season at Weber State this year as well. The California native attended Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, California, for his first two seasons of college eligibility before transferring to Utah Valley University where he played until his 2021-22 season at Weber State. Overton played 33 games for the Wildcats, averaging 12.4 points per game and 3.6 rebounds. “To the fans, my teammates, my coaches and everyone who has welcomed me into the special culture here at Weber, Thank you!” Overton posted on Instagram. “My heart is full of memories I will cherish for life and beyond.” Dontay Bassett is another departing senior. Bassett battled injuries to become the starting center for the Wildcats down the stretch, and he shared Overton’s farewell message on Twitter. Michal Kozak will be departing the program, as well, after playing in a school record 133 games for the Wildcats. Guard Aloma Solovi is also wrapping up her basketball career at Weber State. Solovi
After rediscovering his love for the sport, senior Koby McEwen ends his collegiate career as a Wildcat.
While pushing through many injuries, senior Aloma Solovi finished the season strong as a Wildcat.
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APRIL 1, 2022
Rally March Speak-out
Meet at 6 p.m. Monarch, 455 25th St, Ogden Keynote: jo blake
Leave from the Monarch and march down 25th street
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12 | MyWeberMedia.com| March 18, 2022
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Many faculty and staff members gathered for the first time in several years at the Timbermine Steakhouse in Ogden to commemorate the 26th annual Weber State Storytelling Festival on March 1. David Byrd, head of storytelling in the department of education, revealed that the dinner was assembled just three weeks prior and was a last-minute addition. “An exciting night to be with you,” WSU President Brad Mortensen said. “How wonderful it is that this storytelling festival is what brings us together this night.” At the dinner, the Karen J. Ashton Storytelling Award was given to a deserving community member who perpetuated the art and purpose of storytelling. The individual who embodied those qualities and received the award this year was Monica Sue Flint. She received this award for her efforts as the primary person to promote
storytelling in Davis Schools for the past sixteen years. Sam Payne, part of the committee for the Storytelling Festival, was on hand to moderate the various storytellers, who were telling stories throughout the night. Megan Butler, the first storyteller of the night, was only 6-and-a-half years old. She had the distinction of being the very first homeschooled storyteller. Her storytelling technique captivated all who were in attendance. So much so, that she was treated to a standing ovation by all. Lyn Ford, a veteran to the Storytelling Festival, having told stories at previous festivals for decades prior to this year, also had the opportunity of telling a story. “Storytelling is part of who I am and the reason for what I do,” said Ford. “When I stepped into storytelling, I found my happy places.” “Happy Places” ended up being the theme of all the stories told by the storyteller’s following Ford’s impactful rendition of the Br’er Rabbit story and all its iterations.
Paul Strickland brought a unique style and cadence to his story. Strickland, a newcomer to the festival, used his stand up comedy roots to tell a pun-filled story about “The Whatabouts” that had the audience in laughter. “Stories are what’s important,” Strickland said, reiterating his happy place. “Stories relight when they go out in each other.” The final storyteller of the night, Jasmin Cardenas, told stories stemming from her own life experiences. She told a story of her dreams of being an actress and even how she met her own life partner, her own personal happy place. Stories can be an individual’s respective happy place — not just the stories told by the storytellers, but the stories shared by all.
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Festival newcomer Paul Strickland, who has roots in stand-up comedy, made the audience laugh with his story “The Whatabouts.” WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY
By TIM COSTELLO
WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY
MyWeberMedia.com| March 18, 2022| 13
Jasmin Cardenas told stories of her dreams of being an actress and how she met her life partner.
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