The Signpost Monday | March 11, 2019 | Volume 89 | Issue 52 by The Signpost - Weber State University

Monday | March 11, 2019 | Volume 89 | Issue 52

MEN FALL, WOMEN FLY IN SENIOR DAY SHOWDOWNS » PAGE 4

» PAGE 14

JOSHUA WINEHOLT | The Signpost

S&T » PAGE 6

PRESIDENT DEBATE TODAY AT 11:30 IN SHEPHERD UNION

JOSHUA WINEHOLT | The Signpost

OPINION » PAGE 8

BEYOND THE NONTRADITIONAL STEREOTYPES

22| MyWeberMedia.com | March 11,11, 2019 | MyWeberMedia.com| March 2019

WSU AND OGDEN EVENTS WHAT’S NEXT WITH

MEDICINAL MARIJUANA?

BOISE-BOUND BASKETBALL

By HARRISON EPSTEIN Editor-in-Chief

A panel discussion about medical marijuana will be held in the Shepherd Union’s Wildcat Theater on March 14 at 10:30 a.m. The discussion, “Prop 2 Passed: What’s Next,” is the next lecture in CCEL’s Matter of Fact series. The presentation will be focused on the future applications of medical marijuana in Utah and what will happen in the state in the coming future.

Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams have headed north for the Big Sky Conference basketball tournament in Boise, Idaho. The women’s team will have their ﬁrst game of the tournament at 8 p.m. on March 11 against Eastern Washington University. The men will take on Portland State University on March 14 at 2:30 p.m. Both games, as well as the rest of the tournament, can be watched from Ogden on Watchbigsky.com or PlutoTV channel 231. The women’s championship game will be played on March 15 and broadcast on the Eleven Sports Network. The men’s championship will be played on March 16 and broadcast live on ESPNU. Fans can follow along with the tournament bracket for additional times at Bigskyconf.com.

Marrisa Wolford | The Signpost

Weber State University

FIRST-GENERATION MIXER

JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN For the third time this semester, the Wildcat Theater will be darkened to present a screening for, “The Great War and Screen Memory: Remembering WWI through Film.” This screening will be the ﬁlm “Johnny Got His Gun” from 1971 and will be presented on March 14 at 6 p.m. The ﬁlm comes from Dalton Trumbo’s novel of the same name and is just under two hours long.

On March 15 at 4 p.m., there will be a mixer for ﬁrst-generation members of the Weber State community at the Wildcat Lanes in the Shepherd Union. The mixer is open to students, faculty and staff. Attendees can bowl, eat pizza and win free t-shirts at the Student Affairs-sponsored event, which is being organized by the First-Generation Club on campus. Flickr.com

ALL ABOOOOOOOOARD The second stop in Ogden City’s Sesquicentennial Railroad Celebration is coming to Weber State on March 11. Historian and author Val Holley will be on hand to present, “How Ogden Became the Junction City and Why Salt Lake Never Forgave Us,” at the Hurst Center Dumke Legacy Hall. The lecture will begin at 7 p.m. and is the penultimate presentation of the Weber Historical Society Lecture Series. Holley will present his lecture for the second time the following day at the Weber County Library, Southwest Branch.

Weber State University

22| MyWeberMedia.com | March 11,11, 2019 | MyWeberMedia.com| March 2019

WSU AND OGDEN EVENTS WHAT’S NEXT WITH

MEDICINAL MARIJUANA?

BOISE-BOUND BASKETBALL

By HARRISON EPSTEIN Editor-in-Chief

Marrisa Wolford | The Signpost

Weber State University

FIRST-GENERATION MIXER

Weber State University

4 | MyWeberMedia.com| March 11, 2019

'CATS VANDALIZE IDAHO, CLIPPED BY THE EAGLES

Marissa Wolford | The Signpost

Top Left: Michal Kozak attempting a shot while falling away from basket. Top Right: Jerrick Harding Leaping for shot. By COLTON PACK Reporter

Tempers flared as time expired, both teams congregated at center court to quarrel over the ending, but in the end, it was a loss for the Weber State Wildcats. The Eastern Washington Univeristy Eagles flew into Ogden and spoiled senior night for the 'Cats with an 80–77 victory on March 9. With 1:40 remaining in the game, Weber trailed 75–71. Junior guard Jerrick Harding converted a four-point play after a deep three and foul to tie the game at 75. “The biggest thing going through my head (after the made free throw) was 'We got to get a stop,'” said Harding. “'We got to get a stop and find a way to win this game.'” With under a minute to play, Harding returned to the free throw line to hit two free throws and give the Wildcats a 77–76 lead. WSU forced an empty Eagles possession but missed at the other end. EWU senior forward Jesse Hunt was fouled with 18 seconds left and made both from the line to give his team a one-point lead.

The ‘Cats called a time out with 16 seconds left to regroup and call a play. Harding took on two defenders at the top of the key and kicked it out to the wing to junior guard Cody John for a wide-open look. His attempt went off the rim and the Eagles converted on two more free throws after a foul. “We knew they were going to load up on Jerrick,” head coach Randy Rahe said. “So we wanted to run something to try to get Cody free. He couldn’t have been more open, shot goes in and out. It was down, then comes out. Sometimes that is the way it goes.” John's last-second three-point attempt fell short, as the Wildcats lost for the fourth time in five games to close the regular season. Tensions between the teams were still high during the handshake line. A post-game argument escalated into near-physical altercation, but was stopped by the more level-headed members of both teams. At the begining of the night, Weber started the game hot, going on a quick 15–2 run with the help of 10 points from John. The fiery start for the ‘Cats dwindled as they went into half time with just a two-point lead. Harding and John both led the team with 24 points

apiece. The two combined to go 7 for 13 from the threepoint line. Freshman guard Caleb Nero came off the bench to give the ‘Cats eight points, two boards and a steal. Seniors Zach Braxton and Brekkott Chapman had off nights on their Senior Night at the Dee Events Center. Between the two veterans, they only scored 11 points, shooting 1-6 from the floor. The loss to the Eagles came at the heels of a blowout victory on Thursday against the Idaho Vandals. Harding led the scoring outburst with 22 points as WSU rolled to a 93–59 win. Harding was just one of five Wildcat players in double figures. Chapman, senior Zach Braxton, John and freshman Dima Zdor all joined Harding in the scoring surge. As the conference tournament starts March 11, Weber State heads to Boise, Idaho to play and have a chance to dance and join March Madness in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats will take on the Portland State Vikings in the first round of the conference tourney on March 14. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com

FREE Community Screening of the Documentary MyWeberMedia.com| March 11, 2019 | 5

Earn your BSN in less time

JIM: THE JAMES FOLEY STORY American war correspondent beheaded by ISIS in 2014

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Tuesday, March 12 6:30 p.m. * The Bachelor of Science in Nursing and RN-BSN programs at Eagle Gate College are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20001, (202) 887-6791. More at www.ccneaccreditation.org.

Weber County Main Library 2464 Jefferson Ave. Ogden, Utah 84401 This program has received funding from Utah Humanities. Utah Humanities empowers groups and individuals to improve their communities through active engagement in the humanities.

Panel discussion following the screening with Pulitzer Prize winner Jessica Miller of the Salt Lake Tribune Clare Morgana Gillis, war correspondent who worked with Jim Foley Tom Durkin, program director of the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation.

6 | MyWeberMedia.com| March 11, 2019

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE By TORI WALTZ Desk Editor

Bret Alexander

Jovany Bahena-Rosario

Bret Alexander. Jovany Bahena-Rosario. Scott Lund. Julio Otay. One of these four men will be the next student body president. Kicking off election week at Weber State University, the WSU Student Association presidential candidate debate will be held March 11 at 11:30 a.m. in the Shepherd Union Atrium. The four candidates are all curently student leaders. Alexander is Leadership Vice President, Otay is on the Hispanic Area Council, Bahena-Rosario is the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Senator and Lund is the College of Business & Economics Senator. The debate will cover a variety of topics regarding candidate plat-

forms and the future of WSU. In previous debates, dilemmas brought up to candidates have included budget use, WSUSA community involvement and student voting. Following the debate, voting will open March 12 and end March 14 at noon. Results of the election will then be announced during “Weber’s Got Talent” on March 15. Unlike other schools, which typically allow candidates to campaign for a certain amount of time before elections start, WSU permits students running for president to only begin hanging ﬂiers and posters on the day of the debate. “You want to have the campaigning and elections as short as possible,” Lund said. “I think they are a big distraction not only for people that are running but everyone else on campus.”

Because the debate is scheduled the Monday after students come back from spring break, some of the candidates worry that lack of promotion will result in a low student turn out. “Elections have been under-promoted, and I think the debate just fits under that,” Lund said. “We have so many students that would be excited to do things, but they Scott Lund don’t know about it. I have talked to countless students that had no idea that the elections were coming up.” In order to spread the word, WSUSA plans to use social media to keep students informed during election week. Voting will take place through weber.edu/vote. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com Julio Otay

MyWeberMedia.com | March 11, 2019 | 7

IT’S NOT ABOUT PERSPECTIVE JENNIFER GREENLEE Columnist

Everything has become a competition, including having problems. I know I’m not the only one who has ranted about something only to hear, “You should have some perspective. You think that’s bad? Wait until you hear about my crappy life.” Then, you end up comforting them about their crappy life, even though your problem is just as valid. That’s where having perspective becomes problematic. At this point, it’s not about getting away and realizing that your problem is solvable. Instead, having perspective trivializes your emotions and the pain that comes from the problems you have. If you constantly compare your problems to those of others, your problems are going to seem pretty lame. Problems are not about comparison. Everyone talks about getting perspective to see how their problems aren’t actually a problem. But thinking this way can be detrimental to those who feel that their problems, no matter how big, don’t stack up to all of the starving kids in Africa. When looking at problems from the “someone-has-to-have-it-worse” point of view, no one would ever have a problem that was bad enough. Because — honestly — how can being overwhelmed by schoolwork feel like anything when Sarah McLachlan sings over image of abused animals at the shelter? After all, you have a place to stay and food and someone who cares about you. This line of thought is especially detrimental when it concerns mental health. Those with anxiety, depression and other mental health problems already have enough hurdles to overcome without adding in the added responsibility of making themselves feel their pain is valid and justified. Mental health awareness is in a better place than where it was two decades ago. But, that doesn’t mean mental health is at its peak.

The Utah Department of Health has observed a 141.3 percent increase in suicides in Utah in ages 10-17 from 2011-2015. These percentages were so concerning that the CDC brought in a team of Epidemic Intelligence Service officers. The results? Suicide is complex. Part of the mental health crisis is the stigma surrounding it, but also, not seeking help for problems. If you won’t seek help because you feel your problems aren’t good enough, then that will make the issue worse. There are so many problems in the world. Ignoring yours isn’t a healthy coping mechanism. Perspective isn’t about comparing your world to the other worlds out there. Social media has only heightened the everyonehas-got-it-worse vibe. You only see the peaks and pitfalls of others, never the tedium of a rocky plain. Because of this, you think they have found a way to overcome all this crap and have a wonderful life, but you aren’t seeing the undertows of their never-ending struggle against life. Life isn’t a competition. It’s not about getting the most perspective to see who

threw themselves off the highest cliff without a parachute and came the closest to death. It’s not as simple as saying, “Okay, no problemo, guess that’s enough of that.” If it were, everyone would feel validated and not feel that they had to one-up everyone constantly. People should not have to use perspective to get us to listen. To fix this, we need to stop telling people that our problems are worse than theirs. We need to stop saying “You think that’s bad?” We need to stop saying “Well, my day was worse.” We need to stop pretending that problems need validation to earn our attention and empathy. We need to stop pretending that for someone to be in pain, that pain has greater than everyone else’s. Life is not easy. No matter where you live or what your career is or who you are, no one gets out of life unscathed.

AUBREE ECKHARDT | The Signpost

Perspective can be useful, but it isn’t about making diminishing your problems to fit to fit someone’s requirements of what a problem should be. It should be about getting a vantage point to figure out how to solve your problem and seeing how others have tackled similar problems.

Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com

8 | MyWeberMedia.com| March 11, 2019

MyWeberMedia.com| March 11, 2019 | 9

EVERYDAY STRUGGLES OF THE NONTRADITIONAL STUDENT COLTON HEWARD Columnist

Living the “American Dream” is a term that most of us have heard since we were young. We have been told that this dream of financial and social success is obtained through hard work and dedication. Graduate high school, go to college and earn a degree, enter the workforce and then chase the dream. This scenario sounds great and works for many people, but for others, it is not possible for a number of reasons. Life happens. Whether due to financial burdens, family situations or a multitude of other reasons, many individuals do not attend college directly after graduating high school. In fact, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, just over 30 percent of high school graduates do not attend college after graduation. Of the 70 percent of graduates that do attend college, only 60 percent of them graduate within five years of starting an undergraduate program. College is not for everyone, and some people have zero desire to attend. But for those who do have the desire to gain a college education, the opportunity to attend college may not come until later in life. Attending college later in life brings a whole new onslaught of challenges for these nontraditional students.

There is some argument amongst scholars as to what defines a nontraditional student. Most will agree that a nontraditional student is a student 25 years of age or older pursuing an undergraduate college degree. Fifty-six percent of Weber State University’s student body identifies as nontraditional students. Compared to the rest of the country, that number is well above average. The percentage of traditional verses nontraditional students fluctuates at colleges across the country. The National Center for Education Statistics states that between 60 and 70 percent of undergraduate students across the country fall into the category of a traditional student. Having started my college experience at the age of 21, I once fell into the category of a traditional student. Fast forward nine years, and approaching 30, I am still an undergraduate student and classify as a nontraditional student. My story is like many nontraditional students: life happened. I got a good job, got married and pursued my dreams. I wouldn’t trade my life experiences for anything, and chasing my dreams has landed me a job that I thoroughly enjoy and am passionate about. However, despite my struggle with school, I am always drawn back to it. The best way to describe it is that earning a college degree was always the monkey on my back that I never could shake. So here I am, chipping away at my degree and inching closer to graduation each semester. Having experienced college in both stages of my life, I believe that there are many strengths and dynamics that both traditional and nontraditional students bring to cam-

pus. Not one student is better than another, and each has a different college experience depending on the stage of life they are in when attending. Each of us have a story. We all have a reason and a purpose for why we attend college and pursue a degree. I often hear from traditional students that attending college is what was expected of them. On the flip side, you have first-generation college attendees who broke the mold in their family and are branching into uncharted territories to better themselves. Many nontraditional students are also parents with not only full-time jobs but families to tend to on top of a college class load. You also have individuals like myself, who have struggled with school and have not been able to finish their degrees for a multitude of reasons. The biggest difference I have noticed as a nontraditional student as opposed to a traditional student is my attitude. I attended college because it was what was expected of me. For this reason, I socialized much more than I studied. I had a great time but did not get anywhere in regards to furthering my education. After a several-year hiatus, I returned to Weber State because I wanted to better myself, not because it’s what my parents expected of me. This change in mentality has made a world of difference in my college experience. Nontraditional students face several challenges that most traditional students do not. One of the biggest struggles is that of time management. John Parsons is 58-years-old, has a successful career that he has been in for almost 25 years, and is currently working

on his bachelor degree. Parsons said that one of the biggest challenges he has faced is a lack of time. He does not have the time to take a full class load, work his full-time job, and tend to his family’s needs. To combat these time restraints that are a reoccurring theme amongst most nontraditional students, Parsons has been taking one to two classes each semester with the mentality of “slow and steady wins the race.” Another challenge that nontraditional students face is the ability to adapt to change. Traditional students, more often than not, are up to date on different technologies and advancements in the ever-revolving door of education. Many nontraditional students struggle to keep up, as things have often changed since they last attended school. In the technological day and age that we live in today, students must be able to navigate their way around these new technologies to be able to succeed. I have personally experienced this struggle and have heard many other nontraditional students express these same frustrations. The saying “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” has a lot of validity in this ongoing struggle between change and nontraditional students. The last challenge that seems to be reoccurring amongst most nontraditional students is that of self-doubt or lack of conﬁdence. As a nontraditional student, you often feel out of place. It is easy to second guess yourself and doubt your ability to succeed at something that you seem so far behind with from the very get-go. All you can do is keep going.

Graduating from college and everything that goes into it can be daunting. There have been several times that it would have been easier to stop attending and go back to work. These are the times where the most personal growth can happen. Some nontraditional students do have an advantage. A spouse or family support system to lean on during the hard times, and cheering them on through the entire journey, can help tremendously. Dr. Stephanie Gomez, a communication instructor at Weber State, shared some interesting insights from a teacher’s point of view about nontraditional students. She said that her thoughts are generalizations as each student, traditional and nontraditional, are different and each brings unique experiences. Gomez enjoys teaching nontraditional students because of the life experiences that they bring with them and their drive to further their education. “Regardless of the reason, nontraditional students really want to be here, they want to learn and they are excited about their education,” Gomez said. No matter your status, all students face struggles as we further our education and pursue a college degree. Learning to handle these challenges is one of the many beneﬁts of a college education that we can take into the real world after graduation. Whether you are a traditional student or a nontraditional student, we all have a reason and a purpose as to why we are here. What’s your, “Why?” Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com

Monika Clarke | The Signpost

10 | MyWeberMedia.com| March 11, 2019

FINISHING A SCHOOL LIKE THIS TAKES DETERMINATION.

WHO WAS

JAMES FOLEY? By ALEXA NIELSON

Reporter

In colleges that offer the Army ROTC program you’ll push yourself more than you ever imagined. You’ll develop unmatched leadership skills while you earn money for tuition. And, when you graduate and complete Army ROTC, you’ll commission as an officer in the U.S. Army. Learn more at goarmy.com/rotc

To get more info about Army ROTC, call the Weber State Army ROTC program at 801-626-8609, email arotc@weber.edu, or visit goarmy.com/rotc/oe36 today!

Some people give their lives to their work, and occasionally, it’s a literal statement. Freelance war correspondent James Foley was one of those people. During the Syrian Civil War, Foley was abducted and later executed, the first American citizen killed by ISIL. Tom Durkin, program director for the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, wants to ensure Foley’s legacy lives on. One such way is through screening “Jim: The James Foley Story” on March 12 at the Weber County Library, presented by Weber State University. “Jim was my best friend,” Durkin said. “Perhaps from a selfish perspective, I want to see his legacy live on. I want to make sure his death was not in vain.” Durkin is in the movie, along with Clare Gillis, another journalist abducted with Foley, and both will be attending the screening and a panel discussion for questions after. Durkin primarily focuses on promoting journalist safety. In addition to this, he is collecting Foley’s works of writing. Foley was and is a well-regarded journalist, but he was also an accomplished fiction writer, and Durkin would like to make all of Foley’s work widely known. After having time and distance to reflect on Foley’s death in 2014, Durkin recognizes his friend’s goodness even more. “Jim was a compassionate listener; he believed in people, in doing good, in helping others,” Durkin said. “He believed in the truth and telling truth to power. I believe his life will serve as in inspiration for generations to come. WSU’s Dr. Jean Norman is teaching a course utilizing the James W. Foley Safety Guide, created by the professors at Northwestern University for the James W. Foley Foundation. Dr. Norman finds his story compelling and maintains that journalism students who want to work in conflict zones would benefit from it. The film screening begins at at 6:30 p.m. Following the film, Pulitzer Prize winner and WSU alumna Jessica Miller from the Salt Lake Tribune will moderate the panel discussion. Funding for the event came from the Utah Humanities and a WSU Grant. Co-sponsors include the WSU Honors Program, the Community Center for Engaged Learning, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Amnesty International WSU chapter. Jean Norman, Signpost Advisor, contributed information for this story. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com

DANCING FOR A CAUSE MyWeberMedia.com | March 11, 2019 | 11

By ALYSON JOHNSON

Desk Editor

To raise donations for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Weber State University, students, members of the community and other schools will dance for six hours as part of the Miracle Network Dance Marathon. Starting out as a simple dance marathon hosted by college students at Indiana University in memory of a fellow student who passed away, the Miracle Network Dance Marathon gained traction across the nation, beneﬁtting hundreds of hospitals and children in the U.S. and Canada. The dance marathon movement raises funds for a non-proﬁt organization called Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, which donates to more than 170 pediatric hospitals across North America. Through participating in the event, Weber State Wildcats have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of sick and injured kids in their community.

The dance marathon came to Weber State for the first time last year, making Weber the first school in Utah to host a dance marathon. Malack Mouhammad, the vice president of the activities team, helped with portions of planning and organizing the event last year. This year’s dance marathon will take place on March 30 from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the Shepherd Union Ballrooms. Mouhammad said the main reason for bringing the dance marathon back to Weber this year was to do something to help the community. “We wanted to start a tradition that we could leave behind at Weber that would continue to impact so many lives around us,” Mouhammad said. Students wanting to participate must first register online, create a donor page and fundraise at least $50 to gain entry into the event. Weber State’s goal this year is to raise $15,000 total. Last year, the school had a goal to raise $10,000, although by the end of the night, students had collectively raised just over $11,000.

“It was so much fun to get to experience this with my fellow Weber students who helped us reach our goal,” Mouhammad said. “But mostly it was really amazing for us to have the opportunity to meet some of the families that we would be helping with the money that we raised.” Mouhammad said she hopes this event will bring students out and connect with their community. “A lot of students tend to feel a disconnect between themselves and school pride, so I’m hoping that an event like this will help them to feel more like a Wildcat and give them the opportunity to impact their community,” Mouhammad said. Students participating must ﬁrst register at http:// events.dancemarathon.com/event/WSU19. After registering, students can begin fundraising by sharing the link through social media, email or text message. For those unable to attend the dance marathon, fundraising any amount will help Weber State reach their goal. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com

Institute of Religion at Weber State University - Ogden Campus

Presents:

Elder Michael L. Staheli Area Seventy

Wednesday Devotional March 13, 2019 12:30 - 1:15pm Institute Chapel

BEYOND YOUR PHONE: COMMUNICATING IN A SCREEN By HANNAH OLSEN

Reporter

March 15-17 (Three Day event)

Featuring bands Tail Light Rebellion and Murphy the Giant. Music starts at 9PM. Friday is only a $5 cover. Keep your wristband for $5 entry both Saturday and Sunday.

WEEKLY EVENTS SUNDAY Texas Hold’em

MONDAY Comedy Open Mic

TUESDAY Poker Night

WEDNESDAY Bingo & Trivia Night

Thursday Karaoke Night

Karaoke Night

March 15

Carrie Myers at 7PM

Riaz Patel has made a life out of communicating in a media-driven world. The twice-Emmy nominated producer for NBC, Discovery and the Oprah Winfrey Network has a rule for everyone about being a better communicator. “Everything you need to know is in the time you aren’t talking,” Patel said during his speech at Weber State University. WSU hosted Patel for an open-to-thepublic panel on Feb. 27 called “Eye To Eye: Finding a Consensus Amid the Conflict.” Throughout the day, Patel also spoke to groups of students from five different organizations on campus, all with a single goal: talking about talking. Patel sees our screen culture as limiting our perception of the world. He argued that we are rarely confronted with ideas or people different from us, and therefore, we are uncomfortable having the conversations we need to have most. “The American melting pot is sectioning itself off,” Patel said. “People are sticking with what they like and what they know. We don’t embrace those we don’t understand. In fact, we avoid them.” Patel noted that screens, and specifically social media platforms like Facebook, make it so we don’t have to talk to people who are different from us. “The screen world doesn’t challenge you, it caters to you,” Patel said. Patel sees these platforms as encouraging fighting instead of generating successful discussions with potential for learning and growth. Patel also noted that saying we should agree to disagree really just means that we are agreeing to stick to our viewpoint and not listen to the opposition. In order to have genuine conversations, we have to genuine intention to listen and understand what the other person has to say. His speech also touched on home culture, where we grow up in homes that discourage speaking about religion and politics in public but allow and even encourage

people to get in outrageous arguments about the same things online for everyone to see. So how do we counteract the effects of the screen world? Patel encourages having uncomfortable conversations. “I am particularly comfortable having uncomfortable conversions,” Patel said. He went on to explain that his family immigrated to America from Pakistan when he was young. He grew up in America a Pakistani, Muslim immigrant. Patel is openly gay. “My brown skin has dragged me into uncomfortable conversations I have had many times,” Patel said. He spoke about the growth of our culture in terms of acceptance, but he told an unsettling story to remind the audience that America is far from perfect when it comes to being understanding and accepting. He said he recently found out his neighbor had so adamantly requested her recycling stay in a separate bin from Patel and his husband’s because she thought she was in danger of contracting HIV/AIDS. While Patel said he no longer feels in danger walking down the street, his sexual orientation still is considered abnormal. “It’s not the norm by far,” Patel said. Patel shared another story about living in New York during the 9/11 attacks. On Sept. 12, he and his friends were giving blood because no one really knew what to do to help. While there, he was harassed on the street by people who yelled that they should kill him and his family. Patel wanted to emphasize that these experiences led him to understand that it may be better for people to ask questions and possibly learn something. Despite our automatic reaction to become defensive, we must have these conversations and answer questions. “No question was offensive because the intention was nonjudgmental,” Patel said. Patel commented on the importance of words universally, although he did note a political observation he has made. “Words are to liberals as symbols are to conservatives,” Patel said.

Patel then spoke on his career in television and his recent encounters with podcasts. Patel said that he expanded to podcasts from TV because he wanted to have real, beneﬁcial conversations in a more dynamic format. “Calm doesn’t bring in big view counts,” Patel said. An unfortunate truth he pointed out was that podcasts are more likely to keep an audience’s attention longer because, without the visual aspect, he believes people aren’t as likely to click off. Patel thought that people who were vastly different would be able to persuade and see each other’s sides enough for that broad of a topic, so they could come up with the list. They didn’t. Patel was crushed. But, he came to realize that failure was at the heart of the matter. Different people come to the table knowing they are different, and that automatically shuts them off from thinking freely and being open to empathy toward another viewpoint. “Humanity can work even when us humans get in the way,” Patel said. “You know what it’s like to be you. What is it like to be them?” Patel has four rules about having a successful, open-minded, curiosity-driven, nonjudgmental conversation. It has to be in person. Both sides have to remember that conversations are meant to be collaborative. Think and then speak with one voice. Finally, check your own personal intention to connect and understand. At the end of the day, Patel reminded the audience that the best way to learn is to ask the experts, meaning those who live that way every day. Be sure to really listen to what they have to say and try to understand. “Talk to those you don’t understand, tell them you don’t understand, but you would like to,” Patel said. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com

MyWeberMedia.com | March 11, 2019 | 13

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14 | MyWeberMedia.com | March 11, 2019

WILDCATS FALL TO BEARS

IN SENIOR DAY MATCHUP By COLTON PACK Reporter

Jaiamoni Welch-Coleman and Emily Drake have played their last game at the Dee Events Center. Despite efﬁcient efforts from both, Weber State University lost to the University of Northern Colorado 75–61 in the March 2 senior day affair. Drake sits at 128 games played in a Wildcat uniform and Welch-Coleman is not far behind her at 126, good for ﬁrst and third respectively in career games played. Both seniors have carried the team despite a tough season, as Welch-Coleman leads the team with an average of 17.2 points per game and Drake is second with 12.6.

“They are great; I love them,” said head coach Velaida Harris. “I, personally, could not have got through this year with out them because of the work ethic, example and for their passion for this university and for the game. Both are great examples of how to become a successful collegiate basketball player.” Welch-Coleman led the team in their loss to the Bears with 18 points, six rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. Drake ended the game with eight points, seven boards, and two steals. Both recorded 37 minutes in their ﬁnal home game. “We really battled,” Drake said. “We had a team that got really ﬁred up. At half time we were up, we were excited in the locker

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room and ready to come out in the second to battle.” The Wildcats were up by one at the half over the second place team in the Big Sky Conference standings, but the momentum shifted after the break. Redshirt senior guard Savannah Smith led the Bears in scoring with 36 points, nearly half her team’s output. Northern Colorado outscored the ‘Cats, 47–29 in the second half. “I need to give credit to Smith, she is a really tough player to guard,” Welch-Coleman said. “It takes a whole team to stop her. At the end of the day, it is just small lapses defensively that cost us the game. We were okay offensively but needed to

JOSHUA WINEHOLT | The Signpost

step up defensively.” Sophomore forward Kayla Watkins tried to keep her team in the contest, pouring in 17 points and five rebounds. She also played a team high of 38 minutes. The team finished the regular season with a 6–24 record, leaving them in last place in the Big Sky Conference ahead of the conference tournament in Boise, Idaho. “They all played hard,” Harris said. “The first half, we were incredible in terms of our defense. It’s just a matter of us being young and being relentless. I think my kids are understanding that they will be better at it next year.” Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com

JOSHUA WINEHOLT | The Signpost

Top Left: Welch-Coleman puts up a layup as a defender moves to slap it away. Top Middle: Forward Kayla Watkins, center, jumps for two as she is swarmed by defenders. Top Left: Emily Drake, guard for the Wildcats, ﬁghts for a rebound between two defenders.

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