The Signpost: CULTURE: PAGE 6 AN INSIGHT INTO HISTORY CULTURE

SARAH EARNSHAW | The Signpost

Tuesday | February 23, 2021 | Volume 94 | Issue 39

BLINDING THE PUBLIC IN THE SEARCH FOR THE NEXT UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS >>PAGE 8 CULTURE » PAGE 6

SPORTS » PAGE 4

AN INSIGHT INTO HISTORY

‘CATS CHOP DOWN LUMBERJACKS WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

NIKKI DORBER | The Signpost

2 | MyWeberMedia.com| February 23, 2021

By MARISA NELSON Section Editor

Kiss and tell During the lunch hour at NUAMES on Feb. 10 an officer saw two individuals in the backseat of a car parked in the institute parking lot. The officer approached the vehicle to see the two individuals lying in the backseat kissing heavily. The officer informed them they could not be doing that on school property and asked the female if she was there of her own free will, which she responded that she was.

Sleepy trespassers On Feb. 17, Weber State police received a call about a male sleeping in the Shepherd Union Building. An officer made contact with the cleaning crew, who said the building had been closed and locked up at 8 p.m.

The officer approached the man, who was sleeping near Wildcat Lanes, and asked for his license, but the man did not have one.

The officer asked him if he could find another place to stay, and he responded that he could. No further action was taken since the individual left willingly.

Late night ride On Feb. 12, one of the WSU buses was spotted running with its front lights on. An officer checked the bus to find no one inside, but the keys were in the ignition. The officer turned off the bus and took the keys to the dispatch building.

Drinking away sorrows An officer was dispatched to Wildcat Village on a liquor violation on Feb. 13. The officer found an open container and three students. All the alcohol and containers were

discarded and the scene was cleared after educating the individuals.

Email threats On Feb. 9, police received a call from a dean on campus reporting a possible phishing email. They reported that there were malicious attachments. IT and police were able to get an ID on the sender which seemed to be a student located in Tracy Hall. IT was again contacted to assess the level of danger/threat from the email.

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Photo by Matt Popovich on Unsplash

MyWeberMedia.com| February 23, 2021 | 3

Leigh Bureau

TRUTH IS RISKY BUSINESS: WSU TO WELCOME MARY MAPES

Mary Mapes will be speaking to Weber State University at an online event on Feb. 23.

By JOSHUA KAMP Reporter

Award-winning journalist Mary Mapes will address Weber State University on Feb. 23 to discuss ethical issues related to her craft and the current state of journalism. Mapes was originally slated to speak in-person at the university in March 2020, but was canceled and eventually rescheduled for a virtual Zoom event.

Mapes is a former producer of CBS’s “60 Minutes.” In 2004, Mapes won a Peabody

Award, the highest honor in broadcast journalism, for breaking the story of prisoner abuse and torture at the hands of U.S. troops and CIA personnel at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

She is the author of the 2005 book “Truth and Duty: The Press, the President and the Privilege of Power,” which offers her experience of a controversy surrounding another story she produced for “60 Minutes” in 2004.

Her team’s reporting scrutinized whether then-President George W. Bush fulfilled obligations and military duties during the Vietnam War and started a chain of events that led

to her being fired from CBS. Mapes’ account presents a precarious climate in American journalism, one in which the right to ask questions is being suppressed by those in power. It draws attention to increasingly pertinent topics such as the effects of hostile online communities and the politicization of news.

Her story was adapted into the 2015 film “Truth,” starring Cate Blanchett and Robert Redford.

Since leaving CBS, Mapes has worked as a writer and consultant. She has also contrib-

uted to D Magazine and news magazine The Nation.

Mapes will speak about her personal experiences, journalism ethics and why America needs journalists at the free event on Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. Preregistration is required via the WSU website. The event is open to the public.

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back and nail a quick mid-range jumper followed by a wide-open three-pointer assisted by Reporter a brilliant pass from Kozak to help the Wildcats Isiah Brown and the Weber State Wildcats take an early 5–0 lead.

After a series of three free throws from Lumwon big on Feb. 18, cruising easily to a 92–59 berjacks’ guard Luke Avdalovic, Kozak respondwin over the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks in ed by hitting a three after a no-look pass from the first of a two-game series at Dee Events Dillon Jones to extend Weber State’s lead to Center.

10–5 with 16:29 remaining in the first half.

The Wildcats were without junior guard/ Both teams were trading buckets as Weforward Zahir Porter and senior center Dontay ber State would pull ahead at moments, and Bassett. Porter was on the bench and not in Northern Arizona would close the gap throughuniform because of an undisclosed team vioout the first 20 minutes. lation, and Bassett was out with a non-COVID It wasn’t until Jones set up Kozak for a stepillness. Senior Michal Kozak started instead of back triple at 5:43 when the Wildcats started to Bassett, and freshman Dillon Jones made his increase the scoring differential. first career start as a Wildcat because of Porter Weber State would go on a 22–8 scoring being sidelined. run after the 3-pointer from Kozak to give the As for Northern Arizona, this was their first Wildcats a 44–28 lead at halftime. Brown went game since Jan. 29 when they won 68–64 7–9 shooting and 3–5 from deep to give him against Northern Colorado.

20 points in the first half.

Brown was red-hot all night as he broke his “I try to approach every game the same. Toown career-high of most points in a game with night, I took good shots, felt good and I got 31, including 20 points in the first half, going hot,” Brown said.

6–12 from behind the arc and assisting five Weber State’s Cody Carlson, 34, holds the rim following a dunk over Northern NAU missed back-to-back 3-point opportuni- Arizona. times. His previous record for most points in a ties early in the second half until the Wildcats game was 29. the second half. ish the game with the final score being 92–59.

Senior Cody Carlson added 14 points and responded with an 8–0 scoring run beginning At 18:10, Brown finished three more This shot was significant because with Sandgrabbed 10 rebounds. Kozak would start and with Carlson going into the paint and finishing 3-pointers in a span of nearly three minutes ers scoring from deep, it marked 18 threesophomore guard Seikou Sisoho Jawara both at the rim with a layup after receiving a pass to tie his career high with 29 points, guiding point shots made by Weber State, which broke from Brown. chipped in with 12 points for WSU. Carlson would then follow up the layup to hit the Wildcats into cruise control with the score the record of most threes made against a DiviThe beginning of the game saw Brown step his one and only three-pointer in the game in being 58–34. He would then score one more sion I opponent in the program’s history. spot-up to break his career high with him “I don’t really care about the record, but scoring 31 points on the night before sitting I was just happy to give Josh some playing on the bench to rest for the remainder of the time because I love that kid. He comes to work game. every day, he is a good player, pushes the guys “[Brown] made shots early, and his perfor- to get better, and for him to step in to get that mance was terrific. He made wide-open, good shot to break the record, I thought it was pretty shots, he didn’t have to force many. He was re- cool,” Rahe said. ally important to getting us off to a good start,” After splitting a two-game series at Montana Randy Rahe, Wildcats head coach, said about with an 80–67 loss on Feb. 11 and a 91–82 the Browns game. win on Feb. 13, WSU traveled back to Ogden The score would widen to 89–59 before with a point to prove. freshman guard Josh Sanders would walk “I thought we were a little bit complacent off the bench and enter the game. About two and didn’t have the mentality that we should minutes later, he would be the one that broke have had. We got caught slipping, and the loss a Wildcats basketball record. snapped us back into it and we responded SatAt 1:27 left in the game, Wildcats junior urday and tonight,” Brown explained after two forward David Nzekwesi grabbed a rebound bounce-back wins following the tough loss to after Lumberjacks guard Jay Green missed a Montana the week before.

Weber State University’s Isiah Brown, 12, goes up against two Northern Ari- jumper and Sanders would gather the ball, walk past half-court and release the ball quickzona University players in an attempt to keep the lead.

Comment on this story at ly from the top of the arc to score a three to finsignpost.mywebermedia.com NIKKI DORBER | The Signpost

NIKKI DORBER | The Signpost

By ALEC CIPOLLINI

Seikou Sisoho Jawara of Weber State University completing another 3-pointer against Northern Arizona University.

NIKKI DORBER | The Signpost

NIKKI DORBER | The Signpost

Player of the Game, Isiah Brown, maintains control of the ball against Northern Arizona.

NIKKI DORBER | The Signpost

NIKKI DORBER | The Signpost

Weber State’s David Nzekwesi passes the ball, despite the defense by Northern Arizona, contributing another 2 points.

MyWeberMedia.com| February 23, 2021 | 5

Weber State’s KJ Cunningham throws a 3-pointer, adding to the number of threes shot in the game against Northern Arizona.

6 | MyWeberMedia.com| February 23, 2021

College got you

STRESSED? WE CAN HELP!

A WALK

BACK IN HISTORY WITH

RUBY BRIDGES

By LISSETE LANDAVERDE

virtual

Wildcat Chat College life can be stressful and sometimes you need someone who understands these stressors to chat with or even just vent to. Your fellow Wildcats are here and ready to listen!

Learn more and see the complete schedule at: weber.edu/CounselingCenter/wildcat-chat.html

virtual

Anxiety Toolbox Group Most of us have some level of anxiety, but we still have to know how to manage it and keep living life. Anxiety Toolbox is a virtual group where you can learn about anxiety. It is not a counseling or therapy group, it is an educational group.

Learn more about the group at: weber.edu/CounselingCenter/virtual-anxiety-toolbox.html

Reporter

In a webinar held by Weber State University for Black History Month, civil rights activist Ruby Bridges shared her story with the community over Zoom on Feb. 18.

At six years old, Bridges was one of the first six Black students who were integrated into their local public elementary school in Louisiana, as requested by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People when they were looking for volunteers to participate in schools’ desegregation.

Bridges was the only one of the six that remained in the school. Angry protestors and threats required that she be escorted to school every day, a scene captured in Norman Rockwell’s painting “The Problem We All Live With.”

Bridges said she did not know her impact on the Civil Rights movement until she was 17 when a reporter showed her Rockwell’s painting of her.

Prior to that, she believed desegregation was something that was only happening within her community, not across the country. It made her realize who she was and the role she played in the movement.

Bridges eventually graduated from an integrated high school, and in 1999, she established the Ruby Bridges Foundation to promote tolerance and create change through education.

One of the topics brought up by Nicola Corbin, associate professor of communication, was the option some schools offer of having Black History Month curriculum as opt-out, as Maria Montessori Academy had allowed parents to do prior to February.

Bridges believes that, while the creation of Black History Month was a good start, the country should be further along in its acknowledgment of Black history, saying it should be taught every day for a long time.

“I believe that it is our shared history, and if it is mandatory that you learn and teach history those other 11 months, why isn’t it mandatory that this particular history that’s taught and highlighted in February should be taught all year long?” Bridges said.

In her work with children, Bridges believes that change is made through the youth, and if they can understand what she is teaching, then children will be able to convince their parents of the changes needed to make a more united country.

Bridges also talked about her experience in the civil rights movement when she was in the first grade.

Bridges explained her parents’ background as sharecroppers who did not get a formal education. She believes this was a factor in her parents’ decision to allow her to begin desegregating public schools, especially her mother.

While her father had reservations, he agreed in the end.

“I’m often asked, if I was faced with the same decision, could I do that, and I don’t think that I could,” Bridges said.

Corbin agreed with her statement but said she was still thankful to the parents who put themselves on the line.

At the time, Bridges only knew that she was moving schools but was unaware of what kind of school it was or what its significance was.

Upon her arrival at the school, she was met with an angry mob with signs but had no idea

MyWeberMedia.com| February 23, 2021 | 7

they were angry at her for being there. Students were taken out of school early because of her arrival, and some teachers even quit their jobs.

Bridges mentioned her first teacher, Barbara Henry, at William Frantz Elementary. Even though she looked like the angry people outside, she could tell she was different from them.

Henry had previous experience teaching di-

verse groups of children due to her husband being in the military and teaching the children on the military bases.

“She was very dedicated to teaching and what she wanted me to learn. It was just an amazing experience,” Bridges said.

Due to the mobs and threats she would receive, Bridges could not eat in the cafeteria or go outside for recess, causing her to feel alone throughout the first grade.

When she was able to see the other children, she was excited to finally have other kids to play with, but she soon understood the situation when a boy said his mom would not allow him to play with her because of her race and called her a racial slur.

“That made me understand that our kids are not born knowing anything about disliking one another. This is something that is passed on to our kids. It’s learned behavior,”

Bridges said.

Bridges tells audiences she still believes the country has more good than evil but that it will take looking past differences to stand up together. She encourages youth to pick up the torch of social justice and community service activism.

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Ruby Bridges, civil rights activist, spoke to the WSU community on Feb. 18. Bridges was the little girl depicted in Norman Rockwell’s painting of the beginning of the desegregation of local schools in Louisiana in 1960.

8 | MyWeberMedia.com| February 23, 2021

By JENNIFER GREENLEE Editor-in-Chief

The process for selecting a university president has always been clear, and it has been an open one for the past twenty years. A new bill currently in front of the Utah Legislature, HB318, aims to try and close the open process in the public’s face.

Without HB318, a search committee is appointed by the Board of Trustees of a university, and they work their way through applicants for university president before announcing three to five candidates as semifinalists publicly. Public meetings are held, and they go through a public vetting process.

Instead of all the semifinalists for the position being announced to the public, only one candidate, the one who was given the job, will be announced. The other candidates will be kept secret from the public eye.

While on the surface this may not sound like a shift beyond policy, it goes much deeper than that.

Jeff Hunt, a lawyer at Parr Brown Gee & Loveless and working with the Utah Media Coalition, has been a vocal advocate against this section of the bill because of how it will close off public scrutiny. It would also not allow the public to see if diverse candidates had been considered, an important part of presidential searches.

“I don’t think closure or secrecy have significant public benefit, specifically, when you are talking about hiring people in places of trust and responsibility,” Hunt said. “We select judges this way, and we select superintendents this way.”

Rep. Melissa Ballard, the chief sponsor of this bill, stated that the process puts the candidates in a tight spot with their current institution if they aren’t selected during the process.

The Commissioner of Higher Education for the state, Dave Woolstenhulme, was also supportive of this new implementation. He said that the coming April departure of Ruth Watkins, the current president of the University of Utah, gave insight into the process to see if they had the best method.

“When candidates find out their name is going to be made public they have to try to explain to their bosses and colleagues why they’re interviewing somewhere else,” Woolstenhulme said.

Inside Higher Ed published articles that found this to be untrue, and they even found that it may be problematic to the university, as it may cause problems for the university when no public scrutiny is allowed and no potential problems are allowed to surface.

Judith Wilde, chief operating officer and professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, par-

ticipated in the research that does not point to secret selection processes gaining better candidates.

“The whole theory seems to be premised on this notion that we don’t want to create discomfort for the people who haven’t told their current employer that they’re looking for a new job. If that’s the theory, then that kind of implies that the search committee is not going to contact the university that they were at,” Hunt said. “If you’re going to any kind of competent vetting job, you’re going to be contacting the university anyway.”

Hunt continued and said that if the search committee doesn’t contact the employer, it’s an ineffective search.

Tim Herzog, Ph.D, president of the WSU Faculty Senate, is also troubled by this possible policy change.

“Weber State has a really strong shared governance model,” Herzog said. “The faculty works with the university on big decisions and on small decisions. We have a seat at the table. This is counter to that. You take away the ability of faculty to have a voice in the really important process of selecting a university president.”

This bill comes during a unique time as Watkins prepares to step down, and applications for the position are being accepted now.

Finalists would be announced sometime in the fall.

Under this new bill, which would take effect on May 5, only the selected finalist would be announced to the public.

“I understand the argument that is being made, but I’m not sure that is compelling.

Looking at the state institutions and the leadership we have, we have been pretty effective at hiring presidents in the state of Utah,” Herzog said. “I haven’t seen a shortage of people who are willing to put their name out there.

We’ve had excellent candidates and excellent presidents.”

Wilde said that there is no reason to think a secret hiring process will result in better candidates for university presidents.

“Think of this — until just recently, all presidential searches were open. To state that secret searches yield better presidents is to imply that all previous presidents were not good. That just doesn’t make sense,” Wilde told Inside Higher Ed. The bill was passed in the house and introduced to the Senate Rules Committee on Feb. 19 where the section of the bill that proposed this change has been cut, but it could still be added back in by the education committee, which it advanced to on Feb. 22, or proposed amendments can be added during floor debates.

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The Utah Legislature is working on passing hundreds of bills to change Utah laws.

SARAH EARNSHAW | The Signpost

MyWeberMedia.com| February 23, 2021 | 9

By MILES SHAW

Asst. Section Editor

NIKKI DORBER | The Signpost

10 | MyWeberMedia.com| February 23, 2021

Weber State men’s basketball team ran away with a 22-point victory against Northern Arizona, 74–52. It was the second victory for the Wildcats over the Lumberjacks and WSU’s third straight win.

“We weren’t getting better at all; we weren’t very good,” Wildcats Head Coach Randy Rahe said. “Then we started to get back into conference play, and I could tell from one weekend to the next we were getting a little bit better, and so it’s all about continuity.”

Isiah Brown’s back-to-back 3-pointers to start the game not only gave the Wildcats a quick 6–0 lead, but sent WSU’s mascot Waldo into a dancing frenzy and put the fans inside the Dee Events Center on their feet.

“You know, he [Brown] did it both nights. He came out Thursday and made some shots, and I think he gives our team confidence when we see that ball go in early,” Rahe said. “He’s a confident player, and he took the shots that came to him.”

In what’s becoming a theme for the Wildcats this season, the whole team got involved in scoring.

“I thought we played good offense. We’ve been pretty consistent over the last three Weber State’s Seikou Sisoho Jawara with a 2-point bucket against Northern Arizona. weeks or so getting a lot of guys in double figWith 2:11 to go in the opening half, Porter ures, which is exactly what I envisioned with least four players finished in double digits for the rebound off his missed layup twice before WSU. drawing a foul and heading to the free-throw buried a deep 3-pointer, followed two possesthis team,” Rahe said. “We’ve got some pretty Following Brown’s back-to-back buckets line. sions later

by Sisoho Jawara laying in an easy good players and we got to spread the wealth.” to start the game, Carlson threw down a “When you’ve got a guy [Jones] who embucket to send the Wildcats to the second half Five players scored in double digits, led by two-handed slam to take an 8–4 Wildcat lead. braces the little things to help your team win, with a 32–23 lead.

Brown and Zahir Porter, who finished with 15 In the first half, Grizzly Luke Avdalovic hit it’s huge for chemistry and togetherness, and Coming out of the halftime locker room, the and 13 points and shot a combined five of 12 three straight 3-pointers to lead NAU on an it makes other guys play with a little more enWildcats went on a 9–2 run capped off by Carlfrom 3-point range.

8–2 run and brought the Lumberjacks to withergy,” Rahe said. son landing a 3-pointer and powering home Seikou Sisoho Jawara put up 11 points and in one point, trailing 15–14.

Jones snagged seven of his eight total rea layup, despite taking a blow to his face that led the team in assists, dishing out six, includBut this was the closest the Lumberjacks bounds in the fist half. sent him to the foul line. ing multiple one-handed passes to his Wildcat would be to WSU the rest of the game.

Porter and Sisoho Jawara went on a 7–0 “We definitely shut down their leading scorteammates, leading to easy baskets.

Jones fought in the paint all game long for run for the Wildcats at the end of the first er.

We beat them on the boards.... We just did Cody Carlson and Dillon Jones each put up the Wildcats, including a possession with unhalf.

Porter crossed up his man, sending him a really good job overall today,” Carlson said.

10 points and grabbed eight rebounds on the der five minutes to play in the fist half where backwards, and drove to the hoop for the easy “And you know, the second day people start to day. he battled on the offensive glass, grabbing lay-in. figure out the team, so the game just naturally It was the 13th game this season where at

MyWeberMedia.com| February 23, 2021| 11

NIKKI DORBER | The Signpost

moved slower.”

With 15:26 left in the game, and with WSU leading 46–30, Porter drilled another 3 off the dish from Sisoho Jawara, who rifled a one-handed pass to him at the 3-point line.

WSU continued to build its lead throughout the second half, and with 7:04 left to play, Dillon Jones buried two free throws, giving the Wildcats a 60–42 lead.

Jones’ hustle and tenacity in the paint paid off as he led the Wildcats in free throw attempts, shooting six of six.

With under four minutes to play, Porter’s third and final triple of the day led to a 28-point lead for WSU with a score of 72–44, the team’s biggest lead of the game.

“We definitely want to keep the energy and motivation up at the end of the season,” Carlson said of the team’s goals for upcoming games.

“So we just trying to ignore all of that and keep the energy up going into the conference tournament.”

NIKKI DORBER | The Signpost

Comment on this story at Isiah Brown, 12, watches to see that he hits the 3 against Northern Arizona. signpost.mywebermedia.com

NIKKI DORBER | The Signpost

Weber State’s Zahir Porter with his eyes on the goal of shooting a basket against Northern Arizona.

Isiah Brown, 12, continues to throw threes against Northern Arizona.

12 | MyWeberMedia.com| February 23, 2021

By ADAM RUBIN

Senior Reporter

By ANDRES RODRIGUEZ PERALTA Translator

Ogden Contemporary Arts celebró la gran inauguración de su nuevo centro feb. 12 en el edificio Monarch situado en la 2444 Washington Blvd.

Venessa Castagnoli, directora ejecutiva de OCA, ha estado trabajando con muchas otras personas interesadas en el arte en la comunidad de Ogden para traer artistas reconocidos mundialmente a la floreciente comunidad artística de Ogden.

“Nuestra visión es crear y compartir programación de artes avanzadas de tecnología de influencia mundial y culturalmente diversa”, dijo Castagnoli. “Queremos traer artistas de todo el mundo que sean reconocidos en el mundo del arte; no solo eso, sin embargo, queremos que estos artistas vengan a trabajar con nuestros personal creativo”.

Después de que COVID-19 lanzó una llave inglesa en sus engranajes, como lo hizo con tantos otros, OCA tuvo que cerrar sus puertas

por un tiempo y reagruparse. La gran inauguración se llevó a cabo después de una exitosa exhibición de puertas abiertas en enero.

OCA presentó el arte de la artista de renombre mundial Lauren Lee McCarthy para dar inicio a la gran inauguración. La pieza interactiva se llama “The Changing Room”.

“The Changing Room” es una exploración tecnológica y de multimedios entre la relación de la humanidad con la tecnología emocional, sensorial y espacialmente, así como lo que todo esto significa para cada uno de nosotros subjetiva y colectivamente.

Muchas de las cosas en las que McCarthy ha pensado durante la pandemia de COVID-19 se incorporaron al artículo.

Por recomendación de otro miembro de la junta, Castagnoli se acercó a McCarthy para que llevara su pieza al centro de OCA. McCarthy trabajó su visión creativa fuera del sitio durante gran parte del proceso durante el cierre, trabajando con fotos, planos de planta e impresiones en 3D del edificio OCA. Mientras la instalación, con el mismo nombre, también se mostró en Brisbane, Australia, McCarthy hizo adaptaciones a “The Changing Room” específicamente exclusivas del centro OCA y Ogden.

McCarthy dijo que, en “The Changing Room”, los invitados van a una de las habitaciones y se les pregunta: “¿Cómo te quieres sentir?” Luego se les dan 200 emociones diferentes para elegir y luego el cuarto reacciona en consecuencia.

“Todo el espacio en el que te encuentras se trata a través de la luz, el sonido, las imágenes, el texto para hacerte sentir todos ellos”, dijo McCarthy.

Hubo muchas risas por parte de las vecinas de negocios de al lado Amy y Vivi Wanderley-Britt, propietarias del WB’s Eatery, ya que ambas describieron el entorno del espacio de la OCA y los tipos de tecnologías que se muestran en la instalación.

“Pensamos que era interactivo”, dijo Amy Wanderley-Britt. “Nos sentamos en los asientos y pensamos que estábamos controlando los paneles. Hubo un momento en el que parecía que estaba siendo afectado por la cantidad de presión que le estabas poniendo o algo así “ Ellos se reían mientras contaban cómo pensaban que las tabletas de la instalación estaban midiendo el tono de tu voz, qué punto de la pantalla tocas o la temperatura de tus manos.

“Pensé que iba a ser una historia en constante cambio dependiendo de la palabra que tocara”, dijo Amy Wanderley-Britt. “Pero Venessa Castagnoli bajó y me dijo que había alguien controlando el piso de arriba, y yo estaba como, ‘ Oh, está bien ... ‘¿No es así cómo se siente la vida de todos modos?”

McCarthy expresó que el equipo de colaboradores con el que trabajó en “The Changing Room” ayudaron a hacer de su exposición un espectáculo exitoso y acogedor y el apoyo de la OCA fue todo lo que podía haber esperado.

“Me di cuenta de que aprecio un entorno como el de OCA”, dijo McCarthy. “Aprecio mucho más esta atmósfera, como que la ciudad es bastante pequeña aquí, pero el espacio para trabajar es grande. Tengo la oportunidad de escuchar los comentarios de la gente y podemos compartir pensamientos sobre la pieza de arte “.

“The Changing Room” se exhibirá en el centro hasta el mayo 31.

Se puede acceder al centro de arte de la OCA a través de la primera puerta al oeste de la entrada principal del edificio Monarch. La entrada es gratuita para todos.

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Informative flyers on student wellness and other mental health support are available in the Counseling Offices.

By LUCAS MOORE Reporter

The Weber State Counseling and Psychological Services Center in the Student Services building is hosting an educational group called the Anxiety Toolbox. Anxiety Toolbox is a student-facilitated group that educates students on anxiety, stress and different coping mechanisms. It is not considered counseling or therapy, but it can aid in learning how to deal with these complicated emotions.

Amy Blunck, supervisor of the group and its facilitators, feels it is a good thing the group is student-run because they can relate more to

the students who attend.

“There is this middle ground where there is a student who understands pieces of mental health and how to be supportive, there’s something really powerful about having people on campus who are able to offer that help,” Blunck said.

The meetings are a three-part seminar in which the student facilitators read off scripts from the Cal Poly Counseling Center to ensure they are relaying accurate information in the meetings. Students are given a “toolbox,” hence the name, with tools for coping when experiencing anxiety or stress.

A workbook is also given to the attendees,

with optional assignments for them to do at home for more understanding of breathing exercises, ways to be more cognitive about personal behaviors, behaviors of others around you and how to react to those conducts.

Another aspect of the meetings are the Wildcat Chats, which are more one-on-one talks for students to vent.

Brianna Shipley, a student facilitator for the group, explained how they’ve been navigating the group meetings through COVID-19.

“There is a lot less of handing out papers or talking to everyone in general and a more one-on-one focus,” Shipley said.

Due to the significant changes the virus has

PAIGE MCKINNON | The Signpost

MyWeberMedia.com| February 23, 2021 | 13

made to social settings, all meetings are being held virtually.

Before the pandemic, there were peer support groups located around campus that offer help to students.

“COVID-19 really pushed us to strategize how to better reach students directly,” explained Amanda Jones, past student facilitator for the peer mentoring groups before the fall semester of 2020.

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MyWeberMedia.com| February 23, 2021 | 15

By KIERSTYNN KING Reporter

I’ll be the first to admit I’m not the best when it comes to relaxing — and I mean really relaxing.

Living with five other people makes finding moments to relax difficult, which is why I was a little hesitant to join the Mindful Meditation session. If I wasn’t able to completely relax on my own, there was no way I was going to relax during a 30-minute session.

Despite my doubts, I went into the session optimistic, hoping I could relieve some tension and find some peace going into the rest of the day.

That’s where Craig Oreshnick comes in. Oreshnick is the facilitator of the Mindful Meditation group he created last year. It’s held virtually every Tuesday and Thursday at 11 a.m. The group provides a calming environment, and all students have to do is find a peaceful space.

Each session takes participants through a deep relaxation process using a variety of techniques that focus on abdominal breathing to help release stress and tension.

At the start of the session, we set individual goals for ourselves about how we hoped we would feel after the meditation. Oreshnick then guided myself and a few others through the meditation and had soothing Reiki sound music playing in the background.

Oreshnick also included moments throughout the meditation were we practiced mindfulness silently to ourselves.

According to Oreshnick, mindfulness is all about be-

ing present in the moment and taking time to practice mindfulness daily.

During the moments of mindfulness, I realized how much kinder I needed to be to myself and practice more moments of self care.

“Meditation and mindfulness is more important now with everything going on in the world today,” Oreshnick said. “Being kind to yourself and holding yourself accountable for positive self care is really important.”

After the session we went over our goals and how we were feeling. I felt more relaxed than I had in awhile.

It was nice to have a feeling of extreme relaxation. I was completely present in the moment and had some uninterrupted time for myself.

“Even though these sessions are completely virtual, I hope they provide a realer experience than YouTube videos,” Oreshnick said. “I encourage students and faculty to drop in on the group anytime and judge it for themselves.”

ALLI RICKARDS | The Signpost

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