The Standard's 10.1.19 issue

Culture fair Young students experience other cultures at MSU

Untitled SGF ‘Untitled’ art show held in Springfield to showcase local artists

Sophomore star

Women’s golfer leads team with confidence

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M I S S O U R I S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y

VOLUME 113, ISSUE 6 | THE-STANDARD.ORG The Standard/The Standard Sports

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019

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Walk for ALS

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MSU Pre-Med Society partners with ALS Association TINSLEY MERRIMAN Staff Reporter @MerrimanTinsley The Missouri State University Pre-Medical Society and Cell and Molecular Biology Society teamed up with the ALS Association Mid-America chapter for a fundraising walk on Saturday, Sept. 28.

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a degenerative affliction that halts the brain’s ability to communicate with the body through the spinal column. This, in turn, weakens the muscles and eventually leads to death.

Pre-Medical Society said they are dedicated to helping MSU students interested in all types of medical fields, providing them many opportunities to meet professionals in a variety of fields.

According to the Pre-Medical Society Community Chair Head Noah Kronk, the MSU teams raised around $910 for the cause. Kronk, a senior cell and molecular biology major, also confirmed they have 15 members on their team for fundraising, as well as the Pre-Medical Society having 86 active members.

Its partner, the Cell and Molecular Biology Society, has 150 members active, according to President Mikala Sisco, a senior cell and molecular biology major. Sisco said the walk showed off how wide the medical field is, and how it can affect people positively.

“We are trying to create service opportunities for pre-medical students,” Sisco said. “It allows them to tap into more medical type service events, so this is really a community coming together to raise money to find a cure and research ALS. It really gives you a different perspective of u See ALS, page 8

File Photo by BILL SIOHOLM/THE STANDARD

UNDEFEATED AND RANKED. Missouri State’s men’s soccer team is perfect through its first seven games. The Bears were ranked No. 19 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll released on Sept. 24. The poll is announced every Tuesday. The Bears are one of seven NCAA Division I teams to still be undefeated. Their next game is at 6 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, Oct. 1, at home against Omaha.

Photos by KATE BROWN/THE STANDARD

A Black Hawk helicopter landed on campus on Sept. 26. The ROTC cadets were flown in the helicopters to Camp Crowder on Thursday for a field training exercise. To see the rest of the gallery, head to the-standard.org.

International film festival featured at MSU KAITLYN STRATMAN Photo Editor @kaitlynstratman Ten stories told from around the world and shown in over 400 cities dimly lit the faces of the 120 attendees of the Manhattan Short Film Festival in the Plaster Student Union Theater.

With a variety of storylines and themes, certain films elicited bursts of laughter from the audience, and others, reactions of shock or sadness.

Every year, filmmakers create short films to submit to the Manhattan Short Festival in New York. This international festival features ten films chosen from over 1,000 applicants worldwide.

With entries from 75 countries, the chosen 10 can be viewed at specific venues throughout the world.

This year’s finalists are from Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Iran, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Springfield, one of three Missouri venues where the festival is shown, played the select films on Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. in the PSU. The films also play in Joplin and Jefferson County.

“I think that for students who are not filmmakers, it’s just a good way to have fun, watch these films and contribute to a scholarship fund for your fellow students,” said Timothy White, associate professor of film studies and assistant head of the media, journalism and film department.

White said that many of the short

films created are intended to be expanded into feature films.

“If you’re going to be a film major, short films are generally the way that you start out, and you have to

“

Senior digital film and TV production major Honesty Gant, and former Missouri State students Shakhailil Benbow and Danielle R.L. McCowan, took first place in the short film category for the 2019 Missouri Broadcast Educators Association contest for their short film named “Post Miseriam.”

“To actually see my project get selected and then win the category out of all Missouri students, it was definitely a surprising but exhilarating feeling,” said Gant, who produced and directed the film.

Not only was the win a testament to the endless hours the team put in to creating their film, but Gant said

Representation is key.”

-Honesty Gant get those seen,” White said. “One of the best ways to get them seen is to submit them to festivals, and if you win prizes, that is a way for you to promote your films. It’s just kind of a way to get going in the industry.”

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it was also a testament to how a film, featuring a majority of students of color, can be successful in the industry and should be recognized.

“A majority of my crew was black men and women, and my cast was black men and women, so that was very important to me because representation is key,” Gant said.

Gant believes submitting short films to festivals is not only important to improve representation, but necessary for filmmakers to make it far in the industry.

“You have to have something attached to your name,” Gant said.

The Springfield screening of the Manhattan Short Film Festival was open to the public, costing $10 a ticket. The proceeds go to the digital film productions’ scholarship for students.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019

2018 security safety report released CARISSA CODEL News Editor @CarissaCodelTV

70 60

69

2017 and 2018 Security Safety Data Graphic by KAITLYN STRATMAN/THE STANDARD

The Missouri State Office of University Safety released the annual security 50 and fire safety report for 2018.

38 The most notable difference from 2017 40 was the arrests for liquor law violations.

30 In 2018, 38 people were arrested on 30 campus compared to 69 people the year prior.

20 16 Motor vehicle thefts were also down, 9 according to the report. 16 people report- 10 5 ed their car stolen in 2018, whereas in 1 0 2017 that number was at 30.

0 However, there were nine reported Liquor Law Violations Motor Vehicle Thefts Rapes Hate Crime rapes, four more than 2017.

2017 2018 On campus, there were eight reports of dating violence and six reported in on-campus housing. well as 35 arrests for drug abuse violations. bias,” according to the report.

There were six reported instances of 2018 also saw the first hate crime in Included in hate crimes was one report fondling on campus, three reports of ag- three years, with one reported “incident of “aggravated assault characterized by gravated assault, burglary and stalking, as of intimidation characterized by race race bias” on public property.

Photos by SYDNIE HAMBURG/THE STANDARD

(Above) Students learned how to do crafts at the Culture Fair.

(Left) Relics representing different cultures were placed around the room, including globes.

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Young students learn about world cultures at MSU event ANDREW UNVERFERTH Staff Reporter @overander It’s not exactly common for a fourth grader to travel around the world; but in Springfield, they can at least get close in a matter of hours.

Missouri State University’s annual International Cultural Fair was held on Wednesday, Sept. 25 with hundreds of elementary and middle school students in attendance to learn about cultures from all over the world.

The modern and classical languages department hosted the event. Heidi Backes, assistant professor of Spanish in the department, organized it.

The culture fair consisted of about a dozen booths spread throughout the Plaster Student Union ballroom and allowed the third through sixth graders to go on what Backes described as a “virtual trip around the world.”

Each booth represented a different country or culture.

Backes, who said she does most of the planning and preparation for the event herself, tries to represent the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa, swapping out different countries each year on rotation.

Backes said children come from Springfield schools as well as some nearby towns for this field trip. When they arrive, they get a tote bag and passport

booklet before they start their journey around the world.

At each booth, the children are greeted in the country’s native language. They then learn some basic vocabulary and where to find the country on a map or a globe.

At every booth there is also a cultural lesson along with a binder full of photos that are representative of the various areas, regions or cultures in the country.

Before the students move on, they participate in some sort of activity related to the culture.

Backes said she sometimes changes these activities from year to year to keep things fresh for returning students.

Emily Freitas, junior anthropology and Spanish major, has volunteered for the culture fair for the past three years. She said she’s worked several booths and their activities. For Spain, the students practice Flamenco dancing. In Indonesia, they discuss and try Gamelan, a traditional type of orchestra music.

Whether the activity is physical, musical or, in the case of Kenya’s beaded bracelet crafting, creative, Backes said they are all meant to simultaneously engage and educate the students.

Both Freitas and Backes said exposing children to this sort of event is important to their development and rewarding for

the volunteers.

“I think it’s really important to do little things like that with kids while they’re young so that as they grow up they have a sense of the world,” Freitas said. “They have a sense that there are so many other people, so many other cultures and that each culture and each country is important in its own right.”

Backes has been organizing the International Cultural Fair since before she started working at MSU. She originally hosted the fair at her previous job at Drury University. It’s been an annual event at MSU since 2017.

She said her inspiration for the event came from her childhood experiences. Backes is from Wisconsin, and went on a field trip to the Milwaukee Holiday Folk Fair each year.

The Milwaukee Holiday Folk Fair helped serve as the basis for the cultural fair she would later create in Springfield.

“It so opened my eyes to all of the life around me,” Backes said. ”All of the different cultures and the different languages and different traditions that I really wanted to be a part of ... That’s what I wanted to emulate here.”

Backes said she usually has more than 300 volunteers for

u See CULTURE, page 8

THE STANDARD

opinion

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019 | THE-STANDARD.ORG

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Bringing awareness changes nothing JAY SAXTON Columnist @jayasaxton I ran into a friend of mine last week at Target. She was wearing a bright neon shirt with business logos on the back; you know, the kind you get at events. She looked like she had just come from a workout. I said hello and asked her what she had been doing that morning. She said she had just completed a 5 mile bike ride to bring awareness to the plight of the homeless.

“Good works,” I said. As she sipped her Starbucks coffee, she told me she was going home to take a shower and meet some friends at Panera Bread. “Interesting,” I thought. I know there is a problem with homelessness; you don’t have to make me aware. I volunteer with a non-profit helping the homeless and substance addicts in my community; I’m certainly aware. Did she think that riding a bicycle with a group of people for 5 miles would change the plight of the homeless? I really think she did.

I applaud the efforts of most people to bring about awareness. Here’s the problem with the occasional small protest, march, boycott or social media tirade created to bring “awareness” to an issue; it changes nothing! Why? Because there is no political structure, no leader, no wheels on the bus. After these events, we go back to our normal lives, the media buzz fizzles and we’re on to our next noble cause.There are great ills in this country and around the world. Activism can be a key for change, but bike rides, glittery signs, T-shirts, posters and Sharpies rarely bring results. If an issue really begins to gain steam and attention, the government is quick to address the concern with lip service and empathy, but nothing changes. It’s only a guise to satisfy the rabble rousers and their sympathizers. It works.

Real results come from sustained action and organization, but even these efforts take time to bring about change.

Civil disobedience has been the hallmark of some causes. The Civil Rights Movement had a face. It was Martin Luther King Jr. There were many other people involved. These people stayed involved. There was a structure. They had support.

They were politically motivated. Laws had to change. King and others were arrested many times.

In King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” he responds to a letter from clergy that call his actions “unwise” and “untimely.” He didn’t think so.

Mahatma Gandhi advocated for “peaceful protest” and, in the 1930s, marched a band of citizens over 200 miles to the sea for salt; a diet staple that was prohibited from being collected under British rule.

He was arrested and jailed. His two-year prison sentence in 1943 for his anti-colonial movements included many hunger strikes. India gained independence in 1947. In the 1980s Lech Walesa organized labor strikes in Poland. His Solidarity Movement helped bring about change in working conditions. He was jailed for nearly a year. If you

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are met with fierce opposition to what you stand for, are you prepared to be arrested or jailed for your convictions? Most are not.

Change is not easy. For every person you get to support your cause, there are two that tell you it won’t matter and to back down.

Sometimes, you must battle on in spite of circumstances and support, knowing that what you are doing is right. You may feel alone and ostracizedand that the opposition is too mighty.

In 1981, Bobby Sands died at the age of 27 of a self-imposed prison hunger strike. He had been arrested for opposition to the British government’s

rule over Ireland. In the months to follow, nine other prisoners died of hunger protesting the same issue. Sands was elected to the British Parliament while in jail. Since then, Ireland has continued to gain political recognition. The 1989 Tiananmen Square protest, or the “Democracy Movement” opposed the Communist Rule in China. According to BBC, the government crackdown led to the deaths of nearly 10,000 people. Their struggle for democracy continues.

Four unarmed students were killed and nine wounded at Kent State University by Ohio National Guardsmen in 1970 while protesting the

Vietnam War. This led to a student “strike” of nearly 4 million at campuses across the country. The killings and subsequent strikes solidified the efforts to end the war. Does change only come with death or people being martyred?

Sometimes, but not always.

We might hold a sign or attend a fundraiser or a sponsored event, but we would never break the law in a violent or non-violent way. Would you parachute from the exhaust towers of a coal burning power plant to protest global warming or chain yourself to a meat processing facilities’

u See SAXTON, page 8

Major in something you enjoy, Unpaid internships hurt even if it doesn’t pay the most students in the long run ANNELISE PINJUV Columnist @Annelisepin Since the Great Recession, parents have told their children, “If you’re going to spend money on college, majoring in something that will pay the bills.” According to the website Economic Modeling, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics majors have gone up 43% since 2009, while humanities majors have declined 0.4%. This is most likely because teenagers are worried about landing a steady job after college, and majoring in science or math is thought to help with this. But it is really a better alternative?

Companies are redefining what they find valuable in an employee. For example, writing is one of the most useful skills in the business world, yet some STEM majors that graduate from top colleges are not proficient in writing. Humanity majors are required to study culture and history, which makes a well-rounded employee in language and critical thinking (which definitely helps with writing). They also The Standard Physical address: Clay Hall 744 E. Cherry St. Springfield, Missouri Postal address: 901 S. National Ave. Springfield, MO 65897 Newsroom: 417-836-5272 Advertising: 417-836-5524

read quite a bit, leading them to be better writers. These skills are highly attractive to employers in the business world.

Another factor people fail to mention is unemployment rates are really not bad amongst humanity majors.

Business Insider states the average unemployment rate amongst recent graduates from all humanities majors is 9%, while computer science and math unemployment rates for recent graduates is 9.1%. This is not crazy different from 7.9%, the average unemployment rate for all recent graduates amongst all majors.

Many employers are also basing their hiring decisions on things like emotional intelligence, adaptability and people skills. Business Insider mentions Google is not entirely concerned with what their employee’s college major or GPA was, and they are more interested in someone with good people skills, ability to work well with technology or displays a high emotional intelligence. These things are not necessarily learned in college.

Emotional intelligence simply means the ability to access your

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own emotions as well as the emotions of others. This is a life skill, not a college class.

Another reason to study in the humanities is that if no one does, there will be a surplus of jobs for these majors.

The more humanities majors drop, most likely, the more unemployment will go down because there will be less people to fill their spots. The reason the world continues to go ‘round is because people have different skill sets and different passions. We could not enjoy all the wonderful things that are a product of society if it wasn’t for diversity.

Long story short, majoring in the humanities is an OK thing to do. In fact, it’s more than OK, as long as you have a drive and a passion for your specific field of study. There are more job titles being created everyday because of the way the world is evolving and growing.

Whatever it is you want to do, whatever it is you want to study, you should absolutely go for it. After all, liking what you do will make you 100 times better at it.

KATHERINE COOPER Columnist @k8iek8_ Many degree programs here at Missouri State University require a “Public Affairs Capstone Experience,” which is defined by the Missouri State website as a program that l “allow(s) a student to demonstrate the capacity to synthesize and apply information, demonstrate analytical, practical, and interpretive skills and promulgate ideas acquired from the major.”

On paper, this sounds fabulous. Students instantly become more competitive in the job hunt when they have already held an internship, as well as other endless benefits that come along with it, be it letters of recommendation, guidance in specializations or a better understanding of their goals and career aspirations.

However, these capstone experiences often require students to take unpaid internships or shadowing opportunities. The problem with this

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is many students are putting themselves through college financially, and taking an unpaid internship to fulfill degree requirements can be time-consuming, and prevent someone from holding a job that brings them gainful income. This forces students to either take out more student loans to pay for things like rent, gas, groceries, etc. or have essentially two jobs, which is obviously not ideal for students with a full course load. It makes sense why initially the university would want students to get experience in their field before graduation, but what does not make sense is why the limitations on these experiences are so strict. There is no question whether students should get jobs that could help them post-graduation, but at what cost? This should be strongly encouraged and perhaps even incentivized by various degree programs, but by no means something that cost students potentially thousands of dollars in tuition and lack

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of gainful employment.

Several departments are moving away from the Capstone Requirement, including the Political Science department, which has required a Capstone Experience for years that must be political (not legal) and unpaid. It also must be around 20 hours a week, which is fairly rigorous during the school year, and no papers, reflection or meeting with faculty or staff is required. The department’s choice to get rid of this requirement could be due in part to the slimming down of political opportunities in the Springfield area. Since former Senator Claire McCaskill closed her Springfield office in response to her loss in the 2018 election, many students are without an outlet for political opportunities that align with their values, beliefs and ideas. While noting this theory is simply speculation, it is a valuable improvement to the course catalog to remove the Capstone Experience and change it in a more valuable way.

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THE STANDARD

life

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019 | THE-STANDARD.ORG

Untitled SGF Art show brings community, culture to Springfield ZOE BROWN Lifestyle Editor @zoe_zoebrown The name, or rather namelessness of Untitled SGF, a local art showcasing organization, allows the organization to be inclusive of artists of various mediums and methods to showcase their work for the community.

Untitled SGF is a monthly art show held at Q Enoteca on Commercial Street in Springfield. Untitled has showcased various types of art, from painting to poetry.

“I really believe in community big time and I believe in art,” said Joe Bulger, one of the organizers of the event. “Art and community together is just a powerful thing.”

Bulger, a photographer based in Springfield, and Larnelle Foster, a writing manager and the owner of Q Enoteca, met one another through family and friends.

“We sat down one day and were like, ‘What do we want to be doing in this community?’ and literally in like a lunch coffee, we came up with the whole idea,” Foster said.

Quickly, the two decided to make the idea into a reality. Within weeks, they had their first event.

“We want to be very inclusive to where if anyone at all has an idea or a dream or a creative vision, this is a perfect place for them to either workshop it or show something they’ve already created and is refined,” Bulger said.

The organizers agree that they want to keep the event on Commercial Street to bring more culture to the area.

“The big vision for it is to grow the community of artists in Springfield,” Bulger said.

Community is a key part of the show’s mission.

“Art is something beautiful when it is shared,” Bulger said.

Untitled held its sixth event on Friday, Sept. 27, showcasing the work of Savannah Snowden, an Ozark Technical College graduate, and Crystal Skram, an Missouri State University graduate.

Snowden, who received an associate’s degree in graphic design technology, primarily works with digital art.

“I use my art as a way to cope with my feelings and with who I am as a person and how I feel toward a situation, toward the world,” Snowden said.

Many of Snowden’s art pieces depict herself in various situations, patterns and settings.

“I think that’s why I photoshop pictures of myself because everything is just a reflection of me as a whole,” Snowden said.

Although she is a visual artist, Snowden’s favorite form of art is music. She said sounds and music inspire much of her work.

“I want to be a rock and roll guitar player, that would be great but since I can’t do that, I do this,” Snowden said, laughing. “One of my pieces is just how I’m listening to sounds, how I feel the vibrations. A lot of it does reflect music.”

Untitled SGF welcomes first-time and established artists of various mediums.

“We don’t care what the medium is, we don’t care how long you’ve been in the art process,” said Paige Muller, one of the organizers of Untitled.

Untitled SGF encourages artists to share their creative process at the show. Foster said this is different from many galleries where the viewer may only see the art piece without receiving information about the artist or why they create.

“We are allowing the artist to give us some background on what their process is and why they do what they do,” Foster said.

The organizers agree they want the event to be a blank canvas for artists.

“The fact that it’s untitled, every month can be whatever it wants to be, so then I felt like we never have to say to ourselves, ‘we can’t do that,’” Foster said.

Skram, the other artist who showed work at the event, graduated in May of 2018 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in printmaking.

“I am Skram. People call me Skram, I go by Skram and my real name

SINJIN DELMORE/THE STANDARD

(Top) Larnelle Foster, Joe Bulger and Paige Muller are the organizers of Untitled SGF. The sixth Untitled event was held at Q Enoteca on Friday Sept. 27. (Bottom left) Artist Savannah Snowden poses with her art. (Bottom right) Crystal Skram and Savannah Snowden pose in front of a projection of Skram’s digital drawings. is Skram,” Skram said.

Skram does screenprints, which she describes as a hands-on process.

She merges digital drawing and screenprinting to create her end product.

“Art doesn’t have to mean anything in particular even though to me, it does,” Skram said.

Skram said if she isn’t giggling when she’s drawing, she tosses what she’s working on.

“It has to be funny,” Skram said.

“It has to be goofy but it also doesn’t have to mean that.”

Many of Skram’s prints are cutesty, funny and happy. She said her mantra for life is that “If you don’t laugh about it, you’ll cry.”

“I’ve lived a weird, full life and I’m very young,” Skram said.

Like life, Skram said her art is never perfect.

“That’s the whole point, it’s never going to be exactly what you want every time,” Skram said.

In fact, Skram said her dog peed on much of her art before the show.

“She’s getting old, she’s got hip dysplasia and peed everywhere, but it did not get on any of the piece I put up, which is nice,” Skram said.

Make light of the situation, Skram said.

“There’s no point of dwelling on things,” Skram said.

Skram’s art can be viewed at crystalskram.cargo.site. Snowden’s art can be viewed on Instagram @design_savvy.

Professor helps people with disabilities at home and abroad SHANNON NOONAN Staff Reporter @shannon_noo

Photos by JAYLEN EARLY/ THE STANDARD

From strangers to shop owners

Springfield natives open vintage pop-up market GRETA CROSS Engagement Editor @gretacrossphoto

One month. That is how long it took co-owners Jina Gorham and Jessica Dunn to connect over Facebook Marketplace, meet for coffee and open a vintage clothing and furniture pop-up market together.

“A month,” Gorham said with a giggle. “It was super random.”

Just over a week ago, the co-owners opened Vintage Fashion and Home at 209 West Commercial Street in Springfield.

“She asked about an ad I had for sale for some antique, vintage lamp parts and we just started chatting,” Gorham said. “It just evolved to our love for vintage items and clothing. I said, ‘What do you think about doing a vintage holiday pop-up market, like opening a shop together?’ And she was just like, ‘Oh my gosh, that would be a dream.’ I didn’t even know her. We had never met.”

Before their coffee date, Gorham and Dunn only communicated via Facebook Messenger to discuss the possibility of opening a pop-up market together.

For nearly 10 years Gorham was the sole owner of Decades Vintage Boutique on Commercial Street, but after the birth of her son, she decided to close the business and become a stay-at-home

mom. Upon learning of Dunn’s dream to open a vintage store of her own, she began to wonder if the two could work in a partnership, now that her son is in school.

“Our visions fit so well together,” Gorham said. “We were like, ‘Let’s do it.’”

Bold teal, orange and yellow stripes painted across the shop’s windows and the simple, yet direct store name, grabs the attention of passersby.

“We literally were like, ‘What can we do draw people in?’ And I said, ‘Why not keep it simple and call it what it is?’ We are literally a vintage shop.

Vintage Fashion and Home. We just made up a banner and painted some really cool stripes on the windows and it was like, ‘Yes, it all fits.’”

Currently, Gorham and Dunn are offering a consignment option for those who would like to sell vintage, antique products in their store, while the duo makes a percentage from the sales.

During her time managing Decades, Gorham was able to network with many of the area’s largest vintage and antique dealers. She said owners of now-closed businesses such as Springfield Antique Company and Cats Meow are interested in becoming vendors, using the store as an outlet to sell their vintage collectibles.

Gorham and Dunn both search for their own pieces of clothing and furniture, adding to the pop-up’s growing

Vintage Fashion and Home, located on Commercial Street, offers a variety of high-quality secondhand clothing, accessories and furniture items. collection. Gorham said she has purchased items from estate sales, storage units and even peoples’ basements.

Gorham expressed that selling vintage clothing is much more than digging through boxes, finding a few pieces of interest and hanging them up for sale.

“You take the time to go through the items,” Gorham said. “You really process them. You clean them. You mend them, repair buttons, fix things. You make sure they are really nice and presentable so you can actually get a little more for them.”

Gorham and Dunn both said the store has been doing well since its opening and they look forward to its future success.

“We sell something every day and that makes me happy,” Dunn said with a smile on her face.

The pop-up market remains at its current location until Oct. 31. However, the duo is considering the possibility of transitioning into the original building of Gorham’s Decades Vintage Boutique, just one building over. If they decide to move, the market will be open until late January.

“The whole thing has been very serendipitous,” Dunn said. “It’s all just been falling in place. Something will happen and it will kinda put us off track, (but) we hit it and keep going and it ends up working out. Her and I are all about the good vibes.”

Paul Ajuwon, professor in the department of counseling, leadership and special education, uses his experience as a blind man to teach students at Missouri State University and volunteer his expertise abroad in Africa.

Ajuwon was originally drawn to Missouri State University in 2004 by his fascination with a new program that was added to the department of special education.

This program prepares teachers for working with students who have a visual impairment.

“I really wanted to be involved in making a difference in a program that aims to create new opportunities and hopes for children with special needs through effective training of teachers,” Ajuwon said.

Ajuwon credits his desire to work as a special educator largely to his experience with disability.

“The personal experience continually propels me to assist people in similar circumstances, so they can achieve their hopes and aspirations and become useful to the society at large,” Ajuwon said.

Troy Shirk, a Bear Line driver at MSU, considers Ajuwon to be both a positive mentor and friend.

“He is a very giving person,” Shirk said. “Although he is blind, he sees more, whether it be in his surroundings or in people, than a majority of people with no impairments. The man has successfully navigated our world. This world is definitely a better place with Dr. Paul in it.”

Not only does Ajuwon assist students at MSU by teaching courses such as braille reading and writing, he does education and rehabilitation work throughout Africa, more specifically in his home country of Nigeria.

“Because I visit the continent from time to time, I am in a better position to see firsthand the issues

that impact persons with special needs, their families and the society at large,” Ajuwon said.

Ajuwon’s work in Africa includes training teachers in special and general education and school administration. He also trains parents and caregivers so they are better equipped to advocate for children with disabilities.

“There is a dearth (scarcity) of specialized resources in most schools for the disabled in Africa because special education remains a low priority for their governments,” Ajuwon said.

“There are also large numbers of children, youth and adults who are not receiving services at all. To compound the situation, there is no social safety net similar to what exists in the United States or Canada, and the families of these children find it difficult to keep up with the high cost of educating their children with special needs.”

According to Ajuwon, there are three pillars that drive any educator: teaching, research and volunteer service. Ajuwon’s volunteerism is extensive.

In the summer of 2018, Ajuwon spent 70 days developing a new curriculum and improvements to campus services available to students and faculty members with disabilities at the University of Jos in Nigeria.

In the summer of 2019, he delivered special equipment and books donated to the teachers of students with autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome and visual impairments at schools in Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria.

Because there is a scarcity of resources available for special education in Africa, these donations benefit both students and faculty.

“The donated resources I deliver to these institutions goes a long way to help the children to learn,” Ajuwon said. “Their teachers also gain new ideas and skills from the donated textbooks u See AJUWON, page 8

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019

‘Show-Me Chefs’ enters fourth season LAINEY SANDERS Staff Reporter “Master Chef” but local: That’s how to describe “ShowMe Chefs.” “Show-Me Chefs” is an award-winning culinary competition series going into their fourth season of production. The show is produced in Springfield by students in Missouri State University’s department of media, journalism and film.

The show brings on eight local and regional chefs who compete to prepare a three-course meal for a panel of judges from the Springfield culinary community.

This season's judges are chef Angelo Wannithantri, who has been with the show since season one, Springfield actor Nathan Shelton and chef Joey Fiddick returning as a field host after competing in season three. Fiddick will travel to partner locations to chat with chefs and culinary enthusiasts for the series.

The competing chefs are scored based on a number of factors: flavor profile, incorporation of mystery ingredients, cooking quality and presentation.

The winner of each episode advances to the next round of the competition. The last chef standing is the champion.

There is sometimes chaos onscreen, but what viewers don’t get to see is the chaos happening behind the camera and in the editing room.

Since “Show-Me Chefs” is produced by students at MSU, they not only get to dip their toes but dive into hands-on roles of producing a show aired on television.

“I thought the opportunity to work on a television show that is actually aired on television would be a great step,” said Jeremiah Hinds, junior digital film and television production major “It's great being able to see exactly what goes into creating a TV show and the chaos behind the scenes most people would never know about after seeing the final product.”

Ashton Wilson, a graduate student currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Communication, is a producer on “Show-Me Chefs” u Read more online at the-standard.org.

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Springfield livability ranks high for Gen Z KAYLA CURRY Staff Reporter @kaylalcurry Finances can play a crucial role in the decision-making process for students considering where they want to study or settle down after graduation. Cost of living was the characterizing factor of a recent study by GoBankingRates, which named Springfield as one of the 50 “Best cities for Gen Z to live well on a budget.”

According to GoBankingRates, the ratings were calculated by adding up the cost of necessities like rent, utilities, groceries, healthcare and transportation, then subtracting that amount from $29,920, which they said is the average after-tax income of Americans ages 25 and younger.

This calculation yields the amount of income leftover after all necessities paid for.

“Each factor was scored, with average rent weighted triple, population and percentage of population ages 18 to 24 weighted double, leftover income weighted double and livability weighted double,” the study said. “The higher the score, the less affordable and desirable a city was.”

Springfield was ranked 13 and received a rating of 65 out of 100 for “livability,” which considers the population of 18 to 24 year olds in the city to determine whether it would be desirable for Gen Zers to live. Springfield, along with other cities in the South and Midwest, filled up the top of the list after GoBankingRates analyzed 200 of the largest U.S. cities.

According to RentJungle, the average rent in Springfield is around $799. Missouri State University graduate Amaris Clay rents an apartment near campus with utilities included for $600 a month. She says she considers herself to be frugal, spending about $120 a month on groceries. Clay was born in St. Louis, and says she prefers living in Springfield at this period in her life

over her hometown.

“When looking at a new city to live I consider the cost of living, climate, career opportunities, social scene, restaurants and dining and distance from my hometown,” Clay said. “I graduated from MSU in May with my bachelor’s, and I chose to stay in Springfield to pursue my master's degree because I still felt too young and honestly unprepared to make a big move.”

Reasons behind Springfield’s economic prosperity could arguably be rooted in the Springfield Chamber of Commerce’s dedication to business retention and expansion. According to the COC website, the Business Retention and Expansion Program “helps local businesses that employ our residents and strengthen Springfield’s regional economy” and provides “companies with a single point of entry to a variety of business assistance resources.”

Clay said she has noticed Springfield’s growth, and it is one of the reasons she decided to stay here.

“Springfield is growing, and with that growth comes more career opportunities,” Clay said. “I think Springfield is a good place for people our age because we are in a transitional stage in our lives. We are trying to ‘adult’ and that comes with a lot of trial and error. Springfield is much less intimidating than cities like St. Louis or Kansas City, so it’s a great practice run for bigger places.”

Students moving out of the dorms have options for off-campus student apartments through properties such as MORe Student Living, which owns three different apartments near campus. Each lease includes utilities, WiFi and furniture in the rent which can range from around $500 to over $800 a month. Students can also lease other apartments and houses near the university and downtown area for similar prices.

Many apartments near campus are tailored to college students and offer special amenities. Many include util-

STEVE TRAN/THE STANDARD

Downtown lofts, like the Seville apartments, are located within walking distance of restaurants, shopping and nightlife. ities, furniture, appliances, and some offer workout centers, swimming pools and dog parks.

Aspen Heights is an off-campus student apartment complex which features an outdoor pool as well as a fully-equipped gym. Bear Village, another off-campus complex, includes a tea and coffee bar, a dog park and grilling patios.

Springfield’s cost of living was also rated based on the cost of transportation. GoBankingRates estimated the annual cost for transportation in Springfield to be around $2,700, compared to the national average of $9,004, according to ValuePenguin.

Other than paying for gas, Gen Zers have options for other forms of inexpensive transportation around Springfield .

Sophomore theater major Simon Osler rents a house across the street from MSU and walks to class every day, so he never spends money getting to and from class. The university also offers the Bear Line, a free shuttle service which takes students around campus, to nearby apartments and downtown.

According to the City of Springfield website, “Downtown Springfield

is emerging as a walkable community with urban living close to shopping, work and transit.”

Students living on or near campus are a few blocks away from the downtown area, making walking and biking viable options for transportation. The city offers the Ozark Greenways, a collection of trails for walking and biking, as well as the LINK, a bus route that follows low-traffic streets and crosses several bus stops and bike routes.

Clay said downsides of living in Springfield include a lack of diversity, limited nightlife, the need of a degree to make a decent wage, high crime rate, and the risk of getting taken advantage of by landlords. She said the advantages are affordable housing, the abundance of bars, the close proximity of everything and having a lot to explore. She said the city is “picturesque at times.” Overall, Clay said she is comfortable in Springfield but plans to move after graduation.

“I believe Springfield is a great place for Gen Zers to live,” Clay said. “There are not many cities where living alone, and comfortably at that, at our age is possible.”

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sports First-year phenom continues success into second year 6

CLAIRE NIEBRUGGE Senior Sports Reporter @claireniebrugge Most college athletes have loved their sport since childhood, an activity they’ve been doing for as long as they can remember.

Not Abby Cavaiani.

Missouri State’s golf phenom remembers feeling indifferent toward golf when she was younger. Abby played just for fun — and because her parents made her.

When she turned 13, her and her dad took a trip to The Masters and everything changed. She fell in love with the game and decided to play competitively.

Abby began shooting lower and lower scores her junior year of high school, and started to realize that this was something she could take a step further.

And she did.

Abby was named the 2017 Player of the Year by the Wisconsin High School Coaches Association and shot an all-time Wisconsin high school record 60 (-12) at her high school conference championship.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever do that again,” Abby said. “But it was a pretty cool day. I had a feeling it was going to be a good day, but I never thought I could shoot something like that.”

Abby said she felt at peace and in the zone that day, and nothing was getting in her way.

Golf is described by many as a “head game” and can oftentimes get the best of players, but Abby doesn’t let bad shots or scores affect her game.

“You just have to know that you’re not perfect and you’re going to hit some bad shots,” Abby said. “But if I hit a few bad shots or have a few bad scores, my life isn’t over. It’s not going to define me. It’s just about going out and trying to shoot my best score, shot by shot.”

Her poise is what stuck out to head coach Kevin Kane, who met Abby on a visit to MSU before he saw her play.

“I got a great vibe from her and her family. I remember thinking to myself, ‘I really hope I like her game,’” Kane said.

She didn’t have a great round when he saw her play for the first time, but Kane said he could tell she had game by the way she carried herself.

“I don’t want to be able to tell how they’re playing just by looking at them,” Kane said. “And Abby is as even keel of a player as I’ve ever had. She’s cool as a cucumber on the course. Nothing

seems to bother her.”

Kane said he had a feeling she would emerge as one of the better players in the league and that she has a shot to be in the thick of it every time she tees it up.

Abby only shot over 80 once in 29 rounds last season, leading the Bears with a 75.58 average. Her freshman year success didn’t stop there. Abby won the Missouri Valley Conference Championship, edging out the competition on the second playoff hole with a personal season-low 71.

She became the first first-year golfer since 2011 to take home a medal.

Abby was also named Newcomer of the Year and All-Conference Team.

“I knew that if I had my best game, there would be a chance I could be in contention,” Abby said. “I tried to not think about how big the situation was and just put a good swing on it.”

Kane said he followed Abby on her last four holes, which he normally never did. His presence told her she was right there with the best of them.

“I wasn’t surprised (she won),” Kane said. “She’s a special player. Ones like her don’t come along every day.”

Kane said he won’t be surprised by anything Abby accomplishes, whether it’s going to the U.S. Women’s Open or seeing her name on tour someday — that’s how good she is.

Abby competed in her second U.S. Women’s Open qualifier round over the summer, missing the cut by six strokes.

She said she played a little better than last year and hopes to continue getting better each year and eventually make the cut.

And she’ll do so alongside her biggest cheerleader: her dad.

Abby said her dad, Jay, is very supportive and always helping her improve her game. When Abby’s swing coach sends her things to work on, she’ll send videos to her dad to make sure she’s doing it correctly.

“Sometimes it’s hard to listen to him,” Abby said with a laugh. “But we make a pretty good team.”

So far this season, Abby shot oneunder-par at the season opener, shooting 74-74-70 and placing third. At the MVC Fall Preview, she posted 75-82-76 to tie for fifth.

Kane said he’s excited to see Abby take her game one step further this season.

“I believe that some people are born with a little extra something,” Kane said. “I would put her in that category.”

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019 | THE-STANDARD.ORG

AMANDA SULLIVAN/THE STANDARD

Sophomore Abby Cavaiani putts the ball during the Payne Stewart Memorial Invitational on Sept. 10 at Twin Oaks Country Club. Cavaiani shot a one-under-par in the final 18 holes to place third at the home invite with a score of 218. At the conference preview tournament, she shot 233 and tied for fifth place.

Volleyball starts with two losses in conference play DEREK SHORE Sports Reporter @D_Shore23 Missouri Valley Conference play started for the Missouri State volleyball team last weekend.

The Bears faced Illinois State and Bradley and lost to both teams.

The losses moved Missouri State to a disappointing 3-13 on the year and 0-2 in MVC play for the second straight season.

The Bears started their first road MVC game on Sept. 27 against the Redbirds, who came in with a 7-5 record.

Missouri State was swept by Illinois State.

In the first set, the Redbirds jumped ahead 7-2 and led by at least four points to finish, hitting .356 with five blocks while the Bears had three more attack errors than kills.

Junior Laynie Dake had four kills and a block on the way to a 9-6 lead in the second set before Illinois State rallied quickly to an 11-10 advantage. Missouri State tied the score twice, but the Redbirds closed on a 13-3 run.

The Bears fell behind 9-1 in the third set, cut the gap to four at 12-8 but were unable to get any closer.

Illinois State regained their eight-point advantage at 16-8 and coasted to the finish line.

Dake led the team with 10 kills on .304 hitting and five blocks.

The Redbirds hit .344 as a team while the Bears managed only two more kills than errors.

On Saturday, Missouri State was unable to overcome Bradley’s offensive onslaught over the final two periods in a 3-1 loss.

The Bears rallied from six points below to near a first set victory, but the Braves fought off a pair of Missouri State set points and closed with back-to-back kills for the 27-25 win.

In the second set, Bradley got as close as 22-20 when senior Aubrey Cheffey stopped the Braves’ comeback with a kill before pairing with freshman Azyah Green for the winning block two points later.

Bradley hit .455 over the third and fourth sets, navigating the third frame without an attack error and committing just one in the fourth to pull away for the win.

Cheffey finished with a season-high 16 kills on .333 hitting to lead all players.

Despite dropping their seventh and eighth

File Photo/THE STANDARD

The Ice Bears started the season on the road and return home to freshly laid ice on Oct. 4 to face Colorado.

File Photo by BRENNA LUMLEY/ THE STANDARD

Sophomore Leah Vokolek serves the ball in. The Bears have been on the road for games since they hosted the MSU Fall Invitational.

Their last win was on Sept. 12 against Kansas State. straight games over the weekend, the Bears are getting healthier.

The team saw the return of standout sophomore Amelia Flynn on Sept. 21. She played in both games over the weekend.

Missouri State returns to Hammons Student Center on Oct. 4 to face conference preseason favorite Northern Iowa.

Around the Valley

Illinois State and UNI sit atop the conference with two wins each. The Redbirds have a 9-5 nonconference record to hid the advantage over the Panthers.

Loyola is perfect with one conference win, while Evansville, Southern Illinois, Drake and Bradley all hold 1-1 records.

Valparaiso, MSU and Indiana State are winless in Valley play so far.

Ice Bears split weekend series on road in Iowa STEPHEN TERRILL Sports Reporter @Stevethe2nd The No. 14 Missouri State Ice Bears traveled to Ames, Iowa, last weekend and went 1-1 against No. 3 Iowa State.

The Cyclones jumped out to a 2-0 lead in Friday’s game, but sophomore forward Nikita Salnikov scored at the midpoint of the second period to shorten the lead.

Senior forward Jordan Bratton tied the contest at two with 13 minutes remaining in the third period.

Iowa State scored near the end of the third period to take the lead. The Ice Bears went on the power play with under two minutes left, but they committed a penalty that negated the man-advantage.

Iowa State won the game 3-2.

Ice Bears head coach Jeremy Law said he was pleased with how the team played, regardless of the outcome.

“It was 2-2 with seven minutes to go — it could’ve gone either way.” Law said. “It was our best game up to that point.”

The Ice Bears came into the game Saturday night with a few structural changes in the defensive zone.

Those changes appeared to pay off, as the team shut out Iowa State 2-0.

Salnikov scored a team-leading fifth goal of the season in the second period to put the Ice Bears up 1-0.

That score would hold until, with 1:58 remaining, sophomore defenseman Derek Smith scored an empty net goal to seal the victory.

Senior goaltender Brady Griffin was credited with the shutout.

Law was quick to mention the maturity of the team after Saturday night’s win.

“The character that this group has is unbelievable,” Law said. “They played for each other. The passion they play with is what won us the game tonight.”

The Ice Bears have their home opener this weekend when they play Colorado in a twogame series.

The first game is on Friday, Oct. 4, and the second game is on Saturday, Oct. 5, at Jordan Valley Ice Park.

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Women’s soccer rallies late to win first conference match of the season STEPHEN TERRILL Sports Reporter @Stevethe2nd

‘The Fisherman’ offers life advice for all leaders AMANDA SULLIVAN Sports Editor @mandajsullivan

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such gaps between games.

Brewer said this has done little to impact how he and his team approach the season or practices.

“We haven’t changed things intentionally,” Brewer said. “We look at the week, we figure out how many days we can work, and what days we need to take off, and what we need to do to get better.”

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the MVC with three points and to last season — going from 20 they play Drake at home on Sat- games in 2018 to 16 games in 2019. urday, Oct. 5.

Even though it is only a fourScheduling game decrease, the Bears have The Bears have a different significantly more downtime beschedule this year compared to tween games. years past — playing fewer In 2018, the longest gap the games.

Bears had between games was The team is playing four fewer seven days, which occurred twice. regular season matches compared This season, there are four

RI

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BRENNA LUMLEY/THE STANDARD

Junior forward Jordan Eickelman shoots the ball. Eickelman scored the tying goal for the Bears against Valparaiso on Saturday. Eickelman has three goals on the season and nine in her career.

As a leader in our newsroom, wishful reader of all books and all-things-sports enthusiast, I am always intrigued to read a book written about leadership by a coach.

When I found out Dave Steckel, head coach of Missouri State’s football team, wrote a book, I was automatically more interested.

Dave Steckel, the coach who tends to use as few words as possible to get his point across, wrote a book. I had to read it.

And that’s what I did. I spent a Saturday sitting at one of my favorite coffee shops reading. And annotating. And rereading.

“The Fisherman,” a back-cover described parable, follows Steckel vacationing during the offseason. Steckel’s accidental encounter with a fellow former Marine — The Fisherman — takes him through lessons on leading his team on the field and leading a good life off the field.

Some characteristics are common when thinking of a leader: accountability, courage, integrity. Others, though, are characteristics one might have to dig for when looking for a leader’s characteristics.

Endurance, for example.

For me, endurance is why I was a sprinter when I ran track — I didn’t have it. I had bursts of energy but didn’t enjoy withstanding the long haul of a 1,600-meter race. In “The Fisherman,” though, endurance is understanding that success doesn’t happen overnight.

I’ve never read something more accurate.

It’s what men’s basketball head coach Dana Ford calls “buy-in.” When the season was first getting started last year, Ford said he needed the guys to buy into the program and the program’s beliefs. He hired the coaches on his staff because he said they bought in.

That buy-in took the Bears to a 16-16 record with a complete scheme change with two months left in the season.

Ford and the players could have given up — they could have blamed the first-year experience and focused on year two. They didn’t, and they found success in the final portion of the season. That’s endurance as a leader.

I can’t say anything in this book was truly surprising. Everything I read made sense. But, reading how it can be applied in different environments is what really struck me.

Steckel did this at the end of each chapter — it reminded me of a “too long didn’t read” on a social media post. He explained his things to know and things to improve on. The simple adages at the end of each chapter offer a chance for the reader to reflect on their own thoughts. The broad yet directed messages at the end of each chapter are helpful reminders for the readers to reflect on the short chapters.

The most interesting thing about this book is the mention that people can’t act like a leader. To me, this book doesn’t tell

E

The Bears opened conference play against Valparaiso University on Saturday, Sept. 28, winning 2-1.

After a first half that was mainly controlled by the now 0-10-1 Crusaders, the Bears scored two goals in the second half to secure three points in the Missouri Valley Conference standings and improve their record to 7-2-1.

The Bears were unable to generate much offense in the first half, taking only four shots.

Valparaiso forward Tahelah Noel gave the Crusaders the lead in the 24th minute, beating junior goalkeeper Kaitlin Maxwell on a high farpost shot.

“We were not on point in the first half,” Bears head coach Rob Brewer said. “Maybe we thought our record means something coming into the game, but we were 0-0-0 in the Valley, same as them.”

The second half started like the first — Valparaiso controlled most aspects of the game.

That changed 18 minutes in when junior forward Jordan Eickelman scored the equalizer.

She took the ball into the penalty box, and her shot bounced off of a Valparaiso defender into the net.

The Bears took the lead late.

Senior defender Brittney Robinson headed a nearly perfect corner kick by senior midfielder Ashley Coonfield into the net in the 84th minute.

“I was dead tired,” Robinson said about her goal. “I had just gotten back on, and no one was there. No one else went up, so I went up.”

Brewer said the change in MSU’s play during the second half was more of a philosophical shift than a tactical one.

“They pulled it out in the second half; I’m proud of them for that,” Brewer said. “(We were) saying at half ‘you’ve got to do better,’ and they knew we could.”

Robinson said the Bears were not happy with their performance in the first half.

“I think because we were down at half, we knew it was unacceptable,” Robinson said.

Seven different Bears took at least one shot in the game, four of which were shots on goal.

The Bears committed 12 fouls, which was twice as many as the Crusaders, who committed six.

The Bears are tied for first in

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019

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CULTURE

SULLIVAN

Continued from page 2

for the event, either helping with setup the night before, chaperoning the children around the event or acting as booth leaders for each country.

Backes said many volunteers come from the modern and classical languages department, with students representing the countries whose languages they’re currently learning. She also reaches out to the various international clubs and organizations at MSU and said she is always looking for more volunteers from elsewhere on campus.

For Backes and the volunteers who work the event year after year, the fair can be very rewarding. Backes said she gets plenty of positive feedback from the grade school teachers.

Backes said practically every booth is someone’s favorite. One little boy, she said, has apparently

Continued from page 7

SYDNIE HAMBURG/THE STANDARD

kept his tote bag for several years. would show it to his teachers with With the help of volunteers, the pride throughout the year. bag became covered in his name “Even just little anecdotes like written in various languages. He that make it so worthwhile,” Back-

ALS

munity has come out in full force to help walk today to defeat ALS, and we’re so excited. We’ve got a little bit of rain, but it’s gonna be a great

day.”

After Watcher, the emcee for the event arrived — former sports broadcaster Ned Reynolds.

Reynolds mounted the stage and helped introduce the different meanings of the walkers’ lanyards, gold signifying somebody with ALS, blue as someone who had lost a loved one to ALS and red being those who pledged money towards a cure.

Reynolds said finding a cure was important to him, as he had lost his friend Jim Ewing to the disease.

The walk then began with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and proceeded down West Chesterfield Street. The walk included students from multiple Springfield schools. It also included former MSU students like Megan Brown, who graduated as an elementary education major in 2014.

ended with democratic elections in 1994 after many years of protests and international pressure. In 1989 The Monday night demonstrations in Germany continued for a month leading to the removal of the Berlin Wall.

Would you put yourself between a fishing vessel’s harpoon and a sperm whale while crashing through rough seas in a 6-foot rubber raft?

I didn’t think so. But, you could easily see yourself riding a bike, or participating in a walk, or holding

a candle, right? Yes, but only if the weather is good. Very few of us would die for our beliefs, or put ourselves in harm’s way. We are passive. We feel good about bringing awareness, but will draw the line when it comes to getting out of our comfort zone or doing something serious or risky. A small, inconsistent protest or march with no “wheels” is simply forgotten until the next small, inconsistent protest or march with no “wheels” comes along. Now this, I am aware of.

Continued from page 1

the medical field and how it affects people.”

At the walk, a persistent light rain sped up team photos, but after the presentation of the colors at 10 a.m. the rain slowly died out, leaving an overcast and cool sky to walk under.

Not long after the presentation, Executive Director of the Midwest chapter of the ALS Association Colleen Watcher took the stage to report that a total of $124, 589 has been raised for research.

Watcher said it was amazing how many had turned out to help with ALS as well as their families raise money, and that it gives a sense are not without support. of community, as the number of “It’s been absolutely amazing,” people at the walk showed those Watcher said. “The Springfield Com-

SAXTON Continued from page 3

gates advocating animal rights? No, of course not. Would you do a sit-in at a judge’s chamber who is lenient on criminals who have committed crimes against women and children.

I’d say no.

The Boston Tea Party in colonial America opposed taxation without representation, and tyran-

ny and sparked America’s independence. In the 1950s Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress organized a National Day of Protest in which workers stayed home to protest white rule. In 1963 his opposition to aparthied, or segregation led to 27 years of imprisonment for conspiracy. Apartheid

es said. “It’s a lot of effort. It’s a lot of work to put together, but it’s obvious that it’s making a positive impact.”

MACKENZIE SPAIN/THE STANDARD

people how they can become leaders, but how they can apply leadership qualities in their everyday lives. That can be taken a few ways — to me, any person can follow the traits of a leader to win what Steckel calls “the game of life.” That doesn’t necessarily make them a leader, though, and that’s OK. However, this is also a “self-improvement” book for people who are already leaders. Some leaders naturally have these qualities. I’ve been coached by many and interacted with many other coaches. Courage, again, is one anyone in a leadership position must have. Leading takes courage, simple as that. But not only does courage mean being strong in the face of adversity, it means recognizing fears and addressing them. Leaders need to figure out how to do that too.

So, in my “too long didn’t read” fashion, I’d say this book is a short one for the leaders in your life. Read it before bed, give it as a gift — this is a versatile book.

Read it now Take it on vacation Give it as a gift Don’t waste your time

AJUWON Continued from page 4

on special education.”

Ajuwon will be returning to Lagos and Ghana, Nigeria in January 2020, where he will perform a three-day lecture on braille literacy training. Aside from the lecture, he will be delivering laptops to a rehabilitation center and assist the adult students with visual impairments in operating the speech software programs featured on the laptops.

Ajuwon is seeking donations for assistive devices similar to these laptops that will be used throughout his endeavors in Nigeria to help children with autism, down syndrome and visual impairments.

These devices include tablets for building speech and language communications skills, braille machines for developing writing skills in visually impaired children, magnification devices for children with albinism, and mobility canes for teaching environmental navigation to visually impaired learners.

“I believe that these assistive technology devices can enable children with special needs to achieve educational success and gain competitive employment, particularly in a developing country like Nigeria,” Ajuwon said.

Donations can be made via checks payable to: Dr. Paul Ajuwon Dept. of Counseling. Special Education Missouri State University PCOB 112-E, 901 S. National Springfield, MO 65897

Weekly Crossword © 2019 King Features Syndicate

ACROSS 1 Donkey 4 Portion of an act 9 Mischievous tyke 12 Hawaiian garland 13 Overuse the mirror 14 Ultra-modern prefix 15 Clarified 17 Auto fuel 18 Upper limb 19 Lack 21 Uses tweezers 24 Long story 25 A billion years 26 Male offspring 28 Jockey’s handful 31 “No -- luck!”

33 Phone bk. data 35 Winter forecast 36 Different 38 Charlotte’s creation 40 Greek H 41 War god 43 Muffle 45 Landi of 1930s movies 47 Plant bristle 48 Lair 49 Didn’t vote, perhaps 54 Rd. 55 Shunned one 56 Wall climber 57 Central 58 Obliterate 59 Grant opponent DOWN 1 Heady brew

2 Gender 3 Taste a drink 4 Activates 5 Shade of red 6 Still, in verse 7 Requirements 8 Ingratiate 9 Deep-seated 10 Vegan’s no-no 11 Luxurious 16 Fond du --, Wis. 20 A long time 21 Mexican money 22 Lummox 23 “Django --” (film title) 27 Promptly 29 Brief letter 30 Pavlova portrayal 32 Towel embroidery word 34 Tranquilizes

37 Auction, so to speak 39 Caveat word 42 Cavalry sword 44 Blackbird 45 Cheese choice

46 Jeans-maker Strauss 50 Hot tub 51 Zero 52 First lady 53 Coloring agent