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Table of Contents
Standard staff Advertising staff
Tyler Krtek sales Mark Phillips sales Hailey Gilbreath sales Tessa Phongsavath graphic design Michael Munsell bookkeeping
Editorial staff Alec McChesney editor-in-chief Emily Joshu managing editor Cortlynn Stark news editor Sarah Teague life editor Brenner Moore sports editor Megan Burke photo editor Sarah Hollstrom copy editor Chloe Skaar copy editor/senior reporter Sarah Shepard copy editor
Reporters/Photographers Matt Campanelli reporter Shelby Dowler reporter Hanna Flanagan reporter
Mary Kay Gagnepain reporter Maddie Knapp reporter Katie Haynes columnist Collin O’Connell photographer Jonathan Petesch columnist Ali Spies columnist Hanna Sumpter senior reporter Nina Todea reporter/photographer Cole Trumble reviewer Blaine Wheeler reporter Aly Weitkamp reporter Kaitlyn Stratman photographer
Professional staff Jack Dimond faculty adviser Sandy King advertising manager
Colton Lynn 12-13 Spotlight: Jenna Davis 14-15 Spotlight: Jacob Schneider 16-17 Spotlight: Addison Witt 18 Spotlight: Lauren Rogers
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is published by The Standard, Missouri State University’s student-produced newspaper. The university has not approved and is not responsible for its content, which is produced and edited by The Standard staff.
Cover design by Tessa Phongsavath
4 McChesney 5 Joshu 6 Dowler 7 Social media 8 Financial do’s 9 Wages 10 Spotlight: Lacey Baker 11 Spotlight:
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ALEC McCHESNEY No longer the editor in chief @Alec_McChesney Goodbye, Springfield. Hello, Tul-
This is the last piece of work I will ever write for The Standard. Monday was the last time I ever published a newspaper at The Standard. It was the last time I spent 14 straight hours with my team of writers and editors in the office to finish before deadline. It was the last time Sarah Teague and I made fun of each other until she threw something at me, because I am always the victor in our meanoffs. Am I sad? Not really. I am finally done with school. Three schools, three knee surgeries, less than $20 dollars in my bank account and six years later, I am finally growing up. I might be turning 24 just 13 days after I graduate, but life happens on our clock, not anyone else’s. I just wanted to say thank you for taking me in, Springfield. I always felt more connected to the city than to the school, and covering your beloved Bears the last
two years proved my point. I enjoyed it. I loved it. Bringing you the journalism you wanted made me extremely happy, and I have spent much time with Cortlynn Stark, Amanda Sullivan and others to ensure you will continue to receive that coverage. Cortlynn will take over as the editor in chief, and Amanda will be the sports editor. I can’t confirm this, but she is definitely one of the younger sports editors at The Standard, as she will be a sophomore. They are going to do an excellent job for you, and if they don’t, I expect you to hold them accountable, too. Or at the very least, call me and I will kick them into shape. In the meantime, over the summer and beyond, read your local newspaper. Whether it’s The Standard online, the Springfield News-Leader or the Christian County Headliner News, pick up the paper. I mean this. You should, too. Newspapers need your help. There has been a lot of drama in the world of newspapers as of late. Fake news, or the concept of fake news, has spread across the country. It’s a tired claim by those who are
anti-stories coming out. Still, it persists. The McClatchy Company, which owns 29 daily newspapers in the United States, recently went through another round of layoffs. Despite the company’s executives bringing in lots of money. The Denver Post has been depleted by Alden Global Capital. So much so that their editorial page editor Chuck Plunkett was forced to resign after publishing a piece calling out the ownership. The piece was dubbed the “News-matters perspective.” And let me tell you this, news does matter. So do our readers. Without a smart, engaged and educated readership, newspapers are nothing. So, let’s do each other a favor. We will do our best, and you continue to hold us accountable, We can make a good team, once again. And one last thing, I hope that over the past two years, you appreciated the coverage I brought to you. I hope you know that I will continue to try to bring good journalism to every community in the world until I leave this earth. And as I do it, I promise I will make it fun for the both of us.
Read The Standard. Read The Springfield NewsLeader. Read The Christian County Headliner News. Read The Springfield Business Journal. Read The New York Times. Read The Wall Street Journal. Read The Washington Post. Read The St. Louis PostDispatch. Read The Kansas City Star. Read The Tulsa World. Read The Columbus Dispatch. Read The Denver Post. Read The San Francisco Chronicle. Read The Tampa Bay Times. Read The Houston Chronicle. Read The Chicago Tribune. Read The Boston Globe. Read The Seattle Times. Read The Philadelphia Inquirer. Read The Baltimore Sun. Read The Lincoln Journal Star. Read The Dallas Morning News.
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New York state of mind, Missouri State of being EMILY JOSHU Managing Editor @EmilyJoshu Each May, watching so many staff members enter and leave this newsroom, I have read their goodbye columns and asked myself how I would start my own. Would I start with something inspirational, or go deep into my history with The Standard? Would I continue to set an example for the reporters who come after me, just like the editors before me? Now that it’s my turn, I can only start this column in the exact opposite way I normally choose to do things: without a plan. Here we go. It doesn’t feel real to be saying goodbye to Missouri State. It certainly doesn’t feel real to say goodbye to professors I’ve had three or four times, to my bosses and supervisors or to the closest friends I’ve ever had. However, The Standard has been the foundation for all of that. It all began at this newspaper. When I came to Missouri State, I was at the lowest point in my life. After undergoing three major surgeries within three months, I found myself seemingly trapped in an unfamiliar city five times the size of my hometown with a couple of high school friends and no idea what to do. I didn’t have the ability to truly enjoy SOAR or move-in weekend, but my instinct as a writer told me to join the newspaper. I’m not, nor have I ever been, a journalism major, but after four years on my high school newspaper and declaring a major in creative writing — and later another in professional writing — I took a risk. It was a risk that has given me more and taught me more than my scared freshman self could have ever imagined. The Standard has been the foundation upon which everything else I’ve been able to do in college, as well as beyond, has been built. Every assignment broke me out of my white, midwestern bubble and allowed me to gain new perspectives on a weekly basis. Working in the newsroom and sitting in three different editor chairs answered the questions of, “Why do we do this?” and “Why do we make a newspaper?” It solidified a deep desire to help others tell their stories and to put absolutely everything into my work. That ambition has grown into positions at the Writing Center, LOGOS: A Journal of Undergraduate Research and Moon City Press, the catalysts for my future career in publishing. However, those doors never would have opened without the credentials and confidence that came with The Standard. More than anything, these last few years at The Standard have taught me how to grow, not only as an editor and creator, but as a person.
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I’ve learned to always tell the story but never settle, let it become dull. Now, I’m leaving that foundation behind. In less than two weeks, I will walk across the stage and end an incredible, stressful, busy and beautiful career at Missouri State. Three months after that, I’ll leave behind the only state I’ve ever lived in to move to New York for graduate school. And as often as I told myself growing up that I couldn’t wait to leave Missouri, I’m not ready. Even after I settle into new surroundings and start over yet again, I won’t be ready. The Standard and Missouri State have made me into who I am, and I don’t know what I will become after leaving. I am, however, both scared and excited to find out. I probably should have cried by this point in the semester, and writing this column has gotten me close to that point. I don’t know when I’ll get to that point, but when I do, it will be out of fulfillment, pride and genuine appreciation for The Standard. It will be out of awe for my fellow editors and excitement for everything they will accomplish after I’m gone. When I do finally break down and let the emotions sink in, it won’t be for nothing. Thank you to everyone at The Standard and everywhere else at Missouri State that I’ve had the chance to serve. Thank you for giving a scared freshman the chance to make something of herself. Thank you for giving me a future to look forward to.
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Late to the party, still had fun SHELBY DOWLER Staff Reporter @ShelbyTheTall Life is like a box of chocolates, friends. If you asked high school senior Shelby four years ago what he was going to do next in life, he would not have told you “go to Missouri State.” Nonetheless, there was a bear-shaped chocolate in my particular box. I came to Missouri State in fall of 2016 after spending two years at a small, private college in mid-Missouri. Transferring here was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Although I was about two years late to the MSU party, I still had fun. I’ve made many friends, been a part of really cool experiences and pretty much had my life changed by coming to MSU.
Many Friends
The seemingly endless amount of clubs and organizations is one of my favorite things about MSU. If you don’t find a club or group to join, I would venture to say you are not trying hard enough. The Standard, Pride Band, Live Action Society and Christian Campus House are the groups I joined. I have made many friends and shared many memories from being in these organizations. The editors and staff at The Standard work really hard to be the best journalists they can be and produce quality content. I am proud to be part of a long-lasting legacy and to call them my friends. I played bass drum for the past two years in Pride Band. It was so awesome to be in a college marching band and get to play music with my friends. Playing at Mizzou is one of my favorite memories and I’m happy to have shared the experience with my band buddies. Only the best friends can shoot you, curse at you and then give you hugs and high fives a minute later. Live Action Society provided those friends. The competitive spirit and camaraderie is very special in LAS. Running around campus at midnight slaying zombies is how true friendships are built. Christian Campus House is a constant source of joy, friendship and growth. I treasure all of the friends I have made through this organization. I would not be where I am today without them. No matter what degree you get at the end of your college career, the friends you make in that time are worth much, much more than a piece of paper.
Really Cool Experiences
I am a journalism major with an emphasis in broadcast/TV news. One of the things I love about journalism is learning something new, going somewhere new and meeting someone new on almost every assignment. I have covered really cool events and topics for The Standard like Lambda Chi Alpha’s WWE charity fundraiser, homecomings of yesteryear, Springfield’s haunted history and students’ tattoos.
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY SHELBY DOWLER
Within in my journalism course work, I met a man who plays guitar on the street to help raise money for his wife’s dialysis treatment and her special diet. I got to go inside an exclusive cave that had been shut off from the world for thousands of years, until recently. I’ve also learned about a new school for kids with disabilities, an organization looking to make a change in the homelessness problem in Springfield and how screen time affects people’s eyes. Similar to life, journalism is like a box of chocolates.
Life Change
Transferring to MSU and coming back home to Southwest Missouri gave me the opportunity to grow in my faith. I left my previous school at a very low point in my life. However, God used that low point to show me how much better living a life for Christ is instead of living a life for myself and my desires. I started attending Northside Christian Church in May 2016 when I moved back home. A friend from church then invited me to Christian Campus House’s weekly worship and Bible study in October 2016. Being involved with Northside and CCH changed my life for the better. I have grown with my brothers and sisters in Christ and learned more about the plan God has for me. I have been able to serve God and his children in many ways. I went on mission trips to Memphis and the Texas/Mexico border. I helped local charities like Crosslines, Victory Mission and Newborns in Need. I have also been able to use my musical gifts to play in musical worship settings and even lead music. When you put your faith in money, grades,
u See DOWLER, page 13
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It’s time to clean up your social media Employers are looking for professionalism and a clean digital presence COLE SUTTON Staff Reporter @colesutton23 According to a 2018 study by CareerBuilder, 70 percent of employers use social media to screen job candidates before hiring them. In 2016, it was 60 percent. But social media screening isn’t the only precaution employers are taking. According to the same study, nearly 70 percent of hiring managers are using online search engines such as Google or Yahoo to research potential hires as well. Missouri State assistant professor Holly Holladay, of the Media, Journalism and Film department, discussed the reasoning employers take such a deep look into candidates social media accounts. “I can wager that employees are looking for professionalism,” Holla-
day said. “There’s been a lot of coverage in recent years about individuals who are a bit impulsive when it comes to the social media content they post, and employers might be worried that this lack of restraint could translate to what they view as inappropriate posts when hired.” She said how employers view their employees ties into the strict candidate screening process. “Many companies see their employees as a representative of the company whether or not they’re on the clock,” Holladay said. “They would like to see some degree of thoughtfulness in what their employees post online.” The Career Center at Missouri State stressed the effectiveness of just simply going through all of your old posts and deleting anything employers will consider inappropriate. Also, sharing your passion and enthusiasm
for your career on your social media platforms shows potential employers the value their job holds. The content on employees’ social media accounts is a big red flag for employers according to Valerie Kidd Turner, a career resources specialist at the Career Center. She said students should be conscious of what they post throughout their college years, as it could backfire when applying for positions post-graduation. “Google yourself, see what your web presence looks like,” Turner said. “You really want to keep a clean digital image.” Turner also preached to future job seekers the importance of LinkedIn adding that, “Wherever employers are as a job seeker, you need to be there too.” The main “red flags” that a employer could find are pretty obvious, but according to the Career Center,
there are more than you think. Posts including vulgar or homophobic slurs and language, the use of illegal drugs, or violence. Even a selfie with a gun, or a video of you after a little too much to drink one weekend could prevent you from landing your dream job in the future. The final point driven home by the Career Center was that reaching out to companies or following could help build your profile for after graduation employers. Showing interest in blogs or company’s you could potentially join could give you a glimpse of the companies mission and keep you up to date on their news and events. This also gives job seekers the means to connect with others in similar circumstances. You could pick up advice about the process companies go through to hire, and getting started in your new job field.
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Common financial mistakes made by future graduates AFTON HARPER Trainee Reporter @affie888 Graduates talk about their financial choices after graduating from Missouri State. There are lots of mistakes that can be made during and after college — poor money management being one of them. Jennifer Adam, a 1996 Missouri State University graduate, said her biggest financial mistake was not saving enough money during her time in college. “I wish I would’ve actually saved money,” Adam said. “There were actually times during college that when I had extra money, it didn’t occur to me have a cushion fund or to keep a certain amount in my checking account. It was always spent somewhere on something.” Courtney Youssef, who graduated from MSU in 2015, said that her biggest mistake was that she didn’t budget her money. “I wish I made a budget for myself,” Youssef said. “There are so many apps out there to help keep you on track — my favorite being Mint (an app allows the user to track and monitor personal finances). I always tried to track it all in my head or on random scraps of paper.”
Photo from Freeimages.com/AB
Morgan Probus, graduate assistant with the counseling, leadership and special education department at Missouri State, said she wished she would have been more frugal with her finances. “I wish I would have started saving sooner,” Probus said. “Also keeping track of what I was spending my money on. I also wish I stayed in the dorms longer, so I didn't have to pay rent.” Youssef said she saved small chunks of
money over a long period of time, which helped pay for her expenses after college. “I’ve been saving money since I was about 10 years old,” Youssef said. “Checks from birthdays, Christmas money, I always shoved in a little coin bank. In college, because I worked full time, I was able to put away to savings also. I just did what I could, whether it was $20 or $200 one month.” Youssef suggests that college students work
on building their credit during college to make the process of getting a car and house easier in the future. “If you trust yourself to be responsible with it, open a credit card as early as you can to start building credit,” Youssef said. “Don’t overcharge it or use it much. My first card had a $500 limit, and I used it for gas and groceries and paid in full every month. It made finding apartments and buying my first car a breeze, with a solid foundation of credit under me.” Adam recommends using a spreadsheet to outline bills and expenses throughout the month to budget money effectively. “As soon as I got out of college, and even now, I have had to keep a spreadsheet of every little bit of money I have every month,” said Adam. Probus said that graduates should be mindful of what their money is being spent on but should also enjoy themselves and save small amounts of money from paychecks when possible. “Have fun and be wise with your money,” Probus said. “Especially if you don't have a job coming right out of college. “It doesn’t have to be a lot, but save a little each month. I save at least $25 from every paycheck.”
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Stall on middleclass wages could impact graduates
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BRYCE DERRICKSON Sports Reporter @BruceyD17 As college seniors graduate, they will be going out in society to work, pay bills and make other payments — if they don’t already. According to the Consumer Price Index, prices for energy, food and shelter rose this year compared from last March to this one. Food rose 1.3 percent, energy rose 7 percent and shelter prices rose 3.3 percent compared to last year. With prices of products costing more, getting a well-paying job and chances for wage increases are becoming more important. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2018, average hourly earnings have gone up by 67 cents, or 2.6 percent. Hourly earnings for nonsupervisory employees improved by five cents, to $22.51, in April. The private sector of jobs, which are for-profit businesses not owned or operated by the government, has seen average wage increase. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states private industry has seen the average wage climb a little over 3 percent from this year compared to last year. Not only did private industries see a wage increase, but so did higher and lower-class wage workers. The higher-class wage increased throughout the week with people in management, professional and other related occupations. They have seen median weekly earnings increase from $1,216 in 2017 to $1,229 in 2018. The lower class has also experienced weekly wage increases.
Workers in the farming, fishing and forestry occupations have experienced this with making $522 a week in 2017 and $586 in 2018. Though the higher- and lower-class wage workers have experienced a weekly wage increase, the middle class hasn’t seen the same increase. They have even experienced some loss in part of the field. For example, sales and related occupations saw a weekly wage of $763 in 2017, and that number has now fallen to $758 in 2018. Olen Greer, a professor for Missouri State in the accounting department, had some financial advice for people whose wages are not enough. “What they should do, in my opinion, is, of course, just budget and reign in their own spending,” Greer said. “We citizens have to ultimately balance our budget. We can’t live on a deficit forever — we shouldn’t live on a deficit forever. Some people do that, but when your income is not increasing correspondent with your cost of living and you have to have additional funding. “Possible outcomes are more jobs and working a second job instead of relying on your main job. Of course, both members of the marriage have to go to work.” Even with the middle-class not seeing as much of an increase, graduates from college still have a lower unemployment rate and higher median weekly wage earnings compared to others who didn’t finish college. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics states people who graduate with a bachelor’s degree have a 2.5 percent unemployment rate and make $1,173 in a week.
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Spotlight: Lacey Baker Story by CARISSA ALFORD Photo by BAILEY VASSALLI Senior Lacey Baker is one of the many students majoring in interior design but one of the few women with a minor in construction management. “I think a lot of people were shocked when I wanted to pursue that construction management minor,” Baker said. She said it is great Missouri State offers the construction management minor to interior design majors because it gives her something to fall back on. “I realized that I didn’t necessarily care so much about the exterior of buildings,” Baker said. “I wanted to do something that I could help how people will function in a space.” She said she knows it is not common for a woman to be involved with construction. This is one of the reasons she is working toward her masters in project management. “I feel like it’s important for me, as a girl, that I’m going for this kind of big title,” Baker said. “Because I don’t have something to back me up, again, as a girl, because this is a male-dominated area. Me getting that masters
inally wanted to go into architecture. She said she always wanted to create art that was functional for society. However, she chose interior design over architecture because she felt there are more opportunities. “I didn't want just a degree in art; I wanted something that I can be creative in but yet still have a useful purpose and something I can get a good job in,” Baker said. She wants people to realize that interior design is more than what it seems. Most descriptions hardly scratch the surface of what she wants to do. “(Interior design is) more than just color, paint, fabrics and furniture,” Baker said. “It’s got a lot of construction aspects and architectural aspects to it.” Baker currently has a job as an assistant project coordinator and design assistant for Bass Pro Shops. She is working under project managers and is able to learn more about her masters. “Within that I get to do administrative and management stuff, but I’m also getting to implement design procedures," Baker said. in project management is going to help show in this.” Eventually, Baker hopes to be the project she is trying to excel, she wants to do well Before these big dreams set in, Baker orig- manager at Bass Pro.
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Spotlight: Colton Lynn Story by HANNA FLANAGAN Photo by NINA TODEA Missouri State biology graduate assistant Colton Lynn never thought he would have a future in teaching, especially after years of working as a Boy Scouts camp counselor. But he said he quickly realized that lecturing college students is much easier than supervising a group of elementary school kids. Lynn said he only applied for an assistantship in the first place was because it would pay for his master’s degree. Now, two years later, Lynn has decided that teaching is his ultimate career aspiration — he said his long-term goal is to get his doctorate and earn a professorship. “I didn’t want to be a T.A. in the beginning … I was terrified at first,” Lynn said. “But teaching ended up being a really good experience for me, and I’ve decided to keep doing it.” Last month, Lynn was rewarded for his newfound passion. He received the honorable mention in the Excellence in Teaching Award at the Missouri Association of Graduate Schools regional competition. He was initially nominated to represent the biology department at the Missouri State competition. After winning the school-wide level, Lynn advanced to the regionals.
In a pool of graduate assistants from universities across the Midwest, Lynn was recognized as an outstanding example of what the teacher’s assistant role should look like. Judges reviewed a video of one of his lectures, as well as a personal statement about his teaching philosophy. “Colton was worthy of this award because he possesses stellar communication skills in the classroom, as evidenced by evaluations from both students and supervising faculty,” Julie Masterson, associate provost and dean of the graduate college, said. Masterson said Lynn was also selected to mentor his peers as the lead teacher’s assistant of the biology department. To Lynn, the news of this award came as a surprise; he said he thought he was simply doing what was expected of him. “I’m honored,” Lynn said. “I did not expect it … it always kind of came naturally to me to teach in the way I did.” Before his first lecture, Lynn was a ball of nerves. He said his hands were shaky and his voice cracked as he introduced himself to the class. He had not done much public speaking prior to accepting the graduate assistant position. Still, he walked away from that class period feeling confident and enthusiastic. He said he
realized his passion for the job after just one day of teaching. Throughout his assistantship, Lynn has shaped his teaching style around humor and inclusiveness. Rather than use basic explanations during his lectures, he said he tries to engage students with memorable and relatable examples instead.
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“Including everybody in the classroom and kind of making them laugh I think really opens up the doors of their mind to learn,” Lynn said. “High energy, I think, also helps a lot.” Lynn also recalls teaching techniques used by his undergraduate professors; ones that be liked, and ones that he did not like. He said he found it especially frustrating when a graduate assistant clearly hated their job. For this reason, Lynn wants to convey his enthusiasm for biology during his lectures. “I do a lot of hands-on teaching … I have a very upbeat style,” Lynn said. “I show my interest in the subject and try to engage them a little bit more.” Masterson said each Missouri State graduate assistant is required to undergo training before they begin. Lynn’s popularity among students and biology faculty members, as well as his MAGS award, is a testament to the staff within the graduate program and the level of preparation required to become a graduate assistant. “I just think it illustrates the quality of the students who apply to us and get admitted, as well as the degree of support they’re given,” Masterson said. This year, Masterson said she left the MAGs competition feeling excited about the future of Missouri State’s graduate college. “Missouri State University was on the radar,” Masterson said. “People heard a lot about us. It’s very impressive that our students fared so well with really strict, hard competition.”
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Spotlight: Jenna Davis CONNOR WILSON Staff Reporter @connor4wilson Getting a job straight out of college, especially in your preferred field, is no easy task. However, for senior computer science major Jenna Davis, it was as easy as responding to a department-wide email. Davis has a full-time job at the software company Adaptavist ready for her after she graduates. She’s already completed one internship with the company and is currently completing a second internship, receiving positive evaluations from her supervisor. “I got an email from the computer science department office about (the internship) and decided to send in an application and got an interview, and it worked out,” Davis said. Davis said that she’s been interested in this job field for quite some time, and that she was glad to be presented an opportunity like this. “I started making websites in junior high just for fun; I was kind of a nerd,” Davis said. “I just kind of continued with that interest through high school and decided to major in it in college.” Adaptavist is based out of London but has
had an office open in Springfield for over several years now. “They make software, primarily Atlassian which is another really big software company,” Davis said. “(Atlassian) mostly makes applications for big companies to use and manage their work with, and Adaptavist makes apps to work on their products.” Some big-name companies that Adaptavist works with include BBC, Oracle, NASA, Bayer, Expedia and Volkswagen. “I’m joining one of the development teams to work there. I’ll be fixing bugs and writing software,” Davis said. Davis said that with such a job lined up for her, she’s not entirely sure where she wants to go from here, aside from working at the job for a while and establishing her career as a software developer. “I plan on staying (with Adaptavist) for a few years at least, and then I might come back for grad school,” Davis said. “I don’t know if that will be at Missouri State or somewhere else, but I’ve considered it. I want to travel quite a bit. I really like traveling and don’t feel like I’ve seen most of the world. Other than that I don’t really know. I guess I’ll continue to move up in my career and improve my development skills.”
THE-STANDARD.ORG College can be tough to get through, but Davis said that she has had a solid support group of friends and family that she’s established over the years to help her through the process, and how her sister helped to influence her to attend Missouri State. “My sister actually went here, and I’d been
THE STANDARD to the campus before and really enjoyed it, so I decided to come here. I also knew they had a decent computer science program,” Davis said. Since she is getting to skip the post-graduation job search entirely, she expressed that for now she’s content to ride this wave wherever it may take her.
Dowler From page 6
significant others, status, possessions or even your own ability, you are bound to be disappointed. Having faith in God gives you a hope that will never let you down. Putting my hope in Jesus Christ and strengthening my faith while at Missouri State gave me a new outlook and drive in life.
Photo submitted by Shelby Dowler
Dowler traveled to Eagle Pass, Texas Next Steps over spring break with Christian I was late to the party. And, unfortunately, Campus House to serve a Spanit’s time for me to leave. ish-speaking Bible college. After the conclusion of the semester, I am headed south for the summer. I will be participating in an internship with KXII news in Sherman, Texas. I will be applying to reporter/ multimedia journalist positions during my internship and will hopefully have a job by the end of the internship. I will be back in December to participate in
graduation. So, this will not be the last you see of me. I will treasure my time at MSU for as long as I live. Thank you for picking up The Standard and reading to the end of this article. Embrace the box of chocolates. Make the best of it. Go Bears.
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Spotlight: Jacob Schneider SHELBY DOWLER Staff Reporter @ShelbyTheTall Jacob Schneider will be graduating from the William H. Darr College of Agriculture with a master’s degree in plant science this month. Schneider’s degree focuses on plant breeding, specifically the plant genetics and breeding of grape vines and black walnut trees. Schneider said he has a passion for teaching and research. He taught 11 years of high school science and five years at a community college in Texas. He said he had done some research before but had not gone too deep into it. “I had a research project. I got a nice, little publication out of it but never really did research and writing. I just wanted to get that experience of hands-on (research),” he said. The degree in plant science will be his second master’s degree to go with his bachelor’s in biology and master’s in education.
Grapes
Schneider said he had been looking for research programs for awhile. Schneider discovered MSU agriculture professor ChinFeng Hwang received funding for research,
made contact with him and moved from Texas to Springfield. Schneider said he spent much of his time working with Hwang studying Norton grapes, used in winemaking. Norton is the official grape of Missouri and grows in the midwest and eastern United States. Schneider said the grapes are disease resistant to natural pathogens and can withstand cold winters. They produce a dark, red wine. Cabernet Sauvignon is a popular wine grape variety. However, the grapes do not grow well in Missouri, Schneider said. He said Cabernet and Norton hybrids yield the high quality wine from the Cabernet and the colors from the Norton. The plants are also able to grow in the winter and be resistant to natural pathogens. The research Scheider helped with involved something called “marker assisted selection.” Since grapes have a long breeding cycle, watching the grape hybrids grow would take more time, money and resources. Additionally, after watching the growth, the grape vines may not have all of the desired traits and characteristics. Through marker assisted selection, instead of waiting for the grape vines to grow up, scientists can look at specific DNA markers and determine much quicker if the plant has a particular trait.
THE-STANDARD.ORG Schneider said being able to look at the DNA from small samples of plants is a much quicker process. In other words, scientists can see what traits the grape vine will have before it grows. From that, scientists and winemakers can select the grape vines with the best traits to produce a more cost-effective product. Schneider said he has learned a lot by working with Hwang and studying grape vines. He hope to continue the research after graduation. “It’s been a great research experience. I’ve been able to write, learn a lot and carry out these projects,” Schneider said.
Black Walnuts
In addition to studying wine grapes with Hwang, Schneider’s master’s project was breeding eastern black walnut trees. Schneider described how English walnuts grow in states like California, Washington and Oregon and eastern black walnuts grow in the midwest. Schneider said eastern black walnuts are harder to work with in various forms, such as the inside of the nut breaking apart after opening. Because of this, English walnuts are more desirable. Schneider said Missouri accounts for 70 percent of the eastern black walnut harvest in the United States. Since a majority of the black walnuts comes from Missouri, Schneider wanted to see how he could improve this industry. His goal was to breed two parent trees with
THE STANDARD from one female tree and waited for the nuts to be pollinated by wind. Schneider looked at the DNA markers of the pollinated seeds and determined 61 of them had been pollinated by his target male tree. Similar to grapes, focusing on the DNA markers is a much quicker way to determine if seeds have the desired traits than waiting many years for a tree to grow and display its traits. Schneider said breeding plants like grape vines and walnut trees is, simply, improving what already exists and accelerating events which already happen in the wild.
Post-Graduation
Following graduation, Schneider plans to start a job as a science teacher in October with the Excel Center in Springfield. The Excel Center is a high school for adults over the age of 21. However, even with a bachelor’s and two master’s degrees, Schneider may not be finished as a student. He said he is also considering pursuing a PhD in a collaborative program with Missouri State and the University of Missouri. Schneider said the PhD program would allow him to get his doctorate in three or four years instead of the usual five due to transfer credit. Schneider said, after getting his PhD, he sees himself in a university or college setting, continuing his passion for teaching and research.
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Spotlight: Addison Witt Story by CHIYIERRJA GRANT Photos by MEGAN BURKE Senior Addison Witt is preparing to write the next chapter of her life, but not without first taking a moment to acknowledge how far she’s come. Witt will be graduating this May with a degree in cell and molecular biology. Getting to this point wasn’t easy; Witt actually began her college career as an education major. “I had been here for literally two weeks, and I realized I absolutely did not want to be an education major,” Witt said. “I looked at the classes, and I knew it wasn’t what I was interested in. So then I was undeclared. I was kind of just wandering through life.” After realizing that she didn’t have much interest in being a teacher, Witt recalled shadowing doctors while in high school. Although she had no interest in science, she made the decision to major in occupational therapy, focusing on exercise and movement. “I got all these terrifying classes,”
Witt said. “Occupational therapy didn’t seem like my biggest passion. It was never enough for me; I’ve always wanted something more. Then I was undeclared again.” After taking an anatomy class, Witt realized that she had a passion in learning how the body functions. Before the class began, Witt dreaded it after hearing of all the challenges that would come along with it and frowned at the thought of dealing with cadavers, until giving the class a chance. “I loved studying it,” Witt said. “I loved learning about the body and going to the cadaver lab and everything like that. I thought it was the coolest thing. “I loved learning about how we work and how everything connects. The more you learn about it, the more insane it is that any of us exist.” Witt found that she had a strong passion for learning about the heart, brain and medicine after having a discussion of immortality. The thought of becoming a doctor was held secret at first, out of fear
that it wasn't the right career path. “It was really scary to me because it was never suggested to me,” Witt said. “I did all of this research on how to get into medical school, what you have to do, what it’s really like to be a doctor.” Cell and molecular biology became Witt’s new major, but the challenge had only just begun. Within a year and a half, Witt would have to complete volunteer hours, shadow doctors and focus on academics to make sure she could get into medical school. “I had a semester with 18 credit hours, a semester with 21 and a semester with 16,” Witt said. “I volunteered weekly in the cancer clinic at Mercy and in the MSU care clinic here on campus. I shadowed some surgeons and some general practitioners.” Witt’s biggest challenge was finding a way to balance it all: school, being public relations vice president for her sorority and having a social life. “Every day I would make a list
of what I needed to do, Witt said. “I was lucky because I got a job at the MSU box office, so I could study while at work. I had a really good support group that would help me out with whatever I needed.” In July, Witt will begin medical school at Kansas City University. Witt said that getting into medical school is hard because it takes a lot of hard work that only comes from being passionate about succeeding, especially due to the extremely low acceptance rates. “It taught me so much about myself and what I’m capable of,” Witt
said. “It’s only been within the past few weeks where I could sit back and say, ‘Oh my gosh, I really did this.’ I’m just so proud of myself at this point because I actually did it. “You are fighting tooth and nail, and you know that every decision you make could mean the difference between being accepted or not. “All the hard work is paying off; I actually get to do this thing that has become my passion and sole focus these past few years.” Witt plans to spend the next two years at Kansas City University while completing an anatomy fellowship,
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where she will be able to teach anatomy. After her fellowship, Witt has her sights on Orlando, Florida, for her clerkship. Throughout her journey, Witt said the main thing that got her through was finding a support group. “Who I am now is completely different than who I was freshman year, and that is because of the people I’ve met,” Witt said. “I met people that I’ve formed strong relation-
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ships with, and that’s what changed my life, and gave me the confidence to pursue medicine.” Witt’s biggest piece of advice for students would be to take time away from studying to build connections with others. “Take time away from studying to get those people who are going to make you laugh, support you and are going to always believe in you,” Witt said. “It makes all the difference.”
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Lauren Rogers, senior social work major, hopes to further her education at Missouri State with a master’s degree in social work.
Spotlight: Lauren Rogers COLE SUTTON Staff Reporter @colesutton23 Lauren Rogers has always had a passion for helping the “underdogs.” “I think helping people is something I immediately knew I wanted to do,” Rogers said. Rogers is one of the many seniors walking across the stage this May as a Missouri State grad, although the road wasn’t easy for her to get there. Rogers attended the University of Central Missouri her first year before returning home to St. Louis. After putting in time at a St. Louis nursing home, Lauren decided to return to her passion of helping others, which led her to Springfield, where she would fall in love with the community. Rogers started working with an organization called Prosper Springfield. Prosper Springfield is focused around lowering the poverty levels throughout our community. Francine Pratt is also a big part of Prosper Springfield’s success. Pratt and Rogers met back in December of 2017, and they’ve been working together ever since. “There are not enough words to describe the impact of working with someone that knows how to balance the social worker experience with the reality of limited sources,” Pratt said. “Sometimes I have to remind myself that she is a practicum student because of the wealth of knowledge and skills that she brings to Prosper Springfield.” Rogers and Pratt also discussed the goals their organization hopes to achieve in the future. “Our overall goal is to reduce poverty here in Springfield five percent, along with raising academic attainment to 60 percent by 2025,”
Rogers said. “Our poverty level is at 25.9 percent, which means that number of the population here in Springfield is living in poverty.” “Lauren is a critical factor to help the Springfield community reach our goals to increase postsecondary attainment and reduce poverty,” Pratt said. “She has been like a sponge in learning about the initiative, engaging in the community and establishing relationship with community members.” Rogers believes she “hit the gold mine” working with a company like Prosper Springfield, though that isn’t the only thing she’s involved in. Rogers also works with Wednesday Connections, a Springfield public school program aiding homeless families, and Gathering Friends also focusing on the homeless population in Springfield. Rogers tied her start in social work to citizen and service-learning on MSU’s campus. As a senior, Rogers has built a connection with the community over the four years she’s been a Springfield resident. She feels the need to continue her work locally even after her commencement ceremony on May 18. “I see myself being here for five years; anything quicker than that would feel premature,” Rogers said. “Community is such a huge piece, which is why it would feel too soon to move after graduation.” As for where her dream location would be to help the less fortunate, her answer was simple. “Currently, that’s right here in Springfield,” Rogers said. Rogers is looking to further her education with a master’s in social work here at Missouri State. She will also continue her work with Prosper Springfield as a social worker.
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