Vol. CI, No. 6 (April 28, 2023)

UNEWS’ Next EIC Named Truman Scholar

(Photo Courtesy of Sarah Conroy)

Our Incoming Editor in Chief Named Truman Scholar!

MC PAVLICK Staff Writer

In mid-April, Gabrielle Chiodo ‘24 was awarded a 2023 Harry S. Truman Scholarship, the nation’s leading scholarship for students interested in public service.

Each year, the Truman Scholarship Foundation selects 55 to 65 Scholars to receive up to $30,000 toward graduate or professional school and unique opportunities for internships and employment in the public service sector. To apply, individuals must submit a thorough application, written policy proposal, and provide letters of recommendation attesting to their leadership abilities and service potential. The severalmonth-long process culminates in either a rejection letter via email or no correspondence at all. The Foundation notifies school advisors directly when an individual has been accepted, giving the school an opportunity to surprise Scholars with the exciting news.

For Chiodo, the surprise came during her Women and Gender in Global Film class. A sneaking suspicion led Chiodo to opt for a less casual outfit that day, and she came in luck. Minutes into class, SLU President Dr. Fred Pestello led a trail of staff members and a photographer into the lecture hall.

What Chiodo thought was an outlandish assumption quickly became a reality: she was one of 62 in the country to receive this prestigious

award. Truman Scholars boast an extensive record of service work, steadfast commitment to public service, and a vision for implementing change, not to mention an impressive academic record.

After speaking with some of Chiodo’s mentors, it became clear that she is a perfect example of what a Truman Scholar is.

Dr. Robert Pampel, the director of the University Honors Program, describes the Truman Scholarship process as particularly rigorous. Because it is so thorough, the Foundation is able to better understand its applicants and select those who possess exceptional character.

“From my perspective, the Truman application really is the gold standard, because it requires a level of intentionality and specificity, vulnerability in some cases, and the work to revise that. I think it’s formative no matter what happens,” said Dr. Pampel.

Dr. Pampel spoke to Chiodo’s ability to offer this vulnerability as well as her extensive experience that coincides with the nature of a Truman Scholar. He recalled a conversation early on in the application process, where he met with Father Baugh at

the Catholic Study Center, who is himself a Truman Scholar. Dr. Pampel already believed Chiodo’s initial application to be nationally ready, an impressive feat considering the months of preparation that typically begin at this point. He and Fr. Baugh discussed Chiodo’s initial application.

“When [Father Baugh] reviewed her application, it read like a Truman Scholar. [Chiodo] just had all the levels of experience. She has wonderful applied experience in the Polk County legal office which she describes in evocative ways, but also in a way that centers the people she’s serving, as opposed to her own agency. I just really admire her ambition and realism about the whole thing,” Dr. Pampel said.

Dr. Pampel also spoke to Chiodo’s natural ability to navigate the demanding preparation process, which includes several rounds of feedback and mock interviews. Dr. Pampel said, beaming, “I remember her ability to navigate what are often difficult interview questions with grace and patience. [Chiodo] was just a natural with it the whole time, it was really impressive to watch.”

Though undeniably grateful for the experience, Chiodo has a much more humble recollection of the process. Chiodo is double majoring in Political Science and Communication, with minors in Political Journalism

and Women’s and Gender Studies. She is currently an Resident Advisor, research assistant in the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies and the managing editor for the University News. Previously, Chiodo served as the PR chair for both Active Minds and She’s the First, a writer for OneWorld, and press intern at the Chaifetz School of Business.

This coming year, Chiodo will Intern at the Polk County Attorney’s Office for the second year in a row, and assume the role of editor in chief for the University News. When asked what she is most proud of, Chiodo finds it much more important to keep sight of what makes her a “whole” person.

“I think that the best people are well rounded people. So, I think acknowledging a bunch of different parts of yourself, even if they seem silly, is something that I’ve been trying to do. It’s important to be understood as a whole person and not just someone who has achieved a bunch of things,” said Chiodo.

(MC Pavlick / The University News)

Atlas Week Features Panel on the Genocide Denial of the Bosnian War

JULIETTE CALLAHAN Copy Editor

On Thursday, April 20, Saint Louis University held “The Fight Against Genocide Denial and the Preservation of Memory in Bosnia and Herzegovina” panel led by Patrick McCarthy, Director of the Medical Center Library and Associate Dean of University Libraries at SLU.

The panel echoed how the continual public genocide denial by Serbian politicians dehumanizes victims, opposes the peace treaty obligations, minimizes the memory of the war and glorifies the crimes committed while laying the conditions that could lead to the recurrence of these crimes.

McCarthy and guest panelist Akif Cogo explained how policy implementation could alter the future and ensure the safety and security of the former Yugoslavian republic.

“Bosnia needs EU integration,” said Cogo.

Together McCarthy and Cogo lobby for policy changes that would curtail the denial from the politicians and grant Bosnia and Herzegovina a NATO membership. Membership guarantees defense obligations from neighboring countries.

In St. Louis, McCarthy and Cogo not only continue their lobbying, but work to foster the Bosnian community’s presence and growth in St. Louis, the state of Missouri, and the greater United States through Cogo’s nonprofit organization, St. Louis Bosnian Inc.

Most refugees and immigrants impacted by the war relocated to America, with St. Louis’ BosnianHerzegovinian community estimated at 60,000 in 2023. In 2022 they published, “Bosnian St. Louis: Between Two Worlds,” which examines the history, stories and impact of Bosnian immigrants in St. Louis.

Although the panel discussed the history of the war, the most prevailing aspect was the genocide denial.

Can Students Solve Food Insecurity? SLU Campus Kitchen Discusses

KAVYA HARISH Staff Writer

The denial continues despite “international and domestic court rulings, independent reports, and broad international consensus” says Cogo. Republika Srpska representatives continue to block attempts at instating a statewide genocide denial ban. In July 2021, Bosnia’s international High Representative, who supervises the implementation of the Dayton Agreement, instituted a state-wide law criminalizing genocide denial. Yet, Serbian politicians not only continue to deny the crimes committed in Srebrenica, but celebrate them in parades, holidays, and songs.

Each panelist called for SLU students and other community members to call out the denial and remember the war, its affected peoples, and its implications for Bosnia’s future.

McCarthy highlighted how human rights groups, like St. Louis Bosnians Inc. or OneWorld, advocate for policy changes.

There are “international human rights groups, vehicles for those groups to protest this continuing problem of genocide denial,” said McCarthy. “Laws don’t mean much unless implemented,” he points out.

Cogo emphasized the role SLU students play in combatting genocide denial.

“We live in an age where it is extremely easy to spread false narratives and you being vigilant with that and intaking information in a more responsible manner would be helpful for this and everything else,” said Cogo.

“I was starving until you guys came,” a Midtown 300 resident tearfully said to me during a Campus Kitchen delivery shift. “I was sitting in my apartment, my fridge empty, and it felt like there was a hole in my stomach.”

These are not the circumstances of only one person in St. Louis, but of almost 15% of the population in Missouri, according to the 2019 Missouri Hunger Atlas. Food insecurity, or lack of access to sufficient, nutritional food, has plagued St. Louis for years. It is said to be caused by many factors including unexpected illness of a family member, an accidents, or underemployment. However, disparities in food insecurity are also at the intersection of racial issues in this country. In fact, food insecurity might simply be a symptom of decades of systemic racism.

In St. Louis, Black Americans are more likely to go hungry than their white counterparts, a trend that transcends across generations, according to a report by the Interdisciplinary Environmental Clinic at Washington University School of Law. Saint Louis University’s Atlas Program brings together members of the University to focus and educate on global challenges that confront the 21st century, with food insecurity at the forefront of those issues.

Students involved in an educational Atlas session on food insecurity spoke about why SLU students should care about and advocate for tackling food insecurity.

“Most of us are from privileged backgrounds. We go to a private school and have never gone hungry a day in our lives. But hunger and malnutrition have a ripple effect on society and development,” said Faith Whatley-Blaine, the student hosting the Atlas session., said.

At SLU, the effects of urban poverty

are camouflaged for students within campus boundaries. However, walking a hundred feet away from campus will give any student a clear picture of the poverty impactingracking many St. Louis residents.

“There is a clear disinvestment in the north side of St. Louis. Poverty is obvious to anyone who goes there. There are barely any grocery stores, yet, around SLU there are at least three. How can St. Louis residents eat nutritionally if they cannot even find a grocery store near their homes?” another student in the session said. For SLU students, there are ways to work toward fixing food insecurity on campus. Campus Kitchen is a volunteer organization dedicated to fighting for food justice around SLU’s campus neighborhood. Melissa Apprill, program coordinator of Campus Kitchen, said this programCampus Kitchen aids in solving food insecurity through redistributing food.

“Campus Kitchen helps reduce food waste, recovering 65,000 pounds of food across campus and the surrounding St. Louis area. Reducing food waste has an effect on food insecurity on a systemic level. By repurposing food, we are giving people nutritious, fueling meals,” Apprill said.

Campus Kitchen’s goal is to put as little as possible into the landfill. If there is food that cannot feed large groups of St. Louis residents, then students are able to come in and keep it for themselves.

International Students’ Experiences at SLU

The building that draws the most attention at Saint Louis University is the Center for Global Citizenship with flags representing dozens of different countries waving at all times. It is an indicator that international students from across the world call SLU their alma mater. And the numbers seem to be increasing.

Statista shows that amidst the pandemic year of 2020-21, the number of international students in the United States dropped to 914,095 compared to peak enrollment of 1,095,299 in 2019-20. However, 2021-22 saw an increase in enrollment numbers and amounted to 948,519 international students. Boundless reports that in 2021, international students gave $28.4 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 306,308 jobs.

However, international students offer more than just a boost to the economy. According to Boundless, “[International students] also enhance the intellectual and cultural environment for American students. The relationships and experiences shared by domestic and foreign students have long-lasting impacts on personal, socioeconomic, and even political growth.”

However, there is a flip side to this data that is left unsaid: what is the level of acceptance and support that international students receive?

“Even though there are almost one million students from over 200 countries who study in the U.S., there is no broader understanding of the value that they bring to American society and are presented with educational and immigration hurdles every step of the way,” Dr. Rajika Bhandari said in an interview with Study International.

When polling the experiences of international students, official universities’ reports often only ask questions like, “How did the US education system help in the advancement of your career?” The nitty-gritty personal testimonies of international students get overshadowed. The University News interviewed international students at SLU to get to know their experience with feeling seen and supported on a U.S. campus. With various concerns that range from academic to sociocultural, students say more should be done.

Grace Makaza, a communication student completing her final year in the Master’s Program, said she has appreciated the availability of professors and the library resources at SLU. This is something she felt she didn’t get in Zimbabwe, her home country. However, she also sees a clear divide between international and domestic students in her classes.

“The domestic students sit on one side and the international students on the other,” Makaza said.

Besides social challenges, she said having to navigate health costs when she first came to the United States was a struggle. Getting health insurance and paying for it is expensive for U.S. citizens, but it can be even more difficult for international students who cannot work for more than 20 hours a week.

“My sister is a funded graduate international student. She had to rush to urgent care and had to pay $500 from her pocket which was not covered by the insurance she got from her department,” Makaza said.

Makaza has attended a few CPT

(Curricular Practical Training) and OPT (Optional Practical

Training) sessions in 2021 and recommends more specialized workshops to better cater the various needs of students.

“[The international services office] should offer customized workshops because holding one big OPT session for students from so many different countries and different majors does not feel specific enough and a lot of students may leave the session having learned nothing,” Grace said.

Koyena Biswas, another master’s student in the Communication Department, from Mumbai, India, added that getting acclimated to the colloquial lingo, street language, slang and different dialects was an initial hurdle for her. However, she appreciates the international exposure through programs like the International Office’s CPT and OPT workshops and occasional cultural events hosted by SLU.

“The cultural events thrown by the International Office are definitely heart-warming like the Holi event because you get to have your food and listen to your language’s music,” said Biswas.

For non-STEM international

students, there seem to be fewer support systems. Meha Gupta, who is completing her final year in the English Department’s master’s program, from Jammu, India, said that the presentday international student influx is very STEM-focused, so many careeroriented and recreational events cater to that field. Furthermore, she said that initial orientation days and events which are meant to introduce and welcome students to the campus, are catered more toward undergraduate students. She said as a new student, she would have appreciated it if there were events that included graduate students as well.

HARSIRAT KAUR Contributor

(Ulaa Kuziez / The University News)

Supporting Afghani Women Should be a Priority for All, Student Says in Panel

“I wanted to start my own business in Afghanistan but now I can’t anymore because of the state of the country for women,” shared Sahar Hussaini at an Atlas Week event about Afghanistan. Atlas Week at Saint Louis University was held from April 16 to April 23. During the week, students, faculty and staff from across the University organized events that highlighted global cultures and various issues people face across the world.

Hussaini, a freshman studying marketing, gave a keynote address on her journey coming to the United States as a refugee and the current situation of Afghani women. The talk, titled “What is happening to Afghan women”, was delivered in the Busch Student Center room 254 on April 18, 2023. The room was dark with the only light coming from the screen showing the first slide of Hussaini’s presentation. Over 26 people came to hear her account.

Hussaini started by going over the history of women’s rights in Afghanistan from 1964 to the 1990s and the changes because of the Taliban regime. Then, she discussed the state of women in Afghanistan today.

“Honor killings have been rampant since the 1990s and they are still prevalent in Afghanistan… From 20032004, girls could go to school but they were not allowed to join sports or take leadership roles. However, today, girls are sent home by using force and by beating them. 1 in 3 women is forced to get married before they are 18 and no one can speak about it either. The Hazara people are targeted every second,” Hussaini said at the event.

Hussaini said she witnessed her classmates and friends getting shot in the school she used to go to. She saw her teacher, the person who used to encourage the students to dream, cease

to exist. Now as a student in the United States, during the summer Hussani would hear people making traveling plans and when asked about hers, she would reply that she has to get the girls from Afghanistan connected to organizations and schools in other countries like Bangladesh so that they can receive the education they deserve.

Shandana Safari, a close friend of Hussaini, volunteered at the session to support her. A junior studying at SLU, Safari reflected on the different experiences that she and Hussaini had even though they both come from the Hazara community of Afghanistan. Safari’s family escaped to Pakistan and came to the United States in 2003. Their arrival was delayed due to 9/11 since they were supposed to come in 2001. She opened up about the Hazara genocide.

“Hazaras are going through an ongoing genocide as we speak. They’re the most targeted by the Taliban and have been fleeing the country since the 1900s. The Taliban has killed more than 70% of the population since the rule of Abdur Rahaman Khan,” Safari said.

Shubhi Ahluwalia, a senior studying finance, also came to the session to support Hussaini. She reflected that it is important for people to step out of their comfort zone to understand the issues that do not pertain to their immediate surroundings.

Once you do that, she said, you get to learn things that move you. She also advised the SLU community to come to support talks and meetings of similar nature.

“I would say come to events like this one and talk about it with your friends. I talked to my friends about this session because Sahar opened my eyes to her and other women’s stories,” Ahluwalia said.

“If you talk to your roommate about an event, they will talk to someone else. That’s how we can spread the word.”

Katrina Churchill, a freshman studying international business and economics, knew Sahar from shared classes. She said that she always wants to support her friends so that they know their stories are heard and accepted, especially when the stories are integral to them as individuals.

“It’s good to be aware of things outside of the bubble of school. It’s good to be aware of how people live in different parts of the world. You can also learn how to support people by hearing firsthand accounts of those who have lived in those parts of the world,” Churchill said.

Safari also reflected on the ways students specifically and Americans in general can help the Hazaras.

“I believe that people can help the Hazaras by listening to them, giving them a platform and spreading as much awareness for it as possible,” Safari said.

“They [the United States of America officials] could sponsor Hazara families to come to the US. They could donate to the Hazara Foundation that builds schools and helps families of the victims in the attack.”

A city with a sizable and ever increasing Afghani population, there are various resources that work to support Afghani newcomers. Hussaini is an intern with the Afghan support program at the International Institute of St. Louis. Her work is dedicated to getting support back home in the form of educational opportunity funds, finding safe locations for refugees and

immigrants and connecting people to the Afghan cause.

“Within the Afghan support program at the international institute, we have the Afghan Chamber of Commerce, the Afghan community center, and many other programs to help Afghan immigrants here at St. Louis,” she said. She also gave recommendations on the small things the SLU community can do to spread the word about the Afghani situation.

“They [the SLU community] can support by raising awareness through social media, doing class projects, conducting research related to the topic, educating the students and implementing it in their education. Community service and volunteering for the organization that supports immigrants here can be another way. I also want them to support Afghan students at SLU to help create an Afghan students association,” Hussaini said.

She is working with other students to launch an Afghan students association in fall 2023 at SLU. This will be a big move, she said, towards raising awareness on the campus grounds and getting public support to help Afghani immigrants and those who dream of a life outside of shackles.

Hussaini’s presentation ended with a poignant question for the audience. “What makes you see the injustice that is happening to Afghan women and ignore it? What makes you see a post about Afghanistan on social media and just scroll through it without taking any action toward spreading awareness about it?” Hussaini said.

HARSIRAT KAUR Contributor

ARTS & LIFE

Supporting STL’s Local Artists at Tower Grove Farmers Market

GABBY CHIODO Managing Editor

On April 8, local St. Louisans flocked to Tower Grove Park and attended the highly anticipated opening day of Tower Grove Farmers Market. One of the largest in the STL region, Tower Grove Farmers Market is home to sweet treats, unique art and fresh produce.

The market was founded 17 years ago after Partick Horine and his wife Jennifer Ryan moved from San Francisco to the Tower Grove area. Since then, it’s grown tremendously from 500 weekly visitors to over 4,500. The market seeks to help farmers and artisans market their products and boost the local economy

Additionally, Horine and Ryan have taken steps to ensure that local products are available and accessible to all. They began offering government food subsidies, known as EBT, and accepting matching EBT amounts several seasons ago.

Not only is this community the perfect place for consumers of different backgrounds to shop locally, but it holds a special place in the hearts of its over 130 vendors. Victoria Sheldon, owner and creator of Relish Herbal Care, has been selling her handmade beeswax candles, self care products, and other provisions for the past three years at the market. t.

“I do both the Tuesday and Saturday markets and it’s just such an amazing community,” Sheldon said.

The Tower Grove Farmers Market offers many artists and creators the opportunity to transition from simply creating their work to selling it as well. Many STL favorites got their start at the market, including Kakao Chocolate, Urban Buds & City Grown Flowers and Three Rivers Community Farm. Sheldon got her start here and credits much of her success to the space the market has given her.

“Honestly, it was the first market that I did and it’s been great ever since,” Sheldon said.

The market is a great place for SLU students to see cute puppies, grab a bite to eat and purchase the perfect apartment plant.

Outside of this, it offers the opportunity to leave the campus atmosphere and immerse oneself in STL culture.

Makenzie Bauer, a junior studying Medical Science at SLU, frequents the market and took her parents this past weekend to show them all it had to offer. As an incoming freshman during COVID, the market offered a chance for Bauer to bond with other students at a safe distance.

“I started going to Tower Grove as a safe activity to do outside during COVID. It felt good to be around people at a distance while supporting local businesses after the pandemic,” Bauer said.

Bauer also echoes the sentiment that the market also allows students to branch outside of their campus comfort zone and connect with the city SLU occupies.

“As a SLU student, it can be really easy to stay in the bubble around campus. Going to the Tower Grove Farmers Market makes me feel connected to the Saint Louis community beyond campus,” Bauer said.

The market is located in the heart of Tower Grove Park at 4256 Magnolia Ave from 8:00 am - 12:30. While Saturday markets are the most popular, there are also offshoot markets at The Boulevard in Richmond Heights on Sundays, Francis Park on Thursday nights and a “sip and shop” style night market at Tower Grove on Tuesdays throughout the summer. From food trucks to a dropin yoga class, there is truly something for all SLU students to enjoy as they learn and support the local STL economy.

(Gabby Chiodo / The University News)

ARTS & LIFE

SLU Professor Showcase

SLU has an immense faculty, with just over 2000 staff members. Each year, many faculty members release research data or books about their field of expertise, which often spans a wide range of disciplines. Much of this goes unnoticed by the general SLU population as it is drownedis and is drowned out by the countless other readings that college demands. It is unfortunate that such valuable and fascinating research conducted on campus goes unnoticed. In spite of this, however, here are some of the many works by SLU staff that have been recently completed or will be released soon.

Dr. Steven Rogers - Accountability in American Legislatures

Steven Rogers, PhD, is a professor of Political Science here at SLU, and given his name and superpower of knowledge, he is the Captain America of politics. His forthcoming book Accountability in American Legislatures addresses one key question: do elections hold state legislators accountable for their performance? This seems like a straightforward question yet in reality is much more complicated.

Rogers explains that the actual numbers for knowledge about state legislatures are not positive.

“Only nine percent of American voters know who their state legislature is, and a little over half know which party controls the legislature,” Rogers said. “If you don’t know who’s in charge, it can be a tricky pickle to hold them accountable.”

This is troubling because in the last several months, state Legislatures have become increasingly prominent over divided issues such as transgender healthcare and abortion, making the issue of accountability extremely pressing.

A challenge with books like Rogers’ and other political science research is often its perceived dryness and seemingly endless amounts of undecipherable graphs, but Rogers has tried to make his book more approachable. His target audience is “smart college sophomores,” who may have an interest in this topic but can be driven away by technical and complex graphs. As Rogers explains, he uses “stories of state legislators to highlight or give more color” to these often more theoretical political science concepts like effectiveness, voter knowledge and incumbency advantage. His book comes out later this year on September 11 and is available for pre-order now from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Dr. Fabien Montcher - Mercenaries of Knowledge: Vicente Nogueira, the Republic of Letters, and the Making of Late Renaissance Politics.

Over the last year or so, numerous books have faced scrutiny in various state legislatures and school boards across the United States. However, the connection between books and politics is not a new one and is explored in history Professor Dr. Fabien Montcher’s upcoming Mercenaries of Knowledge: Vicente Nogueira, the Republic of Letters, and the Making of Late Renaissance Politics.

This book centers around the life of Vincente Nogueira, a book trader and something of a diplomat. Montcher uses this man and his 20 years spent in Rome to explore the concept of “Bibliopolitics.”

“[It is the power to] generate politics through the circulation of books,” Montcher said.

Nogueira’s career also explores the idea of a Republic of Letters, or the interconnected communications between academics that fostered dynamic intellectual collaborations, as he served as a distributor for the texts they desired. Consequently, Montcher would come to rely on his own modern form of a Republic of Letters to get the sources needed for this project, as it spanned across Europe and the Americas.

Montcher sees this book as having multiple possible audiences.

“[Those] interested in the history of the Renaissance, the history of politics and diplomacy,” Montcher said. The appeal is clear; the later Renaissance represents a period of great change whichMontcher provides a niched approach to. Montcher also explains his attempt to engage in conversation with other historians on the topic. Professor Montcher’s book will be released later this summer and is available for pre-order now from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Ochoa - Book on Catcalling

The act of public speaking can invoke a range of emotions in people, from fear to full-on panic. Being watched, observed and silently judged can feel excruciating to many. However, Melissa Ochoa, PhD, invites people to imagine a scenario where it is not simply one’s speech that is being judged, but also what they chose to wear and what they look like. To further this scenario, imagine it is not happening in the confines of a classroom, but rather in a random street. This is the case that many women still face, and it is the subject of her research

“Catcalling is a part of a larger issue of systemic sexism,” Ochoa said. “It is a form of sexual terrorism limiting women’s engagement in public spaces.”

Since this is an issue that is felt by roughly half the population and can only really be stopped by the other half, Ochoa is striving to make this work accessible to all and serve as a conversation starter both within classrooms and also at home.

Ochoa feels that it is particularly important for the Saint Louis University community to recognize the ongoing issue of catcalling on college campuses. It’s possible to ignore catcalling as an abstract problem, but knowing its presence in this very institution makes it a very pressing issue. Dr. Ochoa’s work is still early in development and has no definitive release date or title, but should be expected to release in the next few years.

This has only been a brief collection of work being done at SLU right now. Many professors from all disciplines spend multiple years conducting their research and crafting it into a final product to share with the wider world. This process happens right here at SLU and helps keep the constant conversation alive in the global intellectual community.

(Photo Courtesy of Saint Louis University)

(Photo Courtesy of Saint Louis Univeristy)

(Emma Duman / The University News)

Dr. Melissa

ZACH BUCHHOLZ Staff Writer

ARTS & LIFE

Spring Student Art Exhibition Showcases Eclectic and Diverse Pieces

MC PAVLICK Staff Writer

The Spring Student Art Exhibition will run through late April in the Cupples House, featuring work from students in the Ceramics, Computer Art, Drawing, Graphic Design, Fiber and Textiles, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Social Practice, and Sculpture courses in SLU’s studio art program. Jim Daniels, an artist and art educator based in STL, juried for this year’s Spring Student Art Exhibition at Saint Louis University. Daniels is no stranger to jurying art shows but found the selection process at SLU to be particularly challenging.

“The abundance of strong work made the selection process extremely difficult,” Daniels said. “If your work was not included in this exhibition, do not be discouraged. I was impressed by the talent and ambition of each artist.” Despite the relatively small size of SLU’s studio program, Daniels selected an impressive 50 some pieces out of nearly 130. Daniels’ criteria for acceptance were guided by three main questions:

1.Does the work demonstrate intellectual curiosity?

2.Does the work show strong craftsmanship?

3.Was the artist willing to take risks?

When looking around at the pieces, Daniels found he was most intrigued by the pieces that appeared to be more than simply an assignment. The pieces chosen were ones where students evidently pushed boundaries rather than merely satisfying the requirements of an assignment and attempting to fulfill a grade.

“ll of the pieces in here show that students pushed their creative process or personal style or aesthetic,” Daniels said. “This is what is going to transcend into the work where it becomes more than just a project assignment.”

Even without written descriptions of intent or information about the original assignment, Daniels was able to identify the pieces with personal passion. Sophomore Amari Moore’s “Deception’s Web” was selected as the Honorable Mention for the show. “Deception’s Web,” a ballpoint pen drawing, was created for an assignment based on doodling. To Moore, this piece was much more of a representation of the tattoo work she hopes to create in the future. After graduation, Moore plans to become a tattoo artist and get her apprenticeship.

“It’s especially exciting that this won for the honorable mention because that piece was specifically done in order to showcase what I want to bring into tattooing,” Moore said. “This is the style I hope to bring whenever I start to tattoo professionally, so this was especially reassuring to me.”

Daniels’ selection leaned into eclectic pieces thathighlightedlivelymessages.Hisselectionfor Best in Show was a vibrantly colored oil painting titled “Brainsplosion” by Dani Manganello. The exhibition’s two-dimensional works showcase a diverse range of techniques within prints, paintings and drawings, showing no bias toward any one medium. In terms of sculpture pieces, the majority of chosen works were ceramic. Sustainability movements reflect a growing fascination with the practicality of ceramics, a trend that Daniels rejected in the show. Though appreciative of thrown forms and the utilitarian value of ceramic works, Daniels finds himself more attracted to the playful form rather than the practical.Every piece chosen was hand-built, with several serving as renditions of animals or characters.

The students of SLU’s studio art program createdaremarkablecollectionofpieces.Daniels curated a playful selection of pieces balanced by intentionality, technique and message fit for a spring show.

Students’ art is on view in the McNamee Gallery on the lower level of the Cupples House from Apr. 14-28, Wednesday through Friday, noon to 4 p.m. and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

“Deception’s Web” by Amari Moore “Brainsplosion” by Daniel Manganello

ARTS & LIFE

Reflections From Graduating Seniors About Their Time at SLU

AMAN RAHMAN Arts & Life Editor

As graduating seniors prepare to transition into a new chapter of their lives, it is important for students to take a moment to reflect on the accomplishments, experiences and changes over their college careers. Graduating and earning a degree is no small feat. Over the past four years, future SLU graduates have been challenged to work diligently, participate in extracurricular activities and create social connections, all while trying to prioritize their mental health. While each individual has a unique experience, college offers a chance for personal growth and transformation despite its inevitable challenges.

Both within and outside the classroom, students have been encouraged by professors and family to grow as individuals and explore their passions and interests, whether that be through classes or extracurriculars. For many, this includes finding enjoyment in meaningful relationships, exploring new ideas and delving into what drives them. For SLU senior Kiera Bates, learning more about herself and what she cares about was one of the most valuable things she gained during her time at this university.

“I feel like I have been able to explore so many different new ideas and harness my passions because of the clubs, activities, people and classes here,” Bates said. “I think being away from home has been really important for me to have a change of environment and being around new people and cultures that bring new experiences and ideas. I have really been able to really figure out what I want to do in the future and the career path that I want to take.”

The people you interact with in college play a significant role in shaping your experiences. College presents the opportunity to meet people from various backgrounds and identities, which can result in interesting and formative relationships. During this time, there is much emphasis placed on “finding your people,” and while it is important to recognize this is not the case for everyone, creating these connections can substantially change your college experience. SLU senior Megan Mendenhall

explains that her favorite memories in college have been hanging out with her friends in her apartment and creating a community within this space.

“I have learned a lot about my friendships and the importance of friendship in my life and making sure those people in my life know that they are important to me,” Mendenhall said. “It has been nice getting close with people and realizing you aren’t just acquaintances and are actually really good friends and mean a lot to each other.”

Navigating newfound friendships and experiences is highly rewarding but also challenging. Finding your role and making your presence known on campus can be overwhelming, especially for underclassmen. Throughout their college years, students endure some incredibly hard situations, whether that be due to rigorous academic demands or additional life responsibilities.

As current seniors reflect on their time in college, many feel that it is important to recognize the unique challenges that have arisen during this time.

“From experiencing a pandemic, transitioning to online classes and things getting canceled, I definitely felt a lot of isolation and there were times where I wasn’t sure where the rest of my college experiences were going to go,” Bates said. “I had a lot of fear of the unknown but now as a senior I can say things did change and get better and I am so glad I have been able to have so many fun experiences that I was not sure that I was going to get.”

Regardless if you feel as though you excelled in overcoming these obstacles or not, making it this far is an accomplishment to be proud of. For SLU seniors Taylor Stalling and Vanessa Reger, it was important for them to tell their freshman self to trust the process and be proud of themselves.

“I would tell my freshman self that I am very proud of her for what she did and the rest of college is certainly going to be very difficult at some moments but it is worth it,” Reger said.

According to Stalling, she realized that places are guaranteed to induce change and that this change should be embraced.

“You have to submit to the process and trust in the Lord. It will be okay,” Stalling said. “I love SLU but it was not always easy.”

With graduation on the horizon, it can be meaningful to reflect on how college has inspired growth and change, presented challenges and opened the door for new opportunities for exploration and finding passions. These past four years have been a testament to navigating new experiences and meeting new, vastly unique people. Those who are graduating are so close to the finish line and while this may cause some fear and sadness, it will hopefully also present excitement over achieving this milestone. Class of 2023 should be proud of themselves.

“It really has gone by so quickly and realizing if the situation at the moment is not perfect does not mean that it is not still an important moment to be in,” Mendenhall said. “Get out of your comfort zone, because this is the time to do that, that is what college is about.”

(Evie Nguyen / The University News)

PHOTO

The week of April 10th marked the beginning of Fraternity & Sorority Life’s Greek Week on the campus of Saint Louis University. The week was full of friendly dodgeball, CANstructuction, and dance competitions. Pictured above are the dance teams that performed at Greek-a-palooza. Throughout the week, teams of Fraternities and Sororities here on campus raised a total of $5,230.20 for the Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition as well as 1,700 cans for Billiken Bounty.

EMMA DUMAN

Photo Editor

kovcevic, Editori

SENIOR

Diana Jakovcevic is a Communication major with a concentration in Journalism & Media, and a Visual Communication & Marketing minor. After graduation she is moving back home to San Jose, CA where she will be pursuing a career in Graphic Design and Communications. Some of her favorite memories from UNews are production nights. Jakovcevic said, “We had a wine night with all of the editors my junior year and that was such a blast. I will forever be grateful for the people that I met through this organization and I will hold these memories forever.”

bridge, Arts and Li

Mark Burbridge is a Communication major with a concentration in Journalism & Media, and a Film Studies minor. After graduation, he is excited to explore more journalism and communications experiences within the St. Louis area. His favorite UNews memory was “all the production nights we had. Was it tiring? Yes. But was it also a good opportunity to bond with the other editors while advancing student journalism? Yes!”

hman, Arts AND Life

Aman Rahman is a Political Science and Women and Gender Studies major. After graduation she is looking forward to traveling and working. Her favorite UNews memory was “going to production night, bonding with Unews members and getting to see all of our writers and editors’ hard work come to life.”

PAIGE FANN Photo Editor

Stasia Hanonick is a Psychology major, and a Philosophy minor. After graduation, she plans on taking a gap year, and then applying for Ph.D. programs. Her favorite UNews memory was, “when Daniel Bernas and I convinced everyone we were dating.”

Evie Nguyen is a Studio Art major with a concentration in Graphic Design & Drawing, and a Visual Communication & Marketing minor. She hopes to pursue a career in graphic design after graduation. Her favorite UNews memory was her first production night, which was “very chaotic, but fun.”

Daniel Bernas is a Marketing major, and a Communication minor. After graduation, he will be starting an internship at Carboline, and then applying for jobs in the St. Louis area. His favorite UNews memory was “Sophomore year, [when] my arts editor became my best friend. It’s a friendship I will value for the rest of my life and I wouldn’t have met her if it wasn’t for Unews, so shout-out to Celia.”

SPOTLIGHT

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EMMA DUMAN

Photo Editor

Sports

STL City SC Welcomes USWNT To CITYPARK

NORA KOTNIK Staff Writer

On Apr. 12, CITYPARK, home field to the Saint Louis City SC, welcomed the United States Women’s National Team to Saint Louis for a soccer match against the Republic of Ireland. The United States put on a show by shutting out Ireland with a final score of 1-0.

The newly renovated CITYPARK facility was pleased and eager to host the women’s national team. “It’s an honor to be part of this historic event at CITYPARK with our friends in the U.S. Women’s National Team,” said St. Louis CITY SC CEO, Carolyn Kindle, “The momentum of soccer in our region right now is unparalleled and the passion of our fans will create an incredible atmosphere on matchday.”

In anticipation of the match, Kindle said, “We can’t wait to welcome everyone to our beautiful home and again shine a light on the best of St. Louis by having these two teams compete in our stadium.”

On top of the established success of the STL City SC, CITYPARK has called attention to the soccer culture evident in our own Saint Louis community. The women’s national team’s weekend visit to Saint Louis helped solidify the growing soccer culture in Saint Louis.

In talking about returning home to Saint Louis, and playing at the new CITYPARK facility, Becky Sauerbrunn, Saint Louis native and Women’s National Team standout said, “It’s super exciting, and it just goes to show that St. Louis is very much a soccer city. And it’s great to see the evolution of the game getting an MLS side, getting a soccer specific stadium in the city. So it’s all steps in the right direction.” The Saint Louis community was enthusiastic about welcoming USWNT’s Sauerbrunn back to her hometown. Before the match, Sauerbrunn was recognized for her 200 cap milestone.

Sauerbrunn is an Olivette native and graduated from Ladue High School. Sauerbrunn has been an asset in the U.S. Women’s National Team for more than twelve years. The center back has had a highly successful professional career, earning Olympic gold and bronze medals and two FIFA

Women’s World Cups. Now, she is serving her second year as team captain and has officially played in more international competitions than any of her teammates. In their match versus Ireland, she came close to scoring a corner kick goal for USA,but the crossbar blocked her shot, nearly ending her record of 215 games without scoring for the United States.

Ireland had various chances at goal, but Casey Murphy, United States goalkeeper, denied all Ireland’s opportunities. It was not until the 43 minute that Alana Cook of the United States buried the ball in the back of Ireland’s net. Cook received a direct ball just past the midfield line following a short corner kick. Cook sent a shot from the 40 yard line towards the goal. Ireland’s goalkeeper got a hand on it, but it was not enough to stop Cook’s powerful take. This would be the only scoring action of the full game, making the final score 1-0, United States.

Saint Louis Women’s Soccer also welcomed the USWNT to Robert R. Herman Stadium during their weekend trip. In a twitter post from SLU Women’s Soccer, various SLU soccer athletes were pictured amongst national team players:Lindsey Horan, Kristic Mewie and Sofia Huerta. The caption thanked the professional players for their visit, and taking time out of their day to say hello to SLU’s players.

All in all, the Women’s national team’s time in Saint Louis was a great success. It solidified the idea that Saint Louis’s soccer community is very much going, especially with the renovated STL City SC soccer facility.

This was one of the final international matches for the USWNT players before head coach Vlatko Andonovski and his staff chose the USA’s 23-player World Cup roster later in the spring. This match marked the USA’s sixth game all-time in St. Louis and 10th in the state of Missouri. The USA is unbeaten in its 10 games in the Show-Me State, boasting a record of seven wins, three draws and zero losses.

(Photo Courtesy of USWNT)

Sports 16

SLU Baseball and Softball Sweep the Weekend

Apr. 14-16 was a good weekend for Billiken fans with back-to-back-to-back wins for both softball and baseball. Softball took care of business against Fordham University, holding the Rams to 0 runs, twice, and surviving a near-comeback to secure the sweep. Meanwhile, baseball beat Saint Joseph’s by more runs with each game, outscoring the Hawks 28-16 over the three-game series. Baseball’s standouts included sophomore outfielder Patrick Clohisy, freshman shortstop Austin Neuweg, sophomore second baseman Ethan Sitzman, sophomore outfielder Hayden Moore and senior designated hitter and first baseman Cam Redding. Clohisy earned his third A-10 Player of the Week award in the year, his second in a row, for his efforts over the weekend. His performance included 8 hits, 5 RBIs (runners batted in), 2 stolen bases and 6 putouts. The lefty is second in the conference in RBIs with 44, trailing VCU’s Brandon Eike by 7. Clohisy is third in bases stolen, at 17 on the season so far as well as third in hits at 58. A month after his Rookie of the Week selection, Neuweg provided 1 hit, 2 RBIs, 4 putouts and 8 assists over the weekend. The rookie infielder is fifth in the conference in assists, with 89 on the season, the highest among freshmen. Sitzman delivered in on both sides of the plate, delivering 5 hits, 4 RBIs, 6 putouts and 10 assists. Sitzman leads the conference in assists with 113, 11 ahead of VCU’s William Bean. Sitzman also holds the A-10’s fourth best batting average at .377, with an on base percentage of .488 which is second only to Davidson junior Ryan Wilson’s .519. Hayden Moore started the weekend slow but showed out on Sunday. After only one at-bat and a single putout across Friday and Saturday, Moore signed, sealed and delivered in game 3 for 2 hits, 2 RBIs, and 4 putouts. Moore holds the conference’s fifth best on base percentage at .477, .010 ahead of SJU’s leader, Ryan Cesarini. Redding had the best game of his season on Saturday, in which he slammed a season-high 2 home runs and brought in a career-high 6 RBIs on 3 hits. Redding finished the weekend with 5 hits, 8 RBIs and 7 putouts. All 7 putouts came on Sunday after moving from designated hitter to first base.

Softball’s success came in large part from

contributions by sophomore first baseman Jane Kaniecki, freshman outfielder Ashley Marietta, graduate outfielder Gabbie Kowalik, freshman shortstop Chloe Rhine, junior second baseman Jocelyn Abbot and graduate catcher Kelsey Etling. Kaniecki gave the Bills 6 hits, 4 RBIs and 18 putouts through the series. Her second RBI on Friday won the game for the Bills. Rookie of the Week winner, Ashley Marietta, had 6 hits, 5 RBIs, 6 putouts and an assist during the weekend which included her second career home run, a grand slam worth half of SLU’s runs on Friday. Kowalik had 4 hits, 6 putouts and 2 stolen bases on the weekend. Kowalik leads the A-10 in on-base percentage at .521, runs scored with 44, and hits by pitches with 12. On top of that she’s second in batting average at .420, slugging percentage with .659, OPS (on base percentage plus slugging percentage) at 1.180 and total hits with 58. That’s not all, Kowalik is fourth in the conference in RBIs at 33 and stolen bases with 22. Kowalik’s reliability and effectiveness have been huge for the Bills this season, which is why she earned Co-Player of the Week honor in March alongside Rhode Island’s Skylar Rapuano. Chloe Rhine had 1 hit, 2 RBIs, 5 putouts and 3 assists, most of her offensive impact on display Sunday, with her third career home run keeping the Billikens ahead, holding off Fordham’s 3-run 7th inning. Rhine is currently sixth in RBIs at 29, one behind Dayton’s Alyssa Cacini. She also boasts the second most assists in the conference, one short of the leading spot currently held by her teammate Jocelyn Abbot. Abbot had 1 RBI, 1 putout and 7 assists on the weekend. Etling was in the designated hitter slot for the weekend series and provided 3 hits and 3 RBIs, including a single to bring home freshman catcher Abby Mallo on Saturday, which would win the game for the Billikens.

It would be remiss not to mention the pitching cores of both squads. Junior right-hander Henry Litman opened the weekend for baseball, pitching the first six and one third innings with 5 strikeouts, 0 walks and 9 hits. Litman has the lowest earned run average in the conference with 2.82. He’s tied with VCU’s James Gladden for fewest runs allowed at 18. Ethan Bell took over for Litman to close out Friday afternoon, allowing only one hit to secure his first career save as the Bills won 4-2. Right-handed junior Owen Chaffin started for the Billikens on Saturday, pitching the

first five innings. Chaffin struck out two batters and held the Hawks to 5 hits. Chaffin has allowed the fifth fewest runs in the conference at 41, only 4 more than the second place spot held by George Mason’s Ben Shields. Chaffin was relieved by sophomore Jack Weber. This would be a new career high in innings pitched for Weber. He struck out three batters and allowed 4 hits in his four innings pitched, earning his first career save to go along with Bell’s from the day before with a 10-6 Billiken victory. Sophomore Jackson Holmes opened on Sunday, throwing for six and two thirds before freshman Ben Cherico came in. Holmes and Cherico each struck out four batters in the 14-8 Billiken win.

For softball, it was graduate righty Chloe Wendling who started the weekend. Wendling pitched all six innings, allowing 0 walks for her second shutout of the season, SLU winning 8-0. Senior Kaili Hanner pitched all seven innings on Saturday, allowing only 2 walks and throwing a career high 8 strikeouts in the shutout victory, 1-0. Wendling started on Sunday, throwing five strikeouts but allowing 5 hits. After four and a third, Hanner would relieve her. Hanner pitched 3 strikeouts and allowed 3 runs but was able to survive the Rams’ comeback attempt to secure the SLU victory, 8-7. Wendling is fourth in the conference in strikeouts, having ended 132 at bats in the catcher’s mitt. Hanner is fifth in fewest hits allowed, at 62.

Both teams are close to the top of the A-10’s standings, sitting at second place behind Dayton. For both teams, high-volume offenses have been crucial to their success. Softball has outscored conference opponents 111-48, winning 12 of 16 conference matchups so far. Meanwhile baseball has also massively outscored conference opposition 82-45 going 8-1. Both teams have only lost a conference series to one school, Dayton. Dayton was unable to sweep either team though, and Christy Conoyer, head coach for softball, and Darin Henrikson, head coach for baseball are confident that their squads will make the improvements necessary to flip the script on Dayton once the conference tournament arrives.

ISMAEL DOMIN Staff Writer

(Emma Duman/The University News)

sports

Checking In With The Battlehawks

EMMA BROWKA Staff Writer

Following the departure of the St. Louis Rams following the 2015 season, the city felt that a piece was missing. After a five year drought, St. Louis received their first XFL team when the Battlehawks arrived in town in 2020. This season has been especially meaningful to the Saint Louis community as the Battlehawks have proved their success. The fans recognize this, and are the most prominent XFL fanbase in the nation. Although bitter feelings are still prevalent towards Los Angeles Rams owner, Stan Kroenke, St. Louis football fans have redirected their energy to support their new football team. The Battlehawks opened the 2023 season with victories in the first two games over the San Antonio Brahmas and the Seattle Sea Dragons. St. Louis’ team struggled to come out on top in the third and fifth weeks when facing the talented D.C. Defenders. Then, the Battlehawks went on to a three-game win streak in weeks six, seven and eight. Throughout their season, the Battlehawks signified that they did not need the home field advantage as they performed well on the road, only losing one of their five away games.

The Battlehawks closed out the season with a 7-3 overall record, ranking third in the North Division. This winning record is partially due to the consistency of the fans and amount of support shown each week. The team continually sold over 30,000 tickets to the games each week, boasting the strongest support from fans in the XFL as well as the highest average attendance for regular season games. The team’s supporters have been reliable since the start of the season, when the week one game reeled in 1.57 million viewers and 24,245 fans in attendance. Since then, attendance has increased as the team gains popularity among St. Louis. By Week 10, Battlehawks attendance had reached an incredible 33,034. The total XFL attendance for all games played during this final week of the season was 73,030, with Battlehawks fans accounting miraculously for almost half of all tickets sold. On average, St. Louis fans made up about 31 percent of the XFL total attendance each week throughout this season, proving that the city has the pride and spirit to support a pro football team.

During Week 10 of the season, the Battlehawks were set to play the Orlando Guardians at their home field in St. Louis to close out the regular season. St. Louis dominated the game, finishing with a win of 53-28. This set the XFL record for most points scored by a team in a single game thus far. The win was greatly credited to quarterback, AJ McCarron, who threw for 420 passing yards with a total of six touchdown passes. McCarron finished the game with 28 completions and zero interceptions to lead the team to the record-setting win. Although it was not enough to advance into the postseason, an outpouring of support was shown on the team’s social media as the Battlehawks closed out their season. Comments from fans congratulated the team and expressed that they are already looking forward to next season. With such an iconic ending to the 2023 season, it is inevitable that St. Louis fans will be eager for the next season as they look forward to what the future holds for their team.

(Photo Courtesy of Draft Kings)

sports

Jordan Walker Makes MLB History

Jordan Walker, the 20-year-old rookie sensation for the St. Louis Cardinals, began his career with a 12-game hitting streak, tying Eddie Murphy’s 1912 record by a player 20 or younger.

After being named the 4th-best prospect in all of baseball by MLB Pipeline in early 2023, it was only fitting for Walker to begin his career the way he did. The Cardinals’ first round pick of the 2020 MLB Draft towers over most players at 6 feet 6 inches tall, 245 pounds and attended Decatur High School in Georgia. At Decatur, Walker was named the Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020, shortened season in which he hit .457 and knocked in 15 RBIs in 16 games. While initially committing to play college-ball at Duke University, Walker eventually signed with the Redbirds with a sweet, $2.9 million signing bonus.

While most MLB franchises ensure that their top caliber prospects get plenty of experience in the minor leagues, it did not take very long for Walker to make his first major league roster. Throughout 2021, Walker tore through all levels of A-Ball, making him the Cardinals’ Minor League Co-Player of the Year along with Juan Yepez. In 2022, Walker was assigned to the Springfield Cardinals, the Cards’ Double-A Team, and traveled alongside Masyn Winn to Los Angeles where he represented St. Louis in the 2022 All-Star Futures Game. In 119 games with Springfield, Walker had a slash line of .306/.388/.510 with 19 homers and 58 RBIs. Many fans knew it was only a matter of time before he was promoted to Triple-A and eventually, the big leagues.

However, Walker would never step foot on a Triple-A field, as the Cardinals announced that Walker made the Opening Day roster on Mar. 25, 2023. On Mar. 26, the Cards posted a video on their

Twitter capturing the moment that Walker learned of the news.

“The biggest separator in watching you in this entire [Spring Training] camp was very simple: When you faced adversity, you weren’t bothered by it,” Cardinals Manager Oliver Marmol said to Walker in the video. At the end of his talk with Walker, the Cardinals skipper said, “You deserve every bit of being with us on Opening Day.” The Tweet has garnered over 680 thousand views and over 15 thousand likes to date.

Walker made his Major League debut on Mar. 30, 2023 against the Toronto Blue Jays, getting his first career hit off Jay’s ace Alek Manoah. At 20-years-old, Walker became the youngest position player to make his debut for the Cardinals since David Green in 1981. In addition, Walker hit his first career home run against the Atlanta Braves, his hometown team, on Apr. 5, receiving a roaring curtain call after making his way through the line of congratulating teammates.

“It meant a lot – it was [a] pretty cool feeling,” Walker said in a postgame press conference following the 5-2 loss. “It’s been difficult for sure [to adjust to Major League pitching]. They keep changing their game plan,” Walker stated. “I’m going to have to keep adjusting to whatever their plan is for me.”

Throughout his first two weeks in the Majors, Walker garnered national attention, as he closed in on a record that had not been touched in over 100 years. Walker recorded at least one hit in each of his first twelve games, passing Ted Williams, who is often deemed as the “greatest hitter who ever lived,” who only recorded a hit in his first nine games. Unfortunately, Walker’s streak came to an end Thursday when he went

0-4 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, with the Bucs starting pitcher, Vince Velasquez, limiting the Cardinals’ offense to 3 hits over 6 shutout innings. In Walker’s 50 plate appearances during the hit streak, the rookie recorded 15 hits, two doubles, two homers, and a triple slash of .319/.360/.489. However, after the streak ended, Walker’s bat cooled off significantly–he went just 1-for-16 over his next five games. Nevertheless, it seems that playing everyday will only allow him to improve as a hitter and adjust to Major League pitching, as fans must remember that he had previously never played above the Double-A level.

Players and fans are excited to see what Walker can accomplish this season and beyond. “I think he has massive potential. His size and power are something special and he’s also a pretty good athlete,” Cardinal Hall-of-Famer Jim Edmonds explained in an exclusive interview. Edmonds, who won the 2006 World Series with the Cardinals and eight Gold Gloves, continued, “Being a rookie is difficult because they’re now playing every day for six months under the microscope, especially when the real season starts…The only thing you can do is pay attention and be patient and take care of your body through the whole season.”

Although the Cardinals have gotten off to a slower start than many fans initially anticipated, there is no telling what this team can do when they get hot. While there are obviously areas of Walker’s game that need improvement and tweaking, it is clear that he might be the future of this organization. Although the 2023 Cardinals are loaded with hungry young players and established MLB talent, Jordan Walker may be the key piece the Cardinals need in a late October push.

(Photo Courtesy of The Saint Louis Cardinals)

BRENDAN BRUNETTE Staff Writer

opinion

The What, Why and Hows About Pollen Allergies

It is finally spring time. Tulip season, flowers and greenery. These are the images that usually come to people’s minds when they talk about the season, but do not forget the one downside. Runny noses, congestion and watery eyes. Pollen allergies. Almost 100 million people in the U.S. suffer from pollen allergies, and you could be included. I, for one, can attest to dealing with allergies ever since I was a child. I would come indoors during spring time sneezing all over the place. I would need an inhaler sometimes too. Though the symptoms have gotten a bit better with age, sometimes I can not even step outside without a mask without my eyes watering and congestion knocking me out for the day.

I realize that most of us suffer from these symptoms, but I have recently been asking the question why? Is it genetic? What happens when we ingest pollen? What factors contribute to our symptoms? All these questions bombarded me, and I knew I had to do some research. The answers I have found listed below might clear some doubts that you were unaware of.

What happens when an allergen gets in contact with your system?

To start off, when the body gets in contact with allergens, such as pollen, the immune system starts producing an excessive amount of antibodies. The large influx of antibodies triggers symptoms like sneezing, watery eyes and congestion that we experience in our day-to-day life. To get more specific, the immune system produces a specific antibody called immunoglobulin. The takeaway here is that these molecules have a high specificity.

So, for example, you could be allergic to one specific type of pollen but not another. Your body makes a different immunoglobulin for different types of pollen, such as grass, ragweed or tree. Whether or not you react depends on whether your body responds to an allergen.

What are allergic reactions? How are they different?

It might be a surprise that an allergic reaction usually occurs when someone gets exposed to an allergen a second time. Essentially, the first exposure causes an influx of antibodies, and the second exposure really exacerbates the previous flood of antibodies causing the sneezing, swelling and rashes we experience during spring.

How do we get allergies in the first place? Why does someone react to pollen while others do not?

Even with the research that we have today, there is no straight answer. According to John Hopkins University, allergies can affect anyone, regardless of age, race, gender and socioeconomic status. They mention that allergies can come up randomly and that many factors such as environmental exposure, stress and hormones can increase a person’s likelihood of developing allergies. Furthermore, John Hopkins states that some allergies can be hereditary. People are more likely to be diagnosed with allergies if family members have them. Also, children are more susceptible to certain allergens since their immune systems are still developing. Overall, the cause of allergies is still a mystery. It might depend on genetics or chronic exposure to certain irritants. But, in the end, it seems like there is not much to do to avoid the urge to sneeze completely.

What are some basic preventative measures?

Listed below are preventative measures and treatment options that are very accessible to university students:

First, start taking allergy medications before spring starts. This can consist of Cromolyn sodium, nasal corticosteroids (Nasacort), antihistamines (Claritin), decongestants (Afrin) and leukotriene receptor antagonists (Singulair). Ask your doctor about which ones to take since they all have different functions. There are also long-term immunotherapies that function similarly to vaccines. In a nutshell, immunotherapies expose your body to increasing amounts of allergen over time to build resistance.

Second, keep your windows closed, limit outdoor activity and wear glasses and/or masks to limit exposure to pollen.

Third, take a shower before going to bed. This limits having pollen left over on the bed. Also, washing your sheets every week helps a lot. Pollen allergies are annoying, and I can say that I can live my life without them. Since most of what causes allergies are unknown, most of us are just stuck with it. It is a challenge but I think it just requires due diligence. The best thing we can do is get involved with prevention. Wear a mask. Wear glasses to protect your eyes. Take Claritin. These small actions can definitely save you from a day full of discomfort, a day full of sneezing and congestion.

AMEYA PADAKANTI Staff Writer

(Evie Nguyen / The University News)

opinion 21

Redesigning the City: The Push For More Walkable Neighborhoods

JOHN PRUSAK Opinion Editor

The identities of many Americans are tied to their cars. Whether it be the wealthy business-person and their Mercedes GT-Class, or the soccer mom with her Honda Odyssey, the model of car one drives can reveal a lot about a person.

However, this comes at a significant cost: infrastructure. Building and maintaining roads has proven to be a constant struggle for many municipalities that cannot find adequate funds. Subsequently, the environmental impacts wreak havoc on ecosystems cleared away for development, not to mention the pollution associated with construction and driving. Lastly, racism and class disparities, in conjunction with eminent domain, have laid the foundation for America’s highways by removing people from their homes. With these concerns in mind, Americans’ relationships with their cars must be called into question in order to advocate for better solutions.

The United States has a problem with its infrastructure literally crumbling. Many of our current roads, bridges and tunnels were constructed under FDR’s New Deal program, the Public Works Administration (PWA). At the time, the economy was in shambles from the Great Depression and people were desperate for work. Consequently, FDR created the PWA to not only provide Americans with jobs but also to connect the country and bring it into the modern world. After the PWA disbanded in 1943, many of its projects were neglected and not appropriately maintained. State and local governments buckled under the financial pressure to upkeep these assets, which eventually led to their deterioration. This failure to manage these projects costs taxpayers billions. According to the Cornell Local Roads Program, “Maintenance repairs done early in the life of the pavement are much less expensive,” (Orr 30). It is estimated that for each dollar not spent on preventive and routine maintenance, the price tag quadruples when the

road is in need of repair. Such a drastic increase in price, when combined with an exponential decrease in road quality over time, makes the system inefficient and wasteful.

connected with how cars and highways dominate American cityscapes. Eminent domain, the process in which the government buys private land and converts it to public use, is disproportionately used to expel people from their homes after compensating them with “fair market value.” These crumbs are not enough when finding a new home, the hassle of moving and potentially landing a new job are taken into consideration. When asked about the history of America’s highways and their effects on the Black community, Dr. Deborah Archer, a professor at NYU’s Law School, recalls to NPR in an interview, “And so very intentionally, highways were sometimes built right on the formal boundary lines that we saw used during racial zoning,” Building highways through predominantly Black communities effectively prolonged segregation, despite recent rulings labeling the practice as unconstitutional. This problem compounds when people are forced to move, leaving their jobs and livelihood. By splitting up communities and displacing people with limited options, there must be a legitimate form of restitution to rectify these offenses.

The infrastructure needed for cars also has led to vast environmental degradation. Habitats are cleared to make way for highways, displacing the animals that live there by splitting them from their source of food. These animals, having nowhere else to go, wind up in cities and neighborhoods where they do not belong and can devastate local gardens and other such projects. When searching for food, out of desperation they may turn aggressive and harm humans. The Federal Highway Administration notes how this trend, “Can be detrimental to forest interior species as it may decrease in the amount of available habitat.” Larger animals that usually dwell deep in the forest are more susceptible to the effects of habitat loss as they require more food and have lower reproductive rates than those of smaller organisms. The now increased competition for resources requires them to be bolder and act in unpredictable and even dangerous manners.

It is of very little surprise that race and class are

The obstacles outlined previously have solutions that can at least help to mitigate the impact that America’s current car infrastructure has on both people and the environment. Changing how Americans view urban planning can help by increasing preventative measures so that the costs do not become as burdensome later. Not only will implementing bike lanes help the environment by emitting less carbon dioxide, but it will also reduce traffic congestion. However, the most important step is improving funding for public transportation. Buses and passenger railways produce significantly less pollution than cars and can fit dozens of more people. While it may not seem as convenient as driving directly from place to place, it is a small sacrifice when compared to the costs associated with building and maintaining the infrastructure for cars to use.

Swindled By SLU: How the UNEWS Got Evicted For the 3rd Time

The University News has been at SLU since 1921, and much has changed in the last few decades. With the rise of online media, there is a decreasing consumption of physical paper news, making our print issues more costly than before. For nearly all of our history, we printed an issue a week, but as time passed and printing costs rose, EIC’s before me made the difficult decision to print only once a month.

In order to provide the most unbiased version of student news, we do not, nor have we ever, received University funding. We pride ourselves on being free from administrative ties, but with that comes the struggle of surviving off of advertisements and donations. As an organization we have worked hard to remain funded and relevant, but this past year my dealings with the administration have led me to believe that they care very little about student media.

Let’s start with some UNews history. Over the course of the last decade, our organization has moved three times. The reason for the moves are primarily related to increases in student support services and greater numbers of chartered student organizations, but the dwindling space allocated for student media organizations communicates that those activities are less of a priority. Devaluing student media is counterproductive and counterintuitive to SLU’s mission. We are a newspaper by and for students who work to amplify voices for the greater good. Yet, these moves have hindered The University News from sharing SLU community stories. Each move was a downgrade and a reduction in square footage. Until 2014, we worked out of a space that had about 2,000 sq ft. and lost a little over 1000 sq ft. with the next move. Our most recent migration has brought us down to about 300 sq ft of working space exclusive to the newspaper. Over the past few years as a UNews

staff member, I heard stories of how disruptive these moves and changes were. But it wasn’t until this school year that I really understood what they meant. Because I had the honor of being this year’s editor in chief, I also dealt with being removed from our newsroom into a closet in the KSLU studio.

It all started last summer, June 2022, when I got an email asking to have a Zoom meeting with the new VP of Student Development, Dr. Sarah Cunningham, and her chief of staff at the time, Ashley Jost. Their email stated that they would “love to hear more about your vision for the UNews and how we can support you.” Receiving this email gave me a sense of comfort, as I was nervous for my new role and I felt that they were going to help me out. I left our July 28th meeting feeling confident and excited for the new year. But little did I know, that meeting was going to completely change the trajectory of the UNews this school year.

My main goal for this conversation was to have open channels of communication between us and the SLU administration. We talked about various things that the UNews would like, such as new technology and whatnot, but all I really wanted was strong communication. Spoiler alert, we didn’t get that.

One of the questions Cunningham asked me was about the status of our current newsroom, and if we liked it or not. I gave this a lot of thought before answering. Was our newsroom as nice as the ones we had before? No. Does it work well for us now? Yes, it works just fine. Would we like a bigger and better space? Of course. So that’s what I told her. That if offered a bigger, nicer, more advanced space, then we’d willingly move, but otherwise, there’s no need. We were just fine where we were. Ultimately, it wouldn’t matter how I phrased my answer. SLU administration already had plans to remove the UNews from our space, downsizing us yet again. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Fast forward to September, when I got an email from Dr. Ben Perlman, Assistant Vice President

for Student Engagement, asking to grab coffee and chat. Sept. 21st, we met and spoke about SLU, how I got here and my position in the UNews. He works in the Busch Student Center, where the UNews resides, and just like Cunningham, he asked me about the status of our newsroom. He said that she had mentioned to him that we didn’t like our current space and wanted something new. I clarified that we only wanted a new space if it improved upon our current one, and if not, we were content. He said a space was opening up in the BSC that we could move into and that he would connect me with David Young, the Operations Manager at the BSC. I was excited, thinking that this could be an upgrade, and that SLU was willing to invest in their student media.

Oct. 12th, I toured the new space with Young, and was shocked! This room felt like the size of a closet, it was a joke. It’s nearly soundproof, has no windows or adequate ventilation, and there’s a large structural pillar in the middle of the room. Young tried to sell me on his concept of how the UNEWS could work there, but I couldn’t see it. He also said several times that “you are definitely losing square footage, I am not debating that’’ but tried to make it sound better by saying we “would gain space with the lounge.” To explain, this proposed “newsroom” was currently a storage space for SAB in the KSLU studio. This means that if we moved to this dimly lit closet (the lights weren’t working when we toured the space), we would share KSLU’s lounge/meeting space. We would have to, seeing as there’s simply no way this 300 sq ft box could accommodate our executive board (e-board) of nearly twenty people. Let’s be clear, the UNews loves KSLU, but Young was trying to portray this move as a beneficial thing for both clubs when it was not a merger that either club wanted or chose. Right then and there, I told him that we didn’t want this space and were happy to stay where we were.

As the semester progressed and midterms were

DIANA JAKOVCEVIC Editor in Chief

behind us, I heard more rumors that administrators were eyeing our current space for use as staff offices. Everyday I was stressed and worried about maintaining the over 100 year legacy of the UNews in the face of an administration that was not hearing our desires or needs. In desperation, I went to the communication department. As a communication major who has always felt supported by the department, I sought their advice in a time when I had no idea how to proceed. I wasn’t necessarily asking for help, because I knew they had no control over this. I just wanted someone to be there for us and advocate for The University News. Dr. Kozlowski, a proud Unews alum, tried his best to help out of his belief that a university newspaper is crucial to a thriving campus community. He reached out to Dr. Perlman and tried getting more information, but we soon realized that different things were being communicated to different people. It was only clear that nothing about this was clear.

At this point it occurred to me that KSLU conceivably didn’t even know that we might be moving into their space. They did not. The KSLU general manager, Ainsley Worthley, and I had several meetings trying to figure out what the next best steps were. Since neither of us had any information provided to us by Student Development or the BSC, we took it upon ourselves to reach out first. We sent out a joint email to David Young, Ben Perlman, Sarah Cunningham and Jackie Weber, the Director of Student Involvement and then met with all of them on Dec. 9th.

They kept using the phrase of “a bad game of telephone,” throughout the meeting. From my perspective, it was more of a private chat that we were never included in. However, it was a game that I, along with the University News and KSLU, felt completely played.

The facts finally emerged that an expansion in higher level administrative staff was making it imperative to find space in the BSC to accommodate those hires, and our newsroom was the best place for that. Things had to move rapidly as “it became a need,” Perlman said, which led to them having to move us to another location. None of this had been communicated to me or Ainsley until this point and I was only shown one option for a room. “The only suitable office space that’s available right now is the space that you saw, so I thought it would be conducive,” Perlman said. The rooms the UNews have been crammed into are a significant decrease in space (remember we went from 1,000 sq ft to 300 sq ft) and are not conducive to the thoughtful work and collaboration that goes into producing a newspaper.

I fought hard to keep our old office space. Amidst trying to figure out my plans post-graduation, I knew that this was worth my time and energy because The University News matters. At the end

of the day though, I am a student whose voice was dismissed by an administration that did not care about the needs of their student media organization.

“It feels like you are advocating for this not to happen, “Perlman told me, “and there’s enough staffing coming in that this is not a choice piece for me, in the sense that we’re going to go at least plus three over the next six months and that’s going to affect our ability to staff in the building.” As the upheaval moved forward, Perlman asked us for a list of things The University News needed to make the closet space work for our e-board of nearly 20 people. I could only respond that I never told him what I needed, because up until that point, I was still under the impression that a move to a new space was optional.

This was an extremely stressful time for me. It was finals week, I was about to fly home, and I had the weight of this moving stress on my shoulders. They did hear my feelings and agreed to postpone the official move until late January, so I would have some time after winter break to plan and organize. I want to note that Perlman apologized several times during this meeting for the execution of these plans. I genuinely appreciate the apology, I just wish all administrators, such as Weber and Young, understood the consequences of their actions on the student voice.

On Jan. 18th, Worthley and I again met with Perlman, Weber and Young to discuss the move. Since the move to the new space was not optional, they agreed to provide furniture better suited to the smaller offices, debugged Macs, Adobe InDesign licenses and key card access to the new room, well before our next production date on Feb. 22nd.

• Jan. 20th: Date we were promised access to Adobe InDesign licenses

• Jan. 27th: The date we were told that our computers, tables, storage cabinets and office couches would be moved.

• Feb. 9th: Everything in our space was properly labeled and ready to go, but nothing had been moved

• Feb. 21st: Adobe InDesign licenses activated. Some of the furniture was delivered, but piled in the KSLU lounge and NOT in our office. The new space was still cluttered with trash and debris from SAB and SLU-TV and the lights in one room were not working. Most importantly, none of our belongings were in the new room and the movers forgot multiple clearly-labeled items.

• Feb. 22nd: Production night, when all 18 of our editors come together to design and produce the layout for that month’s issue. From there, we send it to the printer and distribute it across campus. We attempted to move desks

and computers into the new office space, but we could only do so much. We requested that everything be properly moved immediately, but this did not happen until March 27th

The University News is currently trying its best to make our closet space work, but it’s been a challenge. We are basically on top of one another, heating up the small space with too many bodies and working in the KSLU common space means vying for space with their organization members using that room. Additionally, the soundproofing we were promised by Young is not the reality. Even when we are able to tolerate the heat with the help of multiple fans, we can clearly hear KSLU’s broadcasts. During production night, where creativity is fostered and deadlines are met, our thoughts are distracted by music and talk show hosts, it’s necessary to keep the doors open to prevent our entire e-board from overheating. There is little separation between us and KSLU and though we share the identity of student media, our creative processes are different and not always compatible.

Additionally, Student Development arranged for ITS to fix our Mac desktops, but the computers were not usable until our March production night. Even then, only a couple started up properly, and now in April, all of the computers are prone to crashing while attempting to run the InDesign software. We also discovered that the software licenses that Young had given us were only good for a month and had expired after the first production night. We made do with seven-day free trials from Adobe in order to print on time. The software situation has been resolved, but it is frustrating that the support we were promised during this unwanted move usually requires multiple calls, emails and pleas for assistance. The promises feel empty.

Overall, the UNews feels that we are not valued by the Student Development administration. Our requests were partially met, extremely delayed and not what we originally asked for. I have dedicated much of my college career to the UNews and have absolutely no regrets. When there was no one to fill the role as editor in chief, I stepped in despite not feeling like I had enough experience. This past year has taught me so much about leadership, communication, collaboration, and most importantly, myself. While most seniors were focusing on their post-graduate plans, I was constantly overwhelmed with issues caused by our eviction. Though it caused me a lot of stress and grief, I never did and never will regret how much I fought for our organization. The UNews is worth fighting for.

our rebrand

The Meaning:

Hi everyone, it’s Diana Jakovcevic, your 2022-23 Editor in Chief. Over my past four years at SLU, the UNews has given so much to me. So, in return, as my final contribution to UNews, I rediscovered our identity and brand. This year we struggled a lot with our mission and who we are as a newspaper. Questions that ran through my mind were: How do we want to be perceived? How can we be more eye-catching? Are we really a traditional newspaper? The answer to the last question is no, we aren’t. We only print once a month and while untraditional, it lets us do a lot of amazing things. We write about whatever we want, not necessarily just campus news. So since we aren’t like the average newspaper, we don’t have to look like it either! Most importantly, I came up with a new mission statement for our organization: By Students, For Students. From the get-go, we have always made it our goal to be a voice for all students in the SLU community. With this new rebrand, that goal is at the forefront of everything we do. Each writer, designer and editor is a student and we come together on articles, both online and in print, to create and share meaningful stories. This aesthetic is meant to bring these stories more attention with eye-catching colors, updated fonts, and a new logo. To all my UNewsers, past and present, thank you for everything you have given me. Through this organization, I have learned what it means to be a part of something bigger and who I am as a leader. I hope you enjoy this revamp as much as I do. Signing off, your EIC, Diana.

The Logo:

The Color Palette:

The Fonts: Logo

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New Mission Statement: By Students, For Students. since 1921