The Vista April 24, 2017

Special Graduation Issue Inside Volume 114, Issue 13

the

VISTA “The Student Voice Since 1903”

Follow the Vista: UCentralMedia.com vistanews1903 @TheVista1903 thevista1903 The Vista Monday, April 24, 2017

The New UCOSA President and Vice President

Stockton Duvall and Madison Richard stand in front of the UCOSA office on the first floor of the Nigh University Center. Duvall and Richard won the 2017 President and Vice President election on Wednesday, April 19, 2017. (Ryan Naeve/ The Vista).

Elizabeth Spence @lizzlynn Reporter

Stockton Duvall and Madison Richard were selected as the 20172018 UCOSA president and vice president last Wednesday, according to Election Commission Chair Caleb Power.

Power gave his congratulations to the two and their campaign on his Facebook page, stating that this year’s vote count has been higher than any count since 2013. During the primary election, there were 1,323 valid votes cast by the UCO student body and 938 votes cast in the following runoff election.

Stockton Duvall is a sophomore from Moore, OK, majoring in business management and has been involved with UCOSA since his freshman year at UCO. Madison Richard is a sophomore from Elgin, OK, majoring in political science.

She has been in UCOSA since her freshman year at UCO as well and is currently the public relations chair.

See “UCOSA Election” on 3

UCO alumni Gene Triplett, left, Ralph Schaefer, middle, and Paul R. Lehmen are three of the nine journalists to be inducted in to the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame on April 27, 2017. (Provided/ Terry Clark).

Megan Prather @meganthefeline Managing Editor

Since 1971, the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame has acknowledged Oklahoma journalists who have “dedicated their lives to excellence in serving the citizens of our state and country.” Nine Oklahoma journalists

UCO Alums to Earn Induction to Journalism Hall of Fame will be inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame at the University of Central Oklahoma during the 47th annual induction ceremony on April 27th, 2017.

Of these nine journalists, three of

them are UCO alums who have made “outstanding contributions to journalism in Oklahoma and America.” These three alumni are Dr. Paul R. Lehman, Ralph Schaefer and Gene Triplett.

See ”Hall of Fame” on 3

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The Vista

April 24, 2017

CONTENTS

Sophomore Alan Nguyen plays the Giant Swing level of the Emotion Matrix virtual reality system. This event was hosted by the Student Programming Board on April 5, 2017 in the Nigh University Center. (Ryan Naeve/ The Vista).

CONTENTS Campus News................................................3

Farewells......................................................11

Around Campus..........................................4-5

UCO Hockey................................................12

UCO Parking..................................................7

UCO Track/Golf..........................................13

Photostory...................................................8-9

Jesheon Cooper............................................14

STAFF NAME AND POSITION

Kateleigh Mills Megan Prather Peter Agnitsch Cara Johnson M i r a n d a Va n M e t e r Elizabeth Spence Victor Quezada Jessica Phillips A . Suave Francisco Ryan Naeve Te d d y B u r c h

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor Re p o r t e r Re p o r t e r Re p o r t e r S p o r t s Re p o r t e r Photographer Advisor

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The Vista is published weekly during the spring, summer, and fall semesters. In all issues, The Vista has opportunities for both classified, online and print ads.

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ucovista.advertising@gmail.com The Vista is published as a newspaper and public forum by UCO students, weekly during the academic year, at the University of Central Oklahoma. The issue price is free for the first copy and $1 for each additional copy obtained.

EDITORIALS Opinion columns, editorial cartoons, reviews and commentaries represent the views of the writer or artist and not necessarily the views of The Vista Editorial Board, the Department of Mass Communication, UCO or the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges. The Vista is not an official medium of expression for the Regents or UCO. LETTERS The Vista encourages letters to the editor. Letters should address issues and ideas, not personalities. Letters must be typed, double-spaced, and must include the author’s printed name, major, classification and phone number. Phone numbers are included for contacting purposes only. Letters are subject to editing for libel, clarity and space, or to eliminate statements of questionable taste. The Vista reserves the right not to publish submitted letters.

Address letters to: Editor, The Vista, 100 N. University Dr., Edmond, OK 73034-5209, or deliver in person to the editor in the Communications Building, Room 131.

Letters can be emailed to thevista1903@gmail.com.

CAMPUS NEWS

April 24, 2017

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UCO Alums to Earn Induction to Journalism Hall of Fame Megan Prather @meganthefeline Managing Editor

(Continued from cover) Dr. Paul R. Lehman earned his B.A. and M.E. degrees from UCO as well as a Ph.D. from Lehigh. He began his broadcast career with radio news commentary at KCSC in Edmond in 1967.

Lehman went on to become the first African American newsperson in Oklahoma City in 1968 at KWTV-9.

He wore many different hats here including that of reporter, photographer, writer, producer, weekend anchor and news editor. In 1969, he co-created and hosted an African American community affairs show entitled "Soul Talk." He's written multiple books and articles and served UCO as an English professor and dean of the graduate college. He continues his work as an author, consultant and lecturer with his website,

www.paulrlehman.com, and his blog, America's Race Problem. He's listed in Who's Who Among Black Americans and in American Education, as he has served on many state boards and councils and lectured throughout Oklahoma and other states.

Ralph Schaefer graduated from UCO in 1969 and began his journalism career at the El Reno Daily Tribune. In 1973, he moved onto Retherford Publications as an associate editor for Southeast News, Tulsa County News and Owasso Reporter. Schafer worked on all Retherford papers including the Skiatook Journal, Coweta American, Collinsville News, Broken Arrow Ledger, Wagoner Tribune, Bixby Bulletin, Jenks Journal, Sand Springs Leader and Mannford Eagle. From 1979-81, he worked for the Oklahoma City Journal Record. In 2013,

UCOSA Election

Elizabeth Spence

of running on what we've worked on, on top of what else we're going to work on. We feel like the other candidates are working on like what (Contimued from cover) Duvall they will accomplish in the future," and Richard decided to be running Duvall said. "Right now Maddie is mates because they felt that their different experiences and knowledge working heavily with like having of UCO campus and activities would UCOSA's name be more present with the students, like getting the word give them a neutral mindset.

"We finally decided to run together out on what UCOSA does, how can it best benefit the students. I'm working and we felt like it was a good fit," Duvall said. "... She's involved really on more like administration level of, heavily with Greek life and stuff and like, the access codes and the college I kind of have a different perspective fees and stuff like that."

There is one goal that they are on campus and so between the two working together to achieve. of us, like, it would give us the full "But if there is one issue I see insight into the campus."

Duvall and Richard also knew each it would kind of be bridging the other before running for student body gap between both UCOSA and the students, also the students with each president and vice president. They other, organizations with each other, had worked together at UCOLA, a and even administration students leadership academy for high school freshmen on the UCO campus where bridging the gap between them because I feel like they are not as the high school students are taught leadership qualities and how to carry informed with each other's opinions, I guess, and so we just kind of want them throughout their high schools to bridge that gap," Richard said. and into college.

The candidates did not want to "We're also really good friends and give exact platform goals because so... we know everything will flow they did not want to give specific together because we have the same goals that they may not accomplish. mindset on how we want to accom"The issues I chose, I didn't run plish things and kind of the route on, like whenever I was running for we want to take to do things with UCOSA vice chair," Duvall said. "I UCOSA," Richard said. ran more on like budget stuff like Duvall and Richard have individthat and yes, I'm still working that, ual goals that they are working to but like, these other issues that came achieve at this time. to me, I did not even consider them "Our platform is different than before this year." other candidates because we're kind @lizzlynn Reporter

he was named senior editor of Tulsa Daily Business Journal and the Tulsa Daily Commerce and Legal News.

He's had the opportunity to interview U.S. Supreme Court Justices and did a series on the Oklahoma Supreme Court justices. He was honored with the Liberty Bell Award, the highest recognition for a non-lawyer, by the Tulsa County Bar Association and the Oklahoma Bar Association.

Gene Triplett obtained his journalism degree from UCO in 1975 after his service in the U.S. Army in Vietnam. His career in journalism began at The Oklahoma Journal in 1976, where he covered the Karen Silkwood lawsuit. In 1981, he joined the Oklahoman and was the papers longest serving city editor from 19891999. He helped to direct the coverage of the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995, and served as president of the AP News Executives board from

1995-96. He served as entertainment writer, editor and columnist from 1999-2013 and has won multiple awards including being one of the two journalists to ever be inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. He's one of the founders of the Oklahoma Film Critics Circle and has interviewed dozens of celebrities, including Robert Redford. His first novel, "Wheel Man," was published in 2016. He's also been listed in Who's Who in America.

Other journalists who will be honored at this induction ceremony include managing editor of the McAlester News-Capital, James Beaty; news director for the University of Tulsa NPR station, John Durkee; news manager and journalist for OETA Tulsa, Lis Exon; religion editor for the Oklahoman, Carla Hinton; and government-politics reporter for the Tulsa World, Randy Krebiel.

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The Vista

April 24, 2017

AROUND CAMPUS

AROUND THE CAMPUS

Non-Traditional Student Support Group: Beginning at 11 a.m. in the Nigh

SMART Recovery: At noon in the Nigh University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will have a SMART Recovery meeting for those in recovery to learn skills to stay balanced and motivated in staying healthy.

SPB Cap Decorating: At 11 a.m.

Anger Tamers: At 1 p.m. in the Nigh University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will give confidential and free support for those who struggle with controlling anger.

Monday, April 24, 2017

University Center’s Room 415, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will offer a support group for students who are having issues balancing school, work and family.

Members from the Student Programming Board will be out by the clock tower near Broncho Lake to help seniors decorate their caps. They will provide supplies to decorate caps and will have caps available for those who don’t have one.

UCOSA Congress Meeting: At 1 p.m.

in the Will Rogers Room on the fourth floor of the Nigh University Center, UCOSA Congress members will have their weekly congress meeting.

Got Stress Workshop: The Center for

Counseling and Well-Being will hold a class on learning how to manage stress and college life in NUC Room 402 from 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Life Skills Around Eating: At 3:30

p.m. in the Nigh University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will be holding a free and confidential support group for those who suffer from eating disorders and symptoms that suggest eating disorders.

Islamic Art Poster Presentations:

From 6-8 p.m. on the second floor of the Max Chambers Library, students will exhibit posters about Islamic art and architecture. The event is STLR-tagged by the Global & Cultural Competencies and Research, Creative & Scholarly Activities tenets.

Tuesday, April 25, 2017 MindStrength: At noon, in the Wellness

Center Room 104, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will offer a workshop for students, faculty and staff to work on lessening anxiety, improving sleep, balancing emotions and improving the ability to stay calm in tough situations. More information can be found on OrgSync.com.

Connections: At 4 p.m. in the Broncho

Wellness Hub at Commons 1116, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will offer a group to increase communication and social skills by discovering events and activities on campus to experience.

F/64 Photo Society Meeting: At 5 p.m.

in Mass Communication Building’s Room 104, the F/64 Photo Society will have their meeting.

SMART Recovery: At 5:30 p.m. a SMART Recovery meeting will be held at the UCO International House. The Center for Counseling and Well-Being will offer a meeting where people in recovery can learn to achieve and maintain a positive balanced lifestyle, build and maintain motivation and learn healthy ways to live a balanced life.

S.I.S.T.A Circles: At 7 p.m. in Nigh Uni-

versity Center’s Room 202, the Black Student Association will have their ‘Sisters Inspiring Sisters Through Achievement’ discussion in fellowship circles. The circles will also be a time to talk about topics that are relevant while also creating a safe space to come up with solutions.

SPB General Member Meeting: At 7

p.m. members from the Student Programming Board will have their weekly meeting.

Navigate: At 8 p.m. in the Nigh Univer-

sity Center students are able to come together and share their faith with other students and learn about bridging the gospel cross culturally, share testimonies, do outreaches, pray for the campus, and learn to celebrate and support each other through successes and failures.

Wednesday, April 26, 2017 Honor Denim Day Symposium:

From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Nigh University Center’s Ballroom A, there will be a symposium in recognition of sexual assault awareness month. Honor Denim Day is the result of a ruling by the Italian Supreme Court that overturned a rape conviction because of the victim’s tight jeans. The symposium will feature jeans decorated by community partners that work in an effort to respond to sexual assault in the state. More information about the event can be found by contacting the event host, Brittney Criswell at bcriswell@uco.edu.

This event is also STLR-tagged by the Global & Cultural Competencies; Health & Wellness; Leadership tenets.

Surviving Life Off-Campus: At 11

a.m. near the Blue Tent by Broncho Lake, members from Off-Campus Life will be out to give UCO students information about how to transition to off campus. The event is geared towards students who are considering moving off campus or for the families of non-traditional students.

War in Syria New York Times Discussion Three Part Series: Beginning

at 12:30 p.m. in the Radke Fine Arts Theater located in the Center for Transformative Learning Building, the American Democracy Project will host a three part “New York Times discussion series” on the War in Syria. The event is open to the public. The event is also STLR-tagged by the Global & Cultural Competency tenet. More information can be found on OrgSync or by contacting the event host, Susan Scott at sscott@uco.edu.

Seeking Strength: At 1 p.m. in the Nigh

University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will hold a free and confidential group for those dealing with trauma or substance abuse symptoms.

The groups work on skills such as how to set boundaries in relationships, understanding triggers and learning how to self-care.

AROUND CAMPUS BGLTQ+ Support: From 2 p.m. in the NUC Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will offer a support group for individuals thinking about coming out as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or for people who have recently come out and are seeking support. These groups are free and confidential.

2017 Central 5K Run-Walk: At 3 p.m. the 2017 Central 5K Run-Walk will begin at Plunkett Park on UCO’s campus.

Registration is free for the run-walk, which can be accessed through the Centralities page.

Participants also must agree to the University’s Liability Waiver. The event is open to all full-time faculty and staff. The first 150 people to register will also receive a free event t-shirt.

Focus on Home: The Volunteer and

Service Learning Center is going to be at Focus on Home’s warehouse to give students a chance to volunteer by either organizing and sorting through donations or they can help create homes for Oklahoma City families.

The volunteering will take two to four hours depending on the project assigned.

Thursday, April 27, 2017 Thursday Bible Study: Christians on

Campus will be holding a bi-weekly Bible study to gather and read at 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. in the Night University Center.

April 24, 2017 Seeking Strength: At 2 p.m. in the Nigh

University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will hold a free and confidential group for those dealing with trauma or substance abuse symptoms.

The groups work on skills such as how to set boundaries in relationships, understanding triggers and learning how to self-care.

Central Improv Weekly Meeting: At 3 p.m. in the Nigh University Center, Central Improv will have their weekly meeting to practice and improve their improv skills. The meetings are open to the UCO community.

Stress Paws: From 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. in the Nigh University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will have therapy dogs to help students relieve stress every Thursday.

SMART Recovery: At 5:30 p.m. at the

International House, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will have a SMART Recovery meeting for those in recovery to learn skills to stay balanced and motivated in staying healthy.

Friday, April 28, 2017 Anger Tamers: From 9 a.m. in the Nigh

University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will give confidential and free support for those who struggle with controlling anger.

The Vista

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Grief Group: Beginning at 11 a.m. in the

Nigh University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will offer a grief group to individuals who are experiencing grief.

Pi Sigma Alpha Monthly Meeting:

At noon in the Liberal Arts Building’s Suite 102 (Political Science Dept. office) Pi Sigma Alpha, the Political Science Honor Society, will have their monthly meeting. The honor society is open to all students who have 10 or more credit hours of political science hours and have over a 3.0 GPA for those classes.

Family Night Out: From 6-9 p.m. in

the Nigh University Center’s Constitution Hall, representatives from Off-Campus Life will offer a free screening of Moana for their Family Night Out event. Activities pre-show will begin at 6 p.m. while the screening will begin at 7 p.m.. Popcorn and beverages will be provided at the event. To attend, bring your UCO student ID. For more information contact Off-Campus Life at offcampuslife@uco. edu or visit their office in the Nigh University Center’s Room 212.

Check

ucentralmedia.com

for more news stories, updates, features, reviews and more.

Information gathered for ‘Around the Campus’ can be found on UCO’s OrgSync page, uco.edu, blasts.uco.edu, Campus Activities and from other organizations across campus.

UCO PARKING

April 24, 2017

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Transportation Parking Services Updates

Kateleigh Mills @kateleighsuz Editor-in-Chief

UCO’s Transportation and Parking Services department is building new parking spaces and implementing other ideas to make parking simpler for next semester.

After the construction of the new Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics building (STEM) eliminated several parking spots for faculty and staff, TPS has seen a growing concern about the parking situation for next semester for commuters and faculty.

The system that the University of Central Oklahoma currently has is called a “hunting license.” This type of system sells permits regardless of the number of spaces and doesn’t guarantee anyone a specific place to park.

The hunting license system was popularized in the 1990s when universities had an abundance of parking, but low enrollment numbers, Josh Stone, director of TPS, said. Because of the increase in enrollment at UCO, the system has become an issue for TPS to tackle and repair.

“What it comes down to is we recognize the system we have right

now isn’t working the way it did when we started it 20 years ago,” Josh Overocker, the assistant vice president for operations at UCO, said. “So, now is the time for us to be looking into how to handle it differently.”

There have been rumors swirling that TPS was looking into a type of tiered system, similar to what Oklahoma State University utilizes for their students. A tiered system is where the more money a person pays for a parking spot, the closer to campus they get to park. This would create zoning for parking lots.

“We don’t have a parking space problem. We have an allocation and perception problem,” Stone said.

“This is just one way we would try to fix it and make it better.”

According to Overocker, Stone has been working with consultants that have reviewed our system to recommend how to improve the way TPS allocates spaces and permits.

“The answer on the tiered system... is that it is something that we are looking into,” Stone said.

One solution that TPS has put into motion was purchasing a lot where the Arcadian Inn off of University Drive used to be. That land will become a new commuter lot, creating 60

A black Hyundai searches for a parking spot in the lot o the north side of the Liberal Arts Building on Friday, April 14, 2017 at the University of Central Oklahoma. (Cara Johnson/ The Vista).

new spots for students. The idea is to increase parking available on the west side of campus to free up any parking taken up on the east side, Stone said.

TPS is also considering opening up the visitor’s lot for commuters as well, except on days where there is a big event on campus that would need those spaces to be reserved.

Another rumor that was addressed was faculty having to pay for parking.

According to Overocker, he doesn’t believe that would be a benefit that the university would cut; however, he also said that the university has yet to figure out what type of cut will happen to the university budget.

“We would hope to be able to put into a system that would keep costs lower for everybody because we recognize that that’s the pain - for

parking and everything else - is a part of the overall costs for attending school,” Overocker said.

Another new addition for next semester is that students, faculty and staff will have the option of having their parking decals mailed to them instead of having to come to the Nigh University Center at the start of the year to pick it up.

TPS has also implemented moving over parking citations to bursar accounts at the end of the semester to make paying for the citations simpler.

Although this isn’t the first time TPS has done this, it is something that they are retrying in hopes of increased convenience. Students will now be able to pay their citations at the bursar office or at through the parking office.

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April 24, 2017

PHOTOSTORY

The Magic of Cirque Du Soleil

Elizabeth Roberts Contributing Photographer

Cirque de Soleil returned to Oklahoma City April 6-9 with its newest show OVO, which is touring globally. According to the Chesapeake Energy Center, over 5 million people have seen the show worldwide since 2009, but decided to come back to bigger stages for this tour. The show consisted of 50 performers from 12 countries, and acts are created to be energetic, constantly moving and full of color.

The Vista’s Elizabeth Roberts takes an inside and behind-thescenes look at the performers and the performance.

Top right: A Cirque Du Soleil performer stands on one hand on top an attraction at the Cirque Du Soleil OVO Performance at the Chespeake Energy Arena on April 6, 2017 in Oklahoma City.

Bottom right: Cirque Du Soleil Aerial Trap performers Catherine Audy and Alexis Trudel practice their routine before the Cirque Du Soleil OVO Performance at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on April 6, 2017 in Oklahoma City.

Above: Cirque Du Soleil Aerial Trap performers Catherine Audy and Alexis Trudel practice their routine before the Cirque Du Soleil OVO Performance at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on April 6, 2017 in Oklahoma City.

PHOTOSTORY

April 24, 2017

The Vista

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Above: Cirque Du Soleil performers dance with cylindrical kiwi’s during the Cirque Du Soleil OVO Performance at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on April 6, 2017 in Oklahoma City.

Left: Cirque Du Soleil performer Qiu Jiangming rehearses his performance of the Slack Wire for the Cirque Du Soleil OVO Performance at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on April 6, 2017 in Oklahoma City.

All photos: (Elizabeth Roberts/ The Vista).

Above: Confetti flies around the stage and performers say goodbye at the closing of the Cirque Du Soleil OVO Performance at the Chespeake Energy Arena on April 6, 2017 in Oklahoma City.

FAREWELLS

April 24, 2017

The Vista

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The Bucking Broncho’s Last Ride A. Suave Francisco @SuaveFrancisco_ Sports Reporter

Next August, the Bucking Broncho name may live on, but there will be a different byline under the headline.

After four years of extensive work filled with self-discovery, long nights and plenty of blunders, I’ll finally walk across that stage as a graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma.

The first time I walked into the newsroom for anything other than a class project was during the spring of 2016, just over a year ago. That’s when I met Teddy Burch, the man behind the paper. Of course, I was introduced as “Addam Francisco, the guy that covers the Oklahoma City Thunder,” and that was something I wasn’t very fond of. I’ve always been taught to be humble in everything I do and that holds true to this day. In my first encounter with Teddy, I just wanted to be seen as another student, looking for a chance to improve my writing skills while getting a year’s worth of experience writing for a newspaper.

No worries, Teddy didn’t treat me any differently than anyone else and actually, may have been a little bit harder on me at times. When I first approached him, my eyes were set on being a columnist for the paper.

I probably picked up every week’s issue during that school year and critiqued the sports section every time. After reading the Oklahoma Daily (OU’s student paper) and the O’Colly (OSU’s student newspaper), I noticed this mid-sized UCO newspaper’s superiority among the Oklahoma college ranks and wanted to be a part of it. It wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be, however.

Instead of becoming an immediate member of the staff, I was told to enroll in the Newspaper Participation class -basically, a class that allows you to find your own lane, a test-drive to see if you’re ready to be a regular staff writer. This didn’t offend me in the slightest. I thrive off of pressure and work exceptionally well under it. The summer of 2016 was my “test drive” and I wrote seven stories. After my third story in late June, I felt comfortable. I felt like I had so much to offer the sports section and became increasingly anxious, wondering if Teddy felt the same way.

It turns out he did. The sports editor at the time, Ike Wilcots spoke to me about taking the position over in the fall, which was perplexing to me because I didn’t even have experience writing for a paper other than

the three previous months. Nevertheless, my competitive nature and love for challenges drove me to accept the position and just like Ike, Teddy thought I was ready as well (or acted like he thought I was). That absolutely meant the world to me. Something that may be so minimal to the average person meant a tremendous amount to me and I felt like I really accomplished something. Any sign of progress or any accomplishment that comes my way will never be taken for granted because I remember the days when it was non-existent.

An unfortunate event during my last year of high school created a domino effect of negative situations that seemed to follow me everywhere I went for the next 3 years.

It completely threw my mind off its path. I went to college in 2011 on a basketball scholarship and quickly transferred to a school out of state to play basketball as well. That’s actually where I started finding my way, developing a deep interest in journalism, but just like the previous years, something popped up and as a result, I moved back home with my parents.

I had no motivation for anything except basketball, even though at this point a career doing that looked very bleak. It was just one of my only

recent accomplishments, so I held on to it. It wasn’t until the fall of 2013 that I enrolled in UCO and chose to turn my life’s trajectory around for the better.

If it weren’t for my parents staying on me, noticing what I was going through and seeing the light at the end of my tunnel, I’m not sure if I would’ve ever woken up. My life today would be completely different.

Once I found myself, became closer to God and listened to wisdom, things started turning around for me.

My upbringing forced me to be more appreciative of the culture I was a part of and I also love to express myself, as well as my beliefs. I love to speak my mind on those topics in addition to sports and thankfully, Teddy Burch gave me the platform to express whatever topic I desired, as long as it pertained to sports or culture. Writing the Bucking Broncho this year has been life-changing for me while providing me a true newspaper experience. Now two weeks shy of my graduation, I feel like I’m ready to face whatever obstacles the journalism world has for me. I appreciate all the feedback from my readers, as well as my Vista co-workers and I know the future of this newspaper is bright.

Letter to The Staff, The Advisors, The Community Kateleigh Mills @kateleighsuz Editor-in-Chief

The Vista came into my life at the most precise time. It was, quite literally, a godsend. This isn’t just because it gave me a reason to come to school and to interact with others, but it allowed me to find a passion I didn’t know I had.

When I began at The Vista I was an anxious sophomore who wasn’t sure of what I wanted to do or where I planned to go. All I knew at the time was that I loved to write.

After a couple of months on the job as a reporter, I was asked to become the next editor-in-chief of The Vista. I accepted wholeheartedly, wanting to continue what was established before me. I began the summer of 2016.

When we started out, there was almost a completely new staff and a new vision for us. We had become a weekly instead of a monthly, due to an increase in funding. We got to hire more staff and we got the chance to really give it a shot.

We redesigned The Vista that summer and came up with a list of new ideas to try. We worked together to improve our social media, the timeliness of our stories and how we could reach a bigger audience. We also got to interact more with UCentral News and UCentral Radio, learning that multi-media was definitely possible at a college level.

And then came the Welcome Back issue. It was the first time the paper would be going out for all of the UCO community to be there. I will always remember everyone saying after it came out that it was “a real newspaper.”

Next came the idea of the forums. The staff had decided that it was a great way to reach our audience directly and hear from them. It was invaluable. So,

thank you to everyone who came to the forums and shared their thoughts.

To the Editorial Board: Thank you all for being my rock. Thank you for staying late. Thank you for telling me I needed coffee because I was getting cranky. Thank you for helping me laugh when things got tough and for being the best people I have ever had the pleasure of working with.

To the Staff: How could I even begin to describe how valuable you are?

Honestly I couldn’t layout this paper without all of your hard work. I know that because The Vista has people like you all, it will continue to grow and help inform people.

To the Advisors: Thank you for reassuring me and the staff. Thank you for offering insight to your experiences and how we could improve our work. Thank you for giving us honesty when things needed to be improved or when you all were proud of what we had accomplished. You lifted our spirits in the newsroom in ways you don’t know.

To the UCO Community: Thank you for picking up the paper or visiting our online site to read what was going on around campus and around the community. I cannot begin to describe how hard the staff and everyone involved with the paper works for you all. They care about you. They want to hear from you. If you had a takeaway from this letter, it would be that.

Best wishes, Kateleigh Mills Editor-in-Chief Summer 2016 - Spring 2017

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The Vista

April 24, 2017

UCO HOCKEY

Hockey Champs Score Presidential Visit

Bronchos Celebrate National Championship at UCO

Nathan Baldwin @nbaldwin05 Sports Writer

The University of Central Oklahoma hockey team celebrated their recent National Championship victory with a ceremony, allowing the university to honor and reflect their successful season.

The event was held in UCO’s Wellness Center in front of friends, family, and peers. UCO President Don Betz, along with other administrators, were present to congratulate the team on their success as well.

“You have brought a sense of pride and winning to this University,” Betz said to the team, leading to an instant spree of cheers from the team and its supporters.

The Bronchos won their second National Championship in just three years - a first for an ice hockey team in Oklahoma.

The UCO hockey team is also the back-to-back Western Championship Hockey League champion. While still a relatively young conference, it’s been home to three of the past four (national?) champions.

“We’ve built something now,” senior captain Chad Roorda said.

“People want to come play here now and that’s what you want.”

Building a team like this is something head coach Craig McAllister has focused on in the off season.

Because the university does not fully fund ice hockey, many of the

The Hockey team poses for a group photograph in the Wellness Center on Wednesday, April 19, 2017 in Edmond Okla. (Nate Baldwin/ The Vista).

sport’s administrators have been key to the program’s survival and evolution.

“This team couldn’t survive without the support of everybody here,” McAllister said.

McAllister, who is also a full-time pharmacist, started the program from scratch in 2006. In just over a

decade, he has helped build the program into a nationally-recognized ice hockey program.

The games began with support from parents and a few others, but are now school-wide events, impressing even the most hockey-centric schools around the country. “It’s become one of the most difficult

places to play now,” McAllister said.

There have been noticeable changes to the fan base of the team over the past four years. “This last game when we played OU is something I’ll never forget. It was the best atmosphere I’ve ever played in,” Roorda said.

For the players who were on the 2015 championship team and for McAllister, hosting this year’s cup felt even more rewarding.

“Last time it felt like we were destined [to win], this time we worked hard and earned it,” McAllister said at the ceremony.

Two new banners on the Wellness Center’s basketball court walls were unveiled to conclude the ceremony.

One was the back-to-back WCHL Champions, and the other was the 2017 National Championship banner.

“It was truly an honor,” Roorda said. “It’s just truly special to see everyone get recognized.”

The 2017-2018 hockey season begins in October with a slightly different team as the Bronchos will lose some key members, both on the ice and in leadership.

Forward Sam Rice, 89, takes the puck during a Spring 2017 hockey game.

(Ryan Naeve/ The Vista).

UCO TRACK

April 24, 2017

The Vista

13

Track Clears Hurdles for Gold

Austin Moseley @Austin_Moseley Sports Writer

The University of Central Oklahoma’s women’s 4x100-meter shuttle hurdle relay team broke a school record on their way to a gold medal at the KT Woodman Invitational at Wichita State on April 15.

The relay team consists of Ashlyn Carroll, a senior; Bailee Thomas, a sophomore; Miquel Roach, a sophomore; and Ashley Hughes, a junior.

They ran the race in 1:02.93, breaking the previous school record and beating Emporia state’s team by two seconds.

The gold medal gave the Bronchos 10 of their total 25 points during the meet.

Hughes, Carroll and Thomas also ran in the 4x400 relay along with Danielle Szabo. The group finished with a time of 4:09.75, which put them in seventh place.

Roach also competed in the high jump and led the Bronchos with a mark of 1.58m, placing her ninth in the event.

Mariah Garcia, who has already broken UCO records in the hammer throw, won gold for the event after her throw of 187 feet, 1 inch, fall-

Senior distance runner Rachel Davis runs a race during the Spring 2017 track and field season. (Provided/ UCO Photo Services).

ing just 3 feet short of her previous record. Garcia also participated in the discus throw and finished sixth in the event after her throw of 152 feet, 7 inches.

UCO finished the meet with seven top-10 finishes. Rachel Davis ran the 1,500m race and finished ninth,

coming in at 4:59.80. Another top-10 finish for the Bronchos was Audrey Campbell in the 3,000m steeplechase. Campbell was clocked at 12:02.10, which placed her in tenth for the event.

The Bronchos track season is wrapping up, with the Mid-America

Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) Outdoor Championships coming up May 5-7. Previously, UCO finished 11th place at the MIAA Indoor Championships on February 25-25.

Alexander Hughes Earns His Stripes in Tiger Classic

UCO Finishes Regular Season Second in MIAA Conference Peter Agnitsch @PeteyPete33 Sports Editor

UCO’s golf team finished tied for third place Wednesday in the Tiger Classic at Smokey Hill Country Club in Fort Hays, Kansas. The Bronchos closed the 54-hole tournament with a score of 896, behind Central Missouri

and Lindenwood.

“We needed to grind out more pars and not let the greens effect our ability to get the ball in the hole,” UCO’s head golf coach, Josh Fosdick, said.

The Bronchos shot a total of 586 the first day and on the final day shot 310.

Alexander Hughes led the team

with a total score of 220, shooting a 74 on the final day. Hughes finished the tournament tied for thirteenth.

“It was more important for him to play well in those conditions and solidify his position on the post-season roster,” Fosdick said.

Eli Armstrong started the Bronchos attack on the first day, shooting a 72 on the first round and a 74 on the second round.

Armstrong and Cody Troutman finished tied at fifteenth place and both shot a total score of 224. Troutman shot a 77 on the final day, while Armstrong shot a 78.

“The rest of the team played solid, but wouldn’t say it was anywhere close to their best,”Fosdick said.

The Bronchos took on a different kind of golf course then they are use to playing on.

“Really the main challenge was the grass type and the greens,”Fosdick said. “The grass type, bent rye, is so different from our bermuda, but it was a good warm up for the conference course.”

The Bronchos will start post-sea-

son play next week in the MIAA tournament April 23 in Kansas City, Mo. “We didn’t lose too much ground on Central Missouri in the conference standings, so its all coming down to the championship!” Fosdick said.

“It was more important for him to play well in those conditions and solidify his position on the post-season roster,” Fosdick said.

14

The Vista

April 24, 2017

JESHEON COOPER

Welcome to Her Block Party

Jesheon Cooper’s Record Breaking Season

Jordan Belew @JordanBelew Sports Writer

UCO women’s basketball star Jesheon Cooper had a season for the record books. The junior transfer not only set the school record for blocks in a season, she set the mark for the MIAA as well, with 100 rejections.

“It’s a great feeling because the crowd gets involved, my teammates get involved, everyone’s momentum goes up and we all feed of off each other,” Cooper said.

The 6’5” center made an immediate impact to the Lady Bronchos’ lineup that helped push them above expectations this season.

Cooper is a transfer from Shawnee Community College who just completed her junior season. A season ago, she averaged 12.1 points per game, 8.6 rebounds per game and shot better than 60% from the field.

She hoped to make an immediate impact on the Broncho’s front court.

“My goal this year was to come in and make a difference to the team and try to help as much as I can with my presence,” Cooper said.

The team finished with a record of 25-8, with Cooper playing a major role the entire way. Cooper made it clear the paint was hers from the beginning of the season, owning the glass and protecting the rim.

The presence she has on the court was clear from early on. Cooper grabbed 18 rebounds in a single

Jesheon Cooper blocks her opponent at the February 16, 2017 basketball game at Hamilton Fieldhouse in Edmnd, Okla. (Elizabeth Roberts/ The Vista).

game this year, seventh best in school history. She nearly averaged a double-double, putting up 11.2 points per game and averaging 8.5 rebounds per game. The junior played in all 33 games for the Bronchos and shot better than 50% from the field.

Cooper scored 20 points on two separate occasions over the season, against Southwest Baptist and Pittsburg State. She also put up seven

Jesheon Cooper looks towards the ball at the February 16, 2017 basketball game at Hamilton Fieldhouse in Edmnd, Okla. (Elizabeth Roberts/ The Vista).

double-doubles over the course of the season.

Perhaps the most impressive thing Cooper did all season was reject the ball. She obliterated the school record of 55 blocks in a season with 100. She averaged more than 3 blocks per game and managed to put herself 2nd in career blocks at UCO in just one season.

“I didn’t expect to break a school record, but once I found out that I was on the road to break it, the new goal was to break it and make a name for myself,” said Cooper.

In four separate games Cooper sent back six shots. The school record for

the most in a game is seven.

Cooper helped push the Bronchos to a second-place finish in the MIAA tournament and secure a birth in the NCAA tournament. The Lady Bronchos’ season ended in a quarterfinal defeat at the hands of Pittsburg State.

Cooper still has her eyes set forward with one season left at UCO. “Next year my goal is to be the player of the year, the MIAA player of the year,” said Cooper.

A goal that seems to be well in reach. One thing is for sure, when defenders come in the paint against the Bronchos, Cooper will be waiting for them.