The Vista August 19, 2019 by The Vista

Volume 117, Issue 1

the

VISTA “Our Words, Your Voice.”

Welcome To Your Growing Campus

vistanews1903 @thevista1903 @thevista1903 The Vista ucentralmedia.com Monday, August 19, 2019

SPORTS

Football Preview See Sec. A Pg. 12

SUMMER WRAP UP

Construction was completed on the Liberal Arts South Wing and opened to the public on Aug. 13. Multiple projects have renovated existing buildings and built new structures. (James D. Jackson/The Vista)

The fall semester is here and it shouldn’t take long for students to notice some exciting new changes around campus. Construction has been ongoing on projects such as the

Liberal Arts South Wing, Hamilton Annex, Baseball Club House, Bausher Place, Sidelines grill, and the finished Don Betz STEM Research and Learning Center.

The LAR South Wing, Sidelines grill and the Hamilton construction projects were all add-ons or renovations to the original buildings. See Construction Pg. 8,9

UCO Introduces New Men’s Basketball Coach

Summer News Briefs See Sec. A Pg. 6 AROUND UCO

James D. Jackson @JamesDJackson15 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The University of Central Oklahoma athletic department introduced Bob Hoffman as the new men’s basketball coach at a press conference in the Stampede Clube Theatre at the Sports Performance Center on Aug. 5. “This is an exciting day for UCO,” said President Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar. “The future of our men’s basketball program looks brighter than ever and we’re proud to welcome a new member to our Broncho community that will continue the tradition of the team and student success.” Seven days after receiving coach Tom Hankins resignation July 24, UCO hired former Mercer University head coach Hoffman, announced by UCO athletics on July 31. “We’d like to thank Tom [Hankins] and his family for being part of our family over the past four years,” UCO Athletic Director Eddie Griffin said. “Tom is a great person off the court

Online Degrees See Sec. A Pg. 11

ESPORTS Athletic Director Eddie Griffin (Left) and President Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar (right) welcome the new men’s head basketball coachv Bob Hoffman (center). Hoffman will be the 22nd head coach since UCO began play in 1921. (James D. Jackson/The Vista)

and was a great coach on the court. He did everything the right way. We wish him and his family the best in their future.” During Hoffman’s coaching career, he won a National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics women’s national championship with Southern Nazarene University in 1989, spent some time coaching at his alma ma-

ter Oklahoma Baptist University, head coached American Basketball Association and D-League teams and was an assistant coach under Kevin Sampson at the University of Oklahoma. In UCO’s 98-year history of men’s basketball Hoffman will become the 22nd head coach.

New Classes at UCO

Continued on pg. 14

See Sec. A Pg. 15

the

August 19, 2019

Contents

VISTA

Content

Letters......................................................................................3-4 Around Campus.......... .................................................................5 In Case You Missed It ......................................................................6 LAR/Sports Construction..............................................................8 Buddyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s/Hamilton Construction....................................................9 UCO Online Degrees..................................................................11 Football Preview.........................................................................12 Volleyball Preview.......................................................................13 New Coaches.............................................................................14 Rowing.......................................................................................15

Staff James D. Jackson Jeff Elkins Derek Parker Tanner Laws Megan Thele Lauren Morris Michelle Pennza Christian Tabak JaNae Williams Haley Humphrey Gerald Wing Yi Leong Samantha Karbelk Teddy Burch Alex Brown

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor Online Editor Design Editor Senior Reporter Reporter Reporter Photography Photography Adviser Advertising

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 authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 thevista.ads@gmail.com.

Advertise with us! The Vista is published weekly during the spring, summer and fall semesters. In all issues, The Vista has opportunities for both digital, online and print ads. For information or questions contact: 405-974-5549 or thevista.ads@gmail. com

On the Cover: Top: University of Central Oklahoma football teammates prepare for a drill. (James D. Jackson/The Vista) Top Middle: A rock sits where the boardwalk in front of the Nigh University Center stood. (James D. Jackson/The Vista) Bottom Middle: Old North Tower on the UCO campus. UCO added degree programs that will be fully online. (James D. Jackson/The Vista) Bottom: University of Central Oklahoma students sit and play video games on PCs. UCO added esports classes starting this fall. (Provided/Esports at UCO)

Letters

August 19, 2019

A Letter from

President Neuhold-Ravikumar Welcome! We are so glad you’ve chosen to be part of the Broncho community this year. Our world-class faculty have prepared for your arrival and have created an opportunity-rich environment for you to actively participate in transformative learning experiences. Our dedicated staff have created a safe, inclusive and beautiful campus to support you as you work toward your education goals. Your energy and creativity are essential to bringing life to what we do for you at the university. Wherever you are on this educational journey, acknowledge and accept that there are no shortcuts to success that don’t rob you of the lesson of learning. Our campus community understands that your academic efforts will require your focus, sacrifice and self-discipline. We know that you have made education a priority in your life because you see its value and we work diligently to make your education worth every moment of your personal investment. Our successful students and student leaders will tell you that getting involved on campus is key to your success. UCO is an exceptional place and we encourage you to discover the plethora of organizations, activities, sporting events, research opportunities and service initiatives. These opportunities will create natural connection points between you and other students in memorable and meaningful ways. Your education is not bound by the walls of the classroom. The joy of learning to learn is appreciating the lesson in every interaction, understanding that knowledge is power and having the confidence to blaze your own trail. You are surrounded and supported by a community of faculty and staff who are here explicitly for you. You are the reason we strive to be better and you are the reason we will succeed. I am happy to join you this year and am watching with great anticipation to experience the world you will help to create for us. We believe in you. Welcome to the University of Central Oklahoma!

Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar President

A Letter from UCOSA President Emily Grim Fellow Bronchos, Welcome back to campus! To the newest members of our outstanding community, welcome to your newest beginning. All of our journeys look different. Those differences are what truly make UCO special. To me, UCO has changed my view of leadership, myself, and my future. Throughout my time here I have been able to learn from every different type of leader, to connect to those who can help me forge my career and path once I graduate, and to build connections with people that make me the best person I can be. I have grown so much during my time here at UCO, and I am so excited to see where your growth lies this year. UCO is a place of growth, and I can’t wait for you to witness the amazing opportunities and paths that will open to you this semester. From my time on campus as an Orientation Leader this summer, I have seen already that this new class brings talented and empowering people from all walks of life. I’ve already been so impacted by and learned so much from our new students, and I can’t wait to see everything that they will build, change, and improve as a Broncho. To my returning Bronchos, I can’t wait to see how you will change this year as well. Every semester, new class, new organization, and year brings something new, and I encourage you to throw yourself into the change and see where you end up. Find friends you hadn’t connected with before, take a course that interests you, reach out to a faculty and staff member and get to know them better. You never know who or what can impact your life, so take every opportunity you have to find where that growth can come from. While you’re at it, find how you can impact another person’s life, an organization, or this university. What I ask of you during this upcoming year is that you find what your own growth looks like. Explore all the possibilities–UCO has so many to offer! Build your leadership and learn how you can serve in new capacities, find something that you’re passionate about that you haven’t gotten to explore before, and learn to become more comfortable being the truest you. We have over 200 student organizations, countless connections to businesses, organizations, and professionals throughout the area. We have so many offices and programs dedicated to helping you build your best, most confident, comfortable, and empowered self. We want to encourage our students to become the best people, scholars, professionals, servants, leaders, and Bronchos that they can be. I hope you look back at this moment a year from now and are proud of the progress you’ve made. I know I will be! Have a great year Bronchos. Be active, be engaged, be proud! Emily Grim UCOSA President

August 19, 2019

A Letter from Provost John Barthell Dear Students of the University of Central Oklahoma: Welcome to the Fall Semester of 2019! Please know how pleased we are to have you on our campus, whether this is your first semester or the last one before you graduate. Our campus has so much to offer you as you make your way through the educational experiences you will need in the coming months of the semester. We now have 20 degrees, 126 programs, 164 majors and 89 minors to provide you with the best options for your career goals. Many of our programs are specially recognized by leading accreditation organizations and will broaden your opportunities for employment. Our academic colleges include the Colleges of Business, Education & Professional Studies, Fine Arts & Design, Graduate Studies, Liberal Arts, and Mathematics & Science. These contain the academic departments as well as specialized units such as the newly named School of Design and the Schools of Criminal Justice and Music, as well as the Forensic Science and Oklahoma A-Plus Schools Institutes. Our faculty members in these colleges, schools, and institutes include leaders in their fields who contribute regularly to their disciplines and create a modern and well-informed context for your studies at Central. If you want to prepare for your career by getting direct experience in research look no further than the Office of High-Impact Practices that provides opportunities for grants to students who wish to work with faculty mentors on a variety of topics, including studies abroad in the field and in museums. The Student Transformative Learning Record, or STLR, provides an important opportunity for you to record such experiences as a permanent record of your time at Central, something that future graduate schools and employers will value as well. We can also help you find internships and other opportunities with our colleagues in the Division of Student Affairs who want to see you succeed during your time here as well as afterward in the job market. Look around our campus and find out about the cutting edge learning spaces as well, including the newly opened College of Liberal Arts South Wing and the Donald Betz STEM Research and Learning Center. We have learning facilities in Oklahoma City as well, including the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) Building in Bricktown and UCO Downtown (in the Carnegie Centre and the soon to open Santa Fe Plaza facility). Programs like Music Business, Music Performance, and Music Production, and the MBA are offered in these facilities, respectively. You can balance your studies with visits to newly constructed athletic facilities, a Wellness Center, and the CHK Boathouse in Oklahoma City. Central is steeped in tradition as one of the oldest institutions in the State of Oklahoma. We offer, and always have, a focus on you: students. I believe you will see this each and every day that you spend with us on this campus or in the many opportunities we also offer online through the recently established Connected Campus that offers undergraduate and (soon graduate degrees) that are completely online. Our mission is to help you learn, and in an environment that benefits your experience as a student and a person. Welcome to that experience, we are so happy to have you here. John F. Barthell, PhD Provost & VP for Academic Affairs

Letters

A Letter from Chief of Police Jeffrey Harp Welcome to one of the safest campuses in Oklahoma and the nation. UCO’s Police and Emergency Management departments are committed to keeping UCO safe for all students, faculty, staff and visitors. To be successful we need your active participation. If a situation that posed a risk to campus safety were to occur, one of the most important factors is being able to communicate with you directly. UCO officials will immediately communicate to all faculty, staff and students using a wide array of communication tools and will continue to update information until the risk has passed. We know that rumors and misinformation can create concerns that are counterproductive. You can rely on campus officials to communicate with clarity and timeliness with information that will keep you safe. This is true during severe weather as well as during other critical incidents that could occur on campus. For us to communicate with you directly, it is important that you take two steps today. One is to update your “Central Alert” information in UCOnnect. This system allows us to quickly send you text messages, emails and even voice calls with information that will help you stay safe. Your cellular phone number must be in the system or we cannot communicate to you directly except through email or social media. Secondly, we encourage you to download the Rave Guardian smart phone application. This app is part of our overall Central Alert system, but it also provides tools for you to reach out to campus police. Using your UCO email account to set up the app connects you to UCO’s Rave Guardian operations. Together, Central Alert and Rave Guardian will enable you to receive accurate and timely information to help you stay safe. You can also optin for weather notifications in Central Alert. This will allow you to receive a text message regarding weather-related campus closures often before media outlets or other systems are able to convey the information. UCO Police and Emergency Management staff are here to serve you around the clock, every hour of every day. Our headquarters is located along University Dr., just west of the Education Building. You can reach us by telephone by calling 405-974-2345 or by emailing police@uco.edu. In an emergency, it is always best to call 9-1-1. Being safe and feeling safe are critical to your success as a student. We are here to serve you and will continue to partner with other campus departments to ensure that UCO remains one of the safest university campuses in the country. Jeffrey Harp Chief of Police/Executive Director of Public Safety

Around Campus

August 19, 2019

The outside of the Math and Computer Science building, this is where Associate Professor for Computer Science William Franklin Stockwell worked for 35 years before his recent suspension. (Regan Rosson/The Vista)

Resident Assistants Claire Seever, left, and Olivia Sharp sit at the front desk at West Hall during move in day to help students on Aug. 10 at the University of Central Oklahoma. (James D. Jackson/The Vista).

Monday, August 19, 2019

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Central Locate: Students having difficulty finding classes can ask for faculty and staff help outside the Human Environmental Science, Library or Business buildings from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Central Locate: Students having difficulty finding classes can ask for faculty and staff help outside the Human Environmental Science, Library or the Business buildings from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

HAB Poster Sale: From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Broncho Lake Blue Tent, members from the Homecoming Activities Board will offer posters for sale to decorate apartments, dorms and homes.

Volunteer & Part Time Job Fair: From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Volunteer and Part-Time Job Fair will be at Broncho Lake. This fair will have local employers and nonprofits from around Edmond and Oklahoma City who are offering part-time jobs and organizations who are looking for volunteers.

Fraternity and Sorority Life Fair: From 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Fraternity and Sorority Life Fair will be at Broncho Lake next to the Nigh University Center. UCO has 22 active chapters on campus that will be there to give information about their organization and answer any questions regarding Greek life. If conditions become unfavorable, the event will be moved to the NUCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second floor. More information about Greek life can be found at www.uco.edu/fsl Stampede Week Night Event: Water World: Pools, water inflatables and music will be set up in Punkett Park from 8-10 p.m. The event is free for UCO students, faculty and staff.

Stampede Week: Broncho Pride T-Shirt Distribution: Begining at 10 a.m. in Nigh University Center Room 424, Broncho Pride shirts will be disributed. Students must bring their student ID and there is a limit of one shirt per ID. SPB and Stampede Week Present Joel McHale: Comedian, television host and actor Joel Mchale is performing at the Hamilton Field House at 8 p.m. The show is free for students, faculty and staff with a valid UCO ID.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Stampede Week Night Event: Silent Storm: Students can come dance to music of their choice wearing headphones and take photos in a blacklight photobooth. The event is from 8-10 p.m. in the Nigh University Center Ballrooms.

UCO Interfaith Fair: The Interfaith fair provides resources and information on religious and spiritual organizations around campus and in the Edmond and Oklahoma City communities. The fair will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. by Broncho Lake.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Panhellenic Orientation: At 6 p.m. in Constitution Hall, on the south end of the Nigh University Center, members of the Panhellenic Council will host an orientation for women who are registered to go through the formal recruitment process during the fall semester.

Student Involvement Fair: Several university clubs and organizations will be set up to provide information on how to join or get involved on campus from 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. by Broncho Lake.

For the Culture: The NAACP is hosting an event in partnership with the Black Student Association, Native American Student Association, Asian American Student Association and Hispanic American Student Organization to give new students the chance to get connected as a part of their mission for social equality. The free event with games and food from different cultures takes places in the West Hall courtyard from 5:30-8 p.m. Stampede Week Night Event: Glenn Rottman: YouTube hypnotist Glenn Rottman, will perform inside the NUC Ballrooms at 8 p.m. as part of the Stampede Week festivities.The show is free to students, faculty and staff with a valid UCO ID.

Friday, August 23, 2019 Forge International Orientation: New UCO international students must attend the UCO Global Conference. Attendees will learn about cultural differences, banking, safety and organizational involvement. There will be free food and prizes. The event will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the NUC Ballrooms. Enrollment: This is the last day to enroll in full term classes in person.

August 19, 2019

In Case You Missed It

In Case You Missed It: While You Were Gone

U.S. Veterans Magazine 2019 Best of the Best list. Annually the magazine evaluates the nation’s employers, initiatives, government agencies and educational institutions. “We appreciate the accolade acknowledging the important work we do,” said Catherine Orozco-Christmas, director of Central’s Veteran Higher Education Resource and Opportunity Center. “And we will continue to serve our heroes both in and out of uniform to the best of our ability.” U.S. Veterans Magazine’s website said the studies are non-biased, valuable resources for students, consumers, employers, senior management and business associations.

University of Central Oklahoma fashion marketing students built displays of four dresses from the Oklahoma Fashion Museum Collection in the UCO Chambers Library on the second floor. (James D. Jackson/The Vista)

TWO FASHION MARKETING STUDENTS PUT ON A HISTORICAL DISPLAY FOR UCO University of Central Oklahoma’s Liem Phan and Lingtao Zhang, fashion marketing students, used items from the Oklahoma Fashion Museum Collection to put on a historical fashion display. The two students created a summer-themed dress exhibit that is on display on the second floor of the Max Chambers Library. More than 800 garments were presented in the Oklahoma Fashion Museum Collection. Items by Oscar de la Renta, Geoffrey Beene, Pauline Trigere, Christian Dior and Irene were included. The outfits used in the student’s display were once owned by prominent women in Oklahoma before being donated to the collection, according to UCO Centralities. CITYLINK BUS ROUTE CHANGES EFFECTS UCO The University of Central Oklahoma lost one of its Citylink bus transportation routes. On July 1, the Citylink bus service Route 3 changed its current route, no longer entering the UCO Campus. “This permanent change will allow customers returning to Edmond on the express route from downtown Oklahoma City the opportunity to continue their journey and the change will assist other passengers commuting to and from work within Edmond,” Edmondok.com said in a press release. Routes 1-3 travel time has been extended by one hour. Route 4 has not been affected and will continue to circle UCO every 30 minutes from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. The route visits

University Drive and Chowning Avenue; Ayers Street and Kickingbird Road; UCO at the Nigh University Center; Second Street & Oxford Oaks Apartments; Vista Lane and Tuscan Lane; and University Drive and Ayers Street. THREE MENS GOLFERS NAMED ALL-AMERICAN SCHOLARS University of Central Oklahoma seniors Holden Crago and Cody Troutman, and sophomore Joe Lemieux were each named on the Srixon/ Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar list for the 2018-19 school year, the Golf Coaches Association of America announced in a press release July 24. The award is given to juniors and seniors who participate in at least 50 percent of the team’s competition, have a stroke average of 78 or below and maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2. Athletes must have a high moral character and be in good standing at his college or university. “It was a record setting year for the award as 540 student-athletes earned the title of All-America Scholar, the most since the awards inception in 1982,” GCAA said in the press release. “Out of the 540 honorees, 266 players were Division I selections, 112 in Division II, 23 NAIA recipients and 18 NJCAA award winners. 2019 marks the first year in which NJCAA players are eligible for the award.” Athletes must be a junior or senior academically in Division I, II, III and NAIA, or receiving their associate’s degree in their last year of athletic eligibility in the NJCAA to be eligible for the Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar.

UCO BASEBALL PLAYER PROMOTED TO DOUBLE A Former University of Central Oklahoma pitcher Holden Capps was promoted to Double A on July 17. In his final game in the Single A, Capps entered with two outs in the eighth inning, allowed one hit and then struck out the next batter to keep the Northwest Arkansas Naturals lead. The Naturals beat Corpus Christi 5-2. Capps made 25 appearances in his second professional season in Single A and recorded a 3-2 record and a 1.83 earned run average. He struck out 46 batters in 39 1/3 innings pitched. Capps was a part of the 2017 UCO baseball team that advanced to the NCAA Division II Central Regional final. UCO NAMED AS A TOP MILITARY-FRIENDLY SCHOOL BY U.S. VETERANS MAGAZINE FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW For the third year in a row, UCO has been listed as a top school by the

O’SHAY HARRIS NAMED TO COLLEGE FOOTBALL YEARBOOK STARTING LINEUP Defensive back O’Shay Harris was named to the 2019 College Football America Yearbook, the only defensive player from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The College Football Yearbook is the NCAA Division II Preseason All-American team. Last season, Harris became the 11th defensive back in UCO history to be named an All-American after he made 74 tackles, two interceptions, broke up eight passes, forced two fumbles and recovered two fumbles. The fifth-year senior enters this season with more than 150 tackles. GEESE REMOVED FROM UCO CAMPUS The geese were removed from the UCO campus and moved to a natural habitat away from UCO. THE BOARDWALK WAS REMOVED FROM THE UCO CAMPUS. The boardwalk in front of the Nigh University Center was removed from the UCO campus. A rock was placed in its old position.

A 75 mm howitzer artillery piece sits in front of Thatcher Hall. UCO was named as a top military-friendly school by U.S. Veterans Magazine. (James D. Jackson/The Vista)

August 19, 2019

Liberal Arts South Wing

Megan Thele @1bigtimenicole COPY EDITOR

The south wing of the University of Central Oklahoma’s College of Liberal Arts building is now open following 18 months of construction and renovations. An official opening celebration was held on Aug. 13 following faculty and staff meetings, with President Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar and Provost John Barthell in attendance. A ribbon cutting ceremony earlier in the summer marked the unofficial opening of the space and incorporated now-former President Don Betz before his retirement. The $17.5 million 55,000-squa-refoot expansion features 15 classrooms, 30 faculty and staff offices, a two-sto-

ry atrium, meeting spaces and study spaces, including study steps with outlets for laptops and USB cords. A 215-capacity lecture hall, which replaces the former Pegasus Theatre, will double as a storm shelter. “It’s not a theater...It’s really meant for, say, readings or conferences,” said Cathy Webster, Liberal Arts dean. Classes will begin in the new space Aug. 19 and almost everything is ready for students to use. However, the Pegasus Cafe, a coffee bar on the

One of multiple study and gathering spaces in the new College of Liberal Arts South Wing. (Tanner Laws/The Vista)

Sidelines

The 4110 Lounge in the University Suites is being renovated with Sidelines to become a gaming and arcade area. (Haley Humphrey/The Vista)

Haley Humphrey @haleybhumphrey REPORTER

The University of Central Oklahoma’s Broncho Sports Grill in the University Suites is under construction to make way for an updated grill and student area concept. The new concept will be called Sidelines, according to Scott Monetti, director of Housing and Dining. Updates to the space include a performance stage in the northeast corner, new audio and video throughout the space, more TVs, outdoor seating and

first floor of the atrium, will open later in the semester. The cafe will have barista-made drinks, as well as fresh and packaged food items. “It’s a Chartwells activity,” Webster said. “They’re excited because there’s nothing on this side of campus for them.” The Provost Building Excellence Fund provided a new generator, fire suppression system and single key access system for all classrooms and offices in both wings of the building.

a multifunctional gaming area in the current 4110 Lounge space. The dining space will have two large family-style tables in the middle with standard booth and table seating around it. There will also be outdoor seating at bistro tables covered by a pergola. The design idea for the space is popular in many bars and restaurants right now, according to Monetti. The 4110 Lounge is being repurposed to offer games for students, including physical games like a pool table, video games and older-style arcade games. Construction on the space began in

Construction

A computer classroom in the new Liberal Arts South Wing. (Tanner Laws/The Vista)

“The whole project was a textbook example of how teamwork and shared ideas make a project better,” said Kevin Tero, assistant director of UCO Architectural and Engineering Services. Already-collected student course fees provided $3 million of the total project funding and a 30-year, $14.5 million bond to be paid back through future course fees provided the rest. “I feel very spoiled that our college is getting to have this new space available to us and I’m grateful to my predecessors in the dean role who initiated the ideas and the ways to support them, to fund them, because that was already all in place,” Webster said.

May, according to Monetti. Although a stage to connect customers;” and the new space will not be open until “rustic elements, such as wood and students return from fall break, diners brick that created a sports bar infused can still order food through a window with UCO bronze and blue,” Settles beginning the first day of classes. said. The sports theme at Sidelines will Monetti said bits of each concept remain the same as when it was first were used in the final design, but no established as a sports grill in 2008, single concept was used in entirety as but with more of an industrial feel, presented. according to Monetti. After multiple dining facility renoHousing and Dining worked with vations, Monetti said he hopes to see UCO Interior Design professor Val- more faculty members eat or meet erie Settles, other faculty members students in on-campus dining areas, and 15 interior design students to such as Sidelines, 1890 in the Nigh conceptualize the space’s updates. University Center or the new facility Many interior design students of all in Bausher Place because dining has classifications have helped with UCO the capacity to be a unifier. design projects before, according to Settles. “The team members ranged from freshmen in their second semester in the program to a graduate student who is completing his thesis,” Settles said. The three design concepts created by three working teams of five students included: “a celebration of student athletic achievement that utilized sports equipment in unique applications in the space;” “an industrial atmosphere reminiscent of a sports stadium that incorpo- The old Broncho Sports Grill is under construction to rated LED lights and become Sidelines this fall. (Haley Humphrey/The Vista)

Construction

Bausher Place Megan Thele @1bigtimenicole COPY EDITOR

Work on the University of Central Oklahoma’s newest dining hall is nearing its final stages and is expected to be completed by the start of the spring semester. The still unnamed dining facility takes up most of the first floor of the new 50,000-square-foot building, Bausher Place, and will replace Buddy’s Cafeteria, which will be torn down soon after the facility’s opening. “Buddy’s is going away [and] is going to become a green area,” said Scott Monetti, director of Housing and Dining. “Buddy’s is an old building and really limiting to what we can do with it. The new building’s going to give us a lot more opportunities to provide food for students that they want.”

August 19, 2019

Bausher Place is named after Winifred Bausher, the residential dining director of UCO’s first dining hall, which was in the basement of Murdaugh Hall. She worked at UCO from 1937 to 1942 as a cateress, dining room superintendent manager and dietician, according to university and Vista archives. “Cafeterias are on their way out, people don’t like hamburgers that are sitting in a bin; food halls are in,” Monetti said. “People love variety. They just don’t like it to all be cooked by the same person in the same place.” A barbecue smokehouse and pizza oven will anchor the space on either side, with other action stations between the two. The action stations will include a wok and omelette space, carving station, salad bar, breakfast bar, Tex-Mex, homestyle, allergy-reduced and desserts. The building will also house a ball-

room space that doubles as a best available refuge area and separate retail space on the first floor, as well as offices for Campus Enterprises and Human Resources on the second floor. Buddy’s will remain open through the fall semester, with demolition expected within about a month after the

new facility opens. “We should be able to get in it in December, as in people like me will be in it and getting it ready. It’ll be open for food in January 2020,” Monetti said. “If it comes down to what gets done first, we’re going to prioritize the food to make sure that it’s open in January.”

Contractors work inside Bausher Place to get it ready for opening in January 2020. The corner area shown will have a pizza oven. (Megan Thele/The Vista)

Hamilton Field House Annex James D. Jackson @JamesDJackson15 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Hamilton Field House Annex wrestling room, weight room and former swimming pool area are in the process of being removed to create additional gym space and new facilities. Renovations are set to finish in mid-November, according to Chris Brannick, director of Sports Media Relations at the University of Central Oklahoma. “It’s making really good progress,” Brannick said. We were kind of fortunate to not have a bad winter and not really put any delays in place. I think there was probably a little difficulty in the spring with all of the rain that we got, but as that was happening, they were very close to being done with most of the exterior work where the building became enclosed.” The university will add an auxiliary practice gymnasium, new wrestling room, new locker rooms and coaching offices as part of the 21,205-square-foot North Hamilton Annex project. Along with those additions, UCO plans to renovate the basketball, soccer, tennis and volleyball locker rooms, which already span 3,427 square feet of the building. “The final things are being wrapped up,” Brannick said. “The locker rooms are very close to completion where we can move lockers into it. Those would be done a little bit ahead of the other project of the

A rendering of what the Hamilton Field House Annex will look like upon completion. The annex is expected to open in November 2019. (Provided/Chris Brannick)

gym and the wrestling room. They’re right now getting ready to put the floor in place in the gym and then put the mats in place in the wrestling room and it’s getting very close.” With the addition of the practice gym, Hamilton will feature two full size courts for the three teams to work their schedules around to practice on. As of right now, volleyball and men’s and women’s basketball share one gym floor. “Now it’s still not a court for everybody,” Brannick said. “But if you had volleyball practice at 1 p.m. and men’s basketball practice at 3 p.m., women’s basketball doesn’t have to wait until 5 p.m., they can go in the other gym and practice.” The new wrestling room will feature four 50-by-50-foot mats, a cardio area and offices for the coaches. The previous wrestling room had just two mats and provided little room for

cardio work, according to Brannick. “If you’ve got a limited amount of space, I would compare it to trying to play two basketball games at the same time on one court,” said Eli Hale, assistant wrestling coach. “You’ve got people running into each other all over the place. It’s just plain and simple not enough room to do a

lot of the things that you want to do.” The old football locker room that was previously located in the Hamilton is being converted into four locker rooms for women’s tennis, basketball, volleyball and soccer. “Tennis has their own locker room already, it’s pretty small and it’s pretty old, it’s part of the original area,” Brannick said. “Soccer, volleyball and women’s basketball all share a locker room. Even if it were only soccer in that locker room, there weren’t 30 lockers and there’s 30 student athletes on the team, so maybe the freshmen are sharing the lockers...but you’re also doubling up with now volleyball using it too and women’s basketball is using it, so you’ve got 60 student athletes sharing one locker room.” UCO is funding the project through donations from boosters, alumni and supporters, which allows the construction tax free.

A practice gym is being added as part of the Hamilton Field House Annex. Locker rooms, offices and a wrestling room are also being built. (Provided/Chris Brannick)

UCO Online Degrees

August 19, 2019

A11

UCO Launches Fully Online Degree Program Haley Humphrey @haleybhumphrey Reporter

The University of Central Oklahoma’s Connected Campus will offer select bachelor’s programs completely online beginning this fall. Students can enroll in an R.N. to a B.S. in nursing and a Bachelor of Business Administration in human resource management or marketing by applying at online.uco.edu. Bucky Dodd, facilitator of Connected Campus, said more bachelor’s and master’s programs will eventually be added as UCO grows. “The next wave of programs that we’re working on currently are going to be more focused on adult degree completion, so general studies and general business will be key elements of that,” Dodd said. Connected Campus is a brand and does not fall under any department at UCO, according to Dodd. The purpose of Connected Campus is to broaden students’ UCO experience of transformation by creating an online option of obtaining their complete degree in an efficient and convenient learning process that gives them choice. The idea of Connected Campus originated last fall as a topic for the Executive Leadership Program to build upon. The program, which was created for UCO employees with the intent of holding leadership positions on and off campus, led the way with solidifying discussions of complete online programs. The decision to initiate the concept of Connected Campus came in February, according to Dodd, and UCO already had many components to

Students at the University of Central Oklahoma now have the options of enrolling in an entirely online degree program beginning the fall 2019 semester. (photo illustration by Tanner Laws/The Vista).

make it a reality. “UCO has a long history and tradition of collaboration and we wanted to continue that forward in the work that we’re doing here,” Dodd said. While Dodd is unsure of how many professors will be teaching Connected Campus’s courses, he said the professors who have a workload of teaching some online classes and some on-campus classes will also instruct for Connected Campus depending on their department. “I’m looking forward to the many ways in which the Connected Campus will innovate and bring greater flexibility to UCO’s efforts to deliver affordable and accessible learning to UCO students,” Stacy Southerland, faculty liaison for the Institute for Learning Environment Design and UCO’s Center for eLearning

Math book sits on top of a spiral notebook. The University of Cental Oklahoma connected campus degrees have been carefully selected to cater to today’s employers. (Provided/Pixabay).

and Connected Environments said. “The framework for the initiative allows for agility in responding to the ever-evolving and diverse needs of learners and professionals seeking additional skill development.” A main difference between Connected Campus and a UCO online class will be the learner concierge, who serves as the students’ assistant throughout their time attaining their degree. “This learner concierge is there to really be [a] guide/coach/hand-holding person to help a student [and] make it simple,” Dodd said. The concierge is an actual person who students can talk to via Connected Campus’s website. If a student has a question, he or she can ask the concierge through message and the concierge will ask if the student wants to communicate by phone, email or video chatting. As of right now, Dodd said there is one concierge who will be available to provide student care. The concierges are a part of UCO’s student success team. Another difference is that students have access to a major hub, which is an online community for Connected Campus majors under a tab in Desire2Learn, where they can receive information, Dodd said. “[A major hub] allows groups to communicate to all majors,” Dodd said. While any student can enroll, Connected Campus has three focus audiences: adult learners; students who have started college but dropped out; and the workforce population. “We can’t forget for a moment that even filling out an application to go

back to school is a big step for these people, so we have to be ready to be empathetic to their needs and be supportive to the best of our abilities,” Dodd said. Dodd said he is hopeful Connected Campus will maintain UCO’s goals of valuing diversity and inclusion. “UCO is not just for people who can drive to campus and be here in a physical sense — we are able to open our doors and our arms to people all over, who are in all sorts of life situations and circumstances,” Dodd said. The funding for Connected Campus comes from the service fees that students pay when enrolling in classes, such as technology fees. The enrollment and cost per credit hour for programs within Connected Campus will be the same as online courses through UCO, $60 per credit hour. Dodd said the initiation of Connected Campus has allowed staff and faculty to identify opportunities for broad growth at UCO. “It’s been an excellent growth opportunity for the university at large to always be thinking about how we’re at the very best for our students,” Dodd said. Southerland said the design of Connected Campus is meant to complement UCO’s ways of serving students, rather than to compete. “We will continue to empower learning through traditional and blended learning modalities,” Southerland said. “Connected Campus offerings just allow for more flexibility and creativity in how students design a learning pathway that meets their professional and personal needs and interests.”

A12

August 19, 2019

Football

UCO Ready to Prove Themselves Championship Worthy James D. Jackson @JamesDJackson15 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

After back-to-back seasons with 8-4 records and bowl wins, the University of Central Oklahoma football team will look to improve in the 2019 season with a mix of returning and new talent. “The goal is not to win eight football games and a bowl game. The goal is to win a national championship,” said head football coach Nick Bobeck. “It can be done and we believe that we’re talented.” The Bronchos will return nearly 40 letter winners from the 2018 team. UCO posted 30 points and more than 400 yards of offense per game. Last season, the Bronchos started three different quarterbacks throughout the season. Quarterbacks Will Collins, Chandler Garrett and Keats Calhoon each won a game as a starter for Central. “This is by far the most talented group we’ve ever had at that position,” Bobeck said. “It’s a unique position to have Will Collins and Keats Calhoon and Chandler Garrett.” Bobeck said they added another player at quarterback who is as talented as Collins, Calhoon and Garrett. “It’ll be fun, we hope it’s one guy who takes the reins,” Bobeck said. “If it doesn’t happen, then we’ll figure it

out, but I think we’re in a situation where one guy will take the reins and it will be his, then you just have to keep them healthy.” Along with the quarterbacks, UCO will return four tight ends in Marshall Tolson, Izaiah Jackson, Daunte McGee and Daxton Williams; five offensive linemen in Jacob Blair, Seth Carmack, Nick George, Tyler Stilwell and Ben Raulston; and four wide receivers in Dustin Basks, Mekail Hall, Tyrone Howell and Johnny Bizzell. Right guard is the only position UCO will be replacing on the offensive line. Nick George, who was the starting center until he was injured last season, will move to right guard and Ben Raulston will start at center. Raulston started at center after George went down with an injury. Central will have to name a new starter on the offensive side after running back Clay McKenzie graduated after the 2018 season. McKenzie recorded 1000 all-purpose yards twice as a Broncho. Saboor Daniels has the most rushing yards, 71, of all the UCO running backs on the 2019 roster. “I feel like we’ve probably got the best group of talent that we’ve had in the backfield,” Bobeck said. “They’re inexperienced, but we’re talented.” To go along with the returners, UCO added two transfer running backs, Taj Griffin and TJ Roberts.

Head coach Nick Bobeck running a drill during summer practice. This will be Bobeck’s eigth season with UCO. (James D. Jackson/The Vista)

Returning starter O’Shay Harris finishing a drill during summer practice. He earned All-American honors in 2018 as a safety. (James D. Jackson/The Vista)

Gibson played four seasons at the University of Oregon, recording 879 rushing yards on 138 attempts. He also had 30 receptions for 408 yards and 10 touchdowns. Roberts rushed for 2,050 yards in two seasons at Mesa Community College in Arizona. He also recorded 21 receptions for 86 yards and three touchdowns. The Bronchos are not as experienced on the defensive side, however, as they only return two starters, Jakarri Hunt and O’Shay Harris. In order to be determined a returning starter a player has to start in at least five games. Kolby Underwood just missed the mark with four starts. “We’re probably more talented at that position than we’ve ever been,” Bobeck said. “Because we’ve got some young kids that red-shirted last year and are ready to play. And we feel like we’ve hit on some transfer kids that we’ve been able to bring into our program and feel good about them.” UCO lost all three of their linebackers this season, but Bobeck said seniors Dillion Hall, Jeremiah Hill and Bryan Burns have all started football games at UCO and are good players. The Broncho defense also lost all four of their defensive ends. “You lose the majority of your pro-

duction with losing guys like Justin Stewart and Noble Lybrand and some of those guys,” Bobeck said. “But you get a guy back like Mike Rios, who’s probably...the most explosive interior defensive lineman we’ve had here. Stephon Starks returns, [Kahewai Kaaiawaawa] returns, we’ve got some really good football players.” Allen was a first-team All-MIAA defense lineman his senior year as he led the Bronchos with 50 tackles, 7.5 for loss and 3.5 sacks. He was on the second-team his junior and sophomore seasons. The Bronchos rank fourth-most in Division II history and the second-most of an Oklahoma university or college in wins with 635. Bobeck has led UCO to four bowlgame appearances in the past five seasons. He coached the Bronchos to a win in the Live United Bowl in 2015, the Corsicana Bowl in 2017 and the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl in 2018. “We’re ready to take the next step. We feel like we’re talented enough to do it,” Bobeck said. “We signed a really good high school class, only signed 21 kids but that’s what we had. I think we’re finally getting to a point where they feel enough natural pressure without us as coaches putting it on them.”

Volleyball

August 19, 2019

A13

Volleyball Looks to Spread The Wealth This Season James D. Jackson @JamesDJackson15 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

After finishing third in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association and 23rd in national rankings in 2018, the University of Central Oklahoma volleyball team will look to build on a 14-4 MIAA record and 27-7 overall record. “It’s [a] new year, no doubt about it,” said head volleyball coach Edgar Miraku. “We’re a lot younger, we have one senior which is [Dominque] Lipari. So definitely you can just tell from there what the average youth would be for the team, which is for what I’m pretty sure is below average in the conference.” UCO ranks in the bottom half of the 11 teams in the MIAA in number of juniors and seniors on the 2019 roster. UCO will return six players who qualify as a junior or senior; only four other teams in the MIAA have a similar situation. Pittsburg State University will enter as the youngest team with just one returning junior and senior each. Dominique Lipari, a 5-foot-1-inch libero from Kansas City, Mo., will enter her fourth year as a starter; in three seasons she has played in 99 of 103 matches. Lipari’s 1678 digs ranks her fourth in all-time digs for UCO. She has recorded 20 or more digs 13 times and has had five matches with at least 30. Along with lone senior Lipari, the Bronchos will return five juniors but will have to replace five players, including three-time all-American Taylor Bevis, who ranks third alltime in kills at UCO with 1752. “We’re going to miss all of them, especially Taylor and Jordan [Spence]; [they] brought a lot more production, efficiency [and] carried a lot more weight bottom line,” Miraku said. “Now I think while we’ll miss both of them, I think it’s going to also force us to redistribute and redesign the offense in such a way that everybody is sharing the burden [on] a lot more equal or somewhat equal basis.” Of the five returning juniors, they each had appearances and four started in matches throughout the 2019 season. Defensive specialist and setter Ericka Scholl led UCO last year with 655 assists while splitting the load at main setter. She also had a team-high 41 aces. Middle blocker Malia Kaaiohelo, one of only three players to start all 34 games last season, recorded a .297 hitting percentage, which was eighth in the conference. Defensive specialist Jordan Cram-

The Bronchos volleyball squad breaking before a match. UCO finished third in the MIAA conference last season. (Vista Archives)

er played in 26 of UCO’s 34 matches, finishing with 121 digs, 16 assists and eight service aces. Cramer had four matches with 10 or more digs. Outside hitter Haley Deschenes earned honorable mention AllMIAA recognition after she finished with 275 kills, second on the team behind Bevis who had 412, and a .238 hitting percentage. She was also 15th in the league in kills per set with

2.7 as she recorded double digit kills in 10 matches. Defensive specialist Callie Bangasser appeared in 32 of 34 matches and finished the season with 128 digs, 39 assists and 16 service aces. Bangasser had four matches with 10-plus digs. This season, Miraku was able to double his recruitment for the 2019 season with eight freshmen, compared to last year’s four.

A Broncho setting up to spike the ball in Hamilton Fieldhouse. UCO produced one All-American last year in Taylor Bevis. (Vista Archives)

“You could look at it that way in terms of math, yes, but the match and the game is never an exact science,” Miraku said. “It’s a combination of that, an art and all those things combined, but I don’t think we need to get caught in the numbers...we’re going to be a lot younger, that cannot change, that is not math, that’s pretty simple.” Miraku said in order for the team to be successful, the team will have to harvest IQ for the game. He said some players may not be able to do certain things physically yet, so IQ will help counter that, especially in the MIAA conference. “Nationwide, [the MIAA] is number one or number two conference in the nation,” Miraku said. “But I think what you could do if you have good IQ is placement of the ball, smart plays, not as high risk choices on your plays and over the course of a longer period of time, not just one match but 10, 15, 20 matches that could make a difference on how some of those chips fall at the end of matches, we could get some more wins.” The Bronchos will start the season in St. Petersburg, Florida for the Eckerd College Invitational as they will battle Malone University, West Liberty University, Tiffin University and Eckerd. Miraku has a 182-55 record over his seven years at UCO. He has coached the Bronchos to over 25 wins each season for the last five seasons; 2013 just missed the mark with 24 wins. The trend started in 2014 as the Bronchos won 28, 31 in 2015, 30 in 2016, 29 in 2017 and 27 in 2018.

A14

August 19, 2019

New Coaches

UCO Introduces New Men’s Basketball Coach Continued from pg. 1

“We are really excited to welcome coach Hoffman and his family to UCO,” Griffin said. “Bob’s stellar resume speaks for itself and he is just a great person too – the kind of guy that belongs at UCO. We’re excited for him to get started. I think great things are in store for the Bronchos.” Hoffman has been a head coach in Division I for 16 years, posting a record of 277-242 as he spent five years as head coach at the University of Texas-Pan American (1999-2004) and at Mercer, where he coached for 11 years (2008-2019). “I’ve been fortunate to do that some with great people and I talked to some NBA folks and scouting,” Hoffman said. “But there’s nothing like coaching a team and trying to prepare a team to try to do something they can’t do by themselves. I had talked to some other people about some head coaching jobs, it just hadn’t worked out. So, this was just a tremendous opportunity.” Hoffman coached Mercer as they moved from the Atlantic Sun to Southern Conference. In the Atlantic Sun Conference, he coached Mercer to an 126-82 overall record, but in the Southern Conference he posted an 83-83 record. In his final season at Mercer, he finished with an 11-20 record before he was let go. “It was a special place and those people gave us a great opportunity,” Hoffman said. “I’m not sure all the

The University of Central Oklahoma basketball uniforms sit on a table at Bob Hoffman’s introductory press conference. (James D. Jackson/The Vista)

details of why. In Kelly and I’s world, we believe somebody far greater than them let me go…but we were able to be a part of and spend important moments and times that we would never get back.” While in the Atlantic Sun Conference, Hoffman coached the Bears to a 2014 NCAA Tournament appearance as the 14th-seed, where he was able to upset No. 3-seed Duke University, 78-71. Hoffman said he was thrilled about the victory over Duke, but he thinks about the loss to the University of Tennessee in the next game of the tournament the most. “[People] would tell us where they were when it happened or where they watched it; I got to hear all those stories and they were fun,” Hoffman said about the Duke upset. “But for me personally, I love that moment but I thought we should have beat Tennessee. And so that’s the coach in me.”

Hoffman is an Oklahoma native who played basketball at Putnam City High School where he won a state championship in 1972. He began his college career at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, where he scored 1,017 points, which ranks him as the 47th all-time leading scorer in OBU history. During his time as a player at OBU, Hoffman said his senior teammate at Putnam City, Terry Anderson, came to play at UCO and was the top 20 all-time leading scorer, so his best games are in the Hamilton Field House because he wanted to beat him so badly. Anderson played at UCO from 1975-79 and scored 1,248 points. After graduating, he accepted a job as a head coach at Piedmont High School. While there, he also obtained his masters degree in education in 1985 from UCO. “The full circle is beyond what you

can imagine really and not many people get to experience that kind of thing,” Hoffman said. “My wife and I’s first apartment was 600 yards from [the Performance Center]. Our first year of marriage, our very first day of marriage we could see the goalpost.” Hoffman is the first coach in NCAA history to win a tournament game in all four Division I postseason tournaments in a four-year span. Hankins took over the head coaching job in the spring of 2015 and won 64 games over his four seasons as the coach. In three of the four seasons, he led the Bronchos to the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Postseason tournament. He coached his 100th game in the 2018-2019 season and his 60-40 record is third-best for a Central coach through 100 games in school history. His overall 64 wins are the seventh-most in school history. UCO has won over 1,300 games, advanced to 22 conference or division championships and made 17 national tournament appearances in its history. “What an amazing community Oklahoma City is great but Edmond is off the charts and so the chance to live here, work here, be a part of this place,” Hoffman said. “I think there’s so many things I think we can do and work with so many great people that live here.”

UCO National Champion Rowing Team Names New Head Coach Derek Parker @D_Park2 SPORTS EDITOR

The University of Central Oklahoma announced Brian Ebke as the new head rowing coach on Aug. 7 after former UCO coach Montia Rice moved to the University of Central Florida following back-to-back national championships in 2018 and 2019. Ebke is a former Princeton heavyweight rower and was a UCO graduate assistant coach in 2014. He spent six years on the Oklahoma River working with the Oklahoma City Boathouse developing top rowers. “We are really excited for Brian to be coming back to Central Oklahoma and take over our rowing program,” said Britni Brannon, UCO senior women’s administrator. “Brian has deep roots in Edmond and in Oklahoma City and has a proven resume as a rowing coach. He is going to be a great addition to UCO.” Ebke spent the past two seasons with the Princeton open rowing team

as an assistant coach. In 2018, Princeton beat every Ivy League team and only finished second place to the University of Iowa by 2.7 seconds. They also defeated Brown University, University of Michigan, Columbia University and University of Notre Dame. They finished ninth overall in the 2018 NCAA Rowing Championships. In 2019, the Tigers won all of their regular season races, including a first place finish in the Ivy League Championships by 3.8 seconds. Princeton finished seventh in the 2019 NCAA Rowing Championships with 94 points. Now, Ebke will inherit a Broncho team coming off back-to-back titles. Central has been dominant the past two seasons, earning the university its 20th national title last season. The Bronchos will be returning the core of their national championship squad. Eileen Anderson, Madisyn Kitchell, Megan Dwarshuis and Shelby Wackerly all earned All-American honors in their junior season.

The CHK Central Boathouse is where the back-to-back National Champion Rowing team practices for its races. (Derek Parker/The Vista)

Rice will now be joining a UCF squad that will be gunning for its sixth straight American Athletic Conference title. In his three seasons at UCO, Rice coached the Varsity 8+ boat to national titles in all three years. Rice also coached the Varsity 4+ to a win in his final season at Central. Eighteen All-Americans were honored in Rice’s tenure at UCO. “Montia is a great person and a great coach and we wish him the absolute

best in his future,” said UCO Athletic Director Eddie Griffin. “We can’t thank him enough for what he did for our program. Back-to-back national championships is something only a select few can say they’ve done and we are incredibly grateful to Montia for helping us achieve that here at UCO. We wish him the very best.” Ebke and the Bronchos will now look to win their third straight national title.

Esports

August 19, 2019

A15

UCO Developing New Esports Classes and Minor JaNae Williams @janaebwilliams REPORTER

Students at the University of Central Oklahoma can start taking classes in esports this fall, which will soon count toward a minor program. UCO’s esports program began with the development of a student organization and the crafting of a 1-3-5 year plan in the fall of 2018. The three year plan immediately included the intention to implement esports classes, according to David Hanan, Esports at UCO adviser. Hanan further saw the importance as he began to discuss employment needs with top industry companies like Riot Games and Blizzard Entertainment. Riot Games is the maker of League of Legends, the world’s most played PC game. Blizzard Entertainment created many of competitive gaming’s most well-known titles, including Overwatch and the World of Warcraft and Starcraft franchises. The companies told Hanan that they needed people with skills including video production, journalism, Ucharacter design and shoutcasting, the esports equivalent to commentating. “The demand is so high, so the

UCO adds two esports classes for the fall. Introduction to Esports and Esports in Media will count as upper division credits. (Provided/Esports at UCO)

wheels just started turning,” Hanan said. UCO’s esports minor was proposed and is now under review by Academic Affairs for approval. The minor will be first in the state of Oklahoma, placing UCO at the forefront of education regarding the industry, according to Billy Katsigiannis, president of the Esports at UCO organization. Having the state’s first esports program will allow UCO to leverage itself as a standout, according to Katsigiannis. It will put the university on par with other educational institutions, including Ohio State University, Shenandoah University, Caldwell University and Staffordshire Univer-

sity in the United Kingdom that have esports majors or minors. Newzoo, a market analytics firm, values the esports industry at over $1 billion and estimates that nearly 215 million people watch esports globally. “[Esports] is a whole industry just like football is a whole industry, or how literally any other traditional sport is because there’s more than just people who play games” Katsigiannis said. “There’s graphic designers, there’s event managers, there’s the photographers. There [are] so many components to it.” Esports at UCO will also provide an important support function for those interested in declaring the minor, Katsigiannis said.

“You can get your education side, your academics, but then you also need real world experience, or actual experiences out in the field,” Katsigiannis said. “The club allows students to compete in games, organize events, and gain some of those experiences.” The addition of esports classes helps to legitimize views of an industry that has been on the rise for some time, according to Ariel West, digital media coordinator for University Communications and Esports at UCO adviser. “Now, you [will be able] to go to college and get a tailored minor in the industry,” West said. “It’s bringing esports to the spotlight in the same way that people see football or basketball or any other physical sport.” Hanan will instruct Introduction to ESports and West will teach ESports in Media this fall. Enrollment for both classes is open and listed under Mass Communication course listings. As the minor develops and is approved, Hanan said he expects UCO to use this time of being on the cutting edge to set a standard for growth. “We need to integrate courses and coursework for our students that’s for tomorrow,” Hanan said. “Don’t build for the world as it is, build for the world that’s going to be.”

Volume 117, Issue 1

METRO “Our Words, Your Voice.”

New OKC and Edmond Hangouts

vistanews1903 @thevista1903 @thevista1903 The Vista ucentralmedia.com Monday, August 19, 2019

GETTING AROUND

UCO Map EDMOND

See Pg. 8-9

Frida Southwest, located at 500 Paseo, opened on July 12. In OKC’s Paseo District, the restaurant offers a combination of New American and Southwestern foods. (Haley Humphrey/The Vista)

New restaurants and hangout spots are opening around Oklahoma City and Edmond this year, including multiple additions this summer. The Vista staff have selected some spots

to be on the lookout for, including recent openings and concepts that should be opening soon. Our Oklahoma City selection includes Frida Southwest, The Collective OKC,

Mexican Radio, Smoking Boar and Magnolia Bistro. Edmond’s picks include Nashbird, Sunnyside Diner and Wicked Hangry. Continued on Pg. 10

Study Tour Journal: Germany and Italy Samantha Karbelk @TheVista1903 PHOTOGRAPHER

My name is Samantha Karbelk and I am a senior professional media major. From July 31 to Aug. 13 I went on the Travel Photography and Video in Germany and Italy study tour with the University of Central Oklahoma. Now, I have been abroad before, but never without a parent, so I was counting down the days for this class to start. The study tour consisted of 10 cities throughout Germany and Italy with 13 students and two professors. The focus was on photography, though the trip was open to all majors. The trip cost $4,000, which covered all transportation, half your meals and entrance to the museums and tours we are expected to go on. When we all met at the airport for the first of three flights to Frankfurt, Germany, we were all excited that the day we had been waiting for had finally arrived. Our first full day was spent in Cologne, Germany. As a class, we visited the historic Cologne Cathedral,

walked along the waterfront and ended at a chocolate factory and museum with the option to go through. Of course, we all went through because there was chocolate! Before we knew it, it was time for free time before heading back to Frankfurt for the night. Though our time in Frankfurt and Cologne was very short, it didn’t stop us from having the adventure we were all looking forward to. The next day we headed to the train station to head to our next location, Munich, Germany. While in Germany we learned in-

teresting facts about European life, such as restaurants don’t typically split the ticket for you, tip is included, riding the train is super convenient, pizza isn’t cut into slices and the weather is better than Oklahoma’s in the summer. We spent the first day in Munich walking around and exploring. The city was full of churches to tour, shops and plenty of restaurants. The next day was more emotional, as we took a two hour train and a 20 minute bus ride to Dachau Concentration Camp. This was a day for truly Continued on Pg. 6

St. Peter’s Basilica is the main attraction in Vatican City, the smallest country in the world and headquarters of the Catholic Church. (Samantha Karbelk/The Vista)

New Frenzy Brewing Company

See Pg. 5

COMMUNITY

UCO Alumna Wins Pageant

See Pg. 11

PRESIDENT

President Takes the Reins

See Pg. 3

the

August 19, 2019

Contents

VISTA

Content

Neuhold.....................................................................3 Edmond Railyard.........................................................................4 Frenzy Brewing............................................................................5 Study Tour. ...................................................................................6 Italy/Germany........................................................................7 UCO Map.................................................................................8-9 New Hangouts...........................................................................10 Aiya Kelley..................................................................................11 Career Tech/Quiet Zones...........................................................12 Theater/Spotify.........................................................................13 Games...................................................................................14 Charging Stations......................................................................15

Staff

James D. Jackson Jeff Elkins Derek Parker Tanner Laws Megan Thele Lauren Morris Michelle Pennza Christian Tabak JaNae Williams Haley Humphrey Gerald Wing Yi Leong Samantha Karbelk Teddy Burch Alex Brown

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor Online Editor Design Editor Senior Reporter Reporter Reporter Photography Photography Adviser Advertising

THE VISTA

EDITORIALS

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 thevista.ads@gmail.com.

On the Cover: Top: A map displayed by Broncho Lake. (James D. Jackson/The Vista) Top Middle: Frenzy brew cans stacked in a warehouse. (Provided/Matt Conner) Bottom Middle: UCO alumna Aiya Kelley won Mrs. Young International. (Provided/ Aiya Kelley)

Micheal O’Hara of Beta Upsilon Chi, middle, dances during ‘The Block’ party at UCO’s University Suites Courtyard in the finale of Wednesday’s scheduled events on Aug. 14 in Edmond, Oklahoma. (James D. Jackson/The Vista)

Bottom: UCO President Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar holding a conversation at the Bob Hoffman press conference on Aug. 5. (James D. Jackson/The Vista)

Volume 117, Issue 1

METRO “Our Words, Your Voice.”

New OKC and Edmond Hangouts

vistanews1903 @thevista1903 @thevista1903 The Vista ucentralmedia.com Monday, August 19, 2019

GETTING AROUND

UCO Map EDMOND

See Pg. 8-9

Frida Southwest, located at 500 Paseo, opened on July 12. In OKC’s Paseo District, the restaurant offers a combination of New American and Southwestern foods. (Haley Humphrey/The Vista)

New restaurants and hangout spots are opening around Oklahoma City and Edmond this year, including multiple additions this summer. The Vista staff have selected some spots

to be on the lookout for, including recent openings and concepts that should be opening soon. Our Oklahoma City selection includes Frida Southwest, The Collective OKC,

Mexican Radio, Smoking Boar and Magnolia Bistro. Edmond’s picks include Nashbird, Sunnyside Diner and Wicked Hangry. Continued on Pg. 10

Study Tour Journal: Germany and Italy Samantha Karbelk @TheVista1903 PHOTOGRAPHER

St. Peter’s Basilica is the main attraction in Vatican City, the smallest country in the world and headquarters of the Catholic Church. (Samantha Karbelk/The Vista)

New Frenzy Brewing Company

See Pg. 5

COMMUNITY

UCO Alumna Wins Pageant

See Pg. 11

PRESIDENT

President Takes the Reins

See Pg. 3

the

August 19, 2019

Contents

VISTA

Content

Staff

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor Online Editor Design Editor Senior Reporter Reporter Reporter Photography Photography Adviser Advertising

THE VISTA

EDITORIALS

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 thevista.ads@gmail.com.

Bottom: UCO President Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar holding a conversation at the Bob Hoffman press conference on Aug. 5. (James D. Jackson/The Vista)

President

August 19, 2019

President Neuhold-Ravikumar Takes the Reins Lauren Morris @TheVista1903 ONLINE EDITOR

University of Central Oklahoma President Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar officially took the reins on July 1, but is excited to start her first full semester as UCO’s 21st president. “My work is just beginning, but my goal at this point is to spend a lot of time listening and learning from the people here on campus,” Neuhold-Ravikumar said. “Our community has a voice and I want to make sure that I give time to people to be able to share.” Some of the things Neuhold-Ravikumar wants to start working on include making the application process easier for upcoming students, as well as growing the online programs UCO has to offer. “My job is to help make sure that we’ve got the right people at the table and that we’re removing as many obstacles to their work and providing the resources they need to accomplish these goals for all of us,” Neuhold-Ravikumar said. “It’s important to creating an inclusive community, and that is a goal for me.” The 2019-2020 budget for UCO showed decreased funding, resulting in a 3.5 percent tuition increase. In 2015, students paid a yearly average of $7,750 in tuition and fees, which has increased to an average $10,125 in 2019. The state department has also decreased funding per student from $3,420 in 2015 to $2,910 in 2019. “We work really hard to make sure we are not increasing tuition to the detriment of our students’ ability to access an affordable education,” Neuhold-Ravikumar said. “We’re trying to shoulder as much as the boulder, as an institution, before having to pass any of that onto our students.” She said that one of the reasons tuition goes up is because of mandatory cost increases, which comes in the form of contracts where UCO has agreed to pay more over time, or in costs the university cannot go without paying, like utilities. The mandatory cost increase this year was about $2.6 million for the university, while the money generated from the tuition increase was only about $2.4 million. “In order to make up that difference, and cover the difference of the shortfall of enrollment, we had to cut our budgets across the institution and we’ve had to use other sources of funds to offset that deficit,” Neuhold-Ravikumar said.

Rachel Hunt, left, and President Neuhold help carry student’s items during move in day on Aug. 10 at the University of Central Oklahoma. (Provided/Lauren Bieri)

Neuhold-Ravikumar prioritizes her time at UCO. “We come to work, in and out, every day. You know, we spend more time at work than we do with our families, and so we have an obligation to work with civility and conscious,” Neuhold-Ravikumar said. “It calls us to be better people for each other and for ourselves.” One of her favorite things to do around campus is walk around the Nigh University Center, as she said it is where a majority of the student activity happens. She also enjoys watching student performances at places like the Jazz Lab or Mitchell Hall. “Really, for me, around campus is just getting to feel the energy of the students,” Neuhold-Ravikumar said. “I enjoy hearing the drumcore at Plunkett Parkstart to practice for marching band. It’s always a sign that the fall semester is back in full swing.” Neuhold-Ravikumar also prioritizes her family. Even though her wife, Ruki Ravikumar, lives and works in New York, she said she makes time to go on short trips over the weekend to visit her. “It’s tough, but we’ve made a commitment to make time for each other,” Neuhold-Ravikumar said. “We talk several times a day…we talk in the morning before work, we talk in the evening after work and we make time to see each other. So whether I’m headed to New York, or

she’s headed here to Oklahoma, we just carve that out.” Neuhold-Ravikumar is still working on her Ph.D. as an online student at Concordia University-Chicago and is working on a dissertation. While she said she does not want to reveal specifics until it is fully set in motion, her dissertation will focus on organizational commitment. Being an online student gives her a perspective on parts of the modern higher educational system. “I miss the personal interaction with other students and with my instructor,” Neuhold-Ravikumar said. “So much of learning happens in a room with other people, where you’re sharing different perspectives and you generate ideas and thoughts and expand your own thinking in those spontaneous moments and conversations, and I think that’s what I miss.” However, she said the online environment has been great for her schedule and work and family life balance. “My schedule and my work and family life balance has required that I have the mobility of an online degree,” Neuhold-Ravikumar said. “I feel very assured that the quality that I am getting through an online degree is equal to what I would experience in person.” Neuhold-Ravikumar also noted that her degree does not match up with her line of work, which can be common. She received a bachelor’s

degree from Tulsa University in psychology with a minor in management, and went on to get a master’s degree at Oklahoma Christian University in industrial organizational psychology. Neuhold-Ravikumar said she overcame this barrier by working hard and being willing to take on responsibilities outside of her area of expertise in order to learn them. “It’s been interesting to expand my own development in that way and outside of a formal classroom, but it’s the skill of learning that has enabled me to do those things,” Neuhold-Ravikumar said. “So while I didn’t get a degree in those things, I was taught while I was in college how to learn, and because of that I’ve been able to experience personal growth.” She has been able to relate and incorporate her degree into her job, however. “Having a strong background in psychology helps me understand motivations, needs, how I need to adjust what I’m doing in order to help other people,” Neuhold-Ravikumar said. “So at the heart of everything I do, my degree actually connects with every bit of it, because it’s all about people.” Neuhold-Ravikumar said she is looking forward to the beginning of her first full semester. “When students are your focus, you can’t go wrong,” Neuhold-Ravikumar said.

August 19, 2019

Railyard/ Rail Spur

New Developments Coming to Downtown Edmond

Jeff Elkins @JeffElkins12

MANAGING EDITOR

Two new mixed-use projects are being developed near the railroad in downtown Edmond, adding restaurant, entertainment as well as office and retail space to the area. Edmond Railyard is nearing completion for the fall and the Rail Spur District is projected for completion by summer 2020. Janet Yowell, Edmond Economic Development Authority executive director, said while the owners of the two projects are different, their vision is the same. “I think they both see an opportunity here to create some synergy in downtown Edmond that we have not had up to this point,” Yowell said. “The people who are doing the Railyard have got a variety of concepts they are bringing in.” Edmond Railyard, located at 23 W. First Street, is a mixed-use development consisting of six restaurants, one craft bar and office space. Cities, an ice cream and cookie concept by the owners of Capitals Ice Cream, is expected to open this fall. Community Through Beer Group, who started the Patriarch in Edmond, are opening 1884, a craft beer, cocktail and wine concept. There will be a cigar lounge on the second floor mezzanine that overlooks seating below. Hott Wings, a restaurant by Eddie Wrenn, is also in the works for the Railyard. Wrenn has been serving Edmond wings for four years from both his food truck, as well as his bar and grill, Eddie’s, near the University of Central Oklahoma campus. Other concepts include Gogi Go Korean BBQ and Oak City Pizza Co. “The owners of the Railyard building saw an opportunity, were able to acquire it and for what they wanted to do, I think this probably worked out easier for them to renovate as opposed to take it all down,” Yowell said. The Railyard building is an open concept, which allows the tenants to do their own individual finish out. “The Rail Spur District sits on the other side of the tracks, just a block to the south. There are about three acres there,” Yowell said. “There are two historic buildings on the historic register that they are going to renovate. That can get costly, but they will get historic tax credits.” The century-old buildings receiving the tax credits are the Edmond Ice House and stables. The 14,000-square-foot area will have one as a private rental venue, while another is expected to have four

On Aug. 16, Located at 23 W. First St., the Edmond Railyard tenants are finishing out their spaces and businesses are expected to open fall 2019. (Tanner Laws/The Vista)

restaurant concepts, including a white tablecloth restaurant. There will be open air space, as well as covered patio seating. The Rail Spur project is getting an incentive from the City of Edmond for infrastructure changes. “Our incentive includes building a public parking lot with 82 spaces and improving alleys that lead to the area, up to an amount of $700,000,” Yowell said. Yowell said these projects will give UCO students things to do downtown and she said she hopes an uptick in

activity to the area will send ripples through Edmond's economy and culture. “We're seeing people take a look at additional kinds of development because of this,” Yowell said. “A residential development is coming from the same group that owns the Railyard. On Fifth and Littler, Park17, which will be 17 apartment units, is already under construction. So we’re seeing these pockets of synergy and it interests other developers.” Sherry Jordan, president and CEO of Edmond Area Chamber of Com-

Two buildings being renovated for the Rail Spur District, the Edmond Ice House and stables, will receive historic tax credits. (Vista Archives)

merce, said she sees an opportunity to garner the attention of younger generations. “There is a critical element missing right now in our offerings to young people,” Jordan said. “Many people go to Chisholm Creek or the Paseo for their experience of having somewhere indoor/outdoor where they can dine and meet their friends. We feel like this will re-energize our city and attract young professionals into our area.” Jordan said when thinking about the things you create for the future, you want bright young people to stay here and that needs to be the focus. Matt Boydstun, Edmond Young Professionals Advisory Board chair, said the group had the chance to hear from the developers and the Economic Development Authority at an event a few months ago and the enthusiasm in the room was palpable. “With a few exceptions, Heard on Hurd being the main one, Edmonites must leave the city limits for trendy, cultural experiences,” Boydstun said. “These two projects should help boost the appeal of Edmond to be a destination and not just an excellent place to live.” Boydstun said young professionals who are plugged into the Edmond economy prefer to keep sales tax revenue within Edmond city limits. He said he hopes the locations of these projects will have a spillover effect on restaurants like The Fixx and Deckles in other parts of the city. “What is particularly exciting about these projects is their focus on providing more than high-quality restaurants and retail experiences, but true destinations with live music and gathering spaces,” Boydstun said.

Frenzy

August 19, 2019

Frenzy Beer’s A-Brewin’ in Downtown Edmond JaNae Williams @janaebwilliams Reporter

The historic Bender Building in downtown Edmond will be home to the city’s first brewery and taproom, set to open by the end of the first quarter of 2020. Frenzy Brewing Company started in 2011 when Matt and Beth Conner began home brewing and eventually joined the Red Earth Brewers. After finding some success with local, regional and even national competitions, they decided to make something more of the passion project, according to Conner. “I think I just got to this point where I saw the alcohol laws changing and realized I had a knack for making really good beer, and my wife’s got a great marketing mind,” said Matt Conner, Frenzy’s head brewer, founder and co-owner. The couple made the decision to go from passion project to opening a brewery. Conner’s personality and excitement for life sparked the name for the company. “When I brew, I tend to kind of get myself worked up and we were trying to come up with a name,” Conner said. “We finally hit on Frenzy and it stuck.” With a name and an idea of what they wanted their brewery to look like, the couple began the process of getting to know potential investors. “Getting a business partner was a huge step, a critical one, I mean it had to happen,” Conner said. “But it had to be the right person, so we took our time.” The partnership with co-owner and operations manager Jeremy Estle almost didn’t come to be. Estle, a UCO alumnus, was originally approached as only an investor for Frenzy. After a few discussions, there was some uncertainty of whether the investment route was the right choice for Estle. Others had begun discussions with him to start his own brewery, then the conversation shifted. “We realized that we really complement each other in our skillsets and decided that we’d probably be better together than we would be apart,” Estle said. “And we actually inked that partnership agreement on Oct. 1, 2018, which was the same day that all the new alcohol laws went into effect.” The duo met through Red Earth Brewers, which is also where they met Ross Harper, owner of Angry Scotsman Brewing, the Oklahoma City brewery that Frenzy is contracting with.

From left to right, Matt Conner, Beth Conner, Emily Estle and Jeremy Estle stand in front of the historic Bender Building on Aug. 8 in Edmond. (Provided/Mark Moore)

Contract brewing is an agreement that allows a brewery-in-planning like Frenzy to utilize the equipment at Angry Scotsman for its recipes. “It’s very common actually for bigger or established breweries to help out some of the smaller startups because it gets them on the market faster, but also lets me better utilize my equipment,” Harper said. “If I have an empty tank sitting, I’m losing money in that tank.” By contracting the use of their space and equipment, Angry Scotsman increases revenue and helps another local business cut the time between filing for permits and production. The same model has been used in the initial period following launch by several Oklahoma breweries including: Lively Beer Works with Stonecloud Brewing Company; Dead Armadillo Craft Brewing with Roughtail Brewing Company; and Black Mesa Brewing Company and Nothing’s Left Brewing Company with Anthem Brewing Company. One difference in the relationship between the two companies is the availability of Frenzy’s brews in the Angry Scotsman taproom. “You don’t see Black Mesa on tap at Anthem, you don’t see Lively on tap at Stonecloud,” Harper said. “We’ve homebrewed together for years, we’ve gone in on batches together. So that is more of a nod to a friend.” Frenzy’s brews don’t directly overlap or compete for space among the 24 taps on his wall, according to Harper. However, one key point is that the contract brewing relationship is the only thing allowing Frenzy’s beers to be sold at the Angry Scotsman location. “Under the new laws, you cannot sell anybody else’s beer in your taproom, so there’s no guest taps,” Harper said. “Legally we can get away with doing that because it’s brewed on-site.” While the contract relationship

will eventually end, the friendship between brewers will continue. That camaraderie is essential to the success of the craft beer industry, according to Harper. Both breweries agree, there’s still plenty of room at the table for newcomers to join. “Everything is moving back toward hyper-local,” Estle said. “With the organic movement and things being more locally produced, and stuff like that, that is a direct influence on what beer is going to have happen to it as well.” From that rises a desire for Frenzy to use their taproom as an opportunity to build up the Edmond community. Conner and Estle envision a gathering place modeled on the old English pub where locals can gather over a brew and discuss events and concerns facing their city. They plan to do charitable events and work with local artists. Discussions are already underway to work with various local non-profits and initiatives, including the historical society. They also see potential to build a lasting relationship with the

University of Central Oklahoma. “UCO’s really worked over the last couple of decades to try to create more of a campus environment,” Estle said. “We’ll be close to the university now. People will be able to hop on the Lime scooters now and start at The Patriarch or start at us, and have more to do in downtown Edmond.” Conner said that downtown Edmond was once a bustling hub of business, but growth led to decentralization. This shift outward and the loss of traffic to downtown businesses led to a large number of vacancies. “Edmond doesn’t really have a very good entertainment scene at all,” Conner said. “For us it’s just a matter of kind of being one of the center pieces of that trend toward entertainment.” Breweries are commonly a first step in revitalization processes for communities, according to Conner. He and Estle aim to help make Edmond a destination with the opening of Frenzy. The brewery is set to have the second largest taproom in the state. Its 24 taps will rotate brews as quickly as new recipes receive the official Frenzy stamp of approval. “We’re going to dabble in sour beers, barrel-aged beers, different variants of IPAs. We’re going to do German beers,” Conner said. “If you don’t have new beers on tap all the time, people lose interest in your brewery.” “We’ll probably run the gamut on the styles,” Estle said. Currently, Frenzy has two staple brews - Unspeakable Things, a New England IPA and Yeah, Yeah, Yeah (Cause I’m a Blonde), a Belgian Blonde ale. Canned Frenzy Brewing Company beer can be purchased at liquor stores across Edmond and is available in the taproom at Angry Scotsman in Oklahoma City for a draft.

Beer taps line the wall at Angry Scotsman Brewing in downtown Oklahoma City. (JaNae Williams/The Vista)

August 19, 2019

Study Tour

Study Tour Journal: Germany and Italy continued from pg. 1

learning more about a dark part of history. Walking through the gate and seeing the buildings left a feeling of sadness hanging over us. Dachau is one of the most preserved concentration camps that is still standing. We started by walking through the manual labor building that now houses artifacts and signs about the camp’s history and prisoners’ stories. Next we went to the sleeping quarters to see where prisoners slept in overcrowded bunks, and learned more about the punishments, for not even making your bed perfectly was gruesome. The hardest part for me was the crematorium. I gagged and almost ran out of the building sick. This is where they would hang the prisoners, then burn any bodies that needed to be disposed of. We could still see the burn marks on the brick ovens that they put the bodies in. The next room over, which was connected, was the gas chamber. It truly did look like it could be more of a mass shower. It was sickening. However, Dachau never used their gas chamber because the camp was shut down before they ever used it. Though going through the concentration camp was extremely hard and emotional, I appreciate the opportunity I had to learn more about the Holocaust and the stories of those who were imprisoned in the camp. The next day we were off to Neuschwanstein Castle for a guided tour. The area around the castle was gorgeous - the castle was up in the mountains with a beautiful view of the Füssen. While inside, we learned about the history of Ludwig II, the king who owned it but never got to see his castle finished. The castle is currently being worked on to finish it the way he had wanted. Germany has a ton of history from past rulers, to being bombed in World War II and the Holocaust. This study tour helped me not only learn more about German history but also see it. At the halfway point of our trip, we flew to Florence, Italy on Aug. 6 for five nights. Once we landed, we went straight to our hotel to drop our bags off

University of Central Oklahoma students after a 20 minute hike down from Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. (Provided/Samantha Karbelk)

and freshen up, but then it was off to a quick tour of the city. Florence is a busy and beautiful city. While walking through the streets, you quickly realize people do not have the right of way like in America, but you also notice how old and colorful all the buildings are — it is extravagant. Our second day in Florence was a free day to explore the city and go to any museums that weren’t on the schedule. Some groups went shopping, others went on wine tastings and a few toured the Duomo and Uffizi Gallery to see The Birth of Venus painting. Having our free days let us see what we wanted and truly explore the city, while letting us focus on our individual projects and get some downtime in. That evening we all met up for a group dinner, then hiked up to the Michelangelo Plaza to watch the sunset and practice our night photography. It was truly a beautiful sight. The next day was a trip to Venice. The train system had some issues, so the day didn’t start off on our side, but it ended up being a good one. We had the day to explore before heading back and everything we saw was breathtaking. Wandering through Venice is truly like going through a maze of buildings. Each turn is another alleyway for you to explore and each building seems to be a different color wanting to be seen. Venice feels as though you are stepping back in time because the only transportation on the islands is by boat or walking. We woke up early on Aug. 9 to see the statue of David. Seeing the

statue was extraordinary, just like so many things we saw on this trip; it was bigger than we had expected and stood alone in the center of a room. After the museum, we were off for another free day to explore. The following day was a trip to Pisa and Livorno. Pisa was a quick part of the day, with enough time to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa and tour the Pisa Cathedral. We were quickly off to Livorno, a small, quiet town along the coast. While there, we got lunch and saw the ocean, which felt amazing compared to the blazing hot weather we were dealing with and it gave our feet a break from walking. The next morning, we woke up, grabbed our bags and walked to the train station so we could head to Rome, our final destination on the trip. After arriving in Rome, we dropped our stuff off at the hotel then walked to a nearby restaurant for a group lunch. After our lunch was a bit of downtime at the hotel until evening. It was so hot in Rome that we could feel the heat coming off the concrete through our sneakers that first day. Once it had cooled down, we all met up to go see the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and the Pantheon. From there it was free time, but we all decided to venture over to a gelato shop called Gelateria Della Palma, who had 150 flavors. We all got multiple flavors, including caramel mousse, Sicilian cassata, champagne, rose, chocolate mousse and kiwi, and they were all amazing. After the gelato, we all split up into groups and explored the city

before heading back to the hotel to prepare for our early morning the next day, which would also be our last. The next morning we got dressed with our knees and shoulders covered because we were off to the Vatican. The Vatican was huge, bigger than I could have imagined. It was full of sculptures, paintings, tapestries and the most extraordinarily painted ceilings, although none of them compared to the famous ceiling inside the Sistine Chapel. Once through the Vatican, we could go tour the Colosseum or wait until night when the heat had passed. The only bad side was that if you waited until night, you couldn’t go inside; only three of us ended up going inside. Walking inside the Colosseum was astounding. The architecture of the building was cool to touch and looking down inside, knowing the history that took place inside of the area gave me chills. Having the opportunity to go inside is something I am truly thankful for. That night we decided to go out for American food and see what kind of twist Italy put on it. We all laughed when we spotted an Oklahoma salad, which consisted of lettuce, red cabbage, cherry tomatoes, carrots, mixed nuts, tofu, red kidney beans, red onion, peppers, sweetcorn, lime juice and parsley. We all agreed that we wouldn’t have paired tofu with Oklahoma, but the food was delicious and we had a good last night in Rome. The next morning we ventured to the airport to board an 11-hour flight to Atlanta, then another flight back to Oklahoma City. This trip is one I will never forget and I will always be thankful to UCO for offering study tours like this. Being able to go be immersed in different cultures for two weeks was amazing and eye-opening. It is an experience I believe everyone should get the chance to participate in. UCO offers multiple study tours throughout the year, although not all the tours will be like the one I shared. From one Broncho to another, I hope that you go explore the world and share your study tour experience. Follow our study tour on Instagram at #ucophototour2019.

Study Tour

August 19, 2019

Study Tour Journal: Germany and Italy

The Trevi Fountain is the largest Baroque fountain in Rome and one of the most famous in the world. The fountain was built in the year 1762. (Samantha Karbelk/The Vista)

Lasagna from Auditore Ristorante Braceria. (Samantha Karbelk/The Vista)

A view of New Town Hall in Munich, Germany from 299 steps up in St. Peter’s Tower. (Samantha Karbelk/The Vista)

Handmade gnocchi from Italy. (Samantha Karbelk/The Vista)

A view of Munich, Germany from St. Peter’s Tower. (Samantha Karbelk/The Vista)

St. Peter’s Church is the oldest parish church in Munich Germany’s historic Old Town. (Samantha Karbelk/The Vista)

The entrance at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany. (Samantha Karbelk/The Vista)

August 19, 2019

UCO Map

UCO Campus Map Popular buildings around campus to help you find your way.

DR.

Y RSIT

UNI

AR TRA

IVE

ITY

NIN

. RS

E AY

AR DW

CHAMBERS LIBRARY

E PB

FIR

EDUCATION BUILDING

OLD NORTH

UCO Map

August 19, 2019

MASS COMMUNICATIONS BUSINESS BUILDING S

R AYE

BAU

LIBERAL ARTS BUILDING

O EC

. ST

STEM TEACHING AND RESEARCH CENTER NIGH UNIVERSITY CENTER

Michelle Pennza/Vista Graphics

B10

August 19, 2019

New Hangouts

New OKC and Edmond Hangouts

Mexican Radio, located at 1734 NW 16th St., plans to open Aug 26. (Haley Humphrey/The Vista)

Nashbird, located at 17 E. 5th St., plans to open sometime in the fall. (Lauren Morris/The Vista)

The Collective OKC, located at 308 NW 10th St., soft opened on July 24. (Haley Humphrey/The Vista)

Wicked Hangry, located at 3325 S. Blvd., opened May 11. (Lauren Morris/The Vista)

The Smoaking Boar, located at 2925 W. Britton Rd., opened July 5. (Lauren Morris/ The Vista)

Continued from pg. 1

Sunnyside Diner, located at 7 E. 2nd St., had their grand opening on May 21. (Lauren Morris/The Vista)

Magnolia Bistro, located at 722 N. Broadway Ave, opened July 11. (Haley Humphrey/ The Vista)

Aiya Kelley

August 19, 2019

B11

UCO Alumna Wins Young Mrs. International Jeff Elkins @JeffElkins12

MANAGING EDITOR

Those who know Aiya Kelley the most will tell you that she is not what you would consider a pageant girl. The pageant crown and evening gown scene may have initially seemed far fetched, but what started as an agreement between close friends would turn into something life-changing. “I wanted my friend to compete. She told me that if I would compete, she would in 2019, so I did,” Kelley said. The University of Central Oklahoma alumna entered her first pageant, Oklahoma Regency International, inside the Nigh University Center on UCO’s campus in 2018. “When my name was called as the winner of the title, Mrs. Oklahoma Regency International, I was stunned,” Kelley said. “The opportunities that followed and the doors that opened due to this title were so amazing that I decided to go ahead and see what I could do at the international level.” In June, Kelley competed in the Young Mrs. International pageant in Houston, Texas with humble hopes despite her recent success. “Since I really had no expectations, I enjoyed the entire pageant in Houston and it was fairly stress-free for me,” Kelley said. “At the age of 47, I have finally come to the place that as long as we do our very best, we can walk away from a win or a loss with no regrets.” As it turns out, this would result in another tally in the win column for Kelley. “I was thrilled to be crowned Young Mrs. International 2019-2020, and once again, doors are opening and opportunities are knocking and I am working my hardest to be worthy of this crown in addition to bringing my alma mater, the University of Central Oklahoma, into the forefront by showing what its graduates can accomplish,” Kelley said. Kelley received her Bachelor of Arts in piano performance, as well as her Master of Arts in jazz studies and sound engineering from UCO. Her education in music has allowed her to make a living doing what she loves. “Music is one of my passions. I am told that I was dancing from the time that I was tiny and I don’t remember not singing,” Kelley said. Kelley grew up as the daughter of a pastor and a missionary. She wasn’t allowed to listen to secular music, so her first influences came from gospel music.

Aiya Kelley went to UCO for her bachelors in piano performance and masters in jazz studies and sound engineering. (Provided/ Aiya Kelley)

“With music as my passion, you know that I did not just feed on gospel music, but my all-time favorite singer is Whitney Houston,” Kelley said. “Often, musicians are told that we are so talented and I want to shout that many are talented, but musicianship is not built on talent, but on developing that talent. The Whitney Houstons of the world make it look simple, but being a great artist takes years of hard work.” Developing that craft provided a cathartic outlet for Kelley. “Piano gave me an escape from difficult situations and I express all levels of emotions at the keyboard,” Kelley said. “Being adopted, I have always been an over-achiever as I wanted to please my parents so much.” Kelley was born and raised in Okinawa, Japan before moving to the United States. “Growing up in Japan was a wonderful life. My parents were retired Air Force and had returned as missionaries,” Kelley said. “They got me when I was 15 months old and my mother passed away during the time that they had me. They adopted me and provided me with the tools to be happy and successful.” Kelley and her family moved from Japan to Bethany briefly before settling in her father's hometown of Guthrie, where she resides today. “At this point in my life, Guthrie is home and I enjoy the country feel while being close to towns such as Edmond,” Kelley said. “Of course, I am so grateful that for my entire college career, bachelors and masters. I lived 15 to 20 minutes from the University of Central Oklahoma and was able to commute.” With her experience in public speaking and playing piano at her church as a music director, as well as

at weddings, funerals, dinners and conferences, Kelley's skill set almost seemed tailored for the competitive pageant scene. While some with pageant experience might tell you the hardest part is answering questions on the spot, Kelley said learning the pageant walk was the most challenging. “They have a very special walk that they have to do onstage. There is a different style of walking for every event, whether it is formal wear, fashion, runway and many more,” Kelley said. “For example, when you walk across a stage, you need to be walking one direction with your body facing another, the audience, while looking natural. Try it, it is not simple!” Through her pageantry experience, Kelley said she learned that life is full of surprises and that there are endless adventures that can be experienced if we are willing to have faith in our-

selves. Kelley's advice to anyone looking to enter a pageant is to simply be yourself. “Judges want to see the real you,” Kelley said. “Do not worry about what anyone else is doing, saying or wearing. Do not take yourself too seriously, but work hard for what you want.” In her downtime, Kelley enjoys spending time with her dogs, parents, husband and daughter who is also a UCO graduate, now in her third year of law school. Kelley's life motto is to always leave a place better than she found it and to leave every person she meets happier than when she first met them. “Life is short at its longest, and we must remember that loving and serving others is the second most important reason that we are on this earth,” Kelley said.

In June, Aiya Kelley won Young Mrs. International in Houston. (Provided/Aiya Kelley)

B12

August 19, 2019

Quiet Zones/STEM

Quiet Zone Implementation Under Way in Edmond Kyle Tangco @kyle_tangco

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Edmond City Council is establishing new quiet zones in all 11 railway crossroads, with plans to add road medians and improved signal lights to meet federal requirements. According to Casey Moore, Edmond’s public information officer, a wayside horn will also be added to the crossroad at Coffee Creek Road. This will serve as an alternate signal to notify drivers of an oncoming train, and will only be heard by residents near the crossroad. Initial work has been done on the railway crossings at First St. and Fifth St., according to Moore. The council has been working with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Company and Centralized Traffic Control on the project, which is predicted to last about nine to 12 months since its work approval in March. BNSF will be in charge of upgrading all signal lights at the crossings, while city management will focus on road construction and the addition of medians around the railways. The council is consulting with CTC for all of the crossroads’ design work. The project will cost about $3.5 million. Moore said that different improvements will be made to each of the crossings, with each crossing receiving different amounts of funding. The city council’s agenda shows an accurate cost of improvements for each

Edmond is carrying out plans for Quiet Zones, or sections of railway in which locomotive horns are not routinely sounded. Crossings must meet certain requirements before they become designated Quiet Zones by the FRA. (John Redfearn/The Vista)

intersection. “Each one of those crossings is unique in how they’re laid out, what equipment they have, what equipment they need to have or don’t need to have based upon everything around it,” Moore said. “Each one of those 11 have a different amount that is going to cost to upgrade those crossings, so that comes to $2.6 million.” City management paid an additional estimate of $200,000 for design work consulting with CTC, followed by $600,000 for remaining roadwork surrounding the crossroads. Though BNSF has started working on two intersections, the company is first waiting for further orders to de-

termine which crossroads need full improvement. BNSF is also waiting for additional materials to be ordered. Joe Sloan, BNSF’s regional director of public affairs, said local road authorities and the Federal Railroad Administration will have to determine what signal lights need to be upgraded. Updated protocols will also be given to train operators once all quiet zones are built. “Once they establish a quiet zone and there’s a documentation or a notification from the FRA sent to the railroad, then that is sent to the crews that operate in that area and the supervisors say that this is established as a quiet zone and these are the cross-

ings, which no longer require a horn,” Sloan said. BNSF is also responsible for raising $105 million worth of capital expenditures in Oklahoma this March, in order to improve their railways in the state. Quiet zones have already been established in Oklahoma City and Norman. Oklahoma City approved of their zones on Jan. 3, 2017, while Norman established quiet zones on Feb. 17, 2017. Until the project is complete, federal regulations must require trains to sound their horns within a quarter mile before their stopping point, as found in an FRA brochure.

Oklahoma CareerTech Receives $19 Million Budget Boost Jeff Elkins @JeffElkins12

MANAGING EDITOR

At Oklahoma Summit, the 52nd annual CareerTech summer conference, it was announced that the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education received $19 million in additional appropriations from the state legislature for fiscal year 2020. “We do an appropriations request every year, so we requested $21 million from the legislature and received $19 million,” said Paula Bowles, Oklahoma CareerTech chief communications and marketing officer. “We are very happy with that. We are required to provide a flex benefit allowance to all the employees at the technology centers, so $11.8 million of this helps fully fund this allowance.” Bowles said just over $2 million was designated for pay raises for state employees and certified personnel as

mandated by the legislature. Another $5.2 million of the appropriation will go toward the expansion of K-12 offerings aligned with workforce demand. This is expected to expand the ability to serve 10,800 additional student enrollments. “This will allow us to increase our program offerings to students, and will help to better our services to the tech industry,” Bowles said. “We are in technology centers, K-12 schools and even in prisons.” A report by the Vera Institute of Justice found that 58 percent of prison inmates don’t complete an education program while in prison. The increase allows CareerTech to add 12 new programs in state correctional facilities that would serve 500600 more inmates. Oklahoma CareerTech Skills Centers, through 1,882 enrollments, offer specialized training to adult and juvenile offenders. The CareerTech summer conference is held in partnership with the

Oklahoma Association of Career and Technology Education. Sky McNiel, OkACTE Executive Director, said the additional funds are of prime importance because they will subsidize stalled programs. “This will allow us to open up programs that have been on the waiting list and have been unfunded for many years,” McNiel said. “Those programs are going to open up for thousands of students. It will be monumental for the state, for workforce development and reaching more students.” According to a CareerTech spokesperson, the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education provides leadership and resources, and assures a standard of excellence for a comprehensive statewide system of career and technology education. The system offers programs and services in 29 technology center districts operating on 58 campuses, 393 K-12 school districts, 16 Skills Centers campuses that include three juvenile

facilities and 31 Adult Basic Education service providers. “Our mission is to provide quality leadership and professional development opportunities for our outstanding CareerTech educators, and our annual summer conference is the cornerstone of our gatherings,” McNiel said. “Members come away refreshed and learn new skills and techniques to help them in their careers. We also take the time to recognize excellence among the many outstanding educators who serve our state.” CareerTech expects to increase certifications and credentials by 5 percent annually and increase training for industry programs by 10 percent. Oklahoma CareerTech students earned 19,755 certificates and/or industry-recognized credentials in fiscal year 2017. That same year, Oklahoma CareerTech students earned 13,607 Career Readiness Certificates.

Mitchell Hall/Spotify

B13

August 19, 2019

Mitchell Hall Theater Season Listed below is a rundown of the Fall 2019 season for Mitchell Hall. All dates can also be found on the Mitchell Hall website. SEPTEMBER 12

President’s Concert:

The University of Central Oklahoma’s President’s Concert will be at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 12. The concert, in honor of President Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar, will feature the UCO School of Music along with the university’s symphony orchestra, concert chorale, jazz ensemble, wind symphony and musical theatre departments. SEPTEMBER 26-28

“Grease”:

UCO Musical Theatre will be performing “Grease” for two weeks, with shows at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 26-28 and Oct. 3-5, and at 2 p.m. on Sept. 29 and Oct. 6. The musical was originally cre-

ated in 1971 by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, though most know it from the 1978 movie adaptation starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. OCTOBER 10

Wind Symphony:

UCO’s first Wind Symphony concert of the semester will be at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 10. The concert’s theme will be “African Epic.” OCTOBER 12

Fall Student Dance Choreography Showcase / Choirs in Concert:

The Fall Student Dance Choreography Showcase, as well as the Choirs in Concert, will be at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 12. UCO students will showcase their choreographic and choral skills. The UCO Choral Society is comprised of four major ensembles: Concert Chorale, Chamber Singers, Cantile-

Want to listen to music from The Vista? When searching on Spotify, click the camera icon on the right and hover over this icon to be taken to a playlist created by editors from The Vista.

na (Women’s Chorus) and Concert Choir. The Fall Student Dance Choreography Showcase will also perform at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 13. OCTOBER 15

Symphony Orchestra:

NOVEMBER 21-23

Kaleidoscope Fall Concert:

The Kaleidoscope Fall Concert, featuring choreography from UCO faculty and guest artists, will be at 7:30 p.m. from Nov. 21-23. DECEMBER 3

The UCO Symphony Orchestra will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 15. OCTOBER 31-NOVEMBER 3

“Peter and the Starcatcher”:

UCO Theatre Arts Department will put on “Peter and the Starcatcher” at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 31 through Nov. 2 and 2 p.m. on Nov. 3. “Peter and the Starcatcher” is a musical based off of the children’s book series “Peter and the Starcatchers” by authors Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. It is a reimagining of the characters in the original Peter Pan novels by J.M. Barrie.

Wind Symphony:

The second concert from UCO’s Wind Symphony will be at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 3. DECEMBER 12

Dance Senior Project Fall Concert:

The Dance Senior Project Fall Concert will be at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 12. UCO dance students preparing to graduate will showcase their senior projects.

Rescue Me OneRepublic

Beautiful People Say Something Ed Sheeran ft Khalid Justin Timberlake

The Archer Taylor Swift

Only Human Jonas Brothers

Disappear Logan Henderson

Dang! Mac Miller ft. Anderson .Paak

Everything In Its Right Place Radiohead

Rodeo Lil Nas X, Cardi B

Um Pôr do Sol Na Praia Silva, Ludmilla

Alice Smith & Thell

Crash My Car COIN

She’s Casual The Hunna

Give Me One Reason Tracy Chapman

Saturday Nights Khalid

i’m so tired… Lauv, Troye Sivan Desdemona The Beaches

Birdland Buddy Rich My Girls Animal Collective Best Friend Rex Orange County Easily Bruno Major

Better Luck Next Time Kelsea Ballerini

You Need to Calm Down Taylor Swift

Baby Clean Bandit, Marina, Luis Fonsi

Feels Calvin Harris, Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry

Hot Shower Chance the Rapper Hopopono GoGo Penguin Like a Girl Pools to Bathe In Lizzo The Japanese House Honesty Pink Sweat$ Longshot Catfish and the BotJ’ai cherché tleman Amir

Way Back Home YBN Cordae, Ty Dolla $ign Get Back Up Emarosa Hark Tom Misch, Alfa Mist

B14

Star Words

August 19, 2019

Games

CORNSTARCH CUSTARD LOADSTAR MUSTARD RESTART STARBOARD STARCHES STARDOM STARE STARFISH SHARK STARTLE STARTUP SUPERSTAR UPSTART

WEEKLY HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21 to April 19) A chaotic atmosphere taxes the patience of the Aries Lamb, who prefers to deal with a more orderly environment. Best advice: Stay out of the situation until things settle. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Tension runs high in both personal and workplace relationships. This can make it difficult to get your message across. Best to wait until you have a more receptive audience. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) This is a good time to take a break from your busy schedule to plan for some well-deserved socializing. You could get news about an important personal matter by the week’s end. CANCER (June 21 to July 22) An offer of help could come just when you seem to need it. But be careful about saying yes to anything that might have conditions attached that could cause problems down the line. LEO (July 23 to August 22) Sometimes a workplace colleague can’t be charmed into supporting the Lion’s position. That’s when it’s time to shift tactics and overwhelm the doubter with the facts. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) You continue to earn respect for your efforts to help someone close to you stand up to a bully. But be careful that in pushing this matter you don’t start to do some bullying yourself. LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Don’t ask others if they think you’re up to a new responsibility. Having faith in your own abilities

(Week of Aug. 19, 2019)

is the key to dealing with a challenge. P.S.: That “private” matter needs your attention. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) This is a good time to use that Scorpian creativity to come up with something special that will help get your derailed career plans back on track and headed in the right direction. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) While change is favored, it could be a good idea to carefully weigh the possible fallout as well as the benefits of any moves before you make them. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) The Goat continues to create a stir by following his or her own path. Just be sure you keep your focus straight and avoid any distractions that could cause you to make a misstep. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) A colleague’s demands seem out of line. But before reacting one way or another, talk things out and see how you might resolve the problem and avoid future misunderstandings. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) A personal matter appears to be making more demands on your time than you feel you’re ready to give. See if some compromise can be reached before things get too dicey. BORN THIS WEEK: You’re able to communicate feelings better than most people. Have you considered a career in the pulpit or in politics? (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.

Soccer/Volleyball

August 27, 2019

Bronchos Shutout OCU in Soccer Scrimmage

James D. Jackson @JamesDJackson15 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The No. 9 ranked University of Central Oklahoma soccer squad shutout Oklahoma Christian University 5-0 in their scrimmage at Tom Thompson field Tuesday afternoon. “Every scrimmage you’re just trying to learn something,” said head coach Mike Cook. “Right now we’re trying to get more fit. We really don’t feel like we’re fit enough. So, we’re trying to get some fitness out of it.” The teams played four 20-minute periods in the scrimmage. UCO scored at least one goal in all four periods. Defensively, MIAA Goalkeeper of the Year and All-Region Selection Kelsi Gibsononly had to make two saves, both in the second half. OCU only have one shot, none on goal, in the first half while the Bronchos had 10 shots. Asha Haile would score the first goal of the night for UCO off the corner kick early in the match on a ball to the bottom left corner of the net on the assist from Kelsie Eason. Katie Tullis scored off the corner kick in the second period, again to the bottom left of the goal. The third period began with a pass from Haile from the left side of the box

Katie Gasaway handles ball during scrimmage on Aug. 20. The University of Central Oklahoma defeated Oklahoma Christian University 5-0. (James D. Jackson/The Vista)

passed a diving goalie to Katie Gasaway, which led to an easy goal that she tapped in to the middle of the net. Haile would gain another assist in the period when she passed it from the other side of the box to Katy Tullis who was able to tap it in as well. Although Haile recorded two assist, Cook said her best quality is scoring goals. “Aisha is a goal scorer. She’s more of a goal scorer than she thinks, she scored 18 last year and I think she could have scored 30 as well so that’s what we need out of her,” Cook said. “She’s a senior, we’re tell-

ing her, ‘hey Katie’s [Killion] gone, there’s a void there, step in and take that.’ She’s got that potential, she’s a good player, got to get that hunger for the goal and take shots.” The Bronchos no longer have All-American Katie Killion who was named Conference Commissioners Association Ron Lenz National Player of the Year so Coach Cook says they will look elsewhere to make up Killion’s production. “I don’t think we’re going to find someone that’s going to score 30 goals,” Cook said. “But if we can find a couple people that can make it up; 20 goals whatever, that’s what we’re trying to do. Find people that

can step in and make the system still work.” Kaylee Collins scored early in the final period with a left footed kick to the bottom left side of the goal. The Tuesday afternoon scrimmage was the Bronchos second of the season. UCO will have one more scrimmage on Saturday at 7 p.m. and then they will battle Dallas Baptist University(DBU) September 5 at 1 p.m. for the season and home opener. DBU is ranked No. 17 in the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II Preseason Poll. UCO has not played DBU since 2013, when they lost 2-1. “Kelsi Eason is one of our leaders,” Cook said. “Kelsey Gordon was not here she’s one of our senior captains who plays in the back she was an all-American last year as well. Again, we need, not just seniors, we need returning players to step up and lead and to show the new players how we play, how we want to play, how we work, right attitude those kinds of things.” UCO posted a record of 22-2, the best in school history, last season and advanced to the Central Regional Final where they fell to Central Missouri4-3 in overtime. During the season the Bronchos also went on a 16-game win streak, the longest in school history.

UCO Volleyball Ranked No. 22 in AVCA Preseason Poll James D. Jackson @JamesDJackson15 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The University of Central Oklahoma volleyball team has been ranked No. 22 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s preseason NCAA Division II national rankings that were released Aug. 20. This is the 55th consecutive appearance in the top 25 poll for UCO. “I feel great about it, but I think it’s an indication of our past successes and teams and players,” said head volleyball coach Edgar Miraku. “It’s the preseason, all the committees looking at it are judging based on last year’s stuff. Because they don’t have anything for this year. I think it’s good recognition, don’t get me wrong, for the program… it just doesn’t necessary reflect on anything on our team this year. This team’s got to also work hard and earn it as well.”

Last season the Bronchos finished 23rd in the national rankings after posting a 27-7 overall record and third in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association with a 14-4 record. Washburn University, an MIAA member, was the fourth ranked team as they received two first place votes. The Bronchos will battle them in the Hamilton Field House on Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. and in Topeka, Kansas Nov. 1 at 6 p.m. University of Tampa, the defending national champion, is the No. 1 ranked team in the country. They received 43 first place votes. UCO is not scheduled to meet them in the regular season. On Saturday, the Bronchos played an exhibition match against the University of Tulsa, who were placed as fourth in the Division I 2019 American Volleyball Preseason Poll. “It was very beneficial in terms of getting lots of play time and

getting literally all 18 players involved and playing,” Miraku said in a written statement. “It also served well in terms of getting rid of some pre-season nervousness. We had the opportunity to experiment with five different line-ups where we can see not just different players in specific positions (several in more than one position), but also we were able to see certain ‘court relationships’ where certain players play next to others and how that can grow or change by creating more synergies, communication, etc.” This season, UCO ranks in the bottom half of the 11 teams in the MIAA in number of juniors and seniors on the 2019 roster. UCO will return one senior and five juniors. Miraku was able to bring in eight freshmen for the 2019 season, doubling his recruitment from 2018 where he brought in four. Miraku has coached the Bronchos to over 25 wins in each of the last five seasons. He has an overall

182-55 record over his seven years at UCO.

UCO head volleyball coach Edgar Miraku attending the UCO Athletics Fall Sports Rally on Aug. 23. (James D. Jackson/The Vista)