The Index, Vol. 113 Issue 7

“Spider-Man: No Way Home” is a knockout, page 10

Top five movies that are so bad they’re good,

page 9

Honoring MLK through sports, page 13 Player’s jersery hung in rafter, page 14

Truman State University tmn.truman.edu THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

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COVID-19 CASES RISE IN ADAIR COUNTY

Students take notes during an inter financial accounting lecture. The latest COVID-19 case count on Truman’s campus is 25 students and 3 employees. Photos by Emily Collins Dr. Jordan Palmer is the medical director at Complete Family Medicine, the company that RACHEL BECKER AND manages the Student Health Center and counseling services at Truman. Palmer said last fall GENEVIEVE TLUSTOS there was a spike in cases, referring to Aug. 31 where there were 21 active cases among the Editor in Chief, Features and Opinions Editor student population, followed by cases dying down. Now cases are rising again, Palmer said.

“Now with Delta and Omicron, which is in our area, we’re seeing a significant inCOVID-19 cases are continuing to rise in Adair county, with Jan. 10 seeing the highest number of reported cases so far at the Adair County Health Department with a total of 58 crease in cases at Truman. So many more positive tests [are] coming back. That’s probably two fold, one is that it’s just such a highly transmissible variant, and then what we’re cases, according to Adair County Health Department administrator Jim LeBaron.

Recently, Adair County has averaged about 60 cases a day, and as of Jan. 14 the total num- seeing because of the timeline is all of those students who have just returned from winter ber of cases in Adair County has now reached a total of 4,927 according to the Health Depart- break likely were exposed on winter break and then are manifesting disease and then ment. As of Jan. 14, there have now been 48 deaths in Adair County because of COVID-19, that’s getting spread somewhat just like it is in the rest of the community and the rest of the nation,” Palmer said. according to the Health Department.

“So please get tested, is what I would say, as soon as you start experiencing Truman currently has 25 active student cases and three active employee cases.

Last semester, from October through December Truman’s active case counts among symptoms and then follow those guidelines,” Palmer said. students stayed below 10. There has been a recent surge in cases since student’s have returned to campus.

See COVID page 3

LGBTQ+ resource SERVE Center offers center to open soon service opportunities RACHEL BECKER AND ANAKIN BUSH Editor in Chief, Managing Editor

The LGBTQ+ resource center is getting close to opening its doors for Truman State University students who need resources on campus.

At the end of the fall 2021 semester, Truman’s Student Government and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion made an advisory board for the resource center.

Shania Montufar, president of Student Government, said the committee

has only had one meeting so far to establish where the resource center will be. The final location of the center is room 101 in Baldwin Hall.

Montufar said this room was specifically requested, as Student Government hosted several events there. Not many classes were held in this room either.

Montufar also said it was important that the center remain close to the CDI. “The room is both visible and accessible, but it’s not something you accidentally walk into, which is important,” Montufar said.

See LGBTQ+ page 3

Furniture and decorations in the LGBTQ+ resource center reflect what the center represents. Most of the items were donations from the community.

VOLUME 113 ISSUE 7 © 2021

MAT T FRANK Staff Writer The Truman State University SERVE Center is a student-led organization that offers a hub for students and organizations on campus to find service opportunities within the community.

The goal of the SERVE Center is to match volunteers with service opportunities in the Kirksville community. The SERVE Center has been at Truman for about 10 years, J.D. Smiser, director of the Office of Citizenship and Community Standards, said.

The SERVE Center, which stands for Service, Education, Resources, Values and Exploration is located at the Student Union Building; however much of their service coordination happens online.

The SERVE Center uses a website called TruService, which is accessible through the Truman portal and through the SERVE Center’s website. Through TruService, students can locate service opportunities within the community.

These service opportunities are placed by various community organizations.

TruService also has a directory of categorized community organizations that individual students or groups can contact to inquire about volunteering opportunities.

The TruService website also tracks how many service hours and activities an individual has worked. Students can also log service hours completed independently. With this function, the website can then generate a service resume.

The SERVE Center has plans to raise awareness about this website and how to utilize it. Those plans include explaining its usefulness to new students during orientation, Smiser said.

See SERVE page 5

The Index

2

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

TRUMAN SEES WINTER WEATHER

Top: Freshmen Sydney Carl, Megan McGhee and Mary Roth build a snowman by Stokes Stadium. Kirksville declared a snow emergency Jan. 14 because of the winter storm. Photo by Emily Collins Above: The campus bell tower sits with snow on the top of the tower. A snow emergency declares vehicles are not allowed to park on snow routes, or they will be ticketed or towed. Photo by Oliver Malone Left: A statue stands on the quad covered in snow, with a special guest next to him. Kirksville was expected to receive one to four inches of snow during the snow emergency. Photo by Emily Collins

Crime Reports staff

DPS & KPD

Serving the University community since 1909 Editor-in-Chief: Rachel Becker Managing Editor: Anakin Bush Features, Opinions Editor: Genevieve Tlustos Assistant Features Editor: Alyssa Rzany Sports Editor: Steven Findley Jr. Copy Chief: Sami Harris Designers: Heather Beard, Cee Spiller, Izzy Juan, Jinyu Li Podcast Editor: Trevor Grandin Photo Editor: Emily Collins Photographer: Oliver Malone Copy Editors: Quinn Sloan, Gillian Burks, Jessica Robinson, Leighya McNeely, Aidan Grantham, Joshua Guiot, Emily Giannoti Staff Writers: Seth Jarvis Savannah Kluesner, Jack Ratliff, Andrew Holder, Matt Frank, Gabe Smith, Kennedy Cooper, Joey Dougherty, Sydney Ellison

Adviser: David Price

1/7 Domestic disturbance reported at the 100 block of Valley Forge

1/11 Theft reported at the 2200 block of North Baltimore St.

1/7 Theft reported at the 2200 block of North Baltimore St.

1/12 Trespassing reported at the 1000 block of East Washington St.

1/7 Suspicious activity reported at the 2200 block of North Baltimore St.

1/12 Theft reported at the 1000 block of East Patterson St.

1/8 Theft reported at the 2200 block of North Oak Ln.

1/12 Theft reported at the 500 block of South Florence St.

1/8 Burglary reported at the 500 block of South Davis St.

1/14 Burglary reported at the 300 block of South Osteopathy St.

1/8 Loud noise party reported at the 300 block of East Burton St.

1/15 Theft reported at the 1000 block of North Centennial Ave.

1/8 Theft reported at the 2200 block of North Baltimore St.

1/15 Domestic disturbance reported at the 800 block of Shannon Ln.

1/9 Vandalism reported at the 1500 block of North Osteopathy St.

1/16 Burglary reported at the 1000 block of Kings Rd.

1/9 Theft reported at the 1000 block of Kings Rd.

1/17 Theft reported at the 2200 block of North Baltimore St.

1/9 Theft reported at the 2200 block of North Baltimore St.

1/17 Dead body reported at the 2100 block of Crestline Dr.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

The Index

3

COVID| COVID-19 cases at Truman and in the Kirksville community have surged recently Continued from page 1 The Student Health Center has COVID-19 testing available during their normal business hours. A student could either have a COVID-19 test during their normal nurse visit or get a rapid test done on a walk-in basis if needed.

The Health Center will work with Res Life to coordinate next steps such as isolation and contact tracing, Palmer said. Lori Guffey, assistant administrator and communicable diseases nurse at the Adair County Health Department, said the department is also in contact with the University if there are Truman students who test positive.

Palmer said most services being recommended to students are supportive measures such as over the counter care, rest and occasionally prescription medication.

While testing if sick is one protocol that can help reduce the spread, there are also several other measures that should be taken.

These measures include washing hands, using hand sanitizer, wearing masks and following University guidelines, Palmer said.

A lot of the spread of the virus can be attributed to the easily transmissible nature of the Omicron variant and an increase of large indoor gatherings for the holidays, Guffey said.

“It’s another variant, it’s very contagious from what we understand,” Guffey said.

“That’s why it’s very important if people are having symptoms to get tested and see if they have COVID, but it is, they say it’s more contagious than the Delta was. I think they do say that the severity of symptoms may be milder with the Omicron variant than the Delta but still it’s very concerning because it spreads very quickly.”

LeBaron said officials at the federal level predicted January would be a month with a high level of cases, a prediction which LeBaron said has proven accurate. He also said, while it’s difficult to say when cases will go back down, it will likely be at least until the middle of February before there is a decline.

When the Adair County Health Department does a COVID-19 investigation, they advise the person to stay away from others for five days and then if there are no symptoms, resume normal activities while wearing a mask for the next five days in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, Guffey said.

LeBaron and Guffey pointed out that there

are also several other diseases and illnesses that are spreading rapidly, such as respiratory viruses and influenza A and B. That’s why it’s important to get tested to find out which sickness they have, LeBaron said.

“Now is the time to get vaccinated if you’re not,” Palmer said. “The students in general are going to do fine with COVID, if they get COVID, however because it’s everywhere there is still a chance that some percentage of students are not going to recover well. They may end up in the hospital or may have long standing symptoms months and months after getting COVID which are bothersome and so the best chance we have is for everyone to get fully vaccinated.”

LeBaron also said the Health Department is focusing on encouraging people to get vaccinated. They typically vaccinate 3040 people per each clinic they do. Guffey said the Health Department has given over 11,000 doses of the vaccine so far, and LeBaron said so far they haven’t seen any serious reactions or serious side effects of the vaccine in Adair County.

There is an incentive program the Health Department is doing that has given out 300 gift cards to first-time vaccine recipients.

“We have some people that I think have been on the fence and are coming around to the idea of vaccination,” LeBaron said. “But there’s just a certain percent of our population that will not vaccinate, at least to date,

for whatever reason. Whether you want to say that’s because of politics or ethics or religious affiliation or they’ve just done a lot of their own research and they’re saying ‘No, I don’t want a vaccine.’”

“There’s just a lot of unknowns right now but ultimately my goal, and I know [Guffey’s] goal also is to reduce the amount of death from COVID-19, I mean that’s the big picture, that’s what we’re trying to accomplish, and so for that reason I think the vaccine is very important,” LeBaron said.

LeBaron said many people are looking for a “silver bullet” such as a vaccine that will completely protect you from COVID-19.

While the vaccine makes you much better off, including keeping people out of the hospital and keeping symptoms mild, it doesn’t guarantee you won’t contract COVID-19.

Ultimately, it’s up to the individual to make decisions that will protect them and their families, and people should think carefully about what events they chose to go to, LeBaron said.

“Any one thing is probably not enough but when you put them together, I think there’s things that people can do to make them much safer than doing nothing at all,” LeBaron said.

To Truman students specifically, Guffey said they should use their best judgment in areas with a lot of people, particularly inside events where there is not a lot of ventilation.

LeBaron said he was in communication with President Sue Thomas and that they talked

about mitigation strategies.

LeBaron said while repeating the basic mitigation strategies can make him feel like a “broken record,” ultimately it’s up to the people of Adair County to choose to follow or not follow the protocols.

“I think it’s a team effort, you know we’ll continue to do our part, the public needs to do their part and I think we’ll get through this eventually, but there’s a lot of people that thought this was over in August, you know and here we are, [Guffey’s] got the highest numbers that she’s had in the last three years, Monday, and it doesn’t look like it’s letting up so again I would ask people to get vaccinated … ,” LeBaron said.

“Public health measures and guidelines are there for a reason, they really have shown that they mitigate the rapid spread of COVID and so I know that we want students to remain healthy, we want students to be able to remain in person through the health center, which is also the University’s hope … All of us working together as a team, the students, the faculty, the Health Center, the University, we’re all together on the same team here trying to make the university experience, [the] educational experience the best it can be for students. So, we all want to work together and follow guidelines … we’re here as a Health Center to try to help students be healthy and well, and we want them to be successful from that standpoint,” Palmer said.

LGBTQ+| The LGBTQ+ Resource Center seeks to provide resources, assistance for Truman students Continued from page 1 Montufar said the timeline for putting together the resource center has been rather quick compared to how long it had been in discussion.

A resource drive was held for donations to help set up the center. Montufar said one reason for the donation drive

was because of how many people on campus wanted to assist the center.

“A lot of student organizations and departments expressed interest in giving their support in any way possible last semester, so we decided to use that interest to try to get some of the smaller parts of the center established,” Montufar said.

Montufar said this also allows the timeline to progress quicker, as going through Student Government and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion would take more time.

The drive has been going very well, Montufar said. The center has received donations from parents, alumni and student organizations. Most of the items for the center have been purchased, with only a few things remaining. The donation drives runs until the end of January.

Donations include resource books, a bean bag, decorations and a coffee maker. The supplies reflect items requested from students as part of the initial petition for the center. Items are also being donated that are not on the list.

Kennedy Cooper, diversity and inclusion committee chair, hopes the center will be used to build a community. She said she hopes students learn about LGBTQ+ history, as well as host events there.

Cooper was one of the main members of Student Government who oversaw this resolution from conception to passage.

She said it has been stressful because of the controversy surrounding the center last semester. Cooper said it is also very exciting for the center to open, as it has been a long road to get here.

Montufar said the center has been about 10 years in the making.

Cooper said she feels that a lot of progress has been made recently because of a change in administration, as well as a lot

of attention being placed on the resource center last semester. Cooper said she feels this elevated the issue for a lot of people and caused the center to progress faster.

Montufar said this is a critical issue for her personally. When she first joined Student Government, she joined the diversity committee to work on projects like the resource center.

Montufar said she felt the LGBTQ+ resource center was necessary to solidify a place on campus where students could seek support.

“In order to just make something consistent, I felt like a center was really necessary to provide that continual support,” Montufar said.

Montufar hopes that the resources present in the center will eventually result in policy changes or special programming in the future.

Montufar said several community members on the petition requested mental health resources specific to LGBTQ+ students. Montufar said it was very important to the committee that these target support resources were available to those who need them.

Montufar said she was contacted by several people from northeast Missouri voicing their support for the center, even though they were not students or not involved with Truman.

“I’m glad that we got here,” Montufar said.

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

Where are the precautions?

During what feels like the 50th surge of COVID-19, we have come upon the most contagious of all of the variants: Omicron. Because of this, cities are shutting down, masks are becoming required again and some schools are going virtual — seems familiar.

Adair County is seeing up to 60 cases a day — the highest it’s been since COVID-19 started. Truman State University took precautions when the pandemic started, but once it began to ease up, so did the safety.

Now that the pandemic is at a record high, the precautions should be as well, but that isn’t the case.

We, the Index Editorial Board, feel Truman must make more effort in providing extra protection for its students against the spread of this highly contagious variant.

During the beginning of the pandemic, Truman ensured each student that they would be safe. Masks became required in every building, and the desks were spread six feet apart in every single classroom. If you had any COVID-19 symptoms, you were tested and possibly quarantined.

Then the end of last semester was a taste of freedom. Masks were still required, but COVID-19 cases were low. There were many weeks where no Truman students reported cases. It was the light at the end of the tunnel.

Fast forward a few months, and it feels like 2020, just with more cases

— as of Jan. 11, Truman had 28 student cases and 4 employee cases, and this is just within the first week of classes. The only thing that is different is that Truman’s desks are still pushed together, there is no social distancing, many students wear their masks below their noses in buildings and students are partying like there isn’t a global pandemic.

This is a dangerous reaction to the most transmittable variant of a disease that we don’t know the full impact of. No student should be sitting shoulder to shoulder with another student while they’re coughing and wearing their mask incorrectly.

More precautions need to be taken: desks need to be spread apart, masks need to be worn correctly and students and professors need to be more responsible. We need to be protected. Some students would even prefer to be remote seeing that they think it’s worse now than it was when we had online classes.

Cases are only expected to rise, and without proper precautions, it’s never going to go away. Students should never fear for their health when going to class and should never have to decide if it’s safe to walk outside of their dorm or apartment.

We all need protection from this devastating virus, and the best way to do that is to increase safety precautions.

Stu Gov

Buzz

StuGov off to a new start

The semester is off to a great start! We met Monday, Jan. 18, for our first meeting of the semester, where we appointed Joshua Grandstaff as a member of the Academic Affairs Committee and Colleen O’Reilly as PR director.

We also talked about the LGBTQ+ Resource Center, which now has a confirmed space. A lot of items from the registry have been donated, which we are extremely grateful for, and if we stay on the same pace, the Center should be up and functioning this semester.

Additionally, the Environmental Affairs Committee will be distributing campus cups very soon, likely through the Women’s Resource Center, so if you filled out the form last semester, keep an eye out for updates.

At our last meeting of the fall semester, we appointed Maddie Niemeier as Academic Fee Accountability Chairperson, and we’re very excited to work with her this semester. At that meeting, we also passed Resolution 121.008, A Resolution Recommending Tru-

man Raise the Institutional Wage, Resolution 121.009, A Resolution Amending Election Procedures in the Governing Documents of the Student Government, and approved a slate of candidates for student representative to the Board of Governors. The Student Representative to the Board of Governors is a nonvoting member of the board, and they are appointed by the governor for a two-year term. The candidates are Ella Schnake and John Eritreo, and we’re confident that either of them would be a great choice for this position.

We always love hearing from you! All of our members are available to contact, and the doors to our meetings are always open.

Meetings are Sundays at 5 p.m. in the SUB conference room.

Submitted by Colleene O’Reilly, PR Director

Textbooks break budgets

ALYSSA RZANY Assistant Features and Opinions Editor According to Education Data, the national average cost of college tuition is $35,720, and students typically have

10-25 years to pay off that insurmountable debt. Students are also responsible for paying for extra groceries they might need, dues for certain organizations and much more. You can imagine their distress when they see another $500 bill for textbooks each semester.

In my time at Truman State University, I have seen many students on different walks of life. With that comes varying ways of paying for tuition — some students take out their own loans that they are expected to pay back. Others have their parents helping them out. Many work while in school full time. Some are even on full ride scholarships.

Regardless of how they are paying for their tuition, they are still college students that have tried saving as much money as they can to pay for all the miscellaneous costs that come with college education.

Personally, I’ve had a job since I was 16, and I have been good at saving that money. I had no idea that all of that money would be going toward textbooks that I would end up never using.

In the past, my textbooks have only been around $300 — funny how we say “only,” as if that’s a small amount of money. The other day, however, I was

dropped a $484 bomb that drained my spring semester savings.

No matter how much I worked over the summer, it still wouldn’t have been enough to afford books for both semesters. I got paid $11 an hour and worked about 25 hours a week for three months while taking summer classes. If you do the math, I made roughly $2,500.

About half of that went into my savings for a car. The other half went to what I could spend on groceries for this semester as well as maybe enjoying an occasional dinner out at LaPa. When I went to the bookstore, my heart sank when I saw that nearly half of my budget was taken away from sheets of paper that were my “textbooks” for the year.

In the past, I have used half of the books that I rent while the others sit on my desk collecting dust — we were told we needed them, but we never used them.

I fail to understand how college students are expected to pay for their books, especially when we are later told, “Oh yeah, you won’t be needing that,” halfway into the semester. We’re told to save more money, but how much can we work for that money before we burn out?

I’m sure other students would agree that

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they would rather not be burnt out before they graduate college.

The money I’m making this semester will total to about $445 — that doesn’t even cover the money I spent on textbooks.

There needs to be another option. Companies can’t keep making students spend $1,000 a year just to have the materials they need for the class. The simplest action of companies offering a student discount is much better than people saying “it is what it is.”

Graphic by Jinyu Li

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The Index

5

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

Study abroad programs back SETH JARVIS Staff Writer Senior Elisabeth Nelson planned to study abroad in Morocco for a watercolor painting class. She explained that she wanted to do this trip to travel outside of the country and learn more about the culture of Morocco. In addition, she also wanted to complete a more entertaining course when compared to the more academic nature of the courses she was taking for her major.

The pandemic put an unfortunate stop to this trip.

In May and early June of 2019, communications professor Don Krause led a study abroad group to Ireland. There they stayed at the campus of Trinity College in the middle of Dublin. They met with people related to careers that extend from the communications major, such as meeting with the executive director of a public relations group based in Dublin. In addition to this, they spent time learning about the culture of the people living in Dublin.

There were tentative plans for another trip to occur in 2020; however, the numbers were not high enough for the trip to happen. Then, once the COVID-19 virus began to circulate the globe, study abroad began to be shut down.

Will Storm, the study abroad adviser at Truman, stated that students abroad faced various circumstances.

Some were able to stay abroad and finish their programs, while others had to return home and complete their studies at home. There have

been no study abroad programs since the start of the pandemic.

However, that is beginning to change, as the administration has approved study programs for Summer 2022 and Fall 2022.

“Rather than opening everything back up, we’ve done a more individualized risk assessment and we’re going to open up just a limited set of offerings through one of the providers that we’ve worked with for a long time,” Storm said.

Storm explained that he believed there are adequate resources to ensure students have a safe study abroad experience in the face of the pandemic. With vaccinations being widely available and other mitigation methods for the virus, students have strong protection against the worst effects of the virus. The study abroad office considers the foreign campus’s resources to determine whether the destination is safe for a student.

The study abroad office is working with International Student Exchange Programs, a study abroad program that has connections to schools across the globe. The only programs that students can access will be through ISEP. The twelve countries open in the upcoming semester are Belgium, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain and Switzerland.

All of these countries require vaccinations for entry.

Local regions might adjust their policies to handle COVID-19 outbreaks in their areas. Because of this turbulence, the study abroad

Truman students take a selfie on an Ireland study abroad trip hosted by communications professor Don Krause. The Study Abroad office cancelled all trips in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Submitted photos office chooses to only work with ISEP as it creates some consistency in policy as the office tries to help

students with their study abroad journeys. Students will still have to continue to make contingency plans as there remains a threat of their respective international programs being dramatically altered because of the circumstances of the pandemic.

ISEP assigns students an adviser and gives students resources from the university they intend to attend to help them navigate the process.

“Studying abroad is a great experience for everyone. It’s a chance to learn about different cultures, and to see different things and really experience life the way other people live it,” Krause said. “You can learn things through a textbook and in classes, but it’s another thing to be there experiencing that.”

Students on an Ireland study abroad trip pose for a photo in front of waterfront cliffsides. Only 12 countries are avaiable for study abroad trips, all of which require students to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

SERVE| The SERVE Center often partners with the Truman community to offer service opportunities Continued from page 1 The SERVE Center also works closely with the Truman Food Pantry, which is a different entity from the SERVE Center and the Pantry for Adair County, Smiser said.

The Student Life office has a Truman Food Pantry committee and is not a student organization. The Truman Food Pantry is housed out of the SERVE Center office in the Student Union Building, and they offer food packs to any student who feels they are food insecure.

Since the Truman Food Pantry is housed out of the SERVE Center, the SERVE Center team members will hand out the food packs to students and have in the past year taken on some more re-

sponsibility by filling most of the food packs as well, Allison Ludwinski, PR and community engagement SERVE Center intern, said.

Students who want to receive a food pack only need to show their student I.D. to receive a prepackaged food pack. Alternatively, students can fill out a form online and indicate if they have any dietary restrictions and prefer any types of food, and a SERVE Center team member will fill a food pack specifically for that student, Isi Albers, a SERVE Center team member said.

“One thing we don’t do is fresh foods, which is a concern,” Smiser said. “We would like to look into making sure we are making the types of food available

that would really help our students.”

This is the third year the Truman Food Pantry has been operating the food packs program.

The SERVE Center also puts on various events throughout the academic year. The first is Bulldogs in Action, which happens at the end of Truman Week for first-year students. During this event the first-year students who are interested will volunteer a couple hours of their time out in the community.

Another fall semester event is the Big Week of Giving. During this week, there are different fundraising events, and the proceeds go to various organizations, such as the Pantry for Adair County and the Truman Food Pantry.

During the spring semester is when The Big Event happens. The Big Event happens during Greek Week and consists of Truman students signing up their time as either an individual or a group to volunteer out in the community for one day. Students will go out to the homes of members of the Kirksville community that have indicated they could use some help, such as an elderly citizen needing some yard work done. Service done during The Big Event can count toward points for Greek Week. While The Big Event plays a part in Greek Week, it is planned and coordinated completely by the SERVE Center.

6

The Index

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

Truman Recreation Center offers new classes SETH JARVIS AND RACHEL BECKER Staff Writer, Editor in Chief

Jon Gillette demonstrates a kickboxing maneuver during his course. The new courses help bring in more students to the rec center. Photos by Emily Collins

The Student Recreation Center will be hosting several new classes for students to participate in during the spring 2022 semester.

One course introduced is the abs class, which will be taught by Janes Dreamweaver, director of fitness-wellness. This class will be held Mondays at 3:30 p.m. The class utilizes stability balls to work on the ab muscles. The course was taught before the COVID-19 pandemic but is being brought back because of how much fun Dreamweaver had teaching it. He was also inspired to offer the course again because he saw the stability balls in the recreation center and wanted to put them to good use.

“I can bump the music, have kind of a loud atmosphere and then everything is timed intervals,” Dreamweaver said.

“It’s do at your own pace, as many reps as you want, rest as long as you want, but you get the loud music, and you get me over the mic.”

Dreamweaver said students often come with a superficial goal for the class, but end up learning something else and becoming stronger.

After each class, the stability balls are cleaned by recreation center staff.

Dreamweaver also said the entire recreation facility underwent a deep cleaning over winter break.

Dreamweaver said classes at the Recreation Center used to be limited to 15 members because of COVID-19, but that number has now been increased to 30. 29 members can be in the abs course, as that is how many stability balls are available.

Dreamweaver said they are trying to offer many classes for the spring semester, as many students begin attending the Recreation Center in the new year.

He said classes are an easy way for newcomers to the recreation center to get started, as they provide instructions and the equipment.

Dreamweaver said the recreation center maintains COVID-19 precautions, such as requiring everyone to wear a mask. He said there have been little to no issues with that so far.

Grace Bushmeyer will be teaching a pilates class on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. It is a full body course that consists of a warmup, core workout, lower body workout, upper body workout and a cooldown. The actual workout routine changes, but Bushmeyer said the course will follow the same schedule.

Bushmeyer said the course will use various equipment, but there will be routines that anyone can do. The course will steadily get more difficult over the semester but will remain a rewarding experience, Bushmeyer said.

Bushmeyer said she likes to end the course by having everyone share something positive that has happened to them in the past couple of days.

“It is one of the highlights of my week because you get to hear about all these positive things that people are do-

ing each week,” Bushmeyer said.

Bushmeyer said she really values growing a community in her classes and getting to know all her students. She likes getting to know everyone and learning more about them while exercising.

Jon Gillette will be teaching cardio kickboxing Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3:30 p.m. Gillette said the course is grounded in taekwondo, which he has a background in. The course begins with technique work but then focuses on a cardio workout.

Gillette said he does this workout routine on his own but is happy the class will allow others to experience something he enjoys.

Gillette said the course techniques can be altered depending on an individual’s skill level. Some routines are simpler to make easier or harder, while changing the intensity of other workout routines is more difficult and will require more repetition and practice.

Gillette said his main focus for the course is making sure that all those involved have fun during the workouts.

“That’s really my number one thing.

I hope they have fun, and then I hope they have a great workout,” Gillette.

A large part of why Gillette wants to teach this class is because of his background in martial arts. He wanted his first class to be something that he knew about and could teach effectively. It can be a new and fun thing for people to experience. In addition, he thinks it is important for people to have a little background in self-defense.

There were about 20 people at his first class and Gillette explained that his class was well-liked by people who attended. He said that it is cool to teach people at the rec as he gets to pick the workouts and the music. It is great to get to know the people who are learning in the class and forming relationships with them.

Gillette has worked at the Rec for six semesters. He has held a variety of positions from working in the weight room, where he still supervises and interviews prospective employees, to being a personal trainer and building supervisor. Today, he also covers where he is needed.

“I learned a lot about the equipment the Rec had to offer by joining the staff.

I learned a lot about trx suspension trainers and the different things I could do on those. I was also exposed to a lot of new classes like dance party classes.

So I got to try lots of new things and learn how to interact with people better,” Gillette said.

Gillette also said he has gained many transferable skills from his time working at the Rec. People skills are where he has gained the most from his time.

Gillette said students should come by the Rec to just try it out, he said there is nothing to lose from being there and only skills to gain.

Gillette and his class perform kickboxing techniques during a class. Other courses offered at the Rec Center include an abs course and a pilates class.

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

Community honors MLK Day GENEVIEVE TLUSTOS

Features and Opinions Editor

When you think of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, do you think of just a day to relax and sit around since there aren’t any classes? Or do you think of a day to serve, educate, reflect and commit to making your community a better place?

King’s legacy to issues in the community. The children have done a good job at expressing what they would do to make their community better, Thomas said.

Thomas noted that the MLK Jr. holiday is the only holiday dedicated to service, where citizens are called to be active.

Every year the statewide MLK commission, which Thomas is a commissioner for, honors people in the state who have realized the legacy of MLK. Sheila Swafford was the nominee selected and received

an honor from the state Saturday Jan. 15. Swafford was nominated because of the incredible resource that the PAC is, as they ensure there is culturally appropriate food, help international students if they are stuck in Kirksville because of COVID and do a lot of work with the

The goal of the Martin Luther King Jr. committee in Kirksville is to help people in the community to do the latter and coordinate efforts to celebrate King’s legacy. The committee, made up of members from A.T. Still University, Truman State University, various churches, businesses and other community areas, focuses on education about the holiday and encouraging people in the community to commit to action.

Bertha Thomas started the committee eight years ago and is a commissioner for the statewide committee. Although King paved the way for a lot of great changes, the struggle to recognize various inequalities still exists, Thomas said.

“Because I’m a commissioner, the goal is to keep the life and legacy of Dr. King alive, relevant and to make sure that every year, folks in our community are not only reflecting but acting to make our community more inclusive,” Thomas said.

“Part of the issue is, lots of people think of the MLK Day as kind of dead history, a day not to be in classes,” Thomas said. “But linking it with the issues of our current time is always the challenge and the opportunity.”

The committee typically chooses a theme for the holiday, and this year the theme is “The Dream is Here,” referencing King’s famous dream of equality.

For the past few years, the committee has chosen a nonprofit with a social justice mission to help engage the community with what the nonprofit is doing. This year the non-profit is the Pantry for Adair County.

Sheila Swafford, the executive director of the PAC, said the most significant need for the PAC is commercial refrigerators, which will help serve the food insecure and provide fresher food. The PAC has tried to make the pantry inclusive by giving food options, trying to give an experience similar to shopping at a grocery store where there are several different things to choose from. A fridge would help people to see what is available. The cost of the fridges is $11,000, but the goal for the committee is to raise $5,000-6,000.

Thomas said about $1,800 has been raised so far since Jan. 1, and it will last eight weeks. Thomas said the daughter of Amber Johnson, a professor at Truman, is 10 years old and will be giving a large portion of the funds she makes from her baking company, Yummy’s Bakery, to the fundraiser. Laura Bates, the director of the Student Union and Campus Activities, is going to help with an organization challenge at Truman to raise money for the pantry as well.

Thomas said it’s another year where a lot of in person events they hoped to do are not going to be possible because of the pandemic. However, there will be a few in person events, including “The Dream is Here Dinner,” and one on Truman’s campus called the “Unity Ball.”

The event was originally planned to be Jan. 20 but was postponed because of rising COVID-19 cases. The event will feature a silent auction and all proceeds will go to the PAC fundraiser, said Saint Rice, the director of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion. The event will also serve as a culmination of black history month activities. The keynote speaker will be Curtis Ferguson who is the pastor of Rehoboth church, and free tickets will be available shortly. The event has been recurring and was started several years ago by Thomas, Rice said.

Rice said Truman is partnering with the city and ATSU. Truman virtually hosted a presentation by ATSU on Tuesday afternoon, and there was a celebration and trivia night in Baldwin that night.

Thomas also said there would be an art and essay contest for children in the community in order to kickstart the conversation with children and link

public school system.

Thomas, who worked at Truman for 25 years, said in her experience, student organizations were willing to lend their time to people who needed help. While there is still much work to be done to ensure people feel included and respected, we have a much more diverse community in Kirksville and much progress has been made, Thomas said.

Rice said the idea of equity and inclusiveness rings true whether in a large metropolitan or small rural area. In Kirksville, the idea of equity and inclusiveness shows itself in the income, health and socioeconomic disparities in the community, Rice said. This is why it’s important to keep pushing King’s dream.

Thomas, who is almost 70 years old, has seen a lot of changes. She remembers times when she, as a person of color, couldn’t go to movie theaters or restaurants, her grandmother couldn’t vote and her mother went to segregated schools. Looking at this long arc of history helps her not become discouraged, Thomas said.

“I think that’s what keeps me motivated and also, boy, things were so much worse,” Thomas said. “I must admit working at Truman and seeing all the great particular students of color having so many more opportunities and the alums who are doing such incredible work, so when I look particularly individually and see all the progress that’s been made, it keeps me moving. But that doesn’t mean I don’t get discouraged from time to time. But I leave it to you guys, right? My hope is actually your generation, so don’t disappoint me.”

Thomas has also been inspired by seeing Dr. King in Detroit when she was 11-years-old. She’s also been able to spend time with Rosa Parks, John Lewis and other civil rights icons.

Thomas said the movement was made up of many people who we aren’t aware of today, such as those who left college to go register voters in Mississippi.

Rice agreed, saying the civil rights movement went beyond just what King did in the US, but that he was the springboard for what we now see as the civil rights movement. “ … When we see the idea of civil rights back in the 60’s, it seemed to be a liberation of black people from oppressive periods, coming from even as far back as slavery, however when we start to really look at the foundation of civil rights, what it does is — it speaks for equality and inclusiveness for all people no matter who they are, no matter what their identity is, no matter what their culture is, it allows them to actually exist in the United States and enjoy the rights and benefits of any citizen that is living in this space — so that’s why I think it’s critical,” Rice said.

“It’s that old thing, do you have really a right to be tired and a right to give up and not be hopeful and not just do your little part when so many people did so much more?” Thomas said. “I always think of what I do as so little. I don’t think of it as insignificant ‘cause I do think it has some impact — impact on students, impact on organizations that I help, but I mean this is just such a modest amount of my time, so I think everyone can give a modest amount of their time.”

Thomas said she hoped students would take the day to educate themselves about why King and those around him were able to make changes and commit to taking action, even if it’s something small such as donating time or money. Students should dig deep and ask what they can do to move the needle closer to equality and equity and get out of their comfort zones, Thomas said.

It’s important that students move beyond just educating themselves and actually see it as their responsibility to take the next step.

Rice said that today’s generation has access to social media allowing for more involvement and breaking down barriers within communities. People can talk about things in real time, which also can have the negative effect of distorting facts.

“The United States has always had divisions. It’s just the divisions were not so pronounced,” Rice said. “Now individuals are taking sides quicker, and they feel empowered to actually come out and voice their thoughts and opinions.”

Rice said he hopes students get a sense of unity out of the day. He wants to encourage people to speak to others they don’t know and show kindness. To him, it does more to further the cause of equity and inclusiveness than any program. Finding a common thread of humanity is critical, Rice said.

“I think about once a year, ‘What have I done in my life to make things better for my community, for the state, for the world, whatever?’ I do take an inventory, and it’s important for me to assess, ‘Okay, have I done anything this year? Have I done anything this month?’ so just kind of doing a self audit and inventory,” Thomas said.

Students attend an MLK trivia night. The event was one of several taking place in the community.

Photo by Emily Collins Graphic by Cee Spiller

“I must admit working at Truman and seeing all the great particular students of color having so many more opportunities and the alums who are doing such incredible work, so when I look particularly individually and see all the progress that’s been made, it keeps me moving.”

-Bertha Thomas

Martin Luther King Jr. commissioner

VOLUME 113

ISSUE 7

tmn.truman.edu

@TrumanIndex

@TrumanIndex

© 2021

The Index

8

Jamming

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

with Jack

“30”: Adele’s masterpiece JACK RATLIFF Staff Writer Adele has built a phenomenal career on albums that are both personal and relatable, and her honest lyrics and catchy pop melodies have propelled her into superstardom. “30,” Adele’s fourth studio album, is her most vulnerable and mature yet.

It explores themes such as motherhood, divorce and heartbreak, laying bare some of the most intense human emotions.

The album opens with “Strangers by Nature,” a vibey tune reminiscent of a smokey jazz lounge. “Easy on Me” showcases Adele’s soulful and mournful voice, and is as melodic as it is catchy. “My Little Love” is an extremely vulnerable message to her son, Angelo. The track “Oh My God” is extremely catchy and a top tier song, destined to rule the pop charts. “Can I Get It” utilizes earworm-worthy hooks over a solid acoustic guitar bass that makes it a solid listen.

The up and coming suburban mom anthem “I Drink Wine” occasionally veers into the melodramatic but is a fun listen nevertheless, while “Hold On” is the ultimate in vibey sad-girl music. “To Be Loved” puts Adele’s hauntingly beautiful vocals on full display.

This incredible vocal performance is easily the best on the record and will serve as the high point of Adele’s discography for years to come.

The album is brutally honest, exposing the raw nerves and emotions that rarely see the light of day in the pop radio arena. “30” is an ambitiously mature work of art, clearly heavily impacted by her relatively recent divorce and her experience as a mother. The album utilizes several spoken word performances that give insight into Adele’s self described “big feelings.”

The talk about the emotional maturity and complexity of the album has dominated the conversation since its release, but one must not ignore the absolute vocal masterclass that Adele puts on. The mix of vintage Motown and R&B sound provides the perfect ground for her angelic vocals.

“30” will prove to be the crown jewel in Adele’s impressive career. It is difficult to create an album acclaimed for its emotional maturity, especially when one’s entire career is built on emotional vulnerability. However, Adele makes it look effortless. The subject matter is both intensely personal and introspective while also staying relatable enough to dominate the pop charts. While this album is undoubtedly a pop radio staple, its emotional complexity and mature lyrics will make it an enduring album for decades to come.

“30” gets 4/5 stars

Graphics by Jinyu Li

The Index

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

9

Top 5 movies that are so bad they’re good ANAKIN BUSH Managing Editor

5.

3.

“Spider-Man 3” - While this might be a predictable choice, I still have to put it on here. After two excellent Spider-Man films with Tobey Maguire, director Sam Raimi released the third film in his trilogy during 2007.

Absolutely nothing about this film works. While most stories have only one central antagonist, “Spider-Man 3” attempts to balance three. All of the villains are completely flat and one-dimensional characters, with one not even introduced until the last 30 minutes of the film. My personal favorite of the villains is James Franco’s portrayal of Green Goblin, which is hilariously bad. For most of the film, he has amnesia and is pretty much a completely different person. Even if all the villains were successful, it wouldn’t fix Tobey Maguire’s portrayal of Peter Parker. His performance in this film is somewhat infamous for the odd choices he makes, including a complete 180 on his character. If you have not seen this movie yet, it is definitely a must-watch.

“Hellraiser: Hellworld” - Horror movie sequels are known for being largely horrible, but this one is truly special. The original “Hellraiser” is a horror classic known for its amazing effects and themes of pain and pleasure. The franchise has had 10 entries so far, with the last one being made during 2018.

While some of the earlier sequel films are passable, “Hellraiser: Hellworld” is easily the worst.

Released direct-to-video during 2005, the story follows a group of gamers who play a video game based on the “Hellraiser” movies.

The meta aspect of this story was clearly inspired by the success of 1996’s “Scream”. While that movie was a successful parody of the horror genre, “Hellworld” just feels hilariously lame and trying too hard to be hip. Coupled with the awful special effects of a low-budget 2005 direct-to-video movie, it is an incredibly entertaining watch.

1.

4.

2.

“C.H.U.D.” - 1984 was a great year for film, with such classics as “The Karate Kid” and “Ghostbusters” being released.

This year also saw the release of “C.H.U.D.,” which is an absolutely terrible yet hilarious film. The title is an acronym for Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers, which are the central antagonists of the story about creatures that live in the sewers of New York City and kidnap people. This simple concept could be successful in a competent film, but this is most certainly not that film.

The characters have no depth, with absolutely no development happening. The special effects on the titular C.H.U.D. creatures are equally awful, even for 1984.

This movie is certainly considered a cult classic by some, but I just consider it an unintentionally amazing blast from the past.

“Halloween: Resurrection” - “Halloween” is an absolutely classic horror movie, which of course spawned several sequels. Much like the previously mentioned “Hellraiser” franchise, most of the sequels are awful. The worst “Halloween” film is easily “Halloween: Resurrection.” Released during 2002, this is the eighth entry of the franchise, serving as a continuation of the main “Halloween” story between Laurie Strode and Michael Myers. To keep the franchise fresh, veteran “Halloween” director Rick Rosenthal bases this film around a fictional reality show being filmed in the iconic Myers house. Yes, that is really the story. I don’t know if this film is meant to be taken seriously or not.

Because the plot is so ridiculous, it is impossible to get invested into it at all.

The acting is also absolutely atrocious, with rapper Busta Rhymes being the worst of the cast. To his credit, he appears to be trying, but he is just not a good actor. Luckily for the audience however, his performance is absolutely hilarious and is just another reason this film is worth a watch.

“Bigfoot’s Wild Weekend” - Compared to the other movies on this list, I really struggle to even call this a movie. Released during 2012 by one-time director Jeff Murray, this movie follows a reporter searching for Bigfoot. This “story” is present for all of five minutes before random events start to happen. Scenes occur in completely random order with no relevance to the overall plot. Several scenes follow a random group of girls, who are never explained at all. They might be prisoners? Or maybe they are going camping? Usually, a film at least attempts to answer all the questions it presents, but “Bigfoot’s Wild Weekend” just keeps piling on the questions with absolutely no resolution. Don’t go into this one expecting an actual movie or coherent story, but if you just want to view a wild experience, then please watch this. I have never seen anything else quite like it.

Graphics by Rebekah Nelson

The Index

10

What we’ve been

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

watching

“Spider-Man: No Way Home” is a knockout This review contains spoilers for “Spider-Man: No Way Home”, “Spider-Man: Far From Home” and “Hawkeye” JACK RATLIFF Staff Writer One of the trademarks of a bad movie is overhype. Movies that are incessantly promoted and hyped-up will inevitably let down audiences. Given the massive hype that has been growing around “Spider-Man: No Way Home” for months now, many were afraid of disappointment. However, the film not only satisfies expectations and fan hopes, but surpasses them. This is your last chance to turn back before I begin to bring up spoilers.

You’ve been warned!

“Spider-Man: No Way Home” has been overburdened with enormous expectations, with rumors swirling that Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield would appear, Charlie Cox’s Daredevil would appear, Ned would become the Hobgoblin and much more. The rumors first seemed to be wishful thinking on the part of fans, before constant leaks and denials made some think that these rumors were all but reality. Most films would collapse under the weight of such hefty expectations, but “No Way Home” manages to not only meet expectations but leave even the most hopeful fans satisfied. We got Maguire, Garfield and Matt Murdock, and the film took several major risks that paid off.

First, the Green Goblin kills Aunt May which sends Peter on a path of anger and a desire for vengeance.

Only Maguire’s restraining role as a big brother and mature Spider-Man is able to keep him from murdering the Green Goblin, which leads to Maguire getting stabbed by the Goblin. Finally, at the end of the film, Peter makes a huge sacrifice by erasing the memory of Peter Parker, meaning he will be effectively erased from existence. He is determined to remind MJ and Ned of their time together, but when he realizes that his job as SpiderMan will put them in danger, he leaves. It is an incredibly emotional decision that shows the extent of Peter’s character arc. By erasing his memory from existence, Peter can no longer rely on Stark tech, silencing fan criticism about this dependence on Iron Man’s tech as well as teasing a new suit at the end of the film.

“Spider-Man: No Way Home” has several important implications. The inclusion of Cox’s Daredevil, as well as Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin in “Hawkeye” raises questions of whether the Daredevil Netflix series takes place officially in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as

opening the possibility of an official MCU Daredevil project. The addition of Maguire and Garfield’s Spider-Man has not only made the previous “Spider-Man” films canon in the MCU, but it has also led to fans clamoring for “Spider-Man 4” and “The Amazing Spider-Man 3,” respectively. The memory wipe at the end of the film could possibly set up Ned’s transformation into the Hobgoblin, which was hinted at during “No Way Home” in a hilarious scene that draws parallels between Ned and Harry Osborn from Maguire’s universe. Also, the post-credit scene with Tom Hardy’s Venom established that the symbiote is now in the MCU, giving us the possibility of seeing Tom Holland take on the symbiote suit.

The film is clearly the strongest of the three movies in the MCU “Spider-Man” trilogy, and one of the best “Spider-Man” movies of the decade. The combination of fan service as well as a willingness to take risks have paid off immensely for the MCU. Not only did they set up several upcoming works but they also created a film that stands alone as one of the best in the entire MCU. The acting performances were stellar, with Tom Holland illustrating the pain and inner turmoil that comes with being Spider-Man. Maguire excelled as the mature Spider-Man providing guidance to the others and Garfield was charming and lovable.

Of course, it is impossible to discuss the acting without mentioning Willem Dafoe’s performance as the Green Goblin. While the other villains’ performances were excellent, and it was great to see Alfred Molina reprise his role as Doc Ock, Dafoe’s portrayal of Norman Osborn and the Green Goblin stole the show. The 66-year-old insisted on doing his own stunts and brought incredible range to the character, providing moments of heartbreak as well as rage. There are moments where one feels genuinely sorry for Osborn and others where you loathe him.

Once again, this movie will stand the test of time to not only be one of the best “Spider-Man” movies ever made, but one of the best movies to come out of the MCU. Truly a phenomenal work of art, and seeing it in theaters is an experience that will stay with me for years to come.

“Spider-Man” gets 5/5 spiders

Graphics by Jinyu Li

The Index

11

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

What are you excited for this semester?

Alex Potter, freshman “I’m excited about my classes. I’m in creative writing, which is so fun … I’m in a lot more diverse classes, and meeting new teachers and meeting new people …

Just hanging out with friends, I’d kind of forgotten how nice that is … I’m just looking forward to being a student, the day-to-day activities.”

Tyler Bischel, junior “I’ve got a really nice selection of classes this semester. I’m working with just a couple of different professors specifically … [and] I enjoy getting to know my professors. I think there’s lots of great professors on campus that are very smart and really nice people that I love to get to know … And not having to spread my attention out between so many different people and so many different classes, but being able to kind of focus on this one thing moving into the second half of my junior year, I’m really excited about that.”

Reflections on New Year’s Eve SAVANNAH KLUESNER Staff Writer

As we waited, unaffected, for the ball to drop, This was all I could think about: At this time last year Our breath came as bright shadows In air that sent chilled spines through lungs, Leaden silence on shoulders that split With the banging of pots and pans, The cranking of noisemakers, The earth-shake of too-near fireworks.

And you put a hand on my shoulder, Broad with forty years of physical labor, Strong enough to hold the weight of The family you had built in your palm.

You kissed my cheek.

In the pictures we have of you that night, In a move antithetical to my notion of you, You have an obnoxious noisemaker Tilted in your mouth as you smile.

And in this ghostly silence now, There could be an assortment of grateful noise To ring in the New Year. But your rumbling Whisper, dulcet, could drown it With just four words: “Happy New Year’s, Punkin.”

Graphics by Rebekah Nelson

The Index

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

12

KIRKSVILLE FACES WINTER WEATHER

The snowy condition of the roads on East Harrison Street over the weekend. During the snow emergency all vehicles were told to be off the road so plows could clear the snow.

Photos by Rachel Becker Below: The McKinney Center, which houses the Student Health Center and University Counseling Services. Kirksville was predicted by the National Weather Service to get 4-7 inches of snow.

Above: Cars on the Kirksville square covered in snow. Before the snowfall, there were inches of rain that turned to ice, creating icy road conditions.

Below: The side of Ophelia Parrish at Truman State University covered in snow. There was a wind chill advisory for Jan. 1920, where the temperatures reached below -2 degrees.

The Index

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

13

BASKETBALL| Current Bulldog guard honored at Women’s Hall of Fame Continued from page 13 On a more specific level, Dean said Belanger has learned not to just be a great shooter but also how to add it to her game and improve on her defense.

Dean thinks the future will only improve for Belanger and that the sky’s the limit for her. He said it’s phenomenal that one of the players with the most natural talent is also one of the hardest workers.

Belanger said she hasn’t been able to visit the WBHOF, but her parents planned to go soon. So far this season has been a little stressful as the Bulldogs lost two starters, but the team is now on a seven game winning streak.

Looking forward, Belanger wants to get her masters degree in nutrition, ideally while playing basketball overseas.

Ellie Weltha, a junior starter on the team, has been playing with Belanger for three years and last year was a third team all conference player. Weltha said Belanger was a great player and very deserving of the All-American award because of how hard she works. Weltha said Belanger was a great teammate and person to have in your life.

“I have to say, she’s probably like the hardest working player I’ve ever played with, one of the most motivated teammates I’ve ever had,” Weltha said. “She’s the first one in the gym, last one out, does whatever she’s told and does it as best as she can, and she’s just a really good player all the way around.”

“She’s just incredible, probably the best teammate I’ve ever had, best teammate I’ve played with,” Weltha said. “And she’s just really, really good, and it’s so fun to play with her, but very deserving, and I’m not surprised at all …

This is the first of many for her.”

Honoring MLK through sports ANDREW HOLDER Staff Writer Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a time of remembrance of our storied past and of hopeful aspiration for our future, especially as we experience social turmoil in our nation. Martin Luther King Jr. came from humble beginnings, born Jan. 15, 1929 at 501 Auburn Avenue, a home certainly fit for the upbringing of a king. When I think of who King was, I think of someone who is heartbreakingly mortal. A proponent of an ideology of equality that sought to rock the world. Yet he, like many others, was killed by the ideology he sought to eradicate.

I once had the opportunity to visit the Lorraine Motel where King was shot and killed. Despite the reverence of the ground surrounding the motel, the motel itself is surprisingly humble.

Garnished with seafoam green doors, recently replaced windows and beige walls with a light brown trim, it is nothing impressive to gaze at. However, it serves as a reminder that has become increasingly important since his death. We are constantly reminded of King’s message of equality by the deaths of black men and women at the hands of law enforcement, and everytime the civil rights of others are violated. Martin Luther King Jr. not only stood in support of the advancement of the black community, but of every oppressed community. In remembrance of this day, I wanted to highlight the athletes that most exemplify King’s message .

At this point, we all should recognize the name Colin Kaepernick, the man who was refused a roster spot in the NFL for his peaceful protest of kneeling during the national anthem.

The right of protest that has consistently been

upheld in the supreme court since its foundation was denied to a rising star in the NFL out of fear that it may upset viewers. The NFL put up a front that they were trying to make strides towards promoting equality, but instead stood against Kaepernick and his message when faced with it.

One of my favorite quotes regarding civil rights comes from the great John Lewis when he spoke on the Edmund Pettus Bridge only months before his passing. He said, “Get in good trouble, necessary trouble and help redeem the soul of America. “This raises the question of how we get into, “good trouble.” How do we pursue the advancement of civil rights in a world marked by inequality? How do we be peaceful in a nation scourged by violence? These are difficult questions to answer and again I believe we can find answers through an examination of the sports world, specifically the unity sports leagues have brought about throughout the world. During the 2020 NBA playoffs, following the shooting of Jacob Blake, sports leagues across the world responded by declaring that the best way to pursue justice would be refusing to take the floor, and so they did. In a magnificent display of unity and power, games from every professional sports league in America were postponed. Protesters showed a similar level of unity, marching in cities across the country in the midst of a pandemic, an act of bravery and unity similar to the civil rights movement King once led.

A little known fact, often omitted from discussions of King because of its relative unimportance, is that he was an avid baseball fan. He was a fan of the Dodgers and was especially enamored with Jackie Robinson who had broken the color barrier in baseball when King turned 18. He and his siblings played baseball, basketball and football as children. King, like us, was remarkably human, a man who took his fragile humanity and created ripples in the fabric of society because of a dream. We all have a dream of a more equal world, it is our responsibility to make that dream a reality.

Graphic by Jinyu Li

14

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022

PLAYER’S JERSEY HUNG IN RAFTERS GENEVIEVE TLUSTOS Features and Opinions Editor

When Truman State University women’s basketball coach Theo Dean received an email asking if he could send junior starter Hannah Belanger’s jersey to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, he thought it was a scam.

After some further research, he realized it was not a scam, and Belanger’s jersey now hangs in the Ring of Honor in the WBHOF in Knoxville, Tennessee. The jerseys chosen for the Ring of Honor were those of the Div. I, II, III, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and high school All-Americans, along with the player of the year and other notable players.

“ … they reached out because Hannah was one of the All-Americans for Division II,” Dean said. “They wanted her jersey to display in their hall of fame, which I think is pretty sweet — one, to have someone to get recognized for that, but also it continues to put our program on the forefront around the country, just showing that we have great players — we have a great program here, which I think is pretty cool.”

Belanger said when Dean first reached out to her to tell her about her jersey being sent, she didn’t really know what he was talking about and replied with a short message along the lines of, “cool.” When she told her parents about it two days later, they helped her realize what a big accomplishment it was. She was shocked when she realized what an honor it was for her jersey to be hanging next to great players’ jerseys such as Paige Bueckers of the University of Connecticut.

Dean, who has been involved in Truman women’s basketball for 10 years now, said Belanger, named an All-American for her sophomore year season, is the first Truman All-American in over 20 years. The last All-American was Kelli Kreuser who was an Honorable Mention in the 1999-2000 season. The last first team All-American was Carol Jarrard in 1982, Dean said.

Belanger said she wasn’t expecting to be named an All-American and didn’t even know she had been nominated. She was just happy to get first team Great Lakes Valley Conference. She found out about the award when a teammate sent her a tweet announcing the All-Americans, and she even texted Dean to confirm it was real.

“Obviously, it’s just like a really big honor,” Belanger said. “And it’s just a really big accomplishment to even be nominated for because it showed that my hard work has paid off a little bit. It was a very proud moment, and I was in awe of being an All-American.”

Belanger said she was shocked that the performance of one year can bring so much success and national recognition. She said her teammates were a big part of her success and were able to put her in positions to do well. She also said her coaches taught her she would have to work for everything she got, such as time on the court.

Guard Hannah Belanger calls out the play during a game. Belanger is averaging five assists a game this season. Photos by Oliver Malone

“She’s not given anything, and I think she’s okay with that. She doesn’t want to just be given this and given that. She wants to work for every single thing because it makes it more special to her.”

-Theo Dean, head coach

Belanger brings the ball up into the half-court set. The Bulldogs recently beat #1 ranked Drury University.

Dean said from the beginning, Belanger set specific goals, such as starting every game and being Freshman of the Year. Dean told her that she would need to prove to him she wanted to accomplish those goals by putting in hard work.

Once she demonstrated the work ethic to accomplish them, Dean told her he’d do whatever he could to help her reach those goals. Dean described Belanger as someone who plays with the confidence of the best player in America but practices like she’s trying to earn a position.

“You know a lot of times great players are just more talented than other people, but she truly works like she’s not talented at all, and I think that’s one thing that really sets her apart, you know, in our league and also around the country, just her hard work, and she earns every single thing that she gets,” Dean said. “She’s not given anything, and I think she’s okay with that. She doesn’t want to just be given this and given that. wants to work for every single thing because it makes it more special to her.”

See BASKETBALL page 12

ATHLETE o f

t h e

w e e k

Redshirt senior forward Maddie Re is a rebounding force for the Bulldogs. Re is averaging 6.8 rebounds per game this season, the 12th highest average in the GLVC. Re is also averaging 11 points per game for the Bulldogs, making the forward the team’s fourth leading scorer.

VOLUME 113

ISSUE #7

tmn.truman.edu

MADDIE RE

@TrumanIndex

@TrumanIndex

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