Issue 21, Volume 113, Publication Date--March 13, 2019 by The Echo at UCA

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March 13, 2019 Volume 113 — Issue 21

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Sports:

Entertainment:

Campus Life:

CONWAY

Men’s Basketball: Bears wins allow team to move up to seventh place seed

‘Captain Marvel’: Box office hit highlights life of female superhero

Black History Art : Student works featured, celebrated 4 page 3

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Keenan returns to UCA, carves Valor II

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by Marley cashpowell

THE NEWSDESK FROM THE ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Editor

I N T E R N AT I O N A L Boeing plane crashes, results in no survivors

Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302 crashed near Bishoftu enroute from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to Nairobi, Kenya, killing all 157 passengers. Eight Americans were on board, among passengers from 35 other nationalities. This is the second time in less than six months that a new Boeing Max 8 aircraft has gone down minutes after departure. In late October, a Lion Air flight went down over the Java Sea, killing all of its 189 passengers as well.

N AT I O N A L R. Kelly bonded out of jail by anonymous fan On Saturday, March 9 R. Kelly, 52, was released from jail for the second time in less than two weeks. Last month he spent a weekend in jail after being charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and was released when a woman posted a $100,000 bond. On Wednesday, he was taken into custody for failure to pay $160,000 in back child support. The person who posted his $161,663 bond is currently anonymous.

Anti-vax child’s tetanus illness case chronicled A 2017 case of an unvaccinated 6-year-old with tetanus was chronicled this week in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The boy spent 57 days in an Oregon hospital where he was on a ventilator for over a month. It was recorded as the state’s first documented pediatric case of tetanus in more than 30 years. The family is facing over $800,000 in medical bills. They have not changed their position on vaccination, declining further recommended vaccinations and immunizations.

After the 2015 demise of the wooden sculpture known as Valor the Bear — due to termite infestation and water rot — Valor II has now been erected, returning the familiar figure to its original location in front of Wingo Hall as part of the Living Tree Memorial Trail. UCA President Houston Davis said that he’s excited to have Valor back on campus. Valor, followed by the Centennial Plaza fountain and the Estes Stadium stripes, was the top location on campus for taking pictures and posting them to social media before the sculpture was removed due to its poor structural integrity, Davis said. “That was my proof that there was great interest in the community about having our bear out here,” Davis said. Iowa chainsaw sculptor Gary Keenan returned to UCA for the third time in six years to carve his latest bear sculpture March 4-6. Keenan first carved Valor I in 2013 out of an ailing tree that was planted as part of the Living Tree Memorial Trail, which honors the UCA graduates who lost their lives in WWII. The ongoing memorial began in 1946 when 38 initial trees were planted, but it grew to a total of 47 trees as more graduates were identified. The last identification being as recently as 2015. Rather than remove the ailing tree completely, the university commissioned Keenan to transform it into a sculpture that could continue to be appreciated. However, since Valor I was carved while the trunk of that tree was still rooted, termites and weather elements soon led to the sculpture’s demise. The university tried to salvage the bear in April 2015, but even after treating it for termites and attaching it to a concrete base, the damage was too severe for it to safely remain erected.

photo by Taylor Sone

Sculptor Gary Keenan uses a chainsaw to carve a sculpture March 4 in front of Wingo Hall, replacing a statue he made called Valor the Bear. Valor II was completed by March 6, and students and faculty stopped by to watch Keenan work his artform and receive free hot cocoa.

It is possible that the disease originally infecting the tree contributed to the sculpture’s weakness. The university commissioned Keenan to salvage an ailing maple tree in the backyard of the President’s Home on campus in January 2015, and that sculpture — consisting of five bears and two raccoons — soon experienced similar problems. “That tree actually fell in the summer of 2017. It was not long after we moved into the house. Jenny and I came out — we had been up on the Buffalo River — and we looked, and we said, ‘Something looks different.’ Then we saw the tree. It was rotten and it had fallen over,” Davis said. “We were able to

save four of the five bears that were carved.” Davis said those four bears have now found homes in different locations across campus. There are two inside the President’s Home — one in the library and another in the music room. The largest of the four is now located in the President’s Office. “The fourth one is over in the Hall of Fame room at Estes Stadium,” Davis said. “We wanted to make sure to get those four in places they could be seen and enjoyed.” According to university construction manager Kevin Carter, Davis received multiple inquiries about Valor’s absence, so back in October 2018 a small

MEMORIES

POLITICS

New bill allows free speech across campuses state-wide by Matt Smothers Staff Writer

S TAT E Sen. Flowers proceeds to fight against gun bill

photo by Marcus McClain

College Hall of Fame coach Lou Holtz graces the stage of Reynolds Performance Hall on March 7. Following his lecture, former Razorbacks during Holtz’s tenure at the University of Arkansas joined him on stage and recapped past memories, reflecting on their experiences.

Arkansas senator Stephanie Flowers of Pine Bluff is receiving national attention for her passionate refusal to back down from resisting the “stand your ground” bill proposal after a legislator moved to cut off the debate. Her actions led to the bill’s defeat — it would have allowed Arkansans to use lethal force as the first line of self-defense if they felt threatened.

Holtz lectures about coaching memories by Marcus McClain Sports Editor

WHAT’S AHEAD

IN OUR NEXT ISSUE Gibert Baker said he’ll speak again with The Echo after spring break.

The return of an Arkansas coaching legend shifted into a full-fledged Razorback reunion March 7 in the Reynolds Performance Hall. With former Razorback football players joining him on stage, Hall-of-Fame coach Lou Holtz led the packed and passionate crowd as they called the hogs together once again. “We were going to spend the rest of our life here,”

Index:

Holtz said about him and his family. “We had made that commitment, turning down the Ohio State job, but if you want to make God laugh, you tell him what your plans are.” Holtz was the head coach for the Razorback from 1977-83, compiling an overall record of 60-21-2 and winning three bowl games. He also led Arkansas to the Southwest Conference Championship in 1979 and was later inducted into both the Arkansas Sports and College Football Halls of Fame.

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4Students Say

committee was formed to oversee the logistics of having Valor reincarnated on campus, and given Valor’s tumultuous history, the Physical Plant has taken several steps to ensure that Valor II has a longer tenure. The first step was to seek out wood that wasn’t from an ailing tree. Carter said they also sought out wood from the white oak family rather than the red oak that Valor I was carved from. White oak is less porous than red oak, so using white oak would make Valor II inherently water resistant. Jeremy Newton from Newton Tree Service in Conway satisfied both these needs out of his personal collection of logs,

which he uses for woodworking projects that he sells under the business name Urban Timbers. The Physical Plant also decided to change a design feature relating to the base that will help alleviate water rot. “I’m intrigued about [the carving], but it’ll have to have a different base,” senior Mike Meller said as he watched during day two of the carving. Meller pointed out the gap between the concrete pedestal and the wooden base of the sculpture, wondering what the university would do to address that gap. “[The Physical Plant employees] are going to put a steel band around it, and they’re going to paint the concrete and the steel band black,” Keenan said. Valor II has metal stilts between the concrete pedestal and the wooden base. When the steel band is placed around it, the band won’t completely seal that gap. This will allow air to flow between the pedestal and the base of the carving, which should remedy part of the moisture issue. The last thing that the Physical Plant employees will do to preserve Valor II consists of a twice-a-year sealant routine. “[For] the Valor Bear I, every six months the Physical Plant would go over there and put some wood sealer on there, and it was what Gary Keenan had recommended at the time. Of course, that’s been six years ago,” Carter said. “He’s got a new product now that he says is a lot better product than what we had been using.” Given all the precautions that have been taken and will continue to be taken to ensure Valor II’s physical integrity, Carter said that Keenan expects this sculpture to stay standing long after its sculptor is gone. Only time will tell, but in the meantime, the attraction will remain standing at its post outside of Wingo, ready to pose for photos.

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Holtz also coached at universities such as North Carolina State, South Carolina, Minnesota and his most prominent stop, Notre Dame. Holtz built a deep connection with Arkansas players and fans across the state during his time as head coach in the Natural State. This was made evident by the admiration Holtz received in Reynolds on March 7.

See Legend- page 2

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson recently signed Senate Bill 156 into law, making it Act 184. According to the new bill, public universities “shall not create free speech zones.” The bill will effectively make the entire campus of UCA a free speech zone. The new law has raised concerns because of potential disruptions or clashes between certain groups. However, the bill is clear that anything that disrupts the educational process, incites violence or harasses is still prohibited; however, setting up a table or passing out fliers outside of an administrative building will be allowed. Sen. Bob Ballinger, who is the lead sponsor of the bill, said “inconvenience isn’t disruptive.” Ballinger said a person setting up tables for a student organization may be an inconvenience to others, but they should be able to exercise that freedom of expression at a public university. “People who want to share

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their ideas ought to be able to, free speech ought to rein,” Ballinger said. Ballinger also said that it seems new rules are developing because of potential disruptions, and that while this is certainly true of freedom of expression, it could in fact set an unintended precedent for other constitutional laws. According to the Office of the President at UCA, “In light of Act 156, we will review our existing policy and revise as necessary in order to incorporate the provisions of the Act.” UCA’s current policy states that “the area adjacent to the southwest corner of Ferguson Chapel, not to exceed 50 feet in any direction, is hereby designated as a limited public forum.” Act 184 came to light after the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville disinvited a speaker in April 2017 and Arkansas State University at Jonesboro ordered a student to remove a table that was set up to recruit new members to

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Men: speak no, hear no, see no, snip no evil.

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2/ March 13, 2019

NEWS

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Police Beat The following information is compiled from UCAPD incident reports by Assistant News Editor Lauren McLemore

Nonstudent told to cease contact

photo by Lauren McCabe

Rep. Stephen Meeks of District 67 discusses the work he has been doing to stop employers from putting microchips in their workers March 3 in the Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center. Other topics discussed during the panel among representatives included the planning a bus system and the passing of a bill for women to receive breast milk.

Political panel talks Conway infrastructure by Ronak Patel Staff Writer

The UCA Women’s Leadership Network and the Division of Outreach and Community Engagement hosted a political panel at the Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center March 4, focusing on the current Arkansas legislative session and Conway legislative actions, as well as on other public policies that impact the daily lives of Conway residents. The panel included Conway Mayor Bart Castleberry’s presentation, moderated Q&A sessions and other Arkansas state legislators’ commentary. Moderators included Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reporter Debra Hale-Shelton, Log Cabin Democrat publisher Kelly Sublett and UCA assistant professor of political science Heather Yates. The panelist for the event included Mayor Bart Castleberry, Rep. Spencer Hawks, Rep. Steve Magie, Rep. Stephen Meeks and Sen. Jason Rapert. Some topics of discussion included ways to improve life for citizens of Conway. The City of Conway, in particular, is focusing on improving the infrastructure of the city. “I think we need to

continue with building our parks, and bring more families to Conway,” Castleberry said. “We need to improve the city to keep UCA, Hendrix and Central Baptist College students here after they graduate.” Plans to improve the infrastructure include making it easier for Conway residents to travel. Castleberry said he wants to continue adding smart traffic signals, with a goal of making traffic 20 percent faster. Castleberry said he plans on having the bridge on Bruce Street open by May 1 to further alleviate traffic congestion. The event also focused on making travel easier and safer for pedestrians. Conway plans to create more sidewalks, add more pedestrian safety signs and install more street lights in key areas to increase pedestrian visibility for night drivers. “We want to tie East and West Conway together with sidewalks,” Castleberry said. Conway also plans to build a bus system to help commuters, which will make life easier for those without vehicles commuting from surrounding areas. “We get about a million dollars annually from the federal government to apply to transportation

and, historically, we have not used that,” Castleberry said. “[However, recently,] we partnered with Rock Region Metro; we are starting transportation from Conway to Little Rock and Little Rock back to Conway. Then, hopefully, we will be able to go to Beebe, Cabot, Morrilton and anywhere in the Central Arkansas area. We’ll start with the Little Rock route in June and then, hopefully, we will be adding more routes.” Rep. Stephen Magie is happy with the progress House Bill 1176 is making. House Bill 1176 was passed to create programs for mothers to get healthy breast milk. Magie says he believes obtaining healthy breast milk is an issue that isn’t discussed enough. Magie specified that he wanted the bill to allow women to donate their breast milk for those who are in need of healthy breast milk, and the bill is doing what he envisioned. Rep. Stephen Meeks is working to stop employers from putting microchips in their workers. New technology was created, allowing employers to put chips between the index and thumb of their employees. “We will have policy to stop employers from forcing employees to get microchips into the skin,” Meeks said.

SGA

Anderson may replace Laney on Manion Hall by Lauren McLemore Assistant News Editor

SGA met March 11 to hear from the Provost, celebrate Day of Giving and hold discussions for proposed resolutions. A resolution to rename Laney-Manion Hall to just Manion Hall was proposed; however, it was amended to make the new name Anderson-Manion Hall, which was passed 34-3 before being sent back to the Student Life Affairs committee. The new name would replace the name Laney — named after civil rights opponent and anti-segregation legislator Gov. Benjamin T. Laney — with Anderson instead, reflecting the first African-American faculty member, Mable B. Anderson. On the Day of Giving last Thursday, the University raised $757,939, breaking a UCA and a statewide record. Students donated about 10 percent of it. Faculty and staff donated just under 50 percent of it, which was more than alumni donated. The Housing and Food Committee’s surveyed 675 people for reusable to-go boxes in the cafeteria, As of Monday evening, of those responses, 92 percent recorded they want a better system than styrofoam, or at least something more

Policy:

eco-friendly, 78 percent wanted the reusable system and 22 percent opposed, saying they didn’t want to pay the one-time $5 fee. Arkansas State is rolling out a reusable to-go box in the fall and Arkansas Tech has had a similar program for a few years. SGA unanimously passed a motion requesting no more than $160 garnered from SGA reserves fund to host a launch party for making free feminine products available in 140 campus restrooms and recognize the faculty and staff who made it happen. The Assistance Program For Students With Exceptional Circumstances university committee met last Friday to review spring mid-semester college applications. Of the $35,000 semester budget, APSEC awarded 11 scholarships totaling $33,022 to 31 applicants. The remainder should be distributed later in the week. Poulter also spoke to students about an Academic Affairs report given during a February board of trustees meeting. Now a specific time will be set aside for an Academic Affairs report at each meeting. Poulter explained parts of the report, highlighting initiatives about enrollment

management — everything that has to do with recruitment, admission, time in classes, matriculation, graduation and alumni. However, departments that play major roles — admissions, advising, registration and financial aid — all report to different people, making consistency and organization difficult. UCA Core Council met last Tuesday, and addressed that three courses failed to adhere to UCA’s standards. These courses were WRTG 2325-Introduction to Rhetoric, MCOMM 1300-Media and Society and BUAD 2303-College of Business Travel Class for Responsible Living. “All three of these courses were approved to be motioned to their appropriate college for interpretation and to see if we can better the course material to better adhere to these standards,” Junior Class Rep. Colby Little said. A resolution titled “UCA’s Homecoming Court Inclusion” unanimously passed. It proposes offering Homecoming King and Escort of Honor positions, neither of which will “conform to gender identities,” alongside Homecoming Queen and Maid of Honor positions for which RSO’s can nominate students during Homecoming week.

Freedom of expression receives mixed reactions

4 Continued from page 1 a student organization called Turning Point USA in October 2017. There was no clear policy for free speech zones at public universities, which is the legislature’s job. Phyllis Chesler, author and professor of Psychology at City University in New York, was disinvited from University of Arkansas because she allegedly said some unfavorable things about Muslims. Chesler wrote an essay titled “Niqab, Burqa, Hijab - Afghanistan comes to the West”, saying burqas should be banned in western countries

and she has written several pieces about honor killings becoming a problem in western countries. The question as to whether the University of Arkansas should have allowed her to speak is still at large. The Arkansas DemocratGazette reported that the lawsuit involving the ASU student will still go on despite the new law being signed into effect. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos referenced this case in September 2018, stating that the ASU student “wanted to recruit for a student

organization she was founding, but soon learned it first had to be approved. Even then, she still had to apply for a permission slip.” DeVos mentioned the free speech zones, saying they are typically small and corneredoff. The current policy will be in place until 90 days after final adjournment of the legislative session. UCA’s existing policy can be found at uca.edu/board/ files/2010/11/406.pdf.

Officer Dustin Rink and officer Phillip Boyd arrived to Bear Village around 10 a.m. March 3 to investigate nonstudent Justin Spurgeon beating on his ex-girlfriend’s apartment door. As he was leaving the building, Spurgeon told Boyd he wanted the belongings that he had left after the couple broke up about a month earlier. Rink went to the apartment and met Spurgeon’s ex-girlfriend, student Tamara Tabor, and nonstudents Kyle Aloi and Nicholas Sutter at the door. Tabor said Spurgeon would not leave until she told him police were coming. She said Spurgeon had been repeatedly contacting her after being asked to stop. She said he sometimes appeared to be following her via the Snapchat map feature, showing up at or near places shortly after she arrived. Tabor was given a Laura’s Card and told to contact police if Spurgeon contacted her again. Spurgeon messaged Tabor while Rink spoke to her. Boyd issued Spurgeon a ban letter and told him he was no

longer allowed on university property and, if found in violation, he would be arrested for criminal trespass. Spurgeon was given his belongings and told not to continue contact with Tabor. At 1 p.m., Tabor contacted Rink to say Spurgeon was messaging her friend trying to contact her. Tabor has requested no criminal charges at this time.

Nontrad man loses ‘glasses’, finds gun On March 4 around 1 p.m. officer Phillip Boyd and officer Chris Turner went to McAlister Hall to talk to assistant professor of Family & Consumer Sciences Kathryn Carroll and student Kenneth Feagan. Hours earlier the department chair, Nina Roofe, told officers that Feagan, 71, was in Carrolls’ office for office hours and returned later, saying he needed to look for his lost glasses. While looking under a desk in an open part of the office, they found a small pistol. Carroll told officers she was uncomfortable and Turner explained to her the law regarding concealed carry licensing in Arkansas. Feagan,

who showed up minutes later, was given a ride to UCAPD and taken to the Chief ’s office where he spoke with command staff for 15 minutes before being escorted back to McAllister.

Student pulls fire alarm accidentally Officer Phillip Boyd responded to a falsely pulled fire alarm at 3:30 p.m. March 2 in Short Hall by going to the pull station on the second floor and verifying there was no emergency. The pull station and alarm were both reset. The next day, UCAPD identified student Jarvis Paylor was identified as a suspect. Officers Dustin Rink and Boyd went to his room and found him wearing the same outfit as the image of a man pulling the alarm. He was read his Miranda Rights and agreed to continue speaking, saying he called Resident Assistant Steven Darling after realizing the cover for the pull station was loose the day before. When Darling told Paylor to pull it back down, he pulled a handle that read “pull down” in an attempt to fix the issue, but instead set off the building’s fire alarm.

EXHIBITION

Open art competitive gathers patron viewers by Lisa Sullins Staff Writer

The Baum Gallery sponsored the Annual Student Art Competitive again this year. The entry deadline was last month and the artwork will be displayed from March 4 to March 15. The exhibit is free and open to the public. The 2019 ASAC Winners were as follows: • Senior Louise Mandumbwa with the $500 Grand Prize for her work “Wayne” • Senior Karmen Barnes with the $200 Award of Excellence for her work “Sundown Town” • Senior Michelle Worden with a second $200 Award of Excellence for her piece “3 Dollar Bills” • Sophomore Kenleigh Godwin with the $100 Award of Merit for his piece “Uncertainty” • Senior Michaela Overley with a $50 Honorable Mention Award for her work “Architectural Abstraction” • Senior Anna Wagner with a second $50 Honorable Mention for her art titled “What You Don’t Know” • Senior Panipak Kumgade with a third $50 Honorable Mention award for her work “The Post.” Director of the Baum Gallery Brian Young said even non-art majors were welcomed to enter artwork, which he believes allowed the showing of a variety of different works. “This is an important exhibition, and the wonderful thing about it is that you don’t have to be an art major to enter,” Young said. “For example, nursing and biology students are warmly welcomed to enter and exhibit their artwork.” The ASAC had 98 art pieces entered this year, and several students entered more than one piece. The judge this year was Kevin Cole. Cole is a retired college professor who now travels to different art shows to judge them. “I get pleasure from judging these art shows,” Cole said. “I am very impressed with the quality of work here at the Baum

Legend:

photo by Taylor Sone

Senior Adrienne Thompson’s entry, “Two Portraits,” is one of many in the annual Student Art Competition at the Baum Gallery in McCastlain Hall on display from March 4 through March 15. Art Professor Kevin Cole is this year’s juror, and will judge the more than 90 works on display.

Gallery for this competition. There are many students’ work that stands out. A number of pieces are really good, and I hope these students go to graduate school because they have the capability of making a career in art.” Sophomore Tanner McDaniel, who is a graphic design art major, visited the exhibit to see the different kinds of art out of his own speciality. “The doors were open, and I was curious,” McDaniel said. “In my major, I love looking at others’ art, especially things I would never dare to try.” Art education major and junior Sarah Childres was also walking though the gallery. “I know a lot of classmates’ works that are here, and I feel it’s important to see their artwork,” Childres said. “I would encourage anyone who hasn’t come in to do so because there are phenomenal works in

here.” Freshman Aisha Ausler, a student worker at the Baum Gallery, described her feelings when walking past the many displays throughout the gallery. “I think it is amazing that the Baum Gallery hosts this event,” Ausler said. “It’s so nice to see the talents that are here on this campus. These pieces are breathtaking. I have walked through more than five times and each time I have a different experience. I appreciate the artists for sharing their talents.” There are multiple and various works of art in this exhibit, ranging from canvases to 3D entries, among other forms of art. The Baum Gallery hosts many exhibitions throughout the year and Young wants all UCA students to visit and see all the talent displayed at the gallery and experience it for themselves.

Holtz says the decision-making process is key

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“A lot of times, players have coaches that just want to coach,” two-time All-American and former defensive end Jimmy Walker said. “[Holtz] actually prayed with us, disciplined us when we needed it and was the type of coach that made you think you could run through a wall.” Holtz focused on being more than just a coach throughout his career, and that offered him a sense of pride. “I always say I never coached football, I coached life,” Holtz said. This was the main focus of Holtz’s lecture. He aligned all of his experiences in football and television, and as a college football analyst, with those in all walks of life. He prioritized the importance of decision making as a means of being successful. “Wherever you are,

whatever happens is going to be because of the choices you make,” Holtz said. “That’s the most important thing I could do. Your self-image, confidence, everything is related to that.” Although Holtz spoke in a motivational and inspirational tone, he kept a smile on the audience members’ faces as well as his own with a timely sense of humor. “I was always smaller than other people, so they never paid attention to what I said unless I made them laugh,” Holtz said. This is a tactic he also said he used throughout his coaching career and beyond —throughout his life— making sure to always incorporate joy into whatever situation he was in. “You have to have fun with what you do and you have to enjoy it,” Holtz said. “Every day

I walked on the football field, the first thing I said was ‘what a great day to work.’ It could be snowing or raining, but if you’re happy to be there, people are happy to be around you.” Holtz also spoke on the importance of selflessness and a team-oriented mindset in athletes. He said the significance of earning and carrying out your role to the best of your ability is what makes team goals attainable. “If you want to fail, you have the right to fail,” Holtz said. “You do not have the right to cause others to fail because you don’t fulfill your obligations.” These lessons, along with the success that Holtz earned during his time in Fayetteville, have made him a staple in the state of Arkansas who will always be respected.

Campus Life

March 13, 2019

Around Campus: Lunch Ensemble At 1 p.m. March 13 in the Elizabeth L. Christian Cafeteria, the Hevreh Ensemble is hosting an informal Q&A session with students. The group features musicians who have studied classical music at many different academies. Many of the group’s pieces feature world peace, environmental sustainability and racial tolerance. Jeff Alder composes original pieces for the Hevreh Ensemble. For more information visit uca.edu/news.

Glow Laser Tag At 4 p.m. March 13 in the Student Center Ballroom, the Student Activities Board will host a game of glow-in-thedark laser tag. UCA students can paint their faces and bodies before running into a maze of inflatable bunkers. Foggers and strobe lights will add to the fun. For more information visit ucasab.com.

Book Signing At 2 p.m. March 14 in the McAllister Hall Mirror Room, UCA Archives will host a book signing. Author of “In their Own Voice: Interviews from the Maud Crawford Investigation”, and UCA alumna Beth Brickell will sign copies of her book. Brickell is a native Arkansan. She is now a Los Angeles filmmaker and author. This event is open to the public. Refreshments will be served. For more information contact Jimmy Bryant, director of UCA Archives, at jimmyb@uca.edu.

Annual Business At 6:30 p.m. March 14 in the HPER Center, the Conway Area Chamber will host the 12th Annual Meeting, which will feature a CEO-level speaker and an awards ceremony. This year’s speaker will be John W. Allison, Chairman of the Board at HomeBanc Shares, Inc. Some of the presented awards will include the Business of the Year Award and the Lloyd Westbrook Good Neighbor Award. For more information visit conwaychamber.org/ Annual-Meeting.html.

Pete the Cat At 6 p.m. March 15 Reynolds Performance Hall will show the play Pete the Cat. Pete and Jimmy Biddle are total opposites, but they’ll have to learn to work together when Pete moves in with the Biddle family. The play is based on a children’s book series by Kimberly and James Dean. The performance will be accompanied by Will Aroson’s music. Tickets are available at tickets.uca.edu.

Fashion At 7 p.m. March 16 at 1069 Markham St. in Conway, BlessedGals boutique store owner Sannecia Davis will present the third annual fashion show “Fire on the Runway.” The show, which hopes to raise awareness of the opioid epidemic, will have boutique vendors. Food and drinks will also be available for purchase. Designer Dope Runna’s clothing designs will be displayed. For tickets go to eventbrite.com.

Acoustic Duo At 1:30 p.m. March 26 in the Student Center Amphitheater, the Student Activities Board will host a musical performance by Midnight Noon. The duo met when they were both solo artists and decided to combine their music styles as Midnight Noon. For more information visit ucasab.com.

photos by Taylor Sone

[Left] Terry Wright, Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication, views pieces from the inaugural Black History Month Art Show on March 8 at UCA Downtown. The featured artists [top right] displayed their paintings, sculpture and mixed media pieces and were honored during a reception. Senior Adrienne Thompson’s sculpture “Hair Care” [bottom right] was one of the many pieces on display.

Black History Month Art Show memorializes culture by Rose McGarrity Staff Writer

UCA hosted the first annual art show for Black History Month. The College of Fine Arts and Communication and the Division of Outreach and Communication Engagement hosted a Black History Month Art Show from 5-7 p.m. at UCA Downtown. The exhibit was set up Feb. 15; the timing is fitting because February is Black History Month. Provost Patricia Poulter gave a short speech at the event. During this speech, she said she recently read an article about why people should celebrate Black

History Month. “One of the key points that the author made is that we can learn a lot about a culture from the things they choose to forget, but we can learn more about them from the things they choose to memorialize, the things they put in museums, the things they hang on walls, the things they set aside time for,” Poulter said. The art show included various types of art, including sculptures, digital art and paintings. Getting into the art show was competitive. The artwork that didn’t make it into the show was included on the front page of the art show’s program. Senior Louise Mandumbwa,

an international student from Africa, has three art pieces in this show. Her pieces of art were made digitally and depicted human beings. “I am someone who is really interested in the human condition. I am always looking at people. When people ask where I am from, I always end up talking about the people that are there,” Mandumbwa said. Executive director for the Division of Outreach and Community Engagement Kristy Carter was very happy with how the art show turned out. “I think we got the word out. People from the art community are here and friends and family of

the artists. We’re just happy they could make it,” Carter said. Several top UCA administrators attended the event, such as UCA President Houston Davis and Poulter. “I’m blown away by the turn out … We’re going to do this every year, and it will only get better and better,” Davis said. Carter put a great deal of work into planning this art show. “I coordinated the entire event. We got all the artists together one night. They came in and they installed their own art,” Carter said. Carter also advertised the event and designed graphics for it.

They sent out a call to all art students at UCA who were of black or of African descent. Chair of the art department Bryan Massey took the lead on choosing which artwork would be exhibited. Eleven students participated in this art show: junior Martin Balsam, junior Alexis Claiborne, junior Monika Cunningham, junior Trevor Dyson, freshman Brandy Lucas, senior Louise Mandumbwa, senior Sidney McCoy, junior Bobby Miller, freshman Kaleigh Monet Thomas, senior Adrienne Thompson II and senior Ayana Williams. These artworks can still be viewed at UCA Downtown until March 15.

M E N TA L H E A LT H

Student Center room filled with laughter as ladies converse over ice cream by Macy Davis Staff Writer

Mental health is a hot topic for college students, and having someone to talk to can make a big difference in someone’s life. UCA’s RSO Real Beauty met Feb. 5 to work through mental issues that women on the UCA campus are facing. Around 30 women gathered at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Center room 223. The event, Ice Cream & Conversations, created a relaxed and comfortable environment for the members of Real Beauty. Even some of the women who were not part of the organization quickly became active in the conversations.

When junior and vice president of Real Beauty Jaclyn Spears started speaking, it was difficult for her to hush the excited discussions around her. Spears relayed the casual theme of the meeting by sitting in the floor with pillows and blankets and encouraged the other girls to do the same. The members sat in a circle while a Real Beauty members stood up to say a prayer to kick off the event. Women filled the room with laughter as they sat around eating ice cream and conversing about life. Spears selected questions at random to read aloud [that Real Beauty members wrote earlier in the week].

Some of the questions included advice on how to be a good older sister in college and how to initiate relationships without coming across as aggressive. The girls tossed around a stuffed animal; whoever was holding the animal could talk openly. Even though the stuffed bear was meant to control the conversation, the women would talk without regarding the bear. The event’s atmosphere was conversational with good discussions and laughter. Real Beauty hosts two programs, two fundraisers and two community service events every month. The RSO name is an acronym that represents the

organization’s motto: “Reaching Every Adolescent Lady, Building and Enhancing Attitudes, and Uniting Today’s Youth.” They work to reach women in the UCA community and teach them how to be their best selves. Real Beauty members also express the concept that beauty is more than what you wear and how you look. They encourage women to be true to themselves by being just as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside. “Girls are other girls’ biggest critics. We want to make sure that we are always lifting each other up instead of tearing each other down,” Spears said. Ice Cream and Conversations was a part of

Real Beauty’s Women’s Week. The leaders used the acronym, WOMEN, to hold an event for each night of the week, Monday through Friday. “W” stood for women, “O” stood for opening, “M” was for motivating, “E” for empowering and “N” for notable. UCA junior Nina Jordan’s friend invited Jordan to Ice Cream & Conversations. The event was her first Real Beauty event and she was excited to attend. “Honestly, I would say women should come together more like we are tonight. We should give each other motivation and encourage each other more,” Jordan said.

VOLUNTEERING

Students commit to making a difference in community despite rainy weather by Rose McGarrity Staff Writer

Despite the stormy weather, members of the UCA community spent several hours volunteering around Conway during the Big Event on March 9. The Big Event takes place each spring and is a day where hundreds of UCA students come together to volunteer. This year, due to the rain and a tornado warning, the volunteer jobs were all inside. Typically, the Big Event has indoor and outdoor volunteer jobs. Due to the chance of rain this year, the committee organized a backup plan with all indoor jobs, and the weather didn’t stop students from showing up to volunteer. “When I first started back in the spring of 2017, I assumed the Big Event was a 25-year-old event,” UCA President Houston Davis said. Davis assumed this because many students attended the

photo by Rose McGarrity

Freshman Madison Treat helps organize clothes at the Salvation Army during the Big Event on Mar. 9. Despite the rain, many UCA students showed up to volunteer.

event. However, the Big Event was started by the Student Government Association in 2014, and it is now its own entity. “It blows me away that our student body will turn out to say ‘What can we do?’ and, ‘How can we help?’,” Davis said. Davis showed his support this year by volunteering at

the Big Event alongside UCA students. “There is something about our UCA student body that is just a little bit different than other colleges I’ve been around, and the Big Event is something I point to as proof,” Davis said. A great deal of preparation goes into planning the event. The committee had its first

meeting in the fall semester. “There is the director and four executive positions; each executive board member has a subcommittee. The subcommittees tackled different planning components of the event,” Big Event committee member Caroline Peeke said. “It involved a lot of reaching out to people

in Conway that might be in interested in jobs.” Many registered student organizations on campus signed up to volunteer for the Big Event. Sign ups for the big event took place through OrgSync. Big Event teams do various jobs, such as cleaning windows and sorting clothes. People around the community in need of help apply for Big Event volunteers to help them. “This year I was in a group that was assigned to clean up a shelter/pantry at a ministry. It felt good to give back to the community, especially because I was helping people who work to make the community better,” junior Ailyn Campillo said. Campillo said she loved meeting new people and volunteering with them. Various leadership opportunities are available through the Big Event. The Big Event has an executive board, and each Big Event group was led by a team leader. The team leaders applied to receive their positions, and their job was to message their group members and organize their team.

ucanews.live

CAMPUS LIFE

March 13, 2019 /4

ECHO STAFFERS SAY

“

What is the worst experience you’ve had during college?

”

Story by Christine Nichols Photos by Taylor Sone

photos by Ronak Patel

[Left] At 5:30 p.m. March 7 in McAllister Hall room 124 Chiemi Shimizu shows students how to make one of her favorite Japanese dishes. Shiazu is the culture coordinator for the Japanese Outreach Initiative. Students made teriyaki chicken to put in their sushi rolls. UCA students used a bamboo mat to roll sushi. UCA’s Japanese Club and JOI came together and put on this event to help students learn how to make sushi, a popular dish in Japan.

Cooking class brings Japanese culture to campus by Ronak Patel Staff Writer

UCA’s Japanese Club and Japanese Outreach Initiative jointly created an event to teach students how to make sushi — a popular Japanese dish. Instructors helped students make sushi, but the event was hands on, allowing students to learn by trying every step of the sushi-making process. To start, students were tasked with cutting their meat and vegetables so the fruits and vegetables would fit into the sushi roll. Students were given the option to choose from carrot, avocado, cucumber, egg and crabs to put in their sushi along with their chicken. Students seasoned the chicken with teriyaki flavoring and they were allowed to season their chicken to their own tastes.

After finishing prep work, students laid their meat and vegetables onto a bamboo mat that was covered with seaweed. The seaweed had a layer of rice on top of it. The rice made it sticky enough that students could roll all the ingredients into a single roll. This part of the process gave students the most trouble. Students struggled to roll the sushi without the meat and vegetables falling out of place. Junior Lydia Julian enjoyed the challenge of making sushi for the first time. “This was my first time ever making sushi. The hardest part about it all was the amount of work that goes into rolling sushi, [but] I could see myself making sushi at home,” Julian said. “The best part was the fact that I got to decide what went into it and that I could

personalize the sushi, even if the recipe didn’t call for it. My sushi turned out amazing if I do say so myself. Can’t wait to make it on my own in the near future.” JOI Coordinator Chiemi Shimizu said she wanted students to learn about Japanese culture in a fun and interactive way, “I hope people who like Japanese food can now make Japanese food by themselves. That was the goal food-wise,” Shimizu said. “This cooking class allowed Japanese students and students of other countries to help meet each other. It gave everyone a chance to meet each other.” Shimizu moved to UCA last summer from Yamanashi, Japan. She came to UCA to work as the culture coordinator for UCA’s Japanese Outreach

Initiative program. Shimizu’s main goal at UCA is to help increase global understanding between Japanese people and Americans. Shimizu wants to help expand cultural understanding by teaching people about Japanese culture through events like the sushi-cooking class. Shimizu has more events in store similar to the sushi class and plans on hosting other cooking classes — such as one for Okonomiyaki: a Japanese pancake. For anyone who enjoyed the sushi class or wants to be involved in events like this, contact either the JOI or UCA’s Japanese Club. To contact JOI, students can email cshimizu@uca.edu. UCA’s Japanese Club has a Facebook page at facebook. com/ucajapaneseclub.

Senior — Staﬀ Writer Lisa Sullins

Junior — Distributer Ronak Patel

“My worst experience was getting through my InDesign class. I am not technologically advanced. I am not good at computers, so it was a very difﬁcult course for me.”

“I guess the worst was a college heartbreak. We went on date and it went well but it just got dry. I thought she was the one. And there’s that stigma of ‘you’re supposed to ﬁnd the love of your life at college. ‘“

Junior — Staﬀ Writer Rafael Soliz II

Senior — Campus Life Editor Aysha Dixon

ENRICHING LIVES

UCA teaches Conway community valuable life skills by Lauren McCabe News Editor

UCA’s Outreach and Community Engagement Center’s free community classes, which are offered throughout the year, have been highlighted across campus and various news outlets. Outreach and its partnering organizers believe the classes, which are offered to UCA students and Conway community members, contain beneficial information in areas such as lifestyles and financing. Director of Programs and Services for Outreach Reuel Shepherd manages and promotes the classes offered. “We feel that there is always a need for people to learn, and we want to provide learning outlets for those who have the desire to continue learning throughout their lives,” Shepherd said. “We take a look at current trends to see what types of new and important information is available to the public. We also know that some subjects tend to always be popular so we always want to offer something in those areas. Most importantly, we take cues from the community via surveys

or various conversations with community members to find out directly what people are wanting to learn.” In a brochure that anyone who visits the Outreach offices in the Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center can pick up, there are different pages summarizing the classes offered, when they will be held and whether they are free. For this semester, upcoming classes cover topics including financing a home loan, first-time home buying, smart recycling and wedding etiquette, to name a few. Shepherd said particular instructors volunteer their time or are paid to host the classes and can come from different areas of interest. “We love to bring in a wide array of instructors,” Shepherd said. “We definitely want to have a collection of instructors that can cover a wide range of topics. This helps us to be able to better serve the needs of the community. We’ll have instructors that have expertise in topics ranging from starting a business to video animation to beekeeping, just to name a few.” Ashley Newman, a mortgage originator for

Centennial Bank in Conway, taught Financing a Home Loan on Feb. 25 and said those who signed up ranged from early 20s to 50s. “I love helping people,” Newman said. “That is my favorite part of being a mortgage originator. The education offered to become a homeowner is a service to our community and helps enrich lives. It’s a pleasure to partner with a broad tool of educators like UCA Outreach offers.” Newman’s classes focused on an introduction into the home buying process and topics of discussion such as different types of loan options, down payment assistance, how to improve your credit score and the approval structure. “From the reviews, the participants feel much more comfortable going into the home buying process,” Newman said. “They are more educated on what is affecting their credit and how; they are aware of tools to make homeownership attainable for them.” While most classes offered are free, those who register also have the opportunity to pay for some more in-depth classes that offer different

certifications, professional skills and other introductory training courses. “Some classes are free because the materials needed for participants to learn may be very minimal or nonexistent,” Shepherd said. “If the costs to offer the class are very low, then it will likely be free. For our culinary classes and other classes that tend to involve a certain amount of materials, we charge a fee so that the instructors don’t have to cover all of the costs.” Both Shepherd and Newman said their experiences with the community classes are that the classes have positive impacts on those who attend and those who are involved. “We definitely want [participants] to take away information that they can apply in some manner to bring improvement, enjoyment, enrichment and fulfillment to their lives,” Shepherd said. “We also want them to engage with the university in a positive way so that they are aware that they can use UCA as a knowledge-seeking resource.” For more information on the classes offered, or to register for a certain course, visit uca.edu/outreach.

“Working full-time while doing school my ﬁrst semester here. In the fall of 2017. I was taking ﬁfteen hours. I was spreading myself too thin. I had to work late at night and I had 8 a.m. classes.”

Junior — Assistant News Editor Lauren McLemore

“I’ve liked all of my classes, kind of. I feel like all of my jobs and all of my classes have taught me lessons. “

Junior — Sports Editor Marcus McClain

“When I was ﬁnishing my associates degree, I took my last 12 hours of classes online in the summer. I was baby-sitting during the day so I would have to stay up all night to do my schoolwork. I think I slept one hour the whole summer.”

“Eating in the cafeteria for the ﬁrst time. I ate a burger and fries there and I got sick. It was the worst experience I’ve ever had consuming any form of food in my life.”

After his surgery, McCully was lying on the recovery table when his stitches came undone, causing blood to pool under the bed. That was when Job fell into cardiac arrest for the second time and floated on an orange cloud. “That’s twice now that I’m not supposed to be here, and I have no explanation for that other than God’s watching over me,” McCully said. Because McCully was in his first cardiac arrest for 10 minutes, the doctors told his mother that he “wasn’t going to be the same.” They told her Job was going to basically be a vegetable in a wheelchair, unable to communicate. “But here I am talking to you, so obviously something happened,” McCully said. Sixty-one days after his surgery, McCully was released. He received physical therapy and occupational therapy for his leg muscles — which had atrophied while he recovered in the hospital — until he could walk again. Prior to his double-lung surgery, McCully faced other lung issues including Bronchiolitis Obliterans (commonly known as popcorn lungs), which

caused progressive scarring in his lungs, and fungal pneumonia. Fungi from standing water beneath Job’s house had caused his fungal pneumonia. Job needed a new house but didn’t have the money for it. So, in 2008, a group of women in Bigelow urged people through the local newspaper to send letters to ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. “Everybody wrote to ABC in a two-week period; they got so many letters from Bigelow, Arkansas that they called us and said that they had to stop their mail room because it was so backed up,” McCully said. The Extreme Makeover team built Job and his family a new house, and after the episode ended, the producers brought Job to a campsite they’d built behind the new house and told his mom ABC bought Job and his sister fullride scholarships to UCA. “So that’s the reason I came to UCA,” McCully said. McCully is a computer science major with an Asian studies minor. He said, ideally, he would like to create video games because, growing up in hospitals, McCully grew attached to them.

PEOPLE OF UCA: Job McCully by Emily Gist Associate Editor

photo by Emily Gist

Junior Job McCully rides his electric scooter from class to class. Six months ago, his body started rejecting his double-lung transplant making it diﬃcult to breathe, so he began riding his scooter for medical purposes.

He remembers floating on a cloud and looking at himself. A bright orange, like the center of a Dreamsicle, glowed beneath the cloud he rode, and he “just felt at peace.” In reality, on the seventh floor in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, 9-year-old Job McCully (pronounced Jobe) went into cardiac arrest. Though in his memory he floated on a cloud, doctors and nurses were giving McCully open heart CPR on a recovery table. A nurse massaged his heart, seeking a pulse. Junior Job McCully, 20, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a blood and bone cancer, when he was 4 years old. Because of the radiation, McCully’s growth was stunted. ALL has a less than 10 percent survival rate. He underwent radiation therapy and bone surgery. The radiation, among a plethora of other lung-related health complications, led to Job needing a double-lung transplant.

“The doctors came in and said we had two options: One, sedate Job, put him in a medically induced coma, [or] two, call everyone that wanted to tell Job bye. They said without sedation, he had a few days left,” Job’s grandmother said according to caringbridgeclassic.org. His family chose sedation, but while a nurse was putting McCully’s meds in his IV, he went into cardiac arrest. Doctors flocked into the room. “[My grandmother] couldn’t explain it, but she was at the foot of the bed at the time and she was watching all of this go down, but she was calm,” McCully said. “And whenever she looked out the window, she saw a cloud in the perfect shape of a dove. And she said she has no other way to explain it other than the peace of God had come over her.” McCully said he died on the bed, but someone was watching over him. “[My grandmother] said as soon as she heard the nurse say, ‘What was the time of death?’ that’s whenever she heard them get a heartbeat,” McCully said. Less than two months later, McCully underwent surgery for his double-lung transplant.

Opinion

ucaechoeditor@gmail.com

March 13, 2019

The Voice

Legislators should not threaten college funding

The Echo Staff Marley Cash-Powell Editor

Emily Gist

Associate Editor

Lauren McCabe News Editor

Lauren McLemore Assistant News Editor

Aysha Dixon

Campus Life Editor

Christine Nichols

Assistant Campus Life Editor

Ryan Bradford Opinion Editor

Caela Fugate

Entertainment Editor

Marcus McClain Sports Editor

Daniel Adams

Assistant Sports Editor

Dy’Kajeon Brown

Online/ Social Media Editor

Taylor Sone Photo Editor

Ricky Rivera Cartoonist

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Prevent abortions through vasectomies Today, many men in legislatures are safe and highly reversible, until they find a passionate about saving the lives of unborn partner and they both decide they are ready children; however, it’s a bit less common to to conceive a child? see those same men taking responsibility for According to an article written by a woman’s unwanted pregnancy. urologist Moshe Wald, which was published The only other alternative for her is on the University of Iowa Hospitals and carrying the baby to term, which feels like a Clinics website, a vasectomy is an outpatient punishment for many of these women. procedure that takes only three to four Both abortion and childbirth hours to complete, and recovery for most have potential complications, such as men is only two to three days with the hemorrhaging and infection. Both come most common side effect being soreness. A reversal recovery is closer to four or five with risks. I don’t believe there are absolutely days. There’s no age limit to have the procedure done. no consequences for men who are Men could start lobbying and close to the women who endure advocating for “cheaper and more abortions. Some aren’t simply accessible” vasectomies instead. participants of a one-night-standPerhaps they could even bank their gone-wrong. In fact, many are sperm before the procedure just involved and long-term partners to be safe — all in the name of with the women who undergo abortions. saving unborn babies. I have no doubt there If you are a male and this can be deep emotional idea sounds too outrageous shortcomings for men to you, you may want to in relationships with consider whether you by Lauren McLemore women who choose to are truly interested in Assistant News Editor terminate a pregnancy reducing the number of that would have unwanted pregnancies, otherwise been their and therefore abortions, child. I am even confident that abortion can or simply just concerned with controlling be valid grounds for grieving. women’s bodies and sexuality. There are as many different arguments What length would you go to personally for why abortion is a hard pill for men to — if you believe that abortion is murder — to swallow as there are reasons for why women stop it? choose to have them. The control and power behind abortion No matter how you put it, men are the law is more imminent than ever. I think it’s only ones who do not experience a single time that men ask themselves who exactly is physical consequence or medical risk responsible for impregnating women? If the with their method of protection — birth answer is both the man and the woman, then control for men is latex, but for women it is it’s time to ask why the person who bears the a hormone cocktail with potentially severe most controversy, physical consequence and side effects. risk should be the one constantly attacked I believe there is a gap in men who about birth control and abstinence. cause unwanted pregnancies and men who Women are fertile for approximately take responsibility for causing unwanted 5 to 6 days a month while men could pregnancies. potentially cause multiple pregnancies in Men’s solutions to unwanted pregnancies a day, yet females are still being targeted often do not include options such as more in the courtroom as the primary element durable condoms, male abstinence or that needs to be dealt with in order to stop sterilization. Rather, they often propose unwanted pregnancies. things like forcing women to carry the child If men continue to cherry-pick the to term, advocating for more birth control concept of responsibility for pregnancies and passing laws that make an abortion when it’s convenient, such as trying to stop more difficult to obtain. an abortion by saying that it is their child too, If men will propose these things then it isn’t right to throw that responsibility to prevent women from terminating a to the side when it comes time to do their pregnancy, is it too far fetched to request part in reducing the unwanted pregnancies that men have vasectomies, which are to begin with.

UCA food court needs healthier meal options The UCA campus has a variety of foods for students and staff members to eat — such as Chick-fil-a, Pizza Hut or Mooyah. However, most of the food choices are unhealthy; therefore, the University should give students healthier choices to eat. As a student, it can be very difficult to maintain a healthy diet throughout the week. Students who have busy schedules often grab something quick in the Student Center, and it is usually unhealthy. If the Student Center had healthier choices, students would have a better chance of maintaining a healthy diet. by DJ Jones The Christian Staff Writer Cafeteria does a great job and gives students healthier choices to eat, even though it can get repetitive. Eating healthy could be too expensive for some students as well. Most people eat unhealthy foods because they are easier to get and a lot cheaper. If the university could provide healthier choices, it would be great for students to be allowed to use their meal plans to eat healthily.

UCA sophomore Coryuntae Jones said he eats in the Student Center almost every day simply because it is quicker than anything else. “Any time I leave class, I usually stop by the Student Center to talk to some friends or eat. It’s a lot faster for me to stop there than to go off campus or back to my room to eat,” Jones said. “My resolution this year was to just be a healthier person. Whether it was by working out or changing how I eat. I have been able to manage my fitness with the HPER Center, but if we had more healthier places on campus to eat, I would be knocking out two birds with one stone,” Jones said. For myself, I’ve always wanted to change up my diet since I’ve been here at UCA, but I just haven’t found many healthy choices on campus. This could also be a big help to international students. For students who are visiting from another country, it is probably frustrating having to eat fast foods/unhealthy foods daily. This could give them a better variety of things to try other than just greasy, unhealthy types of food.

Conservatives often cry for “free speech” on college campuses, like in 2017 when right-wing commentator Milo Yiannopoulos went to speak at UC-Davis but was shut down by protests. But liberals are not the only side to protest, some conservative legislators have also tried to ban material they find uncomfortable. Back in 2017, Republican Mary Bentley, member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for Perryville, suggested cutting funds to Arkansas Tech University because of an annual sexual education fair called “Sex on the Lawn.” Bentley uploaded a screenshot to Facebook of the event flyer for Arkansas Tech’s event. The poster read, “Sex on the Lawn is an all-inclusive educational fair that seeks to provide an honest and safe space for students to talk about sex and relationships with help from people on campus and in the community.” Bentley commented about the poster in her post. “This is a post from the Arkansas Tech Department of Diversity and Inclusion. As State Legislators, we hold the ‘purse strings’ of the state’s budget. Do you think this is an appropriate use of your tax dollars?” Bentley said in her Facebook post. How alarming that college students would want and need to talk about sex? Utterly scandalous. Still, it was enough for Bentley and Rep. Trevor Drown of Dover to propose an amendment to the Tech appropriation bill, stripping funding for the Department of Diversity and Inclusion. This is nothing new. Legislators with the power to hold schools’ “purse strings” have used this tactic to try to stifle acts they disagree with or find inappropriate. In 2016, the University of Arkansas faced the same threat after members of the women’s basketball team kneeled during the national anthem. This created similar outrage with legislators like Republican State Rep. Laurie Rushing. “While these ladies have a right to take a stand on their position, when they put that uniform on they now represent more than themselves,” Rushing said in a Facebook post. “I respect and encourage peaceful, personal protest but it should not be encouraged using a state-funded program and blessed by state-funded employees.” State senator Alan Clark also took to social media to criticize and make similar threats. “Hold placed on UA’s budget & amendment being prepared to remove equal funding as Women’s basketball budget. UA’s leadership out of touch,” Clark said. Republicans and conservatives appear to be trying to stifle free speech. If that sounds like a familiar accusation, it’s because it is. Conservatives have been accusing liberals of the same thing for years. This could happen at UCA as well. On Feb. 19, UCA held a similar event to the one held at Tech, “Sex on the Stage,” which was changed this year to “Forbidden Fruit.” If a legislator saw this, then they could make the same threats. What’s more, Ebony Models, the RSO that hosted the event, now might be facing punishment for provocative dance moves performed on stage. Conservatives’ claim as warriors of free speech only applies when it’s speech they agree with; anything else is fair game. Another example of this would be President Trump’s attacks on the free press — one of the foundation blocks of free speech — and some conservatives scream “fake news” right alongside him. Legislators shouldn’t have the right to attack higher education simply because they disagree with the way some of its students are exercising their right to freedom of speech. It’s petty and it’s dangerous.

Legislators shouldn’t have the right to attack higher education simply because they disagree with the way some of its students are exercising their right to freedom of speech.

Have an opinion? Everyone does. Write a letter to the editor at ucaechoeditor@gmail.com Letters to the editor don’t just have to be about Echo content. If you’ve noticed something on campus that’s positive or negative, we want to hear about it. The Echo is printed weekly by Leader Publishing. Decisions about content are made by the student editors. The views published are not necessarily those of the University of Central Arkansas. All material is subject to respective copyrights.

Entertainment

March 13, 2019

New This Week Movies

March 15 — Captive State (PG-13), directed by Rupert Wyatt, starring Vera Farmiga, Machine Gun Kelly, John Goodman, Madeline Brewer

March 15 — Wonder Park (PG), directed by David Feiss, starring Sofia Mali, Jennifer Garner, Ken Hudson Campbell, Kenan Thompson

March 15 — Five Feet Apart (PG-13), directed by Justin Baldoni, starring Haley Lu Richardson, Cole Sprouse, Claire Forlani, Moises Arias

Music March 15 — Gratitude — Benjamin Francis Leftwich March 15 — Plastic Anniversary — Matmos March 15 — Immigrance — Snarky Puppy March 15 — Groove Denied — Stephen Malkmus March 15 — The Brian Jonestown Massacre — The Brian Jonestown Massacre March 15 — To Believe — The Cinematic Orchestra March 15 — Egowerk — The Faint March 15 — Tim O’Brien Band — Tim O’Brien Band March 22 — My Finest Work — JAndrew Bird March 22 — LP5 — Apparat

March 22 — It’s Real — Ex Hex March 22 — Cows On Hourglass Pond — Avey Tare

Netflix March 15 — If I Hadn’t Met You, starring Pablo Derqui, Mercedes Sampietro, Andrea Ros March 15 — Arrested Development (Season 5, Part 2), created by Mitchell Hurwitz. starring Jason Bateman, Portia de Rossi, Will Arnett March 15 — Burn Out, directed by Yann Gozlan, starring Olivier Rabourdin, François Civil, Manon Azem March 15 — Girl, directed by Lukas Dhont, Mike Royce, starring Victor Polster, Arieh Worthalter, Oliver Bodart March 16 — Green Door, starring Jam Hsiao, Bea Hayden Kuo, Enno Cheng

Five ways to spend spring break locally List compiled by Aysha Dixon Campus Life Editor

Box-office hit ‘Captain Marvel’ promotes powerful heroine by Ryan Bradford Opinion Editor

“Captain Marvel,” the next Marvel blockbuster, smashed the box office last week when it hit theatres. The movie — which at the time of writing this review has currently grossed an estimated $153 million in the United States and an additional $455 million worldwide, according to the Hollywood Reporter — has received glowing reviews, boasting a Rotten Tomatoes score of 80 percent. That makes this release the second-highest opening for a Marvel film, right behind “Black Panther.” In a single word, “Captain Marvel” is inspiring. I personally have never walked out of a theater feeling more inspired than I did after the final credits of “Captain Marvel.” The movie displays the vital importance of getting back up and never backing down through this rising superhero. “Captain Marvel” is an origin story, not only for the titular main character, but for many key elements throughout the various films dominating the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The movie focuses on Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) who, at the start of the movie, we find already living on Hala, the homeworld of the Kree — an important intergalactic species in the Marvel universe.

photo courtesy of www.comingsoon.net

Lead female superhero Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) blasts expectations in the newest Marvel film, “Captain Marvel.” The film follows Danvers as she navigates her new powers and uncovers secrets about her origin. The film released March 8.

There we find the Kree population embroiled in a war with the Skrull — a shapeshifting species who use their morphing abilities to infiltrate worlds. However, despite its intense origin, the movie takes some time to truly pick up. The defining moment for its plot pick-me-up is when the focus inevitably shifts to Earth. This is where the theme of self-discovery, or rather self-rediscovery, comes into play. Carol — or Ver (pronounced veer) as she is called on Hala — has no memories of her past. As you

might have guessed, Carol is originally from Earth. Though the audience doesn’t find this out until later, it creates an interesting story of the prodigal daughter returning home, but not knowing it as such. The movie features returning characters such as S.H.E.I.L.D. agents Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Phil Coulson (Clark Greg), along with Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace) and Korath the Pursuer (Djimon Hounsou), both of whom appeared in the first “Guardians of the Galaxy” movie.

NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Assistant Sports Editor

Netflix’s new docuseries “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” is something that I was extremely excited to watch when I first heard about it. The show provides a good window into the world of Formula 1 racing as it takes the viewer through what the 2018 Formula 1 season looked like from various perspectives. Formula 1 is the top open-wheel auto racing series in the world, and Netflix attempts to showcase the emotions and tensions from every race of the 2018 season as best as it can. However, the approach the producers take to portray this racing subsect is different from what one might expect. While the two dominant racing teams from the season — Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport and Scuderia Ferrari — are at least referenced, the series focuses more on the stories behind the rest of the teams in the garage as the season progresses. There are several storylines that present themselves during each episode and every race. In the first episode, we’re introduced to Daniel Ricciardo, one of the two drivers for Aston Martin Red Bull Racing at that time. Ricciardo’s the proverbial third wheel out of the more popular drivers, someone who seemingly has the ability to win a title but has yet to do so in his career. At the same time, the viewers are shown the perspective of the mechanics and team principals — the people in charge of running the team on race weekends. Whether it’s the principal for Red Bull Racing, Christian Horner, or the team principal for Haas Formula One Team, Guenther Steiner, the series gives the viewer a glimpse into their lives as they deal with the 1. Canoeing the Caddo River The Caddo River, located in Glenwood, Ark, is a local gem. The river is a popular attraction for canoeing, but is also available for fishing, rafting, tubing, camping and renting cabins. With Glenwood being a quick trip (just a little under two hours from Conway), the river could easily be just as fun as Miami or South Padre Beach — minus the traffic and clutterfilled sand. The city is full of charming and quaint Airbnbs that can accommodate any number of guests, along with local eateries like Fish Net, which serves fresh seafood, and Ari’s Italian Restaurant, best known for its authentic Italian food.

Ultimately “Captain Marvel” is an exhilarating film that is more than worth the watch. “Captain Marvel” is available to watch in Conway at the Cinemark Towne Centre. It is rated PG-13.

ALBUM DEBUT

‘Formula 1: Drive to Survive’ proves thrilling in racing plot by Daniel Adams

A young Monica Rambeau, who is also known as the superhero Spectrum, was also featured in this movie. Though, she initially went by Captain Marvel in the original comics written by the acclaimed Stan Lee. The movie also marks Marvel’s first film with a major female lead and it had the fifth-biggest opening weekend of any female-led film of all time. “Captain Marvel,” presumably due to its female lead, became the target for many trolls on the internet. They flooded the pre-release

review on Rotten Tomatoes with negative reviews, leading the company to remove the function altogether according to Cracked. They also flooded the audience score on the movie’s opening day, but nevertheless, the screenings persevered, making one of the biggest impacts of any Marvel movie. Carol Danvers is also now arguably the most powerful female superhero in the MCU and definitely one of the strongest heroes period. No disrespect to Black Widow and Scarlet Witch, but there’s just something about that classic superhero flying through the sky that gives the aura of being generally unstoppable. Marvel’s golden casting decisions continued with their choice of Brie Larson as Captain Marvel. Larson was the perfect choice to play the role of Carol Danvers. The film showcased the character well, especially her defining stubbornness and how she isn’t one to back down. A softer side of Nick Fury was also shown through the portrayal of the path that set him and S.H.I.E.L.D. up to become the defining protectors of Earth.

problems that sprout up from race to race. More stories are layered into the mix on their own that fit whatever track F1 is at for the episode, such as the later episode “Keeping Your Head” focusing on Haas driver Romain Grosjean and his trials at his home race in France. We see a glimpse into the rivalry between two Spaniards — former champion Fernando Alonso and up-and-comer Carlos Sainz Jr. — as well as the experiences of team boss at Williams Racing, Claire Williams. While they don’t show every single race, “Drive to Survive” gives the viewer the results of certain races with each adjoining episode. The tactic of correlating races was well done as the duels on the track between Alonso and Sainz were played out over the weeks leading up to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Week 4 of the 2018 racing season. This was aired during episode two. As the races click by, the stories are all presented in easy-to-track formats. The series offers a look into one of the most popular motorsports series around the world and how tense these races can really be for the racing teams. Through stress that comes from running a team and trying to impress the fans and sponsors, “Drive to Survive” does a fantastic job demonstrating the humanity of everyone involved in the sport. Even if you’re not the biggest motorsports fan in the world, the producers behind this inform you of the basics of the sport and show you why you should care about the teams doing their best. “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” is rated TV-MA, and all 10 episodes are now streaming on Netflix. 2. Drive-through safari Have you ever wanted to see an African lion, Asiatic water buffalo or a scimitar-horned oryx, but haven’t had the means to travel the world? Look no farther than Gentry, Arkansas — home of the Wild Wilderness Drive-Through Safari! The 400-acre safari is home to a variety of exotic animals. The safari’s animals are provided a natural environment among the beautiful Arkansas landscape, which includes several large ponds. The safari suggests that you leave your own pets at home, but it does provide a petting zoo full of lemurs, spider monkeys, pot-bellied pigs and a variety of snakes.

photo courtesy of www.xxlmag.com

Rap legend 2 Chainz preaches on the singular choice young men face between becoming a rapper or joining the professional basketball market in his new album “Rap or Go to The League.” The album released March 1.

2 Chainz ‘Rap or Go to the League’ preaches truths by Marcus McClain Sports Editor

Rap-royalty 2 Chainz returned to the hip hop scene March 1 with the release of his fifth studio album, “Rap or Go to the League.” Anticipation for this album was beyond the stars as three-time NBA Champion and future Hall-of-Famer Lebron James was the A&R — creative director — for the project. Despite coming up just short of reaching the quality in his last album, “Pretty Girls Like Trap Music,” 2 Chainz still delivers by giving fans his unique form of lyricism, blended with some new and unexpected sounds. 2 Chainz opens the album with a soulful and reflective introduction featuring Grammy-award winner Marsha Ambrosius, setting the tone for the project. He uses this song to reflect on experiences in his past while Ambrosius graces through the hook, praying for past sins to be “Forgiven.” In 2 Chainz’s opening verse, as well as throughout the album, he explores the two options given in the project’s title.

many can relate to, because rapping and basketball are the primary ways many young men intend to make a living. 2 Chainz faced this crossroad himself as a college student. While attending Alabama State University on a basketball scholarship, he still had a strong desire to pursue a rap career. In the long run, this only further qualifies him to speak and rap about this situation now. One of the stand-out tracks on the album is “NCAA,” produced by Honorable C.N.O.T.E, where the rap veteran stands in full support of college athletes being paid. He rapped, “Let me get this straight, if I drop 40 today, you don’t care if I eat and you don’t care if I ate.” Along with Ambrosius on the introduction, “Rap or Go to the League” includes an all-star cast of features with appearances from Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, Travis Scott and more.

This provides a theme that

One of the early fan favorites and the best-suited song to be the album’s lead single is the uplifting “Rule the World,” featuring Ariana Grande. This track adds the most unexpected yet pleasing

3. Cosmic caverns Berryville, Arkansas is home to the warmest cave in the Ozarks — remaining at a steady 64 degrees and 96 percent humidity. Located between Eureka Springs, Ark. and Branson, Mo., Cosmic Cavern is Arkansas’s largest privately-owned show cave. Visitors are taken on a onehour-and-fifteen-minute walk through the cave, where a 9-foot soda straw (a structure formed in a cave by the deposition of minerals from water) — the longest known in the Ozarks — and two bottomless cave lakes can be viewed. Above ground you can keep busy with a fossil dig and a gift shop which features the most extensive offerings of rocks and minerals in the area, along with souvenirs and keepsakes.

4. Digging for diamonds Are you even a real Arkansan if you’ve never been to the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro? Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park is one of the only diamond-producing sites in the world where the public can search for diamonds in their original volcanic source. Their policy is “finders, keepers” — meaning the diamonds you find are yours to keep! Be sure to pack an extra pair of clothes and shoes, because digging for diamonds is very similar to digging holes in your backyard as a child. The largest diamond found at the historic site was a 40.23 carat diamond found in 1724. With Murfreesboro only being 122 miles from Conway, this local adventure makes for a great day trip.

sound to the album. Produced by Hitmaka, Caridak, Paul Cabbin and Rob Holladay, “Run the World” moves 2 Chainz into a different light and introduces fans who may not know much about his music to a variety of his styles. In an interview with Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club, 2 Chainz acknowledged that he often feels underrated, but he holds himself in the highest regard concerning his rapping ability. “Sometimes [fans] don’t understand, but it doesn’t bother me,” 2 Chainz said. “I’ve always been highly confident. It’s a thin line between confidence and cockiness, and sometimes I straddle both.” Despite this being one of 2 Chainz best albums, it still has holes to fill with some of the tracks coming off as out of place and outside of the album’s overall theme. Still, it is undeniable that 2 Chainz has set the bar for hip hop and rap albums for the rest of the year and put “Rap or Go to the League” in a category of its own. “Rap or Go to the League” is currently streaming on Apple Music and Spotify. 5. Art in Arkansas The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville is a free and fun local destination. Crystal Bridges takes its name from a nearby natural spring and the unique bridge-like construction incorporated into the building’s structure, which was designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie. The museum was founded in 2005 by the Walton Family Foundation as a nonprofit organization for all to enjoy. The permanent collection spans five centuries of American masterworks ranging from the Colonial era to current day. The museum offers seasonal exhibits like the work of Dale Chihuly and Georgia O’Keeffe. Eleven, the museum’s restaurant, offers elegant American-inspired meals.

Sports

March 13, 2019

Tennis maintains undefeated record

Upcoming Games Men’s Basketball

7:30 p.m., March 13 vs Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in Katy, Texas

by Lauren McCabe News Editor

Softball

5 p.m., March 13 at Oklahoma State University Women’s Basketball

11 a.m., March 14 vs Sam Houston State University in Katy, Texas

photo courtesy of UCASports

Senior guard Thatch Unruh sends a floater over two Northwestern State defenders March 9 in Natchitoches, La. This win clinched UCA’s third consecutive trip to the conference tournament.

Baseball

March 15-17 vs Nicholls State University Tennis

11 a.m., March 16 at Northwestern State University

Editor’s Take

photo courtesy of UCASports

UCA Beach Bears celebrate during a match from the 2018 Southland Conference Showcase.

Beach Bears return for promising 2019 outing by Daniel Adams Assistant Sports Editor

As the weeks continue to roll on for the spring semester, the Beach Bears are gearing up for another season of beach volleyball here at UCA. This is the newest growing sport for the NCAA, as UCA is among 50+ other schools across the country who are starting to compete in the sport. However, the Southland Conference has yet to gain enough teams to properly hold a conference tournament and have an automatic qualifier for the NCAA tournament. In place of a full conference tournament, the season will end with the Southland Conference Showcase, a smaller competition with New Orleans, Houston Baptist, Nicholls State, Texas A&M Corpus-Christi and Abilene Christian universities. Once 2020 rolls around though, the Southland Conference will get a shot at joining the NCAA field with its own conference tournament. I’m always a big fan of new sports emerging and getting the chance to shine, whether it’s college sports or Olympic-level sports. Beach volleyball has been fairly well represented since its inclusion in the Summer Olympics in 1996, with the NCAA picking the sport up in 2015. It was listed as an “emerging sport” in 2012, joining sports such as rowing, bowling, women’s ice hockey and water polo as sports that would be upgraded from an emerging sport to an official NCAA sport. While the weather may not be the best for outdoor volleyball at times, given how Arkansas loves transitioning from hot to cold in a nanosecond nowadays, it’s still nice to see the volleyball athletes given a chance to continue playing through the spring semester. I’m extremely optimistic for beach volleyball’s growth, and maybe next year UCA will earn the right to be represented in another national tournament for the team’s first time. I wish the Beach Bears the best of luck in this season as the sport continues to evolve across the country.

Bears finish seventh in conference, take underdog role in tournament by Rafael Soliz II Staff Writer

The UCA men’s basketball team (13-18, 8-10 SLC) went 2-0 last week as they beat both Sam Houston State University and Northwestern State University on March 6 and 9, earning the seventh seed in the Southland Conference Tournament. The Bears started off their week traveling to Huntsville, Texas coming out with a 91-87 victory. The game was close throughout, but the Bears were behind for much of the first half of play. With 2 minutes and three seconds on the clock in the first half, sophomore forward Jared Chatham made a free throw to put the Bears up 39-38 before the break. The Bears kept Sam Houston scoreless for the rest of the half and went into halftime with a 46-38 lead. The lead was built beyond the arc as the Bears hit nine 3-point shots in the first half. Sophomore center Hayden Koval lead the Bears with 14 points while senior guard Thatch Unruh and sophomore guard DeAndre Jones both scored 9 in the opening frame. When the Bears and the Bearkats came back from the halftime break, the two teams continued to score

back-and-forth just as they did in the first half. The Bears grew a double digit lead in the second half of play, but the Bearkats wouldn’t surrender and eventually took the lead with 8:29 of play remaining. The Bears offense proved to be too much in the end as they scored 20 points in the last 7:35 of play to win the game 91-87. Jones led the Bears in scoring with 22 points, while Koval and Chatham both chipped in 16 points. The Bears shot 53 percent from the field and 48 percent from the 3-point line. Freshman guard Zach Nutall scored 18 points for the Bearkats off the bench, while senior guard Cameron Delaney scored 17 points. The Bearkats shot 52 percent from the field and 35 percent from the 3-point line during the game. On March 9, the Bears traveled to Natchitoches, La. where they faced the Northwestern State University Demons in another conference battle. The Bears started off on a role as they hit seven first-half 3-pointers to earn them a 41-21 lead going into halftime. Unruh led the Bears in scoring during the first half of play with 11 points, while Koval

chipped in 10 points. The second half started off cold for the Bears, as they didn’t score a point in the first 7:41 of play. At that point, the score was 43-36 and the Demons trimmed the lead down to seven points. That seemed to be enough for the Bears as they held off the Demons second half comeback and came out with a 70-63 victory. Unruh led both teams in total scoring to end the game with 30 points, while Koval finished with 12 points for the Bears. As a team the Bears shot 38 percent from the field and 41 percent from the 3-point line. The Bears seem to have found their groove at the right time as the team is now headed to the Southland Conference Tournament. “We just have to continue to play for each other and play hard from start to finish every game. I honestly feel like we’re the most talented team in this conference, and we have to continue to play like it,” Chatham said. Fot the Demons, senior center Ishmael Lane scored 18 points and grabbed 19 rebounds. The Bears will look to extend their season against Texas A&M Corpus Christi in the SLC tournament on March 6 Katy, Texas.

The UCA Tennis team went down into the boggy state of New Orleans from March 8-10 to show their winning determination and remain undefeated in conference play. First up Friday afternoon, the Bears pulled out their claws against the University of New Orleans Privateers. As the Bears first outdoor match of the season began, senior Rada Manataweewat ruled the court. She sank her opponent with a 6-0, 6-2 win to give UCA an early 2-0 advantage. Sophomore Yada Vasupongchai almost followed Manataweewat’s exact footsteps as she also defeated her opponent 6-0, 6-3 to make it 3-0. After UNO returned the fire with two straight match wins of its own, senior Marli Van Heerden earned a battling sweep as she won 7-5, 6-4. Ishimura found herself in a comeback match as she reacted to losing set one 6-1 with a 7-5 set two victory. However, the final set did not go in Ishimura’s favor as she fell 7-5 and the Privateers confirmed the singles split. Freshman Fuka Nonoyama and Manataweewat got the Bears back on track with a 6-0 doubles sweep that began the day. After the Privateers took a 6-3 victory at no. 1, Ishimura and Vasupongchai improved to present a 6-4 on the year with an important 7-5 win to grant UCA the doubles point. Next up, the Bears showed up and showed out against the Colonels of Nicholls University. To start off the promising morning, freshman Mei Ishimura and Vasupongchai improved to 7-4 in doubles play with a fierce 6-2 win. Freshman Chunxi Xin and Van Heerden secured the first doubles point for the Bears after they earned a 7-5 victory. The freshman-senior pairing also

improved to 4-2 in doubles play. Vasupongchai played the game with an iron fist, earning a 2-0 advantage after blanking her opponent in two sets of 6-0. Van Heerden also swept up her 10th win of the year after she defeated her opponent 6-2, 6-0. Manataweewat also left the courts with her 10th win after a rousing 7-5 win and a second victory of 6-0. Nonoyama and Ishimura followed up with spotlight moments of their own and Xin ended the day with a close, yet proudly earned, 6-4, 6-7, 10-7 win to secure the 7-0 win. Vasupongchai recalled how hard the team has worked to continue its winning streak. “This past week we’ve worked on our doubles strategies, decisions and the movements,” Vasupongchai said. Van Heerdan said she believes that the relationships the teammates share with one another is what helps the team keep winning. “I think that the energy the new group of freshman has brought in — combined with the experience of the three seniors — is such a great mix and has worked super well together,” Van Heerdan said. “Our team truly loves one another, which is super awesome when we are supporting each other, knowing we do care and do want the best for the other one.” Vasupongchai said she also sees the importance of teamwork and strategy, and values the relationships that she and her teammates make on and off the court. “[We] enjoy the moments, have fun and do our best in cheering and playing,” Vasupongchai said. The Bears will face off once again in Louisiana on March 16 to play against the Northwestern State Lady Demons, with the match also featuring two of the three remaining undefeated teams in the Southland Conference.

GOOD FORTUNE

RUNNING THE GAME

Men’s,Women’s track teams dominate first meet at Bill Stephens Complex of season by Matt Smothers Staff Writer

UCA’s men’s and women’s track and field teams grabbed 11 first place finishes at the UCA Spring Opener at Bill Stephens Track/Soccer Complex on March 9. Assistant track and field coach Ethan Turpen said the meets “went well, aside from having to push the morning field events to a [noon] start time due to weather. It was a pretty good meet.” UCA placed first in the men’s and women’s events in the high jump and 110-meter hurdles. Senior Hannah Noble had a height of 1.68 meters in the high jump and sophomore Logan Hall’s height was 1.93 meters. Freshman Timon Dresselhaus placed first in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 14 seconds and junior Aysha Anderson placed first with a time of 15.01 seconds. The UCA women also won the 4x400-meter relay, finishing with a time of 3 minutes 59.33 seconds. The team consisted of junior Ajah Criner, sophomore Tyler Rose, sophomore Demicya Griffin and senior Aliyah Robinson. The men’s time of 8:30.63 won them the 4x800-meter relay as well. The men’s team featured freshman Ky’Shaun Bradford, freshman Walter Reed, graduate student Brant Cook and junior Bradley Lamberth. Criner also placed first in the 400-meter race with a time of

56.96. The UCA women had five top-10 finishes in the 400-meter event. Rose placed second, recording a time of 56.98, right behind Criner. Senior Victoria Campfield placed fifth, Griffin finished eighth and freshman Zailey Chaffin finished ninth. The women had a first-place finish in the 100-meter event. Freshman Z’Kiah Kuykendall won it with a time of 12.6. Freshman Latterrica Thomas ran a time of 12.85, good enough for third place. The men’s team had three top five finishes in the 5,000-meter race. Freshman Thomas Cain finished first at 16:17.77, freshman Tate Whaley ran 17:12.06 for fourth and freshman Elijah Ankram placed fifth with a time of 17:38.27. UCA’s women’s team had four athletes finish in the top five in the 200-meter event. Rose finished first running a time of 26.12, Kuykendall placed second at 26.44, sophomore Taylor Coleman finished fourth and Thomas placed fifth with times of 26.96 and 27.06 respectively. Freshman Hunter Henderson placed first in the 1500-meter run with a time of 4:07.61. Cain also competed in the event, placing third running the distance in 4:09.78. Sophomore Teshuna Sheppard won the triple jump with a distance of 11.10 meters and Coleman finished second at 10.86 meters. Coleman also participated in the long jump, placing third by jumping 5.04 meters. The UCA men had two

athletes finish in the top three in the 400-meter hurdles event. Junior Luis Colon finished second with a time of 56.21 seconds, just 15 milliseconds behind first place. Freshman Tanner Manasco placed third at 57.40. In the 100-meter event, freshman Jalal Taylor placed ninth for the men’s team with a time of 11.50 seconds. Freshman Casey Gore and freshman Kennedy Timmermann finished second and fourth in the 1500-meter race. Gore had a time of 5:02.96 and Timmermann’s time was 5:11.69. Gore finished fourth in the 5000-meter event with a time of 20:33.93. Freshman Amy Vedder placed one spot behind her with a time of 21:29.87. UCA had five athletes finish in the top 18 of the men’s 400-meter race. Junior Zachary Jewell placed 10th running the 400-meters in 52.07. Junior Jeria Johnson placed 11th with a time of 52.22, freshman Ethan Griggs finished 14th at 54.645, senior Jarrett Ware finished one spot behind him, 15th, at 54.646 and freshman Samuel Janski placed 18th running the race in 55.65 seconds. Both the women’s and men’s track and field teams will compete again March 15-16 at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. Their next outdoor meet at UCA will be April 12-13, before the Southland Outdoor Championships from May 3-5 in Natchitoches, La.

photo courtesy of UCASports

Senior guard Alanie Fisher drives through the Sam Houston State defense March 6 in the Farris Center. The Sugar Bears earned the eighth seed over Northwestern State, owning the tiebreaker between the two teams.

UCA squeaks into final spot for SLC tournament by Dy’Kajeon Brown Online /Social Media editor

The UCA women’s basketball players (11-17, 6-12 SLC) were unable to stop their losing streak March 2-6 as they dropped games to Sam Houston State and Northwestern State University. In the first game against Sam Houston Bearkats, the Sugar Bears had their third consecutive loss in the Southland Conference at 71-59 in the Farris Center. The Sugar Bears had an initial 11-point lead against the Bearkats during the first four minutes of the game, but the Bearkats tightened their defense, holding the Sugar Bears to just 11 points after nearly 13 minutes of play. While the Sugar Bears stalled in scoring, the Bearkats took a double-digit lead.

The Sugar Bears never caught up. UCA entered the final quarter with a 54-39 deficit but put up an amazing fight trying to regain control of the game. However, after senior guard Kamry Orr fouled out of the game, the Sugar Bears were unable to secure the victory. Associate head coach Greg Long felt that the team’s biggest reason for losing the game against Sam Houston was the playing style. “Sam [Houston] is a very aggressive team and they play team ball. The biggest thing is that they came out and they just went at us and played their game,” Long said. Orr felt that teamwork was another thing that cost the team this game. “I think that we didn’t play together as a team, and we

See Sugar Bears- page 8

ucanews.live

SPORTS

8/ March 13, 2019

SPORT

RESULT

RECORD

Northwestern State University

70-63 (W)

(13-18, 8-10)

Women’s Basketball Northwestern State University

78-74 (L)

(11-17, 6-12)

Men’s Basketball

OPPONENT

Tennis

Nicholls State University

7-0 (W)

(9-5, 3-0)

Softball

Nicholls State University

2-0 (L)

(12-12, 2-1)

2-3 (L)

(6-10, 2-1)

photo by Rose McGarrity

Sophomore Grant Southerland has managed to adapt to track and field after spending the last three semesters on UCA’s baseball team. Southerland has kept himself steady despite the injuries he’s sustained in his athletic career and looks to make a mark in his second sport on campus.

UCA STATS CORNER

Baseball

Southeastern Louisiana University

Sophomore leaves baseball field to join track Baseball team wins twice in SLC opener

by Rose McGarrity Staff Writer

Sophomore Grant Southerland has pursued his passions, despite the odds. Southerland played baseball at UCA the last three semester, but he switched to the track team this semester. Southerland comes from a long line of athletes. His parents were both swimmers at the University of Arkansas. Despite having swimmers as parents, Southerland chose to focus on baseball. “It was hard on my family because I was a legacy swimmer,” Southerland said. He was molded to become a swimmer. However, because he went the baseball route, his parents didn’t have the knowledge to help him with the sport. Southerland played baseball his whole life, but he didn’t start running track until junior high school. After breaking his knee gave him some time to think about it, he decided to join the track team. Track came more naturally to Southerland than baseball did, but he said he might return to the UCA baseball team. He left the baseball team on good

Sugar Bears:

terms, so he’ll have a spot on the team if he chooses to return. Southerland has been very successful in baseball. In high school, he was accepted to IMG Academy, an elite prep school run by parent company International Management Corp. According to IMG’s website, it is the “world’s largest and most advanced multi-sport training and educational institution.” IMG Academy is located in Bradenton, Florida. Southerland attended this academy his junior and senior years of high school. Southerland said he couldn’t have achieved his successes without the people in his life who supported him. He owes much of his success to his mother. Southerland was raised by a single mother. In order to help him, his mom joined the booster club, which was comprised mostly of men. “Unfortunately, in high school, it’s so political. The kids who play are the kids whose parents are on the booster club,” Southerland said. Southerland’s mother took heat all the time for being in the club, but she stayed. Aside from joining the booster club,

his mother also helped him practice baseball. “I didn’t have the father figure that would play catch with me, so my mom was always that,” Southerland said. “If it wasn’t for her taking the time to pay for my lessons, throw with me and develop me, then I wouldn’t be here,” Southerland said. By playing sports, Southerland learned to deal with failure and setbacks. After he broke his knee in junior high school, people said he wouldn’t be able to play again. Southerland said that if he had a dollar for every coach who told him he couldn’t do something, then he’d be very rich. Southerland enjoys athletics, but his least favorite part about being an athlete is balancing the workload. He isn’t afraid of hard work; the effort that comes with being an athlete is worth it to him. On top of practicing, Southerland also studies. He is majoring in general science, and he plans to go to dental school after graduation. In order to get everything accomplished, Southerland makes an agenda each day and uses a planner, but said playing sports is worth the efforts.

Women’s basketball with playoff spot pending

4 Continued from page 7 need to get in the gym and get better tomorrow,” Orr said. “It’s a team sport so we all should’ve just came together. I mean, our defense wasn’t as good as it could’ve been and we didn’t execute the game plan.” The Sugar Bears shot 37 percent from the field, 31 percent from behind the arc and 83 percent from the free throw line. Orr and senior guard Alanie Fisher led the team in scoring with 10 points each while also dishing out three assists. Orr also led the team in rebounding with seven. The Bearkats shot 48 percent from the field, 18 percent from behind the arc and 68 percent from the free point line. Freshman forward Amber Leggett led Sam Houston in scoring with 21 points and eight

rebounds. In the second game, the Sugar Bears faced Northwestern State University (11-18, 6-12 SLC) March 9 in Natchitoches, La. This was also the final game of the Sugar Bear’s regular season, guaranteeing them a spot in the conference tournament with a win. However, UCA was defeated by the Lady Demons, 78-74, giving them their fifth consecutive loss. The Sugar Bears were in the lead the entire first half of the game, going into the halftime leading 35-28, but the Sugar Bears were unable to outscore the Lady Demons in the third quarter as the Lady Demons took the lead and walked away with the 78-74 victory. UCA shot 45 percent from the field, 21 percent from behind the arc and 81 percent

from the free point line. Sophomore forward Hannah Langhi lead the team in scoring with 19 points and two rebounds. Next in scoring was senior guard Kamry Orr with 16 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Freshman guard Raven Nero lead Northwestern State in scoring with 28 points and three rebounds. Next in scoring for the Lady Demons was senior guard Nautica Grant with 19 points and five rebounds. Despite suffering these losses, the Sugar Bears found good fortune and squeaked into the eighth and final spot in the Southland Conference tournament. The tournament will be held in Katy, Texas, with the Sugar Bears set for a rematch with Sam Houston State University on March 14.

by Emily Gist Associate Editor

The weather heated up to mid-to-upper 70s as the Bears (6-10, 2-1 SLC) geared up for their first Southland Conference series against the Southeastern Louisiana University Lions. Ultimately, the Bears beat the Lions in the series after a split doubleheader March 9. The Bears took their first SLC series win March 8 with a 3-1 victory in 12 innings. The team followed it up with both a win and a loss in its March 9 doubleheader, winning the first game 3-2 and losing the second to the Lions with 3-2. The first SLC game on Friday started off low in score. The Lions earned the first point of the game at the bottom of the third inning. By the seventh inning, UCA tied the score 1-1. Both teams kept one another at a stalemate up until the top of the 12th inning where UCA earned another two runs. The Lions came up emptyhanded in the bottom of the 12th with two strikeouts and a ground ball out, earning UCA the first victory. According to UCA sports, junior Josh Ragan got hit by

a pitch at the top of the 12th which earned the Bears their win. Senior Jay Anderson and Ragan each earned 1 RBI, making them top hitters for the game. The first match of the March 9 doubleheader began with strong defense from both sides. By the top of the fifth inning, UCA earned its first 2 runs. According to UCA sports, junior third baseman Christian Brasher earned a 2-run home run at the top of the fifth, making the score 2-0 in favor of the Bears. Anderson then earned a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, bringing the Bears to 3-0. The Lions bit back at the bottom of the seventh with consecutive solo home runs. Solid pitching on both sides kept the scores clean for the rest of the game. The weather heated up and the winds blew slightly faster at 18 mph for the second doubleheader against Southeastern Louisiana. The Lions fought back hard, and the scores were even by the bottom of the first inning at 1-1. Ragan earned an RBI single at the top of the sixth, earning the Bears the slight lead at 2-1.

SLU tied in the seventh, and it stayed that way until the 11th inning. The Bears bases were loaded at the top of the 10th inning, but those potential points were left on the field. At the top of the 11th inning, the Lions earned a base hit, two walks and an RBI. Though the Lions won the final game, the Bears had the last laugh as they took home their first SLC win in the first series. The Bears didn’t have much time for celebration, however. March 10, the Bears fought in another doubleheader against two different teams — South Dakota State University and University of Missouri. The Bears started off strong in their first doubleheader against SDSU, winning 8-3. They earned their first run the bottom of the first, another 4 runs bottom of the third and another 3 at the bottom of the seventh. Unfortunately, the Bears ended the weekend on a sour note, losing against Mizzou 4-0. The Bears will play again March 16-17, weather permitting, against Nicholls University as part of a nine game homestand.