Issue 5, Volume 117 by The Echo at UCA

THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS’ STUDENT NEWSPAPE

SINGLE COPY PAID FOR BY STUDENT PUBLICATION FEE

WEDNESDAY

SEPTEMBER 22, 2021 Volume 117 — Issue 5

ucanews.live TODAY’S FORECAST CONWAY

CampusLife:

Entertainment:

Sports:

Pie a Kappa Sig: Kappa Sigma raises money for hurrican relief through pies.

Clickbait: Netflix special promises to excite and spook.

First Home Game: Bears win 45-23 against Pinebluff.

page 3

page 5

page 7

Athletic fee increase never discussed by Board of Trustees

Sunny

79/54

BY SARAH SMYTHE

THE NEWSDESK FROM THE ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

I N T E R N AT I O N A L Taliban to allow segregated schools The Taliban’s new higher education minister announced that women in Afghanistan will be allowed to pursue education in universities and postgraduate programs. However, women will only be allowed to attend school in gender-segregated classrooms and in Islamic dress. The Taliban shared this plan for Afghanistan after forming an all-male interim Cabinet.

N AT I O N A L Biden announces vaccine mandates President Joe Biden announced a new COVID-19 vaccine mandate, ordering all businesses with more than 100 employees to require their workers to get vaccinated or have weekly COVID-19 tests. This mandate is expected to affect tens of millions of U.S. citizens. Biden will also require all health care facilities that receive Medicare or Medicaid funding to vaccinate their employees. The White House believes this additional requirement will cover 50,000 locations.

Opinion Editor

Going into the fall semester at UCA, the Board of Trustees voted to raise tuition in a meeting on May 27 that included fee performing arts, and technology. In addition to these fees, the athletic fee was also increased by $1, jumping from $19 per hour to $20 per hour per student. According to the 21-22 Board Policy 630 Fee Schedule, the facilities fee increased by $2.50, totaling $21.25 per fee increased by $.0.50, totaling $3.50 per hour. The technology fee increased by $1.50, totaling $16.50 per hour. This increase to the athletic fee was not discussed in the board meeting on May 27 or included in the agenda packet. Board agendas discussed at the meetings do not include the tuition-increase amount or the they only contain the total dollar increase and percentage increase. Even if the decision to raise on September 18, with the Bears winning 45-23. the fee for athletics was discussed by Jeannie Roberts at the vote,” Sharkey said. in a board meeting before the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, According to Sharkey, May 27 meeting, the university all fee increases included in the the funds for athletics are from did not include a secondary vote 2.41% rise in tuition were only sources such as educational to ensure transparency. for technology, facilities, and and general (E&G), auxiliary, Director of media relations, student fees and external funds. Fredricka Sharkey said, “the no mention of any increase in Sharkey explained that UCA Board of Trustees votes athletic fees in the article. auxiliary units are generally on any changes in tuition for “The Faculty Senate, Staff students. Board notices with an Senate and Student Government External funds come from NCAA agenda are sent to campus and Association are given an revenue, game guarantees and media prior to every meeting.” opportunity to provide feedback contributions. Student fees are According to an article on agenda items prior to the mandatory fees for all students

photo by Maddie Ogle

who attend UCA, regardless of athletic involvement. The 21-22 athletic budget totals $13,908,784, according to Sharkey. In this total, E&G is $1,410,887; auxiliary units equals $3,869,697; student fees equal $5,225,000; external funds are $3,265,200; and miscellaneous income is $138,000. Sharkey said that miscellaneous income is

primarily from federal workstudy. “Athletics generates approximately 30% of its total budget,” Sharkey said. “This comes from ticket sales, guarantee games, fundraising, sponsorships.” In the 20-21 Operational Budget for UCA, it states in the budget notes that the NCAA decreased funding to Athletics by $613,343.

AWA R D

Senators condemn Kavanugh protest Republican and Democratic senators criticized an abortion-rights protest that took place outside the home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. About 50 people gathered outside Kavanaugh’s home to protest against the court’s recent decision not to block the new restrictive abortion law in Texas. The protestors also called for Kavanaugh’s resignation.

S TAT E

State passes 50% vaccination rate

The number of fully vaccinated Arkansans who are 12 years or older passed the 50% mark. The total number of Arkansans who are fully immunized against COVID-19 has increased to 1,281,255, according to data from the Arkansas Department of Health. The vaccination percentage is based on the total population of those who are 12 and older, not the state’s total population.

WHAT’S AHEAD IN OUR NEXT ISSUE Studentsparticipateinspeed datingtomakeconnections.

photo courtesy of UCA News

President Davis awards Femina Varghese (left) with the Research, Scholarship and Creativity Award. This award recognizes an individual who has contributed to their discipline through original work in research, scholarship, or creative activies. President Davis awards Pam Ashcraft (right) with the Public Service Award. This award recognizes outstanding service to the UCA community.

UCA honors outstanding faculty at Fall 2021 Convocation BY SYDNEY CYR Assistant News Editor

UCA honored various outstanding faculty members at the 2021 Fall Convocation in Reynolds Performance Hall. Pam Ashcraft, a nursing professor, and the research and scholarship coordinator, received the Public Service Award. The Public Service Award recognizes an individual who has contributed outstanding service to the UCA community, professional community and outside communities. “I felt incredibly honored and proud to receive this award,” Ashcraft said. Ashcraft advised UCA students to “set their minds and their hearts on doing good for others.” “I want to thank UCA for encouraging UCA students, faculty and staff to get involved. Getting involved connects us to our community and makes it a better place for all of us,” Ashcraft said. Femina Varghese, a professor of psychology, received the Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Award. The Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Award recognizes an individual who has contributed to their discipline in an exemplary way through original

also contribute to society meaningfully. Then, work diligently in that area. Finally, be persistent, even when facing obstacles.” Brent Gregg, a communications sciences and disorders professor, received the Teaching Excellence Award. The Teaching Excellence Award recognizes an individual who has consistently demonstrated outstanding performance in teaching by striving to enhance student learning. “Teaching is a calling that I strive to undertake with love, imagination and creativity. To nurture a sense of ownership and involvement, I focus on active learning and strive to display excitement and passion about the learning process,” Gregg said. Allen Thomas, the academic director of HPaW@ Baridon, received the Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Award. The Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Award recognizes an individual who has made a positive,

Index: Police Beat 2 People of UCA 4 Students Say

work in research, scholarship or creative activities. “It was an honor to be recognized by my peers and the administration for the work I do,” Varghese said. Varghese encouraged UCA students who hope to contribute important work to their disciplines to

6 Opinion Entertainment7 5, 8 Sports

Social:

populations through a commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence. Charlotte Parham, an assistant professor in the department of leadership studies, received the External Funding Impact Award. The External Funding Impact Award is intended to promote a culture of grant writing among faculty and staff and recognizes an individual who has demonstrated excellent work in obtaining external funding. “It is an honor to be recognized at the university level for my work and accomplishments,” Parham said. Parham encouraged UCA students who hope to contribute important grant work to “write about something you believe in and develop community partnerships to collaborate and provide support to the writing.” your goals and missions. Make sure you stay true to your goals and surround yourself with partnerships that help you achieve,” Parham said. recipients of the Employee of the Year for 2021-22. Holly Gibbons, the travel supervisor, received the Andy Rohlman, a skilled tradesman, received the

Inside:

Opinion: Harderprofessorskeepme motivated.

E-mail:ucaechoeditor@gmail.com @ucaecho

The Echo ucaecho

see page 6

2/September 22, 2021

NEWS

Police Beat

ucanews.live

The following information is compiled from UCAPD incident reports by Assistant News Editor Sydney Cyr

Ride refusal Drugs found Kramer banned leads to arrest in Bear Village from campus Student Braden Healy was seen stumbling down the street. UCA PD offered Healy a ride home because he seemed intoxicated, but he refused. Officers told Healy that he could either go to jail for minor in possession and public intoxication or accept a ride home because he was endangering himself. Healy told UCAPD that his dad is a cop and he knew he didn’t have to answer any questions or ride home with the officers.

UCAPD was called to Bear Village for a drug violation. When officers arrived at the scene, Resident Assistant Oluwatomisin Olaoye, Resident Coordinator Ana Rodrigue, and student Vincent Burne were waiting outside of Burne’s apartment. Olaoye escorted UCAPD into the apartment and showed officers where he found remnants of marijuana. UCAPD seized 0.2 grams of marijuana, a drug charge was filed.

UCAPD was dispatched to Bernard Hall for reports of a suspicious person who was later identified as Matthew Kramer. Officers spoke to Kramer and eventually let him go. UCAPD later received a second call about Kramer acting suspiciously from Student Health. Officers could tell that Kramer had been smoking inside the bathroom. Kramer was banned from UCA’s campus and was escorted off UCA property by UCAPD.

graphic by Bennett Tinnerman

T R A N S P O R TAT I O N

graphic by Mia Waddell

UCA shuttle services provide transportation for students around campus BY

AMBER AUSTEN

Staff Writer

UCA provides daily shuttle bus services to students who need transportation to and around campus. Parking concerns have led administration to suggest shuttle services to students needing to park a distance from their classes. “Some [shuttle] locations will take you to just about anywhere you are needing to go,” Transportation Supervisor Paul Beavers said. The Transportation Department at UCA has five color-coded routes. The Purple Route, the most used by students, runs from Old Main Circle to Bear Village routinely from 7:15 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Orange Route makes its stops at the softball field, the HPER, the Student Center, the Student Health Clinic and the College of Business, which makes this another commonly used route. The Blue and Green routes have similar destinations as they make their way around campus. Both make stops at the Student Center and HPER while detouring to other academic buildings.

The Orange, Blue and Green routes run from 7:45 a.m.- 2:45 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, services start at 7:45 a.m. and run through 2:25 p.m. “The shuttle service has been one of my favorite services provided to me at UCA. The drivers are always nice, and there is always a shuttle at the stop when I need a quick ride from Bear Village to Old Main Circle,” senior Staley Page said. Students who need transportation beyond those times can catch the after-hours shuttles that pick up at Old Main Circle and serve campus, the Softball Complex and Bear Village from 4:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. “The shuttle averages 300 students a day,” Beavers said. “We run five shuttles, sometimes six, a day.” Traffic, parking and other delays like construction around campus determine when that sixth shuttle is used. Before the pandemic, the shuttles were hauling 500 to 600 students per day with seven to sometimes eight buses out at a time. “Some safety precautions that I have seen being taken onboard are the mask requirements and the shuttle drivers having plastic walls

built in around them,” Page said. COVID-19 hit the Transportation Department hard as shuttle services were left understaffed due to workers being reassigned to fit other transportation needs within the department during this time. The department partners with the Center for Global Learning and Engagement and offers free regular shopping shuttles for all international students and faculty. These shopping trips happen every Wednesday evening and Saturday afternoon. On Wednesdays, the shuttle runs to Kroger while Walmart is the destination on Saturdays. The shuttle makes a detour to Target on the last Saturday of every month. Information and guidelines concerning shopping shuttles can be found on UCA’s website. There is a UCA Shuttle app that students can download to track their needed shuttles. The app shows real-time bus locations and estimated times of arrival. It also provides descriptions of all routes and gives visuals of each on a map. A favorites tab is available where users can save their preferred routes for easier reference.

Carol Stover elected associate zone counselor of The Society of Physics BY

ANDREA AGUILERA

Staff Writer

Senior and physics major, Carol Stover, was elected as the associate zone counselor of the Society of Physics Students for Zone 10 during the 21-22 academic year. Zone 10 includes chapters in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and a portion of Tennessee. Stover, along with her Zone Counselor Dr. Shannon Clardy of Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, manages 56 SPS chapters total. Stover is in charge of facilitating consistent communication, providing opportunities for chapters to connect, and ensuring no chapter is left without proper resources and representation. “While Dr. Clardy’s work will largely consist of connecting with the faculty of our different chapters, I will be focused on reaching out to the student members, specifically the student officers, of the chapters,” Stover said. Nominations for positions on the SPS National Council opened on the SPS National Website last spring. Nominees had to be a member of an SPS chapter. Stover submitted a self-nomination and a candidate

photo courtesy of Carol Stover

Carol Stover assumes position of associate zone counselor of The Society of Physics for Zone. Zone 10 includes chapters in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and a portion of Tennessee.

statement in February. Voting took place in April. Each chapter in the zone got one vote each for the Zone Counselor and Associate Zone Counselor positions. In late May, Stover was notified of her new position as the associate zone counselor of Zone 10 and began her term soon after. “I was pretty shocked when I got the position. There were several

amazing candidates this year and I convinced myself there was no way a majority of chapters in the zone would choose me. When I found out I had been elected there was an immense feeling of surprise and excitement, quickly followed by anxiety. It’s a huge responsibility to have people rely on you as their representative and I was definitely worried that I wouldn’t be enough,” Stover said.

Stover joined SPS her freshman year and served as the Secretary during the 2019-2020 academic year. She ensured that word was spread to members about chapter business. During this time, COVID-19 hit and the SPS took a hit. “Once the pandemic hit and everyone was sent home, we had no opportunity to elect new officers. Our

Have a lead for a news story? Write a letter to the editor at ucaechoeditor@gmail.com If you’ve noticed something on campus that’s positive or negative, we want to hear about it.

president and vice president were both seniors, so they graduated. For the rest of the summer, I maintained my secretary duties and was elected as president the following semester. 2020 was definitely a hard year. We did our best to maintain a sense of community and engagement on campus, and we had some notable successes,” Stover said. The Society of Physics Students is a national association under the American Institute of Physics. Their goal is to support physical departments and students within them by teaching professional skills, providing student research and publication opportunities, and encouraging engagement in the scientific community. Within the SPS, there is an honors society called Sigma Pi Sigma that honors exceptional scholarship in the physics department and promotes service in the community. It elects members who show great academic achievement and community service. Any student interested in physics can join the SPS, no matter their major. “We welcome everyone who has a love for science and a desire to keep learning and growing with other scientists,” Stover said.

Campus Life

September 22, 2021

Around Campus:

Keep Your Laws Off My Body: Art Slam At 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 22, the Feminist Union and BearX will host an Art Slam regarding reproductive rights and current events surrounding these ideas.

SAFA Budget Training On Sept. 23, from 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. in Student Center 214, SGA will hold a meeting for organizations that are applying for spring 2022 SAFA funding. There will be a second meeting on Sept. 28.

Joey Tartell, Public Concert At 7:30 p.m. - 8: 30 p.m. on Sept. 23, the College of Art and Humanities will host a public concert in the Reynolds Performance Hall. The performance will include Joe Tartell and the UCA Jazz Ensemble.

Tai Chi with Adam Frank On Sept.. 24 at 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. the Chinese Club will host Tai Chi in front of McAlister Hall for all students. Adam Frank will be the instructor. Just bring some sneakers and wear loose clothes.

Mocktails with Delta Zeta On Sept.. 25 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Delta Zeta House, Delta Zeta will be raising awareness for the Starkey Hearing Foundation and alcohol safety through pop-up shops, activities, and various vendors.

Movie Night with SIA At 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. on Sept.. 27 in Student Center 214, SIA will be watching the movie ‘Real Women Have Curves’ in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Snacks will be provided and all are welcome.

UCA Feminist Union General Meeting During x-period on Sept.. 28, the Feminist Union will be hosting an online meeting to discuss current events, upcoming events, and how to get involved. Join the event through Discord which can be found on CubConnect.

Marita Golden Book Signing On Sept. 28, from 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. in the College of Business auditorium, Marita Golden, an acclaimed author, will be discussing writing and answering questions at her book signing. There will be various times to hear her speak; check CubConnect for more information.

Mid-Autumn Festival During x-period on Sept.. 28 in front of Old Main, the Chinese Club will be giving away mooncakes and having chopstick competitions. This celebration is in honor of the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival.

Photo courtesy of Pi Kappa Alpha

Red Cross members help to unload cases of water bottles off a U-Haul truck in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for Pi Kappa Alpha’s water drive. The fraternity delivered over 1,000 cases of water on Saturday, Sept.. 11, to help with Hurricane Idea relief. The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville chapter of PIKE contributed 450 cases for the UCA chapter to deliver.

Pi Kappa Alpha water drive aids hurricane relief by

Amber Austen

Staff Writer

After hosting a water bottle drive Sept. 2 through 10, Pi Kappa Alpha of UCA (PIKE) delivered over 1,000 cases of water to Baton Rouge Saturday, Sept. 11, afternoon in an effort to help with Hurricane Ida relief. “After staying on top of the news and having some guys from the chapter from Louisiana personally, we were aware of the situation and knew we wanted to help in the quickest way possible,” senior Canyon Vickers, President of PIKE, said. This was when the fraternity started making phone calls. The

chapter got in contact with the American Red Cross where they were given word that there was a water bottle shortage. There was an essential and timely need for water bottles. “We recreated a former fundraiser that was similar to this one, which helped with the timeliness of the situation,” Vickers said. Even though the drive only lasted a week, it was the outreach that made the results possible. “The fraternity, as a whole, had a part in the drive. Members posted flyers to their Instagrams and Snapchats,” junior PIKE member Grayson Newton said. Social media was the quickest

way to spread the news and get results in the timely fashion the brotherhood needed. “The number of guys that actively promoted it really helped the success of the fundraiser,” Newton said. The flyer announced PIKE’s week long Hurricane Ida relief effort that stated that cases of water could be dropped off on the front porch of the PIKE house. It also announced donations could be sent to the organization’s Cash App; every $4 provided 40 bottles of water. With the community’s help, PIKE was able to gather 626 cases of water. “This was our first event to

see all of UCA get involved. Not only did members participate but people outside of Greek life as well,” Vickers said. “We were also able to branch out of UCA and get Fayetteville’s chapter involved.” PIKE extended its fundraiser to the chapter in Fayetteville at the University of Arkansas. They contributed 450 cases. Between UofA and UCA, 1,076 cases of water were collected. “Friday, I drove the U-Haul to Fayetteville to collect what they had raised there, then headed to Baton Rouge Saturday afternoon for drop off,” Vickers described. According to its Instagram post, PIKE was able to collect

and transport over 1,000 cases of water and raised barely under $1,000 to aid the American Red Cross in the relief efforts toward those affected by Hurricane Ida. The post also showed PIKE members loading the U-Haul on home grounds along with the unloading process. Members of the American Red Cross and military personnel had all gathered to unload and safely place cases into warehouses. Special shoutouts were given to UCA, Fayetteville’s chapter, U-Haul and the American Red Cross for the success. Pi Kappa Alpha’s drive showcased the impact of coming together in times of need.

C A M P U S S TAT U S

SPOKEN WORD

Artist in Residence Julia Garcia to discuss mental health with students by Kathryn Thornberry Staff Writer

Student Activities Board hosted spoken word poet Julia Garcia performed for UCA students in the Student Center ballroom Thursday, Sept.. 16. Garcia, a TEDx speaker and doctor of psychology, creates space for students to discuss mental health and motivates a generation of voices to speak up. “It was really good. It was surprisingly impactful. I like well spoken words, and she was very well spoken,” freshman Gavin Smoke said. Garcia’s visit to the UCA campus was one of over one hundred cities she has performed at, and has been doing so for twelve years. Still, she finds each of her events special, and believes that she is at every one for a specific reason. “The best part was meeting

the students. It always is. My goal is to discuss how we feel, and ways to deal. And somewhere in between,” Garcia said. A big part of Garcia’s performance was participation. She urged the crowd to participate in her performance, and even allowed them all on stage to state what they were hopeful for. She shared her story through her spoken word poems, and had the crowd write down some of their own experiences dealing with college and the struggles found within it. This event is one of many held by the SAB, and they encourage students to attend these opportunities. “It can allow them to experience a broad amount of perspectives and come away knowing or feeling more than they anticipated. It’s a great way to meet new people, learn about

new subjects, and a fun way to get involved on campus,” Smoke said about why students should attend more events like this. Helen Hua, a member of the SAB, agreed that more students should get involved. “Students should be more involved in attending events like the spoken word because it is emotional and really inspirational. It makes students more open minded, and college is about trying new opportunities,” Hua said. Garcia continues to tour the nation, encouraging students to never let anyone silence the story inside of themselves. She creates campus and community culture and allows students to stand up and rise up together. “There are stories written and stories given and stories told. In order to survive her own, she had to rewrite the ending to how hers would unfold,” Garcia said.

A L U M N I PA N E L

UCA’s career resources helpful for LatinX alumni by Madison Ogle

Entertainment Editor

Graduating from UCA was the most memorable college moment for Roberto Rojo, Selena Parga and Brenda Nowicki. Not solely because of the sense of accomplishment, but because all three were the first in their families to do so. When they entered their professions, the three graduates realized just how crucial UCA’s career resources had been for their professional development. Rojo, Parga and Nowicki were the featured panelists for the Latino Student Association (LSA) “Life After College: Latinx Professionals” discussion, an event that took place Sept.. 15 over Zoom. The discussion’s goal was to answer student questions and give advice to those curious about the process of entering

the workforce, especially when coming from a Hispanic background. Maria Negrete Padron, advisor to the LSA and associate director to the Office of Diversity and Community, gave a short introduction. Breeane Carter, assistant director of Outreach and Career Services, guided the discussion. Parga graduated in 2019 and has since been working as a second-grade teacher at Tilles Elementary. Nowicki graduated in 2014 and went on to work as the senior manager of product strategy and governance for Walmart corporate. 2017 graduate Rojo, a close friend of Nowicki, works at Walmart as well and deals with project management while transitioning to IT program management/product management.

Networking and finding mentorships through family or UCA faculty is vital to prepare for the workforce, or at least that’s what these alumni believe post graduation. “I highly recommend you keep in touch with people that you know now and through school, because you never know where people end up,” Rojo said. “I would put a big emphasis on mentors, whether it’s super formal or just friends. I think it’s super beneficial to start building those relationships now.” Career fairs, RSOs and clubs are the core opportunities the panelists emphasized when it came to forming relationships with those around you. Rojo, Parga and Nowicki agreed that in most cases you might not realize how important someone can end up being to your future. In the case of Rojo and Nowicki, they might even

become your closest coworker. The panelists also campaigned for utilizing career services while at UCA. “I already had a resumé, but it wasn’t all the way to where I wanted it to be,” Parga said. “The career services did such a good job of helping me get that taken care of.” Nowicki said she took advantage of career services after hearing how well it prepared her peers for not only applying for jobs but landing them as well. “I definitely used them for resumés and [for] ensuring that my resumé was going to stand out or at least not be skipped over,” Nowicki said. To close the event, panelists were prompted with the question “if you could go back in time and give yourself one piece of advice as a student, what would it be?” Recounting a period of financial struggle where she

resorted to living out of her car, Nowicki emphasized not being too prideful to ask for help. “I don’t know if it’s part of our Latino roots of not wanting to reach out and ask for help either from teachers or friends, because you’re embarrassed or you’re scared. I remember crying in the car and being like ‘How am I going to do this? How am I going to get through college?’” Nowicki said. “Set your pride aside and reach out for help.” Parga emphasized being gentle with yourself while in college, especially when coming from the Latinx community. “Give yourself a lot of grace whenever you’re in college and after college as well. Especially after college, because you do get easily stuck in this funk where you’re like ‘I have to have everything super perfect.”

4/ September 22, 2021

CAMPUS LIFE

ucanews.live

STUDENTS SAY are you most “ What passionate about and why? ”

Photos by Olivia Snelson

Michael Frost (left), vice president of Kappa Sigma, after having a pie thrown in his face. Brad Vandivere (middle) throws a pie at Parker Trussell (right) at the “Pie a Kappa Sig” event on Sept. 15. The event raised over $250 with around 50 people coming to throw pies.

Story and photos by Olyvia Gonzalez

‘Pie a Kappa Sig’ raises money for hurricane aid by Olivia Snelson Staff Writer

Kappa Sigma, said. Hurricane Ida touched down in Louisiana on Aug. 29, 2021, Kappa Sigma Fraternity exactly 16 years after Hurricane hosted an event called “Pie a Katrina, according to the Royal Kappa Sig,” which involved Meteorological Society. The members of the fraternity having hurricane took dozens of lives pie tins filled with shaving and affected many more. cream shoved in their faces on “We raised over $250 and Wednesday, September 15. had around 50 people come by The event was hosted to and throw pies. The American raise money for those who were Red Cross can use that money affected by Hurricane Ida. to buy over 60 cases of water or “We came up with this idea 230 cans of food or whatever because we wanted to help with else they may need,” Frost hurricane relief but we also said. Anyone wishing to throw wanted to get people involved a pie at a member donated $4 in a creative way. We figured to the American Red Cross and throwing pies at members then picked who they wanted was something both the greek to throw it at. Members of the community and the campus fraternity would then sit in community would find fun,” a chair and the person with Michael Frost, vice-president of the pie could throw it at them

anyway they liked. Kappa Sigma put a lot of effort into planning the event. “We bought lots of shaving cream and pie tins from Walmart. We also had to reserve a spot on the Student Center lawn. The staff at the office of student life was a great help and worked with us to get it done soon. I delegated responsibility to our philanthropy chairman and our treasurer who ensured that everyone knew about the event and how to donate,” Frost said. “Service is one of the most important things to [Kappa Sigma], so we really wanted to do something to help support the communities affected by Hurricane Ida,” Nick Brorman, philanthropy chairman of Kappa

Sigma, said. This is one of the first events that Kappa Sigma has hosted since being back on campus. “This event was significant for us because it was one of our first philanthropy events we’ve done that was open to the student body. We were very excited to be able to do our first philanthropy event so soon and become more involved in our community. We were very happy with how it turned out and are looking forward to putting on more events like this in the future,” Brorman said. Anyone who wishes to donate to Hurricane Ida can visit redcross.org and choose Hurricane Ida from the drop down box.

RSO

The Women of Excellence play ice breaker games with attendees of their “For the Girls” event on Sept. 13. The group also heard from motivational speaker Deana Williams about self-confidence and how to navigate college life. Women of Excellence will hold their next event on Oct. 11.

Junior Delena Lattimore

Freshman Jacob Zawisalka

“I guess my future. I have always been very cautious, I guess, of the path that I have taken. Just to make sure that I ensure that I have a bright and good future.”

“About fitness between myself and my friends. And just staying healthy. I just think it makes you feel good and makes life more enjoyable.”

Sophomore Sebastian Queen

Sophomore Shanice Kwo

“Trying to like make sure I am leaving a good impact. Whether that be on my friends, the environment, on the world around me, as long as I can make some kind of difference to say I tried and that something did change.”

“I really like being involved at school so, I serve with Baridon. I am on Baridon exec. And some other RSOs. So, I really like community service and giving back to the community. “

Sophomore Kierstan Pack

Senior Chloe Davis

“My family. Specifically, my little sister. She means literally the world to me and she has helped me get to where I am. So, making sure she has the best life is my top priority in life.”

“I am most passionate about Jesus and sharing the love of Jesus with people and loving people and serving people well. It’s just something I love to do and it’s something I hope to do for the remainder of my life.”

WOE learns self-confidence from Williams school and life. “You are good enough, you are more than enough,” UCA Women of Williams said. “If you’re Excellence (WOE) heard struggling in your classes, from a guest speaker and reach out to somebody. played icebreaker games Don’t wait until the final to on Sept. 13. for their first say ‘I was having a hard time, event this semester. “For Mom.’ Reach out to them The Girls” gave students now.” the opportunity to meet Williams’ talk included WOE members and listen some audience participation to speaker Deana Williams activities to help drive give a presentation on home her message and keep self-confidence and how to students engaged. navigate college life. One activity had students Once the crowd had settled gather in groups with the down in the Student Center task of emptying a small tube ballroom, the program began of sunscreen as their group with a quick prayer followed cheered them on, only to have by an icebreaker game led them attempt to refill the tube by the Women of Excellence once it was empty. “This is members to help loosen up your one time to know what the crowd. it feels like to put something After about half an hour out and not be able to take it of fun and games, Williams back,” Williams said. took the stage to give an Williams ended her talk inspirational speech about by having every audience the importance of self member write a letter to confidence and balancing themselves to be opened in by Milo Strain Staff Writer

one year to see how much they’ve grown and changed in 12 months. “I feel like it was really helpful and something I needed to hear today,” Lyric Pearson, a student in attendance, said. Williams is a woman of many talents; in addition to being a motivational speaker, she is a physical therapist, life coach, minister and contributor to THV11 News. As a survivor of abuse, Williams draws upon her own life experience in her speaking to guide young women through struggles. Williams is also a UCA alumna and had been a member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority during her time on campus. After her speech, Women of Excellence presented Williams with a certificate of appreciation and a bouquet of flowers to thank her for coming to speak.

People of UCA: Wesley Ivy by Kathryn Thornberry Staff Writer

Wesley Ivy is a senior with a Bachelor’s in Spanish working on his Masters degree. Ivy is teaching a Spanish I class at UCA. Ivy took three years of Spanish in high school, but his goal wasn’t to master the language at first. “I actually had no desire to learn Spanish. Instead of taking Spanish I in high school, I signed up for an EAST [Educated Accelerated by Service and Technology] class which turned out horribly. Although I had always wanted to learn a second language, Spanish was not on my radar; for whatever reason, I wanted to learn Portuguese, German or Russian,” Ivy said. “After switching out of the EAST class, I ended up in Spanish

I and realized that I loved the language. I would love to study another language--perhaps Catalan for its proximity to Spanish. I’ve also taken a go at Swedish, but never practiced with actual speakers, so I’ve forgotten most of it.” Ivy stumbled upon his love for the Spanish language as if it were fate. Beginning with his dislike for an EAST class, it wasn’t until college that he really began to understand the language without translating it in his head first. “It’s impossible to pinpoint when I no longer felt the need to translate in my head what I was reading or hearing, but I believe it happened in Spanish II. Once I got familiar with the vocabulary and the structure of the language, it became easier to understand the language without comparing it to English first,” Ivy said.

Ivy participated in the study abroad program, living in Madrid from early January to March. “The university we went to in Spain had a listing of various apartments available to rent for students. I got in contact with one of the people who was renting out a few rooms, believing we would be living with other students. When we arrived at the address, we were greeted by the mother of the person I had contacted. Essentially, we lived with a host family without ever meaning to,” Ivy said. “Being in Spain helped my learning tremendously- I cannot articulate everything I learned, both having to do with the language and the culture, in just two and a half months. I did feel much more confident in my speaking abilities upon returning home.” Ivy is not yet done with his

UCA Women of Excellence is a recognized student organization “launched to empower, support, and enrich the collegiate experience for women of color,” according to their constitution. WOE hosts monthly programs like “For The Girls” about various topics or issues, each one designed by an executive board member. WOE also does volunteer work around campus and is currently focusing on expanding their social media presence to reach a wider audience. Female students interested in joining can find more information through CubConnect or WOE’s social media pages. WOE’s next event is Monday, Oct. 11, and will be about breast cancer awareness, with more details to be announced in the coming weeks.

education in Spanish, and has advice for those who want to pursue a second language. “The first thing I would tell someone who is trying to learn a second/foreign language is to get the word ‘fluent’ out of their vocabulary. I’m not sure if there is an accurate and allencompassing definition for the various connotations that ‘being fluent in a language’ can have. If you can do complex mathematics in French but struggle to hold a conversation about the weather, you’re certainly fluent in one complicated aspect of the language, but maybe not in a way that is beneficial outside of that particular context,” Ivy said. Ivy also explained that what works best for him is to never go a day without experiencing the target language. Ivy suggested recognizing words you don’t know yet and studying them until they’re stuck in your brain.

Photo courtesy of Wesley Ivy

Wesley Ivy wanted to learn a different second language, but ended up taking a Spanish class and finding a love for the language.

Sports

September 22, 2021

Upcoming Games

Women’s Soccer 6 p.m., Sept. 23 at Jacksonville Tennis Sept. 24 at Samford University Volleyball 3 p.m., Sept. 24 vs North Florida Football 4 p.m. Sept. 25 vs Sam Houston Men’s Soccer 12 p.m., Sept. 25 vs Bellarmine Men’s Golf Sept. 26 at JT Poston Invitational Women’s Golf Sept. 27 at Golfweek Conference Challenge

Editor’s Take Photo by Maddison Ogle

Senior tight-end J.W. Jones hangs on tight for the tackle. The Bears defeated the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions 45-23. There were multiple delays, one before the game and one during, due to lightning. The weather did not delay their momentum though, and they still got the win. The next game will be at Estes Stadium on Sept. 25 against Sam Houston.

Bad weather leads to high energy; Bears come out with win BY

ASHLEY SAVAGE

Photo Editor

Arkansas fined $100,000 BY

EMILEE HAGEWOOD

Sports Editor

After the Arkansas Razorbacks beat the Texas Longhorns Saturday, Sept. 11, 40-21, Razorback fans rushed the field in elation. The SEC announced a $100,000 fine against Arkansas for violating the league’s access to competition area policy. SEC policy states, “Access to competition areas shall be limited to participating studentathletes, coaches, officials, support personnel and properly credentialed individuals at all times. For the safety of participants and spectators alike, at no time before, during or after a contest shall spectators be permitted to enter the competition area.” After the fourth quarter ended, elated fans jumped over the seating area to the field. This was in direct violation of the SEC’s policy and the second offense that Arkansas has incurred. The previous offense was in 2014, and Arkansas was fined $25,000. The fine was announced on Monday, Sept.13. Money from the fines will go towards the SEC’s PostGraduate Scholarship Fund. Being an Arkansas fan has been difficult, especially over the last five years. The last time Arkansas played in a Bowl was in 2016. But this year has been surprising so far, and a welcome change to the usual upset of a season. With three wins under their belt already, Razorback fans are on the edge of their seats this season, myself included. Experiencing these past few seasons and watching the heartbreak hogs lose time and time again, it almost feels like bad luck to say they might actually pull it off this year— being another Bowl game or ranking top five in the SEC. As of now, Arkansas is ranked sixteenth in the SEC, which hasn’t been done for a while. The electrifying energy that filled those stands on Saturday was unlike anything else. There is a huge rivalry between Texas and Arkansas, when we beat them it was like the floodgates of Heaven broke open. No one was surprised that the fans stormed the field, and if I was there I would’ve been on the field with them.

Dark skies, lightning strikes and weather delays did not stop the Bears from securing a 45-23 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff (UAPB) at the first home game on Sept. 18. The bears took to the field with high energy against the Golden Lions as fans packed Estes Stadium on both sides. Junior wide receiver Lujuan Winningham said, “The crowd plays a huge part in the momentum, so the louder they are, the better it is.” Adding, “We appreciate that they’re supporting us and giving us the energy we need throughout the game because, without them, we couldn’t do it.” The Bears dominated the first quarter and took a quick 21-0 lead early in the second quarter. Increased lightning in the area resulted in a 45-minute delay late in the first half, halting their momentum. Winningham said, “Football is a game of momentum. So, whoever has [that momentum] is normally the one making the plays and getting the calls.” Adding, “It’s important to stay focused and keep scoring even with a good-sized lead

early. The game is four quarters long, and anything can happen.” After the weather delay, UAPB came out hot in the second half, making the score 31-23 by scoring another touchdown toward the end of the third quarter. Despite the burst from the Golden Lions’ offensive line-up and the increased defense, the Bears buckled down and kept UAPB’s quarterback struggling to complete passes. Winningham, originally from Humble, Texas, said: “[This game] was a great example of not getting too comfortable. [UAPB] got the momentum on their side in the third quarter and fought back to make it a one-score game.” Adding, “We just have to keep executing and have high energy throughout the game. We did a good job of bouncing back and getting the energy back on our side.” Freshman running back Darius Hale stressed the importance of keeping the energy high regardless of circumstances. “It’s important to never relax as a team. Even when things are going good, it’s important to not let up,” said Hale. Headed into the fourth quarter, the Bears searched for that high energy from the first half and worked to match the efforts of the Golden Lions.

“As Coach Brown says, ‘a good team is able to move on from the good and the bad plays. [In this game], we had good plays and bad plays, but we were able to look past those plays and continue working toward that win,” Hale added. The Bears worked aggressively to bounce back from what Winningham described as “a dog fight” against UAPB in the third. Shortly after, the team found their rhythm late in the second half when Hale landed the first of two touchdown runs for the Bears. With a combined 76 yards Saturday night and his two touchdown runs in the fourth quarter, Hale locked in the 45-23 victory for UCA but stressed the importance of the groups’ efforts. “I want success for this team above all. It’s not about me or what I want for myself.” Adding, “I just want to do what I can to help this team.” The Bears are preparing to face Sam Houston on Sept. 25 at Estes Stadium. “We feed off of the energy of the crowd and band so much. Words can’t explain what the student body and fans mean to us. We just want to say thank you and that we hope you keep bringing that energy,” Hale said.

TOURNAMENT

Women’s golf takes fifth place at Golfweek Fall Challenge BY

EMILEE HAGEWOOD

Sports Editor

UCA’s women’s golf finished fifth at the Golfweek Fall Challenge at the Caledonia Golf and Fish Club. Sophomore Camila Moreno tied for second place on the first day, first place on the second day, and finished in ninth place on the final day. UCA finished with 877, shooting rounds of 292283-302. “I feel very happy about my performance. Even though I didn’t have the closing I wanted, I still managed to finish top ten,” Moreno said. On day one of the tournament, UCA was in sixth place out of 20 teams. Campbell led in first with 280, followed by Jacksonville State, Lipscomb, Stetson and Wofford. Sophomore Pim-Orn Thitisup shot a one-over-72, tieing for thirteenth place, while junior

Elin Kumlin tied for fortythird with a four-over-75. Juniors Tania Nunez and Karley Wittington tied for fifty-second with five-over-76s. On day two, UCA moved up into third place, hitting nine strokes better than the opening day. Moreno was tied for first place, shooting 69 with a threeunder-68. Kumlin made a jump from forty-third to eighteenth after rounds of 75-70_145, while Thitisup continued to stay tied for thirteenth place. Nunez tied for forty-eighth hitting rounds of 76-74_150, Wittington tied for forty-sixth ending day two with 149 and Nunez tied for forty-eighth, ending with 150. Moreno said, “As a team, I’m also very proud of our performance because this was only the first tournament of our season. It gives us a lot of perspective into what we need to

work for the next tournaments.” On the third day, Moreno shot a 79, which left her in a tie for ninth place at 216. Kumlin shot UCA’s best round of the day with a two-over-73, finishing in a tie for seventeenth place at 218. Thitisup tied for twentyseventh, shooting a 76 and finishing with 220. Nunez finished with a three-over-74, tying her for fortieth place, while Wittington tied for fifty-eighth place with an 81. Campbell ended with 853 in first, followed by Jacksonville State with 865, East Carolina with 867, Lipscomb with 871 and UCA with 877. UCA fought hard against tough competition and was proud to say that they placed fifth among twenty other great teams. They look forward to the upcoming season and hope to continue placing up top.

See Golf- page 8

Photo courtesy of ucasports.com

Camila Moreno, from Bogota, Columbia, finished in ninth place after a hard battle at the Golfweek Fall Challenge at the Caledonia Golf and Fish club.

MEN’S SOCCER

Bears fought hard in last 20 minutes of game; pull off win BY

ASHLEY SAVAGE

Photo Editor

The men’s soccer team secured a 3-2 victory against the University of Memphis (UM) at home on Tuesday, Sept. 14, after being tied on the scoreboard until the final minutes. This win at home left the team sitting at a 5-1 overall record, and another win against North Florida raised it to 6-1. Despite inclement weather and on-and-off rain on Tuesday, the team came out with high energy and held a 2-0 lead for the first 79 minutes of the game. UCA’s first score was secured after the efforts of senior Ole Kjoerholt landed at the 30-minute mark. The Bears added to their lead again shortly after, at the 39th-minute mark, leaving UM behind with a 2-0 score. Memphis landed on the board for the first time early in the 79th minute, due to UM’s Maximillian Galizzi. The Bears worked to defend their lead in the final half of the game but were met with an intense offensive response from UM’s side.

The 2-1 score sat for only two minutes before Galizzi added a second kick to UM’s score, leaving the teams tied in the 80th minute. Sophomore Masood Porsa said, “Soccer is a game that takes 90 minutes to win but can be lost in a matter of seconds. Any single mistake or even a slight drop of intensity can have terrible consequences, and we’ve had important matches slip through our hands before.” Porsa said, “It’s an awful feeling, and we’re dedicated to fixing any complacency this fall.” The Bears’ increased intensity carried into the last few minutes as junior Karim Diao knocked in the final score of the night, securing their fifth win of the season. “Real heroes step up when it’s hard. It’s something our head coach has preached to us many times before. He explains that it’s easy to step up when things are going well, but when times get tough, that’s when real heroes emerge,” Porsa said. Despite the win, the team hopes to work toward better performances on the field each game. Porsa said, “Regardless of having another win on our record, there’s definitely an increase in the team’s focus and intensity at training. Although it’s great to get

three points, the team knows we can’t afford each game coming down to the wire like that.” With the ASUN opener around the corner, the team is looking to tighten up their shortcomings on the field and take each week match by match. “The three most important things leading up to a match are sleep, diet and hydration. And once you’re in season, and the games don’t stop, neither does the preparation.” Porsa said, “If we aren’t playing or practicing, then we’re recovering and preparing for the next time we will be. This helps ensure we bring everything to the table each and every game.” The team is headed to face St. Louis on Tuesday, Sept. 21, and will look to lock in another victory under their belt, despite being away from home. Porsa stressed the love the team has for playing at home. He said, “There’s no better feeling than playing at home in front of our fans because of the energy we get from them. Having supporters cheering throughout the game gives you a different kind of motivation to get the job done.” The next men’s soccer game at home will be on Saturday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m.

Opinion

ucaechoeditor@gmail.com

September 22, 2021

The Voice

Stu d e nt s s h ou l d b e e n c ou r a g e d t o d i s c u s s m e nt a l h e a lt h m ore

The Echo Staff Delaney Van Wilpe Editor-in-Chief Addison Freeman Associate Editor Mia Waddell News Editor Sydney Cyr Assistant News Editor Bennett Tinnermon Campus Life Editor Olyvia Gonzalez Assistant Campus Life Editor Sarah Smythe Opinion Editor Madison Ogle Entertainment Editor/Cartoonist Emilee Hagewood Sports Editor Andrew McMahan Assistant Sports Editor Megan Holder Online Editor Ashley Savage Photography Editor

Got Letters? Comments or complaints about content of The Echo or in reference to anything on campus should be registered with the newspaper by letters or email to the editors. All letters must be limited to 300 words and include the author’s name and phone number. All letters may be published unless they are marked private. Letters may be edited for style, clarity and length. Editorials written in The Voice express the opinion of the newspaper and the editorial staff. Individual staff opinions are expressed in individual columns.

The Echo office is located in Stanley Russ Hall 124

ucanews.live ucaechoonline@gmail.com ucaechoeditor@gmail.com David Keith, Advisor

Advertising echonewspaperads@gmail.com

Teachers’ compassion levels post-virtual In March of 2020, all of our lives changed could show such grace and empathy, while others drastically. were even more of a hardass than they would’ve been Students had to pack up their dorms and move had we not been virtual. I know that all teachers are different; some are home in the middle of the semester. What was once an in-person class suddenly more lenient than others, and that’s okay. But the inconsistencies across the board were became virtual, and I, along with many others, was frustrating, and I contemplated giving up altogether thrown for a loop. I had never had a virtual class before and never a few times. I still don’t know why some were so gracious and even heard of Zoom before the pandemic. continue to be, while others continue to be Trying to navigate my classes while sitting downright jerks. at home in my bed was a lot harder than it Luckily, I powered through and sounds. made it to this semester, which has gone I was totally lost and really scared way better than I ever imagined. about my grades. Being back in class, I’ve found Luckily, my professors were that most of my teachers are still right there with me. compassionate. They hadn’t prepared to do They realize that we’re all still virtual instruction, so they gave me, adjusting to being back in person. and many other students, a lot of I think they’re still learning grace and compassion. to adjust, too, even if they’ve Through the last three taught in-person classes in the past. semesters, I have been living All the new rules and at home in Little Rock. regulations can make learning I rarely went to class in difficult, and I’m trying to be person, as very few of my as compassionate as they’ve classes offered that option, been with me. and I felt like it was a waste And though it has been of gas to go for only an hour. by Emilee Hagewood much easier to learn, there’s I struggled with a total way less leniency than before. Sports Editor lack of motivation. Due dates are when things There were many classes are actually due; there is no that I shouldn’t have gotten a getting around it anymore. good grade in. The things I used to get away with while being in Because of my professors’ compassion, I ended virtual classes no longer fly. up getting higher grades than I expected in a few of Teachers have been compassionate, but it’s been my classes. a lot less than it had been during the pandemic. Many teachers seemed frustrated with the way But to be completely honest, I like it way better things were going and felt a lot of sympathy for their this way. students. Without discipline and repercussions, I slacked I benefited greatly from this. off like nobody’s business, and my grades suffered There were other classes that my teachers were greatly because of it. anything but compassionate in, though. I’m happy that my teachers have become less I received bad grades in classes I thought I had lenient with me. done better in. I’m holding myself to a higher standard because of It didn’t make sense to me how some teachers it, and I’m proud of my progress so far.

Take advantage of on-campus food pantry

No one should ever have to deal with food The shipping guidelines state that you must have scarcity or insecurity while attending UCA, and the your UCA ID with you to use the food pantry. When “Bear Essentials” Food Pantry will make sure of it. you arrive, a volunteer will check you in using your ID According to Feeding America, there were number and name. 18,870 people in Faulkner County experiencing Bear Essentials asks that you let them know if it is food insecurity in 2019. your first time visiting the pantry. With that in mind, it’s great to see a free food Students should follow all COVID-19 guidelines, pantry that can be accessed when needed on campus. like hand sanitation and the use of face masks when Bear Essentials is open four days a week and is indoors anywhere on campus. located behind the Physical Plant and across from There are shelf limits to follow to use the the Student Health Center on Beatrice Powell food pantry. These limits are labeled on each Street. shelf throughout the pantry and ensure The shopping guidelines state that “our there is enough of everything to go mission is to reduce food insecurity in the around to as many shoppers as possible. UCA community.” They’re working hard to Bear Essentials asks that shoppers do just that for their shoppers. only visit the pantry once per week to The food pantry is a completely free help them track their inventory and let service provided to all UCA students, them restock regularly. faculty and staff members through The pantry does have other donations. items like small personal Bear Essentials supplies hygiene items, but the more than 75 shoppers per options are limited. week with food necessities like Other items that can peanut butter, spaghetti sauce be found in abundance at and pasta, cereal and milk, the food pantry are ramen and much more. noodles, macaroni and by Sarah Smythe The shelves are deep and cheese, cans of soup like basically covered with food vegetable, tomato, and Opinion Editor choices for all, no matter how chicken noodle, and even picky the eater is. condiments like ketchup, There are a few syrup, garlic chili sauce, refrigerators located in the food pantry oyster sauce, and more. Any additional information can be that house items like frozen meatballs, forwarded to Food Pantry Director Will milk, eggs, fresh fruit and vegetables. Baker or Assistant Vice President for There should be no hesitation to visit Student Engagement Wendy Holbrook Bear Essentials if you experience any type at bearessentials@uca.edu. of food insecurity in your daily life. Bear Essentials can also be found on It’s not embarrassing to go, and there Instagram @Bearessentialsfoodpantry should not be one ounce of stigma against or Facebook @Ucabearessentials. The food pantries. QR Code for the food pantry is above. The world we live in has it so backward with Again, no one should ever experience food inflation on food prices and food resources for insecurity, especially when there are such fantastic students and teachers. resources available for everyone at UCA.

UCA should be doing more for mental health for their students, professors and faculty members. Just slapping a link to the Student Health Center is not enough, especially when the phone number tends to just ring and ring with no real person connected to it. Students need to feel comfortable enough to speak up about needing more attention on their mental health. Through the pandemic, mental health has declined drastically, especially for students. According to the CDC, “symptoms of anxiety disorder and depressive disorder increased considerably in the United States during April–June 2020, compared with the same period in 2019.” Students and teachers had to adapt quickly to the changes thrown at us all of last year. We still have to deal with the changes that the pandemic continues to bring. Switching from virtual learning to fully in-person learning from one semester to the next required massive adaptation from the student body. We all had to endure the changes decided for us, even without our input on the situation. Through all those changes, some people were left to their own vices to help them through mental health issues, and the university had limited outreach during virtual learning sessions.

Other than a few emails connected to a general email address or phone number, no one explicitly asked about mental health. The CDC shared that “40.9% of respondents reported at least one adverse mental or behavioral health condition, including symptoms of anxiety disorder or depressive disorder (30.9%), symptoms of a trauma- and stressor-related disorder (TSRD) related to the pandemic (26.3%), and having started or increased substance use to cope with stress or emotions related to COVID-19 (13.3%).” The staff at the UCA Counseling Center have provided multiple outreach programs throughout the semester for UCA and the Conway community for free in the past. Some topics that are usually discussed are signs of depression, stress management, sexuality and gender, and other mindful practices. Something as simple as cutting out the phone call or the hassle of getting an appointment on campus would help some feel more confident to go to the Student Health Center. There should be designated “open house” days revolving around mental health to create a safe space for people at UCA searching for help. There’s no question that mental health struggles heightened during the pandemic because, in June of 2020, the CDC reported “elevated levels of adverse mental health conditions, substance use, and suicidal ideation by adults in the United States.” Some universities provide students with more outreach events and even provide a mental health awareness day that usually requires students and faculty to spend time considering themselves for a change. This day could be a great opportunity to engage the community members in difficult discussions and open dialogues about mental health, setting the stage for future preparation regarding the subject. The mental health of students should be a topic that is not only touched on by the university but looked deeply at to help ensure that students are living the best lives they can while attending school.

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 The Courier. 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

September 22, 2021

New This Week

This isn’t ‘Clickbait:’ new Netflix series is worth the watch

Movies Sept. 24 — Birds of Paradise (R), directed by Sarah Adina Smith, starring Diana Silvers, Kristine Froseth and Jacqueline Bisset Sept. 24 — Dear Evan Hansen (PG-13), directed by Stephen Chbosky, starring Ben Platt, Kaitlyn Dever and Amandla Stenberg Oct. 1 — The Many Saints of Newark (R), directed by Alan Taylor, starring Alessandro Nivola, Vera Farmiga and Ray Liotta Oct. 8 — Night Raiders, directed by Danis Goulet, starring Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Brooklyn Letexier-Hart and Alex Tarrant

Music Sept. 24 — In the Meantime — Alessia Cara Sept. 24 — New Age Norms 3 — Cold War Kids Sept. 24 — My Gift (Special Edition) — Carrie Underwood Sept. 24 — These Things Happen Too — G-Eazy Sept. 24 — Flux — Poppy

What if, during your daily aimless scroll through social media, you stumbled upon a video of a man with anxious eyes and blood running down his forehead? Following the direction of a silent figure behind the camera, he holds up two signs. The first sign reads, “I Abuse Women,” and the second, “At 5 Million Views I Die.” You might believe the video to be fake and watch it a few more times. As the viewer count climbs, you might even share it with a friend or two to get their opinion. Now, imagine the man in the photo is your husband. Imagine he’s your dad, your brother or even your son. Would that make you think twice before sharing it? In what appears to be a long-winded commentary on the impact of all things social media, Netflix’s newest, rising star, “Clickbait,” touches base on the numerous aspects of the internet and how it can be used for both good and evil. The series was released on Aug. 25,

Sept. 24 — Sincerely, Kentrell — YoungBoy Never Broke Again Sept. 24 — Sunday in Heaven — Zella Day

Netflix Sept. 24 — Midnight Mass, Created by Mike Flanagan, starring Rashul Abburi, Crystal Balint and Matt Biedel

Sept. 24 — My Little Pony: A New Generation, directed by José Luis Ucha, starring Vanessa Hudgens, Kimiko Glenn and James Marsden Sept. 24 — The Starling, directed by Theodore Melfi, starring Melissa McCarthy, Scott MacArthur, Timothy Olyphant

Sept. 28 — Attack of the Hollywood Clichés!, directed by Sean Doherty, Ricky Kelehar and Alice Mathias, written by Dane Baptiste and Ben Caudell

Sept. 28 — Ada Twist, Scientist, created by Chris Nee, starring Amanda Christine, Taye Diggs and Susan Kelechi Watson

campus resources List compiled by Andraea Aguilera Staff Writer

2021, and has been a hit on the streaming platform since. Social commentary aside, this eight-episode series begins by introducing its key players and even tip-toes around some unexplained tension between main characters Pia (played by Zoe Kazan) and Sophie Brewer (played by Betty Gabriel). Despite this lack of explanation, character growth is something that creators

Tony Ayres and Christian White did well. As the video hits 5 million views, you get a first-hand look at how each character behaves when they’ve reached their lowest point. This is where the growth becomes apparent. Not one character in the series stays stagnant, and by the time you finish the series, you will have an opinion on each one. Contrasting personalities

Delaney Van Wilpe

Editor-in-Chief

There are not a lot of albums that I genuinely enjoy off the first listen, especially nowadays, but Yebba’s debut album, “Dawn,” is an exception. RCA Records released the album Sept. 10 with features from Smino and A$AP Rocky. Mark Ronson, who has worked with the likes of Lady Gaga, Amy Winehouse, Adele and Miley Cyrus, produced the album. My first interaction with Arkansas native Yebba was on Drake’s “Certified Lover Boy.” One of the few songs I enjoyed on his album was “Yebba’s Heartbreak,” which does not feature any vocals from Drake. She bears her soul in this song and further into her new album. Yebba’s style feels familiar and nostalgic but, at the same time, fresh and unique. “Dawn” gives hints of alternative, R&B, folk and jazz, but I hate to even throw her into a box like that. With influences ranging from Aretha Franklin to D’Angelo, it’s no wonder this album morphed into something spectacular. “Dawn” is a perfect fall album that addresses love and heartbreak and exceeds expectations of a new artist’s debut. More importantly, it’s an album to honor Yebba’s late mom, Dawn. The songs “October Sky” and “Paranoia Purple” address this drastic loss in her life. “October Sky” is a perfect lullaby. Yebba softly sings, “There’s a picture of us/ In a layer of dust/ On the mantle/ Right by my cigarettes that I smoke since you left/ ‘Cause you said you had to fly/ In your October sky.” The final song on the album, “Paranoia Purple,” at first appears to be about lost romantic love but takes a turn at the end of the song. She sings, “How could I forget you?/ I still can’t figure it out/

The UCA Counseling Center allows students, faculty and staff 10 free counseling sessions per academic year. Enrolled undergraduate or graduate students can be part-time or full-time to receive counseling. Appointments are made after filling out the required paperwork online. The Counseling Center also conducts educational programs upon request and holds numerous boot camps and programs throughout the semester such as Decreasing Your Test Anxiety and Improving Your Social Game. These are always in Burdick 205 during x-period on the days listed on the Counseling Center page. The site lists resources for getting help for others, crisis phone numbers and more. The Counseling Center is located on the third floor in Suite 327 of the Student Health Center.

It’s two years, mom/ I still can’t figure it out.” The album concludes with a voice mail recording of her mom: “Hope you’re having fun, and I hope you’re singing away/ You’re my little joy, you’re my little star/ I love you, bye/ Love, mama.” When you hear this song at the end of the album, the meaning of it starts to come to fruition. It prompts you to listen again to see what else you may have missed on the first listen. My favorite tracks on the album are “All I Ever Wanted” and “Stand.” “All I Ever Wanted” is a song about the right person, wrong time. But, the most intriguing aspect of the song is the layered harmonies. With these harmonies interwoven between each line, she sings, “All I ever wanted was you/ And now I know we both got our obligations/ All I ever wanted was you/ And yes I know you promised her everything but/ I can’t wait too long on you my baby/ All I ever wanted was you/ And now I know that we’ll never have the conversation.” This harmony technique resembles a style seen most in 70s soft rock songs like “Summer Breeze” by Seals and Crofts. Yebba’s “Stand” has that same technique in its intro, but when it transfers to the first verse, she morphs her voice to sound strong like that of Adele. She beautifully sings, “I want you/ But I don’t want your reasons why/ You can’t even look me in my eye.” Although I compared Yebba to Adele, as the song continues, she proves to be her own breed of musician with unique voice-riffs. Production-wise, this song goes in so many directions, making it a very pleasing and interesting listen. After listening to this album, it is clear that Yebba has a bright future in the music industry. I am eager to see more projects from her. “Dawn” can be streamed on Apple Music and Spotify. 2. Center for Writing

& Communication In-person tutoring has resumed at the Center for Writing and Communication. They offer appointments through email, instant message and Google Meet. Tutors offer help with writing assignments, drafting, citing sources, developing ideas and more. All appointments are 30 minutes long unless there is prior approval for hour-long sessions. The Center for Writing and Communication is located in Thompson Hall 109. Their fall 2021 hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., then Sunday through Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Questions about the center can be sent to cwc@uca. edu. Any major can make use of the CWC.

also allow different perspectives and reactions that will keep you on your toes, like with Sophie and Pia. Ayres and White beautifully cultivated the rocky relationship between Sophie, wife of Nick, and Pia, his sister. Rifts in this relationship were apparent from the first scene in the series. The creators’ utilization of this rift to promote growth,

not only in each character but in the relationship of the two strong-willed but very different women, made the series much more interesting to watch. It also gives you something to root for in an abundance of bad news. Character growth is a large part of this series, but the most enthralling aspect is you never know who the “bad guy” is. With all the effort that the creators put into each character, it only makes sense. The various avenues and plot lines you follow them through make you question every character, even Nick himself. When the truth is revealed, it will sneak up on you in a way that will force you to pick your jaw up off the floor. It’s that good. This well-written series is worth watching if you’re looking for a nail-biter to keep you on the edge of your seat and completely tuned in for all eight episodes. Aside from an unfavorable portrayal of the news media, the series checked all the boxes that a person who loves a good thrill would want. “Clickbait” is available to stream on Netflix.

D O C U M E N TA R Y

Yebba stuns in new, debut album ‘Dawn’

1.Counseling Center

Top 5 UCA

Photo courtesy of www.netflix.com

“Clickbait” touches base on the numerous aspects of the internet and how it can be used for both good and evil. Netflix released the series Aug. 25.

NEW ARTIST

Sept. 24 — Our Bande Apart — Third Eye Blind

Courtney Shepherd

Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of www.michael-schumacher.de

Schumacher is pictured in a Ferrari F310, taken 1996. Schumacher would perform in 16 races during this season, the first being in Melbourne, Australia and the last being in Suzuka, Japan.

‘Schumacher’ offers insightful look into career of Formula 1 driver

Bennett Tinnermon

Campus Life Editor

“Schumacher,” a new documentary on Netflix, details the career of legendary Formula One driver, Michael Schumacher, with interviews from past rivals, friends and family. The documentary, which released on Sept. 15, explains Schumacher’s career, all the way from his early days in karting through both of his retirements from F1. Commentary by former rivals and teammates showed various perspectives on Schumacher’s career. An infamous moment in Schumacher’s first championship victory came the final race of the 1994 season at the Australian Grand Prix. A collision between Bennetton driver Schumacher and Williams driver Damon Hill ended both of the drivers’ races, allowing Schumacher to win the championship by one point. Many believe Schumacher intentionally hit Hill to prevent him from overtaking and winning the championship. In the documentary, Hill adds an interesting perspective to the controversial move. “Michael did what he had to do 3. Career Services

Career Services, located in Bernard Hall room 311, assists students in their educational journey through career coaching. They also give access to work-study, internship, part-time and fulltime employment opportunities. They serve as a guide in career planning, career education and career development programs. Bears4Hire is a popular tool in looking for job opportunities, signing up for events and finding on-campus interviews. W.O.W. Closet is another service in which students may pick out one professional outfit at no charge. The limit is one outfit per academic year. W.O.W. Closet is located in Bernard Hall 4th floor, and opened MondayThursday 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Find more details at https://uca. edu/career/.

to stop me beating him. Put me in the car in Adelaide, and I’ve got a points advantage, and my rival comes up the inside, what would I do? I don’t know,” Hill said. The documentary used many old interviews with Schumacher, focusing for a while on the death of driver Ayrton Senna and how Schumacher could barely believe what had happened. Footage of Schumacher with family and friends was often commentated by those who knew him personally about what he was like: an incredible driver and a family man. Schumacher’s wife, Corinna, spoke throughout the documentary about Schumacher’s love for his family and his dedication to both them and F1. During the later parts of the documentary, interviews are seen with those closest to the driver: his immediate family. In an interview with German publication Bild prior to the Schumacher documentary, Schumacher’s son Mick compared the relationship between his father and Vettel to Vettel and himself. “I think what my dad was to Sebastian, he is for me,” Mick said. Surprisingly, there was

4. UCA Bear Essential Food

Pantry The UCA Bear Essential Food Pantry serves current UCA students and staff. The pantry provides food items such as peanut butter, jelly, spaghetti, pasta sauce, soup, fruit, macaroni & cheese and ramen. There are sometimes personal hygiene and additional food items when available. Fall 2021 hours are Mondays and Tuesdays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesdays and Thursdays 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Physical Plant, room 40. The pantry closes during holidays and breaks. Your UCA ID must be shown. Students can contact Will Baker, the pantry’s coordinator, at bearessentials@uca.edu for additional information.

only a small portion of the interview shown with Vettel. The four-time champion had a close relationship with Schumacher. Near the end, the documentary cuts from footage of Schumacher with his family to a panning shot of the snowy, French alps. In December 2013, Schumacher sustained a serious head injury while skiing. Information about the seven-time world champion since then is sparse. As his wife said in the documentary, Schumacher liked his life to be private, and his family has kept it that way. Many fans expected new information about Schumacher’s condition to be revealed in the documentary, and while they may be disappointed, it is understandable that this was not so. This documentary is the only film supported by the Schumacher family. “Schumacher” does a great job of telling the story of the motorsport legend, on and off-track, giving longtime fans and newcomers a look into the dedication and resilience of Michael Schumacher. “Schumacher” is now streaming on Netflix.

5. Student Health Clinic The Student Health Clinic offers free COVID-19 vaccines and COVID-19 testing. While walk-ins are accepted, they are not encouraged. Students may instead make appointments through the patient portal at uca. edu/studenthealth. Students can call (501)450-3136 to make appointments if the online portal is unavailable. The clinic also provides services regarding women’s health, X-Rays, general family practice and more. Some patient visits can be done over the phone, while others cannot. The Student Health Clinic does not disclose patient medical information to anyone unless given written permission. Get vaccinated!

ucanews.live

SPORTS

8 / September 22, 2021

UCA STATS CORNER SPORT

OPPONENT

RESULT

RECORD

Football

Pine Bluff

45-23 W

3-0

Volleyball

Southeast Missouri

0-3 L

2-7,0-0

North Florida

1-0 W

6-1-0, 1-0-0

Men’s soccer

FOOTBALL

Photo courtesy of ucasports.com

Sophomore wide receiver Tyler Hudson (left) shakes hands with junior wide receiver Lujuan Winningham (right) after a play. Washington has been playing for UCA since 2018; he was a red shirt freshman in 2017.

Winningham’s love for football leads to friends, fulfilling career BY

CHRISTIAN WEST

Staff Writer

UCA junior wide receiver Lujuan Winningham is a play maker on the football field, but football has not always been his primary sport. Although now his love is for football, Winningham enjoyed running track in high school. “I used to be a big track guy, and that was my sport in high school,” Winningham said. However, his time at UCA changed his perception and helped his love for football grow. Winningham said, “When I got to UCA and realized this is what I could be and want to be doing in the future, I started developing the love for practice and early morning lifts and everything that comes with football.” Winningham has finished his under-graduate studies and has a degree in finance. He is currently working on his masters degree. Winningham has had many noteworthy performances,

but none stand out as much as his game against Western Kentucky. He had an impressive eight catches for 222 yards and three touchdowns. Winningham said, “The Western Kentucky game was a defining game for me because it showed that all of my work I put in the off-season summer and fall camp was worth it.” Winningham was named to the first-team All-Southland Conference in 2019, the preseason All-SLC first 2020, first team 2020 preseason All-SLC, first team Fall All-SLC in 2020, preseason All-ASUN selection 2021, preseason All-America selection by Hero Sports and Stats Perform 2021. Being a member of the Bears team has come with learning a lot of valuable lessons. For Winningham, it’s all about taking in every moment, year in and year out, continuing to prove his worth. Winningham said, “Every year it’s a new team, new faces. You have to develop a new identity and prove yourself every

year. Really just cherish the people from year to year, build and develop those bonds.” A big part of the game is being able to take notes and learn from some of the best in the game. Winningham has taken note of all of the best currently playing. At the same time, he looks at the past and models himself closely to two of the greatest players in his eyes, to lace it up at the wide receiver position. Winningham said, “I like to incorporate a lot of the top wide receivers in the game to my own. Whether it’s just learning releases, top of route techniques or just little pieces from everybody, but if I had to say who I model myself after, I would say Terrell Owens or Chad Ochocinco.” With the football season just getting underway, it will be interesting to see what the Bears team and Winningham have in store. If this season is similar to the previous season, then watching Winningham should be a treat.

PROPOSAL

Photo courtesy of @ucafootball

Defensive UCA football coach DeAirus Whitney proposes to his longtime girlfriend at the game Sept. 18. The Bears win against the Golden Lions was followed by an engagement surrounded by teammates and fireworks for the fans.

UCA football coach proposes after Bears win against UAPB BY

MADISON OGLE

Entertainment Editor/Cartoonist

After a 45-23 win for the UCA Bears, DeAirus Whitney upped the excitement of the victory by proposing to long-time girlfriend, Macie Fritts. Post-victory, Whitney and the rest of the team gathered on the stripes before dismissing for the night. Whitney brought Fritts, his girlfriend of nearly five-anda-half years, to the center of the crowd and popped the question. Fritts said, “Yes,” with no hesitation. Whitney is the defensive graduate assistant and video coordinator for UCA’s football team. “I’m pretty much the background in defense,” Whitney said. “I just kind of handle the scouting, getting reports done, things of that nature.” The proposal, though planned ahead of time, was kept under wraps from much of the team.“I would say probably about 30% of the team knew and the word kind of got around,” Whitney said. “The majority of the guys were

shocked. They didn’t know what was happening, so it was kind of an awesome experience, seeing everybody’s reactions.” Whitney said that he had been wanting to propose for about three years prior to going through with it. Whitney’s main goal was finding the right time to ask the question. “I’ve just been waiting to graduate,” Whitney said. “[Fritts] just recently graduated and I just recently graduated as well. It was just kind of perfect timing, both graduated, both starting our careers.” Whitney and Fritts met at a Walmart in Searcy, Whitney’s hometown. Fritts is originally from California but moved to Bald Knob around the age of 8 or 9. Whitney was the winner of a sweepstakes deal through Sissy’s Log Cabin, a jewelry store based out of Conway. Whitney received money towards the engagement ring. “Sissy’s log cabin was a really big help, “ Whitney said. “By the grace of God, I just won. From there, I walked in and they were there

Photo by Maddison Ogle

Senior defensive end Nathan Grant pushes back against the Golden Lions. The Lions were losing up until the second half, when they quickly put up 23 points. The Bears took back their lost momentum and secured the victory.

COMMODORE CLASSIC

Cross Country places sixth at meet, teammates break personal records BY

MIA WADDELL

News Editor

The men and women’s cross country team placed intermediately at the Commodore Classic in Nashville, TN, with the exception of a few players meeting personal records. Of the 11 teams competing, both the men’s and women’s teams placed sixth overall, a fair showing for an incomplete team. “We still aren’t at 100% and left a few runners at home,” coach Beau Theriot said of his teams’ performances. Despite the average performance, a multitude of players met personal records during the meet. Men’s team member sophomore Christian Tamura set his personal 8k record with a time of 26:24.4. “I was a little nervous at the start, especially with a course as challenging as this one,” Tamura said. “I feel like I put forth a solid effort for the team, I would have liked to have done better but I can’t complain about a new personal record.” The course was a notoriously difficult one and was many players’ first 8k.

“It was very different from running a 5k,” freshman River Hill said. Hill placed 67th in the race with a time of 27:28.1. “I personally think I can run faster than I did. Overall as a team, we raced very strongly, and the pack running we had as a team was what put us in 6th place.” Sara Steimel, Junior, placed 19th overall with a time of 17:53.8, the highest placement among UCA’s women’s team. This time set a personal 5k record for Steimel. Senior Kennedy Timmerman recently returned to the team from a shin injury and placed 54th with a time of 19:06.6. “I’m super happy to finally be racing with the team again, and the Commodore meet was a great place to do it,” Timmerman said. Senior Thomas Cain, placed 21st with a time of 25:27.1, the highest placement in the men’s team. Freshman Fionn Harrington set a personal record in the 8k with a time of 26:00.2 “It was my first time running that distance so it was a nice introduction to it, but I have more left in me as I learn how to race it more tactically,”

Harrington said. “The team performed well on the toughest course we will face all year. The future is only looking bright with this team as we continue to improve every day.” Junior Parker Jackson placed 31st with a time of 25:47.0 a personal record for an 8k. Senior Tate Whaley also made a personal record, placing 40th with a time of 26:04.9. Finally, Graduate Student Phillip Haessner set a personal record for himself, placing 60th with a time 27:06.4 The University of Kentucky’s women’s team placed first and Middle Tennessee State University’s men’s team placed first in their league. Head coach Beau Theriot said of the teams’ performance, “Individually, everyone had a great performance considering how tough the course was.” The University of Kentucky, Vanderbilt, The University of Missouri, and Middle Tennessee State University placed highest among the 11 universities that competed. The next meet for Cross Country will be Oct. 1 at 5 p.m. at the University of Arkansas in the Chili Pepper Festival.

with open arms to help me. I knew what I wanted, I told them ‘hey I want a thin band, I want an oval [stone].’” Whitney had found the perfect ring to propose with. Estes Stadium’s jumbotron displayed a congratulations message to the couple after the proposal. Whitney had flown out family to be present for the event, all without Fritts knowing. “I even pulled a little trick on her and got her nails done for her. It kind of worked out perfectly,” Whitney said. Even though he still would Photo courtesy of ucasports.com have proposed in the event of a loss, Whitney said he was Junior Elin Kumlin shot the best round of the day on the third day of the tournament. She ended in a tie for seventeenth anxious for a win during the days place at 218. The next match will be in Wolcott, Colorado to compete at the Golfweek Conference Challenge. prior to Saturday. “It probably wouldn’t have been the most exciting thing [proposing after a loss],” Whitney said. “All week I Bears take fifth place. was like ‘shoot, man. We better win because I wanna know what 4 Continued from page 5 it’s like to be that guy.’” Following the engagement, Moreno said, “I’m excited tournament in Hot Springs women’s golf team will be in Conway Corp. hosted a to play in Colorado next week because the whole team is Wolcott, Colorado, competing fireworks show for those still because I really like that course, going.” at the Golfweek Conference in Estes Stadium. “It was just but I’m also excited about the From Sept. 27-29, the Challenge. perfect,” Whitney said.

Golf :